Chapter Seven: An Arrow

Princess Xiyue could see that Young Master Yunpeng was no good at heart. Though Ji Ning was forbearing, he had pride deep down, and over time conflict might indeed arise. She promptly said, “Alright, Ji Ning, you go to Tianbao Mountain. We’ll meet again later.”

“Go to Tianbao Mountain?” Young Master Yunpeng raised his eyelids and glanced at Ji Ning, then said, “Xiyue, we haven’t been to Tianbao Mountain for a long time either. Since Brother Ji Ning wants to go, we’ll accompany him. Yungu, don’t you agree?”

Feng Yungu had been sitting silently all along. Hearing Young Master Yunpeng’s words, he quickly nodded. “Fine, fine.”

Seeing this, Ji Ning frowned. The ‘brother-in-law’ his cousin was about to marry was truly too spineless.

“Xiyue!” Young Master Yunpeng looked at Princess Xiyue.

Princess Xiyue could only nod. “Alright, let’s go together.”

…

Ji Ning, Princess Xiyue, Young Master Yunpeng, Feng Yungu, and of course some servants, rode a large immortal-grade treasure ship, plowing through the air with a mighty roar as they flew within the Grand Xia imperial capital.

“My top-grade immortal treasure ship has been infused with ‘Taiyi Azure Essence’; in terms of speed alone, it can rival an extreme-grade immortal treasure ship,” Young Master Yunpeng said rather smugly.

Ji Ning glanced at him.

This Young Master Yunpeng really had a lot of treasures. To buy such an immortal-grade flying ship, even ten million catties of liquid elemental essence would be far from enough.

“Brother, bear with it,” Princess Xiyue sent a mental message to Ji Ning. “Although Young Master Yunpeng has some talent in cultivation, he’s naturally arrogant and might be a bit overbearing. But now that the Wind-Sealed Island of the Heavenly Realm has allied with our Grand Xia Dynasty, he won’t dare to act recklessly. Just pretend you didn’t hear his nonsense.”

“Cousin, since he’s so arrogant, why let him stay in the prince’s manor?” Ji Ning sent back. “I believe if Prince Yan told him to leave, he couldn’t stay.”

“Arrogant as he is, he’s still pursuing me, so naturally he has to buy me gifts,” Princess Xiyue said. “In the future, I must revive the Yuchi clan, so I need to hoard as many treasures as possible for the Yuchi clan.”

“Cousin, you…” Ji Ning was stunned.

“Do you look down on your cousin now?” Princess Xiyue sent back coolly. “I don’t care about these things. I long ago swore that I would fulfill my father’s last wish and rebuild the Yuchi clan. For the Yuchi clan, I would do anything, including giving my life. I just need to endure a little in front of Young Master Yunpeng, give him some hope, and he’ll keep sending treasures.”

Ji Ning didn’t know what to say for a moment.

“Don’t worry, your cousin won’t let him take advantage of me. What’s not obtained is the best. If he got what he wanted, would he pursue me so madly? I want the treasures. As for him? He’ll have to slink away in the end!” Princess Xiyue sent. “I have no choice. After all, Grandfather only recently became a Celestial Immortal; probably some loose immortals who have cultivated for a million years have more treasures than he does. And Grandfather also needs magic treasures and such, so I have to rely on myself.”

Ji Ning sensed his cousin’s resolve and stopped worrying. “That Feng Yungu, I think he and you…”

“You think he’s not worthy? Precisely because he’s a spineless wretch, I’m willing to marry him. Otherwise, how could I have absolute control over him?” Princess Xiyue sent. “Don’t worry, with Grandfather’s help, I can handle these small matters.”

“Cousin, if anything comes up, just send me a message. Don’t forget, the Yuchi clan has not only you but also me,” Ji Ning sent.

“Mm, I still have you, brother,” Yuchi Xiyue sent back.

…

The headquarters of Tianbao Mountain.

In a luxurious hall high up, a grand feast was laid out. Standing by the railing outside the hall, one could overlook the entire Grand Xia imperial capital.

“Young Master Yunpeng, you’ve brought Sister Xiyue again. It seems Tianbao Mountain is in for another big deal,” said Fairy Qingliu, dressed in white, with a smile.

“Haha, for Xiyue, I’m happy!” Young Master Yunpeng laughed heartily, glancing at Ji Ning.

On the way here, Ji Ning and Yuchi Xiyue had been sending mental messages to each other, and Young Master Yunpeng noticed that their intimacy clearly exceeded that of ordinary friends. This made him somewhat displeased. “Hmph, so what if he won first place in the Grand Xia World’s Immortal Destiny Tournament? Today at Tianbao Mountain, I’ll make him lose face!”

“Brother Ji Ning, what do you plan to buy at Tianbao Mountain?” Young Master Yunpeng asked with a smile.

Ji Ning said calmly, “Just some materials and curios.”

At that moment, the Whitewater Lake behind Ji Ning transformed into human form. Uncle Bai flipped his hand, and two beast-hide scrolls appeared in his palm, which he handed directly to Ji Ning, sending a mental message: “Ning, the first list is for setting up a series of grand formations that can deter Celestial Immortals and keep them from daring to enter. The second list adds materials for the three supreme deadly formations I discovered on Mount Fangcun. These three deadly formations can also mesh with each other… the power of the formation would make even True Immortals and Heavenly Gods think twice. These three deadly formations cannot be broken by brute force; only True Immortals or Heavenly Gods who understand formations can break them.”

“So powerful?” Ji Ning was astonished.

“But the treasures on the second list, though not rare, are still valuable,” Whitewater Lake sent. “If you can’t afford them, just buy the first list.”

…

Ji Ning directly handed the two beast-hide scrolls to Fairy Qingliu. “Fairy Qingliu, here are two lists of materials and curios. Do you have them at Tianbao Mountain?”

“This is the headquarters of Tianbao Mountain. Even if a Celestial Immortal comes to buy treasures, Tianbao Mountain can provide them, let alone just some materials and curios.” Fairy Qingliu took the lists with a smile. After reading the first scroll, her expression changed. She shot a surprised glance at Ji Ning, then looked at the second scroll.

Fairy Qingliu was shocked!

The first scroll had merely surprised her, but the second scroll’s list left her shocked and trembling, because it was too terrifying.

“I cannot decide this. Please wait a moment,” Fairy Qingliu said immediately.

“Alright,” Ji Ning nodded.

“Even you can’t decide?” Young Master Yunpeng, who had been watching, taunted. “Isn’t it just some materials and curios, not immortal-grade treasures? Could it be that Brother Ji Ning’s chosen materials are all strange and exotic?”

Whoosh.

A silver-haired man appeared out of thin air in the hall. The invisible pressure of his aura made it clear to everyone present that he was a Celestial Immortal.

“Master,” Fairy Qingliu handed the two beast-hide scrolls to him. “These are the lists of materials and curios Ji Ning needs, two lists in total.”

The silver-haired man nodded and took them. After reading the first list, he said calmly, “The first list requires eight hundred and sixty thousand catties of liquid elemental essence!”

Yuchi Xiyue, Feng Yungu, and the others felt the pressure.

Over eight million catties of liquid elemental essence?

“Pretty high,” Young Master Yunpeng said casually, still at ease.

The silver-haired man then looked at the second beast-hide scroll. As he read, his expression changed. He stared at it for a long time before lifting his head to look at Ji Ning, his gaze complex. “Young friend Ji Ning, are you sure you’re not joking with Tianbao Mountain?”

“Since I’ve listed them, I naturally intend to buy,” Ji Ning said calmly.

“How much liquid elemental essence does that list require?” Young Master Yunpeng asked from the side. He considered himself wealthy and could even buy an extreme-grade immortal treasure.

“Liquid elemental essence?” The silver-haired man shook his head. “These treasures cannot be exchanged for any amount of liquid elemental essence.”

Young Master Yunpeng’s expression changed.

Fairy Qingliu, Princess Xiyue, and Feng Yungu were all shocked. They had relatively broad horizons and knew that liquid elemental essence was useful mainly for those below the Celestial Immortal level. For true experts in the Three Realms, the use of liquid elemental essence actually diminished. For example, Ji Ning, who cultivated the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, had to take immortal pills.

True Immortals and Dao Ancestors absorbed ‘worldly elemental force’ in vast quantities. To them, ordinary liquid elemental essence was like plain water—too common.

True treasures were exchanged for other treasures!

“How much is needed?” Ji Ning asked.

“At least ten extreme-grade immortal treasures,” the silver-haired man said. “Or one low-grade Pure Yang treasure.”

“A Pure Yang treasure?”

The others present were stunned.

Ji Ning, however, was calm. The deadly formation that could block even True Immortals and Heavenly Gods, unless they had deep insights into formations, was worth at least one low-grade Pure Yang treasure for the materials alone. That was reasonable.

“At least ten extreme-grade immortal treasures? Even an ordinary Celestial Immortal might not be able to produce that. All my treasures combined should be worth three or four extreme-grade immortal treasures at most.” Young Master Yunpeng felt immense pressure. What he prided himself on most was his wealth, but now he was completely stunned. “He definitely can’t afford it, definitely can’t.” Young Master Yunpeng stared at Ji Ning.

The others also stared at Ji Ning.

“Can this item cover it?” Ji Ning flipped his hand, and waves of fiery heat surged forth. In his palm, he held a flaming arrow!

This arrow was one of the two he had obtained in the Quya Mountain canyon, where the most valuable item from the divine demon corpse was the high-grade innate spirit treasure ‘Luohou Bow’, followed by the two flaming arrows.

Truly powerful archers used specially made arrows, each costing a fortune. Ji Ning had once talked with the Luohou Bow, which said: “This arrow is called the ‘Fire Elephant Arrow’. Though far less precious than me, each arrow is comparable to a low-grade Pure Yang treasure.”

Ji Ning had sighed at that time.

Every arrow shot was like throwing away a low-grade Pure Yang treasure. How could one not feel the pain?

“Hummm——” As soon as the flaming arrow was produced, a faint pressure spread out.

“This is?” The silver-haired man’s expression changed. He carefully examined it, even probing with his divine sense.

“An arrow?” Young Master Yunpeng shook his head inwardly.

“Can an arrow be worth ten extreme-grade immortal treasures?” Princess Xiyue and Fairy Qingliu were also puzzled. Though they had broad knowledge, they knew too little about the powerful archers of the Three Realms.

After observing for a long time, the silver-haired man looked at Ji Ning and said in a low voice, “It can cover it.”

“I also need you to give me an additional thirty million catties of liquid elemental essence,” Ji Ning said calmly.

Princess Xiyue and the others were all dumbfounded.

The silver-haired man hesitated for a moment, then nodded solemnly. “Alright, Tianbao Mountain will give you an additional thirty million catties of liquid elemental essence.”

Young Master Yunpeng’s face changed. He couldn’t help swallowing. His previous arrogance, bluster, and smugness all vanished. His greatest confidence had been his wealth and many treasures, but he suddenly realized that the arrow Ji Ning had just taken out completely crushed him. As for backing? Ji Ning had disappeared for over thirty years and had at least taken a True Immortal or Heavenly God as his master; his backing was certainly no less than his own.

…