Chapter Thirty: Inside the Donglin Sect

Two Primal Daoists were walking side by side when suddenly a streak of light flashed ahead, and a youth clad in animal skins appeared out of nowhere.

"Who are you?" The two Primal Daoists' expressions changed as they both shouted.

Boom!

An incredibly terrifying pressure erupted from Ji Ning, and the area within a thousand zhang fell completely silent.

The wind stopped, the bent grass remained bent, a leaping grasshopper hung motionless in midair, the flowing stream froze, and splashing water droplets suspended in place. Though the two Primal Daoists were filled with anxiety and fear, they could not move a single muscle. The terrifying Dao domain that descended left them utterly powerless to resist.

Back in the Crescent Moon Great World, Ji Ning had released his Dao domain and easily rendered a squad of Firewing Guards helpless. Comparatively, these two Primal Daoists were slightly weaker than that squad.

"Collect." Ji Ning waved his hand and directly swept the two helpless figures into his随身 immortal estate.

Ji Ning scanned his surroundings. When he had acted, he had been very cautious, only spreading his domain a thousand zhang without affecting anything farther away.

…

Inside the随身 immortal estate.

The two Primal Daoists looked around in terror.

"Where is this?"

"Where have we been taken? This, this, this—could it be a随身 immortal estate?" The two Primal Daoists stared at the beautiful courtyard, and the only thing that came to mind was a随身 immortal estate.

"Dongqiu, who exactly is that youth? Just releasing his Dao domain rendered us helpless. Could he be a Celestial Immortal?"

"Probably at the level of a Celestial Immortal."

Both Primal Daoists were filled with anxiety and fear. The opponent's strength was simply too great; they were utterly powerless. Even some powerful loose immortals of their Donglin Sect could not have made them unable to struggle with just a 'Dao domain.' Clearly, the youth's 'Dao realm' surpassed anyone in the Donglin Sect.

"You two." A black-robed Ji Ning appeared.

"Senior, why have you captured us?" The tall, thin Primal Daoist quickly asked.

"Senior, if there's anything you want us to do, just command us." The other Primal Daoist with triangular eyes quickly added.

The black-robed Ji Ning smiled: "Very simple. I want to perform a soulsearch on the two of you."

"Soulsearch?" The two immediately showed expressions of terror.

Soulsearch—if lucky, one could retain normal rationality and only lose a few memories. If unlucky, one might even become an idiot!

"You two should know that killing you would take no effort at all," said the black-robed Ji Ning. "I could forcibly soulsearch you, but as you understand, forcible soulsearch would cause you great harm, possibly even turning you into idiots. So I hope you two will voluntarily offer no resistance. That way, with your Primal Daoist souls, you can still maintain normal rationality."

The two Primal Daoists exchanged glances.

Helpless.

Why were they so unlucky?

They also knew that if they resisted and were forcibly soulsearched, they would suffer greatly.

"We are willing. Please, Senior, spare our lives." Both spoke.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you," said the black-robed Ji Ning. In truth, from the information obtained from the Heavenly Treasures Mountain, these two had committed many evils. In his usual temper, Ji Ning would have killed them directly. But if he did, their life slips in the Donglin Sect would shatter, and the sect would know they were dead, ruining his plan.

The two Primal Daoists closed their eyes.

The black-robed Ji Ning extended his hand and placed it on the tall, thin Primal Daoist's head, immediately executing the 'Thousand Star Soulsearch.' This technique was one he had obtained back in the Crescent Moon Great World after killing that evil old ancestor.

After a moment, Ji Ning withdrew his hand.

The tall, thin Primal Daoist opened his eyes with joy: "I'm fine, I'm fine."

"I told you, if you don't resist at all, you'll retain your rationality and lose very few memories." The black-robed Ji Ning turned to the other. The triangular-eyed Primal Daoist glanced at him, then resignedly closed his eyes. When Ji Ning came over, he placed his hand on the man's head as well.

…

At the foot of the Donglin Mountains.

"So these two are spineless ones," Ji Ning mused. With a flip of his hand, he produced a bag containing the items he had purchased.

About thirty years ago, the Donglin Sect had suffered a disaster. Many of the stalwart members had died, while others endured and continued living. They longed for the day of 'freedom.' But there were also some spineless ones within the sect who even helped the secret force exploit their own fellow disciples!

Dongqiu Daoist and Dongsun Daoist were such spineless ones! They trampled on their former fellow disciples, groveling like dogs to please those mysterious figures!

Naturally, they were more valued and even had the privilege to go out shopping.

But…

Though they fawned desperately, the mysterious force still treated them like dogs. The most important 'forbidden area' was absolutely off-limits to them. Not just them—even the Donglin Sect's leader was forbidden from entering that forbidden area.

"Mysterious force?"

"The leader is a general? Said to be at the Celestial Immortal level?"

"Forbidden area?"

After the soulsearch, Ji Ning immediately noticed the 'forbidden area.'

The forbidden area was extremely mysterious.

The mysterious force had occupied the Donglin Mountains, marking a region as a forbidden area, with many personnel stationed there. Even the general often entered.

"Transform!" Ji Ning immediately transformed into the tall, thin Primal Daoist, 'Dongqiu Daoist.'

Then Ji Ning headed straight for the Donglin Sect's mountain gate.

"Dongqiu Daoist, you're back? Where's Dongsun Daoist?" The two guards at the gate asked.

"Dongsun Daoist hadn't returned to his tribe for a long time, so he took the chance to go back. I came ahead," Ji Ning said with a smile. From the soulsearch, he knew that these 'spineless ones' were relatively trusted and often returned to their tribes, preventing the 'Grand Xia royal clan's' spies from detecting anything unusual about the Donglin Sect.

Otherwise, if none of the Donglin Sect's cultivators came out or returned to their tribes, during this turbulent time in the Three Realms, the Grand Xia royal clan would naturally come to investigate.

Ji Ning chatted as he walked, familiar with the formations, passing through them one by one—knowledge gained from the soulsearch.

…

Back in the Donglin Sect, he handed over the purchased items, chatted casually with some Donglin Sect cultivators, then returned to 'Dongqiu Daoist's' residence.

"Transform!"

A mosquito flew out of Dongqiu Daoist's residence.

Mosquitoes were too common; even if you killed them all, many would reappear by the next night. Moreover, the Donglin Sect was in the mountains, so mosquitoes were even more abundant. Ji Ning transformed into a mosquito and flew toward the 'forbidden area.'

The forbidden area was surrounded by even more powerful formations.

Mosquito 'Ji Ning' could only fly to the edge of the formation before stopping and landing on the ground.

"Stay close."

"Hurry, hurry, don't get separated. We're entering the formation. Eighteen great formations—if you get lost inside, I don't want to ask those old fellows to come rescue you." A group of black-robed men walked toward the formation, with the one at the back urging them on.

Slap.

As they walked, a speck of 'dust' stuck to the sole of one black-robed man's foot. That dust was Ji Ning in disguise!

Even cultivators wouldn't bother shaking off dust with every step—how tiring would that be? The group carefully passed through eighteen great formations, and the 'dust' stuck to one man's foot followed along.

Beyond the formations lay the heavily guarded forbidden area, patrolled by numerous guards.

"Humm~~~"

In the forbidden area, mosquito 'Ji Ning' flew.

"The security here is really tight. What are they doing?" Mosquito Ji Ning flew through a canyon where other small mosquitoes were also present. He had to maintain the speed of a mosquito. "The deeper into the canyon, the stricter the guards."

Deep in the canyon stood an ancient castle.

The castle's surface was covered in a hazy light barrier, impenetrable even to mosquitoes. The surrounding black-robed patrols were astonishingly numerous, each exuding a powerful aura—all at the 'loose immortal/earth immortal' level.

"Some black-robed men are only at the Wanxiang or Primal level. But the guards around this castle number over a hundred, all loose immortals?" Ji Ning was amazed. Over a hundred loose immortals stood outside; the actual guard force was likely even stronger.

"This castle?"

Mosquito Ji Ning landed and watched the distant castle.

By evening.

A group of gray-robed men emerged from the castle. "Finally, someone's coming out. These people all have strong auras, seemingly earth immortals or loose immortals. Eh, why are they all…" Ji Ning was shocked to see that each gray-robed man looked utterly exhausted, a weariness palpable even from afar.

"These are earth immortals and loose immortals! How can they be so exhausted?" Ji Ning found it hard to believe. The mental fortitude of earth immortals and loose immortals was immense; only extreme mental depletion could cause such fatigue.

Mental depletion wasn't a big deal for immortals.

But pushed to the limit, it could be terrifying. Stories of immortals dying from exhaustion while crafting a powerful magic treasure were common in the Three Realms. Cultivators who were too tired usually rested.

"Exhausted like this—not just one or two, but a whole group?" Ji Ning wondered.

Suddenly—

Ji Ning froze!

Among the gray-robed group, a small, thin figure at the back walked numbly.

"Sh… shidi?" Ji Ning stared in disbelief. That gray-robed man was his closest brother, the one he knew so well—Mu Zishuo, who had been missing for over twenty years!

Mu Zishuo!

Years ago, Mu Zishuo had found a Dao companion and lived happily.

But soon, his Dao companion died, and Mu Zishuo disappeared.

The Black-White College had searched but couldn't find him.

Ji Ning never imagined he would encounter his shidi here in the Donglin Mountains—and in such a state!

His shidi now seemed even thinner under the gray robe. Though he exuded the aura of an earth immortal or loose immortal, Ji Ning felt no strength from him. Instead, he seemed like a burning candle about to go out, his vitality dim, a deep weariness emanating from him.

Weariness was one thing, but Ji Ning could not sense any 'vigor' in his shidi. The once-energetic youth seemed gone, replaced by an old man on the verge of death.

His face was pale, his hair disheveled and messy, with even a few white strands.

"Shidi…" Ji Ning found those few white hairs piercingly jarring.

For earth immortals and loose immortals, white hair—aside from 'transformation techniques'—could only result from extreme mental depletion. Severe mental exhaustion could even cause death.

"What happened?" Ji Ning was truly stunned.

He still clearly remembered…

"My name is Mu Zishuo!" That young, naive youth in white robes had been full of vitality.

"My name is Ji Ning. I'm sixteen. How old are you?"

"Fourteen."

That first meeting, that shy, naive youth—it felt like only yesterday.

"Senior apprentice-brother, I'll go with you. The days of fleeing together will be exciting." Back when they killed Shaoyin Nong, his shidi had not hesitated, even facing the prospect of flight with fighting spirit.

"What, what could have turned shidi into this?"

Ji Ning watched the distant gray-robed Mu Zishuo, that aged, weary figure.

…

The group of gray-robed men walked, and a mosquito in the canyon flew, following them.

"You have one hour to rest." A black-robed man shouted.

The gray-robed men dispersed, heading to their own dwellings. Gray-robed Mu Zishuo walked to his—one of many courtyards—pushed open the door, entered, and closed it.

In a room within the courtyard.

Mu Zishuo sat by a wooden table, picked up the kettle, poured himself a cup of water, and drank silently.

Silence, terrifyingly still.

Only the faint sound of drinking water filled the room. Then Mu Zishuo quietly set down the cup and sat there, motionless, staring ahead without a word.

"Whoosh." Mu Zishuo suddenly waved his hand, and a shielding formation appeared in the room.

Then he flipped his hand and produced a wooden carving—a lifelike female statue. Mu Zishuo looked at it, gently placed it on the table. Then he took out a piece of wood and a small knife, and began to carve slowly. Wood shavings flew, and the wood gradually took the shape of a woman.

Finally, it was finished.

He placed the carving on the table, stared at it, and sat there blankly.

"Shidi!" A voice suddenly rang out.

A youth in animal skins appeared in the room.

The familiar voice seemed to awaken memories buried deep in Mu Zishuo's heart. He looked up, then froze, staring motionless at the animal-skin-clad youth standing there.

The familiar animal skins…

The familiar face…

The familiar voice…

The eyes, the expression…

"Shi, shixiong?" As if he hadn't spoken in a long time, Mu Zishuo's voice came out hoarse.

"Shidi, shidi." Ji Ning looked at his shidi, his eyes moistening. "What happened?"

Mu Zishuo stared at Ji Ning, tears streaming down his face. He opened his mouth as if to cry, but no sound came out—only his body trembled, tears flowing.

Ji Ning quickly stepped forward and embraced Mu Zishuo tightly.

"Cry, cry it out. Don't hold it in. Let it all out, let it all out." Ji Ning's eyes reddened as he spoke softly. He could feel the endless pain buried in his shidi's heart. He couldn't imagine what his shidi had gone through all these years, what could have turned his resolute Dao-heart into this.

Holding his shidi, Ji Ning felt his body trembling.

Ji Ning felt his own heart tremble with him.

What had happened?

What had happened!

How could this be?

How could this be?

"Cry it out, cry it out. Don't keep it inside. Let it all out. Shixiong is here, shixiong is here. It's all over, it's all over." Ji Ning spoke, holding his shidi's trembling body. His shidi's tears soaked his clothes, even his neck.

Ji Ning felt his shidi's tears.

"Ah!!!" A painful cry suddenly filled the room.

"Ahhh~~~ Ahhhhhhh~~~" Mu Zishuo's cries were hoarse and shrill, as he wept wildly, wailing.

Ji Ning held his brother tightly, listening to his cries. He could feel the endless buried pain, grievance, sorrow, and despair erupting with the sobs. Ji Ning held his brother close, his heart trembling, pierced as if by a knife.

Pain.

Pain as if splitting apart.

What had happened to turn that naive white-robed youth, who had even been willing to face death and roam the world with him, into this?

"I swear!!!"

"Whoever it is, whatever people—all of them, every single one—will die, will all die!!!" Ji Ning held his weeping shidi, tears streaming, as he made a vow in his heart.