Chapter 11 The Shaoyan Clan Makes a Move

"Ah." Ji Ning revealed a look of delight.

"Grandfather, you are one of the Ten Kings of Hell?" Yuchi Xiyue, standing nearby, was also very surprised.

King Yan laughed heartily: "Just the Ten Kings of Hell of a minor reincarnation cycle, governing only this region controlled by Daolord Chisheng. Nowadays, there are many Kings of Hell in the Three Realms, nearly a thousand in total. Not like the original ten of the Netherworld Kingdom—those ten were all at the level of True Immortals and Heavenly Gods."

"Grandfather, how did you become one of the Ten Kings of Hell?" Yuchi Xiyue asked curiously.

"Back then, when the Daolord reestablished the reincarnation cycle, he needed candidates for the Ten Kings of Hell and the First Judge. So all sides began selecting people. Our Grand Xia world also had to choose one... Because I was of the imperial clan and had just become a Celestial Immortal, His Majesty had me take this position as King of Hell." King Yan explained.

Ji Ning understood. Being of imperial birth and just having become a Celestial Immortal, being chosen as one of the Ten Kings of Hell was only natural.

The status of the Ten Kings of Hell in such a minor reincarnation cycle was not particularly exalted. If it were the original Netherworld Kingdom, which governed the countless lives of the entire Three Realms, the power would have been truly great.

"Ji Ning, you asked about this minor reincarnation cycle. Is something the matter?" King Yan looked at Ji Ning.

"Yes." Ji Ning nodded. "Senior King Yan, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Speak." King Yan said directly.

The imperial clan was very united internally. Now, with several major powers lurking in the Grand Xia world, the imperial clan was more united than ever under external pressure. The Xia Emperor had designated Ji Ning as 'one to befriend, not to oppose,' and even believed Ji Ning was very likely a disciple of a Daolord. The Celestial Immortals of the imperial clan naturally knew this news, so King Yan's attitude toward Ji Ning was different from during the Conclave of Immortals. Back then, he treated Ji Ning as a junior; now, he placed him on the same level.

"I believe Senior King Yan also knows that my father, Ji Yichuan, and my mother, Yuchi Xue, passed away many years ago." Ji Ning said. "I very much want to know their current situation."

"What good will finding out do?" King Yan looked at Ji Ning. "After they reincarnated, they have no memories of their past lives."

"If they are living well and happily after reincarnation, I won't disrupt their lives." Ji Ning said. "I just want to see... see how they are doing now, and see what I can do for them."

"Mm." King Yan nodded. "Alright, leave this to me. I estimate I can give you an answer within a few months."

"A few months?" Ji Ning was surprised.

"You think it's too long?" King Yan laughed.

Ji Ning nodded.

King Yan countered: "Do you know how many lives die each day across the dozens of major worlds and countless minor worlds, including humans and various animals?"

"But I heard that in the old underworld, investigations were very fast." Ji Ning said.

"That was the underworld, built by Goddess Nuwa, and it had the treasure 'Book of Life and Death,' which was attuned to the Heavenly Dao." King Yan said. "The Book of Life and Death could split into billions of clones to manage all records of reincarnation, karma, life experiences, and so on. But the minor reincarnation cycle rebuilt by Daolord Chisheng doesn't have the Book of Life and Death. All minor reincarnation cycles are actually busier."

"Just recording the countless lives' reincarnation, karma, sins, and other information, we have to fill volumes of dharma-treasure bamboo slips every day." King Yan said. "And we only record information from the last hundred years or so. Anything before that is blank."

"Blank?" Ji Ning was startled.

"Yes. The previous Six Paths of Reincarnation collapsed, so of course it's blank. Although we could go to Judge Cui, the First Judge of the Netherworld Kingdom, to check past lives over hundreds of generations, the information for one person is already vast, let alone the records of countless lives in billions of worlds. We can't record it all, so we simply don't." King Yan explained. "Even now, the judges of the minor reincarnation cycles, when they see a dead soul, don't waste time investigating their past lives. They just look at their karma and, based on merit and sin, decide whether they reincarnate as an animal, a human, into wealth and nobility, or into poverty."

Ji Ning was speechless.

Back when he met Judge Cui, Judge Cui immediately knew everything about his past life.

But now the judges of the minor reincarnation cycles only look at karma and sin, without investigating past lives. Still, this makes things faster.

"I'll send someone to search the archives. Finding the dharma-treasure bamboo slips recording your parents from the vast collection will indeed take some time." King Yan said.

"Thank you, Senior." Ji Ning quickly expressed his gratitude. He now understood how difficult it was to look up reincarnation records nowadays.

A few months, then. So be it.

"Senior, where can I meet Judge Cui, the First Judge of the Netherworld Kingdom?" Ji Ning pressed.

"Looking for Judge Cui? He might be in the Heavenly Court, the Netherworld Kingdom, or elsewhere." King Yan shook his head. "Since the Six Paths of Reincarnation collapsed, Judge Cui no longer handles trivial matters. Protected by the Book of Life and Death, he goes wherever he pleases. To find his whereabouts, you'd have to ask many immortals in the Heavenly Court and the Netherworld Kingdom."

...

The sky was overcast as Ji Ning left the Grand Xia imperial capital and returned to Anchan Commandery.

"In a few months, I'll know the situation of Father and Mother after their reincarnation." Ji Ning felt a longing in his heart. "I wonder if they are doing well. Did they cultivate immortality in this life? In which world are they in this life? Are they in Grand Xia?"

Above the wilderness.

Ji Ning flew toward a distant lake, where he could already see the wooden cabin by the lakeshore—the residence of his junior apprentice-brother, Mu Zishuo.

"Alas."

Ji Ning sighed inwardly.

His junior apprentice-brother had few relatives to begin with, and his only Dao-companion was trapped in that small jade ball. Every day, he just held the jade ball and talked to it. Ji Ning was very worried about his junior apprentice-brother's Dao-heart. If this continued... once his Dao-heart collapsed, he might lose control of his elemental power and die from self-detonation.

...

"He's here."

Among the wild grass by the lakeshore, four Celestial Immortal patriarchs, sitting cross-legged, opened their eyes and looked at the figure appearing in the distant sky.

The youth riding the wind in the sky was none other than Ji Ning, the great threat to their Shaoyan clan!

"He arrived so quickly. It seems Ji Ning's bond with Mu Zishuo is truly deep." Patriarch Xuanji sneered. "I thought we'd have to wait a year or two. Heaven helps our Shaoyan clan!"

"Heaven wants our Shaoyan clan to eliminate this scourge." Patriarch Kumu said in a low voice.

"The opportunity has come." The man carrying a large bell grinned.

Patriarch Chixin's eyes also flashed with cold light.

This was the best-case scenario they had anticipated. After all, cultivators might go into seclusion for a long time. They didn't know when Ji Ning would come to see Mu Zishuo. If they had to wait decades or even longer, they would have chosen to capture Mu Zishuo and use him as leverage... That would indeed force Ji Ning to show up, but then Ji Ning might be prepared, even bringing friends along, like his mysterious sect's fellow disciples or Immortal Diancai. Then it would be very difficult to kill Ji Ning.

"Now he's completely unprepared." Patriarch Chixin's eyes were cold. "This is our best chance."

"Mm."

The other three patriarchs also nodded.

"As we agreed earlier." Patriarch Chixin looked into the distance at Ji Ning flying toward the wooden cabin. "Now, make your move!"

...

From high in the sky, through the wide-open wooden door and windows, Ji Ning saw Mu Zishuo inside. Mu Zishuo had placed the jade ball on the table in front of him, drinking wine and chatting.

"Still talking to Yu Xia's soul?" Seeing this, Ji Ning couldn't help but feel pained and anxious. "If this continues, how can his Dao-heart not be corrupted?"

Mortals can be decadent.

But for cultivators, decadence is very dangerous. If he were a Fiendgod Body Refiner, even if his elemental power went berserk, his Fiendgod body could withstand it. But his junior apprentice-brother Mu Zishuo was only a Qi Refiner; a berserk elemental power would be enough to kill him.

"Junior apprentice-brother!" Ji Ning called out loudly.

Mu Zishuo, holding the jade ball, walked to the door and looked up, smiling as he shouted, "Senior apprentice-brother!"

At that moment—

"Ang~~~"

A powerful and eerie wave suddenly emanated from not far away, like sunlight radiating to cover everything. This strange wave also enveloped the surrounding area, including Mu Zishuo, the jade ball, and Ji Ning.

Ji Ning felt a strong impact on his soul, but his Dao-heart was extremely firm, and his soul, fully integrated with his Fiendgod body, was especially strong and stable, so he naturally withstood the impact.

"No! Junior apprentice-brother!" Ji Ning was greatly alarmed.

He could withstand it?

But what about his junior apprentice-brother? His junior apprentice-brother had only recently become a Void-level Earth Immortal, at best an ordinary Earth Immortal or loose immortal. Could he withstand it?

"They." As Ji Ning's gaze fell on his junior apprentice-brother, he also saw four figures appearing in the distant wilderness. Having investigated the Shaoyan clan's intelligence, Ji Ning was shocked. "Chixin Celestial Immortal, Xuanji Celestial Immortal, Golden Bell Celestial Immortal, Kumu Celestial Immortal? Four Celestial Immortals?"

This soul attack was personally executed by Patriarch Chixin.

...

The woman's soul in the jade ball, facing such a terrifying soul attack, could not withstand it. After all, she was only at the Wanxiang Adept level—too weak.

Like snow melting under the sun, she directly dissolved into nothingness.

As she dissolved, she kept looking at Mu Zishuo, just looking at him...

...

When Mu Zishuo was hit by the soul attack, he instinctively resisted with all his might, but his eyes saw the soul of his beloved in the jade ball he held dissolving into nothingness.

"No!!!" Mu Zishuo's eyes instantly turned bloodshot, even blood vessels burst in his eyeballs, and two streams of bloody tears flowed down. He let out a凄厉, inhuman roar like a wild beast.

...

Under Patriarch Chixin's soul attack, of the three people affected, Ji Ning directly blocked it, Yu Xia's soul dissolved and perished, and Mu Zishuo fell into madness.

Mu Zishuo looked up at the four Celestial Immortals with immensely powerful auras appearing in the distance, his eyes filled with madness: "It's you! All of you must die!!!"

Boom!

A huge winged immortal puppet appeared before him, and Mu Zishuo instantly merged into it. The aura of the winged immortal puppet surged dramatically. As a puppet grandmaster who had even personally crafted a winged immortal puppet, under the control of this mad puppet grandmaster, the winged immortal puppet's wings flapped once—instantly, raging winds appeared in the sky and earth, shredding everything ahead. Amid the winds, black lightning flashed, and just looking at it made one feel as if sinking into depravity.

...