Chapter 15: The Celestial Immortal Wuxiao

"Repay blood debts?" Mu Zishuo was startled, then grew anxious. "Senior apprentice-brother, this is my grudge. Even if I die there, it's nothing. But you..."

"No need to say more."

Ji Ning shook his head, his gaze distant. "I've long wanted to fight the Shaoyin clan. I've been holding back all these years... it's time to settle this."

"Senior apprentice-brother—" Mu Zishuo was anxious and worried. Though his heart was filled with endless hatred, he knew well the power of the Shaoyin clan. The mere sight of the four Celestial Immortals attacking earlier had made it clear that his senior apprentice-brother was far inferior to the Shaoyin clan. He didn't want Ji Ning to risk his life!

"Wait for me here." Ji Ning turned and walked out of the house.

Ji Ning's figure quickly vanished into the formation outside. Mu Zishuo was anxious but helpless.

...

"Uncle Bai." Ji Ning walked to a beach on Mingxin Island, where he saw the Whitewater Hound lying by the lake.

"Ning'er." The Whitewater Hound stood up. "Have the treasures arrived?"

"Yes." Ji Ning said softly. "It's time to go to the Grand Xia capital."

The Whitewater Hound's eyes held a hint of killing intent—toward the Shaoyin clan. In his heart, Ji Ning was like a nephew. He knew the Shaoyin clan had tried to kill Ji Ning time and again... how could he not be angry?

"Let's go."

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Ji Ning and the Whitewater Hound shot into the sky, then pierced through the void and soon left Mount Yan.

...

Grand Xia capital, Mount Treasure.

Ji Ning and the Whitewater Hound dove down from high altitude. "Ji Ning!" A voice rang directly in his ears. Ji Ning swept his gaze and spotted a silver-haired man in one of the residences within the Mount Treasure headquarters. The two flew into the mansion.

"Senior Heavenly Fox." Ji Ning walked over.

"Sit." Heavenly Fox said with a smile.

Ji Ning sat down, while the Whitewater Hound lay down by a flower bed in the courtyard.

"Ji Ning, you came quite quickly." Heavenly Fox laughed.

"Treasures are important." Ji Ning said.

Heavenly Fox laughed heartily: "Don't worry, the Five Elements treasures you requested are all prepared. Do you have treasures equivalent to a top-grade Pure Yang magic treasure?" As he spoke, he waved his hand, and in the air around them appeared massive golden stones, each smooth and lustrous, radiating powerful ripples. There were also jade bamboo shoots, fist-sized water droplets, crimson liquid flowing, and patches of gray-black magical soil.

"Mm." Ji Ning's face lit up with joy.

"The Xia Emperor is indeed a man of his word." Ji Ning waved his hand, and in the air appeared flying swords emitting icy coldness and others radiating endless heat—the Unified Ice Frost Swords and the Qiankun Fire Extreme Swords.

Heavenly Fox's eyes brightened.

"Here are forty-nine Unified Ice Frost Swords and forty-nine Qiankun Fire Extreme Swords." Ji Ning said. "They should be worth a top-grade Pure Yang magic treasure."

"Mm." Heavenly Fox nodded admiringly. "Ji Ning, you truly have a big hand. These ninety-eight immortal swords are indeed enough."

In terms of treasure value,

a top-grade Pure Yang magic treasure is generally equivalent to a thousand top-grade immortal treasures. This is a rough estimate—not absolute, as even top-grade Pure Yang treasures can vary in value.

A high-grade Pure Yang magic treasure is generally equivalent to one or two hundred top-grade immortal treasures.

The forty-nine Unified Ice Frost Swords and forty-nine Qiankun Fire Extreme Swords Ji Ning offered were each from a single set! They were worth more than a random collection of top-grade immortal flying swords. Thus, the ninety-eight top-grade immortal flying swords were indeed sufficient in value.

For Ji Ning, of the thousand immortal swords he had obtained, only seven hundred and twenty-nine were useful. The other two hundred or so were idle.

"Check them again." Ji Ning waved his hand, and all the flying swords flew to Heavenly Fox.

Heavenly Fox examined them with his Celestial Immortal magic power: "Mm, all excellent top-grade immortal flying swords. Ji Ning, these Five Elements treasures are yours." The mass of Five Elements treasures floating in the air also moved before Ji Ning, who waved his hand and stored them away.

Deal done!

"Ji Ning, if you need anything else, feel free to come to me." Heavenly Fox was in high spirits. The Grand Xia's rule was unstable now, and refining those Five Elements treasures into magic treasures would take time—how satisfying it was to obtain ready-made treasures!

"I may have another request for you, Senior Heavenly Fox, in the next two days." Ji Ning said. "But now is not the time to discuss it."

Heavenly Fox's heart stirred, and he nodded lightly.

Then he left the residence, arranging for attendants to await Ji Ning's orders.

...

The black-robed Ji Ning and the white-haired man in white sat facing each other.

"Drink." The black-robed Ji Ning smiled.

"Alright." The Whitewater Hound was puzzled—why had Ning'er suddenly released his second avatar? What was his true body doing?

...

In the secret island stronghold of the Outcast Gate in the distant West Sea.

"Useless." The young girl sat high on the throne, a trace of anger in her brow. "The mighty Shaoyin clan, with a calculated ambush, couldn't even kill a mere Ji Ning. How disappointing. It seems we of the Outcast Gate must act."

"Milady, if we strike, Ji Ning will surely die."

"At most a bit troublesome."

"Milady, don't be angry."

The golden-robed Celestial Immortals seated below ate and drank, laughing.

The young girl frowned: "It is troublesome. We'll need that old fellow's help."

Ji Ning had the Eight-Nine Arcane Art protecting him. Though her subordinates could kill Ji Ning, there was still some risk! Just as the four Shaoyin Celestial Immortals failed to kill Ji Ning quickly, allowing his reinforcements to arrive, her group of Celestial Immortals, despite overwhelming power, couldn't break the Eight-Nine Arcane Art body.

"The Celestial Immortal Wuxiao has arrived." Suddenly a figure appeared in the hall—a black-robed servant who bowed respectfully. "The Celestial Immortal Wuxiao has come from the Stele Mountain Great World to the Fifth World and will be here shortly."

"The old fellow is coming?" The young girl frowned.

The dozen or so golden-robed Celestial Immortals below all stood up. The Celestial Immortal Wuxiao was famous; though they too were Celestial Immortals, facing him made them tense.

Because...

The Celestial Immortal Wuxiao was an old monster with power nearly equal to a Pure Yang True Immortal! He was among the truly top-tier Celestial Immortals.

"Haha, little girl Zicao." With a ripple, followed by hearty laughter, the sound entered the hall directly.

"Old fellow." The young girl pouted.

Then a figure walked into the hall. He looked middle-aged, with loose hair and bare feet, appearing unrestrained.

"Celestial Immortal Wuxiao."

"Lord Wuxiao."

"Milord."

The golden-robed Celestial Immortals all greeted him.

This Celestial Immortal Wuxiao was someone even the Outcast Gate's leader had to show some respect. He was quite famous in the Three Realms. In direct combat, he wasn't exceptionally strong—on par with the 'Infatuated Celestial Immortal.' But his repertoire of unorthodox methods was vast.

Escaping? Trapping enemies? Poisoning? With such tricks, even True Immortals and Heavenly Gods would suffer losses. He was a true eccentric in the Three Realms.

"Little girl Zicao, I never thought you'd become a Celestial Immortal and still need my help." Wuxiao said smugly. "Tsk, a little girl back then, now standing on your own."

"Old fellow, you owe me." The young girl frowned.

"Haha, right. I promised you three requests back then. One has been used. This is the second." Wuxiao laughed. "Tell me, what do you want me to do?"

The young girl flipped her hand, producing a booklet, and tossed it to Wuxiao. He caught it, flipped through it, and frowned: "Ji Ning?"

"This contains all the intelligence we've gathered on Ji Ning. He's clearly not of our faction. If allowed to grow, he may become a threat. So it's best to eliminate him early. The leader assigned this to me, but I'm worried about accidents, so I'm asking you to handle it."

"Eight-Nine Arcane Art?" Wuxiao's eyes widened as he read. He looked up, dissatisfied. "Little girl Zicao, this one knows the Eight-Nine Arcane Art. In the Three Realms, those who can teach it are only a few Dao Ancestors—countable on one hand, all terrifying beings. Ji Ning's master is likely one of them. One finger from him could crush me."

"What are you afraid of? Would his master dare to act?" Zicao said dismissively.

"Who knows..." Wuxiao shook his head. "Too dangerous, too dangerous."

"Old fellow!" The young girl snapped. She knew Wuxiao's habits well, having followed the leader and Wuxiao since childhood. Wuxiao was notorious for being 'cowardly' and skilled in unorthodox methods.

"Fine." Wuxiao said helplessly. "The chance of his master acting is small. For your sake, I'll send one of my avatars to deal with Ji Ning."

"An avatar?" The young girl glared.

"Don't worry. I'll have my avatar bring my 'Taiyi Locking Spirit Ring.' Once it's used, he'll be helpless and locked up instantly." Wuxiao said with a grin. "In the blink of an eye, I'll capture him and take him away. Kill him or flay him, it's up to you."

The young girl asked doubtfully, "Taiyi Locking Spirit Ring? What treasure is that? I've never heard of it."

"I've lived since the ancient world and rarely act. What would you know? If not for this tribulation of the Three Realms, I wouldn't be willing to use my treasures." Wuxiao said casually. "Alright, tell me, where is this Ji Ning now? I'll go collect him."

The young girl smiled: "The latest intelligence says he's in the Grand Xia capital."

"The Grand Xia capital?" Wuxiao frowned. "I can't go there. The Xia Emperor is not to be trifled with. I'll act once he leaves the capital."

...