Chapter 17 Ji Ning Seeks an Audience

In truth, this matter could not be blamed on the Green Fox Sect Leader. After all, as a member of the Voidgate Sect, who wasn't risking their life? Even she, as the sect leader, had to step up at critical moments! This operation against the Celestial Immortal Tonghe was not a particularly dangerous mission. Zi Cao's death could only be attributed to bad luck. In this catastrophe sweeping the Three Realms, who could claim they were certain to survive?

But the Green Fox Sect Leader could see that the Celestial Immortal Wuxiao was truly enraged, so she did not defend herself.

Moreover...

Celestial Immortal Wuxiao was of their camp. In principle, as a Celestial Immortal, he generally had to obey orders from above. Only great powers, or those like 'Fairy Kucao' who had close ties with great powers, and a few top-tier gods and true immortals could truly be free, without tasks assigned to them. Yet Celestial Immortal Wuxiao was also free, which was very strange. This led many Celestial Immortals to respectfully address him as 'Immortal Wuxiao,' and also made the Green Fox Sect Leader wary. She had an inexplicable premonition that if she fell out with this Celestial Immortal Wuxiao, the consequences would likely be dire.

'Wuxiao, don't blame Green Fox. She didn't expect Ji Ning to be such a prodigy,' sighed Fairy Kucao beside him. 'I know that Zi Cao's death prompted me to rush here immediately, and I believe you came wanting to avenge Zi Cao. Green Fox leads the Voidgate Sect and is even more eager to kill Ji Ning. Our goals are actually the same: to kill this Ji Ning.'

'This Ji Ning must indeed be killed,' said Celestial Immortal Wuxiao in a low voice.

'To conquer the Grand Xia world, Ji Ning must also die,' added the Green Fox Sect Leader hastily.

'How to kill him?' retorted Celestial Immortal Wuxiao. 'If it were easy, Fuhua would have killed him long ago. Now Ji Ning is in the Grand Xia world, under the Xia Emperor's domain. You all know the Xia Emperor's background...'

In truth, they were not overly concerned about the Dao Ancestor behind Ji Ning.

If they truly feared him, they wouldn't dare mention killing.

The reason they were unafraid was that the two major camps in the Three Realms had a consensus: great powers would not act lightly. If one side acted, the other side would likely send an even more powerful great power.

'The Xia Emperor has deep reserves. Unless we go all out in a bloody fight, there's no chance to kill Ji Ning,' said the Green Fox Sect Leader. 'And such a fight would cost too much. The best method is still to have the lords of the Grand Xia world attack the Xia Emperor.'

That was exactly what the Voidgate Sect was doing.

They were rallying some lords to attack others. If they had a clear advantage, why would they need to be so covert? They could simply sweep through and unify the Three Realms. But clearly, the Voidgate Sect was not that strong.

...

Celestial Immortal Wuxiao, the Green Fox Sect Leader, and Fairy Kucao could find no opportunity to deal with Ji Ning.

Just as Celestial Immortal Wuxiao, full of frustration, was about to leave,

'Hmm?' The Green Fox Sect Leader suddenly stood up.

Wuxiao looked at her in confusion.

Fairy Kucao was also puzzled.

'An opportunity has come.' Green Fox smiled, looking at the two. 'The chance to kill Ji Ning has come.'

'What's wrong?'

'What opportunity?' Fairy Kucao was puzzled, while Celestial Immortal Wuxiao was the most eager.

Green Fox smiled: 'I just received news that Ji Ning is about to undergo his tribulation. It should be his second true body undergoing the tribulation.'

'Tribulation?' Fairy Kucao and Celestial Immortal Wuxiao were momentarily stunned, then showed joy.

'Indeed, a good opportunity,' Fairy Kucao also smiled. 'Once the tribulation begins, especially when the Heart Demon Tribulation descends, his second true body and his true body share memories. When the second true body falls into the heart demon world, the true body, sharing memories, will also fall into it. During that time, Ji Ning is at his weakest, completely unable to resist.'

'Yes, at that time he cannot resist, and the Eight-Nine Arcane Art will be useless,' Celestial Immortal Wuxiao also showed joy.

...

The woman in green robes was indeed excited.

Conquering a major world was extremely difficult, requiring the removal of many obstacles. Ji Ning was one such obstacle, so she had to do her utmost to eliminate him.

That same day.

Fuhua True Immortal, Fairy Kucao, Celestial Immortal Wuxiao, Poison Ugly Immortal, and the three leaders of the Voidgate Sect, Ten Thousand Demon Cave, and Blood Cloud Tower gathered together.

'This time, we mainly rely on the immortals,' said Poison Ugly Immortal humbly, his ugly face becoming even more ferocious when he smiled. 'Just tell me what to do, Poison Ugly. I'm ready to lay down my life there.'

'Life?'

The others laughed.

Poison Ugly Immortal's life was the least valuable; he had 'died' countless times. Killing his clones was worthless.

'I'll also bring six exotic insects, all bred since ancient times, my finest children,' said Poison Ugly Immortal with a bright smile. The other immortals in the hall nodded and smiled. Besides having many clones, Poison Ugly Immortal was also quite famous in the Three Realms for breeding poisonous insects. Those insects were all tough-skinned and had many uses.

'Going to the Grand Xia world is risking our lives,' said Fairy Kucao. 'I'll only send an incarnation.'

'Yes, I'll also send an incarnation, carrying powerful magic treasures, which should give me about ten percent of my strength,' said Fuhua True Immortal.

Celestial Immortal Wuxiao snorted coldly.

But although he was most eager to avenge Zi Cao, he too only sent a clone. Because he excelled in unorthodox methods, sending a clone was not much different from his true body. As for Fuhua True Immortal and Fairy Kucao, they only sent incarnations. No matter how powerful the incarnation, it could at most muster ten percent of their strength.

Their incarnations and clones were products of celestial immortal spells; their deaths would not greatly affect their strength. But their true bodies could not die; if they died, they were truly dead.

Poison Ugly Immortal was different. He had no true body in the real sense; his many clones could each be considered a 'true body.' Therefore, all his clones had to be killed for him to die. As long as one clone survived, he could quickly recover.

'Our Voidgate Sect will send two clones of gods,' said the woman in green robes.

'Our Blood Cloud Tower will send a group of hell death warriors,' said the lean old man with a smile.

'I'll provide a puppet for that group of hell death warriors,' said the man in fiery red robes.

With these three speaking, the strength of this team increased significantly.

'Now it depends on where Ji Ning undergoes his tribulation,' said Celestial Immortal Wuxiao in a low voice.

'Unless he goes to his Dao Ancestor master, where we can't reach him, otherwise, even under the Xia Emperor's protection... when Ji Ning is defenseless during the tribulation, we only need to break in and take a moment to kill him,' said Green Fox confidently. 'Celestial Immortal Wuxiao's Yin-Yang Mysterious Qi Vase can easily destroy Ji Ning.'

Celestial Immortal Wuxiao nodded: 'I will naturally bring the Yin-Yang Mysterious Qi Vase.'

The others glanced at Celestial Immortal Wuxiao.

This Celestial Immortal Wuxiao had too many treasures.

Some were innate spirit treasures, others were just peculiar magic treasures, but those peculiar treasures had extraordinary power. In the past, Celestial Immortal Wuxiao set a trap that caused a god from the Heavenly Court to unknowingly enter the Yin-Yang Mysterious Qi Vase... and almost died inside. It was only after negotiations among great powers that the god was released.

...

Night.

Grand Xia Imperial Capital, Tianmang Hall.

'Your Majesty, Ji Ning seeks an audience,' said the pale-faced old man respectfully.

'Ji Ning? Let him in.' The black-robed Xia Emperor opened his eyes, sitting cross-legged on a jade bed.

Soon, a young man walked in from outside.

'Your Majesty,' said Ji Ning respectfully.

'Ji Ning, why come to me in the dead of night?' asked the Xia Emperor with a smile.

Ji Ning said, 'I have a request of Your Majesty.'

'Oh?' The Xia Emperor listened.

'I plan to have my second true body undergo the tribulation in nine days,' said Ji Ning. 'But I suspect the Voidgate Sect has long regarded me as a thorn in their side, and they seem to know the time and place of any Void-level cultivator's tribulation in the world. No matter how careful I am, they will likely find out. During the tribulation, when the Heart Demon Tribulation descends, even my true body will be defenseless. This is my weakest moment, and the Voidgate Sect will not miss this opportunity. So I come to beg Your Majesty.'

The Xia Emperor laughed: 'Ha ha, rest assured. Undergoing the tribulation is a major event; I will naturally do my utmost to protect you.'

Ji Ning was helpless.

His master, Patriarch Subhuti, did not summon him, and he had no way to contact his master, let alone return to the Crescent Moon world. Otherwise, returning there to undergo the tribulation would be much safer. After all, other great powers in the Three Realms could not find the Crescent Moon world.

The 'Star-Picking World' left by the Three-Life Daoist was also safe, but he had not yet been acknowledged and could not enter.

In the end, he had to ask the Xia Emperor.

Ji Ning's earlier display of brilliance was also for this day.

'But my protection alone may not be enough,' frowned the Xia Emperor. 'When you undergo the tribulation, you cannot resist. Although the Voidgate Sect cannot defeat my forces, they can tear space and teleport directly to your tribulation site, hold off my men for a short time, and then kill you.'

Ji Ning nodded.

There were still those in the Three Realms who could kill him, such as magic treasures containing true fire or true water, which could burn him to ashes if used to their fullest. But when he could resist, he would not foolishly let himself be captured.

'How about this: I'll take you to my master's dojo,' said the Xia Emperor with a smile. 'At my master's place, you can undergo the tribulation safely.'

Ji Ning was both surprised and delighted.

The Xia Emperor's master? Dao Ancestor Redbright?

If he could be protected by a Dao Ancestor, the tribulation would indeed be much safer. Having backing really made a difference. His own master, Patriarch Subhuti, was also... even his disciples could only return to the Crescent Moon world at his will. In contrast, Dao Ancestor Redbright openly ruled over dozens of major worlds and countless minor worlds.

It was precisely because of his mystery that Patriarch Subhuti was called the most mysterious Dao Ancestor in the Three Realms.

'This... would the Dao Ancestor allow me?' Ji Ning hesitated.

'I will first report to my master. If that doesn't work, I'll take you to my elder brother,' said the Xia Emperor with a smile.

Elder brother?

Ji Ning immediately thought of the Xia Emperor's sworn brother—Dao Ancestor Yinglong! Another Dao Ancestor!

...