Chapter 14: The Master

Ji Yichuan walked alone on the stone path, frowning in contemplation. He knew that this matter was also a tribulation for the Ji clan. To stand firm on this vast land, one must endure countless tribulations! If they weathered it, the clan's foundation would deepen and its strength would naturally grow. If they failed, it would mean the annihilation of the clan! It would be fortunate if a few clansmen escaped by chance to preserve the bloodline.

"Master."

"Master." Some servants knelt respectfully nearby to greet him.

After entering his residence, Ji Yichuan headed toward the courtyard where his wife usually stayed. Suddenly, a maidservant rushed out in a panic. The moment she saw Ji Yichuan, she was so frightened that she knelt down immediately.

"Rushing about like this, what kind of behavior is that?" Ji Yichuan scolded with a frown.

"Master," the maidservant said, pale-faced and flustered, "the mistress, she... she..."

Ji Yichuan's expression changed instantly: "What happened to Xue'er?"

"The mistress has fainted!" the maidservant said anxiously.

"Fainted?" Ji Yichuan's face turned pale. As a Qi Refining expert, how could she faint? There was likely only one reason for his wife to faint.

"Xue'er!" Ji Yichuan vanished in an instant, like a gust of wind.

...

Inside the room.

Yuchi Xue lay quietly on the bed. Her face was slightly pale, yet still as beautiful and serene as ever.

"Xue'er." Ji Yichuan appeared in the room in an instant. Seeing his wife lying there, he hurried forward, examined her carefully, then turned to the maidservant: "What exactly happened?"

The maidservant, trembling, had already knelt down: "Master, the mistress was drinking tea just now, perfectly fine. No one touched her, no one spoke to her. Suddenly, her body went limp and she collapsed. We panicked. I carefully carried the mistress back to the room, and Liuye went to call you."

"How could this be?" Ji Yichuan's face showed pain. "How could this be! Quick, go fetch Sorcerer Cao immediately."

"Yes." The maidservant rushed out, leaving only Ji Yichuan alone in the room.

Ji Yichuan sat by the bed, looking at his wife. He reached out to touch her face and murmured: "Is this day finally coming? When you insisted on giving birth to Ning'er, I feared this day would truly come. I don't believe it. I don't believe it. There must be a way to survive. I still want to accompany you and watch our son become a great hero."

A moment later.

An old man with a dirty animal-skin robe and a big beard walked in. A faint herbal fragrance naturally emanated from him. Sorcerers and alchemists were groups who studied the herbs of the world. This vast land was wondrous, nurturing many strange creatures. Even seemingly ordinary herbs, when properly combined, could produce remarkable effects.

And this Sorcerer Cao was the strongest in this field within the Ji clan's Western Manor.

"Sorcerer Cao," Ji Yichuan said to the bearded old man, "my wife fainted for no reason. Please take a look."

"Commander, please step back," Sorcerer Cao said hoarsely. Ji Yichuan quickly stepped aside to make room. Sorcerer Cao extended his dry, claw-like hand and placed it on Yuchi Xue's forehead. A faint green light emerged from his palm and gradually seeped into her body.

A rich medicinal fragrance spread through the air.

Sorcerer Cao closed his eyes. After a long time, he withdrew his right hand. Yuchi Xue, who had been lying unconscious, trembled her eyelashes and then opened her eyes.

"Xue'er." Ji Yichuan hurried forward in surprise, then turned to Sorcerer Cao: "How is my wife?"

"Forgive my limited ability," Sorcerer Cao shook his head. "Commander, please go and invite the clan leader."

"The clan leader?" Ji Yichuan's heart tightened.

The clan leader, also the leader of the entire Ji clan's five manors, was named Ji Jiuhuo. An old man who had lived for nearly four hundred years, the true ancestor of the Ji clan. Naturally, he was also a Zifu cultivator! Ji Jiuhuo loved research and had considerable achievements in formations, medicines, and poisons. In healing, he was far superior to Sorcerer Cao.

"I'll take Xue'er there immediately," Ji Yichuan said quickly.

"No," Sorcerer Cao said hastily. "Commander, do not be careless. The commander's wife cannot withstand jostling now. It's best to let her rest quietly. If you could invite the clan leader here, that would be ideal." Sorcerer Cao stopped there, understanding that inviting the clan leader was a difficult task.

Ji Yichuan nodded and immediately instructed the maidservant: "Go quickly and summon Commander Ji Honghua."

A moment later.

Ji Honghua, dressed in red, walked in: "Yichuan, you need me?"

"Aunt Hua," Ji Yichuan said to the newcomer, "I ask you to ride the Green Flame Bird to the clan manor immediately and invite the clan leader to our Western Manor City."

"Invite the clan leader?" Ji Honghua was startled. The clan leader had long stopped managing affairs, spending his time on research and cultivation. Even if the Western Manor's lord, Ji Youyang, invited him, the clan leader might not come. "If I go, will he come?"

Ji Yichuan said quickly: "Just go and say that Ji Yichuan has a matter of life and death and asks the clan leader to come to Western Manor City. The clan leader will definitely come."

Though puzzled by Ji Yichuan's certainty, Ji Honghua nodded: "Alright, I'll go to Ten Thousand Swords City."

The Xia Dynasty had built countless cities across the vast land. The Ji clan occupied only one, 'Ten Thousand Swords City,' which housed the 'Clan Manor' among the five manors. The Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern Manor Cities were built by the Ji clan themselves and held no special significance.

"Thank you for the trouble," Ji Yichuan said gratefully.

Ji Honghua walked out and soon boarded the Green Flame Bird, swiftly leaving Western Manor City for Ten Thousand Swords City.

...

The maidservant had also withdrawn, leaving only Ji Yichuan and his wife Yuchi Xue in the room.

"Yichuan," Yuchi Xue smiled and looked up at her husband.

"Xue'er." Ji Yichuan sat by the bed, holding his wife's hand.

Yuchi Xue gently shook her head: "I know, and you know too. To have survived the calamity on the way back from the North Sea was already a stroke of luck. These ten years, I've lived peacefully and happily. I am content."

"If, if back then you hadn't given birth to Ning'er..." Ji Yichuan's voice grew hoarse.

Yuchi Xue gently shook her head: "He is our child. I had to give birth to him, even if using the secret art shortened my life by a few years. It was worth it! Back then, I was severely injured. If I hadn't given birth to Ning'er, I didn't know if I could ever have children again. Ning'er is the bloodline of you and me, and he was bought with my elder brother's life."

"Elder brother." Ji Yichuan still remembered the great calamity on the journey back.

That great calamity changed the fate of three people.

The Yuchi siblings and him, Ji Yichuan.

"Take my sister and go! Go now!"

That brave, tall figure and that roar—Ji Yichuan had never forgotten them.

"If I had given up Ning'er, I might have lived a few more years, but without a child of yours and mine, I would regret it for life. He is the blood of the Ji clan and also the blood of the Yuchi clan," Yuchi Xue said softly. "These ten years, with you by my side and a brilliant son, I have been immensely happy and content. These ten years have been the happiest of my life."

Ji Yichuan gently held his wife's hand.

"Ning'er is my pride," Yuchi Xue said slowly. "I do not regret giving birth to Ning'er."

"Mm," Ji Yichuan nodded gently. "I understand, I understand. In less than an hour, the clan leader will be here. Let him take a look; perhaps it's not that bad."

Yuchi Xue nodded: "If I can live another year or two, let's not tell Ning'er for now. If I don't have much time left, then call Ning'er back." Then she looked at her husband, her eyes bright: "Yichuan, in this life, with you and Ning'er, I am truly happy."

"Mm," Ji Yichuan looked at his wife and said softly, "Me too."

...

Neither Ji Yichuan nor Yuchi Xue knew that their son Ji Ning was at that moment trapped in a desperate situation. In the mountains at the border of the Ji and Tiemu clans' territories, it looked ordinary from afar, but if one entered, they would be engulfed in endless black fog and never come out.

Surrounded by protective lotuses, Ji Ning sat cross-legged, studying the 'Nine Volumes of Formations' and continuously deducing, trying to break the formation as quickly as possible.

...

Inside the mountain cave.

From various directions within the cave came piercing screams, curses of resentment, frantic pleas, and weeping sounds. In the cave stood many pillars, with men and women bound to them. At a glance, there were over a hundred men and women covered in wounds.

Beating, humiliation, torture... various means were inflicted on these people.

"Xiantian lifeforms? You still think you're Xiantian lifeforms? Hahaha, thirsty, huh? Have some delicious urine to quench your thirst!" A group of burly servants were torturing them madly.

In the center of the cave stood six elegantly dressed men and women, calmly watching all this.

"We've purchased over a million ordinary slaves in Yanshan and captured nearly a hundred Xiantian lifeforms, but it's still far from the master's requirements," said a woman in black with a scorpion perched on her shoulder.

"Senior Brother is out capturing Xiantian lifeforms; we'll soon have enough," a handsome young man said with a smile. "But one of the master's spirit beasts, Black Needle, was killed while fighting in the formation. Fellow disciples, what do you think we should do?"

"Junior Brother has remarkable talent; perhaps Junior Brother should go."

"Junior Brother..."

The men and women around all looked at the handsome young man. His face darkened. These senior brothers and sisters were no pushovers. Though each had formidable skills, knowing that the person inside the formation could easily kill the spirit beast 'Black Needle,' none of them wanted to go in, as there was still a small risk.

Suddenly, with a creaking sound, one section of the cave floor began to rotate. Iron plates shifted and moved aside, revealing the entrance to a passage. A faint green light emanated from the dark passage, along with a chilling aura.

"Master." The six men and women bowed respectfully in unison.