Chapter 48: Another Snow Appraisal Scroll

The Mangya Kingdom was extremely vast.

Clouds drifted, and a flying boat was speeding through midair. On the boat, Ji Ning sat cross-legged, gazing at the beautiful world of the Mangya Kingdom.

"Star Island is here."

"Sword Palace is there."

"Oh, this is the Reception Ground? So when I was captured, I was brought to the Reception Ground." Ji Ning had also grasped the general geographical layout of the Mangya Kingdom. "I remember when I first arrived in the Mangya Kingdom, over thirty thousand World-level cultivators were led by those two silver-armored Dao Lords from the Reception Ground all the way to Star Island. The flight took about forty-six days. On the eleventh day of the flight, I sensed another Snow Appraisal Scroll."

Within the Mangya Kingdom, spatial teleportation was impossible; one had to fly slowly.

"From the Reception Ground to Star Island." Ji Ning made a rough calculation and deduced the approximate location of the other Snow Appraisal Scroll.

Because those two silver-armored Dao Lords had definitely flown in a straight line, roughly a quarter of the way from the 'Reception Ground'.

"Eh?"

"The location of the other Snow Appraisal Scroll is not far from the direction of You Ji. I won't have to go out of my way." Ji Ning was pleasantly surprised.

Swoosh!

The flying boat streaked like flowing light, speeding into the distance.

...

Ji Ning had given Su Youji a token. Because the distance was too great, he could only sense the general direction. This flight took a full three months. Along the way, he sensed the ripples of several Dao Lords, who also sensed that Ji Ning was from the Twelve Palaces and naturally did not provoke him. However, the journey made Ji Ning understand the dangers of the Mangya Kingdom.

Because he encountered several robberies along the way. The Mangya Kingdom was evidently chaotic and barbaric, with even more brutal conflicts than the Dao Alliance. Those World-level cultivators who tried to rob Ji Ning had kicked an iron plate! The outcome went without saying.

"Hmm? Ripples!"

The flying boat amid the clouds and mist immediately slowed sharply and stopped. On the boat, a white-robed youth sat cross-legged, a sword resting on his knees. He opened his eyes, a hint of anticipation in them.

"It's the ripple of a Snow Appraisal Scroll!" Ji Ning sensed that his three Snow Appraisal Scrolls were all resonating. "I didn't expect that after a thousand years, that Snow Appraisal Scroll hasn't moved."

...

Deep at the bottom of a vast lake, a hundred billion li away from Ji Ning.

At the bottom of the lake lay a beautiful palace.

Inside the palace were many maidservants and guards.

"Hmm?"

In a side hall deep within the palace, a green-skinned alien lifeform with gills, who was leaning against a throne and drinking wine with half-closed eyes, suddenly changed expression. Even the maidservant massaging his shoulders behind him was startled.

"Snow Appraisal Scroll? Three more?" The green-skinned alien lifeform was both surprised and delighted, then his expression shifted.

A thousand years ago, when Ji Ning was being transported past, this green-skinned alien lifeform had sensed it once. Because he had one Snow Appraisal Scroll, he naturally sensed the other three. He was extremely delighted at the time, but he saw the two silver-armored Dao Lords. Since they didn't come to him, he immediately guessed that the scrolls belonged to some captured World-level cultivator.

"The same three."

"Could that World-level cultivator have come out of Star Island?" The green-skinned alien lifeform squinted.

Swoosh, he turned into flowing light and almost instantly left the underwater palace. Soon he surfaced, poking his head out of the lake water and looking upward.

Following the sensation, his eyes glowed with a faint, cold black light, quickly seeing the flying boat a hundred billion li away, and the white-robed youth on it.

"Not a Dao Lord."

"Just a World-level cultivator." The green-skinned alien lifeform was overjoyed. He also guessed that the other party had noticed him, so he no longer concealed himself and directly released his divine sense to probe, sweeping it a hundred billion li away.

"He's alone, just him on the flying boat." The green-skinned alien lifeform grew even more excited. "Right, he came out of Star Island. Those who leave Star Island usually come out alone, rarely in groups. Even if he has some subordinates in his cave-heaven treasure, those willing to stay in his cave-heaven treasure can't be that strong."

"With three scrolls, he still wants mine? Greedy enough. It seems he's quite confident." The green-skinned alien lifeform smiled coldly, then dove into the lake water and quickly returned to the underwater palace.

...

Underwater Palace.

The green-skinned alien lifeform returned to the palace and soon arrived at the main hall. He picked up a huge leg bone and struck a large drum. Boom~~ The drum sent out ripples that instantly spread throughout the palace. From all over the underwater palace, figures rushed over, each with a powerful aura, no weaker than the green-skinned alien lifeform.

"Green Mustard."

"Green Mustard, why the sudden summons?"

"You even struck the Dragon-Subduing Drum. What's the big matter?"

Soon, twenty-six World-level cultivators appeared in the main hall. They were also cultivators, but all belonged to the water race, so they even placed their residence palace in this lake.

"Great news." The green-skinned alien lifeform laughed heartily. "A hundred billion li away, a World-level cultivator is flying rapidly toward us."

"A World-level cultivator, flying toward us?"

"Is he walking to his death?"

For a moment, everyone present was puzzled.

The green-skinned alien lifeform quickly said, "He comes from Star Island and has some old grievances with me." He dared not mention the Snow Appraisal Scroll, because it was too precious. He had one, and counting the white-robed youth's three, that made four Snow Appraisal Scrolls... enough to make even Dao Lords' hearts race. If he really revealed it, his companions might even turn on each other.

"He and I once each obtained a treasure, and the two treasures can sense each other, so he tracked me down." The green-skinned alien lifeform continued, "He has many treasures. After we kill him, I don't want any other treasures—I only want three scrolls. How about it?"

"Three scrolls?" The other World-level cultivators guessed that these three scrolls were probably valuable.

"His other treasures will not disappoint you." The green-skinned alien lifeform frowned and said, "This guy came from Star Island, so his strength is probably about the same as mine. With the twenty-seven of us working together, we can easily kill him."

"He might have joined the Twelve Palaces after leaving Star Island."

"Don't worry."

The green-skinned alien lifeform swept his gaze and sneered, "I came from Star Island and know very well. Those who are directly recruited into the 'Twelve Palaces' from Star Island are all prodigies, very few in number. Most who come out are like me, barely scraping together a full set of inheritances. That guy is probably about the same as me. Even if we're unlucky enough to encounter a prodigy, with the twenty-seven of us working together... so what if he's a prodigy? A prodigy's treasures are even more numerous."

The other World-level cultivators grew covetous.

"We, the twenty-seven Water Demon Generals of the Dragon-Subduing Palace, are we afraid of him?"

"Kill him, take the treasures."

"Kill."

The twenty-seven Water Demon Generals of the Dragon-Subduing Palace were notorious in the surrounding area. They were a small group formed by water-race World-level cultivators strong enough to band together. In the Mangya Kingdom, there were some large sect forces, usually with Dao Lords in charge. But such large forces also had many rules. The Mangya Kingdom was full of dangers and opportunities, and finding good techniques and inheritances was not difficult. Many World-level cultivators formed small groups.

Green Mustard World God, after all, had left Star Island through his own strength. Although he didn't enter the Twelve Palaces, he was just a step away. His strength ranked among the top two in this small group, so he had considerable influence.

"That kid just left Star Island and doesn't know about our Dragon-Subduing Palace yet." The green-skinned alien lifeform quickly said, "Everyone, don't rush. We'll stay in the Dragon-Subduing Palace. The palace has formations and restrictions, so he won't be able to sense that there are twenty-seven of us. When he reaches the palace, we'll charge out directly. By then, he won't be able to escape."

"Right."

"We're in the dark, he's in the light. Even if he can leave Star Island, we twenty-seven Water Demon Generals are not to be trifled with."

...

Whoosh.

A hundred billion li was still far. Ji Ning flew for half a day before finally arriving at the lake. Bold and confident, he had already scanned with his divine sense and discovered the Dragon-Subduing Palace below.

Swoosh, he put away the flying boat and directly plunged into the lake water, flying toward the Dragon-Subduing Palace.

Soon he reached the palace and saw some alien guards and maidservants of the underwater palace.

"How dare you come to our Dragon-Subduing Palace."

"You refuse the path of life and choose the path of death."

Suddenly, streaks of flowing light flew out from the Dragon-Subduing Palace—twenty-seven streaks, all with murderous intent soaring to the heavens. As they flew out, they naturally formed a formation.

Ji Ning watched calmly, murmuring, "Dragon-Subduing Palace, huh?"