Retainers, Rivals, and the Fallen Genius

"Whoosh." Ji Ning watched the eastern sun rising and let out a soft breath. "Come, then. If you're coming, come. I'll accept whatever comes."

Last night's two consecutive victories, combined with the words of Senior Apprentice-Brother Bu Ying and Senior Apprentice-Sister Nine Lotus, had made one thing clear to Ji Ning... no matter what, the faction of old disciples would not let this rest. They would find a way to win back their losses. Ji Ning also admitted that when it came to the most outstanding disciples of the Black-White College, he would likely have to concede defeat.

But still, he would not give in easily. If he was going to lose, he would lose only to someone whose strength left him completely, utterly convinced.

"To beat me, you need to have the strength to make me admit defeat willingly." Ji Ning's eyes blazed with battle intent. He had spent the entire night studying the Lesser Five Elements Sword Manual. Since he knew a challenge was coming, he naturally had to make the most of his time.

Whoosh.

Ji Ning willed it, and a small boat appeared beside him. He planned to go see his master, the Diancai Immortal... his comprehension of the Lesser Five Elements Sword Manual had raised many questions, and asking his master should clear up some of his doubts.

Swoosh!

Stepping onto the boat, he rapidly shot into the sky.

"Senior Apprentice-Brother Northmont." A voice suddenly rang out.

Ji Ning, standing on the boat, turned his head. In the distance, a middle-aged man was flying towards him on a flying sword, his face bearing an expression of fawning reverence. The edges of his long sleeves were adorned with a black-and-white trim. Seeing that trim, Ji Ning immediately understood that this person was the retainer of some formal disciple.

Every formal disciple was allowed to take on ten retainers. These retainer-cultivators were responsible for more important tasks like cleaning, delivering messages, and guarding doors.

"What is it?" Ji Ning looked at him.

"There is someone outside the college gates who claims to be Beishan Baiwei and wishes to see you, Senior Apprentice-Brother Northmont," the middle-aged man said respectfully.

"Beishan Baiwei?" Ji Ning nodded. "I'll be right there."

Swoosh!

He immediately rode his boat directly towards the main gates of the Black-White College. Moments later, he saw the main gate. Outside, Beishan Baiwei was sitting very ostentatiously on his Nine Star Immortal Carriage, which also carried his puppet maidservant.

"Ji Ning." Beishan Baiwei immediately alighted from his carriage upon seeing Ji Ning approaching on his boat.

"Baiwei." Ji Ning landed. "What brings you to the college so early?"

Beishan Baiwei smiled and pointed to the side, where three people stood, all of whom possessed extraordinary auras. "As I said before, I want five of your retainer slots. These three count as three of those slots. The other two... will arrive in a little while."

"These three?" Ji Ning looked them over carefully.

Every formal disciple only had ten retainer slots. Once a master-retainer bond was established, it typically lasted for centuries or even millennia of companionship.

"These three are all quite decent," Beishan Baiwei said, pointing to the tallest, a lanky youth. "His name is Yun Zhou. He is from the Yun tribe, and he is at the early Zifu stage."

Yun Zhou's eyes were very bright. He said respectfully, "Yun Zhou pays respects to Senior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning."

"This is Yun Zhou's younger sister." Beishan Baiwei pointed to a tall, slender, enchanting woman in a white gauze dress. Her eyes were also large, limpid and watery. Like her brother's, her eyes were very bright. She gave Ji Ning a deep look before also bowing respectfully. "Yun Lu pays respects to Senior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning."

Beishan Baiwei then pointed to the last person, an ordinary-looking youth. "His name is Wang Wei. He is a former guard of mine, very loyal."

"Wang Wei pays respects to Senior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning." This plain youth also bowed respectfully.

"Yun Zhou, Yun Lu, Wang Wei." Beishan Baiwei smiled. "They are your retainers now, Brother Ji Ning. If any of them are the least bit negligent, you can directly expel them from the Black-White College. I, Beishan Baiwei, will not meet with them again. You need not consider my face at all when dealing with them."

Ji Ning nodded.

"As for these hundred or so mortals, they have all been carefully selected. They possess some skills. They are all proficient in tending flowers, culinary arts, and the like." Beishan Baiwei gestured to a group of mortals nearby.

The group of mortals was mostly women, with only a dozen or so men. When Beishan Baiwei pointed at them, they all knelt down, extremely deferential, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.

"I've troubled you, Brother Baiwei," Ji Ning said.

"If you're not busy, what do you say to joining me for a gathering in a few days, along with Mu Northson?" Beishan Baiwei asked.

"Alright." Ji Ning paused, then added, "Ah, there is one other matter I'd like to trouble you with, Brother Baiwei."

"Oh? Speak your mind," Beishan Baiwei said.

Ji Ning nodded. "It's like this. On my way to Anchan City, I met three people. They were three early Zifu cultivators from the Meng tribe, named Meng Xin, Meng Yan, and Meng Jun. Later, they joined up with an elder from their tribe, a balding middle-aged man named 'Ming Shu.' One of them, 'Meng Yan,' once used a forbidden technique and damaged his foundation. I'm afraid he might not have been accepted by any sect. I wanted to give him one of my retainer slots. However, I don't know where he's staying, which is why I'm asking for your help."

"This is a trivial matter." Beishan Baiwei said confidently. "The Meng are a major tribe. The movements of their tribesmen are sure to be recorded in the intelligence at Heavenly Treasures Mountain. I'll go check and find out for you."

"Alright, if there's nothing else, I won't linger." Beishan Baiwei then walked back to his Nine Star Immortal Carriage. The two clasped their hands in farewell, and the carriage quickly transformed into a streak of fire, disappearing into the distance.

Ji Ning willed it, and the small boat beside him rapidly expanded into a large vessel several tens of zhang long. "All of you, get on." The three retainers and the group of mortals all boarded the large boat. The boat then shot into the sky, heading straight for Northmont Peak.

...

Beishan Baiwei, aboard his Nine Star Immortal Carriage, quickly arrived at Heavenly Treasures Mountain.

"I heard that Ji Ning, the new disciple of the Black-White College, defeated two veteran disciples who had been training for years last night!"

"Who is this Ji Ning? So formidable?"

"I don't know. I only heard he was accepted as a disciple by the Diancai Immortal."

Just as he alighted from his carriage, Beishan Baiwei overheard two passing cultivators conversing. Heavenly Treasures Mountain was a place of mixed crowds and very well-informed.

"Oh?" A smile appeared on Beishan Baiwei's face. "My Brother Ji Ning actually did something so significant last night, and I didn't even know. Well, first, I'll check on this 'Meng Yan' for him. To have caught my Brother Ji Ning's attention, this Meng Yan must have some extraordinary qualities."

...

Within a delicate mansion in the Eastern City of Anchan City.

Meng Yan was sitting there, drinking gloomily.

"Sister Xin, let me help." "Sister Xin, I'll help you tidy this up."

Meng Jun was being very diligent, helping Meng Xin pack some of her daily items. In the past few days, they had all been staying at their third uncle's house. Now that they had been accepted into their sects, the sects had given them three days to prepare before they would all leave Anchan City, traveling a million li to reach their respective sect headquarters.

Meng Jun cast a sidelong glance at Meng Yan, who was drinking his sorrows away, and sighed dramatically. "Rock, just bear with it for a while. In a few years, when the injury can no longer be detected, you can join a sect too. Sister Xin and I are truly fated; we happened to be accepted by the same sect by chance. Haha, what fate!"

Meng Yan, who was drinking gloomily, darkened his face. The beast-head wine goblet in his hand was crushed to pieces.

"Hmph." Meng Jun snorted and turned to leave.

"Petty little man," Meng Yan muttered, watching his back.

In truth, he had already guessed it. Meng Jun had definitely followed Meng Xin... after Meng Xin was accepted into a sect, Meng Jun had followed suit. Their aptitudes were almost identical, so it wasn't strange for them to join the same sect.

He had held a deep affection for Meng Xin since they were young. Meng Jun felt the same! This made Meng Yan's heart ache even more.

"Petty little man!" Meng Yan grit his teeth. "But curse my luck..."

"Big Brother Rock." Meng Xin stood beside him.

Meng Yan looked up at her.

"Don't give up. I believe you can make it," Meng Xin said, her eyes a little red.

Meng Yan felt a surge of warmth in his heart and nodded firmly.

"Make it? Hmph."

A sarcastic snort came from the side. "Sister Xin, let's go. It's time for us to head to our Thousand Streams Sect." Meng Xin gave Meng Yan one last, deep look, then had no choice but to leave. She had to go to her sect and start her own path of Immortal cultivation.

Meng Yan watched it all in silence.

"Xin'er, wait for me," he murmured to himself. But the experience of having been rejected by three sects in as many days only filled his heart with more pain and anxiety.

...

Inside the Black-White College.

Ji Ning carefully observed the three people: Yun Zhou, Yun Lu, and Wang Wei.

Although they had been sent by Beishan Baiwei, if he truly didn't like them, he would naturally expel them. After all, the master-retainer relationship would last a long time.

Yun Zhou, Yun Lu, and Wang Wei were also a bit nervous.

"This Wang Wei was a guard? Very loyal?" Ji Ning immediately felt a favorable impression of Wang Wei. "That Yun Zhou immediately started fawning on me with a smile as soon as he saw me; he seems quite good at flattery. And his sister, 'Yun Lu'... I don't know what Beishan Baiwei was thinking, sending such a seductive woman here."

Yun Lu was certainly very seductive. Her beauty alone was not inferior to Meng Xin's, and she even surpassed Senior Apprentice-Sister Nine Lotus. Moreover, her entire body exuded a charming allure, and her limpid, watery eyes were very captivating. From the moment she saw Ji Ning, she had been subtly trying to entice him.

"Wang Wei, how did you get that name?" Ji Ning asked.

Wang Wei replied solemnly, "I originally had no name. Later, I was granted a name by the young master and served him for many years. The young master must have felt I was worth developing, so he gave me this opportunity to rise in status. He also bestowed upon me the Daoist title 'Wang Wei,' telling me to forget my past as a guard and truly strive to become a powerful cultivator."

Ji Ning nodded.

Whoosh.

The boat began to descend towards Northmont Peak below. The nearby Yun Zhou and Yun Lu were anxiously waiting for Ji Ning to question them, but to their surprise, he didn't.

"Uncle White." As soon as they landed, Ji Ning spoke.

The Whitewater Hound immediately bounded over with a leap.

Ji Ning glanced at the three retainers and the mortals behind him, then announced in a clear voice, "Listen carefully, all of you. This is Northmont Peak of the Black-White College. On my Northmont Peak... in your daily affairs, you will all obey my Uncle White. Whatever he tells you to do, you will do. Do not disobey."

"Yes." Yun Zhou, Yun Lu, Wang Wei, and all the mortals replied respectfully.

"Uncle White, these three are my retainers. The rest are all mortals." Ji Ning looked at the Whitewater Hound. "I'll leave everything on Northmont Peak to you, Uncle White. Please also inform them of the various rules of the Black-White College."

The Whitewater Hound instantly transformed into a cloud of mist, which then coalesced into a white-robed, white-haired man.

The white-haired, white-robed man had a gentle look in his eyes and exuded a natural, warm affinity that made others feel like they were bathing in a spring breeze. The white-robed, white-haired man laughed. "Go on, Ning'er. I'll take care of all this."

"Mm."

Ji Ning then transformed into a streak of light and quickly left Northmont Peak. As for the others, even the retainers could only go to a limited number of places within the Black-White College.

Moments later.

Ji Ning arrived above his master, the Diancai Immortal's mountain peak.

"Ji Ning, come in." That indifferent voice sounded directly by his ear.

"Yes, Master." Ji Ning immediately descended.