A Final Ultimatum

“Not even leaving behind the characters?” Xu Fang and the other three Zifu Disciples of the Yan Mountain branch gritted their teeth in anger. Just now, when they had stared at the words on the beast-hide, they could sense a palpable Sword Intent pressing down on them, one so powerful that their legs had trembled in fear. They understood clearly that their own level of insight was far too low to even begin to comprehend the profound profundity of the Sword Intent contained within those words.

If the higher-ups of Snowdragon Mountain were to see the words on this beast-hide, they would probably be able to deduce Ji Ning’s true level of power. But clearly, Ji Ning was extremely cautious. He wouldn’t give them that chance.

“Your message has been delivered. I won’t stay any longer.” The Ji Clan messenger simply turned around and walked out into the open, leaving without any hint of stealth.

Xu Fang and the other members of the Yan Mountain branch could only watch helplessly as the messenger departed.

“What do we do?”

“Ji Ning of Winged Serpent Lake has given us an ultimatum. What are we going to do?”

They traded glances, their eyes filled with terror and unease. The mere sight of the characters on the beast-hide had been enough to let them know… that Ji Ning’s strength had already reached a level far, far beyond them. He could probably slaughter them all in a single blow. The immense gap in their power levels made the pressure they were under almost unbearable.

“No matter what, this Ji Ning of Winged Serpent Lake can kill even Wanxiang Adepts with contemptuous ease. There’s no way the four of us can deal with him. We have to report this to the Sect.”

“Right. We have to report it to the Sect.”

“Third Brother, the Yan Mountain is simply too far from Snowdragon Mountain. We only have ten short days to act. We don’t even have enough time to travel to Snowdragon Mountain and deliver a detailed report.”

Xu Fang and the other three looked at each other, their eyes filled with helplessness and frustration.

Yes.

Ji Ning had only given them ten days, but they were all merely Zifu Disciples. They couldn’t even make it back to Snowdragon Mountain in ten days, let alone give the Sect a proper report of Ji Ning’s threatening letter.

“There’s no other choice. We’ll have to use the message talismans,” Xu Fang said, shaking his head. “We won’t be able to let the Sect know the full details, but at least they’ll understand the general situation.”

“Right. Let’s crush the talismans.”

“We have no choice but to crush them.”

The four of them all agreed.

The leader of the Yan Mountain branch of Snowdragon Mountain was the Realperson Xu Ke. However, Realperson Xu Ke was so terrified of Ji Ning that he had fled back to the Sect. Before leaving, he had left behind three message talismans, along with specific instructions. “These three talismans are all different sizes. When you crush one, I will be able to sense it. If you crush the smallest one, it will mean the Ji Clan is about to attack! If you crush the middle one, it will mean Ji Ning himself is about to attack! If you crush the largest one, it will mean the Yan Mountain branch has already been breached. Remember, only crush a talisman when it’s a true emergency.”

The three talismans represented three different levels of danger.

If the Ji Clan was attacking, it meant the situation wasn’t too terrible. After all, in terms of raw foundation and resources, the Yan Mountain branch was actually not afraid of the Ji Clan. But if Ji Ning himself was leading the attack… that would be a true catastrophe. No one in the Yan Mountain branch was capable of stopping the monstrous existence known as “Ji Ning of Winged Serpent Lake.”

Xu Fang waved his hand, and three message talismans appeared in his palm.

They were all different sizes.

“Now that Ji Ning is making his move… there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“We can only hope the Sect will send some higher-ups to negotiate with him.”

In their hearts, they didn’t truly believe the Sect would go to war with him. After all, he was a disciple of the Black-White College, and behind him was an Immortal! Compared to the Black-White College, Snowdragon Mountain was far, far inferior. Although Snowdragon Mountain was on good terms with the Beishan clan of Anchan, the Black-White College’s headquarters were right in Anchan City itself, and their relationship with the Beishan clan was incredibly close.

To the Beishan clan of Anchan, the Black-White College was a trusted right arm. Snowdragon Mountain was merely a vanguard, a minor lackey.

“Pa.” Xu Fang crushed the second talisman, the one that gave off a faint black light.

On the distant Snowdragon Mountain, the snow never melted, an eternal blanket of white that had lasted for ten thousand years.

Countless peaks of varying heights dotted the mountain range, with many cultivators dwelling within them. One of the more ordinary-looking peaks was the residence of ‘Realperson Xu Ke.’

Realperson Xu Ke had a pale, beardless face that made him look quite handsome.

He was seated cross-legged on a jade bed, wearing a white Daoist robe. He was quietly resting, his expression leisurely and carefree.

Two servants attended to him nearby, waiting for any orders.

“Eh?” Realperson Xu Ke’s expression shifted slightly. He waved his hand, and a black message talisman appeared in his palm. This talisman was now fissured and cracked.

The talismans came in pairs; when one was crushed, its counterpart would shatter as well.

“This talisman…” Realperson Xu Ke thought for a moment, then his face changed. “It’s the second one. It means Ji Ning is about to attack the Yan Mountain branch!”

“Ji Ning. He’s been lying low for nine years, and now he’s finally going to make his move?” Realperson Xu Ke felt a knot of panic in his heart.

Back when the Xu clan had first established their presence in the Yan Mountain region, they had acted out of a mixture of anger over Realperson Xu Li’s death and a desire to expand their territory. Who would have guessed that shortly after they settled in, news would arrive… Ji Ning had been accepted into the Black-White College! The Xu clan had been filled with regret, but there was no getting out of this mess. Snowdragon Mountain’s reputation meant they, the Xu clan, could not afford to retreat.

But as time passed, Ji Ning’s fame had only grown!

Realperson Xu Ke had been so frightened that he had fled back to the Sect, leaving only Xu Fang and the other three Zifu Disciples behind. Even if all four of those Zifu Disciples died, it would be an acceptable loss for the Xu clan.

“Now that Ji Ning is finally making his move, what should I do? Our Xu clan may have multiple Wanxiang Adepts, but even if they all join forces, they probably wouldn’t be able to defeat this Ji Ning. This is a monstrous existence who was able to slay even a Wanxiang Adept like the Realperson Du Jiu!” Realperson Xu Ke’s thoughts raced. “There’s no other choice. I have to go see my master.”

Snowdragon Mountain had a total of three Primal Daoists: the Snowfeather Daoist, the Cold Sun Daoist, and the Black Dragon Daoist.

They each occupied the three tallest peaks. Realperson Xu Ke’s master was the ‘Snowfeather Daoist.’

In sects like the Black-White College that focused on elite training, second-generation Primal Daoists were generally quite cordial when interacting with third-generation disciples, not putting on any airs. But in sects with countless members of varying quality, the stronger one was, the more arrogant and ostentatious they tended to be.

As one of the three Primal Daoists of Snowdragon Mountain, the Snowfeather Daoist’s bearing was naturally spectacular.

“Your disciple Xu Ke requests an audience.”

First, a child servant at the peak’s entrance relayed the message. Then, one of ninety-nine male Zifu Disciples and ninety-nine female Zifu Disciples relayed it further. Finally, a personal attendant who was a Wanxiang Adept delivered the message.

“Master, your disciple Xu Ke is requesting an audience,” a grey-robed man said respectfully, standing outside a quiet meditation room.

“Granted.” A calm voice came from within the room.

After a series of transmissions, Realperson Xu Ke was finally allowed to approach the meditation room. Under normal circumstances, only favored disciples would be kept close by the ‘Snowfeather Daoist.’ Disciples like Realperson Xu Ke, who had no hope of ever breaking through to the Primal level, were sent away long ago. They were only occasionally permitted to visit if they had something truly important to report.

“Your disciple pays his respects to you, Master.” Realperson Xu Ke knelt respectfully outside the meditation room. Snow covered the ground outside the room, making the kneeling figure of the white-robed Xu Ke a rather picturesque sight.

“Creak.”

The door opened.

A handsome Daoist in a feathered robe walked out. His long black hair was loose, and his narrow eyes held a hint of a smile.

This was the Snowfeather Daoist, one of the three supreme leaders of Snowdragon Mountain!

The Snowfeather Daoist had a crucial requirement for all disciples he accepted… they had to be handsome. He himself was a man of great aesthetic taste, and his disciples reflected that. Whether it was the kneeling Xu Ke or the grey-robed man standing nearby, both had outstanding, pleasing appearances.

“What is it?” the Snowfeather Daoist asked calmly.

“Reporting to you, Master.” Realperson Xu Ke remained kneeling. “Years ago, our Snowdragon Mountain’s Yan Mountain branch was nearly annihilated because of the Ji Clan. I and some of my kinsmen then moved in to stabilize the territory for the branch. But now, Ji Ning’s strength has soared, and the Ji Clan, backed by his might, no longer holds any regard for our Snowdragon Mountain. Today, I received word that Ji Ning is going to make a move against our Yan Mountain branch. He will be attacking in person! I, your disciple, am out of options, and so I have come to beg for your guidance, Master. Please instruct me on how to deal with this Ji Ning.”

“Ji Ning?” The Snowfeather Daoist’s brows furrowed slightly. “He’s taking personal action? How did you receive this news? The distance from the Yan Mountain to our Snowdragon Mountain is quite far. The Yan Mountain branch is probably already destroyed by now.”

“That shouldn’t be the case,” Realperson Xu Ke said respectfully. “When I left the Yan Mountain, I left three message talismans with my clansmen. Crushing different ones conveys different messages! The one they crushed indicates that Ji Ning is about to attack! As soon as they crushed it, I knew immediately, and I came straight to you, Master.”

The Snowfeather Daoist nodded. “I’ve heard about the conflict between the Yan Mountain branch and Ji Ning. This Ji Ning is far too arrogant. My Snowdragon Mountain has been trying to keep the peace, to avoid any further hostility. We didn’t even make a fuss when Xu Li and the others died… We simply pretended nothing had happened. After all, looking at it objectively, we were the ones who suffered the loss back then.”

“But that wasn’t enough for him? He still wants to drive out our Yan Mountain branch?” A trace of murderous intent flashed in the Snowfeather Daoist’s eyes.

A man who could become a Primal Daoist was no gentle soul!

“Hmph! No matter how strong he is, he’s still just a Wanxiang Adept. He has no right to make my Snowdragon Mountain retreat like this!” The Snowfeather Daoist said coldly, “Come. Follow your master to the Yan Mountain.”

Both Realperson Xu Ke and the grey-robed man were shocked.

The master himself was going?

They had originally assumed he would send an envoy to negotiate.

“Just a Wanxiang Adept,” the Snowfeather Daoist said coldly. He was a cultivator of over a thousand years, and was now at Primal perfection! Although some freakishly talented Wanxiang Adepts could fight Primal Daoists, there were also multiple sub-levels among Primal Daoists: early, mid, late, and perfection.

Why should he be afraid of a Ji Ning?

“The Black-White College has a huge number of Wanxiang Adepts. Their most monstrous geniuses, like Flamesaint, number in several, and every few hundred years, a new batch of geniuses appear. But in the end, the Black-White College only has a handful of Immortals,” the Snowfeather Daoist mused to himself. “Becoming an Immortal isn’t that easy. Ji Ning might be a genius, but I doubt he’ll become an Immortal! And even if he does… we all serve the same Marquis of Anchan. So what!”

“Let’s go. Let’s go take a look at this Ji Ning, and see just what kind of genius and monster he is, to dare hold my Snowdragon Mountain in such contempt,” the Snowfeather Daoist said calmly.

“As you command, Master.” Realperson Xu Ke and the other man immediately bowed.

Moments later, a large warship carrying a group of subordinates left Snowdragon Mountain, its path set for the distant Yan Mountains.