The Windwing Revelation

“The remnants of the Yuchi clan?” Shao Yanong’s killing intent erupted. “Not a single member of the Yuchi clan can be allowed to live. Those who have mastered the Windwing Evasion are even more deserving of death. The Windwing Evasion belongs solely to my Shao Yan clan—it must never be spread to outsiders!”

The unique secret arts and divine abilities of a powerful tribe were absolutely forbidden from being leaked.

Once an outsider learned them, they would be hunted down without mercy!

“Uncle Fang, dispose of these puppets first.” Shao Yanong had lost all interest in his earlier games. For the first time, true killing intent toward Ji Ning had arisen in his heart.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Xiangliu Fang’s massive hands swept outwards, grabbing the Qiongqi puppets with reckless abandon. At the same time, he barked, “Everyone, hold these Qiongqi puppets back. Don’t let a single one escape—if they get away, they’ll become a future calamity.” As he spoke, he snatched up the puppets one after another, stuffing them into the sack he carried.

Everyone did their best to help hold back the Qiongqi puppets, allowing Xiangliu Fang to capture them all.

“What a pointless death.” Ji Ning’s black feathered wings folded behind him as he glanced at the bloody corpses littering the floor. Although those Zifu Disciple death warriors had been capable of forming formations, their power was far too inferior compared to the Primal-level combat puppets. Under the shockwaves of the Qiongqi puppets’ attacks, nearly all of the surrounding Zifu Disciples had been killed, leaving barely a dozen survivors.

“How tragic. They were Zifu Disciples, after all. Against these puppets, they were completely useless.” Mu Northson sent a mental message, his tone filled with lament. “But Shao Yanong still had them surround the area, which means he deliberately sent them to their deaths. He’s cold-blooded indeed.”

These death warriors had been voluntarily offered by Beishan Yin and others.

To Shao Yanong, the death warriors cultivated by other tribes were not to be trusted by his own Shao Yan clan. Bringing them back would be pointless. He couldn’t even return them to Beishan Yin and the others. Since that was the case, it was cleaner if they died. If any happened to survive through luck, it would mean they were blessed with fortune, and he could bring them back to be properly nurtured.

The surviving Zifu Disciples quickly cleaned the great hall, wiping away all traces of blood and bodies.

Shao Yanong sat cross-legged at the head of the hall, his gaze icy as he stared at Ji Ning. He barked, “Ji Ning!”

The entire hall fell into shocked silence.

Mu Northson, Yu Wei, Nine Lotos, Cangjiang Zhenren, Xue Hongyi—all of them were startled. They could all sense the terrifying look in Shao Yanong’s eyes and the cold, imperious tone of his shout. Even when Ji Ning had smashed his table earlier, Shao Yanong hadn’t been this formal.

“Young master Shao Yan.” Ji Ning looked back at him. “If you have something to say, speak it.”

“Shao Yanong!” Nine Lotos, who was sitting across from him, rose in anger. “Ji Ning is my Dao-companion. He may have offended you earlier, but it was a trivial matter. To make an issue of this now is far too petty!”

When the young masters and princesses of great tribes bantered, they could be casual, but certain lines could not be crossed. Ji Ning was Nine Lotos’s Dao-companion, and he had come here to help Shao Yanong. A few minor conflicts were one thing, but turning hostile now was going too far.

“Nine Lotos, hear me out first.” Shao Yanong’s tone was cold.

“I’m listening.” Nine Lotos was also burning with anger.

“Ji Ning, I ask you this.” Shao Yanong stared at Ji Ning. “Was the divine ability you just displayed the Windwing Evasion?”

Ji Ning’s heart trembled.

The Windwing Evasion?

How did Shao Yanong know of the Windwing Evasion? His mother’s tribe, the Yuchi clan, had been nearly completely annihilated. The only possible survivor was his uncle’s daughter, and even her fate was uncertain. He himself could barely be considered a half-blood descendant of the Yuchi clan. Besides, the Yuchi clan had always been extremely careful to keep the Windwing Evasion a secret.

“There’s no need to deny it. What you used was the Windwing Evasion.” Shao Yanong let out a cold laugh. “Uncle Fang, show him.”

Whoosh.

Xiangliu Fang vanished from beside Shao Yanong, moving like a giant Roc. He appeared in the center of the hall in an instant, then with another flicker of movement, returned to Shao Yanong’s side.

Seeing this, Ji Ning’s heart trembled.

The other fellow disciples couldn’t identify it, but he himself cultivated the Windwing Evasion, so of course he could recognize it! What Xiangliu Fang had just used was indeed the Windwing Evasion, and it was even more exquisite and profound than his own version. This made sense—he was still far inferior to Xiangliu Fang in terms of Fiendgod Body Refining.

“The murderer!”

“The clan-exterminating murderer!”

These thoughts flashed through Ji Ning’s mind. “Was it the Shao Yan clan that destroyed my mother’s tribe, the Yuchi clan? Were my never-met grandfather, aunts, and the rest all killed by the Shao Yan clan?”

“What do you say?” Shao Yanong stared at Ji Ning. “Is it the same as yours?”

“What I cultivate is indeed the Windwing Evasion.” Ji Ning knew denial was useless. He frowned. “So what?”

Nine Lotos, Yu Wei, Cangjiang Zhenren, and Mu Northson all watched anxiously but did not immediately speak.

Shao Yanong laughed loudly. “The Windwing Evasion was originally the unique possession of the Yuchi clan of the Grand Xia Dynasty’s Dongyu Commandery.”

Ji Ning’s heart clenched.

“The Yuchi clan possessed this divine ability for a very, very long time. They always used feathered wings to disguise it, but my Shao Yan clan discovered the secret long ago. After extensive preparation, we wiped out the Yuchi clan in a single stroke. Yet we never managed to find the original copy of the Windwing Evasion manual! Our Shao Yan clan’s mighty Immortals personally used soul-scouring techniques on a large number of Yuchi clan members, reassembling the full Windwing Evasion from their memories.” Shao Yanong stared at Ji Ning. “Now, the Windwing Evasion is unique to my Shao Yan clan, and it is absolutely forbidden from being spread. The mere fact that you learned it without my clan’s permission is already a capital offense! What’s more, I suspect you are a remnant of the Yuchi clan!”

“Speak! Are you a remnant of the Yuchi clan or not?” Shao Yanong glared at Ji Ning.

Everyone else now understood the situation.

So that was it.

In the wars between tribes, it was hard to say who was right and who was wrong. Since the Shao Yan clan had wiped out the Yuchi clan, the Windwing Evasion, which once belonged to the Yuchi clan, now belonged exclusively to the Shao Yan clan.

From the Shao Yan clan’s perspective… any remnant of the Yuchi clan had to be eradicated.

After all, there was now a blood feud between them.

“Ji Ning.” Nine Lotos quickly sent him a mental message, saying anxiously, “Don’t you dare admit to being a descendant of the Yuchi clan. If you do, with this blood feud hanging over you, the Shao Yan clan will never allow you to live. Just say you happened to obtain the original copy of the Windwing Evasion by chance. You cultivated it out of ignorance—you didn’t know the rules. Ignorance is a mitigating factor. My Dongyan clan will negotiate with the Shao Yan clan on your behalf, and this matter can be smoothed over quickly.”

Ji Ning looked at Shao Yanong and Xiangliu Fang.

His heart was filled with endless fury. The Immortals of the Shao Yan clan had repeatedly used soul-scouring techniques on many Yuchi clan members, piecing together the Windwing Evasion from their shattered memories.

Those who underwent soul-scouring generally ended up with their souls scattered into nothingness.

“They deserve to die, they all deserve to die, they all deserve to die!” Ji Ning wanted nothing more than to avenge his mother’s entire tribe.

“Are you a remnant of the Yuchi clan?” Shao Yanong stared at Ji Ning, killing intent surging. During the celebratory banquet earlier, he had merely been toying with Nine Lotos; he hadn’t truly wished to kill Ji Ning. He was still protective of the Shao Yan clan’s reputation. But if Ji Ning really was a remnant of the Yuchi clan, even the patriarchs of the Shao Yan clan, were they present, would show no mercy in killing him.

At this moment, he represented the entire Shao Yan clan!

“No, I am not.” Ji Ning looked at Shao Yanong and Xiangliu Fang, barely containing himself as he spoke in a low voice. “Shao Yanong, if you want to kill me, there’s no need to put on such a hypocritical show and find an excuse.”

“My senior apprentice-brother said he has nothing to do with the Yuchi clan!” Mu Northson roared angrily. “Young master Shao Yan, we came here to help you, and this is how you treat us?”

“Young master Shao Yan, since Junior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning said he is not a descendant of the Yuchi clan, then he is not.” Cangjiang Zhenren also spoke up. “He probably learned this divine ability by blind luck. At worst, we can negotiate with the Shao Yan clan, offer some gifts, have him swear a Heavenly Dao oath never to spread this technique, and the matter will be settled.”

Yu Wei added, “Young master Shao Yan, if you claim that Junior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning is a remnant of the Yuchi clan now, once the news spreads, others might think that you, Shao Yanong, are deliberately finding an excuse to deal with Junior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning.”

“Shao Yanong!” Nine Lotos also glared at him, furious. “Ji Ning is my Dao-companion!”

One by one, they applied pressure from all sides.

Shao Yanong, however, began to laugh.

“Hahaha, relax.” Shao Yanong smiled. “Ji Ning also came to my Immortal estate with me. I’ll give him a way out.” As he spoke, a black chain appeared in his hand, covered in ancient golden runic patterns. He tossed the chain towards Ji Ning. Clang! The chain clattered to the ground in front of Ji Ning.

“This is a Soulchain of Imprisonment.” Shao Yanong looked at Ji Ning. “Once locked on, even a Fiendgod would be rendered as helpless as an ordinary mortal, unable to resist. Lock yourself with the Soulchain of Imprisonment and await my judgment. I can swear an oath: as long as you are not a remnant of the Yuchi clan, I will not kill you, nor will I destroy your cultivation in the slightest.

I will investigate the matter carefully. If I confirm you are a remnant of the Yuchi clan, I will execute you. If not, I will set you free.”

Ji Ning’s brow furrowed.

Yu Wei spoke up loudly, “Young master Shao Yan, the Shao Yan clan is mighty and powerful. Why must you act so petty? You could let Junior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning leave now, then investigate at your leisure. Once you have confirmation, you can deal with him then. Surely, with the power of the Shao Yan clan, Junior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning couldn’t possibly escape, could he?”

“Ji Ning, will you agree or not?” Shao Yanong stared at him. “I have already given you a way out.”

Ji Ning stared back at Shao Yanong. “You want me to bind my own hands and place my life in your hands? Do you think that’s possible?”

Shao Yanong’s face turned even colder.

Ji Ning would never willingly lock himself with the Soulchain of Imprisonment. But just at that moment—

“Young master Shao Yan!” Xue Hongyi, who had been standing off to the side, suddenly pointed at Ji Ning with a cold laugh. “Don’t listen to his lies. Ji Ning’s father is Ji Yichuan, and his mother… is Yuchi Snow!”

“He learned the Windwing Evasion, and his mother is called Yuchi Snow?” A savage, twisted expression erupted on Shao Yanong’s face, while his voice turned as cold as ice. “So he truly is a remnant of the Yuchi clan! Kill! Kill Ji Ning! Anyone who obstructs the Shao Yan clan will be slaughtered without mercy!”