A Banquet of Beasts and Rivals

The Watercloud Pavilion was built atop the vast Nine Suns Lake, its misty aura making it seem like a heavenly pavilion floating amidst the clouds.

A simple, ancient ship tore through the air, flying over until it came to a halt before the Watercloud Pavilion.

“Are you Young Master Ji Ning?” Someone had long been waiting outside the Watercloud Pavilion specifically for him.

Ji Ning led his squad of Golden Armored Guards off the ancient ship. With a wave of his hand, he stored the ship away, then walked over to the white-robed, youth-like Primal Daoist who had been waiting for him. “I am Ji Ning.”

“I have been ordered by my master to await you, Young Master Ji Ning. Please follow me,” the white-robed youth said, glancing at the Golden Armored Guards behind Ji Ning. His eyelids couldn’t help but twitch. Being able to travel with Golden Armored Guards… that was not an ordinary person! That was someone with deep backing and powerful connections!

Those high ministers and important officials had the backing of the Xia Emperor himself, which was why they were granted Golden Armored Guards.

As for members of the Grand Xia royal clan, only those who were highly valued might be granted Golden Armored Guards. The reason Ji Ning was accompanied by Golden Armored Guards was because he had the backing of Prince Yan!

“The Watercloud Pavilion truly is magnificent,” Ji Ning said. He had a small green serpent coiled around his arm, and a snow-white hound was at his side. Behind him, the massive group of Golden Armored Guards marched in a formidable display as they strode through the Watercloud Pavilion. Every one of them walked as if riding the wind, covering several li in a single blurry step.

The white-robed youth leading the way laughed. “The Watercloud Pavilion was built by my Zhuanshui clan, using an incalculable amount of wealth and spending over three full years of construction. After it was built, we spent many long years meticulously polishing and refining it, and only then did we achieve the Watercloud Pavilion as you see it today.”

“Truly worthy of the Zhuanshui clan. Impressive, impressive.” Ji Ning offered his praise.

This was a mighty tribe which had once contended with the Grand Xia’s royal Xiamang clan for control of the world. It was one of the top three tribes in this major world. Its foundations were so deep as to be unfathomable. Just by glancing at the number of restrictive formations and spells on a single building of the Watercloud Pavilion, one could see it rivaled the mountain gates of some top-tier sects. As the greatest commercial establishment of the ‘Zhuanshui clan’ in the Grand Xia imperial capital, the Zhuanshui clan had indeed poured boundless heart and soul into it. Ji Ning’s praise came from the bottom of his heart.

Upon hearing Ji Ning’s praise, the white-robed youth smiled. “My master is just ahead. He has long prepared a feast, waiting only for you, Young Master Ji Ning.”

“It seems I’ve arrived late,” Ji Ning said with a laugh.

Soon, they followed a long, suspended corridor. Walking on this corridor, one could look down and see the vast, mist-shrouded, and boundless waves of the lake below.

Following the corridor, they arrived before a massive pavilion a thousand zhang in height. This pavilion stood alone, connected to the rest of the Watercloud Pavilion only by this single long corridor.

At the main entrance, two attendants stood guard. Both were Wanxiang Adepts. Upon seeing the white-robed youth, they immediately opened the doors, their manner extremely respectful.

“My master is inside.” The white-robed youth smiled. “It’s quite secluded here, and you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the boundless Nine Suns Lake.”

Ji Ning led his Golden Armored Guards inside. The doors then closed behind them.

“Haha, truly extraordinary, Brother Ji Ning! You’ve just spent five million kilograms of Primordial Liquid to acquire the Peacock Plume, making a name for yourself throughout the imperial capital. And now, not long after you’ve entered Prince Yan’s estate, you’re already traveling with Golden Armored Guards. I can’t help but admire you. I completely bow down to you! What do you think, Quge?” A slightly frivolous voice rang out.

A young man in a loose white robe appeared, walking over. His long hair was casually tied up, and he was barefoot. His eyes seemed half-drunk, hazy and indistinct. His face, however, was wreathed in a warm smile of welcome.

At his side was a tall, sturdy black-robed youth. This black-robed youth nodded. “I must agree. Prince Yan has a reputation for being unapproachable and cold-hearted. Very few youngsters have caught his eye. For Brother Ji Ning to be able to travel with Golden Armored Guards after only a day or two is indeed impressive.”

These two men—the barefoot white-robed youth who was frivolous yet carefree, and the tall, sturdy black-robed youth who emanated a sharp, aggressive aura.

Behind these two followed a man and a woman.

“You flatter me,” Ji Ning said with a laugh. The invitation had been sent by ‘Zhuanshui Xiaolou’. Naturally, Ji Ning knew about one of the Four Young Masters of the Grand Xia capital. The barefoot white-robed youth before him was Zhuanshui Xiaolou. Although he and Shaoyan Nong were both ranked among the Four Young Masters of the capital, the Shaoyan and Zhuanshui clans were mortal enemies. Naturally, the relationship between these two was also very poor.

They often fought viciously against each other.

But in terms of skill, personal strength, connections, and clan backing, Zhuanshui Xiaolou was a cut above Shaoyan Nong.

“Brother Ji Ning.” The barefoot Zhuanshui Xiaolou warmly took Ji Ning’s hand. “Come, let me introduce you.”

Zhuanshui Xiaolou pointed to the black-robed, tall youth beside him. “This is the true, peerless genius of the young generation of the Tiannong clan—Tiannong Quge! Quge isn’t like me. I’m always showing up at various gatherings. Quge, on the other hand, keeps a low profile, immersing himself in training, and often goes out to temper himself. He rarely even stays in the capital. It was only because of the Immortal Fortunes Assembly that he returned to the capital, and having heard some things about you, Ning, he was curious. He asked me specifically to arrange a meeting with you.”

“Tiannong Quge?” Ji Ning was secretly surprised.

Among the many candidates considered most likely to gain first place in the Immortal Fortunes Assembly, although Xiamang Zishan, Cangwu Jiu, and Mu Chuan Zhenren were the most highly touted, Tiannong Quge, though relatively low-key, was nevertheless the leader of the young generation of the ‘Tiannong clan’. He was considered a peerless genius who was definitely in the top hundred, and who might even explode with astonishingly strong power. After all, he was too low-key; no one could be sure of his current strength.

“Brother Ji Ning.” Tiannong Quge laughed.

“Brother Quge.” Since the other party was so warmly addressing him as ‘Brother Ji Ning’, Ji Ning naturally didn’t stand on ceremony. If he had foolishly called out ‘Daoist Quge’, he would only have been seen as being unfriendly.

“Come, come, come. Let me also introduce another participant of the Immortal Fortunes Assembly.” Zhuanshui Xiaolou pointed to the man behind him. This man was dressed in purple robes, with fair, handsome features that were almost beautiful, and his gaze was even somewhat demonic. “This is an old friend I made many years ago, Xiao Lang. He is an absolutely top-tier playboy. In the capital, many young ladies have secretly given their hearts to him and wish to marry him.”

“So this is Xiao Lang?” Ji Ning thought to himself. This Xiao Lang had been recorded in the intelligence reports as a very frivolous man with a somewhat twisted personality. Of course, in the assessment of the Heavenly Treasures Mountain’s intelligence, Xiao Lang was merely someone who warranted a brief mention. He couldn’t compare to ‘Tiannong Quge’.

“I greet you, Daoist Ji Ning.” Xiao Lang looked at Ji Ning, a half-smile on his face as he clasped his hands.

“Daoist Xiao Lang.” Ji Ning nodded.

Tiannong Quge also laughed. “I also have a good friend I made while traveling outside. She came to the capital with me and will also be participating in the Immortal Fortunes Assembly.” As he spoke, the graceful woman in red at his side stepped forward. “Bo Yan greets you, Daoist Ji Ning.”

“Daoist Bo Yan.” Ji Ning responded in kind.

Zhuanshui Xiaolou, Tiannong Quge, Xiao Lang, and Bo Yan. Ji Ning silently marveled. Every single one of these four was extraordinary.

Xiao Lang was a frivolous man with a twisted and eccentric temperament.

Bo Yan was a fairly well-known figure in the Northern Seas, though her fame was more for her ‘sensual allure’.

“Come, let us all take a seat over there,” Zhuanshui Xiaolou said.

The Golden Armored Guards, as well as Little Qing and Uncle White, went to sit off to the side, where a feast had also been prepared for them. Meanwhile, Zhuanshui Xiaolou, Tiannong Quge, Xiao Lang, Bo Yan, and Ji Ning went to another area.

The five of them sat down separately.

“I had originally hoped you could stay at my Zhuanshui estate, Brother Ji Ning. Who would have thought you would be staying at Prince Yan’s estate so quickly!” Zhuanshui Xiaolou sighed with emotion, then laughed. “If you ever find things unpleasant there, you are welcome to move out at any time and stay at my Zhuanshui estate.”

“Prince Yan treats me very well and thinks highly of me. He even granted me Golden Armored Guards. How could I betray his trust?” Ji Ning laughed.

This was the explanation he had agreed upon with his cousin-sister. In public, they would simply say that Prince Yan thought very highly of Ji Ning!

“True.” Zhuanshui Xiaolou nodded. He hadn’t seriously thought he could recruit Ji Ning; he was just making a casual offer.

“Gulp.”

Xiao Lang, who was sitting to one side, directly picked up his wine goblet and drank it down. “This Ji Ning has only trained for thirty years. How powerful can he really be? It was only because he managed to kill Shaoyan Nong, obtain a vast amount of treasures, and then spend five million kilograms of Primordial Liquid to buy the Peacock Plume that his name spread through the capital. He is simply lucky. It was luck that made the Xiyue Commandery Princess think highly of him and bring him to Prince Yan’s estate. Given Prince Yan’s way of doting on the Xiyue Commandery Princess, it was probably the Princess who asked… that Prince Yan sent a unit of Golden Armored Guards to follow this Ji Ning.”

Xiao Lang looked down on Ji Ning.

He had been roaming the world for many years; his fame was far greater than Ji Ning’s! He, too, intended to distinguish himself in the Immortal Fortunes Assembly!

Ji Ning? He was just a kid who had made a name by killing Shaoyan Nong. It was only by relying on a woman that he had earned Prince Yan’s favor.

In truth, Xiao Lang was also secretly jealous… because Ji Ning had been able to produce five million kilograms of Primordial Liquid, something he himself could never dream of. Ji Ning could lead a squad of Golden Armored Guards, an imposing display of might. Although he, too, was living in the Zhuanshui estate, how could his situation compare to Ji Ning’s prestige?

“That lucky brat doesn’t have any real strength. Given enough time, people will see through his gilded exterior and discover the rot within.” Xiao Lang drank his wine, not even bothering to speak with Ji Ning.

…Xiao Lang had always been eccentric and strange-tempered, so the others didn’t find his behavior particularly offensive. There were plenty of cultivators with odd tempers.

Ji Ning, Zhuanshui Xiaolou, Tiannong Quge, and Bo Yan, however, were having a pleasant conversation.

“Ji Ning, the Watercloud Pavilion just recently purchased some unusual lifeforms from a minor world. This minor world is quite special, and its inhabitants are quite bizarre. These two are considered among the more powerful ones of that world, each with strength comparable to a Wanxiang Adept.” Zhuanshui Xiaolou pointed to a training ground in the center, which was about a hundred zhang in area. Some people were already carrying in enormous iron cages. Within one cage was a three-zhang tall, golden-haired giant, while the other cage held a creature with the lower body of a lion and the upper body of a human.

“Let’s watch these alien lifeforms fight. It should liven up the mood.” Zhuanshui Xiaolou clapped his hands.

Whoosh.

A restrictive grand formation immediately rose up around the hundred-zhang training ground. Within it, the two iron cages clicked open with a clatter. The golden-haired giant, who wore only a leather skirt, and the lion-man both charged out.

(未完待续)