The Lotus Dharma-Vase

At the Watercloud Pavilion, figures like Zhuanshui Xiaolou and Tiannong Quge held their breath, still caught in the grip of shock.

“Xiaolou, who is this friend?” The leader of the thirty-six Loose Immortals, a burly, broad-shouldered man with a thick beard, spoke up.

“Uncle Fan, this is Ji Ning, the one I invited today. Who would have thought he’d be targeted by a Loose Immortal assassin,” Zhuanshui Xiaolou replied.

“Ji Ning?” The burly ‘Uncle Fan’ instantly deduced Ji Ning’s identity, and most of the Loose Immortals behind him did as well. Though not everyone knew of Shaoyan Nong’s death, this group of Loose Immortals stationed at the Watercloud Pavilion were largely aware of the incident.

They immediately guessed that Shaoyan Nong’s clan had sent a Loose Immortal assassin. This revelation brought a glimmer of schadenfreude to the Zhuanshui clan’s assembled immortals. After all, their clan and the Shaoyan clan had been mortal enemies for a billion years.

“Young friend Ji Ning.” Zhuanshui Sanfan looked at the black-robed Ji Ning, laughing heartily. “Truly remarkable. If my guess is correct, that Loose Immortal was the ‘Floating Cloud Immortal,’ a Loose Immortal who lived over a hundred thousand years, yet he died at your hands. And this Primaltwin of yours should be at the Perfect Primal Daoist level, correct?”

“To kill a top-tier Loose Immortal at the Perfect Primal Daoist level… your Yuan force was clearly a grade lower, and you’ve only been cultivating for a little over thirty years. Impressive, most impressive.”

“That lotus technique also opened our eyes; and that sword formation art was quite formidable.”

The group of Zhuanshui clan Loose Immortals praised him with smiles.

Their praise wasn’t just because Ji Ning had truly impressed them; more importantly, Ji Ning had also forged a deep enmity with the Shaoyan clan. Since the Zhuanshui clan was also locked in a death feud with the Shaoyan clan, the more they looked at Ji Ning, the more they liked him. The more formidable Ji Ning was, the greater the threat to the Shaoyan clan, and the happier they were.

“You flatter me,” the black-robed Ji Ning said, shaking his head. “It was because all of you seniors joined forces with such overwhelming power that the Blood Disk Sealing Heaven Formation was on the verge of collapse. The Floating Cloud Immortal knew he was out of time, so he chose to give up. That was the only reason I could kill him.”

In terms of raw strength, this Primaltwin of his was only a match for the Floating Cloud Immortal. If it had been a simple one-on-one fight, neither would have been able to kill the other.

But this wasn’t a simple fight; it was an assassination—inside the Grand Xia Imperial Capital’s Watercloud Pavilion. Speed was of the essence. As an assassin ready to die, the Floating Cloud Immortal had backed himself into a corner from the start. When he failed to finish Ji Ning in that brief window, he could only face the final outcome with despair.

Swoosh!

The Whitewater Hound and Little Qing had just rushed to the black-robed Ji Ning’s side. They had been at another table nearby, eating and drinking alongside the Golden Armored Imperial Guards. When Ji Ning was attacked, even the Golden Armored Guards hadn’t been able to protect him in time, let alone Little Qing and the Whitewater Hound.

They had been frantic, restless, nearly driven mad with worry. They hadn’t even dared to send him a mental message, afraid of distracting Ji Ning. In life-and-death combat, a moment’s inattention could lead to irreversible regret.

Thankfully.

Thankfully, Ji Ning had survived.

“You were the one who killed him, plain and simple.” Zhuanshui Sanfan shook his head with a laugh. “Your Primaltwin was at the Perfect Primal Daoist stage, a full major realm lower than the Floating Cloud Immortal. In the end, he couldn’t do a single thing to you. He lost, thoroughly and completely. Your victory was clean and decisive.”

Just then, a powerful aura emanated from above.

Everyone present—the assembled Loose Immortals, Ji Ning, Zhuanshui Xiaolou, Tiannong Quge, and the others—all looked up. A group of figures descended from the open roof of the pavilion. The leader wore black armor, while those behind him were clad in silver armor. They were the Imperial Guard of the Grand Xia Dynasty!

The black-armored youth leading them had a playful smile and an air of complete ease. The silver-armored soldiers behind him followed with the same relaxed demeanor.

“Xiaolou, what happened at your Watercloud Pavilion?” the black-armored youth asked with a grin. “Earlier, when the Imperial Guard camp was monitoring the entire capital, we detected thirty-six Loose Immortals gathering above your pavilion. Not only that, but they formed the ‘Zhuanshui Divine Serpent’ and flew into this building. What’s the big emergency?”

The Imperial Guard monitored the entire capital. Whenever powerful fluctuations from combat appeared in the streets, plazas, or even many immortal estates, the Imperial Guard would head there at top speed.

However, places like the Heavenly Treasures Mountain or the Watercloud Pavilion often hosted gambling battles and duels. These commercial establishments had applied to the Grand Xia Dynasty for permission to have ‘conditional’ fights—such as gambling matches.

An assassination, however, was absolutely forbidden.

Initially, when the Imperial Guard detected strong fluctuations from the Watercloud Pavilion, they assumed it was just a particularly fierce gambling battle. It was only when they discovered thirty-six Loose Immortals forming the ‘Zhuanshui Divine Serpent’ that they realized something was wrong. But since the Watercloud Pavilion had its own powerful experts on hand, the Imperial Guard wasn’t in a hurry. A Vice-Commander casually gathered some men and leisurely made their way over.

“It was an assassination,” Zhuanshui Xiaolou said with a smile. “The assassin Loose Immortal was likely the Floating Cloud Immortal of the Shaoyan clan, Brother Hong. Though I say ‘the Floating Cloud Immortal,’ that’s only a guess.”

“The Floating Cloud Immortal of the Shaoyan clan? Who was the target?” the black-armored youth, Xiamang Hong, asked in surprise.

Zhuanshui Xiaolou pointed at Ji Ning. “Him. Right there.”

Xiamang Hong also looked at Ji Ning.

“Him?” Xiamang Hong stared at Ji Ning with curiosity. “The Shaoyan clan sends a Loose Immortal assassin to kill you, and you’re still alive?”

Ji Ning was speechless.

This Xiamang Hong had absolutely no sense of propriety with his words. To directly ask the assassination target, “You’re still alive?”—how was Ji Ning supposed to answer that?

“Ji Ning, let me introduce you,” Zhuanshui Xiaolou said. “This is Xiamang Hong, a Vice-Commander of the Grand Xia Imperial Guard. He’s also a good friend of mine.”

Ji Ning immediately understood. Xiamang Hong? So he was a member of the Grand Xia royal clan. He was likely highly regarded within the imperial clan, otherwise Zhuanshui Xiaolou wouldn’t be so polite to him.

“Brother Hong, Ji Ning here is a good friend of mine. He was just ambushed by the Floating Cloud Immortal. The Floating Cloud Immortal used the ‘Blood Disk Sealing Heaven Formation’ to seal off the battlefield, preventing our Watercloud Pavilion’s immortals from saving Ji Ning in time. Fortunately, Ji Ning had this Primaltwin. This Primaltwin of his is only at the Primal Daoist stage, yet he managed to kill the Floating Cloud Immortal! Tell me, isn’t that impressive?” Zhuanshui Xiaolou said.

“That impressive?” Xiamang Hong’s eyes lit up. “Ji Ning? I know you! You’re that Wanxiang Adept brat who killed Shaoyan Nong. I didn’t expect you to have a Primaltwin as well. If my memory serves me right, you’ve only been cultivating for thirty years. In just thirty years, your Primaltwin was able to transcend a major realm and kill the Floating Cloud Immortal? Admirable, truly admirable! I, Xiamang Hong, have the greatest respect for those with real strength. You must be shaken up by today’s assassination attempt. In a few days, I’ll send someone to invite you. I’ll hold a banquet, and we can talk properly. You’ll give me that face, won’t you?”

“Since Commander Xiamang invites me, I naturally will come,” the black-robed Ji Ning replied.

“Brother Ji Ning, you really scared the wits out of me today,” Zhuanshui Xiaolou said, looking at Ji Ning. “It was a series of ups and downs. I honestly thought you wouldn’t make it through this.”

“Brother Ji Ning’s strength is truly remarkable. At this Immortal Fortunes Assembly, he is sure to shine brilliantly,” Tiannong Quge added with a nod of approval. Just the fact that Ji Ning’s true body had survived the attack of the ‘Whitebone Immortal-Destroying Needles’ was enough to convince Tiannong Quge that Ji Ning’s true body was also extraordinarily powerful.

“I, too, greatly admire Brother Ji Ning,” Fairy Boyan said with a smile. She then turned her gaze to the man beside her, Xiao Lang. “But there was someone here who kept provoking Brother Ji Ning again and again, wanting to compete with him. He even looked down on Brother Ji Ning, saying he shouldn’t embarrass himself at the Immortal Fortunes Assembly, telling him to go home and cultivate for another three hundred years… Oh, the things he said were just so grand.”

Xiao Lang’s face alternated between ashen and white.

Earlier, he had been the one provoking Ji Ning, even going so far as to dismiss Ji Ning with contempt. After he had defeated Fairy Boyan, he had indeed been filled with arrogance and let loose a lot of unpleasant words.

Looking back now, it was truly laughable.

“Looking down on Ji Ning? Telling him not to embarrass himself at the Immortal Fortunes Assembly and to go home and cultivate for another three hundred years?” Xiamang Hong, though he could already guess, pretended to ask out of curiosity. “Who said that?”

“Who else but this elegant and charming gentleman, ‘Realperson Xiao Lang’?” Fairy Boyan said, pointing at Xiao Lang.

She hadn’t forgotten how Xiao Lang had shown her no respect earlier. Women had long memories.

“Xiao Lang? A man like you dares to look down on Ji Ning?” Xiamang Hong, clearly a bit of a rascal himself, stared at Xiao Lang.

Xiao Lang clenched his teeth, his face pale.

With a furious snort, Xiao Lang turned around and left, pulling open the door and walking out onto the long corridor outside.

“Gone?” Xiamang Hong shook his head. “How boring.”

Zhuanshui Xiaolou was now looking at Ji Ning seriously. “Brother Ji Ning, you were assassinated here at my Watercloud Pavilion, and we weren’t even able to rescue you in time. It is our Watercloud Pavilion’s fault…”

“Don’t blame the Watercloud Pavilion. This was a feud I brought upon myself,” Ji Ning said.

“Since my Zhuanshui clan opened the Watercloud Pavilion, it is our duty to protect our guests. There’s no need for further explanation. This was a shortcoming of my Zhuanshui clan. I recently acquired a treasure, and I noticed that Brother Ji Ning’s lotus technique is quite formidable. This treasure might be of some inspiration to you.” A slender bottle suddenly appeared in Zhuanshui Xiaolou’s hand, and on the bottle was a lotus flower.

“This Lotus Dharma-Vase contains some subtle mysteries of the lotus. I gift it to Brother Ji Ning as an apology,” Zhuanshui Xiaolou said, handing it to Ji Ning. “Brother Ji Ning, please don’t refuse. If you refuse, you’ll be making things difficult for me.”

Ji Ning hesitated for a moment, then accepted it.

The Lotus Dharma-Vase—he had noticed its extraordinary nature at first glance. The treasure itself wasn’t a particularly powerful magic artifact, but the ‘lotus’ on it was adorned with numerous runes. It was well worth studying, and might even provide him with some insight to perfect and elevate his ‘Lotus Swordworld.’

After chatting for a while longer, Ji Ning took his leave.

After all, with an assassination attempt having just occurred, no one was in the mood to continue feasting.

In front of the Watercloud Pavilion.

Zhuanshui Xiaolou and Tiannong Quge watched Ji Ning’s great ship ride the air currents as it flew away. They fell silent for a moment.

“When Xiamang Hong came with his Imperial Guard and learned of this battle, it will soon spread throughout the Imperial Guard. And once the Imperial Guard knows, the entire Grand Xia Imperial Capital will know,” Zhuanshui Xiaolou said with a sigh. “After today’s battle… Ji Ning’s name will spread like wildfire through the capital.”

Before this, when Ji Ning purchased the Peacock Plume, people might have said he was just lucky.

But this battle was proof of Ji Ning’s true strength. It would earn him genuine respect.

“Indeed. To have cultivated for only thirty years and yet to have already formed a Primaltwin! And a Primaltwin capable of killing a top-tier Loose Immortal. Such a genius is extremely rare even in the Grand Xia Imperial Capital. For the Shaoyan clan to have such a mortal enemy… in a few thousand or tens of thousands of years, I imagine there will be many more conflicts between Ji Ning and the Shaoyan clan,” Tiannong Quge said with a smile.