The Reunion

Ji Ning’s soul was already comparable to many Earth Immortals and Loose Immortals. The [Thoughts into Soldiers] technique was an even more formidable art than the [Godslaying Art]; its power was so overwhelming that it immediately caused the black-robed long-haired man and the silver-haired woman to feel their souls ringing like bells, plunging them into a dazed stupor. Only the silver-robed youth was momentarily stunned before quickly regaining his clarity.

“Not good!” The silver-robed youth was greatly alarmed. “I was stunned for an instant. How could my junior apprentice-brother and sister possibly withstand this?”

But at this moment he couldn’t spare any concern for his juniors, because Ji Ning was already charging straight at him.

“Who exactly is this person? His strength is so great, and he managed to force me back with just a divine sense secret art?” The silver-robed youth’s heart tightened. He dared not slacken for an instant. Ji Ning had only used a Lotus technique so far, not yet revealing his identity.

“Your divine sense secret art is powerful, but I don’t believe your close combat is just as strong.” A fierce light flashed in the silver-robed youth’s eyes. “Die!”

Clang!

The might of a hundred-zhang Heavenly Sword converged. For a moment, at the tip of the sword, black and white energies gathered to form a thin golden edge. The silver-robed youth had already poured all his strength into it. His soul might be powerful from birth, but the black-robed youth charging toward him might not have a deep enough comprehension of the Dao despite his strong soul.

“Die!” Ji Ning charged forward without any mercy. The Water-Fire Lotuses blooming around him layer by layer intercepted the Heavenly Sword. The Heavenly Sword hacked through the lotus leaf barriers in succession.

Ji Ning’s eyes flashed coldly.

Divine Ability — Starseizing Hand!

Clang! The Northsea Sword in Ji Ning’s hand instantly transformed into a dazzling streak of sword-light. With a thunderous sound, it knocked the enormous Heavenly Sword flying backward. As Ji Ning sent the Heavenly Sword flying with his left hand, he executed the Windwing Evasion technique and appeared directly before the silver-robed youth.

The silver-robed youth was stunned. He couldn’t believe that his最强 technique had been knocked flying by a single sword-strike. He was the top genius of his sect! He no longer had the courage to fight Ji Ning. A cascade of several dozen Dao talismans appeared in his hand, and he threw them all away.

He was going to abandon his token talismans and flee.

You see, the [Brightmoon Mountains-and-Waters Painting] was a Pure Yang treasure, with a naturally present artifact spirit. Ji Ning and the others—every token talisman they obtained could not be hidden from the artifact spirit. Only after throwing away every single token talisman would one be teleported away.

“Swish!”

But Ji Ning’s sword-light was already upon him.

“Block!” The silver-robed youth frantically summoned Earthfire and chains, trying to buy even a single moment.

“Boom!!!”

Ji Ning’s sword-light struck like an ancient Fiendgod in full fury, carrying terrifying might. It smashed the Earthfire into scattering flames and sent the chains flying. The silver-robed youth’s body was blasted into a pulp—blood, flesh, and shattered bones flying everywhere—before being instantly annihilated into nothingness by the ferocious sword-qi that filled the air.

Too fast!

Although the silver-robed youth had already thrown out his token talismans, even after doing so, it still took a tiny amount of time to be teleported away. In the midst of close-quarters life-or-death combat, that brief span was more than enough for Ji Ning to deliver ten sword-strikes!

Ji Ning hated that these three had tried to kill his senior apprentice-sister, so he showed no mercy in his attacks. Besides, the silver-robed youth had been genuinely powerful. Without using the [Starseizing Hand], Ji Ning would only have held the upper hand, but he would have been unable to defeat the opponent. He had to use the [Starseizing Hand] to crush the enemy with overwhelming force!

“Boom!”

Massive Ice Phoenixes and Fire Phoenixes crashed down upon the two who were still in their brief dazed state. Although the daze was short-lived, Yu Wei was a true expert and naturally seized the moment, turning defense into offense. The Ice Phoenix and Fire Phoenix struck the black-robed long-haired man and the silver-haired woman respectively, instantly annihilating them both!

Yu Wei immediately turned her head to look at the black-robed youth now standing eighteen zhang tall, surrounded by crackling lightning, with a vertical eye between his brows. Her expression was one of excitement and exhilaration.

“Senior apprentice-sister.” Ji Ning’s vertical eye immediately closed, the lightning around his body vanished, and he shrank back to normal size.

“Junior apprentice-brother.” Yu Wei spoke as well, her eyes glittering brightly.

In the main hall of the Heavenly Assembly Palace.

“Those three were all disciples of my Celestial Silkworm Sect. That black-robed girl was about to fall; she would have been another victim beneath the blades of my Celestial Silkworm Sect.” A gaunt Celestial Immortal patriarch laughed smugly. Before their own disciples, these Celestial Immortal patriarchs naturally maintained an air of dignity, but when among other Celestial Immortals, they let their true natures show, speaking freely and complacently, laughing and mocking as they pleased.

“That black-robed girl is quite impressive. Look at her two spells—one is an Ice Phoenix, the other a Fire Phoenix. In my opinion, she has definitely mastered two complete Daos.” The fat, bare-chested man beside him smiled appraisingly.

“Indeed, she has mastered two complete Daos. That’s precisely why my sect’s three disciples had to gang up on her and could only hold out for so long.” The gaunt Celestial Immortal patriarch said confidently.

“Do you know which tribe or sect this black-robed girl belongs to?” the fat, bare-chested immortal asked.

“I don’t know.” The gaunt Celestial Immortal patriarch shook his head. “Who knows which small sect or minor clan she’s from. If she were from a major tribe or a great sect, more disciples would have gone together—usually two or three, or even five traveling as a group.”

The fat immortal’s eyes lit up. “She has a helper!”

The gaunt Celestial Immortal patriarch’s pupils also contracted. He could see that in the enormous Brightmoon Mountains-and-Waters Painting floating outside, while his sect’s three disciples were besieging that black-robed girl, a black-robed youth had suddenly appeared.

That black-robed youth was ferocious beyond compare, tearing through the trio with irresistible force and slaying them all in an instant.

“Hmph.” The gaunt Celestial Immortal patriarch frowned, setting his wine cup down heavily on the table, clearly infuriated.

“Hahaha! Didn’t you say that black-robed girl would die?” the fat immortal chortled.

To Celestial Immortals like them, the lives and deaths of these geniuses were of little concern. After all, the tournament was held once every three centuries, and even if all of them died, it would be a trivial matter. But when a bunch of Celestial Immortals gathered together, they naturally hoped that their own disciples would stand out—a matter of face.

Of course, face was all it was.

The thousand or so Celestial Immortals below were exclaiming among themselves, while above, the Xia Emperor and the other eight Pure Yang True Immortals were also chatting.

“Look,” Lu Dongbin suddenly said, his eyes brightening as he pointed at a scene in the enormous Brightmoon Mountains-and-Waters Painting. “See those three surrounding that black-robed girl? A black-robed youth has appeared next to her. Look quickly! Did you see the look in the black-robed girl’s eyes when she turned to him? The look in that instant… Ah, such complexity! It was as if all her suppressed emotions burst forth in a single moment. Even if it was just a flash, I dare say that black-robed girl has moved her heart!”

“Moved her heart?”

The Xia Emperor, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, Emperor Hao, Northern Immortal, and the others were all taken aback.

Before this, following Lu Dongbin’s finger, they had all been focused on the explosive Ji Ning. Who would have thought that Lu Dongbin would instead be paying attention to Yu Wei’s gaze?

“That look in her eyes—tsk, tsk—it really is something. Not only has she moved her heart, but I dare say she has never told that black-robed youth about it.” Lu Dongbin’s gaze swept across the surrounding Pure Yang True Immortals, and he said smugly, “Dare any of you make a bet with me?”

The Xia Emperor and the others exchanged helpless glances.

“Senior apprentice-brother Xiamang,” Emperor Hao praised, “that black-robed youth is quite formidable.”

The Xia Emperor smiled. “This black-robed youth is named Ji Ning. He is one of the few dozen most famous participants in this Immortal Fortunes Assembly. Earlier, his Primaltwin killed a Loose Immortal.”

“Oh?” The True Immortals present nodded. Killing a Loose Immortal was a trivial matter to them, of no consequence. What they were more interested in was whether among the many geniuses of the Immortal Fortunes Assembly, there would be a powerful figure for the future of the Three Realms—and if so, who it might be.

“One of the few dozen most famous? His reputation is well-deserved,” Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva praised with a smile.

They didn’t think Ji Ning was particularly dazzling.

Because in the five days that had passed in the Immortal Fortunes Assembly, quite a few of the hundred thousand-plus participants had displayed astonishing power. All were Wanxiang Adepts, yet all could unleash combat power comparable to ordinary Loose Immortals. Even two freak Wanxiang Adepts who had comprehended five complete Daos had already emerged.

Comprehended five complete Daos? The Pure Yang True Immortals present weren’t surprised.

In their view, some peerless geniuses deliberately lingered at the Wanxiang stage for a full three hundred years just to make a stunning debut. Comprehending five Daos was not impossible.

They were Pure Yang True Immortals—major figures of the Three Realms. Naturally, their horizons were broad. In the grand scope of the Three Realms, for a genius to comprehend five complete Daos at the Immortal Fortunes Assembly was hardly unprecedented.

“That young lady is interesting, very interesting.” Lu Dongbin was clearly intrigued. He chuckled appreciatively. “She has been holding back her feelings for that black-robed youth all this time. I wonder when she will finally speak them aloud.”

The Xia Emperor and the others all pretended not to hear.

Because everyone knew that Lu Dongbin was most fond of playing the role of the “Old Man Under the Moon” or the “matchmaker.” It was one of his hobbies. Among the stories circulating in the Three Realms, tales of Lu Dongbin playing matchmaker were quite common. They could tell that Lu Dongbin had gotten that itch again. Who knew if he might add some “flavor” to the relationship between that black-robed girl and black-robed youth.

Nine Lotos sat cross-legged behind Ancestor Dongyan, constantly gazing up at the enormous Brightmoon Mountains-and-Waters Painting. She mainly focused on the six disciples sent by the Dongyan clan and the three members from the Black-White College—above all, Ji Ning!

“Oh no. Senior apprentice-sister Yu Wei is in danger.” Nine Lotos showed an anxious expression, her hands clenching tightly against her robes.

“Ji Ning, Ji Ning is nearby. Ji Ning, please notice quickly, hurry!” Nine Lotos prayed.

As she hoped, Ji Ning sensed the ripples of distant battle and rushed over swiftly. He then revealed his astonishing strength, slaying the three enemies, and met up with Yu Wei.

“Whew, they’ve survived this tribulation. Senior apprentice-sister Yu Wei is safe.” Nine Lotos breathed a sigh of relief. “Now Senior apprentice-sister Yu Wei can team up with Ji Ning. They can help each other; it will be much safer.”

Suddenly, Nine Lotos’ heart trembled.

It was only natural for Ji Ning and Yu Wei to act together—they were fellow disciples from the same sect, after all, and should support each other. But Nine Lotos suddenly realized that Ji Ning and Yu Wei would be alone together, a man and a woman, for nearly an entire year.

“A man and woman alone together, sharing life and death, for nearly a year…” Nine Lotos’ heart quivered, and suddenly her emotions became immensely complicated. Then she gently shook her head. “But what right do I have to think such things?”

Love was a strange thing.

Even though they had already parted, seeing Ji Ning and Yu Wei together still felt like a stone thrown into the still lake of her heart, stirring ripples that refused to settle.