The Daofather's Choice

Ji Ning, Mu Northson, and Blackstone were all stunned. All feelings of joy at acquiring the first volume of the Candle Dragon's Eye had vanished as a single thought filled their minds. “Which of us did the Daofather choose? Was it me?”

“Come,” King Qi said.

“Yes.” The three followed obediently, their hearts surging with emotion.

Inside the main hall of the Heavenly Tribulation Hall.

The Xia Emperor’s expression shifted, revealing a look of surprise.

“What’s wrong, Xiamang?” Lu Dongbin, Fuhai, and the other nine all looked at him.

“Xiamang, has the Daofather already chosen his disciple?” Lu Dongbin laughed. These Pure Yang True Immortals were no easy marks. The slightest change in the Xia Emperor’s expression had drawn their attention and prompted their guess. After all, someone of the Xia Emperor’s status wouldn’t be surprised without reason.

“Haha…” The Xia Emperor nodded and laughed. “I can’t hide it from you. Yes, my Primaltwin paid a visit to the master, and he has just made his choice.”

“Who?”

“Which one did the Daofather choose?”

The gathered True Immortals and Empyrean Gods of the Buddhist school, the Heavenly Court, and the Daoist school all asked with curiosity.

“No rush. I’ve already sent word to King Qi to bring the three youngsters here,” the Xia Emperor said with a smile. “When they arrive, I’ll announce it publicly.”

“Still being so mysterious!” Fuhai curled his lip, then glanced at the slovenly man beside him. “Little junior apprentice-brother, this Immortal Fortunes Assembly of the Grand Xia World has truly been a special one. You’re a disciple of our master, and now Crimsonbright Daofather has taken on a disciple as well. This assembly has produced two Daofather disciples. I imagine it will be the talk of the Three Realms soon enough.”

The slovenly man just smiled. He seldom spoke in the presence of these True Immortals and Empyrean Gods.

“Which one did the Daofather choose?” the slovenly man wondered to himself. “Was it Junior Apprentice-Brother Ning?” In his heart, he naturally hoped that his junior apprentice-brother would be accepted by a Daofather. If that happened, the Black-White College’s fortunes this time would be truly complete.

A moment later.

King Qi led the three into the main hall, immediately drawing the gazes of nearly a thousand Celestial Immortals.

“Why did all three of them come?”

“Has the Daofather already made his choice?”

The Celestial Immortals guessed the reason instantly, and their hearts tightened.

“Your Imperial Majesty, the three have been brought,” King Qi said respectfully. Ji Ning, Mu Northson, and Blackstone stood obediently behind him.

“Mm,” the Xia Emperor nodded slightly.

King Qi immediately withdrew to his original seat and sat down cross-legged. Ji Ning and the other two were now the center of attention in the entire hall. Their eyes could not hide a trace of nervousness and anxiety. Though they were all monstrous geniuses, they were still tense at this moment.

The Xia Emperor, seated above, wore a rare smile and declared in a clear voice, “Master has chosen his disciple from among you three. That disciple is…”

Everyone held their breath.

“It has to be Ji Ning. It has to be Ji Ning.” Yuchi Xiyue held Yu Wei’s hand tightly.

“Ji Ning, Ji Ning.” Yu Wei silently hoped.

Nine Lotos also looked up.

“Please, don’t let it be Ji Ning. Don’t let it be Ji Ning!” Ancestor Xuanji’s narrow eyes were filled with anxiety and worry. If Ji Ning became a Daofather’s disciple, he would likely become a great future calamity for the Shaoyin clan.

Countless people were silently praying.

Some hoped it would be Ji Ning, others hoped for Mu Northson or Blackstone. Each had their own supporters and detractors. The birth of a new “Daofather’s disciple” in the Grand Xia World would fundamentally alter the region’s power structure.

The Xia Emperor’s gaze swept across the hall, deliberately drawing out the suspense. When he noticed Fuhai glaring angrily and Lu Dongbin rubbing his nose, the Xia Emperor finally announced: “The disciple selected by my master is… Mu Northson!”

“Mu Northson!”

The Xia Emperor’s voice echoed through the main hall, and for a moment, it was utterly silent.

“Mu Northson!”

“A Daofather’s disciple! Mu Northson!”

“Mu Northson!”

In unison, the Celestial Immortals and the eliminated Wanxiang Adepts turned their heads, their gazes falling on the seemingly simple, honest youth—Mu Northson. For a moment, the Celestial Immortals felt a mix of jealousy, envy, and longing. They all knew that this simple youth was about to soar to unimaginable heights.

A Daofather’s disciple! Mu Northson!

In this moment, Mu Northson had become the most dazzling existence in the Heavenly Tribulation Hall.

“It was actually Mu Northson!” Yuchi Xiyue, Yu Wei, and the slovenly man all turned to look at Ji Ning. They felt a sense of grievance on his behalf.

He had tried so hard. His cultivation time was the shortest of the three, and he had placed first in the Immortal Fortunes Assembly. Why hadn’t he been chosen?

But none of them could contest it. This was Crimsonbright Daofather selecting a disciple. One had to catch his eye to be chosen. Being first did not guarantee selection.

“The disciple selected by my master is… Mu Northson!” The words rang in Ji Ning’s ears, and he felt a daze.

For an extremely brief moment, Ji Ning’s mind went completely blank. But he quickly recovered his clarity. Even after regaining his composure, a thousand emotions still surged within him.

“Why him?”

“Why did the Daofather choose him?” Ji Ning felt anxiety, resentment, anger, and… helplessness!

Helpless, truly helpless.

Choosing a disciple depended entirely on the Daofather. No matter how dazzling Ji Ning’s performance had been, it was all for nothing if the Daofather didn’t take a liking to him.

“If I had fully revealed the Starseizing Hand, perhaps Crimsonbright Daofather would have chosen me,” the thought even flashed through Ji Ning’s mind. But it was just a bitter consolation. He knew that the Immortal Fortunes Assembly was too crowded with watchful eyes. If the Starseizing Hand were exposed, the consequences would be unpredictable!

The Three Realms were full of undercurrents and mysteries.

Daofather Threelives’ fate was unknown. Ji Ning did not dare take the risk.

“Congratulations, Brother Woodpass.” Ji Ning immediately turned and offered his congratulations.

On the other side, Blackstone’s eyes were still filled with a complex mixture of emotions. Ji Ning’s “Congratulations, Brother Woodpass” jolted him awake. He felt a secret sense of shame. Faced with such a blow, his emotional recovery was inferior to Ji Ning’s, who had only been cultivating for a little over thirty years. In the end, of the three, two were destined not to be chosen.

“Congratulations, Brother Woodpass,” Blackstone also offered.

Mu Northson’s eyes were filled with joy. He quickly said, “Brother Ji Ning, Brother Blackstone, I was just lucky. Neither of you are inferior to me.”

Watching from the throne, the Xia Emperor nodded slightly.

Ji Ning and Blackstone’s Dao-hearts were remarkable. To have the opportunity to become a Daofather’s disciple dangled before them and then suddenly snatched away… such a blow could have shattered some people’s Dao-hearts, causing them to fall into Qi Deviation. Both Ji Ning and Blackstone had recovered their clarity and rationality swiftly. They truly deserved to be the top three of this Immortal Fortunes Assembly.

“Ji Ning, Blackstone.” The Xia Emperor spoke from above. “Do not be disheartened. As I said, you may both become disciples of Pure Yang True Immortals. I will help you find the most suitable masters. If no one else is willing to take you, I, Xiamang Xun, will personally accept you as my disciples. However, I do not walk the path of the sword, nor the path of formations. I am not the most suitable master for either of you. Remain in the Grand Xia capital for three days. Within that time, I will send someone to see you.”

“Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty.”

Ji Ning and Blackstone both bowed respectfully.

“You may withdraw,” the Xia Emperor said. He held Ji Ning and Blackstone in high regard. Between the attack on the Six Paths of Reincarnation in the Netherworld Kingdom and this Immortal Fortunes Assembly producing two Daofather disciples, the Xia Emperor felt increasingly that this assembly would give rise to heroes of the Three Realms. Ji Ning and Blackstone possessed such potential as well.

“Junior Apprentice-Brother Woodpass, you may sit beside Junior Apprentice-Brother Dihao for now,” the Xia Emperor said.

Mu Northson held his breath.

Junior Apprentice-Brother?

The Xia Emperor called him junior apprentice-brother! Mu Northson understood. From this day forward, his fate had taken a major turn. He was truly about to soar.

“Yes.” Mu Northson obediently walked forward and was pulled by Dihao to sit beside him.

“Mm?” Mu Northson saw the Empyrean God Fuhai across from him, and also saw the slovenly man beside Fuhai. “Why is this slovenly man sitting there?”

This area was the gathering place for True Immortals and Empyrean Gods. Even Celestial Immortals could not approach. How had the slovenly man gotten this close? And who was the man in the deep-green flood dragon armor?

Ji Ning returned to his seat behind Yan Wang. Yan Wang comforted him, “Ji Ning, don’t lose heart. You will still become a disciple of a Pure Yang True Immortal. If no other good Pure Yang True Immortal takes you, at the very least, you can become the disciple of His Imperial Majesty. With the Emperor as your master, you’ll have no worries in the Grand Xia World. You won’t need to fear the Shaoyin clan.”

Ji Ning nodded slightly.

If he couldn’t become a Daofather’s disciple, he would have to settle for the next best. Pure Yang True Immortals were already powerful figures in the Three Realms. They might know something about Daofather Threelives’ fate. Having a Pure Yang True Immortal as a master would also give him a powerful backer.

“Ji Ning.” Yuchi Xiyue looked at him with concern.

“Ji Ning.” Yu Wei also looked at him.

Both were worried about him.

After sitting down, Ji Ning smiled lightly. “Whether or not the Daofather chose me was never in my hands. In any case, I gave it my all.”

“Mm.” Yu Wei and Yuchi Xiyue both breathed a sigh of relief. Ji Ning’s Dao-heart was stronger and more resolute than they had expected.

Ji Ning looked toward the area where the True Immortals and Empyrean Gods were gathered. He lowered his voice and asked, “How did senior apprentice-brother get over there? And who is that man in the deep-green flood dragon armor in front of him?”

Yu Wei and Yuchi Xiyue exchanged a glance.

Yuchi Xiyue spoke, “While you three were off selecting divine abilities, the Empyrean God Fuhai arrived. He is a disciple of Xuanwu the Grand Emperor and came to this assembly specifically to take the slovenly man away.”

“To take senior apprentice-brother away?” Ji Ning was puzzled.

Yu Wei said, “While you were away, the entire hall was buzzing with discussion. The divine ability senior apprentice-brother displayed is called the ‘Xuanwu Grand Divine Ability,’ created by the great power Xuanwu the Grand Emperor. The truth is… senior apprentice-brother had already been selected by Xuanwu the Grand Emperor long ago. He’s being taken away now to truly study the Dao and cultivate immortality under him.”

“What?” Ji Ning was shocked.

Woodpass had become a great power’s disciple, and senior apprentice-brother had also become a great power’s disciple?