The Homecoming to Serpentwing Lake

The Grand Xia world, within the borders of the Anchan Commandery.

Ripples appeared in the air above Serpentwing Lake. A simply-dressed youth, accompanied by a large snow-white hound and with a small azure serpent coiled around his arm, materialized in midair.

“I’m back.”

Ji Ning gazed down at Serpentwing Lake below him and murmured softly to himself. “Back then, I fled in disgrace. But now… no one will ever force me, Ji Ning, to leave again!”

This lake gave him an unprecedented sense of closeness. If it weren’t for the overwhelming power of the Shaoyan clan back then, how could Ji Ning have been willing to abandon it?

“Swoosh.”

With a single step, he had already arrived at Brightheart Island, located at the center of Serpentwing Lake.

On Brightheart Island, many buildings and towers had been constructed, and there were quite a few servants and guards present. Ji Ning walked silently along the muddy shore, taking it all in. His divine sense had already enveloped the entire island. “Back when I fled, Brightheart Island had been destroyed by the Shaoyan clan. I didn’t expect it to be rebuilt now, and it looks almost exactly the same as when I was here. But it seems there’s no one here I recognize.”

“I suppose Sister Autumn Leaf is still at Ten Thousand Swords City.”

Ji Ning took a stroll around Brightheart Island. He went to the place where Autumn Leaf used to live, and also to the place where his father used to live. The servants and guards couldn’t see him at all.

This Serpentwing Lake and Brightheart Island was Ji Ning’s home. It felt good to be back.

“This time, no one will ever be able to destroy Brightheart Island again.” Ji Ning’s voice was soft. “Uncle White, we’ll be relying on you.”

“I’ve come up with many grand formations while at Mount Innerheart. Some of the formation technique manuals record some utterly supreme grand formations as well. Although I haven’t fully comprehended some of them, just being able to arrange them step by step is no problem.” The Whitewater Hound spoke up from behind Ji Ning. “By then, we can set up several hundred layers of grand formations over the entire Swallow Mountain territory, which spans over a hundred thousand li. Formation within formation… even a Celestial Immortal wouldn’t dare to trespass recklessly.”

“Mm.” Ji Ning nodded.

All powerful sects would have many terrifying formations at their home base.

To set up a formation, one first needed to acquire a powerful formation technique, and then purchase enough treasures to set it up. That was why sect-protecting formations were usually reinforced generation after generation by the sect’s disciples. The longer a sect’s history, the more complex its formations would be. The stacking of numerous formations was enough to make any enemy feel dread!

Although Ji Ning and the Whitewater Hound’s foundation was still relatively shallow, they were disciples of the Mount Innerheart branch!

Formation techniques weren’t considered extremely high-value secret arts. The formation technique manuals the Whitewater Hound had obtained from the sixth level of the Immortal Palace were already considered top-tier within the Three Realms. Naturally, he had learned a great many powerful formations.

Some he had fully comprehended; as for others, although he didn’t fully understand them, he could still arrange them step by step.

“Uncle White,” Little Qing also spoke up. “I’ve heard that some major sects occupy territories spanning hundreds of thousands of li, and the entire sect is shrouded in countless formations. Some have even been set up by Loose Immortals and Celestial Immortals over successive generations. When the time comes, we can’t be inferior to them.”

“We are from the Mount Innerheart branch. Our formations will be far more profound than those of those major sects—by an unfathomable amount.” Uncle White said confidently. “With enough treasures, I can turn Swallow Mountain into an impenetrable fortress.”

“Alright. I need to make a trip to the Grand Xia imperial capital to buy some items for setting up the formations. Uncle White, think it over carefully and draw up a purchase list.” Ji Ning said.

“I’ll think it over carefully. I’ll set up some of the supreme killing formations recorded in the formation technique manuals.”

A short while later. Outside Ten Thousand Swords City.

The gates of Ten Thousand Swords City were wide open. Ji Ning, with his large snow-white hound, walked straight into the city. The guards at the city gate naturally couldn’t see him, so they didn’t try to stop him.

“It’s changed so much.” Ji Ning said softly. “Back then, there were still many mortals inside Ten Thousand Swords City, and quite a few stalls set up. Now the whole layout has changed. I can barely see any mortals.”

Inside Ten Thousand Swords City, many of the former civilian residences had been torn down. The entire city had undergone a massive reconstruction!

It had been built to be even more magnificent!

Looking around the city, one could see more soldiers, and also more gorgeously dressed men and women.

“I can hardly recognize it. It feels like the entire Ten Thousand Swords City has become one giant mansion.” Uncle White exclaimed as well.

“Whoosh~~~” Ji Ning swept out his divine sense.

Within the mansion, the two demonic immortals who had been idly drinking wine, ‘Immortal Duohe’ and ‘Immortal Wusui’, suddenly changed their expressions. They could sense an incredibly powerful, overwhelming divine sense sweeping past them! Just from the divine sense alone… it was already above the level of an ordinary Loose Immortal or Earth Immortal. Very few Loose Immortals could have such terrifying divine sense.

“Not good.” Immortal Duohe and Immortal Wusui were both alarmed. “An enemy.”

“No.”

They quickly showed looks of confusion.

This divine sense seemed very familiar…

“Fellow Daoist Ji Ning’s?” They exchanged glances, both revealing looks of disbelief. Yet, upon careful examination, the divine sense indeed belonged to Ji Ning. It was just much more powerful and ethereal.

“Immortal Wusui, Immortal Duohe. Meet me at the Northsea Hall later.” Ji Ning sent a mental message.

“Alright.” The two demonic immortals both replied.

Inside a quiet mansion within Ten Thousand Swords City, Autumn Leaf was watering some flowers. Over the past several decades, she had lived alone, quietly cultivating. Unknowingly, she had already broken through to the early Wanxiang stage. Although she had benefited from Ji Ning’s help back then, and also from the richness of the current Ji Clan’s Dao repositories, her comprehension was clearly quite impressive as well.

“Auntie.” A young man walked in, incredibly excited, a hint of attachment in his eyes. “Auntie, Auntie! My sword-arts have already reached the Unity of Man and Heaven stage!”

“Oh?” Autumn Leaf turned around, looking at the young man with a smile. “Unity of Man and Heaven?”

“Mmm! This time when I went out to adventure and train, when I was fighting against a great demon, I suddenly had a breakthrough in that moment of enlightenment. My sword-arts have reached Unity!” The young man said excitedly. “Auntie, you promised that when I reached Unity of Man and Heaven, you would teach me a powerful sword technique.”

Autumn Leaf smiled.

Suddenly, Autumn Leaf’s body trembled. Her eyes revealed a look of pleasant surprise.

The young man was startled.

“Little Stone, you go back first. Auntie has something to attend to.” Autumn Leaf said.

“But Auntie, you said you would teach me a sword technique…” The young man hesitated, somewhat unwilling.

“Go on, go back first.” Autumn Leaf said.

“Alright.” The young man had no choice but to turn and leave.

After the young man left, the garden fell silent again. Autumn Leaf looked around anxiously, searching for a familiar figure. Then, in front of her, a youth dressed in animal skins appeared out of thin air.

“Young master!” Autumn Leaf revealed a look of excitement. He looked exactly the same as back then, without having aged a single bit. “Young master, you’ve returned.”

“Mm. I’m back.” Ji Ning nodded gently.

“Will you be leaving again?” Autumn Leaf asked.

“Not this time.” Ji Ning said.

Tears welled up in Autumn Leaf’s eyes. She nodded firmly. “Autumn Leaf will definitely take good care of you, young master.”

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable with anyone else looking after me.” Ji Ning said with a smile. “Come, let’s go see Uncle Liuzhen and the others.”

“Alright.” Autumn Leaf immediately followed.

Ten Thousand Swords City. The Northsea Hall.

The entire Ten Thousand Swords City had been completely rebuilt. Now, the most important hall of the Ji Clan was this ‘Northsea Hall’, named after ‘Northsea’, naturally because Ji Ning’s Daoist title was Darknorth! Ever since news of Ji Ning winning first place in the Immortal Fortunes Assembly had spread, the entire Ji Clan had been filled with excitement and fervor. This was an honor the Ji Clan had never achieved in all their endless years!

Ji Ning had become the most dazzling, most glorious figure in the entire history of the Ji Clan!

“Uncle Liuzhen, Granny Shadow, Immortal Duohe, Immortal Wusui.” Ji Ning walked into the Northsea Hall and called out.

There were only these four people in the hall.

Clearly, the news of Ji Ning’s return was too shocking. Some of the other important figures of the Ji Clan hadn’t been able to make it. For now, the news of Ji Ning’s return… was still kept secret.

“It’s good that you’re back. It’s good that you’re back.” Granny Shadow looked at Ji Ning, her eyes filled with excitement and joy.

“What about the old Patriarch and the others?” Ji Ning couldn’t help but ask.

“Big brother and A Xing both passed on when their lifespans ran out.” Granny Shadow sighed emotionally. “After they passed, I was left alone to guard the Dao Repository Hall, waiting for my own limit. Who would have thought that by reading so many Dao repositories, I unknowingly had a breakthrough.”

Ji Ning felt a pang of sorrow.

The old Patriarch Ji Jiuhuo and the old servant A Xing had both died. Now, the oldest surviving member was only Granny Shadow.

“But big brother and the others already knew back then that you had won first place in the Immortal Fortunes Assembly.” Granny Shadow said excitedly. “Big brother and the others were all excited and proud. For our Ji Clan to have a disciple become the most dazzling, most famous figure in the entire Grand Xia Dynasty is our Ji Clan’s eternal glory. By the way, Ji Ning, after you won first place in the Immortal Fortunes Assembly, you disappeared for over thirty years. Were you apprenticed to some Celestial Immortal to study the Dao?”

Immortal Wusui nearby laughed and said, “To win first place in the Immortal Fortunes Assembly is an achievement of an absolutely monstrous genius. It’s very normal to be taken as a disciple by a Celestial Immortal. It might even be a Pure Yang True Immortal or an Empyrean God who accepted him.”

Immortal Wusui was a descendant of ‘Celestial Immortal Wujiang’, so he naturally knew about True Immortals and Empyrean Gods.

“I went to study the Dao.” Ji Ning nodded.

Having disappeared for over thirty years, Ji Ning naturally had to be ready with an explanation.

The explanation was simple—he had gone to study the Dao!

As for who he studied under? Who his master was? That had to be kept secret! The more mysterious it was, the more it would make certain interested parties cautious and hesitant.

“If I’m not mistaken, Fellow Daoist Ji Ning is now a returning-to-vacuity Earth Immortal.” Immortal Duohe said with a smile.

“Not only that, even Ji Ning’s two spirit-beasts are returning-to-vacuity Earth Immortals now.” Immortal Wusui added.

“What!”

Granny Shadow, the Patriarch Ji Liuzhen, and Autumn Leaf all stared at Ji Ning and the others in shock.

That Ji Ning had become a returning-to-vacuity Earth Immortal, while surprising, was somewhat within their expectations. They had long heard the news that ‘Ji Ning’s second Primaltwin had slain a Loose Immortal’. And since Ji Ning had gone to study the Dao under some powerful figure, what was so strange about him becoming a returning-to-vacuity Earth Immortal now? But both of his spirit-beasts had also become returning-to-vacuity Earth Immortals?

“Right.” Ji Ning nodded with a smile. Then he said, “I noticed that the Ji Clan seems to have changed quite a bit.”

“With the help of the Xiyue Commandery Princess, the Shaoyan clan’s forces stationed here were all withdrawn long ago.” Ji Liuzhen suppressed the shock and trembling in his heart as he explained. “And with your fame from winning the Immortal Fortunes Assembly, who would dare to provoke our Ji Clan? Our Ji Clan hasn’t expanded either. We’ve only consolidated Swallow Mountain. Over the past few decades, Swallow Mountain has become an impregnable fortress.”

Ji Ning nodded.

“The changes in our Ji Clan aren’t that big. The real big changes are in the Anchan Commandery.” Ji Liuzhen sighed emotionally. “The entire Anchan Commandery is vastly different from when you left back then. Even the Marquis of Anchan has been replaced.”

“The Marquis of Anchan has been replaced?” Ji Ning was astonished. “Who is it?”

Back then, the main competitors for the position of Marquis of Anchan were Beishan Yin and Beishan Heihu.

“The current Marquis of Anchan is Beishan Yin.” Ji Liuzhen said.

Volume 14 begins~~

Just one chapter today. Tomato owes you all three chapters. I'll make it up within this month.