The Return of the Sword Immortal

"Beishan Yin?" Ji Ning was startled.

"What about Beishan Baiwei and his father, Beishan Heihu?" Ji Ning followed up immediately. "Are they doing well?"

Conflicts between ancient tribes were brutal. The losing side usually suffered terribly.

"I know about your relationship with Beishan Baiwei," Ji Liuzhen said. "So I paid attention to that matter. Beishan Heihu and his son Beishan Baiwei still live in Anchan City, still residing in that same Beishan Heihu estate. Although their influence isn't what it used to be, at least their lives are safe."

Ji Ning let out a breath of relief.

Then he felt surprised.

From what he knew, the struggle for the Marquis position within the Beishan clan of Anchan was usually quite残酷. The losing side would typically have their estates confiscated, be expelled from Anchan City to some desolate place, or even be ordered to garrison a minor world and fight for the clan. They might even die of old age in that minor world. He hadn't expected that after Beishan Yin became the Marquis of Anchan, his greatest rival, Beishan Heihu, would still be able to live peacefully within Anchan City.

After another quarter-hour of chatting, Ji Ning felt reassured and said, "I need to go out for a while. I expect I'll be back in ten days to half a month."

"Ji Ning," Granny Shadow's voice was hoarse. "Things are chaotic outside right now. You must be careful."

"Chaotic?" Ji Ning was puzzled. "What chaos?"

Ji Liuzhen explained, "Our Ji Clan is hunkered down in the Swallow Mountain area. We don't know much about the chaos outside, but we've heard that in the last twenty or thirty years, quite a few tribes and sects within Anchan Commandery have been destroyed. The entire commandery is filled with a sense of panic and dread. Of course, the tribes and sects that were destroyed were all relatively weak, those without Immortals. But there are quite a few forces that were comparable to the 'Snowdragon Mountain' of the past."

"What?" Ji Ning felt a sense of wrongness.

Forces comparable to Snowdragon Mountain were already considered powerful factions within Anchan Commandery.

Having an Immortal stationed there put a force at the top tier of first-rate powers.

Above that were the eight great powers: the Black-White College, the Heaven-Rending Sword Sect, the Hundred Flowers Fairyland, the Heavenly Saint Sect, the Blood God Sect, the Lieyan Clan, the Mulan Clan, and the Donghe Clan.

At the very pinnacle were the Beishan clan of Anchan and the local Yinglong Guard division.

"Forces comparable to Snowdragon Mountain all have deep foundations. It's rare for even one of them to be destroyed in a thousand years. How could a bunch of them be destroyed in just twenty or thirty years?" Ji Ning spoke.

"Our Ji Clan is focused on guarding the Swallow Mountain area. We're not too clear on the details," Ji Liuzhen said.

Ji Ning frowned.

When he had left Mount Innerheart, his master had said that the Three Realms were currently in a state of turbulent undercurrents, so dangerous that even his master might fall. Now, right after returning, he discovered that even a place like Anchan Commandery was beginning to fall into chaos…

"There must be some great secrets hidden behind the chaos in Anchan Commandery," Ji Ning mused to himself. "It seems I need to be even more cautious. Even my master is being extremely careful. What is my insignificant strength compared to all this?"

"Granny Shadow. Uncle Liuzhen." Ji Ning spoke up. "The chaos in Anchan Commandery is real, and you've been right to act as you have. Our Ji Clan should focus on consolidating our position in the Swallow Mountain area. Alright, I'll be heading out now. I'll be back in ten days to half a month. Autumn Leaf, you don't need to follow me. Wait for me here."

"Mm." Autumn Leaf nodded.

"Immortal Duohe, Immortal Wusui, I must trouble you both to look after the Ji Clan," Ji Ning said.

"It is only right. Fellow Daoist Ji Ning saved our entire Immortal Mansion Fox Clan; doing this is the least we can do," Immortal Wusui quickly said.

"Our Immortal Mansion Fox Clan is also in the Swallow Mountain area, sharing the Ji Clan's fortunes," Immortal Duohe added with enthusiasm. Back then, they had sworn a 'thousand-year oath' for the sake of their clan, but now that Ji Ning and his two spirit-beasts had all become Earth Immortals of the returned void stage, their attitude had changed significantly.

Thousands of li away from Anchan City, ripples appeared in the high空中, and a youth in animal skins, accompanied by a large snow-white hound, emerged.

The small cyan snake coiled around Ji Ning's arm raised its head, gazing into the distance with excitement. "We've finally made it to Anchan City! Haha! Little Qing is a returned void Earth Immortal now! I must be a pretty big shot in Anchan City, right?!"

Whoosh!

Ji Ning, riding a gust of wind, flew directly toward Anchan City.

"I'm back. I wonder if my master is in the Black-White College." Ji Ning soon spotted the distant Black-White College in his line of sight. Back then, the Diancai Immortal had gone out to wander and temper himself. Nearly forty years had passed; Ji Ning didn't know if he had returned yet.

Whoosh~~~

Ji Ning flew directly into the Black-White College.

…

Within the Marquis of Anchan's estate.

Numerous water mirrors floated in the air, monitored by a group of cultivators.

"Someone has flown directly into Anchan City!" One of the cultivators, monitoring the scene from a water mirror, immediately caught sight of it. After his loud report, the information was quickly confirmed.

"A youth in animal skins, accompanied by a Skygreen Serpent and a Whitewater Hound."

"This person should be the Northmont Trueperson, Ji Ning, who won first place in the Immortal Fortunes Assembly over thirty years ago and then vanished without a trace!"

"Intelligence on Northmont Trueperson Ji Ning is of the highest priority. Report this immediately!"

This piece of intelligence was quickly passed up the chain.

The Beishan clan of Anchan kept a tight watch over their fiefdom. At the very least, anyone who dared to fly within Anchan City would be investigated thoroughly. Even across the vast lands of Anchan Commandery, if a violent fluctuation of natural energy occurred in any location, it would be detected immediately.

For instance, when Immortal Fireloong had broken through in the Swallow Mountain area all those years ago, the Beishan clan of Anchan had discovered it right away.

"Ji Ning?"

"Ji Ning, who vanished for over thirty years after the Immortal Fortunes Assembly?"

"Hurry up and report this to the Ancestor!"

"Yes."

The message continued to be passed up.

Soon, this news reached the 'Mountain-Carrying Celestial Immortal.'

…

An old man with a hunched back, leaning on a wooden staff, with white hair and long eyebrows, took a single step and appeared in midair, walking directly toward the Black-White College.

"As I recall, back then, the Evergreen Sword Immortal of the Crimsonbright Daofather's lineage wanted to take Ji Ning as a disciple, but Ji Ning didn't accept. And he didn't become a disciple of any other Immortal or Empyrean God of Crimsonbright Daofather's lineage either… In fact, none of the many Immortals in Crimsonbright Daofather's lineage even knew where Ji Ning had gone," the Mountain-Carrying Celestial Immortal mused silently.

Ji Ning's disappearance back then had stirred up quite a bit of commotion.

It was well known that several Pure Yang True Immortals, including Lu Dongbin, had wanted to take Ji Ning as their disciple, with Lu Dongbin being the most enthusiastic. However, the Grand Xia Emperor had flatly refused, insisting that Ji Ning stay within the Crimsonbright Daofather's lineage.

But what happened later?

Naturally, news had spread long ago, as many Celestial Immortals had been present in the Heavenly Tribulation Hall that day. Many Immortals under Crimsonbright Daofather's command were making inquiries. And they all learned that 'the Evergreen Sword Immortal wanted to take Ji Ning as a disciple, but Ji Ning himself refused and vanished instead.'

No matter how they investigated, not a single Immortal under the Crimsonbright Daofather's command had taken Ji Ning as a disciple. Everyone deduced that Ji Ning had likely not entered the Crimsonbright Daofather's lineage.

Where had Ji Ning gone?

Why had he refused to become the Evergreen Sword Immortal's disciple?

Who, then, had he become a disciple of? Or had he not taken a master at all, instead cultivating on his own?

This had become a mystery.

"Having a pleasant chat, are we?" The Mountain-Carrying Celestial Immortal, leaning on his staff, arrived at the main hall of the Black-White College. He stepped inside. His murky eyes, beneath long brows, swept across the hall, now filled with over a dozen Immortals. Thirty years ago, the Black-White College hadn't had this many Immortals, but in the past twenty or thirty years, Anchan Commandery had become too chaotic, prompting even some highly insightful Primal Daoists like Bihai Daoist, who had preferred a leisurely life, to break through one after another and reach the Earth Immortal stage.

"Senior Mountain-Carrying!"

The assembled Immortals of the Black-White College all bowed respectfully.

Ji Ning also bowed, "Senior Mountain-Carrying."

"So, Ji Ning has returned?" The Mountain-Carrying Celestial Immortal nodded gently, his eyes brightening. "In just over thirty years, both you and your two spirit-beasts have stepped into the Earth Immortal stage. Demonic beasts cultivate much slower than humans. For both your spirit-beasts to become Earth Immortals… it seems you've had quite the adventure over these past thirty years."

The nearby short, old man, the Wufeng Immortal, sighed with emotion, "We were just discussing this. Becoming an Earth Immortal is no easy feat, but Ji Ning and his two spirit-beasts… this brings three new Earth Immortals to our Black-White College all at once. Naturally, all of us fellow disciples are overjoyed."

The Mountain-Carrying Celestial Immortal nodded. "Fellow Daoist Ji Ning's sudden disappearance back then attracted quite a bit of attention. I wonder where you've been for the past thirty years?"

Ji Ning smiled. "Just studying under a master."

"Studying under a master?" The Mountain-Carrying Celestial Immortal's heart stirred. "May I ask who?"

"I'm afraid I cannot reveal that," Ji Ning said.

The Mountain-Carrying Celestial Immortal chuckled. "No need to force it, no need to force it." Inwardly, he mused, "It seems some other power within the Three Realms managed to spirit Ji Ning away. Now that he's unwilling to reveal his master's name, he likely doesn't want to stir up any trouble. Still, I imagine his master is no pushover to dare this."

The matter of Ji Ning taking a master was indeed very interesting.

For another power to come and take Ji Ning as a disciple was somewhat of an affront to the Crimsonbright Daofather's lineage!

But for Ji Ning himself, the Crimsonbright Daofather's lineage couldn't force the issue. Taking a disciple required the disciple's willingness! Whether it was a True Immortal, an Empyrean God, or even a Daofather, they would all ask… 'Are you willing to become my disciple?' If Ji Ning was unwilling, no one could force him. But if Ji Ning willingly followed someone else and took them as his master, the Grand Xia Emperor could only swallow his loss.

"Fellow Daoist Ji Ning, if you have nothing to do, feel free to visit the Marquis of Anchan's estate," the Mountain-Carrying Celestial Immortal said with a beaming smile.

"Certainly," Ji Ning replied.

"Good. I won't interrupt your reunion with your fellow disciples." The Mountain-Carrying Celestial Immortal then turned, leaning on his staff, and drifted away.

In the hall.

"Ji Ning, the situation in Anchan Commandery is a bit chaotic right now. You should be careful too. Although our Black-White College stands with the Beishan clan of Anchan, we can't be foolish enough to act as cannon fodder for them," the Wufeng Immortal said in a low voice. The other assembled Loose Immortals and Earth Immortals all nodded, looking at Ji Ning.

Ji Ning and the slovenly Trueperson were the two future pillars of their Black-White College! They didn't want Ji Ning to be used.

Ji Ning nodded. "I understand. By the way, is my master in the Black-White College?"

"Your master just returned a few days ago. He's currently in secluded meditation. He'll likely undergo his tribulation before long," the Wufeng Immortal said.

"Tribulation?" Ji Ning was taken aback.