The Reckoning Begins

Ripples of spatial energy spread across the desolate plains, and then two Immortals appeared. It was the stooped, wooden-cane-wielding Tuoshan Celestial Immortal and the black-robed, black-haired Diancai Immortal.

“It’s just ahead.”

“But there’s a formation covering the area ahead.”

As soon as Tuoshan Celestial Immortal and Diancai Immortal appeared, they released their heartforce, enveloping the surrounding tens of thousands of li, and naturally discovered that grand formation. The formation the four Celestial Immortals of the Shaoyin clan had set up in advance was not meant to guard a nest, so they naturally wouldn’t pay too high a price. These formations merely served to trap the enemy, confuse the enemy, isolate energy fluctuations, and prevent the enemy from tearing through the void to escape. They were not yet capable of blocking the heartforce detection of a Celestial Immortal.

“Ji Ning!” As soon as their heartforce swept over, they were shocked.

Within the grand formation, Ji Ning, with his Three Heads and Six Arms, was being besieged from all sides by four Celestial Immortals.

Ancestor Xuanji was using the Starlight of the Heavenly Cycles to affect Ji Ning time and again.

Ancestor Goldenbell was using that pure Yang顶级 divine bell, trying to suck Ji Ning inside and suppress him.

Ancestor Infatuation was using the full force of a small frozen world, beating Ji Ning relentlessly. This was the true level of a top-tier Celestial Immortal.

Ancestor Witheredwood was controlling countless vines, trying to bind Ji Ning.

Even with the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, Ji Ning was forced to rely on splitting his body, using self-detonation of his flesh, and other such desperate measures just to hold on.

“We need to break this formation now.” Tuoshan Celestial Immortal was growing frantic. “Diancai, the external defenses of this formation aren’t that strong. If we join forces, we can force our way through it.”

“Alright.” Diancai Immortal was also anxious.

“Go.”

Diancai Immortal pointed into the distance, and instantly, five Immortal-ranked flying swords appeared out of nowhere, streaking across the sky. Mid-flight, they began to shine with five different colors. On each Immortal-ranked sword, the phantom of a great mountain appeared. Then, these five great mountain phantoms completely merged together, transforming into a single Five Finger Mountain! The Five Finger Mountain had five fingers and was of five colors. It was filled with an aura of utter annihilation.

The Five Element Sword Art — Lesser Five Elements Annihilation!

“Move the mountain!” Tuoshan Celestial Immortal also let out a low growl.

Instantly, nine great seals appeared out of nowhere. As these nine great seals flew at high speed, they directly transformed into nine enormous mountains. These nine mountains were of different shapes—some were steep, some were low and flat, some were majestic and towering. Unlike the sword-light from Diancai Immortal’s technique, these nine mountains were real, manifested peaks.

Furthermore, surrounding these nine peaks were phantom images of mountains, a full eighty-one mountain phantoms.

It was as if an entire mountain range was pressing down.

Tuoshan Celestial Immortal had earned his name, ‘Tuoshan’ (He Who Carries Mountains), through his famous Tuoshan art.

…

The sword-light of the Five Finger Mountain carried the intent of annihilation. Nine great mountains, bearing the weight of eighty-one mountain phantoms, crashed down with irresistible force.

The two attacks combined.

Wherever they passed, the formation set up by the four Celestial Immortals shattered layer by layer, and even the desolate plains themselves split open, revealing countless fissures.

Both of them had extraordinary power.

Diancai Immortal was a Celestial Immortal who had overcome the Six-Nine Tribulation; in his sword-art, ‘Lesser Five Elements Annihilation’, he actually surpassed Ji Ning! Furthermore, he wielded five top-grade Immortal-ranked flying swords. With the fourth layer of the Grand Qian Sword Formation, Ji Ning’s sword talent was likely on par with his master’s. But Diancai Immortal had the mana of a Celestial Immortal… so naturally, he was far stronger.

Tuoshan Celestial Immortal was also on the same level as Ancestor Witheredwood and Ancestor Goldenbell, and also stronger than Ji Ning.

With the two of them joining forces!

They naturally shattered the grand formation.

“Not good.”

“The formation is broken.”

“The ones who came are the Beishan clan’s Tuoshan and that Diancai Immortal of the Black-White College.” Ancestor Xuanji quickly sent a frantic mental message.

“Infatuation, what do we do now?” Ancestor Goldenbell also sent an anxious mental message.

“Damn it.” Ancestor Infatuation’s face was ugly to behold. He stared into the distance at Ji Ning, who was repeatedly fleeing and desperately buying time amidst a sea of vines, and his heart was filled with even more unwillingness. Although Ji Ning had trained in the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, his foundation was ultimately too weak. Ancestor Infatuation had already confirmed that if the four Celestial Immortals worked together and were given a bit more time, they could suppress Ji Ning into that divine bell!

Once suppressed inside a pure Yang顶级 magic treasure divine bell, not even a True Immortal or Empyrean God could escape, let alone Ji Ning.

Of course, True Immortals and Empyrean Gods wouldn’t be foolish enough to get suppressed in the first place.

“Boom! Boom! Boom~~~”

The sword-light of the Five Finger Mountain was unstoppable.

Nine great mountains, accompanied by layer upon layer of mountain phantoms, crushed everything before them.

Nothing could stop them.

“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!” Ancestor Infatuation was both anxious and furious. They had been so close to success, but he understood that now that Tuoshan Celestial Immortal and Diancai Immortal had appeared, they no longer had any hope of suppressing Ji Ning. After all, Ji Ning had the Eight-Nine Arcane Art; they couldn’t kill him, they could only suppress him.

But now, they didn’t have the time to suppress him.

“Let’s go!” Ancestor Infatuation sent out a mental command. “We’re withdrawing.”

“Damn.”

“What a waste.”

Ancestor Goldenbell and Ancestor Witheredwood were also filled with unwillingness.

“If we’d had just a little longer, Ji Ning would have been done for.” Ancestor Xuanji was also filled with chagrin.

“Ancestor Infatuation, this is the territory of my Anchan Commandery. Your Shaoyin clan has no regard for my Beishan clan at all!” The rumbling voice, backed by Celestial Immortal mana, instantly resounded through the area. The stooped old man with his cane and the black-robed, black-haired man were now walking forward, shoulder to shoulder.

“Hmph.”

The four Celestial Immortals of the Shaoyin clan couldn’t be bothered to say much. They immediately transformed into streaks of light and quickly departed, vanishing into the sky in the distance.

They retreated with extreme decisiveness and speed.

“Ji Ning.” Tuoshan Celestial Immortal and Diancai Immortal flew over.

“Senior Tuoshan, Master.” Ji Ning went to meet them.

“What happened? Four Celestial Immortals of the Shaoyin clan were besieging you?” Diancai Immortal asked, filled with worry. Tuoshan Celestial Immortal, however, was secretly shocked. The strength of four Celestial Immortals was terrifying. Logically speaking, a slightly weaker Celestial Immortal would have been killed instantly, but Ji Ning had been able to hold on for so long.

“They’ve long since marked me as a thorn in their side. This time, they were waiting for me here, staking out my junior apprentice-brother, Mu Northson.” Ji Ning’s heart was filled with guilt.

Junior apprentice-brother…

His junior brother’s most important Dao-companion had had her soul extinguished. Ji Ning didn’t even know what his junior brother was thinking right now. His junior brother had been caught up in this purely because of him.

“I should have known better. Back then, even if he didn’t want to, I should have forced him to come back to Mount Yan with me.” Ji Ning was filled with regret. Before this, his junior brother had been attached to this place and refused to listen. At the time, Ji Ning didn’t think anyone knew Mu Northson had returned here, and he had left a Yixian puppet behind, so he hadn’t forced the issue.

“His junior brother only just returned. How did the Shaoyin clan find out?” Ji Ning thought to himself.

“Ji Ning, you said your junior brother?” Diancai Immortal quickly asked.

“Yes. Mu Northson.” Ji Ning nodded.

“You found him?” Diancai Immortal was shocked.

“I found him. Let’s go back first; we shouldn’t stay here any longer.” Ji Ning looked around. Even the wooden house his junior brother had built was now shattered and destroyed from the battle. The great battle earlier had been far too insane.

Ji Ning, Diancai Immortal, and Tuoshan Celestial Immortal first returned to Anchan City, where they discussed the detailed events of the matter. Even Diancai Immortal said, “Based on what you said, the assassination attempt by the Bloodcloud Hall last time was very likely instigated by the Shaoyin clan. Now, the Shaoyin clan has made a move themselves. I doubt they’ll let things rest here.”

“That’s right, Ji Ning. As you are now, you can’t withstand the Shaoyin clan. You need to endure a while longer. Once you become a Celestial Immortal, your odds will be far greater,” Tuoshan Celestial Immortal advised.

Ji Ning was filled with hate.

Endure?

How much longer did he have to endure?

Back then, his mother had borne a blood-debt deep as the sea, yet had refused to tell him the enemy was the ‘Shaoyin clan’. It was because, in her eyes, her son was more important than revenge. And she was afraid, too. The Shaoyin clan was far too powerful; she couldn’t even bring herself to imagine her son being a match for this ancient tribe, one that ranked in the top ten of the entire Grand Xia world.

Back then, the Shaoyin clan had chased him madly, even laying siege to the Ji clan on Mount Yan. Ji Ning had endured!

Back then, when he was assassinated in the Grand Xia imperial capital, Ji Ning had still endured!

He had never retaliated.

Even this time, after returning from Mount Innerheart, Ji Ning was still enduring. Because, facing the Shaoyin clan, he had no confidence at all. The Anchan Beishan clan alone was this powerful. What about the Shaoyin clan? The four Celestial Immortal Ancestors who appeared today alone were terrifying enough, and this was probably not even the full extent of the Shaoyin clan’s power.

…

Mount Yan.

Ji Ning returned to Mount Yan. Only then did he release his junior brother.

“Shaoyin clan! Shaoyin clan! Shaoyin clan!” From within a building came a series of grief-stricken, mad roars. The maids and servants who heard it from a distance couldn’t help but tremble. A grand formation had long since been set up around this building, making it impossible for Mu Northson to escape.

Ji Ning stood on the veranda, listening to the anguished cries from within the building.

He passed through the formation and walked up to the door. He pushed it open and entered.

Inside the room.

Mu Northson, his hair disheveled and even whiter now, looking like a madman, was sitting on his knees. He looked up at Ji Ning.

“Senior apprentice-brother.” Mu Northson’s face was twisted in pain, his eyes bloodshot. His voice was hoarse as he hissed, “I want revenge. I want revenge. I want to kill the Shaoyin clan! I want to slaughter them all! They destroyed everything I had. I’m going to destroy them! Destroy them all! Senior apprentice-brother, let me go!”

“It was your senior apprentice-brother who let you down.” Ji Ning walked over to his junior brother’s side and knelt, taking his hand.

His junior brother’s hands were constantly trembling.

Ji Ning was filled with guilt.

His junior brother had been dragged into this purely because of the enmity between himself and the Shaoyin clan.

“It’s not senior apprentice-brother’s fault. It’s the Shaoyin clan.” Mu Northson’s voice was hoarse. “I’m going to get revenge. Kill them. Kill as many as I can. Senior apprentice-brother, why won’t you let me go? Why?”

“Wait. Wait a few more days.” Ji Ning’s voice was low.

“Wait?” Mu Northson’s eyes were filled with madness.

“Junior apprentice-brother, do you think I don’t want to destroy the Shaoyin clan?” Ji Ning’s entire body trembled slightly. “I’ve endured for so many years. How I long for revenge… It isn’t just me. It’s my mother’s great vengeance. It’s my uncle’s. It’s my cousin’s. It’s their great vengeance, too. I’m saying, wait a few more days. When I am fully prepared, I will definitely invade the Shaoyin clan’s nest.”

“How long do I have to wait?” Mu Northson stared at Ji Ning.

“Soon. Very soon.” Ji Ning tried to comfort him.

Suddenly, Ji Ning stood up. He turned his head to look into the southern distance, his gaze seeming to pierce the boundaries of space and see the Grand Xia imperial capital. Within the imperial palace of the Grand Xia capital, that silver-haired man, the ‘Heavenly Fox’, had already crushed the summons talisman Ji Ning had given him.

Mu Northson saw Ji Ning abruptly stand up and couldn’t help but look up at him.

“The opportunity has arrived.” Ji Ning said softly. “I’m going to the Grand Xia imperial capital first. Afterwards… it will be time for the Shaoyin clan to repay their blood-debt.”

Finally, it was time for a real battle with the Shaoyin clan! Tomato has been looking forward to this great battle for a long time. Before this, Tomato is asking for monthly votes. It’s been a while since I last asked for monthly votes~~~