The Vow of Blood and the Hunter's Gambit

“Blood debt?” Mu Northson was momentarily stunned, then grew anxious. “Senior apprentice-brother, this is my vengeance. Even if I die here, it’s nothing. But you…”

“Say no more.”

Ji Ning shook his head, his gaze distant. “I’ve wanted to fight the Shao Yan clan for a long time. I’ve been holding back, enduring year after year… it’s time to end this.”

“Senior apprentice-brother—” Mu Northson was desperately worried. Although his heart was filled with boundless hatred, he was still keenly aware of the Shao Yan clan’s terrifying power. The mere fact that the four Celestial Immortals had attacked earlier was enough to make him understand that his senior apprentice-brother was far from a match for the Shao Yan clan. He didn’t want Ji Ning to risk his life!

“Wait for me here.” Ji Ning turned and walked out of the hut.

His figure vanished quickly among the formations outside. Mu Northson was frantic but helpless.

…

“Uncle White.” Ji Ning walked to the edge of a shoal on Brightheart Island, where he saw the Whitewater Hound lying down, staring out at the lake.

“Ning, child.” The Whitewater Hound rose to his feet. “Has the treasure arrived?”

“Mm.” Ji Ning’s voice was soft. “It’s time to go to the Grand Xia imperial capital.”

A hint of killing intent gleamed in the Whitewater Hound’s eyes—bloodlust aimed at the Shao Yan clan. In his heart, Ji Ning was like a nephew. Knowing how the Shao Yan clan had repeatedly tried to kill Ji Ning, how could he not be enraged?

“Let’s go.”

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Ji Ning and the Whitewater Hound shot straight into the sky, tore through the void, and vanished from the Yan Mountains.

Grand Xia Imperial Capital, Heavenly Treasures Mountain.

Ji Ning and the Whitewater Hound dove straight down from the high skies. “Ji Ning!” A voice transmitted directly into his ears. With a sweep of his gaze, Ji Ning spotted a silver-haired man within one of the estate grounds at Heavenly Treasures Mountain’s headquarters. They flew into the manor.

“Senior Fox.” Ji Ning walked over.

“Sit.” Fox smiled.

Ji Ning sat down, while the Whitewater Hound settled down beside a flower bed.

“You certainly came quickly, Ji Ning,” Fox said with a laugh.

“The treasure is important,” Ji Ning replied.

Fox laughed heartily. “Don’t worry. The Five Elements treasures you requested are all prepared. But do you have a treasure of equivalent value to a top-grade Pure Yang treasure?” As he spoke, Fox waved his hand, and massive, lustrous golden stones appeared floating in the air, each radiating powerful ripples. There were also stalks of jade bamboo shoots, water droplets the size of a fist, flowing crimson slurry, and a strange, dark-grey divine earth.

“Mm.” Ji Ning’s face lit up with joy.

“The Xia Emperor is indeed a man of his word.” Ji Ning waved his hand, and a series of flying swords appeared in the air—some emanating a freezing, glacial cold, others radiating boundless, scorching heat. These were the Unifying Icy Frost Swords and the Pure Yang Fire Extreme Swords.

Fox’s eyes brightened.

“Here are forty-nine Unifying Icy Frost Swords and forty-nine Pure Yang Fire Extreme Swords,” Ji Ning announced. “They should be enough to match a top-grade Pure Yang treasure.”

“Mm.” Fox nodded in admiration. “You truly have a big hand, Ji Ning. These ninety-eight immortal swords are indeed enough.”

By value, a high-grade Pure Yang treasure was generally equivalent to one to two hundred top-grade Immortal-ranked treasures, though this was only a rough estimate. Ji Ning’s forty-nine Unifying Icy Frost Swords and forty-nine Pure Yang Fire Extreme Swords each formed a matched set. Matched sets were worth more than a random assortment of top-grade Immortal-ranked flying swords, so these ninety-eight swords were more than sufficient.

To Ji Ning, of the thousand immortal swords he had originally acquired, only seven hundred and twenty-nine were useful. The rest were surplus.

“Inspect them.” Ji Ning waved his hand, and the flying swords appeared before Fox.

Fox channeled his Celestial Immortal magic power to examine them. “Mm, excellent top-grade Immortal-ranked flying swords. Ji Ning, these Five Elements treasures are yours.” The massive hoard of treasures floating in the air drifted over to Ji Ning. He waved his hand and stored them all.

The deal was done!

“Ji Ning, if you need anything else, feel free to come to me.” Fox was in an excellent mood. The Grand Xia’s rule was currently unstable, and refining treasures from raw materials took time. Obtaining ready-made treasures was much more satisfying.

“I may indeed have another request for you, Senior Fox, in the next two days,” Ji Ning said. “But this is not the time to discuss it.”

Fox’s heart stirred, but he only gave a slight nod.

He left the estate, arranging for a servant to attend to Ji Ning.

…

The black-robed Ji Ning sat across from a white-robed, white-haired man.

“Drink some wine.” The black-robed Ji Ning smiled.

“Alright.” The Whitewater Hound was slightly puzzled. Why had Ning, child, suddenly released his Primaltwin? What was his true body doing now?

Far away, on the secret island stronghold of the Seamless Gate in the Western Sea.

“Utterly useless.” A young girl sat high upon a throne, a hint of anger on her brow. “The mighty Shao Yan clan, catching him off-guard, still couldn’t kill a mere Ji Ning. How disappointing. It seems the Seamless Gate will have to act.”

“Milord, if we strike, Ji Ning is as good as dead.”

“It’ll just be a bit troublesome.”

“Milord, don’t be angry.”

The rows of golden-robed Celestial Immortals seated below were eating, drinking, and laughing.

The girl frowned. “It is troublesome. We’ll need that old fellow’s help.”

Ji Ning was protected by the Eight-Nine Arcane Art. Her own forces, while capable of killing him, still carried some risk. It was the same as the Shao Yan clan’s four Celestial Immortals failing to kill Ji Ning quickly, allowing his reinforcements to arrive. She had absolute power, but she couldn’t break through the Eight-Nine Arcane Art’s defense.

“The Crowxiao Adept has arrived.” A figure suddenly appeared in the hall—a black-robed servant. He bowed respectfully and reported, “The Crowxiao Adept has come from Tablet Mountain Major World to the Fifth World. He will be here shortly.”

“That old fellow?” The girl frowned.

The dozen or so golden-robed Celestial Immortals below all rose to their feet. The Crowxiao Celestial Immortal was renowned throughout the world. Though they were Celestial Immortals themselves, facing Crowxiao tightened their hearts.

Crowxiao was an ancient monster with strength nearly equal to a Pure Yang True Immortal. He was among the most supreme of all Celestial Immortals.

“Hahaha, little Violetweed,” a sonorous voice rang out as a spatial fluctuation passed. A figure walked into the hall, looking like a middle-aged man with disheveled, loose hair, entering barefoot with an untamed bearing.

“Senior Crowxiao.”

“Lord Crowxiao.”

“Milord.”

The golden-robed Celestial Immortals all quickly greeted him.

Even the Seamless Gate’s leader would show some respect to the Crowxiao Adept. Crowxiao’s fame in the Three Realms was significant. In a direct fight, he was roughly on par with a First Heart Celestial Immortal. But his mastery of all sorts of heterodox techniques—escape, trapping, poison—was so vast that even a True Immortal or Empyrean God would suffer a quiet loss at his hands. He was known as a true eccentric of the Three Realms.

“Little Violetweed, I didn’t expect you to come begging for my help.” The Crowxiao Adept said smugly. “Tsk, tsk. That little girl from back then is now an independent commander.”

“Old fellow, you owe me,” the girl frowned.

“Haha, right. I promised you three requests. One has been used. This is the second,” the Crowxiao Celestial Immortal laughed. “Speak. What do you want me to do?”

The girl flipped her hand, producing a book. She tossed it to the distant Crowxiao Adept. After flipping through it, he frowned. “Ji Ning?”

“This contains all our intelligence on Ji Ning. He is clearly not of our faction. Allowing him to grow would create a disaster. It’s best to eliminate him early. Our leader asked me to handle it, but I’m worried about accidents, so I’m asking you to step in,” the girl said.

“The Eight-Nine Arcane Art?” The Crowxiao Adept’s eyes widened as he scanned the report. He looked up with displeasure. “Little Violetweed, this is the Eight-Nine Arcane Art. In the Three Realms, the number of Daofathers who can teach it can be counted on two hands. Each is a terrifying existence. This Ji Ning’s teacher might be one of them. One finger from him would be enough to crush me.”

“What are you afraid of? Would his teacher dare to act?” Violetweed said dismissively.

“You never know…” The Crowxiao Adept shook his head. “Too dangerous, too dangerous.”

“Old fellow!” the girl snapped, furious. She knew the Crowxiao Adept’s habits well. She had grown up following the Gate Lord and Crowxiao. The Crowxiao Adept was famous for being a coward, and his greatest strength was heterodox techniques.

“Fine,” the Crowxiao Adept said helplessly. “It’s very unlikely his teacher will act, but for your sake, I’ll send one of my clones to deal with Ji Ning.”

“A clone?” The girl glared.

“Relax. I’ll have my clone take Grand Unity Sealing Circle with me. As soon as the circle is deployed, he’ll be captured without any chance to resist.” The Crowxiao Adept smiled cunningly. “In the blink of an eye, I’ll have him bound and carried away. Whether you want him killed or quartered is up to you.”

The girl asked suspiciously, “Grand Unity Sealing Circle? What treasure is that? I’ve never heard of it.”

“I’ve lived since the Primordial World age and rarely make a move. What do you know? If not for this Great Tribulation of the Three Realms, I’d be reluctant to use my treasures.” The Crowxiao Adept said grandly. “Alright, where is this Ji Ning now? Tell me, and I’ll go collect him.”

The girl grinned upon hearing this. “The latest intelligence places him at the Grand Xia imperial capital.”

“The Grand Xia imperial capital?” The Crowxiao Adept frowned. “I can’t go there. The Xia Emperor is not to be trifled with. I’ll wait until he leaves the capital before I make my move.”