The Shaoyin Clan’s Choice

In a quiet chamber filled with a rich fragrance within the Fifth World, an azure-robed woman opened her eyes and awoke.

“The Godking actually decided to use Yu Wei as a pawn.” Qinghu felt a pang of emotion. She immediately focused her senses, then frowned, “Hm? Yu Wei isn’t asleep?”

All of these pawns had received orders: unless life or death was at stake, they must fall asleep once every three days.

Only in dreams could they silently make contact with the pawns! This form of ‘link’ was the most secretive—even True Gods and Daofathers could not detect it. Any other method of contact risked exposure, and once exposed, the pawn would be unable to remain hidden.

“Not asleep…”

Qinghu thought it over. “No rush. She is certain to sleep within three days. Ha… a Dao-companion’s scheme. Ji Ning probably doesn’t suspect a thing. He was directly taken by the teleportation to the Fifth World—he’s dead for sure. Hm?”

Qinghu’s eyes suddenly brightened.

“Before Ji Ning dies, he might still be of some use.” Qinghu smiled. “Perhaps I can get the Shaoyin clan to fully defect to my Seamless Gate.”

…

That night.

Atop a nameless peak within the Shaoyin clan’s fiefdom, Immortal Xuanji saw a golden-robed messenger.

“Greetings, Messenger.” Immortal Xuanji was very courteous.

“Take this to your Patriarch.” The golden-robed messenger directly handed over a scroll.

“This is?” Immortal Xuanji was puzzled.

“It contains a Watermark Technique. Your Patriarch will understand once he looks at it.” The golden-robed messenger smiled. “Our Seamless Gate is looking out for the Shaoyin clan. You wouldn’t want to have your entire tribe destroyed without even knowing the reason.”

Having said this, the golden-robed messenger vanished into thin air, shredding the void.

Immortal Xuanji frowned as he held the scroll. After a moment’s deliberation, he opened it and looked. Unrolled, the scroll displayed a scene—clearly a Watermark Technique. As Immortal power poured in, the scene began to play. It was the battle of eighteen Celestial Immortals against the Tonghe Immortal, followed by Ji Ning slaughtering them all.

“That’s Celestial Immortal Zicao?” Immortal Xuanji immediately recognized Zicao, whom he had some acquaintance with.

“Such a powerful group of eighteen Celestial Immortals! They actually suppressed Tonghe… Tonghe is about to die.”

“What?”

When Ji Ning struck, Immortal Xuanji was completely shocked.

Heavens.

This… this was far stronger than Ji Ning’s performance at the Chenyu Mountains! If the Shaoyin clan’s Celestial Immortals joined forces now, they probably wouldn’t be able to withstand Ji Ning either. Immortal Xuanji was well aware of the enmity between his clan and Ji Ning. Terrified, he immediately tore through space and rushed back.

…

Inside the World-Sealing Tower.

“What is it?” The Shaoyin Patriarch, Poison Claw Immortal, walked out of the void, two Celestial Immortals following behind him.

“Patriarch.” The other four Celestial Immortals inside the World-Sealing Tower all bowed respectfully.

The Shaoyin clan’s seven Celestial Immortals had gathered!

“Patriarch, the Seamless Gate sent this over. Look.” Immortal Xuanji’s expression was solemn as he offered the scroll.

“The Seamless Gate is never up to any good when it seeks out my Shaoyin clan.” The Shaoyin Patriarch, Poison Claw Immortal, sneered. He unrolled the scroll, let out a mocking laugh, “Oh, a Watermark Technique? Let’s see what this is.”

As Celestial Immortal power was injected, the scene of that battle replayed—from the eighteen Celestial Immortals making their move, suppressing Tonghe, Ji Ning’s intervention, the appearance of Immortal Fuhua, to the Xia Emperor arriving and repelling Fuhua. Everything was included.

At first, Poison Claw Immortal watched with a half-smile. But soon his expression changed, growing darker and darker.

“So it has come to this.”

Poison Claw Immortal’s pupils contracted. His face was as gloomy as water.

The other six Celestial Immortals present all watched him, awaiting orders.

“I thought Ji Ning would have to pass his tribulation and become an Empyrean God before the Xia Emperor would completely side with him. I never imagined… even without becoming an Empyrean God, he could be this monstrous. If I were the Xia Emperor, I would side with Ji Ning too.” Poison Claw Immortal’s face was dark.

“Patriarch, what do we do now?”

“If Ji Ning comes, we can’t stop him.”

“Patriarch.”

Everyone looked at the Patriarch, waiting for his command.

The Patriarch was, after all, a legendary figure who had roamed the ancient Pangu World, causing even many Empyrean Gods and True Immortals to find him troublesome.

“Ji Ning won’t start a war with my Shaoyin clan in the short term,” Poison Claw Immortal said. “Because having suffered a loss once, he should understand… I have many avatars. He can’t kill all of my avatars, so I will forever entangle him and become the nightmare of his tribe.” A vicious gleam flickered in Poison Claw Immortal’s eyes.

He had always been a cold, sinister, evil figure.

“So we just ignore this?” Ancestor Kumu frowned.

“You foolish block of wood,” Poison Claw Immortal scolded. “Didn’t you see how terrifying Ji Ning’s growth is? At the Void stage, he can be this powerful. I have roamed the ancient world and seen much, but this is the first time I’ve witnessed such a monster. In ancient times, only legends could compare to him. If he keeps growing, within Patriarch Crimsonbright’s faction he will inevitably hold great power… and I, the Patriarch, might not even be able to escape. Once I die, the entire Shaoyin clan will be utterly destroyed, with no chance to turn things around.”

The Celestial Immortals, including Chi Xin, all nodded.

“Let me think. Let me think.” Poison Claw Immortal narrowed his eyes. “I never imagined it would be pushed to this point.”

He was vigilant.

It was precisely because of his vigilance, his ruthlessness, his cunning, that he—someone who offended so many—had managed to survive until now.

The other six Celestial Immortals silently waited.

“Quickly arrange to have all of my Shaoyin clan’s mortals moved into the world of the World-Sealing Tower,” Poison Claw Immortal suddenly ordered. “A tree moved may die, but a man moved may live. At worst, we run!”

His specialty was running!

“All of them?” The six Celestial Immortals were astonished.

“All of them,” Poison Claw Immortal ordered. “It must be done quickly, at top speed. I want it done within the space of a single incense stick. If you can’t make it, abandoning some mortals is acceptable.”

“Yes.” The six Celestial Immortals immediately responded.

The World-Sealing Tower was an Innate spirit treasure that contained a world. Though it wasn’t as vast as the great world inside Ji Ning’s Starseizing Manor, it was still not small—more than capable of holding a population of twenty or thirty billion.

…

Celestial Immortals gave the orders; Loose Immortals carried out the work.

Among the three ancestral lairs, though the Chenyu Mountains had been completely wiped out last time, after Ji Ning was banished to the Realm of Annihilation, the Shaoyin clan had migrated several billion more clansmen there.

Loose Immortals moved with incredible speed. Nearly a thousand Earth Immortals and Loose Immortals under the Shaoyin clan acted in unison, and within the span of a single incense stick, they had relocated all the clansmen from their lairs into the World-Sealing Tower.

Within the World-Sealing Tower, the seven Celestial Immortals looked out at the lands outside.

This was their fiefdom, the territory they had won.

“Let’s go. In the future, we will obtain even larger fiefdoms, and my Shaoyin clan will grow even stronger.” Poison Claw Immortal flew out, waved his hand, and collected the World-Sealing Tower. Then he vanished without a trace.

…

That night. Tianmang Hall, the Grand Xia Capital.

“Your Majesty, Poison Claw Immortal seeks an audience.” A pale-faced old man spoke respectfully.

The Xia Emperor’s brows lifted. A thoughtful look entered his eyes, and then he ordered, “Let him in.”

“Yes.” The pale-faced old man withdrew.

“He came so quickly. It seems the Seamless Gate has been luring him again,” the Xia Emperor mused. “This Shaoyin Chou, if used well, can be a sharp weapon. But he hurts himself as well as others. He’s too prone to going mad.” The Xia Emperor knew full well that deep down, the Poison Claw Immortal had a streak of ‘madness.’ That was why the Xia Emperor had bound him with tribe and fiefdom, giving him attachments to keep him under control.

Now, it seemed…

“Poison Claw was useful, but far less so than Ji Ning.” The Xia Emperor shook his head. “I suppose I must lose this weapon.”

At this moment, a hideous, horned figure walked in from outside.

“Your Majesty.” The horned figure was extremely deferential.

“Poison Claw.” The Xia Emperor smiled.

The horned figure spoke respectfully: “The Seamless Gate has been trying to get me to join them. I have resisted. Just now they sent a scroll with a Watermark, showing the battle where Ji Ning killed eighteen Celestial Immortals. After seeing it, I understand… Ji Ning has become too powerful. I wish to make peace with Ji Ning. If he and I swear a Heavenly Dao oath, could it be arranged?”

“Peace?” The Xia Emperor shook his head. “When Ji Ning was at a disadvantage, he still fought you. Now that he has the upper hand, how could he agree to peace?”

“Your Majesty… you stand on his side, then?” the horned figure said in a low voice.

“If you go to kill him, I won’t stop you. If he goes to kill you, I won’t stop him either,” the Xia Emperor said.

The horned figure sneered: “I couldn’t kill him even if I tried. Your Majesty, it seems you have already made your choice. Before I came, I had already guessed… but I still clung to a thread of hope!”

“Poison Claw, you are very clever, but I advise you not to defect to the Seamless Gate. If you do, you will not only be my enemy but also the enemy of Patriarch Crimsonbright, of my entire imperial clan, and of countless True Gods and Daofathers,” the Xia Emperor said. “Go now. I hope you live a little longer through this great tribulation.”

“If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s surviving.” The horned figure smiled. “Your Majesty did not kill me, which saves me from losing another avatar.”

With that, he smiled and left directly.

The Xia Emperor watched him go. This avatar of Shaoyin Chou was surely not carrying any good treasures—he had come prepared to die. His purpose in coming was to lay his cards on the table… unfortunately, the Xia Emperor had firmly chosen Ji Ning. The Xia Emperor hadn’t bothered to deceive him, because he knew that Poison Claw Immortal, a cunning old fox, could not be fooled.

“The Seamless Gate truly finds its way into every crack,” the Xia Emperor shook his head. “It has cost me a sharp weapon.”

…

The Shaoyin clan quietly vanished from the entire Grand Xia world without causing a ripple.

Fifth World.

Within a grand hall.

“Poison Claw Immortal, I have heard your name for a long time.” The azure-robed woman sat high on the throne.

“Gate Lord of the Seamless Gate! The countless lords of the Grand Xia turn pale at the mention of your name.” The horned figure smiled. Though the Xia Emperor had advised him, he knew that in the great tribulation he had to choose a side. If he didn’t choose now, he would be purged later—both sides would clean him out. So it was better to choose early, and even secure a high position!

“Poison Claw Immortal, go rest. When the time comes to do battle with the Grand Xia, there will be a place for you to shine,” the azure-robed woman said with a smile.

“I await your command, Gate Lord.” The horned figure bowed, then smiled and withdrew.

The azure-robed woman smiled as well.

She had gained a fierce general!

“Hm?” The azure-robed woman sensed something. “Yu Wei has finally fallen asleep.” She rose and headed toward her quiet chamber, intending to meet Yu Wei in a dream.