The Iron Shears of Elder Yuan

True Immortal Flowing Hua, Withered Grass Immortal, and the others hung in midair like statues, unable even to blink. The divine power and Pure Yang ki within their bodies felt frozen solid, incapable of the slightest movement. This utter, total paralysis filled Flowing Hua and the rest with deep terror.

"A Daofather."

"It must be a Daofather."

"Ji Ning actually has a Daofather on Brightmoon Island?"

None of them had expected that their assassination attempt would hit such an immovable wall. The Great Teleportation had been extremely lucky, depositing them directly onto Brightmoon Island. Because the island was not large, they had coincidentally landed very close to Ji Ning. Even if they had landed farther away, the formations around Serpentwing Lake in the Yan Mountains could not have withstood True Immortal Flowing Hua, who was a formation grandmaster with a deep understanding of the Grand Dao of Space.

Now they realized it wasn't luck at all. They had been catastrophically unlucky.

"Senior." Ji Ning and Yu Wei immediately spoke with respect.

"Hmm." The old gardener, carrying the large iron shears he used for trimming flowers and plants, walked over slowly. Seeing Ji Ning and Yu Wei address him with deference, he nodded. "At least you know to respect your elders."

Ji Ning and Yu Wei were speechless.

A Daofather! One moment he was playing the part of a servant, the next he was putting on airs. It completely shattered their image of what a Daofather should be.

"You lot hanging up in the sky, boy." The old gardener looked up at the fifty-five figures frozen in midair. "You've disturbed this old man's sleep. Do you have anything you wish to say before you die?"

As his words fell, True Immortal Flowing Hua and the others felt their mouths become free to move.

"We did not mean to offend you, Senior," True Immortal Flowing Hua said respectfully.

"Senior, please let us leave," Withered Grass Immortal added, her voice soft and gentle.

The Seamless Gate members all adopted a humble posture. Soon, however, they calmed down. If this was a Daofather, he would not lightly start a war. The Daofathers of both major camps were very restrained. This Daofather might toy with them for a bit, but they should be able to survive. Losing a clone or an avatar was not a major issue for them. The important thing was that they were carrying vital treasures, including several supreme-grade Pure Yang treasures. Immortal Darkcloud, in particular, was truly furious this time. He had even brought an Innate spirit-treasure.

"It looks like we've avoided this crisis." Ji Ning and Yu Wei both sighed with relief. Ji Ning knew that the Seamless Gate had an overwhelming advantage in power. Even his master, Patriarch Subhuti, would not casually strike at minor figures of the Seamless Gate. This wandering Daofather would probably not act recklessly either.

"Ji Ning, my boy," the old gardener suddenly said.

"Senior," Ji Ning responded quickly.

"Tell me," the old gardener said, looking at Ji Ning with a smile, "should these people live or die? If you say they deserve death, I will kill them. If you say they should be spared, I will release them. What do you think?"

Ji Ning was startled.

The fifty-five members of the Seamless Gate in the air were also stunned.

"Whether to kill or not is entirely up to you, Senior," Ji Ning said immediately. He would not be so tactless as to say "they deserve death." If this Daofather was merely joking and had no real intention to start a conflict, his speaking out rashly would be disastrous.

"It seems you still have doubts, eh." The old gardener sighed. "In the Three Realms, let alone them. Even if it were Lü Dongbin, the treasured disciple of the Daoist leader, this old man would kill him with a single slash."

Ji Ning was shocked.

Above, True Immortal Flowing Hua, Withered Grass Immortal, Immortal Darkcloud, Threeyang True God, Abandonbeast True God, and Venomous Clown Immortal's expressions changed dramatically.

"Elder Yuan?"

They had all guessed it.

"Is it Senior Elder Yuan?" True Immortal Flowing Hua spoke. The only person in the Three Realms who dared to kill Lü Dongbin and referred to himself as 'this old man' was the perpetually low-key and mysterious Elder Yuan.

"Correct, it is this old man." The old gardener looked at them with a smile. "Do you still believe I dare not kill you?"

The Seamless Gate cultivators led by Flowing Hua were all filled with terror, their calm composure shattered. Yet they also grumbled inwardly... You are the mighty Elder Yuan. If you want to kill us, just do it. Why drag this out with so much talk? The rumors were true. This Elder Yuan really was a crazy, eccentric old man.

"Elder Yuan?" Ji Ning and Yu Wei both revealed looks of surprise.

Yu Wei knew from Lü Dongbin about some of the Daofathers of the Three Realms. Ji Ning, though he had not deliberately studied all the True Gods and Daofathers on Mount Innerheart, had often heard idle discussions among the disciples of the Tristar Crescent Abode. 'Elder Yuan' was a name frequently mentioned.

Elder Yuan was also a True God born from the primordial chaos, but his comprehension was far superior to Daoist Threelives. His status was also much higher. He had long ago grasped control of a Heavenly Dao and become a Daolord of the Grand Dao! And his strength only increased from there. He did not pledge allegiance to the Daoist or Buddhist paths. He followed his own path, and his power was supreme. He was one of the truly most顶尖 Daofathers of the Three Realms. Two of his own disciples had become Daofathers. Furthermore, he had three close, sworn friends who were also powerful Daofathers of the Three Realms.

He and those three friends were known throughout the Three Realms as the 'Four Ancestors of the River Yuan.' Their bond was extremely deep; they advanced and retreated together. They were four powerful Daofathers. Adding their other disciples and friends, they formed a very powerful faction in the Three Realms.

And Elder Yuan was the strongest and the leader of the Four Ancestors of the River Yuan!

Just how strong was he?

No one knew. Some said Elder Yuan was slightly weaker than the two leaders of the Daoist and Buddhist paths. Others said he was comparable to them. In short, he was a crazy, eccentric old man of terrifying power.

"How unfortunate!" Flowing Hua and the others' hearts were filled with bitterness.

Currently, the two major camps of the Three Realms were set. Patriarch Subhuti and the others had chosen their sides long ago. But the faction of the Four Ancestors of the River Yuan remained neutral. Although no one could stay aloof when the final war between the two camps broke out, both camps were currently trying to recruit the Four Ancestors of the River Yuan. They were simply too strong. They weren't ordinary Daofathers. These four old fellows were all Chaos True Gods by birth, elites among Daofathers. Elder Yuan, in particular, was one of the most supreme major powers of the Three Realms.

If Patriarch Subhuti dared to come kill them, the major powers behind the Seamless Gate would surely intervene, as they were enemies. But if Elder Yuan killed them, the major powers behind the Seamless Gate would absolutely not dare to stop him. They had been constantly trying to win over the Four Ancestors of the River Yuan. How could they risk offending this old man?

"You see, I wasn't joking with you." The old gardener smiled at Ji Ning. "I'll ask you one more time. Should they live or die? Say they deserve death, and I will kill them."

This time, Ji Ning did not hesitate. He nodded. "They deserve death."

"Good." The old gardener nodded with satisfaction. "Now that's decisive."

"Senior!"

The Seamless Gate members, hung in the sky like paintings on a wall, were all terrified.

"Go." The old gardener casually tossed his large iron shears. The shears flew out. They were clearly just ordinary gardening shears, the kind that might break if used to cut stone. But now, they flew toward those True Immortals and True Gods in the sky. Even a True God's clone possessed a divine body of incomparable toughness.

Crack!

It was like cutting through paper. The True God's body was snipped in two. Its aura instantly vanished, dead beyond death.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

True Immortal Flowing Hua, Withered Grass Immortal, Venomous Clown Immortal... they were all terrified and frantic, shouting "Senior!" But still, with a series of cracks, they were snipped to death. The great iron shears moved slowly, yet no major power intervened to stop them. In a short span of time, all fifty-five members of the Seamless Gate in the sky were dead.

Ji Ning's eyes lit up.

Wonderful!

These bastards had dared to come to his home to kill him. To see them wiped out so cleanly was truly satisfying.

"Here," the old gardener said. "These Seamless Gate scoundrels only sent clones and avatars, but they brought some decent stuff. There are three supreme-grade Pure Yang treasures and even an Innate spirit-treasure." He waved his hand, and the treasures left behind by the dead Seamless Gate cultivators in midair all flew down to the open space in front of Ji Ning and Yu Wei. "This old man has no use for them. They're yours."

Ji Ning blinked.

Yu Wei was also stunned.

Theirs? Just like that?

Ji Ning had become a disciple of Patriarch Subhuti and gone through immense hardship and luck in the Tristar Crescent Grand World to obtain a single Innate spirit-treasure, the Rahu Bow, and that one was even missing its bowstring. This Elder Yuan was even more generous than his own master!

"What, you won't take them?" Elder Yuan's eyes widened.

"I'll take them, I'll take them." Ji Ning was startled and immediately said, "When a senior bestows a gift, how dare a junior refuse?" He waved his hand and stored them away.

"That's more like it. Do everything with directness. None of this wishy-washy, girlish nonsense." Elder Yuan laughed. "I've been living on your Brightmoon Island for a few months now."

A few months?

Ji Ning was confused. Hadn't this old gardener been here the whole time?

"This old gardener was merely possessed by me," Elder Yuan said with a grin. "After staying for a few months, you finally came back to Brightmoon Island. Hmm. I watched you practice your sword several times. Your swordplay is good, but your Heartforce control is even better."

Watched me practice?

Ji Ning thought back. Besides this time, the old gardener hadn't seemed to be around. Ah, but of course. With Elder Yuan's power, watching him practice his sword from any distance would be trivial.

"But still," Elder Yuan said, puzzled, "Why do I find you so dense?"

"Dense?" Ji Ning was confused. No one had ever called him dense before!

"You've already managed to use Heartforce on your sword-fingers," Elder Yuan said. "Why haven't you thought about using Heartforce on your legs, or even your entire body? That way, when you use your teleportation or evasion divine abilities, your speed would greatly increase! You wouldn't be forced to just stand there stupidly and take hits when facing those True Immortals and True Gods. You'd have a much better chance of escaping."

Ji Ning shook his head. "Using Heartforce... it's not that easy. It took me eighteen years of contemplation to figure out how to apply it to my sword-fingers."

"Hard, is it? That's because you don't have a good teacher. That master of yours is completely useless when it comes to Heartforce." Elder Yuan smiled. "What do you think of my strength?"

"Your strength is naturally extraordinary, Senior," Ji Ning said quickly.

"Then why aren't you quickly bowing to me as your master!" Elder Yuan puffed out his chest.