A Declaration of War

Mindheart Island.

Ji Ning and the others descended from the skies. When the maids and servants on Mindheart Island saw them, they immediately called out respectfully, “Master.”

“Ji Ning, you’ve returned.” A black-robed Ji Liuzhen walked over, his face filled with anxiety.

“Uncle Liuzhen.” Ji Ning smiled. “What’s the matter, so urgent?”

“How could I not be urgent? If I hadn’t known you were undergoing your tribulation, I would have gone looking for you long ago. Fortunately, fortunately you made it back in time.” Ji Liuzhen said. At this moment, an armored military officer also walked over from not too far away. Ji Ning recognized him at a glance as a general of the Grand Xia imperial capital’s Forbidden Army, a Loose Immortal soldier.

Ji Liuzhen quickly said, “This general rushed over from the Grand Xia imperial capital, bearing a command from the Xia Emperor. He’s been waiting here for two months for you.”

“Waiting for two months?” Ji Ning was surprised.

“If you hadn’t returned in another three days, even knowing you were undergoing your tribulation, I would have had to go find you.” Ji Liuzhen said.

Ji Ning’s Primaltwin undergoing the tribulation was not a secret. The Xia Emperor knew, the Seamless Gate knew… Ji Ning naturally didn’t bother to hide it.

“What does the Xia Emperor want?” Ji Ning looked at the Forbidden Army general.

The general bowed respectfully. “Northmoon Immortal, I have been ordered by the Xia Emperor to personally deliver this to you.” In his hands, he held a roll of beast-hide.

With a wave of his hand, Ji Ning accepted it.

“Then I will take my leave.” The general turned and departed crisply.

“I’ll see the general off.” Clan Leader Ji Liuzhen went to see him out.

Ji Ning, however, unrolled the beast-hide scroll. The Diancai Immortal, Yu Wei, and the others all watched with curiosity. What could be so urgent?

As soon as he glanced at the beast-hide, Ji Ning’s expression changed slightly.

“Ji Ning. What is it?” the Diancai Immortal asked. “If it’s something that cannot be spoken of to outsiders, no need to say it.”

“There’s nothing to hide.” Ji Ning said. At this moment, Ji Liuzhen, who had been seeing the general off, also returned. Ji Liuzhen said urgently, “I only heard from the messenger general that it was a matter of utmost urgency, that it absolutely had to be delivered to you before the sixth day of the eighth month. Fortunately, there are still seven days until the sixth of the eighth month. You made it back just in time. Right, what exactly is on that beast-hide?”

Ji Ning swept his gaze around. Mu Northson, Little Qing, Autumn Leaf, the Diancai Immortal, Yu Wei… all of them were looking at him.

“The Seamless Gate is about to truly go to war with the Grand Xia Dynasty.” Ji Ning said.

“War?”

“It’s finally beginning.”

“This…”

Everyone felt their hearts sink. In truth, they had long been prepared. After all, in the Three Realms, some major worlds had already started their wars long ago, with even some weaker major worlds being conquered. Of course, the stronger a major world, the slower the offensive. The Grand Xia world was only now on the verge of action. If the Seamless Gate wished to truly conquer it, it wouldn’t be accomplished overnight.

“At this moment, one must choose a side.” Ji Ning said. “Believe me, very soon, the entire Grand Xia world will be divided into only two major camps. One is the Xia Emperor’s side, which is Daofather Crimsonbright’s side. The other is the Seamless Gate’s side. As for us… there’s no question we stand on the Xia Emperor’s side.”

“Mm.” Everyone present nodded.

They had long known of Ji Ning’s enmity with the Seamless Gate. Ji Ning was the leader of their faction, so they naturally followed him.

Ji Ning was also definitely following Patriarch Subhuti. Whether it was Bodhi or Daoist Threelives, both stood on Nuwa’s side. Whether from his sense of belonging or his own personal preference, Ji Ning would stand with Nuwa.

“On the evening of the sixth day of the eighth month, I will go to the Tiamang Hall in the Grand Xia imperial capital. I expect many Celestial Immortals, and even True Immortals and Empyrean Gods, will appear there.” Ji Ning said. “The Ji clan only needs me to participate in the battle. The rest of you are not required.”

“Then what about our Black-White College?” the Diancai Immortal asked.

“I trust the news has already reached the Black-White College.” Ji Ning said. “I’m not entirely sure of the details myself, Master. If you return to the Black-White College, you will know immediately.”

“Mm, I’ll go and see right now.” The Diancai Immortal nodded, then immediately rode a cloud into the sky, quickly disappearing.

Ji Ning continued, “I will go to the Tiamang Hall on the sixth of the eighth month. Before that, our Ji clan needs to be relocated.”

“Relocated?” Autumn Leaf, Ji Liuzhen, Uncle White, and the others were all taken aback.

“Ji Ning, relocate where?” Ji Liuzhen asked.

“This is a Pure Yang magic treasure, the Violet Mist Bead.” Ji Ning flipped his hand, revealing a purple bead with a riot of colors. This bead was one of the six Pure Yang treasures he had obtained when he dealt with the eighteen Celestial Immortals of the Seamless Gate back then. Although those eighteen Celestial Immortals had a few Pure Yang treasures among them, not a single one was a top-grade Pure Yang treasure!

The Violet Mist Bead was a treasure used to confuse and capture enemies. It contained a minor world within, no smaller than the Earth of his past life. It would be easy to have the Ji clan live within it.

“A Pure Yang magic treasure?” Ji Liuzhen was somewhat shocked. To many cultivators, a Pure Yang treasure was the stuff of legends. Even to use a Pure Yang treasure, one had to be at least a Celestial Immortal. The requirements were that stringent.

But Yu Wei, Uncle White, and the others remained very calm. Their horizons were far broader.

“With this war in the Grand Xia, I cannot guarantee the safety of the Swallow Mountain area. The only option is to relocate.” Ji Ning said. “Uncle Liuzhen, set your mind at ease. I will naturally ensure the Ji clan’s safety.”

“Very well, I will go and give the orders immediately, to have the clan members make their preparations.” Ji Liuzhen said.

“Good. I will carry out the relocation in three days.” Ji Ning said.

…

Night.

Ji Ning, the Diancai Immortal, Yu Wei, and Celestial Immortal Tonghe met at the Black-White College.

“By the Xia Emperor’s command, the two Celestial Immortals of our Black-White College, as well as all Loose Immortals, must report to the imperial capital’s palace by the evening of the sixth day of the eighth month.” The Diancai Immortal said.

“It is the same for our Anchan Northmont clan. All Loose Immortals and Celestial Immortals are required to go.” Celestial Immortal Tonghe sighed emotionally. “The Xia Emperor is still merciful. He hasn’t forced Primal Daoists or Void-level Earth Immortals to join the battle.”

Then, Celestial Immortal Tonghe smiled. “Ah, right. The Seamless Gate also sent someone to invite me, asking me to go to Baiji City on the sixth of the eighth month. If I go, I am a friend, not an enemy.”

“They dared to invite you even now?” The Diancai Immortal was surprised.

“It seems the Seamless Gate thinks Senior Tonghe might have lost his mind and defected to them.” Ji Ning laughed.

“It appears that neither the Xia Emperor nor the Seamless Gate is hiding anything. Both have chosen the sixth day of the eighth month.” Celestial Immortal Tonghe sighed. “Only… one is the Grand Xia imperial capital’s palace, and the other is Baiji City. It seems… the Baiji clan has already defected to the Seamless Gate!”

Ji Ning and the Diancai Immortal looked solemn.

The Baiji clan…

This was a very low-key clan, so low-key it was almost absurd. Throughout the entire Grand Xia imperial capital, one could almost never see the Baiji clan making any moves. And yet, the Baiji clan was one of the top ten ancient tribes of the entire Grand Xia Dynasty. They were content in their corner, not interested in holding official posts in the imperial capital. They had long since turned their fief, Baiji Commandery, into an impregnable fortress. The power of this clan far surpassed that of the张扬 Shao Yan clan! Who would have expected them to have quietly defected to the Seamless Gate, even becoming the headquarters for the Seamless Gate’s gathering of forces this time? For them to be trusted enough to use Baiji City as a rallying point showed that the Baiji clan was very highly trusted within the Seamless Gate.

“Back then, the Xia Emperor relied on the backing of the ancient imperial clan to get all the other tribes to submit and eventually unify the world.” Celestial Immortal Tonghe said. “In truth, several tribes had once contended with the Xiamang clan. The Baiji clan was one of them. They simply lacked the foundation and ultimately submitted.”

“If all the world’s tribes united, the Xiamang clan would find it impossible to resist.” Celestial Immortal Tonghe said. “There was even a rebellion of feudal lords before. That was why the Xia Emperor later built the great fortresses, making his rule much more stable.”

“I wonder… how many feudal lords have defected to the Seamless Gate.” Celestial Immortal Tonghe sighed.

Ji Ning nodded.

Feudal lords were not all the same.

The Xiamang, Zhuanshui, and others were all branches of the ancient great clans!

The Baiji clan, however, was founded in this newly born Grand Xia world by a lone cultivator, ‘Celestial Immortal Baiji,’ after the ancient Pangu world was shattered. Later, Celestial Immortal Baiji broke through to become a True Immortal of Pure Yang. The Baiji clan naturally flourished and grew strong. Unfortunately, the Baiji clan had no powerful backers. The tribe was solely the creation of the Baiji True Immortal, unlike the Xiamang, Zhuanshui, and other clans, which had ancient great clans behind them.

“The Baiji True Immortal has always been extremely low-key. After the unification of the Grand Xia, he never made a move in the Grand Xia world again.” Celestial Immortal Tonghe said. “I know of two other Empyrean Gods and True Immortals… one from the Zhuanshui clan, the other from the Tiannong clan. They have also never made a move in the Grand Xia world. Clearly, they are unwilling to be enemies with the Xia Emperor.”

Ji Ning was surprised.

The Tiannong clan?

He knew that the Zhuanshui clan had an Empyrean God behind it, but this was the first time he had learned that the Tiannong clan also had an Empyrean God or True Immortal backing it. This Celestial Immortal Tonghe, who had lived through the Primordial Fiendgod Era, truly knew many more secrets than the average person.

…

Ji Ning and the others were undoubtedly on the Xia Emperor’s side, but they were also worried about the strength of the Seamless Gate faction.

Two powers vying for supremacy.

Would it be a crushing defeat for the Xia Emperor’s side, or a rout for the Seamless Gate faction?

Everything was still unknown. What was certain was that this time, it would be brutal. After all, many major worlds had already been occupied, and many more were in the throes of war. The power of the Seamless Gate had long sent tremors through the hearts of all factions in the Three Realms.

Ji Ning’s Primaltwin easily refined the Pure Yang magic treasure, the Violet Mist Bead, and began the relocation of the entire Ji clan. The Ji clan didn’t have many members, so the relocation was easy. In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, they were all moved.

In the high skies.

Ji Ning, Yu Wei, Uncle White, Little Qing, Autumn Leaf, Mu Northson, and Ji Liuzhen stood atop a cloud, looking down at the boundless earth below.

“We are leaving Swallow Mountain.” Ji Liuzhen sighed emotionally. This was the land where the Ji clan had lived and prospered for generations.

“We will return.” The black-robed Ji Ning said.

Whoosh.

Ji Ning suddenly waved his hand, his Celestial Immortal’s ki surging as he cast the ‘Move Mountains and Overturn Seas’ spell. In the space between heaven and earth, a giant hand of heavenly energy, hundreds of kilometers in size, formed. This faint, hazy giant hand was a convergence of air currents. It reached down and grabbed!

The hundred-kilometer-wide Winged Serpent Lake, including the Mindheart Island at its center, was completely caught. Not a single drop of water was spilled.

“Collect.” Ji Ning cast his spell, directly storing the entire Winged Serpent Lake into the Violet Mist Bead.

Winged Serpent Lake held great meaning for him. He didn’t want to leave it here, only to have it be destroyed. If that happened, he would regret it for the rest of his life. He was only a Celestial Immortal now. If he had the ki of a True Immortal of Pure Yang, he could have moved the entire ten-thousand-li Swallow Mountain range in one go!

…

The underwater estate.

Ji Ning left the War God Hall. He had already successfully cleared the highest floor of the War God Hall, the tenth floor.

“War is about to break out. It’s time for me to choose the Pure Yang magic treasure that suits me.” Ji Ning headed towards the Treasure Hall.