The Weight of Three Years

On the walls of the Seamless City.

Whitepolar True Immortal and the red-pupiled elder in black robes with black hair were standing side by side, gazing into the distance at a great battle taking place ten thousand li away. Nine Xingtian Spirits were locked in slaughter with four White-Faced Flood Dragons and nine Celestial Puppets.

“Daochist Chibing,” Whitepolar True Immortal said calmly, “Daochist Wu Xiao asked you to come and kill Ji Ning. I wonder, when will you make your move?”

In terms of a direct confrontation, Whitepolar True Immortal was quite confident that not even his junior apprentice-sister, Greenfox, would be his match. But when it came to killing… Whitepolar True Immortal dared not compare himself to Chibing True Immortal. Combat and assassination were entirely different concepts, and Chibing True Immortal was exceptionally skilled at the latter. His methods for killing were numerous. Within the Seamless Gate’s camp, Chibing True Immortal held a very transcendent status. Even the Godking’s hundred direct Seamless Gates had no authority to deploy him; Chibing True Immortal answered only to the Godking himself. Even Whitepolar could not mobilize this man. He found it baffling… how had an ordinary Celestial Immortal like Wu Xiao managed to do so? Wu Xiao always seemed mysterious to Whitepolar.

“No rush. The time isn’t right,” Chibing True Immortal said calmly.

“By the way, Daochist Chibing, this Daochist Wu Xiao went to the trouble of inviting you. The price must have been considerable,” Whitepolar said.

Chibing True Immortal glanced at Whitepolar and grinned. “You wouldn’t guess.”

“Then I’ll have to hazard a guess,” Whitepolar said, his mind stirring as he smiled.

“I won’t tell you,” Chibing shook his head. “But don’t worry. Since I’ve accepted Wu Xiao’s commission, I will do my utmost, sparing no expense, to slay this Ji Ning.”

Whitepolar nodded slowly. It was unrealistic to try and recruit such a formidable figure. He then asked, “You say now isn’t the time. So when?”

“Wait patiently,” Chibing said, his gaze fixed on Ji Ning, the most powerful of the nine Xingtian Spirits in the distance.

“Wait?” Whitepolar frowned.

Chibing glanced at him before explaining, “The more careless the opponent is, the greater my chance of success in the kill. But the war has just begun. Ji Ning and the rest, including the Xia Emperor, are all being extremely cautious.”

“But they will remain cautious,” Whitepolar said.

“It’s different.”

Chibing shook his head. “Their current caution is directed at everything. But after a series of battles, a long, drawn-out war… they will gradually become familiar with it. When they grow accustomed to it… their vigilance towards familiar situations will naturally decrease. Although they may still be cautious in their hearts, they will unconsciously lower their guard regarding things they have become used to.”

Whitepolar nodded thoughtfully.

“To put it simply, after a long period of fighting, even in constant danger, one becomes numb to the dangerous environment,” Chibing said. “I need to wait until he becomes numb.”

“When that time comes, I’ll be watching your methods, Daochist Chibing. Our Seamless Gate has expended considerable effort trying to kill this Ji Ning, and we haven’t succeeded yet,” Whitepolar said with a smile.

Chibing shook his head. “The Seamless Gate has many formidable figures. Just how many can Commander Greenfox’s division deploy? If the Godking truly wished to kill Ji Ning… and was willing to battle the Daofathers backing him, regardless of the cost, Ji Ning would have died long ago.”

Chibing’s gaze fell upon the distant Xingtian Spirit form of Ji Ning, and he spoke with a light sigh of admiration. “A truly peerless freak of talent. What a pity…”

Chibing True Immortal possessed extraordinary patience.

He waited for three years.

Three years later, in the early morning. Mist filled the air.

On an endless stretch of wilderness scarred by countless craters, seven ten-thousand-zhang tall Xingtian Spirits and five Celestial Puppets were battling against three White-Faced Flood Dragons and eight Celestial Puppets. The earth shook and mountains collapsed, turning into rubble-strewn ruins.

“Clang! Clang! Clang!”

The Xingtian Spirit of Ji Ning wielded two divine swords that sometimes appeared and sometimes vanished in his hands. Sword-light flashed as he struck with heavy fists or delivered sinister claw strikes… He was locked in combat with the Poisonqu White-Faced Flood Dragon, with Tonghe Celestial Immortal occasionally lending a hand. The two of them together were enough to hold this Poisonqu White-Faced Flood Dragon at bay.

“Retreat,” the Poisonqu White-Faced Flood Dragon ordered.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! In an instant, the towering, ten-thousand-zhang figures quickly regrouped and withdrew.

Ji Ning watched from afar.

“Retreat,” Ji Ning sent a mental order.

Immediately, the seven Xingtian Spirits and five Celestial Puppets vanished, returning to the Eight Dragons Cloudcity.

Inside the Eight Dragons Cloudcity.

The seven great legions had completely disbanded. A vast number of Celestial Immortals and Loose Immortals flew towards their respective barracks, while the seven commanders turned and flew towards the city walls of the Eight Dragons Cloudcity.

Whoosh!

On the city wall, the seven of them sat on the edge.

“Here, try some of my fine wine today. This is some Immortal wine I got from attending the Peach Banquet back in the ancient era. This is all I have left now, but today we’re alive, so today we drink. Come, come, come!” Madman Celestial Immortal laughed heartily, but deep in his eyes, there was a trace of sorrow.

“Madman’s wine is always good,” Ji Ning said, accepting a gourd.

The others also took gourds with smiles.

Each of them held a gourd of wine, drinking.

At the very beginning of the war between the Grand Xia and the Seamless Gate, when there were still nine commanders, they had established a rule… After every battle, the nine of them would gather to reflect on the previous fight and absorb experience. However, as the battles became more frequent, Ji Ning and the others found it difficult to gain any new insights. Their cooperation had become nearly perfect. So, their post-battle gatherings often turned into drinking sessions. After three years of life-and-death slaughters, they had become as close as brothers and sisters, and they had grown accustomed to these gatherings.

“Xishui.”

“Qianzhen.”

Ji Ning’s heart was heavy.

His feelings for Xishui Celestial Immortal were somewhat less intense. Xishui had died half a year into the war. Although they had shared a bond of brotherhood, it hadn’t deepened to the point of being inseparable.

But as for Fairy Qianzhen…

Everyone, including Ji Ning, Tonghe, and Fuchen, felt deep pain. The one who hurt the most was Madman.

A prolonged war would inevitably see Immortals die. Ji Ning and the others had been prepared for this. Four of the original nine had their Xingtian Spirits crippled. Xishui had been severely wounded in the first battle, and Tonghe’s spirit was crippled in the second month of the war. Tonghe survived, and his legion was reinforced with new Immortals.

Half a year into the war, Xishui was severely wounded again. But this time, he didn’t have the same luck. He was beheaded on the spot, and many Celestial and Loose Immortals under his command also died.

With the reinforcements for Tonghe’s legion depleting the reserve of Immortals, Xishui’s legion was not rebuilt. The nine legions became eight.

Later, Ten Thousand Beasts Celestial Immortal’s legion was also crippled once, but he was lucky enough to survive.

The fourth to be crippled was Fairy Qianzhen.

Qianzhen… Ji Ning sighed silently. Qianzhen had died just over a month ago. That somewhat cold and aloof fairy, after three years of fighting side by side, had become a close friend. They had even learned that Madman had been pursuing her for endless ages, without success.

But during these three years of shared life-and-death struggles, the relationship between Madman and Fairy Qianzhen gradually deepened. Ji Ning and the others often teased them about it.

Who could have known…

That battle!

In that battle, Greenfox True Immortal, Triyang Celestial Deity, and Abandoned Beast Celestial Deity had appeared simultaneously. In their battles, Celestial Deities and True Immortals were not uncommon. But it was Greenfox True Immortal’s first time making a move… She was a Celestial Deity and a godbeast with a high level of Dao comprehension. Her initial appearance was far more powerful than Ji Ning’s side had anticipated. The Xia Emperor even had to intervene personally.

But the battlefield changed too fast!

The Xingtian Spirit Qianzhen was crippled, and Fairy Qianzhen died on the spot.

At that moment, Madman went completely berserk. Ji Ning and the others also fought with reddened eyes. But there was nothing they could do… After successfully destroying one Xingtian Spirit, the enemy immediately withdrew.

It hurt!

That cold woman who had shared their life and death, who occasionally revealed a stunning smile when Madman teased her, was gone.

“Beiming, you’re the youngest, definitely the eighth. Come on, call me Second Sister,” Fairy Qianzhen had once teased Ji Ning. Ji Ning was still used to calling her ‘Qianzhen’. This had happened a year into the war, after Xishui died. As time passed, their bond deepened. A year into the war, they naturally swore an oath of life-and-death brotherhood.

Ji Ning was naturally the youngest, the eighth brother.

Such oaths were rare, but when feelings were truly deep enough, it happened naturally.

“Qianzhen,” Ji Ning glanced at Madman.

Madman and Qianzhen had already become Dao-companions. Qianzhen’s death had hit Madman hard. He was no longer mad and demented; he had become somber.

“If Yu Wei died, could I bear it?” Ji Ning asked himself. He found that he couldn’t even imagine it, because it was something he couldn’t endure.

“Time to go. We should head back,” Ji Ning said, tilting his head back and draining the last drop of Immortal wine from his gourd.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

“Get a good rest. We still have battles ahead.”

Three years of grueling war had changed them profoundly. They had grown fonder of sleep, as it could wash away their mental exhaustion. They had lost their former ethereal, immortal grace and had instead become rougher, more casual, and at ease.

After parting with his seven brothers and sisters, Ji Ning walked back to the barracks.

“General.”

“General.”

The Celestial Immortals and Loose Immortals along the way showed Ji Ning a respect that came from the depths of their hearts. For three years, their Beiming Legion had never been crippled, all because of this peerless figure who had become a Celestial Immortal in less than a hundred years of cultivation.

Ji Ning arrived at his dwelling.

Yu Wei had already prepared a meal and was waiting for him.

“You reek of wine,” Yu Wei said with a smile.

Ji Ning’s eyes fell upon her belly. It was now quite prominent and large. He smiled and said, “Our child, born of a Celestial Immortal and a Fiendgod, still refuses to come out of his mother’s belly.”

“For the children of gods and immortals, a gestation period of a year or two is short. Several decades is common,” Yu Wei said with a laugh. “Some born from the essence of heaven and earth gestate for tens of millions of years.”

“Ours won’t take that long,” Ji Ning said, leaning in and pressing his ear against Yu Wei’s belly. He could already hear the heartbeat within.