Matters in Yan Mountain

"This is Territory Protection Talisman the Yinglong Guard." Xuanfengzi's tone was calm, but his words struck everyone like a thunderclap. "This token was obtained by your son, Ji An, who specially entrusted me to deliver it."

As soon as he finished speaking, the token and letter floated slowly from his palm and landed steadily in front of Ji Yichuan.

Ji Yichuan had long heard of the Yinglong Guard, but he never imagined that his son, who had been away from home for only half a year, would have already joined the ranks of such a top-tier force.

"This is a letter written by your son. Now that it has been delivered, I shall take my leave." After saying this, Xuanfengzi, without waiting for Ji Yichuan to stop him, transformed into a streak of azure light and disappeared into the horizon in an instant.

The overwhelming pressure that had enveloped the entire mansion dissipated as if it had never existed, leaving the entire Ji Clan West Prefecture in a deathly silence.

Ji Yichuan caught the token and letter that floated towards him. He didn't examine the token closely, but instead opened the letter first. Familiar handwriting came into view; it was written by Ji An himself.

Father, Mother, Xiao Ning:

Seeing this letter is like seeing you in person.

Your son is doing well and there, so don't worry about him.

I have now successfully passed the Yinglong Guard trial and officially become One-Clawed Yinglong Guard.

This token is a privilege of the Yinglong Guard. With Myriad Swords City as its core, the entire area within a radius of ten thousand miles is under the protection of the Yinglong Guard.

Father can hand it over to the clan chief, who will refine it and hang it at the gate of Myriad Swords City. After that, no one in this territory will dare to offend the Ji Clan in the slightest.

My son is currently in seclusion in Anchan City, diligently cultivating his spiritual practice, striving for further advancement in his spiritual realm.

The mother must persist in the practice of visualization to nourish the origin of the soul. Once the son has achieved spiritual cultivation, she will seek a cure.

The grudge of Snow Dragon Mountain will never be forgotten, and one day I will make them pay for it in blood.

Now that your child is capable of protecting himself, your parents don't need to worry too much.

Xiao Ning, you must diligently cultivate at home and not slack off in the slightest. Several years later, when I return to my hometown, I will have a good exchange with you.

The letter from Ji An was short, but the three of them read it for a long time. The courtyard remained so quiet that they could hear each other breathing.

Ji Yichuan's fingers trembled slightly. He took several deep breaths before he could barely suppress the turmoil in his heart.

The Yinglong Guard! They are a behemoth in Anchan Commandery that no one dares to provoke easily.

How could his son, Ji An, become one of them in just six months?

He knew that Ji An was exceptionally talented, but he never imagined that his son had become so strong.

Originally, it was thought that Ji An would be fortunate enough to gain a foothold in Anchan City, but unexpectedly, he directly joined Yinglong Guard. This is not to question Ji An's strength, but rather because his cultivation time is still short and this achievement is truly astonishing.

"An'er—he—he really became a Yinglong Guard?" Yuchi Xue gripped Ji Yichuan's arm tightly, her eyes shining brightly with a mixture of joy and worry. "How could this child be so bold! The Yinglong Guard isn't something one can join easily! Was he injured? Why didn't the letter mention it at all—"

As a mother, her primary concern was always her child's safety. While she was delighted by her son's achievements, she was also aware of the dangers of joining the Yinglong Guard and felt deeply uneasy.

"Father, Mother, what exactly is the Yinglong Guard?" Ji Ning couldn't help but ask, looking at his parents' excited yet complicated expressions.

Although he was intelligent and precocious, and had witnessed Ji An's extraordinary strength, he had too little experience and knew very little about the vast Heaven and Earth and top forces of Anchan Commandery.

The aura of that Senior Xuanfengzi was far more vast and powerful than any Violet Palace Cultivator he had ever seen. How could his brother have such a powerful figure personally come to deliver gifts?

The three words "Yinglong Guard" instantly shrouded him in a veil of mystery and power.

Ji Yichuan snapped out of his reverie, looked into his son's inquisitive eyes, and then looked down at the heavy Yinglong Guard Token and letter in his hand, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He pulled Ji Ning and Yuchi Xue to sit down at the stone table in the courtyard, and gently placed the token on the table. "Ning'er, this Yinglong Guard —has an extremely powerful background."

His gaze swept into the distance, towards Anchan City: "The land we inhabit is called Anchan Commandery, a vast and boundless expanse. Our Yan Mountain region is but an insignificant corner within Anchan Commandery. The forces here are intricately intertwined, and powerful figures are as numerous as carp crossing a river."

"Among them, there are eight universally recognized top-tier forces!" Ji Yichuan's voice carried a hint of awe. "Each of these eight forces possesses a terrifyingly profound foundation, wielding terrifying power capable of overturning rivers and seas and moving mountains and filling oceans. Their ranks are filled with powerful figures, making them truly behemoths—"

Ji Yichuan explained it to Ji Ning in detail, and Ji Ning listened with eyes full of awe.

For the first time, he realized so clearly the vastness of the world and understood how insignificant the Ji Clan Yan Mountain was in this vast Heaven and Earth.

Even the Snow Dragon Mountain, which the family once feared, seemed insignificant in his father's description.

"However," Ji Yichuan changed the subject, his tone filled with even greater awe, "Above these eight major powers, there is an existence that even they dare not easily provoke!"

"Firstly, there is the ancient royal family that rules Anchan Commandery —the Marquis of Marquis of Anch’an, Northmont Clan! The Northmont Clan has a solid foundation and unfathomable strength. They are the supreme Rulers of Anchan Commandery, and there are even Heavenly Immortal residing in their clan."

"And the other one—" Ji Yichuan's gaze returned to the token, "Is this Yinglong Guard!"

"The Yinglong Guard is one of the strongest fighting forces directly under the Great Xia Dynasty, the sharpest sword in His Majesty the Xia Emperor's hand!" Ji Yichuan continued, "Legend the Yinglong Guard is spread throughout every inch of the Great Xia Dynasty's territory, with branches in every prefecture, and its members are all top-tier cultivators who have fought their way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood!"

"The Yinglong Guard wields immense power!" Ji Yichuan emphasized. "They represent the majesty of the Great Xia Dynasty, monitoring all directions, slaying evil spirits, and suppressing rebellions. Wherever they go, even the Anchan Marquisate must show them due respect."

Ji Ning was deeply moved. Her brother was so powerful that he could bring such protection to the family!

An unprecedented sense of longing and motivation ignited within him; he too wanted to become stronger, as strong as his brother!

As night deepened, the lights of the Ji Clan West Prefecture twinkled.

Carrying the token, Ji Yichuan hurriedly headed to Myriad Swords City to inform Clan Chief Ji Jiuhuo of this earth-shattering news.

Ji Ning stood alone in the moonlit training ground, wielding two swords, practicing diligently again and again, the sword light intertwining in the moonlight.

Myriad Swords City, the clan leader's quiet room.

Ji Yichuan rushed over and solemnly handed the token in his hand to the clan leader, Ji Jiuhuo: "Clan leader! Please look at this!"

Inside the quiet room, the red-haired, gray-robed old man took the token, his eyes filled with doubt. "This is--?" He had never seen Ji Yichuan so excited.

"An'er brought it back." Ji Yichuan took a deep breath, his tone full of pride, "An'er—he has successfully passed the trial and officially become a 'Yinglong Guard' of the Great Xia Dynasty!"

"Yinglong Guard?!" Ji Jiuhuo's pupils constricted sharply, and he asked in a trembling voice, "Ji An?"

For the Ji Clan, who lived in seclusion in the Yan Mountains, this name was like Legend from the clouds!

That was the pinnacle of military power in the Great Xia Dynasty, representing supreme authority.

He had traveled extensively in his youth and was well aware of the weight behind the name "Yinglong Guard".

He simply couldn't believe that Ji An could become one of them—in his memory, Ji An was only a little over ten years old, how could he possess such abilities?

"Indeed, Clan Chief." Ji Yichuan nodded, explaining the token's effects in detail. "This is a territory protection decree specially granted by the Yinglong Guard." An'er specifically instructed that the entire territory within a radius of ten thousand miles centered on this token is protected by the ironclad laws of the Yinglong Guard. Anyone who dares to infringe upon my Ji Clan within this area is provoking the Yinglong Guard and the Great Xia Dynasty!

"Protected for thousands of miles around?" Ji Jiuhuo muttered to himself, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. He knew better than anyone what this meant—from this day forward, no one would dare to easily provoke the Ji Clan!

Even the ever-watchful Snow Dragon Mountain would never dare to cross that line!

More importantly, the Ji Clan actually produced a Yinglong Guard!

Although he did not know the specific requirements for becoming Yinglong Guard, they must far exceed his current level of Violet Palace Complete Perfection!

Overwhelmed with joy, the old man, who had devoted his life to the family, stood up abruptly, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. "Heaven truly blesses the Ji Clan! Heaven blesses my Ji Clan!"

He raised the token high, and at that moment, it was as if he had unloaded the burden that had weighed on his heart for decades, and he could clearly see the bright future of the Ji Clan's rise. And all of this was because of Ji An!

"Yichuan!" Ji Jiuhuo said solemnly, "This is the foundation of my Ji Clan for ten thousand generations! Immediately hang this decree at the highest point of the main gate tower of Myriad Swords City, so that everyone entering and leaving Myriad Swords City can see it with their own eyes!"

A moment later, Ji Jiuhuo refined the token and personally hung it in the center of the city gate tower. The ancient token exuded a faint majesty in the sunlight, yet no spiritual energy fluctuations could be felt, making it appear even more mysterious.

A month later, residents and merchants inside and outside Myriad Swords City were discussing the token on the city gate, most of them puzzled.

"What's that hanging on the gate of the Ji Clan's city? It looks quite imposing."

"I don't know. It's neither gold nor wood, and it's engraved with dragon patterns. Could it be some kind of protective treasure for the city?"

"That old fellow Ji Jiuhuo is probably just playing tricks. No matter how much trouble the Ji Clan causes, they can't possibly turn the world upside down."

"It doesn't even look like a magical artifact; it doesn't even show a trace of spiritual energy—"

The other major powers in Yan Mountain also learned of the news quickly, but due to their limited perspective, they could not recognize the Yinglong Guard's insignia. They simply assumed it was some kind of antique or symbol that the Ji Clan had acquired and did not take it seriously.

However, when the news reached Snow Dragon Mountain's stronghold in Yan Mountain, it caused a huge uproar.

Inside the stronghold, the five Violet Palace Cultivators in charge of overseeing the operation gathered together. When the scout described the design of the token in detail, disbelief instantly filled their faces.

"That's the token of the Yinglong Guard!" A giant in armor suddenly stood up from his seat, his eyes filled with horror.

"Say it again, describe the design of the token clearly!" Dong Ziqi, dressed in a black robe, suddenly changed his expression, his usual composure vanished without a trace, and his tone was filled with barely concealed tension.

As disciples of Snow Dragon Mountain, they had seen the protection token of the Yinglong Guard within the sect and naturally recognized its insignia.

A green- Violet Palace Cultivator gasped, exclaiming, "Impossible! How could a small family like the Ji Clan receive a protection order from the Yinglong Guard?!"

They knew better than anyone how terrifying the Yinglong Guard was; even within the entire Snow Dragon Mountain, the number of Yinglong Guard members was extremely small. What merit did the Ji Clan possess to deserve such protection?

"There's no mistake." Another green-haired female cultivator said solemnly, "The Ji Clan — the Ji Clan actually produced a Yinglong Guard?"

"Could it be that Ji Jiuhuo has broken through?" the last Violet Palace Cultivator guessed. "But when I fought him a few years ago, he was clearly only at the Violet Palace Complete, far from reaching the Wanxiang Adept level."

"There's no need to guess anymore." Dong Ziqi, the strongest of the five, was the first to calm down, his tone heavy. "This matter has already exceeded our control. Immediately send a message back to the sect, reporting this matter in detail, and request the sect's decision!"

"That's right! Send the message quickly!" The other four echoed, and the hall fell into a deathly silence.

They gazed in the direction of Myriad Swords City, their eyes filled with a deep sense of powerlessness. The small token hanging on the city gate now seemed to them like a heavy mountain, threatening to crush them at any moment.

A newly promoted Yinglong Guard might not seem like much to the Snow Dragon Mountain headquarters, but to the cultivators stationed in Yan Mountain, it could be a matter of life and death.

They knew perfectly well that from the moment the token was hung on the gate of Myriad Swords City, the once insignificant Ji Clan had been transformed, and the entire landscape of Yan Mountain had been completely rewritten.

mm

Time flies like an arrow. Since that token was hung above the gate of Myriad Swords City, one year and eight months have passed in the blink of an eye.

This past year or so has been nothing short of earth-shattering for the remote Yan Mountain region.

As the strongest among the six overlords of Yan Mountain, Snow Dragon Mountain Violet Palace Cultivators like Dong Ziqi, who were at the Purple Mansion level, keep their distance from the Ji Clan's territory and even actively restrain their disciples to avoid any possible conflict.

The dominant forces in Yan Mountain immediately realized the terrifying power it contained.

Through various channels, they finally glimpsed a corner of the truth, revealing that the Ji Clan had climbed onto a behemoth beyond their wildest imagination.

From then on, the entire Ji Clan territory became a true "forbidden zone" in the Yan Mountain region.

Any possible attempts to test the waters have vanished.

Even the most arrogant tribal members become cautious and well-behaved when they enter the territory of the Ji Clan.

When members of the Ji Clan travel outside, regardless of their strength, they can all feel the awe-inspiring gazes directed at them from all around.

The entire Ji Clan was well aware of the source of this peace.

Ji Jiuhuo's smile broadened considerably.

In the depths of the courtyard of the Ji Clan West Prefecture, the primordial energy of Heaven and Earth became violent.

Ji Ning sat cross-legged, shirtless, with his eyes closed and a faint light flowing between his brows. The "Crimsonbright Nine Heavens Diagram" technique within his body was operating at its peak.

"Boom!"

A dazzling light suddenly erupted from Ji Ning's body, and his aura surged dramatically, revealing that he had entered the realm of the "Crimsonbright Nine Heavens Diagram".

The sixth level of the Xiantian Complete realm.