A Good Show

Inside the hall, Ji An and his mother Yuchi Xue, were talking when their gazes turned to the outside of the hall.

In the courtyard, Ji Ning and Nine Lotus stood under a tree, sunlight streaming in. Nine Lotus smiled and naturally raised her hand to gently brush the hair from Ji Ning's forehead, a gesture full of intimacy.

This scene was heartwarming and beautiful. Yuchi Xue's eyes were full of relief, and Ji An also had a faint smile on his lips. No matter what the future held, at least their feelings for each other were genuine and beautiful now.

However, Ji An knew that they weren't the only ones who witnessed this heartwarming scene.

In his perception, it was in the air.

A fiery cloud was hurtling through the air at an astonishing speed, hovering above the Ji Clan West Prefecture.

Above the fiery clouds, two figures stood. One of them, dressed in the Black-White College, had a handsome face but an undeniable sinister look. He was none other than Chen Jin from the original novel.

His gaze was sharp and fixed on the couple under the peach tree. When he saw Nine Lotus raise her hand to tidy Ji Ning's hair, the intimate gesture felt like a sharp blade piercing his heart!

"Nine Lotus!" Chen Jin growled, his eyes instantly turning bloodshot!

From childhood sweethearts in Shangshui Commandery to following her to Anchan Commandery, and then to studying together at the Black-White College, his decades-long admiration and pursuit have long been etched into his bones and integrated into his blood.

He had fantasized countless times about standing side by side with Nine Lotus, but what he saw before his eyes was her tender affection with another man. Overwhelming jealousy surged in his chest like magma, almost burning away his reason.

"Liu Yun!" A large hand instantly grabbed his arm, pinning him firmly to the spot.

It was the Fire Saint who was traveling with him.

"Uncle Huo!" Chen Jin turned his head sharply, his eyes filled with pain and anger.

"Calm down!" Fire Saint calmly looked at Chen Jin. "Anger will only make you lose your mind and push things to the worse."

"How can I stay calm?!" Chen Jin's voice trembled slightly, his teeth clenched. "I have to get to the bottom of this! What is she thinking? How could she—how could she possibly fall for this Ji Ning?!"

Although Ji Ning was also a disciple of the Black-White College and his "junior brother," Chen Jin felt nothing but endless disgust and hostility towards that name at this moment.

"Calm down, then you'll have a chance," Fire Saint said. "Acting impulsively will only ruin your image in Nine Lotus's eyes, leaving no room for redemption."

Chen Jin was not a dullard; he was simply thrown into disarray by the sight before him.

Hearing Fire Saint's words, he felt as if he had been doused with cold water. His anger subsided slightly, but the gloom and pain in his eyes remained undiminished.

He took a deep breath. "Uncle Huo, don't worry, I—I won't do anything reckless."

"Hmm," the Fire Saint released his grip and said in a deep voice, "Remember, no matter what, you are fellow disciples. Fighting among your fellow disciples is a grave taboo; not only will the academy not tolerate it, but it will also condemn you to eternal damnation."

"Uncle Huo, I understand." Chen Jin nodded.

"Let's go," Fire Saint continued, "Let's go down and pay our respects to Beiming and Junior Sister Nine Lotus properly. Remember, show the demeanor of a member of the Chen Clan and a disciple of the Black-White College."

Chen Jin nodded, tidied his appearance, and followed beside Fire Saint.

The fiery cloud slowly descended.

Inside the hall, as the fiery clouds descended, Yuchi Xue also saw the two people landing.

Yuchi Xue whispered, "An'er, who are these two? Their auras are incredibly powerful."

Ji An had already recognized the people who came and replied, "Mother, those are Ji Ning's fellow disciples from the Black-White College. One is Chen Jin, and the other is the Fire Saint."

Both mother and son were cultivators, possessing exceptionally keen senses.

Although the four people in the courtyard were only talking in hushed tones, their words still reached their ears clearly.

The four people, who had been relatively calm, suddenly changed their tune. Chen Jin, standing in the courtyard, suddenly shouted, "Shut up!"

This loud shout contained the powerful magic of the Wanxiang Adept, causing the leaves in the courtyard to rustle and even ordinary servants in the far distance to turn their heads.

Ji Ning's face instantly turned cold. How could he tolerate being provoked like this in his own home?

"Liu Yun!" Ji Ning's voice was icy. "This is the Ji Clan West Prefecture. You will not be allowed to run wild here! Get out of the Ji Clan West Prefecture!"

The Fire Saint senior brother remained silent, hands clasped behind his back, his eyes deep, seemingly determined not to get involved in this turmoil between the young people.

However, Nine Lotus could no longer hold back.

"Chen Jin!" Nine Lotus's angry shout followed immediately, her eyebrows furrowed, clearly furious at Chen Jin's loss of composure.

Chen Jin ignored Ji Ning's reprimands and stared intently at Nine Lotus.

"Nine Lotus, leave it to me." Seeing this, Ji Ning stepped forward and subtly protected Nine Lotus behind him. Although Chen Jin was somewhat famous in the academy, Ji Ning did not really regard him as a real threat at this moment. What he was truly wary of was a top-tier Wanxiang Adept like Senior Brother Fire Saint who had mastered the complete Lesser Minor Dao.

"Let me do it." Nine Lotus gently shook her head, looking at her childhood friend with complicated emotions. "Chen Jin, you don't need to be so persistent, give up."

These three words, like a sharp blade, instantly shattered the last glimmer of hope in Chen Jin's heart.

His face turned deathly pale, and his body trembled slightly.

He pointed at Ji Ning and said angrily, "It's all because of him?!"

"Chen Jin!" Nine Lotus hurriedly tried to stop him from continuing.

What follows is simply a case of one person pursuing the other for years without being able to win their heart.

The mother and son sat inside the hall, taking in the entire scene outside.

Seeing Chen Jin's crazed state, ignoring Ji Ning's rebukes and Nine Lotus's resolute words, Yuchi Xue couldn't help but worry. "An'er, I don't think he'll let this go so easily—"

Before Yuchi Xue finish speaking, Chen Jin suddenly shouted in the courtyard, "Ji Ning!"

Inside the hall, Yuchi Xue looked anxiously out of the courtyard. She saw Chen Jin shout angrily and fly into the air, with 108 Golden Light discs suddenly appearing around him.

Those discs drew upon the primordial energy of Heaven and Earth, causing countless clouds to gather and transform into one hundred and eight enormous clouds high in the sky: some resembled roaring lions, some ancient chariots, and some soaring dragons, each with a different shape, encircling the Ji Clan West Prefecture and causing the Heaven and Earth to change color.

Chen Jin hovered in mid-air, his voice like thunder, issuing a challenge to Ji Ning.

Yuchi Xue whispered to Ji An, "An'er, Ning'er has only been cultivating at the Black and White Academy for three years, while Chen Jin is a veteran disciple of the Black-White College. I'm worried—"

Before she could finish speaking, Ji Ning stepped into the air and stopped Nine Lotus from speaking, saying only, "Leave it to me." This sense of responsibility and composure made Yuchi Xue very gratified.

"Mother, don't worry. Cultivation isn't about who has cultivated the longest. Xiao Ning's strength is far superior to Chen Jin's," Ji An comforted her.

Others may not know, but Ji An knows it perfectly well.

In the past few years, after returning from the Black-White College, Ji Ning not only mastered the third form of the Three-Foot Sword, but also successfully broke through the "Crimsonbright Nine Heavens Diagram".

Having reached a great realm, his strength was already comparable to some weaker Primordial Spirit Daoists. Although Chen Jin was an elite disciple of the Black-White College, he was no match for Ji Ning.

Outside the hall, Ji Ning stood steadily in mid-air, stepping on the void, facing Chen Jin from afar.

The Beiming Sword appeared out of thin air in his hand, and a clear, melodious sword cry resounded through the sky, shaking the entire Ji Clan West Prefecture.

"Come on," Ji Ning said coldly.

The two faced off in mid-air, while Fire Saint and Nine Lotus stood by and watched.

Nine Lotus anxiously transmitted her voice. "Fire Saint Senior Brother, quickly stop Chen Jin!"

The Fire Saint calmly replied, "He has admired you for many years, and the anger of unrequited love must be vented, otherwise it will easily breed inner demons and lead to disaster."

"Then Junior Brother Ji Ning is going to be in trouble!" Nine Lotus indignantly. "Although the academy forbids fellow disciples from killing each other, Chen Jin's jealous. What's the point of punishing him afterward if he really hurts Ji Ning? You could have easily done it!"

Fire Saint glanced at her. "If there's real danger, I'll intervene."

"When Wanxiang Adept clash, life and death hang in the balance. You may not be able to make it in time!" Nine Lotus urged urgently, but Fire Saint still looked up.

Seeing that the Fire Saint refused to make a move, Nine Lotus immediately looked at Ji An, who was calmly watching the commotion in the hall.

She rushed to Ji An's side and said anxiously, "Brother Ji An! Chen Jin has lost his mind! You must stop them!"

Ji An calmly watched the two people facing off in the air, a faint smile even playing on his lips.

He shook his head slightly. "Miss Nine Lotus, there's no need to worry. Just watch with peace of mind. This Chen Jin is no match for Xiao Ning, and I will intervene if things really come to a head."

Nine Lotus was taken aback upon hearing this. Although she knew that Ji An's strength was unfathomable, she was still filled with apprehension.

Ji Ning has only been in the Black-White College for three years!

Ji Ning and Chen Jin faced off in the air.

"This native brat does have some guts to accept the challenge," Chen Jin sneered telepathically. "Unfortunately, his courage is nothing but foolishness!"

A flicker of fire appeared in Ji Ning's eyes.

"I'll show you how fragile, how weak, how utterly vulnerable you are!" Chen Jin's eyes were filled with madness. "In terms of tribe, my Chen Clan Shangshui Commandery is miles ahead of your little native tribe; in terms of parents, that woman in the hall is your mother, right? She's only at the early stage of the Myriad Phenomena, while my father is Primordial Spirit Daoist! In terms of myself, I'm consistently among the top ten of the three generations of disciples at the Black-White College, and you? A mere junior disciple who's just started! Today, let your senior brother teach you to face reality—compared to me, you're nothing but a pile of shit!"

Chen Jin was clearly unaware of Ji An's existence.

Although Ji An frequently visited Beiming Peak to find Ji Ning during those three years, he only encountered Mu Zishuo, a disciple of the Black-White College. Even Nine Lotus only learned after arriving at the Ji Clan West Prefecture that the renowned Universe Daoist in Anchan City was Ji Ning's elder brother.

"Chen Jin, you're nothing but a womanizer who can't get the Nine Lotus, clinging to it for years without any self-awareness!" Ji Ning mocked coldly through his voice. "I'm ashamed for you! Open your eyes and look at your own pathetic, furious state. You're not even as good as a pile of shit!"

Ji An, listening to their telepathic conversation in the hall, shook his head with amusement. He thought, "What nonsense are Xiao Ning and Chen Jin? In my opinion, Chen Jin is just taking advantage of Ji Ning being a scholar."

Under the watchful eyes of everyone present.

Chen Jin summoned the azure wind bird and the golden dragon to attack in turn, but they were all defeated by the jade sword light activated by Ji Ning's Minor Thousand Sword Formation.

Just as Chen Jin unleashed his Wind and Cloud Lock Heaven and Earth, Ji Ning spread his black wings, broke through the Beiming Sword, and instantly closed in, grabbing Chen Jin the throat. Chen Jin roared with bloodshot eyes, but was ultimately thrown away by Ji Ning like trash.

Just as Ji Ning threw Chen Jin away, Nine Lotus leaped up from beside Ji An and flew to his side, her eyes full of concern as she looked at him. The two stood side by side in mid-air, talking in hushed tones.

"Ji Ning!" Chen Jin roared, soaring into the sky and staring at the two people standing side by side.

Looking at Chen Jin Ji Ning said, "Still want to fight!"

While Nine Lotus was still in shock at Ji Ning's strength, Chen Jin sneered and said, "I advise you to leave Nine Lotus."

"Leave?" Ji Ning found it laughable.

Suppressing his anger, Chen Jin said, "So what if you're highly talented? Destroying a tribe like yours, the Ji Clan, is too easy, it takes no effort at all!"

Ji Ning's face darkened suddenly. "What do you mean?"

"I don't need to lift a finger; I have plenty of desperate men who aren't Yinglong Guard." Chen Jin's eyes were full of calculation. "The blame will fall on them, not me."

He pressed on. "Choose, Nine Lotus, or your tribe?"

Nine Lotus angrily shouted that he was shameless, but Chen Jin ignored her and stared intently at Ji Ning: "Tell me, which one do you choose!"

Ji Ning hadn't even had a chance to say anything.

"Extermination of the entire race?"

Upon hearing the sound, Fire Saint looked up and saw Ji An, who had been watching the battle with his mother in the hall, vanish in a flash, as if he had never existed.

The next moment, Ji An appeared out of thin air and stood in front of the furious Chen Jin.

He simply extended one hand slowly.

Before the ferocity on Chen Jin's face had completely faded, that hand had already precisely gripped his throat. An irresistible force emanated from Ji An's palm, not only imprisoning Chen Jin's body but also freezing his internal energy. Even his Divine Sense seemed to be firmly locked by invisible shackles, rendering him unable to even struggle.

Upon seeing Chen Jin being held in Ji An's hand, Fire Saint's expression changed drastically.

"Stop!" Fire Saint shouted.

Before the shout had even finished, Fire Saint was about to leap up to rescue Chen Jin. But as soon as he moved, an invisible force descended upon him, crashing down on him like Mount Tai.

"Bang!"

With a muffled thud, Fire Saint was slammed to the ground without even a shred of resistance, creating a deep crater. Blood gushed from his mouth; he suffered severe internal injuries and didn't even have the strength to get up.

Ji An didn't even glance at him. If it weren't for the fact that Fire Saint was Ji Ning's fellow disciple and had tried to dissuade Chen Jin during the conflict, Ji An would not have shown any mercy.

Otherwise, given his level of Dao attainment, that casual strike would have crushed even a true Primordial Spirit Daoist level god-demon, let alone a mere cultivator at the peak of the Myriad Phenomena Perfection Godfiend Body Refinement, into dust, their soul and spirit annihilated.

"Destroy my Ji Clan?" Ji An's voice was icy. "With your power?"

"Cough... ho..." Chen Jin couldn't even utter a complete sentence.