A Fine Show (2)

The atmosphere above the Ji Clan West Prefecture was somber.

Ji An loosened his grip on Chen Jin's throat slightly, just enough to allow the other man to barely make a sound.

He turned to look at his younger brother Ji Ning beside him, his eyes indicating that the decision was now up to him.

Upon seeing this, Ji Ning immediately stepped forward, his piercing gaze fixed on Chen Jin, who was struggling to breathe.

His voice was icy. "Chen Jin, you now have two paths to choose from."

Chen Jin's throat was still being choked, and he could only let out hoarse breaths, but his eyes were fixed on Ji Ning, full of resentment and venom.

Ji Ning ignored his gaze and continued coldly, "The first path: you swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao that in this lifetime you will never intend to harm my Ji Clan in the slightest, nor will you be allowed to commit any act of harm. If you break this oath, your soul will be instantly annihilated, and you will never be reincarnated! As for the second path—"

At this point, Ji Ning paused, then raised his voice, "I'll make your soul vanish right now! Choose!"

"You dare!" Chen Jin roared with all his might, even though the force in his neck was excruciatingly painful, he still shouted defiantly, "You dare to violate the rules of the Black-White College? To kill your own disciples?!"

He knew very well that his only reliance now was the strict rules of the Black-White College.

It is a grave taboo for fellow disciples to kill each other. If Ji Ning really dares to kill him here, no matter how talented Ji Ning is, he will not escape the severe punishment of the academy.

"You want to annihilate my tribe and slaughter every single one of my people? Do you think I dare not?" Ji Ning's eyes grew even sharper, unwavering in the slightest. "I'll give you one last chance: swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao, or I'll send you on your way right now!"

Ji An, who had been observing all of this from the sidelines, remained completely indifferent, his face showing no emotion.

With his strength, crushing Chen Jin would be a matter of a snap of the fingers. Even if it came to the Chen Clan behind Chen Jin, wiping them out would only require a little more effort from him.

But he knew in his heart that Chen Jin was, after all, a registered disciple of the Black-White College, and his status was undeniable.

If he were to kill Chen Jin in front of Ji Ning, no matter how justified his actions might be—after all, Chen Jin had first made the outrageous statement about destroying the Ji Clan, and according to the rules of the cultivation world, the Ji Clan could retaliate to the death, which would be entirely justifiable—but even so, it would inevitably put Ji Ning in an extremely awkward position within the Black-White College.

The rules of the Black-White College are extremely strict, and killing one's fellow disciples is the greatest taboo of all.

At that time, Ji Ning will certainly not have his Violet Palace abolished or be expelled from the academy, but he will inevitably have to spend a hundred years in solitary confinement.

Once things develop to that point, his relationship with the Black-White College will inevitably plummet to its lowest point.

This meant nothing to Ji An, who didn't care about the academy's attitude anyway.

But Ji Ning is different. Ji Ning still needs to cultivate at the academy, and Ji Ning values loyalty and righteousness, which also has some influence on him.

It was precisely because of these considerations that Ji An did not take direct action, but instead handed over the decision-making power to Ji Ning.

Under Ji Ning's icy gaze, coupled with the suffocating feeling from Ji An's hand around his neck and the threat of death, Chen Jin's psychological defenses finally crumbled.

His face instantly turned deathly pale, and all traces of his previous arrogance vanished. He could only tremble as he followed Ji Ning's instructions, uttering the Heavenly Dao Oath word by word.

The moment the vow was uttered, Heaven and Earth was as if an invisible shackle had been placed upon Chen Jin.

Almost simultaneously, a cold glint flashed in Ji An's eyes, and he gently patted Chen Jin's Violet Palace with his right hand.

"Ah!"

Chen Jin's heart-wrenching screams echoed through the sky.

His Violet Palace was instantly shattered by Ji An.

He was instantly reduced to a helpless cripple, unable to even kill a chicken.

Ji An looked at Chen Jin, who was limp as a rag doll, and tossed him aside as if he were trash.

There, the Fire Saint had just taken a healing pill and was barely able to stand up.

Chen Jin fell heavily to the ground with a thud, and Fire Saint quickly went over to help him up.

At this moment, Chen Jin's face was ashen. He didn't even dare to lift his head or look at Ji An, who was like Asura beside Ji Ning. He could only stare intently at Ji Ning.

Meeting his venomous gaze, Ji Ning's expression remained icy. "If you want to deal with me, then bring it on. No matter how powerful you are, I, Ji Ning, will be right here waiting. But if you dare to attack me, you must be prepared to face my Thunder retaliation!"

"That's ruthless!" Chen Jin gritted his teeth and squeezed out the two words.

He desperately wanted to kill Ji Ning and tear Ji Ning to pieces, but he knew very well that he couldn't do it!

He was merely a member of the Chen Clan with a slight status, not even a candidate for the next leader.

His father was merely a Primordial Spirit Daoist, hardly a top-tier figure in the tribe. Even if Chen Jin had immense influence and could afford to persuade a tribal immortal to intervene, what difference would it make?

Putting aside whether he could even persuade him, even if he did, why would the immortals of the tribe be willing to provoke Ji Ning, the "Personal Disciple of the Immortal Dian Cai" and the "monstrous genius of the Black-White College," for the sake of a cripple like him?

Not to mention, he's already crippled. Forget about taking revenge on Ji Ning, even repairing his Violet Palace would be an impossible task.

Repairing the Violet Palace is not entirely impossible; given the resources of the Chen Clan, they might be able to find some rare and precious materials.

But as mentioned before, his father was merely a Primordial Spirit Daoist, and the cost of repairing the Violet Palace was far beyond what his father could afford.

Thinking of this, Chen Jin couldn't help but steal a glance at Ji An next to Ji Ning, and fear instantly flashed in his eyes.

He never imagined that this seemingly insignificant Ji Clan would hide such a terrifying existence.

Ji An just made a move and easily severely injured Uncle Fire Saint. Keep in mind, Uncle Fire Saint's strength is even greater than his father's. To be able to do this is enough to show that Ji An's strength is at least at the Immortal level!

Such an existence is simply not someone he can afford to provoke.

The Chen Clan would never agree to deal with Ji Ning, since Ji Ning is a genius of the Black-White College. It would be a loss to offend the Black-White College for the sake of a useless person.

Moreover, a tribe that wants to survive in the long term must not tolerate acts of violence and aggression; otherwise, it will only lead to its demise. (Chen Clan)

The tribal leadership would never make such a short-sighted decision.

Sensing the faint but palpable pressure emanating from Ji An, Fire Saint quickly endured his injuries and bowed respectfully to Ji An: "Senior, can we... leave now?"

Ji An nodded slightly. "Let's go."

With permission granted, Fire Saint immediately helped the limp Chen Jin, not daring to linger for even a moment.

Chen Jin was burning with jealousy, filled with endless humiliation and hatred, but in front of Ji An, he dared not reveal even a trace of resentment, for fear of displeasing this devil and ending up with his soul scattered.

With Fire Saint's help, Chen Jin managed to stand up.

Before leaving, he suddenly raised his head, his gaze fixed on Ji Ning, and said in a low, hoarse, sinister voice, "Ji Ning!"

Ji Ning's expression was icy, his eyes sharp, and he showed no sign of backing down.

Chen Jin looked at him and "reminded" him, "Let me give you a piece of advice: Nine Lotus is the designated next leader of the Dongyan Clan. This is already a foregone conclusion! The Dongyan Clan is an ancient clan that is even more powerful than the Black-White College, with a long history and profound foundation. The Daoist partner of the next leader of such a clan is not someone that just anyone can become."

He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over Ji Ning with a mocking tone. "Even I, born into the Chen Clan, am not quite qualified to be paired with Nine Lotus. I would need to cultivate relentlessly just to barely qualify. As for you—"

Chen Jin paused, his contempt undisguised. "Although you have such a powerful brother, he's nothing more than an awakened immortal. Even he's nothing compared to a behemoth like the Dongyan Clan. I advise you to give up your hopes for the Nine Lotus as soon as possible, lest you humiliate yourself later!"

"Hmph!" Ji Ning replied indifferently, "My affairs are none of your concern."

"Hmph!" Chen Jin also snorted coldly, and finally glared venomously at Ji Ning and Nine Lotus, who stood calmly to the side, before daring not to say another word.

With the help of the Fire Saint, the two quickly boarded the fiery red cloud-shaped magical artifact.

The cloud-shaped magical artifact transformed into a streak of Flowing Light and vanished hastily into the horizon.

Watching their departing figures, Nine Lotus slowly walked to Ji Ning's side, a hint of guilt on her face, and whispered, "Brother Ji An, and Ji Ning, it's all because of me that you've gained such an enemy for no reason."

Upon hearing this, Ji An gently shook his head, his tone indifferent. "It has nothing to do with you; he brought it upon himself."

Enemy?

In Ji An's eyes, Chen Jin was not an enemy at all. Not to mention that Chen Jin's Violet Palace was now shattered and his path to immortality was severed, making him a cripple, even if he still had his previous cultivation level, he wouldn't be able to cause any trouble.

Moreover, whether Chen Jin can even survive until today is still unknown.

He chose not to kill Chen Jin directly on the Ji Clan's territory just now, entirely to avoid causing trouble for his younger brother Ji Ning.

As long as Chen Jin doesn't die on the Ji Clan's territory or at Ji Ning's hands, the Black-White College will have enough reason to explain themselves and won't hold Ji Ning accountable for it.

As for the Chen Clan behind Chen Jin?

Ji An's lips curled up slightly, forming a cold, sharp arc.

Just then, after breaking through to the late stage of the Returning to Void-Returning Earth Immortal, the Essence Liquid he had obtained by exchanging the treasures of Immortal Juhua had long been exhausted, and he was currently in dire need of cultivation resources.

If the Chen Clan were to be so foolish as to dare to come seeking revenge, it would undoubtedly be a great gift delivered right to his doorstep.

Ji Ning turned to look at Nine Lotus and gently comforted her, "Senior Sister, you really don't need to blame yourself. This matter is truly not your fault. People's hearts are unpredictable. It was Chen Jin's own deep-seated obsession and vicious nature that led him down this wrong path. Don't worry, Senior Sister, this Chen Jin is nothing but a clown. Now that his Violet Palace has been destroyed by Elder Brother, even if he wanted to cause trouble, he wouldn't be able to at all."

Moreover, Ji Ning himself is not without support. He is now one of only two sword immortals in the Black-White College.

His elder brother Ji An, possessed an even more unfathomable level of cultivation, far surpassing the renowned immortal Immortal Juhua, who had been Million-Year Loose Immortal.

Although Ji Ning didn't know exactly how strong his elder brother was, he was certain that his elder brother was far beyond what an ordinary Heavenly Immortal could compare to.

With such support, why should he fear the so-called threat from the Chen Clan?

Upon hearing Ji Ning's words, Nine Lotus nodded gently, the guilt on her face fading slightly.

She looked at Ji Ning and said softly, "That's right, it was the third move of the Three Talents Sword, 'Sword-Ray Flash,' that you used earlier." If the Black-White College finds out about this, their regard for you will definitely increase significantly. The Three-Foot Sword is the strongest sword technique inherited by the Black-White College, and you are an unparalleled genius in swordsmanship. The academy will definitely do everything in its power to protect you!

She paused, then added, "Although the Chen Clan is roughly equal in strength to the Black-White College, their base is in Xiashui County, and their influence in Anchan Commandery is negligible. Furthermore, Chen Jin's status within the Chen Clan is only average—so you don't need to worry about them at all."

Revenge. As for Brother Ji An, the Chen Clan would never risk provoking a powerful immortal for the sake of a cripple.

Ji Ning nodded after listening.

In mid-air, he and Nine Lotus were already very close. When Nine Lotus spoke, her warm breath brushed against his cheek, causing Ji Ning's heart to flutter slightly. The distance between them unconsciously shortened even further.

Standing to the side, Ji An witnessed the entire scene and couldn't help but shake his head with amusement.

Without saying anything more, he flashed into the main hall and landed beside his mother, Yuchi Xue.

Yuchi Xue had been anxiously watching the situation outside. When she saw Ji An return, she rushed forward and asked with a worried expression, "An'er, the Chen Clan that Chen Jin mentioned sounded very powerful. Are we... are we in big trouble?"

In her eyes, although Ji An was already a cultivator at the immortal level, she had just heard that the Chen Clan had dozens of Earth Immortals and Loose Immortals. The fact that even the Chen Clan was so wary of the Dongyan Clan was enough to show how terrifying the Dongyan Clan was.

Seeing his mother's worried expression, Ji An quickly reassured her, "It's alright, Mother, you don't need to worry. The Chen Clan is nothing to me. As long as they don't provoke us, we'll be fine. If they dare to come, I have my own ways to deal with them."

As the mother and son were talking, they suddenly heard Ji Ning's hearty laughter coming from the courtyard.

The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw Ji Ning and Nine Lotus standing very close together in mid-air. Ji Ning, for some unknown reason, suddenly reached out and tightly grasped Nine Lotus's hand.

Nine Lotus was clearly taken aback by Ji Ning's boldness.

Ji Ning gripped her soft hand, his heart pounding. He looked into Nine Lotus's eyes and spoke in a deep voice, his tone carrying an unprecedented intensity.

Seriousness.

Nine Lotus's eyes flickered slightly, clearly her mind was in turmoil. After hesitating for a moment, she finally met Ji Ning's gaze and nodded gently.

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Ji Ning immediately burst into loud laughter, his voice filled with joy and delight. Nine Lotus Lian gazed at him intently, a slight smile playing on her lips, and whispered a few words of advice.

Their eyes met, and they saw only each other, nothing else mattered.

Ji An and Yuchi Xue stood inside the hall, quietly watching the scene in the courtyard, with gratified smiles on their faces.

Sunlight streamed down, and a faint blush rose on Nine Lotus's cheeks, making her look charming and shy.

Ji Ning laughed heartily, his eyes brimming with confidence. The two held hands, suspended in mid-air.

As Yuchi Xue watched, tears welled up in her eyes. She took Ji An's hand and whispered, "An'er, look at Ning'er—he has finally found his Daoist partner. The path of cultivation is long and lonely, but with such a wonderful girl like Nine Lotus by his side, I, as his mother, have one less thing to worry about."

Ji An nodded slightly without speaking. At this moment, Ji Ning, who was in the courtyard, also noticed the gazes of his mother and elder brother in the hall. He took Nine Lotus's hand and flew down into the hall.

Nine Lotus's cheeks were still flushed, making her look somewhat shy.

She bowed respectfully to Yuchi Xue: "Auntie."

Seeing this, Yuchi Xue quickly stepped forward, grasped Nine Lotus's hand tightly, and said with a smile, "Good child, get up. Ning'er is a straightforward child, and sometimes she acts impulsively. In the future, when you two are together, I'll have to trouble you to be more understanding."

Nine Lotus quickly shook her head and said softly, "Auntie, you flatter me. Ji Ning is fine."

Meanwhile, Black-White College in Anchan City, at Chen Jin's residence.

Chen Jin sat alone in the hall, with wine jars piled on the stone table in front of him. He drank one cup of wine after another in silence.

He kept repeating the names "Ji Ning" and "Ji An" under his breath, his eyes bloodshot and filled with resentment and hatred.

His beloved was taken away, he suffered a crushing defeat and humiliation, and he was even forced to make a vow to Heavenly Dao. Each and every one of these things was like a poisonous thorn stuck in his heart, driving him to madness with hatred.

But he knew very well that he was completely helpless against Ji Ning and Ji An. Ji Ning had been cultivating for much shorter time than him, but his talent far surpassed his; Ji An was even more terrifyingly powerful, comparable to an immortal. As for himself, he had long since become a cripple.

Although he could cultivate the Godfiend Body Refinement, he didn't have much talent in that area.

After cultivating for a period of time, he had only reached the most ordinary Early Violet Palace Godfiend. With such strength, he wasn't even worthy of carrying Ji Ning's shoes, let alone seeking revenge against Ji Ning.

"What should I do? What should I do?" Pain gnawed at Chen Jin's heart like a tide, again and again.

Just then, a glint flashed in his eyes, and a wicked thought began to frantically grow in his mind.

"If I can't have Nine Lotus, neither can Ji Ning!" Chen Jin down his wine cup, a sinister smile creeping onto his lips. "Ji Ning..."

"Even with his humble origins and the reincarnation of that Loose Immortal Ji An, what difference does it make? How could an ancient tribe like the Dongyan Clan, with its long and distinguished lineage, tolerate someone like him trying to usurp the position of the next leader, Nine Lotus?"

As a member of a large tribe, Chen Jin was well aware of the tribe's rules of conduct, which prioritized the tribe's interests above all else. Personal feelings were utterly insignificant in the face of the tribe's interests.

Unless one can, like Ji An in the Ji Clan, establish their own position and influence above the entire clan, Nine Lotus has no chance of defying the will of the Dongyan Clan.

It is clear that although Nine Lotus is the next leader of the Dongyan Clan, her personal strength and influence are far from reaching that level.

Thinking of this, a smug smile appeared on Chen Jin's face.

"Go!" Chen Jin suddenly stood up, his eyes flashing with a crazed light.

Without further hesitation, he blurred into a streak of Flowing Light and swiftly left the Black-White College.

The Dongyan Clan was a behemoth spanning three prefectures, with influence spread throughout the region. Naturally, they also had a stronghold in Anchan City.

Chen Jin's destination was the stronghold of the Dongyan Clan in Anchan City.

That same day, Chen Jin arrived at the Dongyan Clan's stronghold and relayed the news of Nine Lotus and Ji Ning's secret engagement, embellishing the story.

The Primordial Spirit Daoist. Upon hearing this news, his expression changed drastically, and he dared not be negligent in the slightest.

After all, this matter involved Nine Lotus, the next leader of the Dongyan Clan, and was a major event for the tribe. He dared not delay and quickly sent the news back to the Dongyan Mountain Range in Shangshui Commandery, the stronghold of the Dongyan Clan.

That mountain range, stretching for over 100,000 miles, was the foundation of the Dongyan Clan. Within the mountains, countless buildings were constructed, and hundreds of millions of the Dongyan Clan members lived here for generations.

Moreover, countless ancient formations are hidden within this mountain range, each possessing immense power and protecting the peace of the Dongyan Clan.

The Dongyan Clan has a long history and is a true behemoth. In the history of the clan, several powerful figures at the level of Heavenly Immortals have emerged.

Of course, endless time is too long. Although Heavenly Immortal have long and limitless lifespans, they can still perish and die for various reasons.

Whether the Dongyan Clan still has any Heavenly Immortal -level experts alive today is unknown to the outside world.

Even without it, the foundation of the Dongyan Clan far surpasses that of the eight major powers in Anchan Commandery, and is comparable to that of the Anchan Beishan Clan.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the Dongyan Clan and the Northmont Clan is that neither of them was granted Marquis.

When the news reached the Dongyan Mountain Range, it was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

"What? Xiaoyun has chosen a cultivation partner?"

"What's your Daoist partner's name? Ji Ning? I've never heard of that name before?"

The news quickly caused a huge uproar among the high-ranking members of the Dongyan Clan.

Meanwhile, Chen Jin, having delivered the message, felt that most of his anger had been released, and he was in a great mood.

He hummed a little tune as he returned to the Black-White College's residence.

But he never expected that the moment he stepped into the mansion, before he could even sit down and have a drink to celebrate, an extremely weak burst of primordial energy suddenly erupted from his already ruined Violet Palace space.

That was a backup plan that Ji An had secretly left inside his body when he shattered his Violet Palace.

This burst of energy was extremely fast, yet its power was astonishing.

Chen Jin didn't even have time to react; he felt a terrifying force instantly sweep over his entire body. His body trembled violently, and a large amount of blood gushed from his seven orifices.

The next second, he fell straight down, completely lifeless, without even being able to utter a scream, dying on the spot.

For Ji An, revenge is never something to be delayed overnight.