Volume One: The Calamity of the Lich Chapter 169: The Mysterious Swordsman and the Gathering of Allies

At that moment, a familiar voice suddenly rang out behind Geng Ning.

Geng Ning turned around in delight.

“Grandfather Ancestor!”

He cried out in shock, but in the next instant, his face clouded with confusion, helplessness, and doubt. Even the look he gave Geng Chen was full of uncertainty.

Watching Geng Ning’s bewildered expression, Geng Chen gave a soft sigh.

“Child, some things are fated to be. If you refuse to adapt, you will only bring greater disaster.”

“So, this is your choice?” Geng Ning looked at Geng Chen with a mixture of anger and disappointment, his voice hoarse with hysteria.

“Geng Ning, how can you speak to our Grand Ancestor that way!” At this moment, Geng Ci, who had previously appeared in the Celestial Court and brought Geng Ning here, rebuked him sternly.

“And what about it? Did you not see what happened back then?” Geng Ning demanded relentlessly.

“And what then! Are you planning to sink into that mire as well? Do you know the outcome of the great war among the Three Clans? Our White Tiger Clan was nearly wiped out; it has taken all these years just to recover a little. You are different—Grand Ancestor has pinned all his hopes on you. You are the last of our clan with the purest bloodline. If anything happens to you, then our clan truly has no hope left! Do you think this is what Grand Ancestor wishes?”

But at that moment, Geng Chen quickly interrupted Geng Ci.

“Enough, Geng Ci! Let the child be alone for a while.”

With these words, he vanished from their sight.

Geng Ning, realizing Geng Chen had disappeared, suddenly lost focus in his eyes.

Geng Ci glared fiercely at him, then spoke.

“Come with me.”

Hearing this, Geng Ning followed Geng Ci mechanically.

Soon, the two arrived in a place where spiritual energy was abundant.

“What is this place?”

Looking at the surroundings, and the white tigers playing everywhere, Geng Ning’s heart stirred. He looked at Geng Ci in confusion.

“You have completely misunderstood Grand Ancestor. Long ago, he foresaw the disaster that would befall us, so he moved part of our clan here. It was simply to keep a spark alive for us.”

Geng Ci spoke with deep feeling.

“But if that’s so, why didn’t Grand Ancestor bring all of our people here?” Geng Ning asked, still puzzled.

“As practitioners of the Dao, you should know nothing is that simple. For Grand Ancestor to do even this, he paid a great price.”

Perfection is not something any cultivator can pursue, as all know.

Geng Ning fell silent at these words.

In the end, he gazed at the clansmen living in such peace, his heart filled with conflicting emotions.

“Is there truly no other way?”

“If so, you mustn’t speak like this anymore. With our meager cultivation, even Grand Ancestor wouldn’t dare imagine such things, let alone us!” Geng Ci warned quickly. Geng Ning realized that though this man had once unleashed such sharp sword techniques, he now seemed utterly defeated.

Both fell silent, and Geng Ning understood at last that strength is what truly matters. If he were truly powerful, he would not have to endure such humiliation today.

Eventually, Geng Ning returned to Mount Buzhou.

After his return, he never again mentioned the affairs of the White Tiger Clan. He devoted himself to cultivation with even greater determination, earning the admiration of both Ao Qing and Qingkong.

“Perhaps, after what happened, it will prove a blessing for him,” Ao Qing sighed softly.

At this time, Geng Ning still did not know that outside, members of the demon clans were often slaughtered by a mysterious and powerful figure. Yet every time, the assailant vanished without a trace, leaving countless Demon Kings and Saints utterly clueless.

In a blink, ten thousand years passed.

The agreed time between Purple Mansion Continent and the Celestial Court was drawing near.

Within the Celestial Court, the atmosphere had grown markedly tense of late.

In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, inside Emperor Jun’s private chambers—

At this moment, Emperor Jun’s aura had become even more obscure and unfathomable, with flashes of Daoist resonance appearing around him. Amidst swirling purple mist, Emperor Jun summoned a ring-shaped magical treasure with a soft incantation.

“Sever!”

Black light surged from his body, pouring rapidly into the ring-shaped treasure. This was the Sun Wheel, which Emperor Jun had acquired at the Cliff of Treasures—a formidable innate spiritual treasure of the highest grade, second only to his strongest artifact.

Next, a surge of power erupted from Emperor Jun.

“Mid-stage Quasi-Saint! I have finally reached it! Now I wonder what the late Quasi-Saint stage, after severing the Three Corpses, and the lofty Sage realm, are truly like.”

After his breakthrough, Emperor Jun murmured to himself.

At present, Emperor Jun had already severed the Good and Evil Corpses, but the final one was not so easily dealt with.

While Emperor Jun was breaking through, in the Wa Palace—

“Emperor Jun has broken through!” Nuwa looked toward the Hall of Supreme Harmony, her feelings difficult to discern. Yet it was clear her mood was complicated. Soon, however, she set aside her thoughts and resumed her secluded cultivation.

Of all those in the Celestial Court, none was happier about Emperor Jun’s breakthrough than Taiyi, who had been anxious about the court’s future for years.

Taiyi immediately entrusted all affairs to Emperor Jun and retreated into seclusion.

“Well, since I have broken through, the next stages are still unclear. For now, I have no need to seclude myself further. The matters of the Celestial Court I shall leave to you, elder brother. You have worked hard these years!”

After Taiyi entered seclusion, Emperor Jun, upon learning all that had transpired during his absence, was seething with barely contained rage.

“The Wu Clan! Kunpeng! I never imagined so much has happened these years. Now, it’s time to settle old accounts!”

He first gazed northward toward the Northern Seas, then turned his sights to the lands around Mount Buzhou.

“No rush. I’ll deal with these pressing matters first, then return the favor to you all!”

Anyone familiar with Emperor Jun would have noticed that his anger had reached its limit.

That day, many people traveled from Purple Mansion Continent to the Celestial Court.

“Congratulations, Emperor Jun! We haven’t heard from you in years—so you were in seclusion, breaking through! Truly worth celebrating!” As the King of the Eastern Courts saw Emperor Jun, he immediately sensed his breakthrough.

How did he know? After Taiyi suffered a setback at the hands of Ancestor Kunpeng, he had secretly led people to the Northern Seas to contact Kunpeng. Their talks broke down, and they even fought, though no one else ever learned of it.

“King of the East, you are not far behind! I can see you are close to a breakthrough yourself.” The two exchanged flattery upon meeting.

“Emperor Jun, you jest. If I were so close, I wouldn’t be so troubled. Who knows when I will reach your level!”

“Come, let’s talk over the matter of our alliance in detail.”

Seeing Emperor Jun unwilling to answer further, the King of the East did not press, but got straight to the point of their alliance.