Chapter 99

The six people looked at each other.

Fog swirled around, and Ji Ning observed his five elders, whether it was the clan leader or his father, all of them were very calm, clearly having made their decision instantly.

"I am the clan leader," Ji Jiuhuo said calmly, "For the sake of the Ji Clan and its reputation, I must step forward to challenge Snow Dragon Mountain!"

Grandma Ying also said in a hoarse voice, "Having lived for nearly four hundred years, how can I, Ji Ying, continue to live on and let my clan members fall into danger? Moreover, being able to face life and death with my brother, I am truly happy."

"Where my master is, there I am," the old servant Ah Xing, who rarely spoke, said.

"Let's just be the three of us," Ji Jiuhuo smiled.

"Clan leader!" Ji Liuzhen said, "I know my talent. Among the generations of Purple Mansion cultivators in the Ji Clan, I am only average, and becoming a Ten Thousand Phenomena True Person is almost impossible! This battle... is a critical battle for the Ji Clan, and I cannot retreat."

Ji Yichuan then said with a smile, "Clan leader, you know my situation. My path to immortality has been cut off. I don't want to die silently, so I must participate in this battle."

"You two..." Ji Jiuhuo shook his head.

Ji Ning was stunned.

Path to immortality cut off?

Didn't Father say he was pursuing the path to immortality? How did it change?

"Father, your path to immortality is cut off?" Ji Ning looked at his father in disbelief.

Ji Yichuan looked at his son, his expression complex, "Actually, I had already broken through to the Purple Mansion stage while wandering in the Northern Sea. By the time your mother was pregnant, I was already at the middle stage of the Purple Mansion. I wanted to return to Yan Mountain with your mother, but your uncle was worried and escorted us."

Ji Ning listened carefully.

He knew they encountered a disaster on the way back.

"Later, we encountered a disaster," Ji Yichuan said. "After your mother was injured, Uncle Bai took her and fled. I and your uncle used forbidden techniques to desperately hold back the enemies! In that battle, your uncle died on the spot, and I was severely injured. Because I used the forbidden technique for too long, it caused great damage to my Purple Mansion, and it even shrank, unable to expand any further. This means I can never advance again, and I will always remain at the middle stage of the Purple Mansion."

"Because the Purple Mansion has shrunk, even the essence energy inside it, I can only draw out a tiny bit," Ji Yichuan shook his head. "Such a tiny bit of essence energy is not enough to control magical treasures! So I use sword techniques, using this tiny bit of essence energy as the foundation to draw on the power of heaven and earth to unleash sword beams."

"Of course," Ji Yichuan said in a low voice, "I can still use forbidden techniques to forcibly draw a large amount of essence energy from the Purple Mansion. But the Purple Mansion is already shrunk and cannot bear the burden. Once I use the forbidden technique again, I fear it will last only half an hour before the Purple Mansion shatters, and I will become a cripple. In other words... I can only be a Purple Mansion cultivator one last time, and after that, I will be a cripple."

Ji Ning was stunned.

No wonder Father's sword techniques are so powerful! No wonder Father has never used a rank-entering magical treasure!

"My path to immortality is cut off, and I only have one chance to use the forbidden technique," Ji Yichuan looked at his son, "I had saved this chance for you, to protect you. I wanted you to crush the jade sword if you were in danger, and I would immediately come to your aid, even if you encountered a Purple Mansion cultivator, I would do my best to save you. For my son, it's worth it."

Ji Ning's heart trembled.

So...

So Father had made this decision.

"But you don't need my protection anymore," Ji Yichuan smiled, "Your mother is dead, my path to immortality is cut off, and you have grown up. I have no more worries. This time, I will not retreat. This is the last battle of my life, and it will be the most brilliant. If I die, I would rather die in this battle, for the Ji Clan!"

Ji Ning looked at his father's smile. His father rarely smiled, but at this moment, his smile was very relaxed. Although Ji Ning was heartbroken, he did not persuade him.

...

The six people, five of whom were elders, were all ready to face the battle.

"I..." Ji Ning began to speak.

Ji Jiuhuo shouted, "We are all going to fight to the death, and you, Ji Ning! You are the hope of the Ji Clan! Your talent is something the Ji Clan has never seen since its inception! You must live on!"

"Clan leader, I understand your meaning," Ji Ning shook his head, "But I don't want to hide in the shadows and watch you fight, I don't want to!"

"You..." Ji Jiuhuo said angrily.

"But, Clan leader, I am not reckless. If the situation is hopeless, I will leave to preserve my life," Ji Ning looked at the clan leader, "I have a Ten Thousand Mile Traceless Talisman. I believe the clan leader knows the power of the Ten Thousand Mile Traceless Talisman. Once I activate it, I can instantly be ten thousand miles away." Since his mother's death, his father had already given him the Ten Thousand Mile Traceless Talisman.

Ji Jiuhuo was stunned.

Ten Thousand Mile Traceless Talisman? He, of course, knew about this treasure of the Western Manor of the Ji Clan. He had even coveted it. But the Ji Clan had rules that no one could violate.

"Since that's the case," Ji Jiuhuo nodded, "Alright, you can come with us. But if the situation is hopeless, you must leave... In this vast wilderness and in this foggy maze, the six of us made our decision to face Snow Dragon Mountain together.

"We are six," Ji Jiuhuo was filled with boundless fighting spirit, "And Snow Dragon Mountain's Yan Mountain branch, after this great loss, will surely invite some fellow disciples from nearby branches. When a group of Purple Mansion cultivators come, there might even be a Ten Thousand Phenomena True Person! A direct confrontation would be the most foolish. We need to buy time, so we need to set up powerful formations."

"Yes, setting up formations. The clan leader is most skilled in formations," Ji Liuzhen was also full of anticipation.

"I will set up multiple formations," Ji Jiuhuo looked at the five people, "The formation setup is my responsibility. You all need to find ways to enhance your abilities, such as the treasures that stabilize the manors..."

Everyone nodded.

"Also!"

Ji Jiuhuo looked down at the ground, "There is a giant essence stone vein hidden beneath the wilderness for thousands of miles! But strangely, no one has ever discovered it before. Such a shallow vein was never found, and there was such a violent fluctuation of heaven and earth essence energy before."

"Right," Ji Ning also nodded.

Yes, the fluctuation of heaven and earth essence energy that attracted them was very strange.

"Perhaps a heaven-defying treasure has appeared," Ji Jiuhuo said, "The previous fluctuation of heaven and earth essence energy was caused by the appearance of this treasure, and this treasure has formed the essence stone vein."

"Perhaps a transcendent being cultivated here. A transcendent being absorbs heaven and earth essence energy in vast amounts," Ji Jiuhuo sighed, "Long-term cultivation might also form an essence stone vein."

Grandma Ying frowned, "Brother, what do you mean?"

Ji Ning and the others looked at Ji Jiuhuo.

"I speculate," Ji Jiuhuo's eyes were filled with longing, "This essence stone vein is suspicious and might have some secrets. There might be some treasures, or treasures left by a transcendent being! Even a small treasure left by a transcendent being... would be enough to greatly increase the strength of the Ji Clan."

"Clan leader, you mean?" Ji Liuzhen was also excited.

"Treasures?" Ji Yichuan and the others all looked at the ground.

Ji Jiuhuo nodded, "We will delve underground and investigate thoroughly. We might find something."

"Right."

"Let's go."

Everyone felt that the clan leader's words made sense. The previous fluctuation of heaven and earth essence energy was indeed strange, and the essence stone vein had never been discovered, which was also peculiar. There might be some treasures hidden.

"Ji Ning," Ji Jiuhuo looked at Ji Ning, "Your Bodyguard Lotus technique seems to be very fast at drilling through the ground. It's up to you, and we will follow you."

Ji Ning nodded, "Alright, I'll start."

...

Swish, swish, swish~~~

Ji Ning controlled the Water Fire Lotus to rotate and continuously delve deeper underground. The essence stones were easily drilled through, creating a passage. Ji Ning quickly advanced, continuously delving deeper underground. Behind him were Ji Jiuhuo and the other five people.

"Really fast," Ji Liuzhen, who was following behind, exclaimed in amazement.

"We could also drill through the ground quickly at first, but the essence energy consumption would soon force us to slow down. But Ji Ning is completely utilizing the power of heaven and earth," Ji Jiuhuo could see that Ji Ning's Water Fire Lotus was formed using the power of heaven and earth.

Continuously delving deeper underground.

"Ji Ning, drill towards where the essence stones are of higher quality," Ji Jiuhuo said, "Treasures are likely to be in areas with the densest heaven and earth essence energy."

Ji Ning nodded.

He had also noticed... the quality of the essence stones varied in different areas. Some places mostly had low-grade essence stones, while others had many high-grade essence stones.

Swish, swish, swish~~~ The Water Fire Lotus drilled through the ground like a dragon darting through the essence stone vein, continuously moving towards the area with the highest quality essence stones.

About half an hour later.

"Most of these are high-grade essence stones, just a bit of sorting is needed."

"Treasure land."

"So many high-grade essence stones."

Although they knew it was a rich vein, they didn't expect such a concentration of high-grade essence stones in the vein.

"Boom!" Suddenly, there was an explosion.

Ji Ning stopped abruptly, causing Ji Jiuhuo and the other five people to be caught off guard and also stop.

"What's wrong?" Ji Jiuhuo asked.

"There's very hard rock ahead, my Water Fire Lotus couldn't drill through it," Ji Ning said in confusion. His Water Fire Lotus was very powerful and could crush even well-crafted weapons, let alone some rocks, "It's really strange."

Swish, swish, swish~~~

The Water Fire Lotus quickly cleared the surrounding rocks, allowing Ji Ning to clearly see a very smooth stone surface in front of him.

"What is this?" Ji Ning was puzzled, and the five people behind him, including Ji Jiuhuo and Ji Yichuan, were also puzzled.

Ji Ning continued to control the Water Fire Lotus to clear the surrounding essence stones... soon, a part of a large stone chamber appeared, with a door in it.

"This, this..."

"It's a stone chamber! It's man-made! Even Ji Ning's Water Fire Lotus couldn't break through, it's not an ordinary stone chamber, it must be left by a transcendent being."

The Ji Clan members all showed looks of wild joy.

In the depths of over a hundred miles underground, at the core of the essence stone vein, such a stone chamber appeared. Who would believe it was an ordinary thing?

"Ji Ning, don't get close, be careful of any restrictions," Ji Jiuhuo said, "Stay far away and use a magical treasure to push the stone door open from a distance."

"Okay," Ji Ning nodded.

The group retreated, and then Ji Ning directly controlled a sword-type magical treasure to fly over and push the stone door. Rumble~~~ The stone door slowly turned, revealing an entrance, and a dense flow of heaven and earth essence energy immediately burst out from the entrance, making Ji Ning and the others feel very comfortable.

"There must be treasures left by a transcendent being," Ji Jiuhuo shouted even more excitedly.

***

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{Piaotian Literature}