The Cage of Dragon Fort

1,930 words

Three days later, in the early morning, Ji Ning and his parents arrived at Dragon Fort.

Dragon Fort was a hundred zhang wide and three hundred zhang long. It was divided into two sections: the Cage and the Beast Lair. The Cage was where life-and-death battles took place, while the Beast Lair was where demon beasts were normally held in captivity. Because Dragon Fort housed many dangerous demon beasts, it had originally been built in a remote corner of the inner city.

...

Inside the Cage of Dragon Fort.

After entering the Cage, Ji Ning looked around. It was an open space about two or three hundred meters in diameter. The surrounding walls were made entirely of black metal, while overhead, a dense network of black iron chains was woven together, forming an inescapable cage.

"This is completely sealed off," said Ji Yichuan, his voice carrying a faint chill. "The walls are forged from Blackwater Iron. Although Blackwater Iron isn't considered a precious material, even an ordinary early-stage Xiantian expert would find it difficult to damage such a thick wall of it. As for the thick chains above, they are also made of Blackwater Iron. Given your strength... if you were to use the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens at full power, you should be able to sever the chains. But with so many chains forming a net... you'd need at least ten breaths of time to cut through enough to escape."

Ji Ning nodded.

"Look." Ji Yichuan pointed above the chain net. There was actually a viewing platform up there.

"Your mother and I, along with your Uncle White, will be watching you from up there," Ji Yichuan said coldly.

"Be careful," Yuchi Snow encouraged her son.

"Growl!" The massive snow-white hound also looked at Ji Ning, its eyes filled with encouragement and expectation. This snow-white hound was his father Ji Yichuan's sworn brother. His father had tamed two great demons: one was the massive black serpent, Uncle Black; the other was this snow-white hound, Uncle White.

When beasts gained intelligence, they would begin to absorb the natural energy of Heaven and Earth, becoming demon beasts!

If a demon beast underwent a difficult transformation and crossed into the Xiantian stage, becoming a Xiantian lifeform, it was then called a great demon. Most great demons could take human form. Uncle Black was an example of this. But among demon beasts, there was a special type—Godbeasts.

Godbeasts were demon beasts that possessed the bloodline of ancient Fiendgods. They were born with intelligence, possessed extremely powerful talents, and were far stronger than ordinary demon beasts. However, it was also far more difficult for them to transform into human form, and the difficulty varied depending on the Godbeast.

Some Godbeasts needed to reach the 'Zifu' stage before they could take human form, some needed the Wanxiang stage, and some even higher...

Uncle White was a Godbeast, a 'Whitewater Hound'. He would need to reach the Zifu stage to take human form and be able to speak.

Ji Ning had a very close bond with this Whitewater Hound. Ever since his archery teacher, Meng Yu, had finished his lessons, Ji Ning would go with the Whitewater Hound every morning to the forests outside Westprefecture City to practice his archery. Ji Yichuan was not comfortable letting his son leave the city alone, so he had the Xiantian lifeform 'Whitewater Hound' protect him.

The strength of a Xiantian-level Godbeast was terrifying! Ji Yichuan's transcendent status within the Ji Clan's Western Prefecture was partly due to this Whitewater Hound.

"Just watch," Ji Ning said with a grin.

"Growl." The Whitewater Hound gave a low growl, then followed Ji Yichuan and his wife out through a narrow passage, soon appearing on the viewing platform above.

Ji Ning let out a soft breath to calm himself, then looked around.

"It feels just like a Roman arena," Ji Ning muttered to himself. "A fighting area and a viewing platform." He knew that those who were brought to the Cage to fight demon beasts were typically key members of the clan undergoing special training. Their elders and relatives would watch from the platform.

"Clatter..." A series of chain-rattling sounds came from a passage in the far wall. Ji Ning looked over. From the pitch-black passage came a low, guttural roar that shook the entire Cage, causing the massive chain net above to tremble and clang.

A huge, silver-furred head slowly emerged from the passage.

"That is..." Ji Ning observed carefully.

"Ji Ning." From the viewing platform above, Ji Yichuan said coldly, "You are training in the number one Fiendgod Body Refining method, so I specially selected an extremely powerful demon beast for you—a Howling Moon Wolf with the bloodline of a Fiendgod."

Ji Ning's eyes went wide as he stared up at his father, stunned.

A Fiendgod bloodline?

That meant it was a Godbeast! Of course, Godbeasts were also a type of demon beast. There were still quite a few Godbeasts at the Houtian stage scattered across the boundless lands—creatures like 'Earth-Armor Dragons', 'Mountain-Shaking Rhinoceros', 'Howling Moon Wolves', 'Redclaw Golden Crows', 'Thundersea Shrikes', 'Whitewater Hounds', and many others. Only one in several hundred or a thousand Houtian-level Godbeasts could undergo the difficult breakthrough to become a Xiantian lifeform.

"Clatter..." The sound of chains continued.

Ji Ning stopped thinking and focused on the massive passage in the wall. He knew they were now unlocking the chains. Once the chains were completely released, the Howling Moon Wolf would be set free.

"Clang!" The sound of chains hitting the ground.

"Aoow!" A joyful wolf howl rang out. Above, Ji Yichuan, Yuchi Snow, and the Whitewater Hound all watched the scene below intently.

Ji Ning held his breath.

A massive creature slowly emerged from the passage. It was covered in beautiful silver fur, standing about two zhang tall, and it walked out with a graceful, leisurely stride. It looked down at the tiny figure below—a human youth. As a special type of demon beast known as a Godbeast, its intelligence was no less than a human's.

It understood that when it entered this Cage, there were only two possible outcomes. One: it would kill the human and continue living. Two: it would be killed by the human youth.

"Choosing a Godbeast for my very first trial," Ji Ning said, reaching his right hand out. A sword materialized in his hand, its blade gleaming coldly. "Then let's fight."

The Howling Moon Wolf's massive body weighed nearly ten thousand jin, yet its four hooves moved lightly as it advanced, its narrow eyes fixed on the human youth.

Holding his longsword, Ji Ning walked forward step by step.

The distance between them closed rapidly.

"Boom!" The Howling Moon Wolf transformed from its previous elegance into pure savagery. It lunged forward, becoming a blur as it sprang directly at Ji Ning. Its soft paws flashed like unsheathed blades as its sharp claws extended.

Swoosh!

At the critical moment, Ji Ning moved his feet, flowing like the wind as he barely evaded the leaping attack. At the same time, his longsword shot forward in a precise thrust! The thrust was decisive and lightning-fast. If it could pierce the Howling Moon Wolf's body, the creature's own momentum would rip the wound wide open!

"Hm?" The moment he thrust, Ji Ning's expression changed. The tip of his sword met tremendous resistance. The Howling Moon Wolf's hide was incredibly tough, stopping the sword's point cold and preventing it from penetrating.

At the same time, the Howling Moon Wolf's tail whipped around. Unable to dodge in time, Ji Ning hurriedly raised his sword to block.

Boom!

The Howling Moon Wolf's tail struck the sword like a heavy steel whip. The immense force sent Ji Ning flying, his body slamming heavily into the distant Blackwater Iron wall. Boom! The thick wall shuddered violently.

"Roar!" The Howling Moon Wolf followed up with another lunge, its claws reaching for Ji Ning.

Ji Ning quickly dodged, leaping away.

Sss! Sss! Sss! Deep claw marks were gouged into the Blackwater Iron wall. The Howling Moon Wolf landed and turned its head to look at the distant human youth. Its tail whip was one of its lethal techniques. That single sweep had sent the human youth crashing into the wall. Yet the youth had instantly escaped to a safe distance. It understood now—this human youth was truly powerful, strong enough to fight it on equal terms.

"An ordinary Nine-Fang Warrior would likely have had their internal organs shattered by that tail whip and died," Ji Ning frowned, looking at the distant Howling Moon Wolf. "It seems I'll have to rely on the power of my Fiendgod body."

He had also been training in Ki Refining over the years and had reached the Houtian perfection stage. But a sword strike infused with Houtian perfection Ki couldn't even pierce its fur. How could he fight like this?

"Hmph!"

Ji Ning let out a low snort, and two visible streams of air shot from his nostrils, causing the very air to tremble. In that moment, the terrifying power lurking deep within his seemingly slender frame was fully unleashed. The Taiyin and Sunstar power hidden within his body also surged, causing a faint reddish tint to spread across his skin.

Ji Ning lightly waved his longsword. The air current created by the blade cutting through the air directly carved a deep furrow into the thick, packed earth.

The distant Howling Moon Wolf let out a low growl, its eyes locked onto the youth.

...

"Finally, the boy is using the Crimsonbright Diagram," Yuchi Snow said with a smile. "He was stubbornly refusing to use it before."

Ji Yichuan nodded. "The Howling Moon Wolf possesses a Fiendgod bloodline. Its hide is incredibly tough. An ordinary Houtian perfection warrior couldn't pierce it at all. I specifically chose the Howling Moon Wolf... to force Ji Ning to unleash all his strength, to see how well he could truly perform in a life-or-death battle."

"And now? What do you think of his performance?" Yuchi Snow pressed.

"Average," Ji Yichuan said, his eyes fixed on the scene below. "He's still calm, at least."

...

Ji Ning, holding his longsword, circled the Howling Moon Wolf, taking large steps around it.

The Howling Moon Wolf kept its eyes locked on Ji Ning, not launching an attack lightly. Because once it attacked... it would also reveal openings. In battles like this, life and death were often decided in a single, instantaneous moment.

"Hmph." Without any warning, Ji Ning turned into a blurry shadow, closing in on the Howling Moon Wolf.

The Howling Moon Wolf immediately roared and lunged, baring its fangs and extending its claws.

Swish!

A flash of sword-light!

As the sword shadow cut through the air, it shifted direction nine times in quick succession, accelerating to a terrifying speed. It was as if the very air was being torn apart. Sssssss! The sword shadow slashed across the Howling Moon Wolf's chest, carving a huge wound. Blood sprayed out.

"Clang." After delivering the sword strike, Ji Ning immediately turned his sword, blocking one of the Howling Moon Wolf's claws, and used the momentum to leap back.

The Howling Moon Wolf bared its fangs and roared at Ji Ning, its chest wound clenching as the bleeding slowed. But blood was still slowly seeping out. It was clear that the wound was simply too large.

The Howling Moon Wolf could truly feel death approaching!

"That 'Lightning Flash' technique from the Thunderfire Sword Fragments is truly impressive," Ji Ning said softly to himself.

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Reading Guide Decoding

Fang and Fury: Ji Ning's Trial by Godbeast

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

This chapter is a fantastic primer on the hierarchy of being in Xianxia. First, we have the natural progression from beasts to demon beasts (yao shou). When animals gain intelligence and learn to absorb natural energy, they become demon beasts. This is a one-way ticket to power, but it's a slow, hard road. Just reaching the Xiantian stage (where they become great demons and can usually take human form) is a massive achievement.

Then we get the true powerhouses: Godbeasts (shen shou). These aren't ordinary animals that got lucky; they are born with the 'blood of ancient Fiendgods'—think of it as a divine lineage. This means they are smarter, stronger, and tougher than regular demon beasts. A Houtian-level Godbeast can often dominate a Xiantian-level normal demon beast. However, this power comes with a price. Their very blood is so potent that it resists human form; they must reach the Zifu, Wanxiang, or even higher stages to shed their animal shape and speak. The Whitewater Hound, for instance, needs to be a Zifu-level cultivator to talk—hence his silence in this chapter.

The concept of Divided Mind (一心二用) is briefly alluded to in the term glossary. It's not just multitasking; in the logic of Xianxia, it is a sign of a supremely strong soul. For a cultivator to fight with a sword in each hand, each weapon executing a completely different attack pattern, requires not just training, but a fundamental mental splitting that multiplies combat ability many times over. It’s a rare, natural-born talent that separates geniuses from the merely talented.

Finally, we see the strategic genius of the smart patriarch. Ji Yichuan doesn't want to just teach Ji Ning how to swing a sword. He engineered a scenario where Ji Ning had his normal tactics completely fail, forcing him to rely on the raw, untamed power of his Fiendgod Body Refining. This is the classic Xianxia father-figure: cold, calculated, and ruthless in his methods of training, yet utterly confident in his son’s potential.

Chapter Overview

Gather 'round, fellow Daoists, because the cage door is about to slam shut, and a young Ji Ning is about to have his first real taste of mortal combat. This chapter takes us inside the legendary Dragon Fort, where the clan’s elite heirs are tested not with theory, but with fang and claw. In this premiere trial, Ji Ning faces a Howling Moon Wolf—a Godbeast born with the blood of ancient Fiendgods. But the real drama isn't just the beast's speed or its steel-whip tail; it's watching Ji Ning slowly realize that his Houtian-level Ki Refining is useless against this monster's hide. This forces him to finally unleash the full, brutish power of the Crimsonbright Diagram. The chapter masterfully contrasts the cold, analytical parenting of Ji Yichuan, the warm maternal concern of Yuchi Snow, and the primal savagery of a young cultivator learning how his newly-forged divine body actually works in a fight. Get ready for a brawl that proves raw power sometimes beats a pretty sword swing.

Key Plot Points

Introduction to Dragon Fort's Function: Ji Ning and his parents arrive at Dragon Fort. The chapter explains its two-part layout: the Cage (the life-or-death arena) and the Beast Lair. The Cage itself is described as a formidable structure made of Blackwater Iron, a metal so tough that even a beginner Xiantian cultivator would struggle to damage it. The chain-woven ceiling is the only potential escape route, but it would take ten breaths of pure hacking to clear, an eternity in a fight.
The Defining Character Moment for Uncle White: The narrative takes a moment to explain the nature of Godbeasts through the example of the Whitewater Hound, Ji Ning's guardian. This builds lore and reinforces how special Uncle White is, as he is a Xiantian-level Godbeast who has already transformed into human form. The bond between Ning and his ‘Uncle White’ is implicitly shown as a source of strength and protection.
The Wolf is Released: Ji Ning’s father reveals his choice of opponent: a Howling Moon Wolf, a Godbeast. This is a massive, elegant, yet lethally intelligent creature. Ji Ning’s realization that his father has thrown him into the deep end is a moment of shock, setting the stage for a real struggle.
The First Exchange Fails: Ji Ning attempts a textbook-perfect thrust, expecting to use the wolf's momentum against it. However, the Howling Moon Wolf's hide is so tough that the sword's tip fails to penetrate. The counter-attack sends Ji Ning flying into the wall, demonstrating that his normal Ki Refining skills are simply not enough to do damage.
Unleashing the Primordial Power: Realizing the futility of his Houtian-level attacks, Ji Ning triggers the power of the Crimsonbright Diagram. His skin flushes red, and air trembles around him as the latent Taiyin and Sunstar power within his Fiendgod-refined body awakens. The change is palpable, and even the Howling Moon Wolf hesitates, realizing the prey has suddenly become a predator.
Decisive Victory with a High-End Technique: Using the increased speed and strength from his Fiendgod body, Ji Ning lashes out with the ‘Lightning Flash’ technique from the Thunderfire Sword Fragments. The attack manifests as a blade-shadow that shifts nine times in mid-air, accelerating to a lethal degree, finally slashing a deep wound across the wolf's chest. The chapter ends with Ji Ning's cold assessment of his own technique.

Reading Guide

Don’t Underestimate the Setting: The chapter spends a surprising amount of time describing the Blackwater Iron walls and the overhead chain net. This is not a wasted paragraph! It's the author building the atmosphere of an inescapable, primal arena. It makes the fight feel real and visceral. You can almost hear the clang of metal and the beast's roar bouncing off the dark walls. The description of the Howling Moon Wolf's graceful entrance also serves to build dread before the actual fight begins.
Watch the Parental Dynamics from the Viewing Platform: The true narrative tension this chapter isn't just the bile and fur; it's the silent drama playing out on the viewing platform. Ji Yichuan's cold, analytical commentary contrasts sharply with Yuchi Snow's trembling worry. They are both experts, but they express their concern in very different ways. Seeing Ji Yichuan call his son's early performance 'average' is a window into his scale of expectations, and Yuchi Snow's immediate follow-up question shows how much she cares about the outcome despite the danger.
The Real Fight Begins with a Failed Thrust: Pay attention to the moment Ji Ning's first attack fails. It's a huge clue to the metaphysics of this world. A perfectly executed, Houtian-level thrust is useless against the natural armor of a Godbeast. This is a classic reminder that in Xianxia, talent and technique must be matched by the right kind of cultivation (Ki Refining vs. Fiendgod Body Refining) to deal with specific threats. It's a brutal lesson in power scaling, and Ji Ning learns it the hard way.
The True Meaning of 'Lightning Flash': Ji Ning’s finishing move is not just a light show. The description highlights 'nine rapid shifts' in mid-air. This isn't just for show; it's a technique that destabilizes the target's defenses, making the final blow far more devastating than a simple, direct slash. It's a reminder that even raw power in this world is often wielded with incredible sophistication.