The Rules of the Aquatic Palace

This was the age of a Fiendgod. True Fiendgods were born from the womb of Heaven and Earth; from the moment of their birth, they were Xiantian lifeforms. As for Ji Ning… when he was eleven years old, Heaven and Earth had granted him a Fiendgod body through the descent of Water and Fire. In that sense, he was like a newly born Fiendgod. Now he was sixteen years old… if one were to view Ji Ning as a Fiendgod, then truly, he was only five years old.

“Only if you can reach the Zifu stage within ten years will you prove your potential.” The yellow bear gazed at the towering bronze door, his expression complex. “Only then can you enter the Divine Ability Hall… Within the Divine Ability Hall are trials left by the master. If you pass them, you will obtain a powerful divine ability technique left by him.”

“Remember, you only have one chance to enter the Divine Ability Hall.” The yellow bear looked at Ji Ning. “Thus, the stronger you are when you enter, the higher your chances. It would be best for you to enter in the tenth year. If you fail, you will not obtain the divine ability. Besides, the trials are somewhat dangerous; carelessness could cost you your life.”

Ji Ning asked curiously, “What divine ability is left in the Divine Ability Hall?”

The yellow bear glanced at him indifferently. “Pass the trials and you will know. Fail? You are not worthy of knowing.”

“Come. Let us proceed to the next hall.” The yellow bear continued forward.

Ji Ning looked back at the palm print on the bronze door, which radiated an endless, oppressive aura.

The Divine Ability Hall?

He was not yet at the Zifu stage in Fiendgod Body Refining. Thinking too much about it was useless.

The ancient corridor stretched on. The yellow bear led the way, the black ox followed beside him, and Ji Ning walked at the rear.

“This hall.” The yellow bear stopped before another closed, towering bronze door. Carved onto the door were a battle-axe and a longspear, their killing intent striking the face. A faint, bloody red glow shimmered across the surface of the bronze door, causing even Ji Ning’s heart to tremble.

“It is called the War God Hall.” The yellow bear said, “It is the most dangerous place in the entire aquatic palace, but also a place full of opportunity.”

The most dangerous? Full of opportunity?

Ji Ning was intrigued.

“Let us continue to the next one.” The yellow bear did not elaborate, walking straight ahead.

In the distance, the faint sound of flowing water could be heard. Ji Ning looked curiously at the wooden door ahead, which stood open. Through the doorway, he could see a flowing stream, rocky hills, and a solitary thatched cottage.

“This is the Star Hall.” The yellow bear stood at the entrance, gazing into the vast space within. “Everything in the Star Hall was personally arranged by the master. Living in the Star Hall, one can even comprehend the mysteries of the Dao.”

The black ox beside him spoke with excitement, “Ji Ning, the reason Celestial Immortal Juhua was able to live for millions of years is precisely because of the Star Hall. Every inch of the Star Hall contains the mysteries of the Dao. There are even complete ‘Daos’ within… It was because of the Star Hall that Juhua’s realm was so high, enabling him to survive calamity after calamity, living for millions of years.”

“Complete Daos?” Ji Ning was puzzled.

“Everything has been told to you.” The yellow bear looked at Ji Ning. “The places you can enter now are the main hall, this corridor, and the four halls. Do not try to go elsewhere, and even if you try, you will not get in. I wish you well. I hope you live long enough to become a Primal Daoist.”

Hua.

The yellow bear dissolved into specks of light and vanished into nothingness.

Only then did Ji Ning let out a breath. He always felt a great pressure facing the yellow bear—as though he were facing some ancient and powerful Fiendgod.

“The artifact spirit of the grotto is like that.” The black ox laughed. “Don’t take it personally. Even toward Celestial Immortal Juhua, the spirit was the same—aloof and proud. In truth, after spending endless years here, I have come to feel that the spirit’s pride is justified. After all, even in Juhua’s day, he had never truly mastered control of this palace.”

Ji Ning nodded thoughtfully.

Then he quickly asked, “Senior, what should I do about the four halls now? I ask for your guidance.”

“Go to the Treasure Hall first.” The black ox said, “Follow me, I am very familiar with it.”

“Alright.” Ji Ning felt that the black ox was far easier to talk to than the yellow bear.

Treasure Hall.

Ji Ning and the black ox stepped inside together and immediately felt as though they had entered another world. Strange treasures hung suspended in the air above. The ripples of energy emitted by some of the powerful treasures caused Ji Ning’s heart to tremble. A mere wisp of that energy would likely be enough to grind him to dust. Their might was far beyond anything he could imagine.

“Treasures…” the black ox said with emotion, his eyes shining. “All treasures. When Celestial Immortal Juhua saw these treasures, he could only drool—but he had no way to take them. If he could have taken them at will, he would probably have long since passed his tribulation and become a Celestial Immortal.”

Ji Ning’s heart stirred as well.

He looked at the blood-colored war spear above. The spear appeared plain and simple, but the very act of it floating there caused the surrounding void to shatter slightly, then repair, then shatter again—a cycle without end.

“These were all left behind by the First Master.” The black ox said quickly, “They were left for the successive masters of later generations, to nurture them. Thus, if you want to obtain these treasures, you must follow his rules. Otherwise, even if someone like Celestial Immortal Juhua was about to die from the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations, he could not take a single treasure.”

Ji Ning was curious: “What rules? How can I obtain these treasures?”

“Go look over there.” The black ox nodded toward the side. Ji Ning followed his gaze and saw that the far wall was covered in densely packed small characters—all Fiendgod script.

Ji Ning hurried over and read through them all at once.

“So that is how it is.” Ji Ning frowned.

It was entirely possible to obtain a treasure from the Treasure Hall.

There were two methods.

The first was to raise one’s Fiendgod Body Refining realm.

If one’s Fiendgod Body Refining reached the Zifu stage, they could select a ‘Human-ranked magic treasure’ or an item of equivalent value from the Treasure Hall.

If one reached the Wanxiang stage, they could select an ‘Earth-ranked magic treasure’ or a wondrous item.

If one reached the Primal stage, they could select a ‘Heaven-ranked magic treasure’ or a wondrous item.

If one reached the Void stage, they could select an ‘Immortal-ranked magic treasure’…

If they successfully crossed the tribulation and became an Empyrean God, they could select a ‘Pure Yang-ranked magic treasure’ or a wondrous item.

“So magic treasures are divided into five grades,” Ji Ning murmured. “One must reach Zifu to activate a Human-ranked treasure, Wanxiang to activate an Earth-ranked treasure, Primal to activate a Heaven-ranked treasure… and above those are Immortal-ranked and Pure Yang-ranked.”

Ji Ning had never heard of these things before. Previously, he had only known of the term ‘graded treasure’.

“Treasures are mainly divided into five grades,” the black ox said from beside him. “Furthermore, within the Human rank, there are Supreme, High, Medium, and Low grades. The Zifu Disciples in places like your Yan Mountains all use Human-ranked treasures, but most only have Low-grade or Medium-grade Human treasures. If you could pick freely from the Treasure Hall, I trust you would naturally choose the best.”

Ji Ning listened carefully. This was all new to him.

“The higher the realm, the harder it is to obtain treasures,” the black ox continued. “A Void-level Earth Immortal can use an Immortal-ranked treasure. But… how many Void-level cultivators actually obtain such treasures? Very, very few. Those Earth Immortals and Loose Immortals usually use Heaven-ranked treasures.”

“Back when Celestial Immortal Juhua was stuck at the Primal stage in Fiendgod Body Refining, unable to break through to the Void stage no matter what… and reaching Void stage in Ki Refining was useless,” the black ox shook his head. “So he never obtained an Immortal-ranked treasure.”

“Ah,” Ji Ning said, startled.

That made sense.

Raising one’s realm could earn treasures—but only by raising Fiendgod Body Refining. As for Ki Refining? No matter how high a Ki Refiner’s realm, they would receive no treasure reward. This showed that the First Master clearly hoped later masters would place more emphasis on Fiendgod Body Refining.

“Later, Celestial Immortal Juhua failed his tribulation and became a Loose Immortal. After honing himself over the long years, his strength grew greater and greater. Then, he managed to clear the seventh floor of the War God Hall and received an Immortal-ranked treasure as a reward,” the black ox said. “Later, Juhua gathered a large amount of materials. Among them were the spoils from defeating the Thousand Sword Immortal—several hundred flying swords that he traded for materials… and it was with those materials that he eventually forged me.”

Ji Ning asked curiously, “Senior, what grade of treasure are you?”

“I am naturally an Immortal-ranked treasure,” the black ox said with pride. “We Immortal-ranked treasures have already transcended the Heaven, Earth, and Human ranks, and it is only then that we can give birth to spiritual intelligence. It was by relying on me that Juhua established his fearsome reputation!”

“Right now, your Fiendgod Body Refining is merely at the Xiantian stage. If you want to obtain a treasure, you must risk entering the War God Hall,” the black ox said.

Ji Ning nodded.

There were two ways to obtain a treasure from the Treasure Hall: the first was advancement in Fiendgod Body Refining; the second was to challenge the War God Hall. The War God Hall had ten floors.

Clearing the first or second floor allowed one to select a single Human-ranked treasure or an item of equivalent value.
Clearing the third or fourth floor allowed one to select an Earth-ranked treasure…
Clearing the fifth or sixth floor allowed one to select a Heaven-ranked treasure…
Clearing the seventh or eighth floor allowed one to select an Immortal-ranked treasure…
Clearing the ninth or tenth floor allowed one to select a Pure Yang-ranked treasure…

Every master of the aquatic palace had two chances to challenge the War God Hall at each Fiendgod Body Refining realm. For example, Ji Ning was currently at the Xiantian stage in Fiendgod Body Refining, so he had two chances. When his Fiendgod Body Refining reached the Zifu stage, he would have two more chances.

Xiantian, Zifu, Wanxiang, Primal, Void.

Before becoming an Empyrean God, one had only ten chances in total! Every single chance was incredibly precious.

“Challenging the War God Hall is exceedingly difficult,” the black ox said, shaking his head with emotion. “But this is the second path to obtaining treasures from the Treasure Hall. Hard as it is, you have to try.”

“It is difficult,” Ji Ning agreed. Even Celestial Immortal Juhua had only managed to clear the seventh floor after many years as a Loose Immortal.

The black ox continued, “I saw you practicing your sword on that island at Winged Serpent Lake. I’m not trying to discourage you, but with your current strength… your chances of clearing the first floor are less than ten percent.”

“Less than ten percent?” Ji Ning could hardly believe it.

The War God Hall had ten floors. The first two floors only offered Human-ranked treasures as rewards. He had been practicing his sword on Brightmoon Isle, and the aquatic palace must have been watching the entire time. The black ox knew his strength clearly, yet he still said that Ji Ning had less than a ten percent chance of clearing the first floor.

“The four halls are: Treasure Hall, Divine Ability Hall, War God Hall, and Star Hall,” the black ox said. “Right now, you cannot obtain any treasure from the Treasure Hall. You cannot enter the Divine Ability Hall either. That leaves only the other two halls.”

“The War God Hall… perhaps you can try to fight your way through. If you succeed, you can choose a treasure. It will certainly be far better than those Medium- or Low-grade Human treasures you have now. But of course, if you fail, you will waste one of your chances to challenge the War God Hall.”

“The Star Hall contains many Daos. It is an excellent place to comprehend the Dao.”

“Which one will you go to?” the black ox asked Ji Ning.