The Hierarchy of the Dao

The temperament of Senior Apprentice-Sister Yu Wei, the black-robed girl, left Ji Ning somewhat baffled. However, the moment he thought about the Black-White Pearls and Primordial Liquid he had just received from the white-haired elder—the winnings from his string of battles—his heart was filled with joy. Moreover, the fights in the Dao Debate Palace had been like a tempering process; he could feel a transformation within himself, even if he couldn’t fully articulate it.

“Senior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning!” A cheer rang out.

Ji Ning turned to look.

The thin, white-robed youth Mu Northson charged over excitedly, shouting, “Senior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning, you were incredible! You won against so many Wanxiang Adept senior apprentice-brothers. Even that Beishan Xuantang, who seemed so formidable, lost to you! I just asked Senior Apprentice-Sister Donglin about it. The one who beat you, Yu Wei, is a reincarnated Immortal, and she’s been training for ten years longer than us, plus she entered the college much earlier.”

Eighth Scroll, Yinglong Guard, Chapter One – Bihai

“Relax, I don't mind,” Ji Ning said with a smile.

“Still, you're incredible,” Mu Northson said, still agitated. “Senior Apprentice-Sister Donglin told me that someone like you is extremely rare, one of the most顶尖 geniuses even in the Black-White College. Perhaps in a few thousand or even tens of thousands of years, the Black-White College will remember your name.”

Ji Ning shook his head. “You flatter me.”

Suddenly, sounds arose from the side.

“Uncle-Master College Lord.” “Uncle-Master College Lord.”

The group of Primal Daoists who had previously been hidden, silently arriving at the Dao Debate Palace, now walked into the open.

“All of you, return,” Bihai Daoist, who was at the front, said calmly. “Ji Ning, stay.”

“Yes.” Quite a few of the third-generation disciples had wanted to exchange a few words with Ji Ning, or at least learn his name, for everyone understood… that someone who was this powerful right after joining would surely become a storm figure in the entire Anchan Commandery as long as they didn’t die. However, with the College Lord giving the order, they naturally all withdrew.

“Ji Ning?” Senior Apprentice-Brother Flamesaint cast a deep look at him, silently committing the name to memory.

“Interesting, interesting. This is getting more and more interesting,” the slovenly, fat youth said, his face full of delight as he swayed and walked out.

Ji Ning said to Mu Northson beside him, “Junior Apprentice-Brother Northson, you should head back too.”

Eighth Scroll, Yinglong Guard, Chapter One – Bihai

“Mm.” Mu Northson nodded and left alongside Senior Apprentice-Sister Donglin. Soon, the only ones left in the Dao Debate Palace were the group of Primal Daoists and Ji Ning, as well as the few Immortals who remained hidden in the corner.

“Ji Ning,” Bihai Daoist said, looking at him. The surrounding Primal Daoists also looked at Ji Ning, their expressions peculiar.

“Uncle-Master College Lord,” Ji Ning said respectfully.

“Do you know what a Sword Immortal is?” Bihai Daoist asked.

Ji Ning asked back in surprise, “Sword Immortal? It’s a respectful title some people use for cultivators who are incredibly skilled with flying swords… Does it have a special meaning?” Even now, Ji Ning himself wasn't entirely clear on the true meaning of ‘Sword Immortal’.

“Uncle-Master Diancai didn’t tell you?” Bihai Daoist asked, thoughtful.

“Master didn’t go into detail about the matter of Sword Immortals. He just guided me in swordsmanship and told me to come see him again after I mastered the New Three Talents Lotus Sword and the first stance of the ‘Three-Foot Sword’,” Ji Ning said.

Bihai Daoist nodded. “That’s right. If you can master the first stance of the ‘Three-Foot Sword’, that will already make you a Sword Immortal. You must understand, there is a vast number of ‘Daos’ within Heaven and Earth.”

“I know,” Ji Ning said, nodding.

In his heart, he mused… I also know that the supreme existence of the Three Realms, ‘Mother Nuwa’, comprehended a full eighty-four thousand Daos! Of course, he had heard this from Lord Cui when he was in the Netherworld.

“Daos are numberless,” Bihai Daoist said, looking at Ji Ning. “And Daos have a hierarchy of high and low.”

“A hierarchy?” Ji Ning’s ears perked up.

“Mm.”

Bihai Daoist nodded. “Daos are divided into the supreme ‘Heavenly Daos’, the extremely exalted ‘Grand Daos’, and the most common ordinary ‘Daos’.”

“Heavenly Dao, Grand Dao, and Dao?” Ji Ning held his breath. Even his master hadn’t explained this to him in detail.

“A Heavenly Dao is the fundamental Dao that maintains the operation of Heaven and Earth; it is supreme. For instance, the Five Elements! When Pangu split Heaven and Earth, the world was derived and born from the foundation of the Five Elements. When we normally speak of ‘Heavenly Dao vows’ or ‘Heavenly Dao blood oaths’, we are swearing to the Heavenly Dao. The Heavenly Dao maintains the operation of Heaven and Earth. Once we violate our vows, we are naturally punished. No one can escape the punishment of the Heavenly Dao. This is the supreme ‘Dao’.”

Ji Ning was awed.

“It is said that if one can comprehend a Heavenly Dao, they will become a supreme existence within the entire Three Realms.” Bihai Daoist’s eyes were filled with boundless longing. The other Primal Daoists beside him also had ethereal looks in their eyes. For them, the Heavenly Dao was entirely a legend.

“Of course, I’ve never heard of anyone comprehending a Heavenly Dao.” Bihai Daoist smiled at Ji Ning. “Haven’t even heard a legend about it.”

Ji Ning understood.

Indeed. The Heavenly Dao; all cultivators swear oaths to it, and the operation of the Three Realms relies on it. Naturally, it was something of utmost reverence.

“The level below the Heavenly Dao is the Grand Dao!” Bihai Daoist looked at Ji Ning. “Each Grand Dao is immeasurably exalted, and even its mere entry is extremely difficult.”

“Below the Grand Dao is the most numerous type, the ordinary ‘Daos’.”

Bihai Daoist looked at Ji Ning. “Your Rainwater Dao, as well as the Cold Ice Dao, Profound Ice Dao, and so forth… they are all ordinary ‘Daos’.”

Ji Ning nodded.

He understood now. The hierarchy of Daos was clear: the Heavenly Dao was supreme, the foundation of the Three Realms’ operation!

“And the Dao of the Sword is one of these Grand Daos!” Bihai Daoist looked at Ji Ning. “Those who walk the path of this Grand Dao of the Sword are called Sword Immortals!”

“Ah!” Ji Ning’s eyes went wide.

The Dao of the Sword was one of the Grand Daos?

He had already started walking this path?

“The entry point into the Dao of the Sword is to awaken your Sword Heart, to achieve a state of clear illumination,” Bihai Daoist said, looking at Ji Ning. “This is also the first stance of the ‘Three-Foot Sword’. To possess a sincere Sword Heart and to have it shining clearly… this is even more difficult than your Domain of the Rainwater Dao.”

Ji Ning nodded in agreement. Reaching ‘Sword Heart Illumination’ was indeed harder than his Rainwater Sword Domain.

“This is the distinction between high and low Daos.”

“The entry point into a Grand Dao is harder to reach than the Domain of the Dao of an ordinary ‘Dao’.”

Bihai Daoist looked at Ji Ning, his gaze burning. “This is also why you were able to defeat Beishan Xuantang, who had reached a fivefold Domain of the Dao. Because the Dao you comprehend is a Grand Dao! Although he comprehends many things, they are merely small Daos. What's more… the Dao of the Sword is renowned as the most skilled in attack and slaughter among all Grand Daos. A Sword Immortal is famous for being adept at slaughter.”

“In our Black-White College… including you, there are only two Sword Immortals.”

Bihai Daoist said, “One is you, and the other is your master, Uncle-Master Diancai.”

Ji Ning nodded.

“Because you have entered the path of the Grand Dao of the ‘Dao of the Sword’, on behalf of the Black-White College, I award you two thousand Black-White Pearls.” Bihai Daoist produced a jade bottle and handed it to Ji Ning.

Ji Ning’s heart was filled with great joy. Two thousand Black-White Pearls? When his master had given him Black-White Pearls before, he had said that reaching a ‘Domain of the Dao’ earned a reward of one thousand Black-White Pearls, and that reaching the ‘Divine Sense’ level of the soul earned two thousand. Generally, only Primal Daoists could have their souls reach the Divine Sense level. Entering a Grand Dao was also rewarded with two thousand Black-White Pearls.

“Why isn’t it recorded in the Black-White Manual?” Ji Ning asked immediately. “The Black-White Manual has many records regarding rewards in ‘Black-White Pearls’, such as joining the Yinglong Guard or becoming a Two-Clawed or Three-Clawed Yinglong Guard, each with its own reward. Why is there no record of becoming a Sword Immortal?”

“The classification of Heavenly Dao, Grand Dao, and ordinary Dao is not casually revealed,” Bihai Daoist said, looking at Ji Ning. “If we had told you before you comprehended it, it might have affected your Dao-heart, making you unwilling to cultivate ordinary Daos and instead fixating on trying to comprehend a ‘Grand Dao’ in vain. But Grand Daos are not so easily comprehended. Without reaching that stage, telling you would only bring harm, not benefit.”

Ji Ning understood.

“Even for us,” Bihai Daoist said, looking at the surrounding Primal Daoists, “it was only after comprehending a complete Dao that we learned of this matter. We have all comprehended a complete Dao; the next step is naturally to try and comprehend a Grand Dao!”

Ji Ning was enlightened.

“The path of a Grand Dao is arduous. Even for our Black-White College, even for the esteemed senior Beixing, the Grand Dao was never fully comprehended,” Bihai Daoist said, looking at Ji Ning. “The path of a Grand Dao is thousands, tens of thousands of times harder than the path of an ordinary Dao. However, your strength will also be immeasurably greater. You must cultivate with all your heart and not be negligent.”

“Mm.” Ji Ning nodded solemnly.

“Alright. As for the matter of cultivating as a Sword Immortal… go ask your master. In the entire Black-White College, only your master can truly teach you.” Bihai Daoist smiled, then turned and left.

“Ji Ning, it’s rare for me to oversee the recruitment of disciples, and I managed to bring you into the sect, hahaha.” Wu Xiu Daoist also came over to chat with Ji Ning.

One by one, the Primal Daoists exchanged a few words with him. It was clear they believed… that in a few decades, or perhaps a century, Ji Ning would be able to stand alongside them as an equal.

Soon, the Primal Daoists all departed.

Ji Ning let out a long sigh of relief.

“Heavenly Dao? Grand Dao? Dao?” Ji Ning suddenly thought. “The one who created the aquatic palace left behind even Immortal-ranked and Pure Yang treasures in abundance. It is said he was a Fiendgod born from the primordial chaos before the creation of the world, a great power of the Three Realms. Even the ‘Starseizing Hand’ he comprehended was that powerful. He must have completely comprehended a Grand Dao. I just wonder if this Daoist Threelives comprehended a Heavenly Dao.”

“No more thinking.”

“Two thousand Black-White Pearls!” Ji Ning looked at the jade bottle in his hand. “Plus, I also obtained quite a few Black-White Pearls from the battles in the Dao Debate Palace.”

“I should go to the Dao Treasury Hall and see what techniques I can exchange them for,” Ji Ning pondered. “Should I exchange them for a Divine Ability? Or the Spiritcrush Art?”

Just then, a voice sounded.

“Ji Ning.” The voice echoed in his mind.

“Master.” Ji Ning quickly looked around.

“Go back and meditate in peace, consolidate the gains from this Dao Debate. I believe you will still make some progress. Come see me in three days,” the Diancai Immortal’s voice spoke in Ji Ning’s mind. The four Immortals—the Diancai Immortal, the short old man, the childlike youth, and the tall-capped, long-bearded elder—glanced at Ji Ning from the corner before vanishing into thin air.

Ji Ning looked around the Dao Debate Palace. There was no one else inside except himself, but he still replied respectfully, “Yes, Master.”

Immediately, Ji Ning mounted his flying boat, which transformed into a streak of light, and flew out of the Dao Debate Palace, heading back to his own Northdark Peak to meditate and consolidate the gains from this experience.

Eighth Scroll: ‘Yinglong Guard’ has begun!!!!