Wanxiang Late-Stage

The black-robed, black-haired Celestial Immortal Diancai sat cross-legged on his jade bed. Suddenly, a trace of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "That boy. It seems he succeeded in joining the Yinglong Guard. He's back quite quickly."

At this moment, Ji Ning and Mu Northson had already entered the Black-White College. Both were flying through midair.

"Senior apprentice-brother, I'll come find you first thing tomorrow morning," Mu Northson said.

"Go back and go into secluded meditation properly. There's no rush to go on a mission until you've finished cultivating," Ji Ning said. The two of them had already made preparations. Once they refined the Primewater and their strength increased, they would immediately go out and slay that sinful evil Daoist cultivator.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Ji Ning rode his small boat, while Mu Northson piloted his dragon-headed war chariot puppet. They each flew towards their own islands.

Flying through the air.

"Senior apprentice-brother Northmont."

"Junior apprentice-brother Northmont is back? The last time I went to your place, I found you had gone out to adventure."

From the Black-White College all the way to Northmont Peak, he encountered six ordinary servant disciples and one formal disciple.

"That is Northmont Peak." Aboard his boat, Ji Ning pointed down at the mountain peak below. It was already late afternoon, the setting sun casting its remaining light across Northmont Peak, making it seem misty and beautiful. "Qingqing, you are my spirit-beast. Within the Black-White College, there are many forbidden areas you must not barge into. Be good and stay in your meditation chamber today, cultivate, and don't cause any trouble for me, understood?"

"Don't worry, master." Qingqing had been incredibly excited ever since entering the Black-White College.

Ji Ning smiled.

His boat immediately dove downwards.

From within the manor on Northmont Peak, several figures emerged. They were the six Ki Refining retainers Ji Ning had left behind at Northmont Peak: Meng Yan, Yun Lu, Yun Zhou, Wang Wei, Wei Fang, and Ming Yang.

"Senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning," the six of them called out in greeting.

"You're back so quickly, senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning. Did you succeed in joining the Yinglong Guard?" Yun Lu looked at Ji Ning, her eyes bright and eager. As a naturally enchanting woman, she naturally attracted a lot of attention. Many pursued her. Among Ji Ning's retainers alone, aside from her brother Yun Zhou and Meng Yan, the other three all had their hearts set on her.

Not to mention the other servant disciples on other peaks.

Tch…

Having grown accustomed to looking at servant disciples, when she saw Ji Ning, Yun Lu thought to herself, Compared to senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning, those are all just dirt and rubble. Hmph. Even if my Dao-companion can't match senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning, he should at least be half as good. They can't even compare to a tiny fraction of him.

"Yes, I've joined the Yinglong Guard." Ji Ning smiled slightly.

"Congratulations, senior apprentice-brother!"

The six spoke in unison.

Ji Ning nodded, then gestured to the green-clad young woman following him. "This is my spirit-beast, Qingqing. Get to know her."

"Senior apprentice-sister Qingqing." Even Yun Lu was respectfully deferential, for they could all sense the powerful demonic aura radiating from Qingqing. It was definitely the aura of a Wanxiang-level great demon. The six of them were merely Zifu Disciples… Qingqing was doing it on purpose, to intimidate them.

"Alright, all of you may withdraw. Uncle White, arrange a quiet meditation chamber for Qingqing." After speaking, Ji Ning walked alone towards his own meditation chamber.

He starts cultivating the moment he returns. No wonder he's such a genius. Yun Lu watched Ji Ning and nodded to herself. The Dao-companion I seek must also be as diligent as senior apprentice-brother.

Within the meditation chamber, luminous pearls were inlaid into the ceiling, their light filling the vast room.

Seated cross-legged on the exquisitely carved jade bed at the chamber's center was Ji Ning.

"Time to begin."

Ji Ning flipped his hand, and a jade bottle appeared in his palm. He placed it before him and pulled out the stopper. This jade bottle held a full six thousand jin of Primewater. The moment the stopper was removed, dense natural energy began to seep out. Just breathing it in made one feel incredibly refreshed.

Ji Ning possessed a powerful soul, extraordinary talent, and an extremely solid foundation. His cultivation speed was astonishingly fast. An ordinary Wanxiang Adept might need centuries of bitter cultivation to accumulate enough Yuan power to break through to the Primal Daoist stage. For Ji Ning, even cultivating slowly, a few decades would suffice.

But even so.

These six thousand jin of Primewater were equivalent to anywhere from six to ten years of Ji Ning's bitter cultivation.

"Huff." Ji Ning opened his mouth, and the Primewater flew into it.

Within the Violet Palace.

At the deepest part of the endless Yuan power ocean, the 'source' began to churn violently, continuously spewing forth vast amounts of incredibly pure Yuan power. The entire Yuan power ocean began to rotate slowly. The sea level naturally began to rise. As it rose, countless essences began to condense within the Yuan power ocean, countless motes of pure substance.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh… Countless essences flew up into the air.

High up in the Violet Palace's sky hung tens of thousands of stars, the Taiyin Star, and the Sunstar. These stars moved in an exquisitely profound trajectory, resonating with and mirroring the true stars of the external world. As the saying goes, movement brings life. Once the stars within the Violet Palace began to move, they could truly nurture the pure 'Wanxiang-level Yuan power.'

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…" Countless essences flew into the sky, immediately drawn into the grand stellar formation.

Countless stars moved slowly, and the essences were crushed and scattered throughout all the stars. The primary focus of this energy was, naturally, the central Taiyin and Sunstars.

Rumble… The stars moved eternally, tirelessly. Each star exerted a gravitational pull and a repulsive force on the others, keeping all their volumes fixed, preventing any growth. With their sizes locked, as they absorbed more and more Yuan power essence, they would eventually undergo a qualitative transformation when their Dao reached a certain level.

"Boom!"

The Wanxiang Yuan power emanating from these stars had clearly become a full level purer!

"Wanxiang Mid-stage." Ji Ning was secretly pleased. "It cost me nearly two thousand jin of Primewater to reach Wanxiang Mid-stage. Continue!"

After a long while.

This time, he refined over three thousand jin of Primewater before the countless stars in his Violet Palace underwent another qualitative transformation.

"Wanxiang Late-stage!" Ji Ning opened his eyes and glanced at the jade bottle before him. A little over a thousand jin of Primewater remained. It clearly wouldn't be enough to reach Wanxiang Perfection. Based on the situation, advancing from Wanxiang Late-stage to Wanxiang Perfection would require a good four or five thousand jin of Primewater.

"In truth, the hardest step is from Wanxiang Perfection to the Primal Daoist stage. That leap requires tens of thousands of jin of Primewater." Ji Ning sighed.

Could it be that he would have to constantly rob and kill Wanxiang Adepts?

As the saying goes, 'the pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at last.'

He might encounter a Wanxiang Adept who was secretly much more powerful than he seemed, or one who had a powerful protective treasure. Any of these could cost him his life! Thus, slaughtering other cultivators was generally something done only under special circumstances when there was no other choice. Those who actively pursued a path of robbery and murder might flourish for a time, but in the end, they would always meet their doom.

"No rush. Right now, my comprehension of the Dao, and my insights into the Sword Dao, are still lacking. I'm still a long way from breaking through to the Primal Daoist stage." Ji Ning then began to reflect on his sword arts and engage in deep contemplation.

Time flowed by. Soon, it was dawn.

Early in the morning, Mu Northson arrived.

"Senior apprentice-brother, senior apprentice-brother." Mu Northson was in high spirits. "I cultivated all the way to Wanxiang Perfection in one go. I still have quite a bit of Primewater left over."

"What are you so smug about? I'm at Wanxiang Perfection too!" Qingqing glared at him.

"You only had that much Primewater, and you reached Wanxiang Perfection?" Mu Northson asked in surprise. "You were only at Wanxiang Mid-stage before, just like me. I used up far more Primewater than you."

Qingqing pouted. "I used six hundred jin of Primewater to reach Wanxiang Late-stage, and then another four thousand five hundred jin to reach Wanxiang Perfection. Obviously, I was much closer to Wanxiang Late-stage before than you. I'm stronger."

Ji Ning sat to the side, sipping fruit wine, smiling as he watched the man and demon bicker.

"What about you, senior apprentice-brother?" Mu Northson sat down.

"Wanxiang Late-stage," Ji Ning said calmly.

"Late-stage?" Mu Northson was shocked. "How could it only be late-stage?"

"Ning'er and I are both at Wanxiang Late-stage." The white-robed, white-haired man who had just walked in from the courtyard gate spoke.

Mu Northson immediately understood.

Ji Ning must have split the Primewater with Whitewater Hound. Whitewater Hound had only been at Zifu Perfection before. No wonder he had been able to cultivate all the way to Wanxiang Late-stage in one go.

"Uncle White has an extremely high level of comprehension in the art of formations. That's why, with the Primewater available, he was able to advance in one smooth stretch," Ji Ning said, turning to Mu Northson. "Junior apprentice-brother, are you going to see your master? If not, we'll set out today."

"No need to see him." Mu Northson shook his head. "Aren't you going to see yours either, senior apprentice-brother?"

Ji Ning nodded slightly.

He had just bid farewell not long ago…

It had only been a bit over three months, and he hadn't made much progress in his sword arts. There was no need to bother his master.

"After breakfast, we depart." Ji Ning said. "Everyone, sit down. Uncle White. Qingqing. Sit."

Ji Ning, Mu Northson, Qingqing, and Uncle White sat around the table, chatting and eating.

At dawn the next day, Ji Ning and the others once again left the Black-White College. This time, however, their departure was destined to be a very long one.

When Ji Ning had returned to the Black-White College, he had encountered many people. Naturally, those who were paying attention soon learned of his return.

"Whoosh."

Nine Lotos waved her hand, and a watery mirror appeared before her.

She gazed at her own reflection in the mirror.

"Hmm?" Nine Lotos frowned slightly. The style of her blue robes began to change, and even the patterns on the fabric shifted. As a Dharma robe, it could naturally change its appearance and color.

After a long while, Nine Lotos finally smiled. She waved her hand, and the watery mirror dissipated.

"Whoosh."

A snow-white lotus flight treasure appeared. Nine Lotos stepped onto it and shot into the sky, leaving her estate.

Moments later.

Nine Lotos, standing on her snowy lotus, saw Northmont Peak in the distance. As she flew closer, she spoke aloud, "I heard that junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning has returned. I wonder if I might have a word with him?"

Her voice echoed over Northmont Peak.

Soon, a tall, dark-skinned man and an enchanting woman appeared. They were Meng Yan and Yun Lu.

Meng Yan bowed hurriedly. "Senior apprentice-sister Nine Lotos, senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning returned yesterday but left again early this morning." Yun Lu, beside him, looked up at Nine Lotos, who stood on the snowy white lotus high in the air like an immortal descended from heaven, and felt quite envious.

"He left?" Nine Lotos was taken aback.

"When will he be back?" Nine Lotos asked.

"I do not know," Meng Yan shook his head. "Senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning said that this time, his departure would be a very long one."

"A long one, is it?"

Nine Lotos nodded lightly, a faint hint of disappointment flickering in her eyes. Then, stepping onto her lotus treasure, she shot through the sky, disappearing into the distant horizon.