The Walls of the War God Hall

The great hall remained as ancient and towering as ever, the enormous straw cushions beneath the dais still arranged exactly as they had been a billion years ago.

Ji Ning appeared within the hall, immediately spotting the black ox and the yellow-furred bear. He said with respectful courtesy, "Ji Ning pays his respects to the two seniors."

"Late Wanxiang?" The yellow-furred bear nodded slightly. "Your Ki Refining has progressed fairly quickly. Your Fiendgod Body Refining is only at the ninth stage—a bit slower."

"You're already at Wanxiang?" The black ox was astonished, then looked at Ji Ning. "Little brat Ji Ning, it seems you're far stronger than that fourth master of the estate, Lei Zhan. Lei Zhan died while still at the Wanxiang stage."

Ji Ning smiled.

The yellow-furred bear nodded. "Ji Ning is naturally far stronger than Lei Zhan. His talent can already match that of a reincarnated Immortal."

"You flatter me, senior." Ji Ning grinned, in a good mood from the praise. "May I ask… if I were to challenge the third level of the War God Hall now, what are my chances?"

"Less than one in ten." The yellow-furred bear shook his head.

"What?!" Ji Ning was shocked.

Back when he'd left Yan Mountain for Anchan City, he had already cleared the second level of the War God Hall. Four years had passed since then… his Fiendgod Body Refining was stronger, and he had even stepped through the gates of the 'Sword Dao.' For the artifact spirit to be so unequivocal that his chances were less than one in ten…

"Senior, you don't even know my current sword realm," Ji Ning said.

"Ji Ning, there is something you do not understand." The yellow-furred bear shook his head. "The first and second levels of the War God Hall, once cleared, grant a Human-ranked treasure or equivalent. The third and fourth levels, once cleared, grant an Earth-ranked treasure or equivalent. In other words, every two levels, there is a massive leap in difficulty."

"A massive leap?" Ji Ning frowned.

"Indeed. The first and second levels generally test Fiendgod Body Refining at the Zifu level. The third and fourth levels test Fiendgod Body Refining at the Wanxiang level." The yellow-furred bear looked at Ji Ning. "Generally speaking, only a Fiendgod Body Refiner who has reached the Wanxiang stage has any hope of clearing the third level. You have only reached the ninth stage of the Crimsonbright Diagram. Your foundation is still too weak by comparison. You have divine abilities, yes, but the difficulty of the trial has already accounted for those abilities. After all, these trials are meant for the successive masters of this estate."

"Take the seventh and eighth levels, for example—they test Fiendgod Body Refining at the Void level. Celestial Immortal Juhua never managed to break through his Fiendgod Body Refining. Although his Ki Refining broke through, and he even reached the peak of the Void in that path, he still could not clear the seventh level. It was only after bitter training for many years as a Loose Immortal that he finally managed to clear it. I trust you can understand how difficult it is."

Ji Ning nodded silently.

Indeed.

Even when Celestial Immortal Juhua had reached 'Earth Immortal' perfection in Ki Refining, he could not clear the seventh level.

To put it in perspective, it was as hopeless for a Ki Refiner at 'Wanxiang' perfection to clear the third level. One would ideally need to be a Fiendgod Body Refiner who had inherited the 'Starseizing Hand' divine ability—or one of the top three abilities in the Divine Ability Hall—and also possess an extremely high realm of the Dao. Only then would one have a chance.

These were the trials left behind by 'Daoist Threelives'!

"Of course, you can still give it a try." The yellow-furred bear said, "As a Fiendgod Body Refiner at the Zifu level, you have two chances to challenge the War God Hall. You've only used one. You still have one left!"

Ji Ning smiled. "No rush. I came today primarily to go to the Star Hall."

"I'll take you." The black ox quickly said. "The War God Hall is incredibly difficult. Celestial Immortal Juhua was driven nearly mad by it back in the day. The Star Hall is much better—every part of it contains the mysteries of the Dao. It is a sacred ground for enlightenment."

The yellow-furred bear followed behind.

And so, the ox, the man, and the bear made their way toward the Star Hall.

Within the Star Hall, the same great mountain stood as before. The mountainside was lush with vibrant green life, while at the base was a desolate stretch of chaotic rock. Amidst the rocks sat a thatched cottage.

The sky above was filled with brilliant stars.

"Every time I come, I feel something different." Ji Ning looked at the babbling brook in the rocky beach, at the weeds growing among the stones, and at every single star in the sky. They all radiated the mysteries of the Dao. "That is the Dao of Blazing Fire… and that… is the Sword Dao?"

Ji Ning looked up.

"The Sword Dao?" The black ox beside him looked at Ji Ning in surprise.

"You've stepped into the Sword Dao?" The black ox asked, astonished.

Ji Ning nodded. "Yes. Shortly after I left Yan Mountain for Anchan City and entered the Black-White College, I stepped into the Sword Dao."

"Celestial Immortal Juhua also stepped into the Sword Dao. He was a renowned Sword Immortal." The black ox shook his head with a sigh. "Unfortunately, he was never able to fully comprehend the entire Sword Dao."

"The Sword Dao is a Grand Dao." The yellow-furred bear walked over from behind, speaking slowly. "With a Sword Immortal's heart, absolute sincerity toward the sword, and a bit of talent, one can generally step into the Sword Dao."

Ji Ning muttered inwardly.

Easy for him to say.

In the Black-White College, aside from his master, he was the only one who had stepped into the Sword Dao. In the mouth of this artifact spirit, it sounded like nothing special. But then again… this artifact spirit had once followed the Primordial Fiendgod Daoist Threelives. It wasn't surprising that his standards were high.

"Stepping into the Sword Dao is easy. Achieving some accomplishments in it is also not difficult. But to fully comprehend a complete Grand Dao of the Sword… that is incomparably difficult." The yellow-furred bear looked at Ji Ning. "In your homeland, within this major world ruled by the Grand Xia Dynasty, there might not be a single person who has fully comprehended the complete Sword Dao!"

Ji Ning held his breath.

"Minor Daos are minor Daos. Grand Daos are Grand Daos. The Heavenly Dao is the Heavenly Dao!" The yellow-furred bear sighed. "The difference between the three is vast. Juhua was able to comprehend nine complete minor Daos. But even if you gave him ten million more years, he could never comprehend a single Grand Dao! My master was a Primordial Fiendgod. At his birth in the chaos, he already knew innately and mastered a Grand Dao. Later, he comprehended many more Grand Daos—and countless minor Daos. But alas… even up to the day he built this estate, he had not yet mastered a single Heavenly Dao."

Ji Ning perked up his ears.

Daoist Threelives?

Born knowing innately, mastering a Grand Dao at birth? Mastering many Grand Daos?

"Enlighten well. Your talent is far greater than Juhua's. If you can comprehend a Grand Dao, you will have the hope of becoming a great power who roams the Three Realms. You will have the hope of rivaling your master, Daoist Threelives." The yellow-furred bear looked at Ji Ning. "In this major world ruled by the Grand Xia Dynasty, you might be the very first to master this 'Sword Dao'—a Grand Dao."

Ji Ning's blood burned with fervor.

Both Senior Beixing and the even more powerful Celestial Immortal Juhua had walked very far on the path of the sword. But they were still a considerable distance from fully controlling the entire Sword Dao. And yet, even so, they had become mighty figures who shook the Grand Xia Dynasty, matching Celestial Immortals despite being Loose Immortals. If he himself could truly master a Grand Dao of the Sword, only then would he be considered a truly formidable figure within the Three Realms.

"My talent is greater than Celestial Immortal Juhua's. I have also obtained the divine ability 'Starseizing Hand.' My starting point is far higher." Ji Ning thought to himself. "With the assistance of the aquatic estate… if, with all these conditions, I cannot become a Sword Immortal who masters the Sword Dao, then I have only myself to blame."

Ji Ning was filled with soaring ambition.

Senior Beixing?

Celestial Immortal Juhua?

He would become an even greater Sword Immortal. He would become the strongest Sword Immortal in the entire Grand Xia Dynasty! And in the future, he would become a Sword Immortal renowned throughout the Three Realms!

"A nine-story terrace begins with a pile of earth. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Ji Ning immediately walked toward the thatched cottage, directly pulling out a stack of books: the Star Scroll, Volume One, the Star Scroll, Volume Two…

He placed the stack of books on the stone table outside the thatched cottage and sat down on a stone stool.

He opened Volume One and began to read aloud.

"Today, Chang came to pay his respects to me, requesting my assistance in his…" Ji Ning read. The syllables of each word were ordinary. But when these syllables were strung together, they became the most exquisite 'sound of the Grand Dao,' naturally guiding Ji Ning's heart into an increasingly empty, profound state of enlightenment…

Ji Ning's eyes were dark and deep as he gazed at a star in the high sky.

Whoosh.

Wind began to stir.

A gentle breeze began to swirl around him. Ji Ning stood up and took a single step. His entire being became one with the wind, directly merging into it. Like a Roc spreading its wings and soaring through the gale, he flashed forward as though using a teleportation art, vanishing from one place and appearing in another patch of wind.

This was the true Windwing Evasion.

"The Dao of the Gale." The yellow-furred bear nodded slightly. "Another Dao has reached the Domain level. It seems that in these four years, Ji Ning has made no small progress."

Over the past four years, Ji Ning had accumulated many insights and experiences. And now, triggered by the Star Hall, these accumulated insights burst forth naturally.

As Ji Ning read the Star Scroll and enlightened himself within the aquatic estate's Star Hall…

In the distant Anchan City.

Within the Black-White College.

"I completed the Yinglong Guard mission together with Senior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning. Senior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning returned to his hometown of Yan Mountain. I didn't think going to Yan Mountain would help much with my enlightenment on the Dao of Puppetry, so I came back." Mu Northson smiled. Sitting across from him was Senior Apprentice-Sister Nine Lotos, wearing a sky-blue Daoist robe.

Nine Lotos nodded with a smile. "The two junior brothers are truly formidable. You've both become members of the Yinglong Guard so quickly. I haven't joined yet."

"Sister, you've also reached the Wanxiang stage now. You'll probably join the Yinglong Guard soon enough," Mu Northson said.

"No rush. I'll wait until my strength is a bit higher before joining." Nine Lotos hesitated for a moment, then asked, "By the way, you said Senior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning returned to his hometown of Yan Mountain. Do you know where in Yan Mountain he's staying?"

Mu Northson replied, "Winged Serpent Lake in Yan Mountain! He said he plans to live there for a long time."

"Oh, Winged Serpent Lake."

Nine Lotos gently committed the name to memory, then smiled as she rose. "I won't disturb you any longer, Junior Brother. I'll take my leave now."

With that, Nine Lotos stepped onto a snow-white lotus flower treasure and soared into the sky, flying off into the distance.

High in the air, a hint of a smile appeared in her eyes. "Winged Serpent Lake in Yan Mountain? My master also said I've been cooped up in the sect for too long. It's time for me to go out and gain some experience. Well then… I'll head to Winged Serpent Lake in Yan Mountain first."

The next day.

Nine Lotos and her junior sister departed from the Black-White College, setting out to travel the world. Their first destination was Winged Serpent Lake in Yan Mountain.