The Heavenly Dao Oath

Chen Jin’s throat was seized. Ji Ning’s left hand looked perfectly ordinary, yet it contained enough strength to tear apart a mountain, leaving Chen Jin utterly unable to struggle free.

“No… no…” Chen Jin’s eyes turned bloodshot.

Humiliation.

Being grabbed by the throat like this by Ji Ning—he had never felt such shame in his life.

“Not talking?” Ji Ning tightened his grip on Chen Jin’s throat, his voice cold. “Then let me tell you. You are nothing but a piece of shit.”

They were fellow disciples, but Ji Ning felt only loathing for this man. Nine Lotos and Chen Jin were merely old acquaintances… Who Nine Lotos chose as her Dao-companion was none of Chen Jin’s business! And yet, because Nine Lotos had shown interest in Ji Ning, Chen Jin had dumped all his fury onto him, without the slightest regard.

“If it weren’t for the sect’s ban on killing fellow disciples, I wouldn’t let you off so easily.” Ji Ning still held Chen Jin by the throat.

“Would you dare kill me? Dare you? Do you dare?” Chen Jin stared at Ji Ning, madness burning in his eyes.

“Kill you? So that I can be punished by the college?” Ji Ning shook his head with a cold laugh. “You’re not worth it.” With a flick of his hand, the immense power of his Fiendgod Body Refining sent Chen Jin flying backward like a meteor, crashing far into the distance.

The scene in midair made everyone on Brightheart Island—Ji Jiuhuo, Granny Shadow, and the others—hold their breath with tension.

“He’s stronger. Even stronger than back then.” Ji Jiuhuo’s eyes burned with fervor. “It’s only been a few years, and he could already easily slay a Wanxiang Adept back then. That Xu Li was nothing compared to this disciple of the Black-White College. Yet this powerful disciple was effortlessly defeated by Ji Ning. His rate of progress is terrifying—if this continues, what will he be like in a few decades?”

“Young master.” Qiuye watched silently, her eyes filled with excitement.

“Too fierce.” Qingqing blinked, a bit dazed. Ji Ning’s display this time was clearly far stronger than when he had fought the Dragon Whale King. “No wonder I’ve had so many lucky encounters and I’m still far weaker than him. Such a monstrous rate of progress.”

Chen Jin, who had been flung away like a meteor, crashed into the surface of Winged Serpent Lake, sending a splash hundreds of zhang high. He soon steadied himself.

“Flowing Cloud.” Flamesaint, clad in red robes and barefoot, walked over the water.

“Uncle Fire.” Chen Jin lowered his head, his expression extremely ugly.

He had never imagined… that he would lose so miserably!

He had originally wanted to show Nine Lotos how powerful he was, and how easily Ji Ning could be crushed! He had wanted to ruthlessly trample this Ji Ning to vent his frustration. But reality had not gone as he imagined. Instead of crushing his opponent, he had been crushed himself.

“Ji Ning’s talent is truly monstrous,” Flamesaint said softly, with feeling. “When I first saw him in the Dao Debate Hall fighting so many fellow disciples, I already knew his talent was extraordinary… Now it seems I still underestimated him. It’s possible our Black-White College may produce another Senior Scruffy.”

“He’s not worthy of that comparison!” Chen Jin clenched his teeth.

Senior Scruffy…

The acknowledged number one third-generation disciple of the Black-White College. Though he had trained for many years, Senior Scruffy was the type who grew more astonishing the later the stage. Normally, Immortal cultivators slowed down as they advanced, but Senior Scruffy was the opposite—his inexhaustible potential drove him to break through again and again, and his combat power was truly shocking. Even Flamesaint, a Fiendgod Body Refiner, and the reincarnated Immortals, all admitted defeat willingly.

And now Flamesaint felt that Ji Ning had the potential to become the next “Senior Scruffy.”

“Senior Scruffy was like surging waves—the more they gathered, the greater their power,” Flamesaint said. “But this Ji Ning is like a sharp sword, cutting through every obstacle, advancing at an inconceivable speed. Such a terrifying rate of progress—even the reincarnated Immortals of our Black-White College haven’t shown anything this exaggerated. Truly monstrous!”

Chen Jin ground his teeth.

The more Flamesaint praised Ji Ning, the worse he felt.

“Have you awakened now?” Flamesaint looked at him.

“Awaken?” Chen Jin stared at Ji Ning in the distance, his heart filled with agony.

Suffocation!

Anger!

Resentment!

His years of pursuit, the jealousy that turned into rage—he had originally wanted to ruthlessly crush Ji Ning, vent all his fury, and then leave with ease. But instead, he had been crushed by Ji Ning. The rage bottled up inside him was even more unbearable… This pain made Chen Jin understand—this was a heart demon.

“I understand,” Chen Jin said, nodding, his gaze fixed on Ji Ning in the distance.

Flamesaint nodded slightly.

“That Ji Ning is my heart demon. Unless I defeat him, trample him, or he dies… the rage in my heart will never fade.” Chen Jin ground his teeth. “In my entire life, I have never suffered such humiliation, never felt so stifled.”

“You…” Flamesaint was stunned.

He had thought that after the blow, Chen Jin would regain clarity. But instead, Chen Jin was sinking deeper.

“Damn it.” Flamesaint understood in an instant: he had overestimated Chen Jin. Chen Jin was the same age as Nine Lotos, still young. Having been a prodigy in his own tribe since childhood, he had never suffered humiliation. And in truth, Chen Jin’s talent was also astonishing—otherwise, when Nine Lotos was still at the Zifu stage, he wouldn’t have been ranked in the top ten among the third-generation disciples.

High talent, always praised.

Within his tribe, his elders had encouraged him to pursue Nine Lotos and become her Dao-companion. After all, Nine Lotos was the next leader of the Dongyan clan, an ancient tribe spanning three commanderies—far more powerful than the Chen clan.

Because he truly liked her, because his elders encouraged him, because he had confidence in himself…

Chen Jin had always believed that he would be Nine Lotos’s Dao-companion.

For Nine Lotos, he had even joined the Black-White College… he felt he had paid enough.

But this time, first Nine Lotos chose Ji Ning, which left him dazed, filled with jealousy. Then, in his fury, he tried to deal with Ji Ning, only to be crushed by him instead… This humiliation was something he had never experienced since birth.

“Ji Ning is my heart demon.” Chen Jin understood this as well. He was clever enough to realize the danger. “I still need to become a Primal Daoist, even an Immortal. This heart demon must be broken, must be!”

“What to do? What to do?”

“Defeat him? Make him die?”

Chen Jin could think of no solution. He had already crossed hands with him—he was no match for Ji Ning. As for making Ji Ning die? Ji Ning was a disciple of the Black-White College, the grand disciple of the Diancai Immortal. Who would come to kill him?

“What to do?” Chen Jin shook his head. “No, I have to break this heart demon as soon as possible—”

The suffocating, angry, humiliated feeling tormented him. He knew clearly that this would greatly affect his Immortal cultivation, but he could not cut away these emotions.

Understanding was one thing.

Whether he could do it was another matter entirely.

“Ji Ning!” Chen Jin suddenly looked up. He saw Ji Ning and Nine Lotos talking in midair. A ferocious glint flashed in his eyes. With a whoosh, he shot straight up toward Ji Ning.

Nine Lotos was still in shock. She hadn’t expected Ji Ning to be so powerful. Chen Jin was ranked in the top ten among the third-generation disciples—and Ji Ning had defeated him so cleanly. That meant… among the Black-White College, the only true opponents for Ji Ning were those like Flamesaint, who had mastered an entire Dao.

“Ji Ning, how… how did your strength reach this level?” As soon as the words left her mouth, Nine Lotos herself laughed at how childish she sounded. She quickly corrected herself, “You defeated Chen Jin. He should leave now.”

“I hope he comes to his senses.” Ji Ning turned to look down.

No sooner had he spoken than a streak of light shot up from below—it was Chen Jin.

Chen Jin flew up to the same height and looked at Ji Ning and Nine Lotos. He sneered coldly, “Ji Ning.”

“Want another round?” Ji Ning let out a mocking laugh.

Chen Jin felt rage burning within him, but he forced it down and said in a low voice, “Ji Ning, I advise you to stay away from Nine Lotos.”

“Stay away?” Ji Ning found it absurd.

Nine Lotos sighed. “Chen Jin, you should leave.”

Flamesaint also flew up from below, standing silently to one side, saying nothing. He felt some regret that his intervention had only made things worse and planted a heart demon in Chen Jin.

But Chen Jin was staring at Ji Ning, his voice icy. “Your talent is indeed high, but what use is one man’s strength? Your Ji Clan is far too weak—not even a single Wanxiang Adept. Wiping out a tribe like that would be far too easy. It would take no effort at all.”

Ji Ning’s expression darkened.

“What are you implying?” Ji Ning asked coldly.

“You know exactly what I mean.” Chen Jin looked at him. “You’d better leave Nine Lotos, or else… don’t blame me for being ruthless. I don’t need to act myself. I have plenty of ways to deal with a small tribe like the Ji Clan.”

Ji Ning’s face turned ashen.

Threatening his tribe?

For the sake of the tribe, his father, the clan leader, and the others were all willing to sacrifice their lives. Although his Earthly life had made Ji Ning less attached to the tribe than his father or clan leader, he had still been influenced by them. He valued the tribe greatly.

“You…” A fierce killing intent surged in Ji Ning’s heart, but the sect’s ban on killing fellow disciples held him back.

“I know you’re a member of the Yinglong Guard. The ten-thousand-li region around your Ji Clan is protected by the Yinglong Guard,” Chen Jin said, staring at Ji Ning. “Anyone who dares to invade will suffer retaliation from the Yinglong Guard. But there are plenty of powers on this endless land who don’t care about the Yinglong Guard—for example, the criminals on the Yinglong Guard’s wanted list. They’re already being hunted, so what do they care about offending the Yinglong Guard one more time?”

Ji Ning’s eyes turned icy.

“And it has nothing to do with me. It would be wanted criminals who destroy your Ji Clan.” Chen Jin looked at him. “Really. Not a single thread of connection to me.”

Ji Ning understood perfectly well… The so-called iron laws could be circumvented by the great tribes. The Yinglong Guard needed evidence. Without evidence, they would not touch Chen Jin.

Chen Jin stared at Ji Ning and said coldly, “Choose. Either choose Nine Lotos, or choose your tribe.”

Nine Lotos was furious. “Chen Jin, you…”

“This is my heart demon. For this, I will stop at nothing. Nine Lotos, you cannot stop me.” Chen Jin turned back to Ji Ning. “Ji Ning, which do you choose? Say it!”

Boom!

The black wings behind Ji Ning suddenly flashed. He transformed into a streak of light, charging at Chen Jin like lightning.

“Stop!” Flamesaint roared.

“Get lost!” Ji Ning snarled furiously, his divine sense surging like a tidal wave, crashing into Flamesaint’s soul. Although Flamesaint was powerful, he was not a reincarnated Immortal. His Dao-heart was strong and his soul formidable, but the impact still sent a tremor through his mind.

That momentary tremor was enough. He was too slow.

Chen Jin, also struck by the divine sense assault, had no time to activate his treasures before Ji Ning grabbed his throat once more.

Ji Ning held Chen Jin’s throat with his left hand. With his right, he slapped—crack! crack! crack!—dozens of times across Chen Jin’s face. “Threaten me? You dare threaten me? Shout about annihilating my Ji Clan? You deserve death, death!”

Chen Jin’s face instantly swelled.

“I’ll give you two choices.” Ji Ning stopped and cast a glance at Flamesaint in the distance. “Senior Flamesaint, don’t come any closer, or I’ll kill him right now.”

Flamesaint was startled.

Ji Ning looked back at Chen Jin. “Two choices. First, swear a Heavenly Dao oath that you will never harm my Ji Clan in the slightest, or your soul will be destroyed on the spot. Second, I will make your soul dissipate right now. Choose.”

“How dare you! You dare harm a fellow disciple!” Chen Jin glared.

“You want to destroy my tribe. Tell me, do I dare or not?” Ji Ning stared at him. “Swear the Heavenly Dao oath, or I will make your soul dissipate right now.”