The Doubts of the Heart

“Oh.” Ji Ning quickly said, “I used up a great deal of divine power in that last battle. I need to rest.”

As he spoke, Ji Ning rose and walked to the depths of the cave. With a wave of his hand, the stone floor was smoothly sliced flat. Ji Ning lay down, pillowed his head on his arms, closed his eyes, and began to rest.

He appeared calm, but his heart was in turmoil.

“Why did I ask the senior apprentice-sister if she had a Dao-companion?” Ji Ning’s thoughts were in chaos. As a clever man who had long since illuminated his own heart, he quickly understood the root of the problem. “Could it be… that I have feelings for senior apprentice-sister?”

“No. A Dao-companion is not something to be taken lightly.”

“Is my heart truly prepared?”

“No. I am not ready yet…”

Ji Ning turned over, burying everything deep within his heart.

He recalled the half-year they had spent together, day and night, sharing life and death through countless battles. He recalled their very first glance and everything that had followed. Ji Ning admitted to himself that his initial feelings toward his senior apprentice-sister were a normal, healthy fondness. Yu Wei was different from Nine Lotos. Nine Lotos’s way of thinking often clashed with his own; they belonged to different worlds. But Yu Wei shared many of his views. She was very similar to him in temperament!

In birth…

In experience…

In talent…

Senior apprentice-sister and he were very alike, but she was even more intelligent. Over these six months of constant companionship, it had been very comfortable. The warmth she exuded, quiet and unobtrusive, had seeped into his very heart. Especially earlier, when she had been playing the flute. The sound of it had truly reached his soul. Ji Ning could even feel the joy, the pain, and the sorrow within her heart…

That feeling of touching her soul made Ji Ning aware of her vulnerability, and he felt a burning desire to hold her in his arms.

That was why he couldn’t help but ask about a Dao-companion.

“A Dao-companion… it is not a word to be spoken lightly.” Ji Ning sighed silently in his heart.

Yu Wei watched Ji Ning make his way deep into the cave, then she herself got up and walked to the cave entrance. She sat down at the opening, gazing at the endless forest world outside. A formation of illusory spells was set up at the entrance, so outsiders could not see inside.

Moonlight pooled at the cave entrance.

Yu Wei held her flute and sat hugging her knees, silently.

“I can feel Ji Ning’s heart.”

“I held back earlier. I wanted to just let everything pass.”

“But on the sixth day of our time in the Brightmoon Landscape Painting World, when I was in dire straits, and with the world being so vast, he appeared just in the nick of time. Is fate trying to tell me that I should be with him?”

“But can I have a Dao-companion? Can I even dare to hope for one?”

Yu Wei looked up at the bright moon in the high sky, silently asking, “Heavens… what should I do?”

Yu Wei understood that she had come to a fork in the road.

If she was determined to be with Ji Ning, then they might have a chance.

If she truly did not wish to be together, then she had to leave Ji Ning as soon as they left the Brightmoon Landscape Painting World, cutting it off cleanly.

As the months passed, the number of Wanxiang Adepts within the Brightmoon Landscape Painting World continued to plummet. Those who remained were almost all monstrous talents whose combat prowess, when unleashed, could rival that of an ordinary Earth Immortal.

In the Imperial City Plaza.

“Haha, there are only a little over a thousand people left in the Brightmoon Landscape Painting world now, and my Black-White College has three of them!” The Wufeng Immortal was immensely proud. No other power in the Anchan Commandery, not even the Anchan Northmont clan, could compare to the Black-White College. All three of the disciples the College had sent were astonishing.

“Even the Marquis of Anchan himself came to converse with me for so long, and even other marquises, as well as some of the greatest tribes and sects, came to talk to me.” Wufeng Immortal frowned. “But it’s strange. Although Ji Ning is also very powerful, when people come to talk to me, they mention ‘Slovenly’ the most.”

He could sense that those great tribes and sects were extending goodwill to the Black-White College, and the one they most wanted to befriend was the Slovenly Adept. It seemed that Ji Ning and Yu Wei were far from being able to compare to ‘Slovenly Adept’.

“How strange. Ji Ning is very powerful too. He’s been cultivating for an even shorter period of time.” Wufeng Immortal was perplexed.

“What a strange thing.” Celestial Immortal Lü Dongbin, who had woken from his nap on the Celestial Palace’s main hall, opened his eyes wide and said, “I slept for three months. How has this girl called Yu Wei still not become Ji Ning’s Dao-companion?”

“A Dao-companion is not a word to be spoken lightly!” a True Immortal wearing a black Daoist robe with a blood-red Taiji diagram on it shook his head.

“Matters of love cannot be dragged out!” Lü Dongbin shook his head. “Based on my experiences traveling through three thousand major worlds and countless minor worlds, matters of love should be settled at the most critical moment. If you drag it out, it will only become harder to become Dao-companions the longer you wait. I’ll bet my wager! If these two, Yu Wei and Ji Ning, are to become Dao-companions, it will happen within the Brightmoon Landscape Painting World. If they don’t become Dao-companions by the time they leave the Brightmoon Landscape Painting World… once they no longer have the chance to rely on each other and face life and death together every day, it will become even more impossible!”

“Do you dare to make that bet?” Lü Dongbin looked around.

“Lü Dongbin, you great lover, for all your eloquent talk, why do you not have a Dao-companion yourself?” the True Immortal with the blood-red Taiji diagram said.

“The onlooker sees the game best; the player is lost in the fog.” Lü Dongbin said calmly, then fell silent.

In a quiet valley, a maze formation was set up.

Ji Ning was sitting cross-legged on the grass.

Streams of water and flames swirled around him. He continuously absorbed the power of the Taiyin Star and the Sunstar into his body. Even within the Brightmoon Landscape Painting World, he was still able to cultivate the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens.

“Boom, boom, boom…”

A series of loud sounds came from within Ji Ning’s body. The sounds of bones knocking together and his flesh and skin quickly transforming.

Having reached his current level, Ji Ning’s physical body was already incredibly powerful, not too far from the Primal-level Fiendgod, Xiangliu Fang. Just a single breath from him could form a hurricane that would sweep across a thousand kilometers.

Gradually, everything subsided.

Ji Ning opened his eyes, a smile on his face.

“Junior apprentice-brother?” Yu Wei, who had been guarding him, looked at him expectantly.

“Mm. I’ve broken through,” Ji Ning said with emotion. “It took several years in total, but I’ve finally reached the twelfth stage of the Crimsonbright Diagram. And indeed, it feels different. The twelfth stage allows me to match an ordinary early-stage Primal Fiendgod in physical strength. My divine body has even completely merged with my soul. I can feel my soul growing stronger rapidly.”

Immortal cultivation and Fiendgod Body Refining were two different paths.

When a Fiendgod reached the Primal level, they could directly split off a clone!

When they reached the Void level, they could transform a single strand of hair into a clone!

Now, having reached the twelfth stage, Ji Ning’s body was very similar to the ‘Tortoise-Serpent Primal’. It had an excellent effect on nourishing the soul. Furthermore, it could merge perfectly with the soul! The soul could now be integrated into every part of the body. This meant that Ji Ning’s flesh and blood were no longer just flesh and blood; they also contained a part of his soul. This was why it could serve as a mobile ‘clone’.

“Your soul is growing rapidly?” Yu Wei quickly asked. “I heard that Fiendgod souls are even stronger than those of ordinary Primal Daoists.”

“Yes,” Ji Ning nodded. “The nourishing effect my divine body has on my soul is even more incredible than that of a Tortoise-Serpent Primal. Based on my experience cultivating my Primaltwin, the nourishing effect of my current Fiendgod body on my soul is about five or six times faster than a Tortoise-Serpent Primal.”

“No wonder Fiendgod Body Refining is so powerful. They say Fiendgod Body Refining practitioners become stronger the further they go, especially after passing the Tribulation and becoming an Empyrean God. An Empyrean God has power comparable to a Pure Yang True Immortal,” Yu Wei sighed.

“Senior apprentice-sister, do you know about Empyrean Gods and Pure Yang True Immortals?” Ji Ning asked, surprised.

“Don’t forget, I’m a reincarnated Immortal,” Yu Wei nodded. “As far as I know, Immortal cultivation proceeds through the stages of Zifu Disciple, Wanxiang Adept, Primal Daoist, and Void Earth Immortal. After passing the Tribulation, one becomes a Celestial Immortal! After the Celestial Immortal stage comes the True Immortal, also known as a ‘Pure Yang True Immortal’. After the Pure Yang True Immortal comes the Grand Daoist Golden Immortal, also known as the Grand Daoist Patriarch, or simply ‘Daofather’! A Daofather is the most supreme and powerful figure in the Three Realms, an absolute hegemon whose status is even higher than that of the Heavenly Court’s Celestial Emperor!”

Ji Ning’s eyes lit up.

This was all new to him. He had only been cultivating for just over thirty years, and compared to the Reincarnated Immortal who had awakened her past life’s memories, his understanding of the Three Realms was indeed lacking.

“Grand Daoist Golden Immortal, also known as Grand Daoist Patriarch, Daofather?” Ji Ning murmured to himself.

“Comprehending a Dao is one of the prerequisites for becoming a Celestial Immortal. Comprehending a Grand Dao is one of the prerequisites for becoming a Pure Yang True Immortal. Comprehending a Heavenly Dao is one of the prerequisites for becoming a Grand Daoist Patriarch,” Yu Wei said.

Ji Ning’s heart trembled. Comprehend a Heavenly Dao?

Even the Black-White College’s Lord, Bihai Daoist, hadn’t explained things to him in such detail. It seemed that Senior Apprentice-Sister Yu Wei’s past life was no ordinary one. At the very least, she knew far more than Bihai Daoist.

“Since Pangu split Heaven and Earth, there have been ten Heavenly Daos in this world. This is common knowledge among Celestial Immortals. A Celestial Immortal told me this,” Yu Wei said.

“Ten Heavenly Daos?” Ji Ning pressed. “Which ten?”

“They are the Heavenly Dao of Metal, the Heavenly Dao of Wood, the Heavenly Dao of Water, the Heavenly Dao of Fire, the Heavenly Dao of Earth, the Heavenly Dao of Life, the Heavenly Dao of Destruction, the Heavenly Dao of Yin, the Heavenly Dao of Yang, and the Heavenly Dao of Chaos,” Yu Wei said.

Ji Ning immediately memorized them.

Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Yin, Yang, Life, Destruction, Chaos!

“The myriad things of Heaven and Earth were born from Chaos. All things are divided into Yin and Yang. The Three Realms… are fundamentally based on the Five Elements,” Yu Wei said. “For instance, the Rainwater Dao you comprehended is actually a part of the ‘Grand Dao of Dripping Water’. The Grand Dao of Dripping Water, in turn, belongs to the Heavenly Dao of Water.”

Ji Ning nodded.

Dao. Grand Dao. Heavenly Dao.

The Five Elements were the foundation upon which the Three Realms operated. It was only natural they were all Heavenly Daos.

“It is incredibly difficult to comprehend a single Grand Dao,” Yu Wei said. “As for comprehending the legendary Heavenly Dao, that is a prerequisite for being honored as a ‘Daofather’. After all, the Heavenly Daos are the source of all Daos. Only one who comprehends a Heavenly Dao… can be called a Daofather!”

Ji Ning understood.

Daoist Threelives had been born grasping a Grand Dao, and later came to comprehend many Grand Daos, but he had never grasped a single Heavenly Dao.

“Grand Daoist Patriarchs are exalted, high above, possessing unimaginable power, and are the hegemons of the Three Realms,” Yu Wei said. “Pure Yang True Immortals are the powerful experts of the Three Realms. Daofathers rarely act, so the most dazzling figures within the Three Realms are actually the various Pure Yang True Immortals. As for Celestial Immortals, they are carefree and at ease, immortal and undying, enough to govern one region. After all, Pure Yang True Immortals are very rare throughout the entire Three Realms. Celestial Immortals still hold a very high status.”

Ji Ning nodded.

Today, he had finally come to understand the various bottlenecks along the path of Immortal cultivation.

“What about the path of the Fiendgod?” Ji Ning quickly asked.

“When a Fiendgod passes the Tribulation, they become an Empyrean God! An Empyrean God is comparable to a Pure Yang True Immortal. Every Empyrean God is a powerful expert of the Three Realms,” Yu Wei said. “Above Empyrean Gods are True Gods! True Gods are typically primal Fiendgods. They have comprehended their own unique Divine Abilities and possess an awe-inspiring power that can fight Heaven and Earth. They are fully capable of matching Grand Daoist Golden Immortal Daofathers!”

“True Gods are the pinnacle of Fiendgods… According to legend, some Fiendgods were born from the chaos before Pangu split Heaven and Earth. The weaker ones were Chaos Empyrean Gods. The most powerful were Chaos True Gods! These beings were born at the very apex of the Three Realms, terrifyingly powerful without even needing to train.”