The Dragon’s Regret

In a grassy area within the Tristar Crescent Abode, Ji Ning's immortal estate was located.

Inside a courtyard of the estate.

Ji Ning was sitting cross-legged on the ground, eyes closed, completely motionless. A great snow-white hound lay beside him.

“Whoosh.”

A blue-clad maiden appeared out of thin air. It was Qingqing.

“Don’t make a sound.” The Whitewater Hound opened his eyes, sending a mental transmission immediately.

“What’s wrong, Uncle White?” Qingqing looked curiously at Ji Ning, who sat cross-legged with closed eyes, and transmitted back, “Is master training? But usually, when he trains and meditates, doesn’t he go to the meditation room? Why is he sitting on the ground?”

Ordinarily, when Ji Ning trained, he would enter the meditation chamber within the underwater estate, which was built by Daoist Threelives. Meditating there was indeed extremely fast. Of course, the existence of the ‘underwater estate’ was a top secret; even Patriarch Subhuti had cautioned Ji Ning never to reveal it. Thus, neither Qingqing nor Uncle White knew of it to this day.

“Ning-er was taking a walk in the courtyard when he suddenly had an epiphany, so he immediately sat down cross-legged to comprehend it,” the Whitewater Hound transmitted. “When inspiration strikes during an epiphany, one cannot waste time going to a secret chamber.”

“Oh.” Qingqing nodded.

That was the nature of epiphanies; a flash of insight had to be seized immediately.

“Over these past thirty years, master’s swordsmanship has improved astonishingly. He has even defeated the eighth-level puppet nine times. Now that he has another epiphany, his power will surely leap forward!” Qingqing said excitedly. “Maybe he can even defeat a ninth-level puppet.”

Ninth-level puppets… many returning-to-vacuity great demons and returning-to-vacuity Fiendgods were helpless against them.

This showed just how astonishing Ji Ning’s progress over the past thirty years had been.

“Ning-er’s natural talent is extremely high, especially in the Dao of the Sword,” the Whitewater Hound said. “Back in the Grand Xia world, Ning-er had to divide his attention, studying other spells and techniques, and there were all kinds of conflicts and battles. But here on Mount Innerheart, there are no conflicts whatsoever, and he has devoted himself entirely to the art of the sword. In over thirty years, his swordsmanship has become超凡入圣 (transcendent and miraculous), truly unimaginable.”

“Mm, it truly is unimaginable,” Qingqing agreed.

Over these thirty years, Qingqing had made great progress, mastering the Greater Teleportation. The Whitewater Hound was more intelligent and perceptive than Qingqing, and had become a true formation grandmaster.

But Ji Ning’s progress far surpassed both of theirs!

At first, the ordinary disciples of the Innerheart Sect had whispered and gossiped, not showing much respect for Ji Ning. But later, as Ji Ning buried himself in studying swordsmanship, constantly improving, defeating fifth-level, sixth-level, seventh-level, and eighth-level puppets in succession… it left the Innerheart Sect disciples utterly dumbfounded.

Even the manager of the Immortal Palace, ‘Silver Moon Fiend’, had sighed in admiration: “Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning is truly a peerless Sword Immortal胚子 (prodigy). His progress in swordsmanship is terrifyingly fast.”

Although Patriarch Subhuti gave lectures, the master could only show the disciple the door; cultivation ultimately depended on the individual. The master could offer guidance at critical moments… but the main cultivation and comprehension was up to Ji Ning. Clearly, he was exceptionally outstanding in the ‘Dao of the Sword’! Even the legendary peerless Sword Immortal, ‘Lu Dongbin’, had been moved, several times seeking to take Ji Ning as his disciple.

Unfortunately, the Grand Xia Emperor had flatly refused! By a twist of fate, however, Ji Ning had come to Mount Innerheart and become a disciple of Patriarch Subhuti.

“Look!”

On the twelfth day of Ji Ning’s seated epiphany, sword-qi spontaneously began to appear around him in the courtyard.

Swish! Swish!

Qingqing and the Whitewater Hound immediately retreated to the distant corridor, watching from afar. They saw more and more strands of sword-qi coalescing around Ji Ning. At the same time, Ji Ning opened his eyes.

“So… this was the realm Senior Beixing had reached?” Ji Ning murmured softly. Countless strands of sword-qi gathered together, becoming incredibly solid, forming a dazzling, white-glowing immortal sword.

“Sever.” Ji Ning spoke.

Riiip!

The white-glowing immortal sword formed from condensed sword-qi streaked across the air. As it did so, a massive, blurry black dragon apparition appeared on the sword’s surface. This black dragon phantom coiled around the white sword, and even the dragon’s eyes held a wild, unrestrained pride. The white sword cut through the sky, causing a series of explosions all around.

“The ninth stance of the Three-Foot Sword,” Ji Ning murmured to himself. “Sword Tour of the Three Realms!”

“Senior Beixing’s most powerful strike. I have finally mastered it.” He paused in thought. “But I feel that Senior Beixing’s ‘Sword Tour of the Three Realms’ is too wild and unrestrained, not introverted enough. If this stance were tempered a bit, as the saying goes, ‘a successful dragon harbors regret’… perhaps its power could still be increased.” Ji Ning’s breadth of vision was now incredibly vast.

After all, the swordsmanship manuals on the fourth level of the Immortal Palace were already at the level of the Three-Foot Sword.

From the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth levels, Ji Ning had read hundreds of sword technique books, skipping any overlapping or similar ones. In particular, from the eighth level of the Immortal Palace, he had chosen nine books. These nine were written by major powers of the Three Realms. Although they were just casual notes, they were already profoundly deep and unfathomable.

With such a wealth of sword techniques to nourish him, how could his vision not be high?

Immortal Beixing had trained by wandering the world and bitterly cultivating on his own.

In contrast, Ji Ning had become a disciple of Patriarch Subhuti, with countless sword techniques from across the Three Realms available for study. Coupled with his own nature as a peerless Sword Immortal prodigy, how could his realm not be extraordinary?

“Now, I have thoroughly comprehended all nine stances of the Three-Foot Sword,” Ji Ning mused to himself. “However, the first eight stances have all been modified by me to become the sword techniques most suited to myself. This ninth stance… will also need some revision.”

With so many peerless sword classics to reference, Ji Ning’s foundation in the ‘Dao of the Sword’ was truly unbelievably solid.

“Master, master!” Qingqing came running over. “That sword technique you just used looked so profound and mysterious. Have you broken through?”

“Mm, I have comprehended the ninth stance of the Three-Foot Sword,” Ji Ning nodded.

The complete nine stances of the Three-Foot Sword were: Sword Heart Illumination, Thorns Everywhere, Sword Light Flashes, Blazing Sun at High Noon, Moonlight Conceals the Sword, Domain of the Grand Dao, Single-Character Sword Slash, Immortal and Demon, and Sword Tour of the Three Realms.

The Whitewater Hound beside him was even more shocked and excited, transmitting: “Ning-er, I heard that Immortal Beixing, with this Three-Foot Sword, was said to be comparable to a Celestial Immortal. Among Celestial Immortals, some don’t even have a sword-art realm as high as the Three-Foot Sword! Does this mean your sword-art realm is already higher than some Celestial Immortals?”

“The saying that Senior Beixing was comparable to a Celestial Immortal is a very vague claim.” Having chatted with a few senior fellow-disciples on Mount Innerheart, Ji Ning naturally understood much more. “Surviving the tribulation to become a Celestial Immortal is incredibly difficult. Some returning-to-vacuity Earth Immortals have an easier tribulation, while for some, it’s a hundred or a thousand times harder. I’ve even heard of returning-to-vacuity Earth Immortals whose heavenly tribulation directly dissipated without descending! Furthermore, Celestial Immortals have different cultivation lifetimes; some are wandering cultivators, some are disciples of major powers. Naturally, their strength varies greatly.”

“Saying Senior Beixing was comparable to a Celestial Immortal is just comparing him to the most ordinary Celestial Immortals.”

“For example, the historical Loose Immortal Juhua lived for millions of years and was also called ‘comparable to a Celestial Immortal’. Senior Beixing lived for a million years and was also comparable to a Celestial Immortal.” Ji Ning smiled. “The gap between Celestial Immortals can be enormous; it’s hard to say for sure. Weak Celestial Immortals can be slain by some heaven-defying Loose Immortals who have lived for millions or tens of millions of years. As for the most powerful Celestial Immortals… I’ve heard that among Celestial Immortals, there are those who have completely mastered the Grand Dao of the Sword, just one step away from becoming a Pure Yang True Immortal. Those are the monsters among Celestial Immortals, able to even contend with Pure Yang True Immortals.”

“So even among Celestial Immortals, the disparity in strength is vast. This ‘comparable to a Celestial Immortal’ saying… haha, it’s ultimately just a term of praise,” Ji Ning said.

Indeed.

Currently, his Fiendgod Body Refining alone had reached the fifteenth level of the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens, comparable to an ordinary Fiendgod Body Refiner at the early returning-to-vacuity stage! Once he utilized the Starseizing Hand and coupled it with his terrifying swordsmanship… he was in no way inferior to the Immortal Beixing of old.

When Ji Ning had first joined the Black-White College, he had revered Immortal Beixing and naturally had no doubt about the claim that ‘Immortal Beixing was comparable to a Celestial Immortal’.

But now that he himself had reached Immortal Beixing’s level, hearing ‘comparable to a Celestial Immortal’ felt a bit embarrassing. After all, Ji Ning was well aware that he was currently only comparable to the most ordinary of Celestial Immortals, and merely on par. If he encountered a slightly more powerful Celestial Immortal, that opponent would likely be able to defeat him, and might even kill him!

Qingqing said excitedly, “Master, don’t be so modest! Regardless, your swordsmanship realm is definitely at the Celestial Immortal level! In fact, it likely surpasses that of ordinary Celestial Immortals, right?”

Ji Ning was startled, then smiled helplessly. “Right. However, Qingqing, with my current strength, I am still a small figure within the Three Realms. I need to keep a low profile.”

“Master, your strength is practically unmatched beneath the Celestial Immortal level!” Qingqing, however, knew nothing of modesty.

Ji Ning just smiled.

Unmatched beneath Celestial Immortals?

Even if he encountered a heaven-defying Loose Immortal who had lived for millions of years, that opponent probably wouldn’t be much stronger than himself. He truly was among the most顶尖 (top-tier) beneath the Celestial Immortal level. But after all, Loose Immortals within the Three Realms were generally minor characters; only Celestial Immortals could be considered to have some real status. As a disciple of Patriarch Subhuti, he naturally had to aim higher.

“I haven’t yet entered the ninth level of the Immortal Palace, nor the Three Realms Palace,” Ji Ning thought to himself. “Once I go to the ninth level, and then the Three Realms Palace… especially the Three Realms Palace. My senior fellow-disciples have all said that acquiring just one technique from the Three Realms Palace is enough to dominate the Three Realms. By then, my strength will probably be even greater than it is now. I’ll no longer be at Immortal Beixing’s level, but perhaps at Loose Immortal Juhua’s level. Even against a more powerful Celestial Immortal, I might have some confidence of surviving.”

Ji Ning was looking forward to the Three Realms Palace.

“Qingqing, Uncle White.” Ji Ning instructed, “I intend to go into seclusion to revise and perfect my Three-Foot Sword. You two go about your own business; don’t worry about me.”

“Alright.” The Whitewater Hound nodded.

“Master, you’ve just broken through and now you’re going into seclusion again. The gap between you and me is just getting wider and wider,” Qingqing said helplessly, then chuckled, “Still, it’s fine. My ‘Greater Teleportation’ is something master probably won’t be able to do for a very, very long time.”

Ji Ning shook his head.

A very long time?

He was, after all, a human. He would need to completely master the ‘Grand Dao of Space’ to perform Greater Teleportation. He still had a considerable distance to go before fully mastering his Dao of the Sword! As for the ‘Grand Dao of Space’, that was even more infinitely distant!

“Rumble~~”

The stone door closed, and Ji Ning entered the secret chamber.

Then, ripples undulated in the chamber, and Ji Ning walked directly into them, entering the underwater estate.

“Ji Ning, you’ve finally fully mastered all nine stances of the Three-Foot Sword.” In the main hall of the underwater estate, the yellow-furred bear stood there, a gentle smile on his face.

“Senior, do I now have the confidence to challenge the eighth level of the War God Hall?” Ji Ning asked. He had already cleared the seventh level ten years ago, and had chosen an Immortal-ranked treasure at that time.