Nine Days Until the Tribulation

“This was your master’s own decision,” Immortal Wufeng said.

Ji Ning understood immediately. The Heavenly Tribulation was the single most important trial on a cultivator’s immortal path. Generally, one would have an instinctive sense of the optimal time to face it. Since his master had decided to undergo the tribulation in nine days, it meant that nine days from now was the time when his chances of success were highest.

But even at its highest, the likelihood was still vanishingly small. Throughout the entire Grand Xia world, how many reverted Void Earth Immortals were there? In a million years, how many succeeded in becoming Celestial Immortals? Even with the calamity looming over the Three Realms, in the past two or three decades only a handful of Earth Immortals in the Grand Xia had successfully weathered the tribulation. Spread across the three thousand six hundred commanderies and the Four Seas… the odds remained impossibly slim.

“Very few know that your master is going to face his tribulation in nine days. You must not spread this news,” Immortal Wufeng cautioned.

“I understand.” Ji Ning turned to look at Ji Liuzhen.

Ji Liuzhen nodded. “Don’t worry. I won’t say a word. Ah, you two talk alone.” Aware of the gravity of the tribulation matter, he promptly withdrew.

Only Ji Ning, Immortal Wufeng, and the Whitewater Hound remained in the hall.

“Your master is about to face his tribulation. The chances of success are one in ten thousand—incredibly difficult. He absolutely cannot be disturbed,” Immortal Wufeng said solemnly. “That is why he needs protectors during his tribulation.”

“Protectors?” Ji Ning nodded. “I will naturally act as my master’s protector.”

“Your master and I have already discussed this. For his tribulation, only the two of us will serve as protectors,” Immortal Wufeng said.

“Two people?” Ji Ning was surprised.

“The Daoist scriptures you brought back to the Black-White College—your master comprehended them and made further breakthroughs, greatly improving his strength,” Immortal Wufeng said. “And I, too, have gained from them. I estimate my power is now roughly equivalent to a Loose Immortal of six or seven hundred thousand years. The other Loose Immortals of the Black-White College are comparatively weaker.”

Ji Ning nodded.

“And you, back then your second true body—at Primal completion—was already capable of killing Loose Immortals. Given your rate of cultivation, your second true body should have reached the late Void stage by now. After more than thirty years, I suspect you are not weaker than I am.” Immortal Wufeng smiled. “No need for modesty at a time like this. The stronger you are, the more confident your master will be when facing his tribulation.”

Ji Ning nodded. “I should be… no weaker than the Immortal Beixing of old!”

Immortal Wufeng was taken aback. He knew that the path of cultivation grew exponentially harder the further one went. Those who succeeded in becoming Celestial Immortals were incredibly rare; those who became Empyrean Gods, True Immortals, and True Gods were rarer still within the entire Three Realms. Loose Immortals at the five-hundred-thousand-year level could be found in every commandery, but those at the million-year level were exceedingly rare across the entire Grand Xia Dynasty.

As for Loose Immortals of several million years—on the level of Celestial Immortal Juhua—the entire Grand Xia could barely claim a single one!

“You?” Immortal Wufeng found it hard to believe.

“Ning’er has long since comprehended all nine stances of the Three-Foot Sword, and has even revised and perfected them,” the Whitewater Hound spoke up.

“Excellent!” Immortal Wufeng’s face lit up with ecstatic joy. “Excellent! This is wonderful! Ji Ning, just in terms of swordsmanship alone, you might well have become the strongest in the entire history of the Black-White College!”

Immortal Wufeng was filled with awe.

The Ji Ning before him…

He seemed like a sword incarnate, carved from the very essence of the blade! A sword was meant to charge forward fearlessly, to be sharp and unstoppable. Ji Ning was exactly like a sword, cutting down every obstacle in his path. He had won first place in the Immortal Fortunes Assembly at the youngest age ever. After more than thirty years, he had even revised and perfected Immortal Beixing’s Three-Foot Sword completely, transforming it into his own art!

What talent!

In another few decades or a century, what heights would he reach?

“The sword is the body. The sword is life. The sword is the path.” Immortal Wufeng nodded as he looked at Ji Ning. “Every generation of Sword Immortals who have stepped through the gate of the Dao of the Sword understood this at the moment of Sword Heart Illumination. But knowing is easy; doing is difficult. Very few truly embody it. Countless Sword Immortals have been lost to the mundane world of red dust. But in you, I sense that soaring sword-intent, that inconceivable sword-heart. You are truly a born Sword Immortal.”

In truth, Immortals like Lü Dongbin had long since determined that Ji Ning was a peerlessly talented Sword Immortal seed.

The reason for this…

Was partly due to his past life, and partly due to his parents in this life.

His father had given him a sword. His mother had given him a heart.

After chatting for a time, Ji Ning said, “Is my master in a hurry? If not, I will stay at Serpentwing Lake for one more day. I’ll head to the Black-White College tomorrow to meet with you all.”

“We will leave the Black-White College in three days and head for the tribulation site,” Immortal Wufeng said. “One day is fine. Prepare yourself at Serpentwing Lake for now.”

“The tribulation site—where is it?” Ji Ning couldn’t help but ask.

“The location is a secret,” Immortal Wufeng said. “If word gets out, enemies might go there to sabotage your master’s tribulation. For now, only your master himself knows where it is—not even I do. When we get there, we will know.”

Ji Ning smiled. “That’s good. Only my master knows; there is no risk of a leak.”

“Very well. Make your arrangements. I will take my leave now.” Immortal Wufeng departed.

Inside the hall.

Xiaoqing was soon summoned back. The hall now held Ji Ning, Uncle White, and Xiaoqing.

“My master is going to face his tribulation. This matter is far too important to take lightly,” Ji Ning said gravely. “Uncle White and I will be leaving. The Yan Mountains will be entrusted to you, Xiaoqing.”

The formation complexes in the Yan Mountains were vast and complex. Even the lesser formations required the power of a Primal Daoist to fully control. Unfortunately, aside from Ji Ning himself, the strongest member of the Ji Clan was only a Wanxiang Adept. As for the truly deadly formation—its activation alone required the strength of a reverted Void Earth Immortal. Ji Ning would not teach such a secret formation to the monster servants of the Immortal estate.

“I actually really wanted to go too. A Heavenly Tribulation… I’ve never—” Xiaoqing started, but was stopped by a look from Ji Ning.

“Master, I know what’s important,” Xiaoqing quickly said with an apologetic smile.

“Uncle White, Xiaoqing, take today to break through to the late Void stage,” Ji Ning said. “These two jade bottles each contain five million jin of Primordial Liquid.”

The technique he cultivated was the Northmoonsong, which led straight to the Great Luo stage. His second true body’s cultivation from Primal completion to late Void had consumed only a little over five million jin of Primordial Liquid. Since Uncle White and Xiaoqing were already at the early Void stage, five million jin each would be enough to reach the late Void stage.

“Remember, do not cultivate to Void completion,” Ji Ning cautioned.

“Don’t worry. We’re not ready to face the tribulation yet.”

As Uncle White and Xiaoqing went to cultivate, Ji Ning’s true body entered the quiet room of the underwater estate. To prepare for his master’s tribulation, he needed to push his strength to its absolute peak. Fortunately, he had obtained thirty million jin of Primordial Liquid from the Heavenly Treasures Mountain headquarters. Although he had purchased some treasures with it, he still had over twenty million jin remaining.

A fresh-faced youth dressed in animal skins sat cross-legged on the bed of Netherwater Jade.

Before him was a small jade bottle.

“Begin.”

The jade bottle released a torrent of Primordial Liquid, which surged forth and formed a veritable lake within the quiet room. A dark vortex appeared around Ji Ning, and as the boundless Primordial Liquid drew near, it vanished into the void, entering his Violet Palace space.

Within the Violet Palace.

The golden lotus absorbed vast amounts of essence, growing and swaying rapidly within the blazing elemental fire. The lotus grew taller, its leaves and stem thickening swiftly. The Yuan power contained within the lotus became increasingly pure, so pure it was almost heart-shaking. At the top of the lotus, the lovely little seed pod swelled, and in its center, a single, unripe lotus seed appeared.

“Late Void stage!” Everything came to a halt.

The massive golden lotus swayed amidst the elemental fire atop the tortoise-serpent’s back, which was like a continent. At this moment, it was the most dazzling presence in the entire Violet Palace space.

The Golden Lotus Primordial Soul at the late Void stage was already incredibly powerful. It was now only one step away from full maturity.

The next day.

Having all broken through to the late Void stage, Ji Ning, Uncle White, and Xiaoqing shared a meal together. Then, leaving Xiaoqing to guard Serpentwing Lake, Ji Ning took the Whitewater Hound and headed for the Black-White College in Anchan City.

In the grotto of the Diancai Immortal at the Black-White College.

“Ji Ning, you’re here.” The black-haired, black-robed Diancai Immortal sat cross-legged on a jade bed, his expression calm and serene. “Sit.”

Immortal Wufeng was already sitting on a nearby cushion.

Ji Ning nodded and sat down on another cushion. The Whitewater Hound lay down behind him.

“I hear from Senior Apprentice-Brother Wufeng that you have mastered all nine stances of the Three-Foot Sword and even revised and perfected them?” the Diancai Immortal said with a smile.

“Yes,” Ji Ning nodded.

The Diancai Immortal smiled. “Good. With your swordsmanship at this level, even if I fail this tribulation, I will have no regrets.”

“Master, why say such a thing?” Ji Ning exclaimed anxiously.

“Just talking. It seems your heart is not as calm as mine,” the Diancai Immortal said.

Ji Ning fell silent.

He was tense. Too few succeeded in the tribulation. If his master failed…

Seeing this, the Diancai Immortal smiled to himself. He knew Ji Ning’s nature well. Ji Ning was a man of deep emotion, one who valued relationships above all. For the sake of those he loved, he would not hesitate to risk his own life. It was precisely because the Diancai Immortal had come to know this side of Ji Ning through long association that he had grown to love this disciple so much and had truly opened his heart to him.

“Is the Whitewater Hound coming as well?” the Diancai Immortal asked.

Ji Ning nodded. “Master, do not underestimate Uncle White. He has extraordinary talent in formations, and when I went to learn from the master, Uncle White also studied and reached a masterful level in formations. He is worthy of being called a formation grandmaster. I dare not say he is unmatched in the entire Grand Xia world, but within Anchan Commandery, Uncle White’s formations are likely among the very best.”

“Oh?” The Diancai Immortal and Immortal Wufeng both showed delighted expressions.

To dare claim the title of formation grandmaster was no small matter.

Ji Ning smiled with confidence. In pure formation attainment, Uncle White was already a grandmaster. But he also knew some extraordinarily rare and powerful formations, which meant that even other formation grandmasters would likely lose to him in a contest of formations. For instance, the deadly formation of the Yan Mountains—very few in the entire Grand Xia Dynasty could even set it up.

Of course, there were certainly those in the Grand Xia superior to Uncle White in formations—such as the formations within the Grand Xia imperial palace, which were arranged by true major powers. Those were several levels higher than the Yan Mountains’ formations.