The Twenty-Seven Worlds of Daofather Fuju

“The Grand Xia?”

Ji Ning and the seven Empyrean Gods appeared in midair, and with a single glance he could already see the Grand Xia royal capital below.

“Master sent me directly to the Grand Xia capital. Well, that’s fine. I should go see Master Diancai,” Ji Ning mused to himself. He turned to look at the seven Empyrean Gods beside him and spoke. “This time, I’m going to travel the Three Realms and temper myself in the mortal world. There won’t be much to do in the ordinary course of things, so you don’t need to follow me. I think it’s best if you return to the Starseizing Major World for now. If something important comes up, I’ll send you a message.”

“How can that be?”

“The Manor Lord cannot go without attendants!” The suggestion was met with immediate opposition.

“You are the new Manor Lord of the Starseizing Manor, not some lone wandering Immortal,” Hongxue insisted. “If you think all of us following you would be too conspicuous… then fine, let Empyrean God Jiuyu accompany you and await your orders.”

Ji Ning paused, looking at Jiuyu.

Although Jiuyu was the last of the seven Empyrean Gods to break through, and when Daoist Threelives was still alive, Jiuyu had only been a Void Fiendgod, he was the one who looked the oldest. Hearing Hongxue’s words, Jiuyu quickly said, “Manor Lord, when traveling the Three Realms, you will always encounter small matters and trivial chores. You cannot be expected to handle every single one yourself.”

Having just received the Pure Yang treasure, the ‘All-Devouring Bloodshadow Formation’, Jiuyu was eager to prove himself.

“Very well,” Ji Ning nodded.

“Then we’ll take our leave and return to the Starseizing Major World.” Hongxue and the other five Empyrean Gods bowed and withdrew, returning to the Starseizing Major World.

…

Ji Ning first went to the Grand Xia royal capital to visit the Diancai Immortal, the Xia Emperor, and his cousin-sister, Yuchi Xiyue. Ji Ning wanted his master, the Diancai Immortal, to go with him, but the Diancai Immortal declined. Of course, the Diancai Immortal did not refuse the Pure Yang treasures that Ji Ning gifted him. The two had a long, warm conversation before the master gave his final instructions.

“Let’s go.”

The next morning. The white-robed Ji Ning, followed by the bald, elderly Empyrean God Jiuyu, directly teleported through space, leaving the Grand Xia world and heading for a minor world.

…

The Three Realms contained countless billions of minor worlds. Because there were so many, and because old worlds occasionally perished while new ones were born, only a very few of those countless billions of minor worlds had names.

The minor world Ji Ning and Empyrean God Jiuyu were going to now, however, did have a name: the East Luan World.

“The East Luan World.”

Ji Ning stood atop the peak of a mountain, with the bald, elderly Empyrean God Jiuyu behind him.

“This is one of the Twenty-Seven Worlds of Daofather Fuju.” Ji Ning swept his gaze across the land, able to see even the edge of the East Luan World. “It is worthy of being a place where Daofather Fuju once resided. This East Luan World is filled with an extraordinary atmosphere, and there are far more Ki Refiners here than in an average minor world. There is even a Celestial Immortal stationed here! It seems Daofather Fuju’s three disciples are quite cautious.”

“The undisputed number one Sword Immortal of the Three Realms, yet he perished in body and soul.” Empyrean God Jiuyu shook his head and sighed.

Ji Ning nodded gently, filled with emotion.

On this journey through the Three Realms, while seeking a breakthrough in his Heartforce was one goal, his primary goal was to comprehend sword arts. Heartforce could not be sought, but sword arts could be studied and cultivated.

Thus, Ji Ning naturally had to go to the ‘Twenty-Seven Worlds of Daofather Fuju’.

Daofather Fuju…

Born of the human race, a Ki Refiner, he had become a Grand Dao Daofather in the ancient era. He was famous for his swordsmanship, having cultivated his Sword Force to the fifth level.

Sword Force, like Heartforce, was divided into five levels.

A fifth-level Sword Force already placed one at the pinnacle of True Gods and Daofathers. The reason this ‘Daofather Fuju’ was recognized as the number one Sword Immortal of the Three Realms was because, after the primordial cataclysm and the dawn of the ‘Three Realms Era’, he created a peerless sword technique that shook the entire Three Realms—the ‘Five Treasures Sword Art’. With this sword art, Daofather Fuju became the indisputable number one Sword Immortal of the Three Realms.

“Legend says that Daofather Fuju’s sword was fast to the absolute extreme,” Ji Ning lamented. “So fast it surpassed the limits of the Heavenly Dao. In a direct confrontation, even an ordinary True God or Daofather could not block his strike. His power was nearly at the level of the leaders of the Daoist and Buddhist sects, likely not far from my own master. What a pity that such an unparalleled figure should die in the Chaos.”

“No one even knows how he died.” Empyrean God Jiuyu shook his head. Records of major events since the primordial cataclysm were naturally preserved. Empyrean Gods like Yuanguang, Jiuyu, and Xuexie, having been in seclusion for so long, had studied these events after emerging.

In the primordial era, many major powers, even Elder Gods, had died.

During the Three Realms Era, major powers had naturally fallen as well!

Among the events that most shocked the Three Realms was the death of ‘Daofather Fuju’. It was only known that he died in the Chaos; how he died or who killed him was a complete mystery. A being acknowledged as the number one Sword Immortal of the Three Realms, whose power rivaled that of Patriarch Subhuti, Old Man Yuan, and even approached the Three Sovereigns and the leaders of the Daoist and Buddhist sects—his fall caused a tremendous shockwave. Patriarch Subhuti and the others investigated, but they could not find the cause.

After Fuju’s death…

The Twenty-Seven Worlds of Fuju became a hotspot!

This was because when Daofather Fuju was comprehending his sword arts, moved by inspiration, he would leave traces of his swordplay on mountains and on the ground. These traces contained unfathomable might, and even Empyrean Gods and True Immortals dared not touch them. When Daofather Fuju was alive, his disciples would frequently come to these twenty-seven worlds to comprehend the sword traces.

As for other Empyrean Gods and True Immortals of the Three Realms, they generally had no chance to come and comprehend them. After Daofather Fuju died, his disciples were only Empyrean Gods and True Immortals, and they naturally did not dare to monopolize the twenty-seven worlds.

Thus, they were opened to the public!

All Immortals and demons of the Three Realms were allowed to come and observe, with the sole rule being that they could not damage the traces. Anyone who dared to damage them would become an enemy of countless Immortals and demons. In truth, the traces contained the might of the number one Sword Immortal of the Three Realms; who would be foolish enough to seek death by attempting to destroy them?

Each of the twenty-seven worlds contained sword traces, some more, some less.

The ‘Sword Immortal World’ was the most revered, as it contained a complete set of the ‘Five Treasures Sword Art’.

The other twenty-six worlds only contained scattered sword traces.

Thus, after a quick tour, Empyrean Gods and True Immortals would generally gather in the ‘Sword Immortal World’, with very few staying in the other twenty-six. In times of peace, over a thousand Empyrean Gods and True Immortals could be found in the Sword Immortal World, some spending millions or even hundreds of millions of years in cultivation there. But now, with the great tribulation of the Three Realms upon them, all Empyrean Gods and True Immortals had been conscripted into their respective armies.

The number of Empyrean Gods and True Immortals in the Sword Immortal World was very sparse, and the other twenty-six worlds even more so.

“Daofather Fuju is acknowledged as the number one Sword Immortal of the Three Realms. I must study his sword arts,” Ji Ning said. “Jiuyu, among these Twenty-Seven Worlds of Fuju, we will first go through the East Luan World and the other twenty-six worlds to comprehend their traces. After that, we will go to the Sword Immortal World.”

“Yes,” Jiuyu replied respectfully.

“Let’s go,” Ji Ning said.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Ji Ning and Jiuyu shot across the sky, flying towards a distant, towering mountain. Since the East Luan World was merely a minor world, it was less than a hundred thousand li in circumference, even smaller than Mount Yan. Even by flight, they reached their destination quickly.

“Quite a crowd,” Ji Ning commented as he gazed down from above.

Below was a steep mountain peak. At its base, countless Ki Refiners and even demons sat cross-legged, immersed in meditation and comprehension.

“But the strongest here is only a Loose Immortal or Earth Immortal,” Jiuyu remarked.

“In normal times, many Empyrean Gods and True Immortals would be in the Sword Immortal World. The East Luan World would be home to Celestial Immortals. But now, with the great tribulation, even Celestial Immortals must join the armies. Naturally, the strongest here are only Loose Immortals and Earth Immortals.” Ji Ning swept his gaze across the scene. The Ki Refiners sitting at the base of the mountain were numerous.

Most were Zifu Disciples and Wanxiang Adepts. The meditation mats they sat on were left behind by Daofather Fuju’s Empyrean God and True Immortal disciples, for the convenience of those who came to watch.

Otherwise, with so many Immortals and demons crowded together, how could they possibly meditate in peace?

“Manor Lord, shall I move them out of the way?” Jiuyu offered.

“No need. Look, that little demon is about to vacate a spot for us, isn’t he?” Ji Ning pointed with a smile towards one of the figures in the front row—a small, emaciated demon with a single horn. The demon was staring fixedly at the cliff face, his eyes bloodshot and the corners of his mouth beginning to bleed. He was clearly falling into a devilish trance.

These sword techniques were too profound.

They had been left behind by a Daofather! If one could not comprehend them, it was fine to simply stop. But if one forced the comprehension, they risked falling into a devilish trance.

“Go.”

Ji Ning moved with a thought.

Whoosh.

The demon vanished into thin air, and Ji Ning appeared in his place on the meditation mat. The surrounding Ki Refiners were all deeply immersed in their own meditation. Although one or two noticed Ji Ning’s sudden appearance, they did not think much of it. As he and Empyrean God Jiuyu walked through the Three Realms, they naturally suppressed their auras. If the aura of an Empyrean God were to leak out, it would have long ago sent every Immortal and demon present trembling in fear.