The Secret Gift

Ji Ning sent mentally, “Master, if we speak like this, could the Seamless Gate find out?”

“Hard to say,” Subhuti sent back. “In the Three Realms, I am unrivaled in spacetime control. My Mount Innerheart exists within layers upon layers of folded time and space—no other major power in the Three Realms can possibly probe it. Only the Heartforce Eater, who has merged with the Heavenly Dao of the Seamless Gate… whether he can detect us… even I am not certain.”

“If we continue using telepathy, the chances of him detecting us are lower,” Subhuti added.

Ji Ning nodded.

There was no other choice.

Ever since deciding to offer the technique of the Nine-Horned Lightning Serpent Teleportation and the six bottles of Chaos Nectar to his master, Ji Ning had been prepared for the Seamless Gate to discover him. He had not made this offering out of pure selflessness; the main reason was his desire to ensure his wife and daughter could live on safely. With these six bottles of Chaos Nectar in his hands, he could at best improve his own strength somewhat. That was far less valuable than giving them away.

If the top powers on his side could use them to drastically increase their combat strength, it could have enormous influence even on the final battle.

Saving his senior apprentice-sister was important… but winning the final war was even more important!

Even if he was discovered, even in the absolute worst-case scenario—being killed—he could still rise again using the two incarnations within the ‘stone stele’!

“You’ve mastered this technique?” Subhuti suddenly asked.

“Yes,” Ji Ning replied.

“Good.” Subhuti nodded with a smile. “To the outside world, I will claim I bestowed the technique upon you and gifted you the treasures to cultivate it. If any major power on our side questions you, push all responsibility onto me.”

“Major powers on our side?” Ji Ning’s mind stirred.

“The major powers of the Seamless Gate would not dare to move against you,” Subhuti sent. “They still do not dare to trigger a full war between Daofathers and Elder Gods. Besides, you carry my token; as soon as you encounter danger, activate it immediately, and I will know at once. But the major powers on our own side… they are much harder to guard against. You need to be cautious.”

“Understood,” Ji Ning said.

“Do you still have more of this treasure? Enough to cultivate this technique?” Subhuti could not help but ask again. “It is not that I, your master, am greedy, but this technique will be of tremendous help to our side. Of course, I will never let you suffer a loss. Daofather Three Purities and the others each have a few treasures originating from the Chaos aliens… as well as some fine treasures left behind by Lady Nuwa.”

“I still have three or four more bottles,” Ji Ning sent. “If Master needs them, I can offer them as well.”

The rest, Ji Ning planned to keep for restoring his incarnations, giving one bottle to his strongest subordinate, Hongxue, and saving some for his future daughter’s use.

“Three or four bottles?” Subhuti could tell Ji Ning was not lying. “No need. That would not be enough for any major purpose.”

Chaos Nectar was only truly useful in large quantities.

For Daofathers and Elder Gods to train the Tao Wu Eighteen Fiendgods to the second layer would require at least one hundred bottles. A powerful Daofather or Elder God—someone like Tathagata the Buddha or Daofather Three Purities—suddenly having eighteen incarnations would have an astonishing impact on the war’s balance. Unfortunately, there was not enough Chaos Nectar available.

Taming a Nine-Horned Lightning Serpent also required six bottles.

One or two bottles?

At best, it would be somewhat useful to Empyrean Gods and True Immortals. It would be almost worthless to Daofathers and Elder Gods.

Even in the Nine Chaos Nations, those who held the illustrious position of World Prison warden for ages had only earned a single bottle. Clearly, even the Nine Nation Lords were extremely sparing in their bestowals. The vast majority of Chaos Nectar was hoarded by the Nation Lords themselves; at their level, the amounts they consumed were astonishing.

In the endless chaos, a field of medicinal herbs stretched out, next to a thatched cottage.

Before the cottage, figures gathered one after another. There was Subhuti in his Daoist robes; Divine Farmer, looking like an old rustic; Suiren, with wild hair and thick beard, clad in beast skins like a savage; the imposing Fuxi; the calmly standing Daofather Three Purities; the smiling Tathagata the Buddha; and a hunched figure in tattered gray robes, wearing a ferocious mask.

“You have all seen this technique.” Subhuti’s gaze swept across them.

These beings…

They were the true apex rulers of the Nuwa Alliance, standing at the very pinnacle of power.

“The technique is not bad, but it is useless if we cannot train it,” Fuxi said, smiling at Subhuti. “Subhuti, what are you really planning? Out with it.”

Subhuti waved his hand, and six black bottles appeared.

“This is…”

Every one of them brightened.

They were not fools; they had all read the Nine-Horned Lightning Serpent Teleportation and knew that taming a Nine-Horned Lightning Serpent required six bottles of Chaos Nectar. Now that Subhuti had brought out six bottles, they could guess what was happening.

“This is indeed Chaos Nectar. Six bottles,” Subhuti said.

“This…”

“Where did this Chaos Nectar come from?” The few apex beings of the Nuwa Alliance grew somewhat excited. When it came to the war between alliances, any increase in their own strength brought the hope of victory closer. It had to be understood that at their current level, improving their power was no easy task.

Subhuti said, “My disciple Ji Ning offered it. Do not spread this matter; it would only bring disaster upon my disciple.”

“Ji Ning?” The hunched figure in tattered robes and mask spoke hoarsely. This was the only sentence he uttered during the entire gathering; afterwards, he said nothing more.

Subhuti glanced at the hunched figure and sighed inwardly.

“He has also trained in this technique himself,” Subhuti said. “The remaining Chaos Nectar he handed over to me.”

“A mere Empyrean God and True Immortal,” Daofather Three Purities murmured softly. “To have such great fortune, yet to be willing to part with it like this… truly rare and admirable.” They were not surprised that Ji Ning had also trained in the technique; even if they were in his position, they would have trained it themselves. But to be willing to offer such a priceless treasure—that was not something anyone could do.

“Boundless merit,” Tathagata the Buddha said with a smile.

“Very well. Speak, then. Who shall train in it?” Subhuti’s gaze swept across them.

“Your disciple offered it. Should you not train in it yourself?” Divine Farmer chuckled.

“In terms of speed, I cannot match the Lord of All Demons or the Golden Crow. But in fleeing, I am not inferior to either of them,” Subhuti said. “In terms of spacetime control, no one in the Three Realms can match me. This technique would be useful to me, but not tremendously so. Stop being modest, and let’s decide now. Which of you will train it?”

The other six present were silent for a moment.

“Suiren,” Daofather Three Purities spoke up.

“Elder Brother is indeed suitable,” Divine Farmer nodded.

The others voiced no objection.

“Very well. I will train in this technique.” Suiren nodded. This most ancient and powerful of humanity’s beings accepted without hesitation.

“I owe your disciple,” Suiren said, looking at Subhuti.

“As for how to repay him, you can figure that out yourself,” Subhuti said with a smile.

Suiren nodded.

Suiren’s strength was immense; even the Seamless Gate believed he was likely the most powerful member of the Nuwa Alliance. In particular, Suiren’s invisible aura… was extremely close to that of Pangu, who had split Heaven and Earth apart. Suiren was extraordinarily powerful in frontal combat, but he was somewhat lacking in speed.

If he obtained the Nine-Horned Lightning Serpent Teleportation, it would be like adding wings to a tiger, greatly increasing his combat strength.

“Whoosh.”

The hunched figure in tattered gray robes suddenly vanished into thin air.

“After all these years, he still hasn’t been able to cross that threshold in his heart,” Fuxi shook his head.

“No one can persuade him. Even Lady Nuwa was unable to convince him back then. What can we do?” Subhuti sighed. “The threshold in one’s heart… only he himself can cross it.”

The Sword Immortal World, Mount Five Treasures.

Ji Ning sat inside his thatched cottage, quietly calming his heart.

Shua.

He had already entered the Starseizing Major World, leaving a single incarnation in the cottage.

The Starseizing Major World.

“Prefectural Lord!”

A vast army of immortals all bowed in submission. Ji Ning stood in midair, gazing down. There were over a hundred thousand Celestial Immortals here, and even more Loose Immortals. This was mainly thanks to the legion he had acquired from Daofather Youxiong, as well as some immortals native to the Starseizing Major World.

“Deploy the Rahu Formation,” Ji Ning commanded.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh~~~ Instantly, like a swarm of locusts, countless immortals soared into the sky. After acquiring the Rahu Formation and moving the legion into the Starseizing Major World, Ji Ning had ordered them to train in it. They had long been prepared.

Of them, ninety thousand Celestial Immortals and eight million Loose Immortals had been waiting for years. The remaining Celestial Immortals and Loose Immortals were merely reserves.

With Ji Ning at the center, the ninety thousand Celestial Immortals were like ninety thousand channels, fully connected to the eight million Loose Immortals. The formation was so complex that even a Daofather would find it bewildering and exhausting. Fortunately, every individual only needed to handle their own part. Ji Ning did not need to manage that; he was the core, the mind—his role was command.

“Rumble~~~” The elemental energy of Heaven and Earth surged wildly.

The sky seemed to collapse.

The multi-colored elemental energy rapidly condensed. A supremely powerful Fiendgod began to take shape. First, his legs—powerful and sturdy, skin tinged with black. Gradually, his torso took form, mostly black, but at his waist, sleek silver fur appeared.

His arms emerged—six thick, powerful arms.

His head formed, eyes filled with savage killing intent. But his face was a perfect likeness of Ji Ning.

“ROOOOAR!!!”

The Rahu Fiendgod ‘Ji Ning’ raised his head and roared, heaven and earth trembling.

“I cannot completely suppress the fury,” Ji Ning thought, controlling this Rahu Fiendgod. According to legend, the original Rahu had four faces and six arms—that was no technique, but a natural form. However, Fuxi’s formation only manifested a single face, keeping the six arms.

“Ninety thousand Celestial Immortals, eight million Loose Immortals… the elemental energy gathered is too vast.” Ji Ning also felt the strain. The power he could mobilize was merely a tiny fraction of this Fiendgod’s full might; yet even so, it far exceeded the strongest Karmic Punishment Deity.

He had other incarnations, but they could not join this formation. The ninety thousand Celestial Immortals were all perfectly balanced Celestial Immortals. If he replaced some with Pure Yang True Immortals, the balance would be broken, making the formation even harder to control.

“Come out.”

Shua shua shua shua shua shua.

The Rahu Fiendgod’s six arms each grasped a divine sword. Three were the Northsea Swords; three were the Universal Salvation Swords of Ananda.

“Seamless Gate.” The Rahu Fiendgod spoke in a low rumble, his voice filled with murderous intent. Then, holding six divine swords, he teleported directly out of the Starseizing Major World.