The Snow Demon Venerable

A single staff struck downwards, countless snowflakes swirling around the long staff, amplifying its might.

Facing the Snow Ape's attack, Ji Ning simply stood there in silence.

Empyrean God Xiuke had said that this was merely the Snow Demon's clone. If he could defeat it in a single move, Senior Apprentice-Brother Xiuke would follow him. Deep down, Ji Ning wanted to help this fellow senior apprentice-brother. After all, the master of Ji Ning's wife, Patriarch Lu, and Xiuke were fellow disciples. Lu Dongbin had once studied under two great powers of the Daoist path.

One was Daoist Three Purities; the other was the Carefree Sovereign.

Simply because of his connection to Patriarch Lu, Ji Ning felt he should help Empyrean God Xiuke. Of course, compared to Lu Dongbin, Xiuke's status was far lower. In the primordial era, Lu Dongbin had been recognized as a peerless genius, the most promising of them all. Unfortunately, his ambition was too great—he cultivated both Buddhism and Daoism, and only broke through during the current great tribulation of the Three Realms, finally achieving the strength of a top-tier Daofather.

"Whoosh." The staff came crashing down.

Swoosh.

Ji Ning's sword-light moved. The moment he struck, he activated the Starseizing Hand divine ability, lending astonishing power to the blow. "This Snow Demon clone is far too slow." The bizarre, unpredictable sword-light seemed about to land on the Snow Demon's body.

But the Snow Demon's staff shifted slightly, actually managing to block Ji Ning's sword.

"Oh?" Ji Ning's expression changed. He thrust his longsword forward in a follow-up strike.

Pfft.

The sword tip pierced through the Snow Demon clone's head.

The Blood Drop Stance of the Brightmoon Sword-Art.

"Whoosh~~~" The Snow Demon clone completely dissipated, transforming into drifting snowflakes. At the same time, the Snow Demon's voice rang out across heaven and earth: "If that's all you've got, it's far from enough, haha... I'll be waiting for you further down the path."

"What do you think?" Empyrean God Xiuke walked over.

"I underestimated him," Ji Ning said. "His clone's strength and speed were mediocre. I thought a single sword-blow would easily kill it, but who would have guessed his staff technique was so formidable? It took a bit more effort."

Empyrean God Xiuke nodded. "The Sea Yaksha clone earlier was very weak, easily slain in one blow. But this Snow Demon clone is far trickier... and as for the Snow Demon Venerable himself, he is even more powerful. His strength lies in the fact that he has almost no weaknesses. Perhaps he does, but at least I've never been able to find any."

"Almost no weaknesses?" Ji Ning frowned.

"Don't worry. Truth be told, you don't actually have to defeat him. As long as your strength reaches a certain threshold, he will retreat on his own," Empyrean God Xiuke said with a smile. "You just killed the Snow Demon clone in one strike; your sword-art is quite impressive. I'll go with you."

Ji Ning nodded.

Strictly speaking, although that attack had looked like a single blow, it had actually started with the Shadowless Stance before transforming into the Blood Drop Stance. Empyrean God Xiuke said this mostly because he could no longer bear being trapped here in solitude.

"Let's go." Ji Ning waved his hand. Empyrean God Xiuke offered no resistance and was taken into Ji Ning's immortal estate.

...

Ji Ning carried a Pure Yang immortal estate with him. Within it were several of his clones. As the master, he could partition the estate into separate zones. For now, he didn't want Empyrean God Xiuke to know about the existence of his other clone. Very few in the Three Realms knew this secret.

Whoosh.

Riding the Wishful Spirit Serpent Shuttle, he advanced along the floating wooden bridge.

Snowflakes drifted, blanketing the endless sky and earth.

"What beautiful scenery."

Ji Ning smiled.

He continued forward for over an hour before the Wishful Spirit Serpent Shuttle abruptly stopped. Ji Ning's expression changed as he stared ahead. In the distance, on the bridge, sat a golden-furred ape. The long staff resting before it radiated an oppressive pressure—clearly a formidable treasure. The golden-furred ape sat cross-legged, propping his chin on his hand, waiting for Ji Ning with a look of utter boredom.

"Finally here. I've been waiting for ages." The golden-furred ape stood up and stretched lazily. "Your flying treasure is way too slow."

With a thought, Ji Ning put away the Wishful Spirit Serpent Shuttle and landed on the floating wooden bridge. Both hands gripped a blood-colored divine sword as he stared into the distance at the Snow Demon Venerable. "Although this Snow Demon Venerable's aura is stronger than his clone's, it seems... even weaker than the Sea Yaksha Venerable's aura."

"Hehe. What, are you thinking my aura is too weak?" The Snow Demon let out a strange laugh. "Don't lump me in with that Yaksha. That fool couldn't even fully control his own power—he just relied on brute force and rampaged wildly. I, on the other hand, control every shred of my power. I can suppress my aura, change my aura, change my appearance—I can do anything."

"Change."

The Snow Demon Venerable instantly transformed into Empyrean God Xiuke.

"Change again." He then transformed into Ji Ning.

The aura was identical.

Ji Ning was secretly startled. This was practically the method of the Eight-Nine Arcane Art.

"So, kid, a true expert cannot be judged by appearances," the Snow Demon Venerable said with a laugh. "The stronger one is, the more they generally suppress their aura, even becoming as dull as grass, wood, or common stone, radiating no pressure at all."

Ji Ning couldn't help but nod.

That was true. He had once encountered the old man Yuan. Back then, Yuan had disguised himself as an old gardener, and Ji Ning had truly believed he was an ordinary mortal—he hadn't sensed the slightest trace of aura or pressure.

"Come on, show me what you've got," the Snow Demon Venerable called out.

"Go." A sharp light flashed in Ji Ning's eyes. Suddenly, seven hundred and twenty-nine Pure Yang flying swords materialized around him, rising and falling in the air. Vast amounts of Dharma power poured into them, condensing before Ji Ning into a single, razor-sharp jade sword.

"Looks like you've got some tricks." The Snow Demon shouldered his golden staff, grinning.

Ji Ning's eyelids lifted.

Swoosh!

The jade sword shot through the air, leaving a rainbow trail in its wake. It struck at the Snow Demon with bizarre, unpredictable grace.

"Bang." The Snow Demon casually lifted his golden staff. With a single tremor, he struck the jade sword, shattering it instantly.

"Oh?" Ji Ning's expression changed. "Go, go, go."

One jade sword after another flew out.

The Snow Demon advanced lazily, his golden staff trembling gently. The staff's tip traced circles in the air, casually smashing into the seemingly profound jade swords. Bang, bang, bang, three more jade swords were shattered in succession.

"Is this all you've got?" The Snow Demon Venerable stared wide-eyed, looking helpless. "Then this is getting boring."

As he spoke, the Snow Demon suddenly broke into a sprint, golden staff in hand, turning into a flash of golden light.

"My Shadowless Stance is unfathomably strange, and paired with the ninth level of the Grand Thousand Sword Formation, yet he blocks it with ease. I have to use Heartforce." Ji Ning hadn't expected to be pushed this far so quickly. Another jade sword condensed before him, turning into a rainbow light that shot straight at the Snow Demon Venerable.

The Snow Demon sprinted forward.

The jade sword shot through the air.

They met in an instant.

"Die." As the thought arose in Ji Ning's heart, the Heartforce contained within the jade sword erupted. The jade sword's speed and power instantly skyrocketed, moving even faster along its bizarre, unpredictable arc to strike at the Snow Demon Venerable.

"Oh?" The Snow Demon Venerable finally revealed a solemn expression. The staff he had been carrying casually was now gripped with both hands.

Whoosh. The staff shook, and rings of energy appeared in the air. Faint streams of black and white qi coiled around the staff.

Bang!

It struck Ji Ning's jade sword once more. Even though the sword contained Heartforce at the fourth level, it was still shattered to pieces.

"Interesting." The Snow Demon Venerable's eyes lit up. "Hahaha, again, again!"

He charged forward rapidly. Even his footwork was bizarre and unpredictable, shifting left and right along a zigzag path as he closed in.

Clearly, the Snow Demon Venerable was taking things seriously now.

"He blocked my fourth-level Heartforce?" Ji Ning's heart sank. Each use of Heartforce consumed a great deal; he could only fire off a dozen or so jade swords.

"Go, go, go." Ji Ning gritted his teeth.

He fired three more jade swords in quick succession. Only one of them contained fourth-level Heartforce. A mix of truth and falsehood, substance and illusion.

"Hahaha..." The Snow Demon Venerable laughed wildly.

Bang! Bang! Bang!!!

Three explosive sounds rang out in succession. Even the jade sword that had suddenly erupted in power was smashed to pieces.

"What." Ji Ning realized this was a serious problem.

By now, the Snow Demon Venerable had already closed in. Ji Ning had no time to think. He put away the Pure Yang flying swords, shook his body, and transformed into a three-headed, six-armed form. Wielding six divine swords, he charged at the Snow Demon Venerable.

Clang~~~

The staff's attack was heavy and powerful. The moment their weapons clashed, Ji Ning was sent flying backward.

"Such incredible strength." Ji Ning tumbled backward, crashing into the frozen surface of the sea. With a loud bang, the frozen sea trembled but remained unharmed. Ji Ning rolled and tumbled across the ice before quickly rising again.

"If I don't use the Starseizing Hand, I can't even match him in raw power."

Ji Ning felt a headache coming on.

The Starseizing Hand consumed divine power far too quickly. With three heads and six arms amplifying his strength, and six divine swords against his enemy's single golden staff, Ji Ning had thought that overwhelming him with numbers might secure victory. Who would have guessed he'd be sent flying in a single exchange?

"Although his strength doesn't match the Sea Yaksha Venerable's, it's still far above mine. His staff technique is profoundly mysterious, and his footwork and movement arts are astonishing. He's virtually flawless. For Senior Apprentice-Brother Xiuke to dodge the Snow Demon's attacks with just his movement technique... he truly is remarkable." Only now did Ji Ning realize just how extraordinary Empyrean God Xiuke's movement art was.

"I have to use my advantages."

Ji Ning had no choice but to rely on strategy.

"Haha." The Snow Demon Venerable laughed wildly, leaping off the floating wooden bridge and smashing down toward Ji Ning on the ice.

Ji Ning, in his three-headed, six-armed form, wielded six divine swords. The moment the Snow Demon Venerable was upon him, he moved.

Facing the descending staff, Ji Ning ignored it entirely. All six of his divine swords went straight for the Snow Demon Venerable's body. You do your thing—go ahead and smash me. I have the Eight-Nine Arcane Art; I don't care at all. As long as my divine swords cut you down, the victory is mine.

To ensure success, Ji Ning simultaneously activated the Starseizing Hand, and all six arms erupted with astonishing power.

"Hahaha~~~"

The Snow Demon Venerable's long staff twisted violently. The black and white streams of qi appeared once more, forming a massive vortex that entangled all six of Ji Ning's divine swords. Then, with a single, powerful strike—

Boom! The staff smashed against the six divine swords and then struck Ji Ning's divine body, sending him flying backward once more. With a thunderous crash, he slammed into the ice. This time, the ice cracked and splintered, producing countless fissures.