The Despair Sword

The golden-robed youth standing ahead gazed at the flying Ji Ning with a tender expression, as if looking upon his most beloved.

“Hm?”

Being stared at by the Eighth Guardian, Ji Ning sensed a faint threat, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned to watch the sword art that was beginning to manifest on the towering, massive blade beside him. On the Swordroad of Ten Thousand Blades, the ten guardians wielded increasingly profound sword arts, and the impact on Ji Ning grew stronger with each one. He could feel that these sword arts, each more formidable than the last, were subtly pointing straight toward the ‘limits of the Heavenly Dao,’ as if guiding him to ‘transcend those limits.’ Although the Three Realms contained many sword arts, aside from that one set which had already surpassed the Heavenly Dao’s limits—the Five Treasures Sword Art—none of them offered him as much assistance as these.

“The great power who created the Moon Underwater Abyss is certainly no ordinary figure. Just the sword arts alone are enough to guide me like this. And the other Empyrean Gods—some use longspears, some use longstaffs, some use curved sabers… so many types of weapons, and the Swordroad can manifest different guardians for each.” Ji Ning found the thought awe-inspiring.

He could only marvel that the primordial chaos was filled with infinite possibilities. The Three Realms were merely one Chaosworld within that endless void.

To sit in a well and gaze at the sky—that would be a joke.

Since he was weak, he had to train hard and make himself stronger. Ji Ning felt fortunate to have come to the Moon Underwater Abyss, to have this chance to grow more powerful.

“This set of sword arts… so mysterious, so unique…” Ji Ning watched, admiration shining in his eyes. “Lingering longing? Yearning? This set should be named ‘Lovesick Sword Arts.’”

The sword technique displayed on the edge of the blade had already been shown three full times, then faded away.

“Whoosh.”

The golden-robed youth in front of him manifested two swords in his hands. He looked down at the blades with a tender gaze, then said softly, “Time to fight.”

“Mm.” Ji Ning nodded, and two divine swords appeared in his hands as well.

The golden-robed youth smiled faintly. That smile was intoxicating. Then his body transformed into a gentle breeze, and his sword-light followed suit—seemingly tender and soft, yet it carried an immense threat that Ji Ning could clearly sense.

If Ji Ning had not meticulously watched the three demonstrations from shallow to deep, he would have suffered a major loss. But now that he understood this set of ‘Lovesick Sword Arts’ with complete clarity, he could handle the battle much more steadily. He gripped his two divine swords tightly. The sword-light howled, reaching the speed of light. The ghostly, swift ‘Shadowless Stance’ launched into a frenzied assault!

Sometimes the attacks were ferocious; sometimes the sword-speed dropped.

The alternation between fast and slow made the style even more unpredictable.

Ji Ning’s swordplay had clearly become far more ‘vicious’ than when he had first stepped onto the Swordroad of Ten Thousand Blades. The previous seven guardians had granted him immense gains.

“Blood Drop Stance.”

The sword style would suddenly shift, transforming into the even faster and more ferocious Blood Drop Stance.

But the opponent’s sword technique seemed like an endless net, binding and entangling Ji Ning’s two divine swords.

“Lovesickness…” Ji Ning’s comprehension of this set of sword arts deepened. Watching with the eyes was one thing, but truly experiencing the full display of this sword art from someone who possessed divine power and a divine body identical to his own was another. Ji Ning understood more clearly the true power behind the killing moves within these sword arts.

“Compared to this, my Brightmoon Sword-Art lacks that seamless, flowing quality.” Ji Ning’s sword style shifted, becoming even more erratic and unpredictable.

The Shadowless Stance and the Blood Drop Stance.

The two merged more perfectly, and the openings between the execution of the stances became fewer.

“Hm?” The golden-robed youth frowned. His body blurred as he manifested Three Heads, Six Arms, and six divine swords simultaneously attacked Ji Ning.

Ji Ning also executed Three Heads, Six Arms to meet the assault.

…

“Pfft!”

A streak of sword-light slashed into the golden-robed youth’s neck, sending him flying backward. He staggered five steps before finally steadying himself.

He stared at Ji Ning and said in a low voice, “Your sword is faster than mine, but the artistic conception of your sword art… is slightly inferior. You passed my trial, but the Ninth Guardian’s sword-speed can also reach the Heavenly Dao limit. Moreover, his sword-art conception is stronger than yours.”

“Is that so? If he’s stronger, that’s even better.” Ji Ning grinned.

“Be careful.” The golden-robed youth vanished into thin air.

Ji Ning let out a breath of relief.

He had finally passed.

Without hesitation, Ji Ning continued flying forward. A moment later, he saw the Ninth Guardian. The moment he laid eyes on him… a wave of crushing despair washed over him.

“That intangible artistic conception grows stronger and stronger,” Ji Ning mused silently. “I’ve heard that the fifth level of Swordforce, the ‘Sword God level,’ can cause enemies to feel utter despair just from its aura, even without striking. This Swordroad isn’t just guiding me to transcend the Heavenly Dao’s limits; it’s also guiding me to reach the fifth level of Swordforce.”

The Eighth Guardian’s ‘Lovesick Sword Arts’ had already possessed a hint of that resonance.

The Ninth Guardian, even standing still, radiated such a powerful aura of intangible despair—clearly, he was far more formidable.

But compared to the true fifth level of Swordforce, the ‘Sword God level,’ it was still far, far off.

It was a seed!

A seed planted in Ji Ning’s heart. In the future, it might take root, sprout, and even grow.

“Watch the sword art.” The Ninth Guardian said coldly.

Ji Ning smiled and began watching the sword technique displayed on the massive blade. As he watched, his expression slowly changed… Every single movement, every single stance, stirred the deepest emotions within his heart. The more deeply he immersed himself in the sword art, the stronger its influence on him became.

“Why?”

The Ji Ning of his past life, tortured by illness, had harbored deep unwillingness in his heart. Later, after his reincarnation, Ji Yichuan and Yuchi Snow had warmed his heart with their familial love.

“Father… Mother.”

On Winged Serpent Lake, Ji Ning had lain on a wooden boat, drifting across the water.

“No.”

The moment Yu Wei had died, he had felt true despair unto death. His parents were gone, and Yu Wei was gone too.

…

Having experienced these things, the resonance was all the stronger.

This set of sword arts stirred a deep sorrow and bleakness within Ji Ning. The sorrow sank to its deepest point, transforming into boundless despair.

“Senior apprentice-sister isn’t dead yet.”

“I can rescue her when I leave this place and reunite our family.” Ji Ning murmured to himself.

The sword technique on the blade had finished its demonstration.

The Ninth Guardian was watching Ji Ning with a look of surprise. He could sense the artistic conception radiating from Ji Ning.

“What is this sword art called?” Ji Ning asked.

He had encountered nine guardians so far, and this was the first time he had asked for the name of a sword technique.

“Despair Sword,” the Ninth Guardian said.

“Despair… Despair…” Ji Ning suddenly laughed. “It fits perfectly. I have known despair before. But right now, I am filled with hope.”

With that, Ji Ning turned and walked away.

“You’re not fighting?” The Ninth Guardian called out in astonishment.

“I am no match for you right now. The next time I come, I will be the one to defeat you.” Ji Ning’s figure quickly vanished at the end of the floating wooden bridge, leaving the Ninth Guardian stunned. However, he did not give chase. Since he and Ji Ning shared the same divine body and divine abilities, if Ji Ning was determined to leave, he simply could not catch up.

“He didn’t even fight.” The Ninth Guardian was baffled. “And he said he’s no match for me after watching the sword art just once… To dare say something like that, he must have already learned most of this technique, or even understand its true power. But even so, there’s no reason to avoid a fight… Unless!”

“Unless watching the sword art triggered an epiphany, and he went back to meditate on it.” The Ninth Guardian made his guess.

He knew well that Ji Ning’s protective divine ability was fearsome; even if he lost, there was no danger of death. So why wouldn’t he fight? There was only one explanation… he was afraid that an intense battle would disrupt his ‘enlightenment.’

…

His guess was correct.

This set of ‘Despair Sword Arts’ had indeed resonated deeply with Ji Ning. After watching the demonstration three times, he had already mastered most of it! A flood of insights surged in his heart. Ji Ning was terrified that a fierce battle would cause him to forget some of those insights, so he simply refused to fight.

As he flew back…

Ji Ning continued to meditate on this set of sword arts.

This was the first sword art on the Swordroad of Ten Thousand Blades that had truly resonated with his heart. The emotions it carried were ones he had personally experienced. He understood that feeling intimately. In almost an instant, he grasped the essence of this sword technique. It was a sword art even more perfect than his current Brightmoon Sword-Art.

At the end of the floating wooden bridge on Thousand Stars Island.

Over two hundred Empyrean Gods stood waiting eagerly, their gazes fixed on the distance.

“I wonder how many guardians Northmont can defeat.”

“If he can defeat nine in one go, and even have the strength to take on the tenth, that would be best.”

“He absolutely must not rush to defeat the tenth. Defeating nine and then coming back to lead us all against the tenth—that would be ideal.”

The Empyrean Gods all held their hopes.

Because the chances of Empyrean God Crime and Empyrean God Feng Hou ever escaping were too slim. Now, Ji Ning was their only hope. One after another, they spoke, each praising Ji Ning’s incredible power. What they feared most now was that Ji Ning would only defeat six or seven guardians—that would make successfully crossing the Swordroad a very distant prospect.

“Look.”

Suddenly, Empyrean God Xiuke pointed into the distance. He had been sitting alone in silence, staring into the distance the whole time. Having spent endless years in solitude on the snowy island, he was accustomed to loneliness, but he craved escape even more. He had been watching nonstop. When Ji Ning’s figure appeared far in the distance, he was the first to spot him.

“He’s here.”

“It’s Ji Ning.”

“Ji Ning is here.”

One by one, they grew excited.

The white-robed youth came flying along the floating wooden bridge from afar. Over two hundred Empyrean Gods rose to their feet and rushed to greet him.

Ji Ning landed. Looking at this large group of eager Empyrean Gods, he felt a heavy, invisible pressure.

“How did it go?” Empyrean God Crime asked.

“I defeated eight guardians. As for the Ninth Guardian, I am no match for him for now,” Ji Ning said. He knew very well that each guardian could perfectly execute their sword art. The Ninth Guardian could perfectly wield the Despair Sword Arts, and he truly was not a match for him right now.

“Defeated eight?”

“Just two left?”

For a moment, the Empyrean Gods present were all stunned.

Truth be told, deep down, they felt a hint of disappointment. Defeating eight meant that two remained undefeated! Those two guardians were like two gatekeeping tigers… Ji Ning would probably need quite some time.

Despite the slight disappointment, everyone remained calm, and some even breathed a sigh of relief. At least… he was far stronger than Greatdream God or Sun Nine. The main reason they had such unrealistic fantasies was that Ji Ning had single-handedly swept through over twenty Empyrean Gods of the Seamless Gate earlier.

“Defeated eight? Impressive! Greatdream God and Sun Nine only managed seven.”

“Only two left. It won’t be long before he breaks through.”

The Empyrean Gods all chattered.

Ji Ning, of course, understood the longing in their hearts. He said directly, “I need to return and engage in quiet cultivation to comprehend things. I will take my leave first.” With that, he transformed into a streak of light and flew away swiftly. Returning to his dwelling, he unleashed his Immortal estate, then entered it to begin his secluded meditation.

He needed time to comprehend properly.

The insights surging within him were vast and powerful. This entire journey of enlightenment had filled him with excitement. He had no time to chat with those Empyrean Gods. What he needed to do was to constantly comprehend and digest these insights!