The Truth Behind the Five Treasures

Ji Ning understood well. An existence capable of leaving behind such a peerless sword-art, even in death, could casually leave behind a means to grant life or death at a whim. Thus, without much hesitation, he strode directly toward the azure jade temple at the end of the void staircase.

The Azure Jade Temple was breathtakingly beautiful, a structure of exquisite and ornate perfection.

Its walls, carved from fine azure jade, were faintly translucent. The mere act of approaching this temple filled Ji Ning’s heart with an overwhelming sense of calm.

“This temple…” Ji Ning stepped inside, sweeping his gaze across the interior.

The contents within were pitifully sparse.

At the temple’s center lay a golden-glowing meditation mat. Far in front of it rested a simple, ancient stone altar. Upon that altar lay a single, slender sword, three feet in length and a mere inch in width. The entire blade was the color of blood, its surface covered in a dense network of cracks that ran through the entire sword, as if it might shatter at any moment. Three obvious notches marred the edge of the blade.

It was a damaged sword, one that seemed on the verge of collapse.

Yet this sword… was the very source of the oppressive aura that filled the entire temple. Gazing upon it felt more oppressive than standing before the Human Sovereign, Fuxi himself. Without a doubt… this was a sword that far surpassed the level of an innate spirit-treasure.

“A chaos treasure?”

Ji Ning’s heart grew hot, but then he frowned. “Even if it is a chaos treasure… this sword is far too badly damaged.”

He observed for a long time.

He recognized the golden meditation mat as well. It was woven from ‘Winterheart Grass,’ a chaos material. Similar mats existed in the Three Realms, used to quiet the heart and calm the mind during meditation. In terms of value… it was merely on par with an innate spirit-treasure. For someone like Ji Ning, who possessed the World Prison, it was hardly worth caring about.

“This mysterious place… the endless void staircase… the only temple… and within the temple, a single, shattered divine sword is enshrined,” Ji Ning mused inwardly with confusion.

The temple held nothing but a meditation mat, a stone altar, and a divine sword.

The mat and altar were of little consequence.

The divine sword’s aura was astonishing, yet it was utterly battered.

WHOOSH

As Ji Ning was still pondering and carefully probing the temple, a ripple of energy suddenly flew out from the divine sword. It landed upon the ground and condensed into the form of a golden-armored female general, her golden armor traced with blood-red patterns.

“Celestial God Darknorth, Ji Ning?” the golden-armored female general said, looking at him.

“You are?” Ji Ning understood immediately. Since she could call him by name, she was likely the one who had arranged for him to come here.

“I am the sword-spirit of ‘Ziguangqiong,’ the divine sword of World God Northrest,” the golden-armored general said, pointing to the battered divine sword beside her. “This is Ziguangqiong. You may call me ‘Sword-Spirit’.”

The golden-armored woman was merely the spirit of a magic treasure.

“You should have been sent out of the Moon Underwater Abyss world, but I guided you here instead,” the Sword-Spirit said.

“Where is this?” Ji Ning asked.

“This is still within the Moon Underwater Abyss world,” the Sword-Spirit said. “However, it is an independent space within the Abyss. Before you entered, no one knew of its existence except me.”

Ji Ning was puzzled. “Does that mean that even the eminent Lord Jue Ming never entered this place?”

“Correct. After my master died, you are the first living being to enter,” the Sword-Spirit said.

“Why did you bring me here?” Ji Ning grew even more curious.

“Because of the Five Treasures Sword Art,” the Sword-Spirit replied.

“The Five Treasures Sword Art?” Ji Ning was startled, then said, “You were watching the actions of the Empyrean Gods within the Moon Underwater Abyss the entire time, and that’s how you learned about the Five Treasures Sword Art?”

The Sword-Spirit revealed a faint smile. Even Ji Ning felt a flash of astonishment. She had been completely expressionless before, but that single smile was breathtaking, like a hundred flowers blooming.

“The Five Treasures Sword Art was created by my master. How could I not know of it?” the Sword-Spirit said with a hint of pride in her smile.

“Created by your master?” Ji Ning was stunned. Yes, although in the Three Realms it was said that Daofather Fuju had personally created this sword-art, ever since he had interrogated the memories of prisoners from the Ninefang Chaosworld in the World Prison, Ji Ning had understood that sword-arts surpassing the limits of the Heavenly Dao were far too profound. They could not have been created by a mere Daofather like Fuju. So it was the work of World God Northrest.

At the same time, Ji Ning wondered, “Even before creating the Five Treasures Sword Art, Daofather Fuju was a top-tier Daofather. With such strength and status, why would he lie? Was he trying to hide a secret?”

“Do you know of Daofather Fuju?” Ji Ning inquired.

The death of Daofather Fuju had always been a mystery.

Countless mighty figures in the Three Realms had tried to discover the truth, but all had failed.

“Daofather Fuju?” The Sword-Spirit was taken aback, then looked at Ji Ning with a knowing, almost amused expression. “Of course I know of him. Just listen to what I have to say, and you will understand.”

“Speak,” Ji Ning nodded.

“Back then, my master’s remnant soul, by relying on the Ziguangqiong divine sword, desperately fled and escaped until he reached your Three Realms. He could flee no further. Ah, at that time, your Three Realms was still the Primordial Era, and should be considered the ‘Pangu Chaosworld’,” the Sword-Spirit said. “Thankfully, my master had been fleeing madly enough beforehand, and the Three Flood Dragon Godbeasts were unable to catch up. When my master arrived, he sensed that an Elder God within the Three Realms posed a threat to him—the one you call Mother Nuwa.”

“Although Nuwa was merely an Elder God at the time, she had already reached the pinnacle of the Elder God level, far more powerful than the other Elder Gods of your Primordial Era. My master could feel a faint sense of danger. If he were to truly fight her to the death, it was hard to say whether he could even kill Nuwa, but he would surely die himself.”

Ji Ning listened with fascination.

“If my master had been at his peak, he naturally wouldn’t have feared Nuwa. But at that time, he was nothing more than a sliver of a remnant soul. Although he could still erupt with World God-level power, he couldn’t sustain it. Naturally, he was unwilling to risk fighting Nuwa. Thus, within the endless chaos, he opened the Moon Underwater Abyss,” the Sword-Spirit said. “My master’s injuries were too severe. His divine body was completely destroyed, leaving only a wisp of a remnant soul. Even the truesoul within that remnant soul was beginning to crumble and collapse… My master could only do his utmost to slow the truesoul’s dissipation. Once it completely dissipated, he would naturally die.”

“By establishing the Moon Underwater Abyss, my master also hoped to lure in Empyrean Gods. He was unwilling to let the Three Flood Dragon Godbeasts roam free and enjoy their great benefits. He wanted to arrange for someone to deliver a message to the ‘Heavenly Palace of Azure.’”

“My master couldn’t live much longer, and couldn’t go himself. So he had to train other Empyrean Gods.”

“Later… Daofather Fuju was roaming through the chaos, and my master discovered him.”

“And so, my master possessed him,” the Sword-Spirit said.

Ji Ning’s eyes flew wide open.

“Possessed?” Ji Ning was astonished.

“Yes,” the Sword-Spirit nodded. “After opening the Moon Underwater Abyss world, my master focused entirely on slowing the dissipation of his truesoul, even trying to find a way to stop it completely. After all, he still wanted to live. So he realized a method of nurturing the truesoul. He then entered the chaos and happened to encounter Daofather Fuju, who was roaming the chaos.”

“If it had been Nuwa, my master wouldn’t have been confident of possessing her. But this Daofather Fuju… was merely an ordinary Daofather at the time. My master naturally possessed him with ease.”

“After possessing him, my master entered the Pangu Chaosworld… and even casually demonstrated his power, revealing the fifth level of Swordforce, the ‘Sword God Realm.’ As a result, his status within the Pangu Chaosworld grew increasingly transcendent,” the Sword-Spirit said.

Ji Ning shuddered.

So Daofather Fuju had already been possessed during the Primordial Era.

“My master had no interest in teaching disciples. He focused solely on trying to halt the dissipation of his truesoul, even seeking a way to recover. But… he exhausted all his methods and spent all his energy, yet he could not stop his truesoul from dissipating. He could only rely on nurturing to slow it down. Even during the ‘Primordial War,’ he barely exerted any real effort. He simply didn’t want to fight against terrifying opponents like the Lord of All Demons, the Lord of Heartlord, or the Lord of All Demons—fighting them would only hasten his death.”

Ji Ning suddenly understood.

No wonder Daofather Fuju, who was hailed as the number one sword immortal of the Three Realms, was such a terrible teacher. He had never produced a truly powerful disciple. Figures like Old Man Yuan and Patriarch Subhuti each had several Daofathers among their disciples. It turned out that the original ‘World God Northrest’ had never been interested in teaching.

“After the Primordial War ended and the Three Realms were born,” the Sword-Spirit continued.

“My master finally gave up. He understood he couldn’t stop his truesoul from dissipating. In his final moments, he made his last arrangements.”

“He left behind the five peaks of the Sword Immortal Realm, carving the complete ‘Five Treasures Sword Art’ upon them. His goal was to train a successor, someone who could deliver a message to the Heavenly Palace of Azure for him, and even personally avenge him,” the Sword-Spirit said. “Because my master was a Fiendgod Body Refiner, he demanded that his successor also be a Fiendgod Body Refiner. At the time, he didn’t care whether they were an Empyrean God or a True God. As long as they were a Fiendgod Body Refiner… as long as they mastered the Five Treasures Sword Art, they could enter the fifth peak. The so-called ‘inheritance’ of that fifth peak was actually a spacetime passageway that led directly here.”

Ji Ning was taken aback.

So the fifth peak led to this place?

“My master understood that truly supremely talented individuals rarely entered the Moon Underwater Abyss. That’s why he left behind those five peaks, allowing countless geniuses of the Three Realms to view them,” the Sword-Spirit said. “My master wanted to find a good successor.”

“After leaving behind the Five Treasures Sword Art and the five peaks, he traveled alone into the endless chaos, awaiting death’s arrival. As his truesoul completely dissipated, the master truly died.”

Ji Ning listened with mixed emotions.

A powerful World God…

Frantically fleeing, struggling, refusing to give up until the very end, only to leave behind the Five Treasures Sword Art and wait calmly for death.

“No wonder Daofather Fuju’s corpse was found in the endless chaos, with no clear cause of death,” Ji Ning sighed. A figure of such immense power had died so quietly. And Daofather Fuju himself had been possessed and killed during the Primordial Era.

It was indeed a mystery the Three Realms could not solve.

If the Sword-Spirit hadn’t told him, who could have known? Even Mother Nuwa had no idea.

“After endless ages… you have finally arrived,” the Sword-Spirit said, looking at Ji Ning.