Myriad

Story context

Ji Ning’s secret has been exposed! After his grueling battle with the Snow Fiendlord, his companions truly believed he was still at the third layer of Sword Force—so much so that they feared the Purgatory God would crush him. But when Ji Ning casually demonstrates a black sword-light, the fourth layer, the mood in the room flips from dread to pure, electric excitement. This newfound power isn’t just a stat boost; it lets Ji Ning fight the terrifying Purgatory God toe-to-toe without burning through his reserves, using the duel as a live-fire training session to perfect his Brightmoon Sword-Art. The chapter ends with a tantalizing reveal: the third island offers *nine* treasures, not the three that legend claims Patriarch Jueming took home—hinting that the legendary monk had some secrets of his own.

Why it matters

This chapter is a masterclass in “show, don’t tell” power progression. We don’t just hear that Ji Ning has the fourth layer of Sword Force—we see it in action across a half-month duel that evolves from a trial into a training montage. Watch how Ji Ning’s real-time adaptation mirrors the Xianxia ideal of *life-and-death tempering*: he doesn’t rush to win with his full arsenal; instead, he deliberately fights at the edge of his newly acquired strength to refine his art. And yes, that cliffhanger about the Iceheart Marrow is a classic “greed vs. the rules” dilemma. Can Ji Ning bargain his way into taking the precious foundation itself? Tune in to see if our protagonist can out-argue a divine guardian.

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Source novel

Desolate Era