Chapter Eighteen: With This One Move, He Could Roam Unopposed

Just a moment later.

Heavenly One Dao Lord, Imperial Fight Dao Lord, and Yu Can Dao Lord arrived at the North Sea Cave Mansion, each gazing at Ji Ning in amazement.

"Why are you all making such faces?" Ji Ning asked.

"Breaking through from a One-Step Dao Lord to a Two-Step Dao Lord within a thousand years—we've only heard of such things in legends," Heavenly One Dao Lord said, looking at Ji Ning with a smile. "Today, we've seen it with our own eyes. Fu Zhou, see for yourself what a prodigy looks like."

Yu Can Dao Lord looked at Ji Ning, nodded, and grunted in acknowledgment.

Ji Ning looked up at the gray, blinding wind that covered the sky outside and said, "Brother Heavenly One, what are the strengths and weaknesses of the Clearwind Sacred Master? You've been at odds with him for endless ages and should know him well. Please tell me everything."

"His strengths and weaknesses?" Heavenly One Dao Lord looked at Ji Ning with confusion. "Why do you need that?"

The star map given to Ji Ning by the Mangya Kingdom recorded Dao Lords of various territories, including the Clearwind Sacred Master, with fairly detailed information. From what he read, Ji Ning felt he could fight the Clearwind Sacred Master on equal terms. But since Heavenly One Dao Lord had been enemies with the Clearwind Sacred Master for so long, he might know more than what was on the star map.

For such a great battle, the more preparation, the better.

"You..." Imperial Fight Dao Lord frowned, then suddenly looked at Ji Ning in surprise. "Are you planning to fight the Clearwind Sacred Master?"

"What?" Yu Can, Heavenly One, and even Dan Bao and Su Youji behind Ji Ning were shocked.

Ji Ning glanced at Imperial Fight Dao Lord in surprise and nodded. "Brother Imperial Fight's deduction is indeed remarkable. Yes, with my recent great increase in strength, I want to test myself against the Clearwind Sacred Master."

"You, a mere Two-Step Dao Lord?" Heavenly One Dao Lord grew anxious. "Are you so arrogant as to fight the Clearwind? His strength is no less than mine, and even Imperial Fight, a Four-Step Dao Lord, is slightly weaker than him. You've broken through from World-level to Two-Step Dao Lord in succession and think you're invincible? Ji Ning, as your brother, I tell you, in the vast territories, you must be cautious. Such blind arrogance will easily get you killed."

Heavenly One Dao Lord was truly worried.

Had his brother gone mad?

"Brother," Ji Ning said without further explanation, "please take this one move."

"Hmm?" Heavenly One Dao Lord looked at Ji Ning, then nodded. "Very well, go ahead. Let me see just how strong you are."

Whoosh.

Ji Ning vanished from his spot.

Heavenly One Dao Lord had been calm, but then his expression changed.

"Swish." "Swish." "Swish." "Swish." "Swish." "Swish." Countless finger-sword shadows appeared from all directions, stabbing straight at Heavenly One Dao Lord. Each sword shadow was incredibly fast.

"So fast, too fast, this, this..." Heavenly One Dao Lord instantly turned his hands into two streams of water. The two streams intertwined, completely shielding his surroundings as he desperately tried to block each of Ji Ning's sword shadows. Even so, he was somewhat flustered, taking a few hits that caused the water streams to ripple. Imperial Fight Dao Lord and Yu Can Dao Lord, watching from the side, were astonished.

Whoosh.

Ji Ning's figure reappeared in the distance.

"Brother, how was that?" Ji Ning looked at Heavenly One Dao Lord.

"Good brother!" Heavenly One Dao Lord showed joy, his eyes shining as he looked at Ji Ning in surprise. He laughed heartily, "Good brother, with this one move, you can roam the vast territories unopposed! How can your speed be so fast? Even in battle, you can move at this speed?"

"It's because of the Dao I've comprehended," Ji Ning said.

Ji Ning's speed could reach ten times the speed of light. Importantly, other Dao Lords could also reach ten times the speed of light using 'flying treasures,' lightning, divine light, or similar means. But that was for fleeing. In close-quarters combat, their speed was generally not that fast. Yet Ji Ning, in the small area just now, had attacked over sixty thousand times in an instant, and his dodging speed within that small area also reached an astonishing ten times the speed of light.

This was not something external forces could achieve.

It had to come from the Dao one comprehended.

Some who followed the Dao of Lightning, Wind, or Light—some Four-Step Dao Lords could reach dozens of times the speed of light in close-quarters combat. That was their extraordinary aspect. Of course, such cases were rare; among a hundred Four-Step Dao Lords, it was hard to find even one like that. And those Four-Step Dao Lords might excel in other areas.

"Impressive." Heavenly One Dao Lord was full of admiration.

"Brother is right. With this sword Dao, North Sea, you can indeed roam the vast territories unopposed," Imperial Fight Dao Lord nodded in praise.

"Remarkable," Yu Can Dao Lord exclaimed in awe.

Heavenly One quickly asked, "By the way, Ji Ning, in the Sword Palace of the Mangya Kingdom, you were a Sword Lord, right?"

"Yes," Ji Ning nodded.

"My master became a Sword Lord shortly after joining the Sword Palace and ranked among the top few World-level cultivators in all twelve palaces," Dan Bao immediately said proudly.

"Tsk tsk, the Mangya Kingdom is one of the six major powers. With such a short cultivation time, you ranked among the top World-level cultivators there. No wonder you're such a prodigy as soon as you become a Two-Step Dao Lord," Heavenly One Dao Lord nodded. "You might still be slightly weaker than the Clearwind Sacred Master, but in terms of speed alone, you stand undefeated."

Saying this, Heavenly One Dao Lord took out a jade slip and handed it to Ji Ning. "The Clearwind and I have fought for too long. I know his methods almost completely. I've recorded everything in this jade slip. Take a look."

Ji Ning took it and immediately examined it carefully.

Mm.

It was more detailed than what was recorded in the Mangya Kingdom's star map. This Clearwind Sacred Master was indeed extraordinary.

"Well?" Heavenly One Dao Lord looked at Ji Ning. "Still want to fight him?"

"Of course I will fight him," Ji Ning looked up. "How can we let him block the entrance to our Heavenly Dawn Palace like this?"

"Good." Heavenly One Dao Lord smiled. "Now that you're a Dao Lord, you're another Palace Lord of our Heavenly Dawn Palace. This is the control hub of our palace's formations and restrictions. If you find yourself outmatched during the fight, you can retreat into the Heavenly Dawn Palace."

He handed over a black-gold serrated sphere, its teeth covered in complex divine runes. This was the control hub of the entire Heavenly Dawn Palace.

"This control hub can only be refined once," Heavenly One Dao Lord said. "Once you refine it, it cannot be used by a second person." This was for safety, to prevent the control hub from being refined by an enemy if a Palace Lord of Heavenly Dawn Palace died. It was the foundation of the palace's endless years.

After refining it, Ji Ning immediately sensed the complex array of great formations throughout the Heavenly Dawn Palace, their power truly astonishing.

"I'm off then," Ji Ning said, looking at them. He then transformed into a streak of light and flew out.

"Be careful," Heavenly One urged.

Yu Can Dao Lord, Imperial Fight Dao Lord, Dan Bao, and Su Youji all watched with concern.

"Brother Imperial Fight, North Sea won't be in danger, will he?" Yu Can Dao Lord asked worriedly.

"His overall strength is probably inferior to the Clearwind's. But he's a sword cultivator, skilled in combat..." Imperial Fight said.

"He might not be able to defeat the Clearwind, but he should be able to survive. Let him fight this battle," Heavenly One also smiled.

"Can't defeat him?" Su Youji couldn't help asking.

"It's very difficult, almost hopeless," Heavenly One shook his head.

...

The gray, blinding wind covered the sky, darkly shrouding the entire Heavenly Dawn Palace. A streak of light flew out from within the palace, passed through the formations and restrictions, and stopped in midair. It was a white-robed youth carrying a black divine sword on his back.

"Clearwind!" Ji Ning shouted, his voice rolling like thunder, manifesting countless sword shadows in the void.

Hundreds of millions of sword shadows surged toward the distant temple. When these sword shadows struck the gray wind in the sky, loud booms erupted. The gray wind began to shatter, and many sword shadows also broke apart. But the sword shadows continuously regenerated and attacked again.

The gray wind also continuously regenerated—this was a manifestation of the Clearwind Sacred Master's 'Dao.' Ji Ning's sword shadows were a manifestation of his ultimate sword Dao.

The power of the two 'Daos' began to clash.

"Hmm?"

The figure in the black ornate robe, who had been sitting with eyes closed inside the temple, stood up. He walked to the temple entrance and gazed into the distance at the white-robed youth surrounded by countless sword shadows in midair.

"You are North Sea?" the Clearwind Sacred Master recognized him by appearance.

"I am," Ji Ning said.

The Clearwind Sacred Master continued, "Becoming a Two-Step Dao Lord so quickly—or were you pretending to be a World-level cultivator before? Hmph, your sword Dao is not bad. For a mere Two-Step Dao Lord to have such a sword Dao is rare. But to fight me, you overestimate yourself."

"Less talk, taste my sword first!" Ji Ning roared from afar. Clang, a North Rainbow Sword flew out from the black scabbard on his back.

...