Chapter 6: Wandering

"There's actually a place like this? Even the Way of Heaven doesn't exist... Then, the mysteries and artistic conceptions of any Way are useless." Ji Ning flipped his hand and a Northern Bright sword appeared. He swung the long sword in his hand. Whoosh, a flash of sword light passed, and there was no other movement. One must know that at Ji Ning's level, a single sword strike could evoke the power of heaven and earth. For instance, the ninth stance of the Three-Foot Sword could transform into a black divine dragon!

But now, no matter how Ji Ning swung his sword or what sword technique he used, each strike was merely a fleeting flash of sword light. The sword light was just the reflection off the Northern Bright sword's blade!

"Is the realm of the Way useless no matter how high?"

"What kind of damned place is this?" Ji Ning was puzzled, then his mind stirred. "Could it be the legendary Ancient Ruins World?"

The Ancient Ruins World was something Ji Ning had heard about at Mount Fangcun. It was the most dangerous place known, existing in the endless void outside the Three Realms.

Legends say...

When the ancient Pangu World shattered, the Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man were born. But some 'remnants' of that ancient Pangu World remained. These remnants were the Ancient Ruins World! This Ancient Ruins World was no longer a complete world but a shattered one, making it even more terrifying—space was chaotic, time was disordered, and dangers lurked everywhere.

Even True Gods and Dao Ancestors who ventured in risked death.

"No," Ji Ning shook his head. "The Ancient Ruins World should at least consist of some shattered worlds. Why is everything around me just void storms? Am I still in the void?"

"Senior Big Bear, Luohu Bow." Ji Ning suddenly called out.

"Whoosh!"

A black-robed youth appeared beside him—it was the Luohu Bow.

"Senior Big Bear?" Ji Ning continued calling.

"It's dangerous outside; I can't come out." The voice of the yellow-furred big bear sounded directly in Ji Ning's ear.

"Dangerous? Aren't you the spirit of the Water Mansion?" Ji Ning was puzzled.

The black-robed youth exclaimed in surprise, "Master, don't you know? Senior Big Bear has been cultivating as a spiritual treasure and has long transcended that state. He's now a true living being."

"What!" Ji Ning was stunned.

"You, Luohu Bow, I hadn't told Ji Ning yet, and you went and said it." The yellow-furred big bear transmitted mentally.

Ji Ning said in astonishment, "Senior Big Bear, you, you have already..." Ji Ning had indeed heard that spiritual treasures could cultivate. Some innate spiritual treasures could even cultivate to become immortals and completely detach from their 'spiritual treasure bodies' to exist independently!

"I didn't want to tell you so soon, but who would have thought this Luohu Bow would spill it. Yes, my master had deep feelings for me. In the Three Realms, there have long been innate spiritual treasures that achieved Celestial Immortal status, and some even became Dao Ancestors! My master inquired on my behalf and then taught me the cultivation method for innate spiritual treasures. Over these endless years, I naturally cultivated slowly and have now become a true living being. But my realm is still not high enough to completely detach from the Zhaixing Mansion." said the yellow-furred big bear.

"Ah." Ji Ning suddenly understood. He recalled that when he first went to see Patriarch Bodhi, the Patriarch had said, 'Return to the Zhaixing Mansion. You cannot leave the Zhaixing Mansion yet.' At the time, Ji Ning had wondered why the Dao Ancestor said that, and he had also wondered why the yellow-furred big bear could shed tears.

So that was it!

"The outside is dangerous and harmful to me; I can't come out." The yellow-furred big bear transmitted. "Ji Ning, you have the Eight-Nine Arcane Art protecting your body, and Luohu Bow hasn't cultivated, so naturally you both don't need to worry."

"Senior Big Bear, Luohu Bow, do you know where this is?" Ji Ning asked.

These two had both lived since ancient times.

"Where is this?" Big Bear was puzzled.

"I don't know either." Luohu Bow was equally puzzled.

Ji Ning suddenly remembered that these two had been, respectively, suppressed in the Xieyue Major World and hidden in the Daxia World when the ancient Pangu World shattered. They probably knew very little about the outside world.

"I've heard that the remnants of the ancient Pangu World, the Ancient Ruins World, have chaotic space and time. In some places, the Way of Heaven doesn't exist, and even True Gods and Dao Ancestors might die if they venture in." Ji Ning said. "And here, the Way of Heaven also doesn't exist, so I guessed this was the Ancient Ruins World. But I see nothing but void around me, even void storms, and not a trace of land. You two tell me... where should I be?"

"Who told you that the Ancient Ruins World is the remnant of the Pangu World?" Luohu Bow countered.

"Isn't that common knowledge?" Ji Ning asked.

Ji Ning indeed knew that the shattering of the ancient Pangu World held special secrets, but what else could the Ruins World be besides the remnant of the ancient Pangu World?

"Common knowledge is wrong!" The black-robed youth said disdainfully.

"Indeed, it's wrong." The yellow-furred big bear transmitted. "As for the true reason for the birth of the Ancient Ruins World, even I'm not entirely clear."

"Hmm?" Ji Ning was startled. "Senior Big Bear, what do you know?"

"Ask your master later." The yellow-furred big bear said. "Luohu Bow and I are merely treasures. His master, Qi, was only a Heavenly God. Although I followed a more powerful master, my master set me aside before his final battle and didn't take me along. I know very little. Your master's status is even higher than my master's. He must know a lot."

Ji Ning nodded slightly.

"But I can confirm that the Ancient Ruins World is not as simple as you think. If it were merely the remnant of the Pangu World, how could it be so terrifying? Remember, the Pangu World was also a very normal major world. This Ruins World is too terrifying—even the Way of Heaven doesn't exist. Truly strange." The yellow-furred big bear said. "As for where you are now... after careful thought, I believe it's the boundary between the void and the Ancient Ruins World—the Realm of Annihilation!"

"The Realm of Annihilation?" Ji Ning's eyes lit up.

He certainly knew about the Realm of Annihilation.

A major world is like an island in the endless void! At the boundary between the endless void and the island, some impacting void storms form, which are called the 'Realm of Annihilation.' But because major worlds are 'too small,' the void storms there are very weak. For example, the Realm of Annihilation of the 'Daxia World' is very safe, at least for Ji Ning—it's like tiny ripples.

"Right, it's said that the Ancient Ruins World is close in size to the ancient Pangu World. That's immeasurably larger than an ordinary major world." Ji Ning quickly said. "Then the boundary between the Ancient Ruins World and the void would naturally have much stronger storms."

"Hmm!"

"This should be the Realm of Annihilation on the outskirts of the Ancient Ruins World." Ji Ning deduced. "Only a mysterious place like the Ancient Ruins World could make its adjacent 'Realm of Annihilation' devoid of the Way of Heaven."

"Ji Ning, don't enter the Ancient Ruins World. It probably still retains some of its original terrifying power." The yellow-furred big bear transmitted urgently. "Back then, even True Gods and Dao Ancestors died in droves. Even if it's not as dangerous as before, if you go in now, you might be reduced to ashes with one misstep."

"Yes, yes, don't go in." Luohu Bow also quickly said.

"Of course I know. Legend has it that even True Gods and Dao Ancestors dare not rashly enter the Ancient Ruins." Ji Ning nodded.

...

Half an hour later.

"Boom~~~"

An increasingly violent void surge tumbled Ji Ning over ten thousand li before he stopped.

"Too fierce. The further I go outward, the stronger the surge." Ji Ning was helpless. "How do I get out?"

"You're really dense." The black-robed youth beside him ignored the void surge and laughed heartily. "This void surge naturally weakens the closer you get to a major world. The further away, the more violent it becomes, until it reaches a limit! If this Ancient Ruins is truly as large as the ancient Pangu World, then to break out of the Realm of Annihilation, you'd need the strength of a True God or Dao Ancestor. Heavenly Gods and True Immortals can't do it. With your strength, going against the surge, you simply can't get out."

"Then I go with the surge?" Ji Ning countered.

"Going with the surge means heading toward the Ancient Ruins—that's suicide." Luohu Bow said.

"Then what do I do?" Ji Ning was helpless.

Going against the surge, he couldn't get out.

Going with the surge toward the Ancient Ruins was suicide.

"What can you do? Just make do." Luohu Bow said. "You can slowly cultivate here in the Realm of Annihilation. The power of the Sun Star and the Moon Star still reaches here, so you can still cultivate divine power."

"I guess that's all I can do." Ji Ning thought it over and couldn't find a solution.

Wander, then.

Drift slowly in the void surge. As long as he didn't approach the Ancient Ruins, anywhere would do.

Cultivate all the way.

...

While Ji Ning drifted and wandered in the 'Realm of Annihilation' outside the Ancient Ruins World, inside that tower of the Shaoyin clan.

Whoosh.

A streak of light flew into the tower—it was the unicorn golden-robed man.

"Ancestor."

"Master."

Everyone called out.

"I have already sent Fufeng to that minor underworld." Shaoyin Ancestor nodded. "The Ten Kings of the minor underworld did show me some face, but Fufeng's sins are too deep. He is now suffering in the endless purgatory. Once his suffering ends and his sins are cleansed, he will be reborn into my Shaoyin clan. But that will be eight million years from now."

The infatuated Celestial Immortal, Jingyu Celestial Immortal, and the others all nodded.

Those with heavy sins who enter the underworld indeed must suffer greatly—there's no way around it.

"This Ji Ning and Fufeng suffered the descent of karmic fire at the same time." Shaoyin Ancestor's face turned gloomy. "Now seven days have passed. Whether he lives or dies, the result should be out. You must find a way to send someone to Ji Ning's sect, the Black-White College, to investigate. Once Ji Ning dies, his life tablet in the Black-White College will shatter. Investigate carefully and make sure to find out whether Ji Ning's life tablet has shattered."

"Yes." Everyone responded.

"I'll arrange this." said Xuanji Celestial Immortal. Xuanji Celestial Immortal handled the most miscellaneous affairs in the clan, as he was the weakest among the group of Celestial Immortals.

"Good, Xuanji, you handle it. Remember, you must investigate thoroughly and confirm that Ji Ning's life tablet has shattered. Don't just listen to rumors." Shaoyin Ancestor narrowed his eyes. "I won't rest easy until I know he's truly dead."

The six Celestial Immortals present all looked solemn.

If Ji Ning didn't die, none of them would rest easy.

After all, how difficult was it for a Celestial Immortal to be born? Yet they had lost two at Ji Ning's hands. And if Ji Ning truly didn't die, this scourge would likely continue to inflict terrible losses on the Shaoyin clan.

...