Chapter 18: Eighteen Years of Storm and Change

Ji Ning's breakthrough to the seventeenth level of the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens did not cause much of a stir. Even the high-level members of the First Army of the Border World of the Broken Horn World were unaware that Ji Ning had broken through. Such was the nature of the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens—only when crossing major levels did it cause the Sun Star and Moon Star to descend true water and true fire; breakthroughs in minor levels caused very little commotion.

Rustle, rustle... The even more refined Crimsonbright divine power flowed through his divine body like countless streams, making it even stronger.

The seventeenth level!

This was the limit for his true body before undergoing the tribulation. If he dared to advance to the eighteenth level, the heavenly tribulation might descend at any moment. Although he now had a better grasp of heartforce and felt more confident, the karmic fire clinging to him and his immense sins would likely make the heavenly tribulation even more terrifying. If he could survive and leave the Netherworld Kingdom, Ji Ning could not imagine what his true body's tribulation would be like in the future.

He was the sole heir of Plucking Star Hand, a disciple of Patriarch Subhuti, a Fiendgod Body Refiner undergoing tribulation, and burdened with karmic fire. Ji Ning could not fathom it.

For ordinary Fiendgods undergoing tribulation, the Nine-Nine Lightning Tribulation was common. Once passed, they would become Celestial Immortals!

But he was no ordinary Fiendgod.

I've heard that some rebellious Qi Refiners also face the Nine-Nine Lightning Tribulation during their tribulation, Ji Ning thought. But I am a Fiendgod Body Refiner, so my heavenly tribulation... The factors determining the power of the heavenly tribulation were not fully understood. Yet many precedents existed; for instance, Lü Dongbin, a Qi Refiner, faced the Nine-Nine Lightning Tribulation.

For ordinary Fiendgods, the Nine-Nine Lightning Tribulation was quite common.

There were also some rebellious beings, like Fiendgods born from the essence of heaven and earth in the Three Realms. Their innate talents were so monstrous that their heavenly tribulations were not ordinary. Ji Ning now had a feeling... that he might be like those peerless Fiendgods born from the essence of heaven and earth.

Forget it. With so many opponents now, I don't need to hold back. Let me focus on mastering heartforce—I can't waste this opportunity. Ji Ning opened his eyes and stopped cultivating.

It seems he's recovered. This time, it's my turn. A burly warrior with a purple cape and curved horns laughed heartily, wielding four long-handled hammers as he stepped through the void, charging straight at Ji Ning.

...

Though trapped in a desperate situation with no escape, Ji Ning stopped overthinking. He threw himself entirely into battle. As he gained more experience with heartforce, his strength continued to improve. The more heartforce he infused into his sword-finger strikes, the greater their power, making the purple-caped warriors miserable.

From the twelfth year onward, after Ji Ning broke through to the seventeenth level, nearly half of the purple-caped warriors were at a disadvantage against him.

As his use of heartforce grew stronger, one by one the purple-caped warriors were suppressed by Ji Ning, though the gap in strength was not large enough for him to kill them—they could still protect themselves.

By the fifteenth year, Ji Ning was confident he could kill some of the opponents he had an advantage over in battle, but he refrained. He feared that killing a purple-caped warrior would enrage the others, causing more harm than good. His priority now was to buy time—preferably decades or centuries. The longer he delayed, the greater the chance that his master, Patriarch Subhuti, would find him.

In the sixteenth year, Ji Ning's sword-finger strike could consume one-twentieth of his heartforce at full power. This was his limit; he could only manage this with one hand, not all six simultaneously.

By the seventeenth year, he reached the level of consuming one-sixteenth of his heartforce per strike.

In the eighteenth year, he could consume one-fifteenth of his heartforce per strike! At this point, his use of heartforce was perfect, with no leakage or waste. Ji Ning felt he could improve no further. Although it fell short of the heartforce consumption in Hou Yi's Archery, close combat and archery were inherently different.

Besides gradually mastering heartforce, Ji Ning's swordsmanship also grew increasingly formidable.

In the Netherworld Kingdom, free from the influence of any Dao, Ji Ning could experience swordsmanship more purely, allowing him to touch upon the true essence of the sword.

...

Ji Ning fought continuously in the Netherworld Kingdom, his life seemingly calm. But in the distant Three Realms, the Grand Xia world was no longer so peaceful.

Anchan City, the Black-White College.

Night.

On a peak within the Black-White College, a black-clad girl and a man in black robes and black hair sat separately, drinking wine in silent contemplation.

The Heartless Gate is becoming more and more reckless, said Palace Lord Diancai, anger in his eyes. Then he shook his head with a sigh. But they are indeed formidable, managing to split the Anchan Northmont clan from within and persuade so many of its high-ranking members to defect. Fortunately, Senior Tonghe intervened and killed them.

Just an hour ago, the Celestial Immortal Tonghe struck in anger, killing more than half of the high-ranking Wanxiang-level members of the Anchan Northmont clan. All who opposed him died!

Senior Tonghe's action prompted the Heartless Gate to issue an ultimatum: if we don't surrender, we become mortal enemies. Palace Lord Diancai looked at Yu Wei. Yu Wei, what should we do?

What use is our opinion? The Heartless Gate truly cares about Senior Tonghe, who is rumored to have strength nearly comparable to a Pure Yang True Immortal. Yu Wei said. That's why they've invested so much effort in our Anchan Commandery—they want to recruit Senior Tonghe.

The Heartless Gate has indeed invested heavily here. While other commanderies are also in chaos, it's not as bad as Anchan. But Senior Tonghe is truly decisive. When the Northmont clan split internally, with nearly half wanting to defect to the Heartless Gate, and even Celestial Immortal Tuoshan was captured alive by them, he didn't hesitate to kill more than half of the Wanxiang-level cultivators, ignoring Tuoshan's fate, and sided with the Xia Emperor. Palace Lord Diancai sighed. Now the Heartless Gate has issued an ultimatum, and Anchan Commandery is about to face a calamity.

Thinking of the calamity, Palace Lord Diancai thought of Ji Ning.

That disciple who often worked miracles.

That peerless disciple who could storm the Shaoyin clan's lair, kill two Celestial Immortals, and withstand karmic fire.

I wonder how Ji Ning is doing now. Eighteen years, and he hasn't returned. Palace Lord Diancai's eyes showed anxiety.

Eighteen years. Yu Wei gazed at the bright moon in the night sky, her heart filled with endless longing.

Junior apprentice-brother...

When will you return?

It might be better for him to return later and avoid this calamity. Palace Lord Diancai said angrily. The Heartless Gate is so reckless, and Senior Tonghe remains on the Xia Emperor's side, but the Xia Emperor hasn't come to help.

The entire Grand Xia is in chaos. He has to help everywhere—what else can he do? Yu Wei sighed. And how do you know, Uncle-Master, that the Xia Emperor hasn't secretly helped?

...

In just eighteen years,

the situation in Grand Xia had become more than a hundred times worse than when Ji Ning was still there.

When Ji Ning was still around, the entire Grand Xia only had internal conflicts within commanderies, and overall it was peaceful. But starting with Ji Ning killing the two Celestial Immortals of the Shaoyin clan, the Grand Xia world began a prelude of Celestial Immortal falls. Whether the Heartless Gate struck or the Xia Emperor retaliated in anger,

various covert struggles began!

One Celestial Immortal after another fell!

Feuds and killings also broke out among the Grand Xia's feudal lords and top sects and schools!

The situation escalated, and even the Grand Xia's number one assassin organization, the Bloodcloud Hall, finally revealed its true colors, repeatedly striking to help the Heartless Gate eliminate tough opponents!

Nine years ago...

The lair of one of the Anchan Northmont clan's branches was in danger. Even the Sanxian sent to investigate died. Celestial Immortal Tuoshan and Yu Wei went together to check. Logically, the two of them working together should have been able to escape, but the Heartless Gate paid a huge price this time. Yu Wei barely escaped thanks to the escape technique bestowed by Patriarch Lu, but Celestial Immortal Tuoshan was captured alive!

By the time Immortal Tonghe learned of it, it was too late. Celestial Immortal Tuoshan had already been imprisoned in the Fifth World.

The capture of Celestial Immortal Tuoshan truly opened the conflict between the Heartless Gate and Anchan Commandery.

The Three Realms thought I had died long ago, but the Heartless Gate knew I was still alive. Immortal Tonghe sensed trouble. The Heartless Gate was more troublesome than he had expected, influencing him from all sides—clan, territory, external forces, and so on.

But Immortal Tonghe, who had the great perseverance to remain in seclusion for endless ages, was not easily swayed by the Heartless Gate.

You tempt the clansmen I favor?

You tempt the Wanxiang-level Earth Immortals I intend to train?

Rebels? Kill!

Tuoshan's life or death? If the Heartless Gate wants to kill him, then kill him!

Immortal Tonghe seemed to have no weaknesses. They fought for nine years, with several major battles. Yu Wei and Palace Lord Diancai also encountered danger. News of Yu Wei becoming a Celestial Immortal finally spread, and her strength was recognized. However, during the Heartless Gate's attacks, Yu Wei and Palace Lord Diancai had been saved by Immortal Tonghe!

Immortal Tonghe's strength was indeed formidable.

Alone!

He once routed thirty-six Celestial Immortals of the Heartless Gate, a combat power nearly matching that of a Pure Yang True Immortal. Since Immortal Tonghe truly revealed his brilliance, even the Shaoyin clan dared not cause trouble in Anchan Commandery. Although the Poisonous Ugly Immortal was also famous, he was known for cunning, tenacity, and numerous clones. But the Peerless Sword Immortal Tonghe was truly astonishing in his own combat strength.

...

The Netherworld Kingdom.

The sword can be so pure. Ji Ning was fighting a purple-caped warrior. A silver-white gleam flickered at the tip of his sword finger. Clang, clang, clang... His sword finger clashed with the enemy's giant axe, sending the axe flying.

The silver-white gleam at his fingertip.

This was another gain besides heartforce from Ji Ning's eighteen years of battle.

These eighteen years of battle were hundreds or even thousands of times more than the total battles Ji Ning had fought in the decades before. Apart from recovering divine power, he was always fighting, battle after battle, countless battles! And without any Dao, not even the influence of the Sword Dao, Ji Ning didn't need to consider how to draw more power from heaven and earth.

He didn't need to consider these things. He only needed to follow his heart and his battle instincts to use his swordsmanship.

Thus, Ji Ning's swordsmanship became purer and purer.

Pointing directly to the essence of swordsmanship!

...