Chapter 26: The God King's Decision

In the quiet chamber.

A stick of incense had been lit, its fragrant smoke drifting and filling the quiet chamber. Green Fox sat cross-legged, slowly closing her eyes, gradually entering a dreamlike state.

...

Green Fox appeared in a vast, dark world. At the center of this world, on a throne suspended high in the void, a hundred thousand feet in size, a towering figure suddenly appeared, a figure shrouded in a black robe.

“Defeated?” The God King looked down calmly, his voice echoing through the world.

“Forgive me, God King.” Green Fox knelt at once, saying, “We did our utmost, and everything had been going as we expected. But who could have thought that Ji Ning, who was merely a Celestial Immortal, had become the most powerful force on the Grand Xia side? Just the Xingtian he commanded was too much for us to handle… we truly had no other choice…”

The God King merely watched her in silence.

Green Fox knelt prostrate, not daring to lift her head.

“I have been watching your war with Grand Xia,” the God King said calmly. “Ji Ning’s progress is indeed swift, but every one of you is still afraid of death, especially Baiji. He disappointed me greatly. I granted him a Chaos Dao Fruit, yet he still could not achieve victory.”

“Forgive me, God King.” Green Fox trembled with fear.

The God King tapped the armrest with his left hand, then fell silent.

Dong, dong, dong…

Only the sound of tapping echoed through the dark world.

Green Fox dared not speak. She knew the God King was thinking, deliberating.

Would he support them or not?

...

The Eight Dragons Cloud City.

The situation had turned around, and this was already a great victory. The Xia Emperor had summoned a host of Celestial Immortals, True Immortals, and some Celestial Immortals like Ji Ning to the main hall for discussion.

Inside the barracks of the Northmoon Legion.

“What a thrill.”

“We’ve been stifled for too long, trapped by that black chain. It’s thanks to the Northmoon Immortal that he could lead us to break the black chain, slay that True Immortal named Chibing, and kill a White-Faced Flood Dragon, sending the forces of the Seamless Gate fleeing in panic.”

“Incredible. Even if a Celestial Immortal or True Immortal commanded the Xingtian, they wouldn’t be this strong.”

The Celestial Immortals and countless Loose Immortals in the barracks were all discussing excitedly. For them, the subsequent explosion was truly exhilarating.

“Fire Rainbow Fairy.”

“Fairy.”

Those passing by saw Yu Wei and were all very respectful. They also knew that Yu Wei and Ji Ning were Dao companions, and especially that Yu Wei’s belly was clearly swollen. Everyone guessed that Yu Wei was pregnant. The child in Yu Wei’s womb… would likely be the child of their commander, the Northmoon Immortal Ji Ning. Naturally, these Celestial Immortals and Loose Immortals were extremely respectful and careful.

Yu Wei smiled and nodded to them, occasionally replying a word or two, then turned and entered the house to prepare some food for Ji Ning.

A moment later.

Ji Ning returned.

“Senior apprentice-sister.” Ji Ning stepped into the house.

Yu Wei was bringing out plates of dishes, smiling as she said, “I heard you won a great victory today and even killed a True Immortal, one named Chibing.”

“You already know?” Ji Ning sat down in surprise.

“The whole barracks is talking about it; how could I not know?” Yu Wei poured some Immortal wine for Ji Ning.

Ji Ning nodded with a smile: “Yes, I was quite lucky. I caught him off guard and killed Chibing in one blow. Unfortunately… I was a step too late. If I had broken through earlier, perhaps our losses would have been much fewer.” Ji Ning thought of his sixth brother, the Celestial Immortal Zhang Hong, and felt a pang of sadness, but with his Dao-heart, he quickly suppressed these emotions.

“You broke through?” Yu Wei asked in surprise.

“Mm.” Ji Ning nodded lightly, then said, “I made a breakthrough in my heartforce soul technique.”

Becoming a Pure Yang True Immortal…

His master, Subhuti, had instructed him not to reveal it lightly. He couldn’t tell even his most trusted Yu Wei, nor Uncle Bai or anyone else! If he told just one person, it might be learned by the Seamless Gate.

“Your heartforce soul technique finally broke through?” Yu Wei said joyfully, “Wonderful! With a breakthrough in your heartforce soul technique, you can command even more power from the Xingtian. Now, in the war with Grand Xia… there’s no one on the Seamless Gate’s side who can match you.”

“Haha, at least for now, no one can match me. Even the combined forces of the True Immortal Baiji, the Gatemaster Green Fox, and a White-Faced Flood Dragon commanded by a Celestial Immortal are no match for me.” Ji Ning rarely showed off in front of Yu Wei.

“I knew you were formidable, junior apprentice-brother.” Yu Wei was also delighted.

The stronger Ji Ning became…

The greater his chances of surviving the great tribulation.

They enjoyed the meal happily, and when they finished eating,

“Hm?” Yu Wei suddenly felt dizzy.

“The God King?” Yu Wei was startled, realizing that the God King was forcibly summoning her.

The God King had left a mark in her soul, and she could not resist. Green Fox had to wait for her to be asleep to contact her, but the God King could forcibly contact her at any time.

Yu Wei dared not hesitate and immediately said, “Junior apprentice-brother, I’m full and a bit tired. I’ll go sleep for a while.”

“Go ahead, get some rest.” Ji Ning quickly said. His senior apprentice-sister was pregnant, so he dared not neglect her.

Yu Wei then went to a partitioned room, lay down on the bed, and closed her eyes.

...

The vast dark world.

As soon as Yu Wei appeared, she saw the throne suspended at the center of the dark world’s sky and the towering figure of the God King on the throne. She also noticed the Gatemaster Green Fox kneeling prostrate nearby. She too knelt down: “Greetings, God King.”

“Yu Wei,” the God King said, “A great battle has just taken place between the Grand Xia Dynasty and the Seamless Gate. Do you know of it?”

Yu Wei was startled, then nodded: “I know.”

“The Seamless Gate suffered a great loss,” the God King said. “Grand Xia won a great victory. Do you know why Grand Xia was able to win?”

Yu Wei hesitated, then said, “Because of my junior apprentice-brother, Ji Ning.”

She knew that the God King must already know about the war between the Seamless Gate and Grand Xia, so there was no need to hide it.

“Yes, because of Ji Ning.” The God King slowly tapped the armrest, his voice tinged with doubt. “How has your Dao companion, Ji Ning, improved so much? Did he become a Pure Yang True Immortal, or did he comprehend the heartforce technique taught by the old man Source?”

“I do not know, my lord,” Yu Wei replied respectfully.

“You do not know.” The God King looked down at her.

Yu Wei’s heart trembled, but she endured.

“I think he became a Pure Yang True Immortal,” the God King said.

Yu Wei was shocked.

“You cannot lie before me,” the God King said calmly. “I summoned you this time to ask a few questions, merely a test. But in the future, if you dare to conceal any information about Grand Xia when I ask, I will banish you directly to the Endless Hell. If that happens, Ji Ning and your child will never come into this world!”

Yu Wei’s heart trembled.

What she feared most was this. What she wanted most was to live long enough to give birth to her child.

“Forgive me, God King,” Yu Wei said quickly.

But the God King merely glanced at her.

Whoosh. Yu Wei vanished into thin air.

“God King?” Green Fox looked up at the God King, full of questions.

“It seems Ji Ning did not deceive Yu Wei,” the God King said slowly. “Ji Ning has indeed comprehended the heartforce soul technique. If allowed to grow, he might become another troublesome Celestial Immortal or True Immortal on the Nuwa Alliance’s side in the Three Realms.”

Green Fox was even more puzzled.

“Ji Ning told Yu Wei earlier that he had made a breakthrough,” the God King explained to his absolutely loyal servant. “A breakthrough in his heartforce soul technique! But I suspected Ji Ning might be lying. To determine if he was lying… Yu Wei, as his Dao companion, is probably the one who knows him best. If Ji Ning lied, he might fool others, but it would be hard to fool Yu Wei. From my probing, Yu Wei also believes that Ji Ning indeed made a breakthrough in his heartforce soul technique.”

Although Yu Wei did not speak,

The God King had already seen through her thoughts.

But—

The God King did not know that Ji Ning had not told a second person about his breakthrough to Pure Yang True Immortal. When Ji Ning lied to Yu Wei… first, his heartforce was too strong, so lying showed no flaws; second, although she had vague suspicions, Yu Wei trusted Ji Ning too much. He was the most important person in her life, and she never doubted him.

Thus, from his investigation of Yu Wei, the God King ultimately confirmed that Ji Ning had made a breakthrough in his heartforce soul technique.

...

Green Fox quickly said, “At least he’s not a Pure Yang True Immortal yet.”

“Not yet?” The God King glanced down at Green Fox. “You don’t understand what a breakthrough in the heartforce soul technique means. In the Three Realms, many become Celestial Immortals or True Immortals. But those who comprehend the heartforce soul technique can probably be counted on two hands.”

Green Fox was startled.

“The old man Source taught Ji Ning, but I didn’t expect him to comprehend it in just three years,” the God King said, his misty eyes under the black robe faintly flashing with lightning. “Ji Ning had already grasped a trace of the power of the sword, and his insights into the Dao of the Sword were already high. For him to achieve mastery in the Dao of the Sword and become a Pure Yang True Immortal is completely unimpeded, only a matter of time.”

“But comprehending the heartforce soul technique was extremely difficult for him.”

“Now he has accomplished the hardest part,” the God King said. “With the heartforce soul technique fully comprehended, the power he can command from the Xingtian has immediately increased tenfold or twentyfold, reaching its current level. Once he becomes a Pure Yang True Immortal in the future… the power of the immortal army he commands will surge again.”

“Thus, he will become very troublesome. The Nuwa Alliance will gain another trump card.”

The God King was worried.

The war between the two camps was a step-by-step struggle, contesting every inch of ground!

Each time they weakened the other a little, repeated many times, those small advantages would accumulate into a great one. At present, the True Gods and Daofathers on both sides were unwilling to act, because they knew that once they did, casualties would be heavy. But this great tribulation was unavoidable; they had to fight, so they began by accumulating advantages as much as possible.

The Celestial Immortals and True Immortals were fighting for the struggle for fortune.

Once it reached the end…

If one side found that they had no more chance in the struggle for fortune, they would probably begin their most frenzied counterattack!

That would be the final decisive battle.

For now, both sides believed they had a chance to strengthen their fortune. With stronger fortune… heaven and earth would stand on their side.

In the struggle for fortune, some very special Celestial Immortals and True Immortals could play a role. For example, the Eight Immortals of the Upper Cave led by Lü Dongbin, and a few terrifying archers. If Ji Ning comprehended the heartforce soul technique and became a Pure Yang True Immortal, leading a great army, he would also become a variable capable of influencing the situation in a theater of war.

...

Time passed.

The God King slowly tapped the armrest with his left hand. Dong, dong, dong. The sound seemed to pound on Green Fox’s heart.

Suddenly, the God King’s left hand stopped.

Green Fox looked up. She felt as if the entire dark world had frozen.

The God King’s misty eyes condensed into a bolt of lightning, and he said coldly, “In the end, there must be a great war with Chiming. Then… let that war take place in this Grand Xia world.”

“Green Fox, make preparations. I will mobilize the power of the Fifth World to descend upon the Grand Xia world quickly. Prepare for a realm war, and also eliminate that Ji Ning.” The God King’s voice was icy as he gave the order.

“Realm war?” Green Fox was shocked.

A war to conquer a major world, if escalated, would see the great powers on both sides continuously sending reinforcements, forming a war of immense scale. In such a war, most of the Celestial Immortals and True Immortals in a realm would participate, and the number of Celestial Immortals and Loose Immortals would be incalculable. Such a war was called a ‘realm war.’

“Go quickly and prepare,” the God King commanded.

“Yes.” Green Fox respectfully acknowledged and immediately left the dark world.