Chapter 1 Secrets of the Three Realms (Part 1)

The spatial vortex led directly to the sky above Mount Fangcun.

"Ji Ning, Red Snow, follow me." Bodhi, appearing in midair, instructed.

"Yes."

Ji Ning and Red Snow obediently followed, while the other six, including Snow Scorpion and Yuanguang, temporarily entered the Water Mansion.

Inside the Daoist temple on Mount Fangcun.

Bodhi drifted down and sat cross-legged.

Ji Ning and Red Snow stood respectfully to the side.

"Red Snow." Bodhi looked at Red Snow and smiled. "Last time I saw you act in the Realm of Annihilation, you seemed not yet to have touched the threshold of spacetime."

"It was after that battle, especially watching the Patriarch's techniques, that I gained some insight. By combining the power of time and space, I finally found the threshold of spacetime," Red Snow said respectfully.

Bodhi understood.

His own techniques naturally contained the infinite mysteries of spacetime.

Having cultivated for billions of years, Red Snow was just one step away. After a life-and-death battle and witnessing Bodhi's actions, it was not surprising that he gained enlightenment.

"Do you know who in the Three Realms has the highest achievement in spacetime?" Bodhi asked, smiling at Red Snow.

"I have heard the Water Mansion Master say," Red Snow replied respectfully. "The Patriarch comes and goes without a trace, and even the Crescent Moon World is opened in a different level of space. In terms of spacetime mastery, the Patriarch is the foremost in the Three Realms."

Bodhi sighed with emotion. "San Zui truly values you, telling you everything... Yes, my Crescent Moon World is not in the same level of space as other worlds in the Three Realms. Naturally, those Dao Ancestors can never find it."

"Master, what does 'different level of space' mean?" Ji Ning pressed.

Both Bodhi and Red Snow had entered the gate of spacetime.

Ji Ning? He had not even comprehended the Daos of time and space individually, let alone stepped through the gate of spacetime.

"Have you seen a thousand-layer cake?" Bodhi smiled at Ji Ning.

"Yes," Ji Ning nodded.

"The other worlds of the Three Realms all live on the surface of the thousand-layer cake," Bodhi explained. "My Crescent Moon World is within one of the layers. All kinds of escape techniques and great teleportations move on the surface of the cake... so no matter what, they cannot enter my Crescent Moon World."

Ji Ning understood. "So space can be divided into layers..."

"The mysteries of heaven and earth are indeed infinitely wondrous," Bodhi nodded.

"If so, isn't the Crescent Moon World the safest place? Except for you, Master, no Dao Ancestor can enter. Can't we completely avoid this calamity here?" Ji Ning asked quickly.

"No."

Bodhi shook his head. "We cannot avoid it. We can avoid it now... but later, we cannot."

"Why? Since they cannot come here, how can we not avoid the calamity?" Ji Ning inquired.

Bodhi pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "I cannot answer you now. Even I have many things I do not understand. But I can sense the fate in the unseen... This calamity, no living being in the Three Realms can avoid. Enough... Ji Ning, now that you have become a Pure Yang True Immortal, I will naturally tell you many secrets of the Three Realms. But what I do not know, I cannot speak of. Remember this: the endless world is too mysterious. Even Nuwa decided to venture into the endless chaos to explore."

Ji Ning nodded.

"Red Snow." Bodhi looked at Red Snow. "Many of my unique skills have successors. But my proudest spacetime technique has never found a suitable heir. Are you willing to become my disciple?"

Red Snow was startled, then overjoyed, and immediately knelt. "Disciple pays respects to Master."

"Hahaha..." Bodhi laughed. "Rise."

"Junior brother greets senior brother." Red Snow rose and bowed to Ji Ning.

Ji Ning was taken aback. Red Snow had been born at the dawn of creation, and Ji Ning had always respectfully called him 'senior.'

"You calling me senior brother feels really awkward," Ji Ning said.

"Address each other as you like," Bodhi said, smiling at his two disciples. He was in excellent spirits, first because Ji Ning's strength had improved remarkably, and second because his greatest technique had found a successor.

Bodhi smiled. "Ji Ning has been under my tutelage for many years, but he probably doesn't even know the strength of his senior brothers."

"Indeed, this disciple is not clear," Ji Ning said respectfully.

Under the master, there were nineteen disciples. With the addition of Red Snow, there were now twenty.

From the eldest disciple down... Ji Ning knew the names of each senior brother and sister, but not their detailed strength.

"Ji Ning, your strength has now improved. As for Red Snow, he is only a little short of becoming a Dao Ancestor. And with this great calamity looming, I feel danger lurking. You fellow disciples must help each other in the future," Bodhi said. "Among my disciples, four have reached the True God or Dao Ancestor level."

"Four?" Ji Ning and Red Snow were astonished.

"First is my eldest disciple," Bodhi said. "He is the woodcutter chopping wood on the mountain outside the gate. If you have doubts in your cultivation, you can ask him. His strength is the highest among you disciples."

"Second is my second disciple, Ji Dian, who guards the Three Realms Palace and often sleeps there," Bodhi continued. "Ji Dian has truly inherited many of my teachings, learning both Buddhist and Daoist methods. If you have questions, you can ask him."

"Next is my sixth disciple, who opened the Flowerfruit Mountain world, the master of the Flowerfruit Mountain lineage, Sun Wukong," Bodhi said. "He once received guidance from Nuwa and is quite skilled in battle."

"The last is my twelfth disciple, Black Tiger, who loves to roam the Three Realms. Though he hasn't opened a major world and has no subordinates, and his strength is the weakest among the four, he has still reached the True God or Dao Ancestor level. Even I took him as a disciple out of affinity. Who would have thought that this lazy fellow would cultivate to become a True God or Dao Ancestor?"

Bodhi's words introduced the four Dao Ancestors among the disciples of Mount Fangcun.

Ji Ning was shocked.

Black Tiger?

Twelfth senior brother Black Tiger, who called himself 'King Black Tiger.' When Ji Ning studied at Mount Fangcun, this senior brother had come and sparred with him. But Ji Ning had never sensed how powerful he was. From the feel of it... Black Tiger's aura seemed weaker than even Silver Moon's. Who would have thought he was hiding his true strength and was actually a True God or Dao Ancestor!

"The other disciples, including Ji Ning, who has cultivated the shortest time, are all at the Celestial Immortal or True Immortal level," Bodhi said. "You must not slack off. With the great calamity descending, becoming a True God or Dao Ancestor gives a greater chance of surviving it."

"Disciple understands," Ji Ning and Red Snow said respectfully.

"Mm."

Bodhi nodded and smiled. "You now know your fellow disciples. There are also some secrets of the Three Realms. Red Snow may know some, but Ji Ning, due to his previous weakness, I never told him. This time, I will explain in detail, including the destruction of the ancient era and so on. After hearing it, you will clearly understand the origin of the Infinite Gate."

Ji Ning and Red Snow listened attentively. Even Red Snow knew very little about the war that destroyed the ancient era.