Chapter 6 The Moonlit Pool World

The World Prison.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~~~ A series of white-robed figures flew out of the chaotic space, arriving at the vast World Prison. A full sixteen white-robed youths hovered in the air. At this moment, all eighteen avatars of Ji Ning's true body were in the World Prison.

“Before heading to the Moonlit Pool, I still need to prepare carefully.” Fifteen of the sixteen white-robed youths vanished into thin air, leaving only the one with the nine-horned electric serpent.

Whoosh.

A black electric serpent streaked across the sky, swiftly flying into the distance.

Though Ji Ning had fought fiercely against the Fraternal Gate and obtained many treasures, his haul from the World Prison far surpassed it. The Celestial Immortals and Earth Immortals imprisoned there each had extraordinary origins, and the magic treasures they carried were absolutely rare gems. As for the True Gods and True Immortals, they were equivalent to the Dao Ancestors of the Three Realms, and their treasures were even more astonishing.

“The Moonlit Pool is too mysterious. So far, only Buddha Jueming has come out alive. Perhaps this true body avatar of mine will die inside. I need to bring good magic treasures, but not the most precious ones.” Ji Ning calculated silently.

By now, he had already dealt with five True Gods and True Immortals, including Emperor Jin and the Heaven-Evading True God, all of whom were comparable to Dao Ancestors. The treasures of any one of these five far surpassed Ji Ning's Void Boat and Northmoon swords. Though most were unsuitable for him, some were very fitting.

For instance, the Heaven-Evading True God, after self-destructing, left behind nine divine swords, all of which were grand treasures of the primordial era and formed a set! This single set of nine swords alone would make some True Gods and Dao Ancestors in the Three Realms covet them.

Ji Ning was reluctant to bring them to the Moonlit Pool. After all, even in the World Prison, sword-wielding True Gods and True Immortals were rare. Even if he swept through the entire prison, he might not find a set surpassing these nine grand treasure swords.

“I have eighteen avatars of my true body. This time, I'll send two avatars to the Moonlit Pool. One more avatar means one more chance of success.” Ji Ning made his decision.

The two true body avatars he sent naturally did not include the one with the nine-horned electric serpent.

Among the eighteen avatars, only one had the nine-horned electric serpent. It had been too hard to obtain, and if it were lost in the Moonlit Pool due to failure, he would regret it deeply.

“As for treasures, I'll bring these few.”

Ji Ning also selected his treasures.

They included a set of seven hundred and twenty-nine pure yang top-grade flying swords that could form the ‘Grand Thousand Sword Formation.’ When he first dealt with the Celestial Immortal Liangqiu in the World Prison, he had obtained a full seven hundred and twenty pure yang top-grade flying swords from him. Even among Celestial Immortals and True Immortals in the Three Realms, few were so extravagant as to assemble such a set, which could be used for long-range attacks.

He also prepared twelve divine swords suitable for close combat, also of pure yang top-grade quality.

There was also the innate spirit treasure ‘Ruyi Spirit Serpent Shuttle’ for escape. Ji Ning already had several such escape-type innate spirit treasures: three from True Gods and True Immortals in the World Prison, and the rest from the Fraternal Gate.

Of course, there were also other necessary treasures like ‘Nine Blaze Pulp’ and elixirs, for no one knew how long they might be trapped there.

Ji Ning brought one hundred thousand catties of Nine Blaze Pulp. It was said that there was Iceheart Marrow in the Moonlit Pool, so he could refine his golden core right there.

…

After sufficient preparation, the white-robed Ji Ning rode the Ruyi Spirit Serpent Shuttle toward the Moonlit Pool.

At this moment—

In the Three Realms, inside the thatched hut before Mount Wubao in the Sword Immortal Realm.

The black-robed Ji Ning sat cross-legged there. Since the true body was temporarily in seclusion, the second incarnation had to step into the spotlight. Even the ‘Star-Plucking Manor’ was carried by the second incarnation. With the second incarnation's strength, he could naturally form the ‘Rahu Formation’ at any time.

…

A massive star emitted a soft radiance, illuminating the surrounding endless chaos.

This star was very similar to the ‘Moon Star.’ The Moon Star, being in the void outside the Three Realms without chaos blocking it, could shine over the entire Three Realms. But this star before Ji Ning, though resembling the Moon Star, was not famous. At least the countless ordinary beings of the Three Realms knew nothing of it.

“The Moonlit Pool!”

Sitting on the Ruyi Spirit Serpent Shuttle, the white-robed youth gazed into the distance.

In the chaos lay a vast pool of water, so immense that even Ji Ning's mind and heart could not see its end. The endless pool was calm as a mirror, reflecting the giant star beside it, as if it were a moonlit reflection, truly beautiful and magnificent.

“The Moonlit Pool is truly peculiar. Only Celestial Immortals can enter. Even True Gods and Dao Ancestors are helpless against it. If they force themselves into the pool, they feel the water's pressure and cannot enter the Moonlit Pool world.” Ji Ning hesitated no longer.

“Enter.”

Splash.

Riding the Agility Serpent Shuttle, with a plop and a splash of water, Ji Ning and the shuttle vanished completely.

…

The moment he plunged into the waters of the Moon Under the Abyss, Ji Ning felt an inexplicable ripple envelop him, followed by a shift in time and space—a shift more blurred and chaotic. With his current mental strength, even Patriarch Bodhi's manipulations of time and space had seemed traceable. But this shift was utterly natural, leaving no trace.

“Splash.”

Ji Ning descended from the void and found himself standing on a reef about a hundred zhang wide.

“Where is this?” Ji Ning put away the Agility Serpent Shuttle and looked around.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Endless seawater surged, crashing against the reef.

A bright moon hung high in the sky, its cold, clear light spilling over the vast sea.

“This…” Ji Ning stared in astonishment. Before him lay a floating wooden bridge, one end anchored on his reef, the other stretching across the ocean into the distance. Even with his naked eye, he couldn't see the bridge's end at a glance.

“How long is this floating bridge?” Ji Ning gasped. He then released his mental strength, for in dangerous places he had grown accustomed to using it—it was more subtle and unpredictable. Against True Gods or Dao Ancestors weaker than him, his mental probe would go undetected. Of course, he couldn't detect their divine sense either.

“Hmm?”

“My mental strength?” Ji Ning's heart skipped. He had clearly released it, yet it detected nothing.

“Divine sense.” Ji Ning quickly released his divine sense to probe, and as expected, it too failed.

Ji Ning's expression changed.

Even in the Three Realms, places that could block both mental strength and divine sense were extremely rare.

“The moon in the sky—where does it belong?” Ji Ning looked up. “Could it be an external star?”

Swoosh!

Ji Ning shot upward, flying for hundreds of thousands of li before slamming into an invisible membrane with a bang. Ripples spread where he struck. The moon remained deep in the sky, unreachable.

…

After some thought, Ji Ning finally advanced along the floating wooden bridge. His intuition told him that this bridge, spanning the endless ocean, was meant to be followed.

“From ancient times to now, thousands of Celestial Immortals have entered the Moon Under the Abyss. Why haven't I met a single one?”

Standing on the Agility Serpent Shuttle, Ji Ning sped along the bridge for millions of li, yet still saw only the endless sea and the lonely bridge, with the sound of waves slapping against the wood.

This made him even more cautious.

“Although the Buddha Jueming emerged safely, he refused to speak. Even when other great powers asked, he wouldn't tell. As for the other thousands of Celestial Immortals…” Ji Ning frowned. “Could they all be dead?”

The thought that thousands of Celestial Immortals might have perished made him even more wary.

Whoosh.

He flew on.

The Agility Serpent Shuttle was incredibly fast. After traveling perhaps a hundred million li, the floating bridge still had no end.

“Splash.” On the distant sea, an ugly green head surfaced, watching the white-robed youth on the shuttle from afar. Ji Ning, relying only on his eyes, didn't notice.

“Another one.” The green head murmured to itself, its eyes gleaming with excited killing intent.