Chapter 23: A Hundred Years

The Demon Ice Valley stretched for countless billions of miles.

With every step Ji Ning took, countless demons fell.

At every moment, Ji Ning was fully exerting himself in his swordplay, for he had to kill enough demons to succeed. Even a Fiendgod like Fei You could fight for a hundred years, but the number of demons he killed was insufficient. Now that the calamity had descended upon the Three Realms, Ji Ning did not know when the final battle would begin, so he had to be fast! He wanted to experience a hundred years of slaughter only once; he did not want to fail and go through it a second or third time!

Moreover, at every moment, Ji Ning dared not be careless, for these countless demons were each comparable to a Celestial Immortal. Fortunately, they did not use formations, and he only had to face the few dozen demons surrounding him.

...

Time passed swiftly, and in the frenzied slaughter, a hundred years had gone by.

In a canyon formed entirely of frozen ice, a white-robed youth held two swords, killing as he went. His sword-light was erratic and swift as lightning.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Sword-light flashed, and a demon was cleaved in two from the shoulder.

A sword thrust burst a demon's head apart.

Sword-light arced, and three nearby demons fell.

"His swordplay is getting faster. Among all the Celestial Immortals who have entered the Moonfall Pond since its creation, his swordplay is the fastest." The Demon King, standing on a peak of ice at the canyon's edge, looked down. Below, countless demons swarmed like ants, surrounding Ji Ning as he fought.

This battle had lasted a hundred years.

"Right. When he first entered the Ice Valley, his sword wasn't this fast," said the flame-wreathed figure, the Infernal God. "He's been improving constantly, his swordplay growing more formidable. If I fought him now, I'd be easily defeated."

"His sword is so fast—how can it be this fast? I'd say it's nearly at the speed of light," said the ugly sea yaksha.

"Mm, almost. Even if it's not light speed, it's close," Snow Demon agreed.

Most of the Moonfall Pond's denizens often gathered together. The Infernal God, Snow Demon, and sea yaksha only had avatars here in the Demon Ice Valley. They were curious about Ji Ning and naturally wanted to watch him challenge the valley.

"His sword speed is near the limit of the Dao," the Demon King nodded. "I suspect he has studied some powerful sword technique. Without such guidance, he wouldn't have avoided all detours. Most Celestial Immortals, no matter how skilled—whether with sword, spear, or staff—fall far short of the Dao's limit in speed."

"Mm." Snow Demon, Infernal God, and the sea yaksha all nodded in agreement.

The Solar Golden Rainbow and the Nine-Angled Electric Serpent moved at the Dao's limit speed—six hundred thousand miles in an instant. Most major powers were far slower.

The weapon speed of experts in the Three Realms was naturally much faster than their movement speed, and they generally strove to approach the Dao's limit.

Ji Ning's sword speed was now nearly at the Dao's limit!

Of course...

There were speeds that surpassed the Dao's limit! Those who mastered the 'Five Treasured Swords' could exceed it. And the missing Archer God Houyi—his arrows were the fastest in the Three Realms, having slain the Golden Crow Demon Emperor.

"That's enough." The Demon King nodded, then called out, "Withdraw!"

His shout echoed through the Ice Valley. All the demons heard it, and like a receding tide, they swiftly retreated into the连绵 ice peaks.

...

"Eh?" Ji Ning shuddered.

Retreating?

After a hundred years of slaughter, the demons' first retreat left him disoriented.

"Whoosh." A figure flew down from above—the Demon King with the golden gourd at his waist. He landed on the floating wooden bridge, shaking his head, his two massive curved horns turning.

"Demon King." Ji Ning looked at him.

"A hundred years have passed." The Demon King rested his black staff on his shoulder, saying casually, "You've killed quite a few demons."

"May I cross the Demon Ice Valley and reach the next island?" Ji Ning asked.

The Demon King looked at him, smiling. "Though I'd like you to stay and play longer, you've indeed killed many demons. Your sword is too fast."

Ji Ning was startled, then smiled.

His sword was fast? Because he had always worried about killing enough demons, he kept urging himself in his heart: faster, even faster, make the sword faster. The faster, the more he could kill. Moreover, the 'Five Treasured Swords' technique he studied was a sword art that surpassed the Dao's limit. In a hundred years of slaughter, facing difficulties again and again, he gradually understood them. The originally arduous fourth chapter of the 'Five Treasured Swords' became clearer, and the more he comprehended, the faster his sword became.

"Since you've passed the Demon Ice Valley, you can reach the fourth island—the Thousand Star Island," said the Demon King. "Before that, I'll take you to claim your treasures."

Ji Ning nodded. One could claim treasures upon reaching the third, fourth, and fifth islands.

"Also, those Celestial Immortals you brought—since they gave up, have them return the treasures to me," the Demon King said calmly. "Those who give up are not worthy of treasures."

"Mm." Ji Ning nodded. He had long known this. Fei You, Wu Qi, and the others had already handed their treasures to Ji Ning for him to return.

...

A day later.

Thousand Star Island also had small islands and a large island. The small islands held the growing treasures, while the large island was where Celestial Immortals dwelled.

"Go. Your talent in swordplay is high. Only the final obstacle remains before you leave." The Demon King smiled at Ji Ning. "In endless ages, only Jue Ming has succeeded. I hope you'll be the second."

Ji Ning nodded, then turned and walked along the floating wooden bridge toward the large island.

He had just taken three treasures, and he had insisted on getting eight portions of each. But these treasures were of no help to him, at least for now. Just as without the 'Icefire Pill Refining Art,' the Iceheart Marrow and Nine Yang Pulp would be useless to him.

"Thousand Star Island."

Ji Ning stepped onto the large island, his heart surging with excitement. This was the fourth island; he was close to leaving! Once he reached the fifth island, he could depart.

"Senior apprentice-sister, wait for me." Deep in his heart, Ji Ning longed for a family reunion.

Then he suppressed his thoughts, chose a large rock at the edge of Thousand Star Island, and sat cross-legged. He began to recall the insights gained from a hundred years of slaughter. He had been killing nonstop, and though he had gained some understanding of the 'Five Treasured Swords,' he had not yet systematically organized his insights.

Before entering the Demon Ice Valley, Ji Ning had only trained for about two hundred years. Even before the Great Xia war, he had been building a foundation at the Black-White College and the Mountain of Fangcun, learning various divine abilities and techniques.

Then came the Silent Expanse, the Great Xia war, the realm war, and training across the Three Realms—that was the true period of progress.

In just over a hundred years, Ji Ning had advanced rapidly, reaching the fourth level of sword force shortly after entering the Moonfall Pond.

But this hundred-year slaughter in the Demon Ice Valley, with every moment a full-force battle, was an unprecedented trial for Ji Ning, who excelled in offense. Even Fei You and the others, who had lived for eons, felt the valley greatly benefited them, let alone Ji Ning.

"Whoosh..."

Ji Ning closed his eyes. The 'Five Treasured Swords' surfaced in his mind, and scattered insights coalesced. The Moonbright Sword Art was also refined, and his understanding of the 'Five Treasured Swords' deepened...

...

On Thousand Star Island.

A gray-robed figure walked alone, muttering, "When will I leave this cage? Even though I gave up and returned the treasures, they won't let me out. I have to follow other Celestial Immortals. If they die, I die. Only if they succeed can I leave."

"But in endless ages, only Jue Ming succeeded. Before he tried, who could be sure he'd succeed?"

"Sigh."

"Xiaoyue." The gray-robed man's eyes held deep longing. Suddenly he paused, turning to look into the distance. On a rock covered with cracks sat a white-robed youth, cross-legged.