Chapter 24: Thousand Star Island

The gray-robed man was puzzled: "Who is he? I know all the gods on Thousand Star Island, and even among the gods of the Three Realms, I know many. But this white-robed youth..." Though full of doubt, he understood that this was the Moonfall Abyss's Thousand Star Island, and there were only two possibilities for a god to appear here.

One was to follow other powerful gods.

The other was to fight one's way through.

"He's new. Could he have... crossed the Demon Ice Prison to get here?" The gray-robed man was shocked. Seeing Ji Ning sitting cross-legged, he dared not disturb him.

He waited for twelve days.

Ji Ning finally opened his eyes. The scattered insights from the century-long battle had merged, elevating his sword technique comprehension. He even vaguely glimpsed the realm of mastering the 'Five Treasured Sword Art'. Yet it felt like looking at flowers through mist—he was still short of truly mastering it.

"Still lacking," Ji Ning sighed inwardly. "If I could go further and fully comprehend the Five Treasured Sword Art, this sword technique that transcends the Heavenly Daos... I might be confident in leaving the Moonfall Abyss."

The complete Five Treasured Sword Art was coveted even by True Gods and Dao Ancestors, but the cost of learning this technique that surpassed the Heavenly Daos was too high. Learning it meant forgetting insights into other Daos. Few great beings were willing to pay such a price, and those who were lacked talent in the sword.

Ji Ning's talent in the sword was indeed exceptional—the judgments of Lü Dongbin and Patriarch Bodhi were not wrong.

"Chunyi greets you, Daoist," said a gray-robed man, appearing beside him with a smile.

"God Chunyi?" Ji Ning smiled. "I am Beiming. I've long heard of your fame."

God Chunyi, originally named Li Chunyi, had risen to godhood during the Three Realms era but later vanished. No one knew where he went. Ji Ning remembered such missing gods well. On this trip to the Moonfall Abyss, he had already met five gods considered 'missing' in the Three Realms.

Not every god who entered the Moonfall Abyss did so publicly.

"God Beiming," Li Chunyi said, "I haven't seen you on Thousand Star Island before. Did you cross the Demon Ice Valley to get here?"

"Yes," Ji Ning nodded.

"Impressive, impressive." Li Chunyi's eyes lit up, and he grew friendlier. "Crossing the Demon Ice Valley requires a century of slaughter, extremely dangerous, especially when the Demon King leads countless demons in siege. One slip could mean death. Even if one endures a century, it's hard to gain the Demon King's permission. In all these ages, only nine gods have reached Thousand Star Island by their own strength, counting you, God Beiming."

"Only nine?" Ji Ning asked. "How many are on the island now?"

"Originally three, now four including you, Daoist Beiming," Li Chunyi said. "Over the ages, only Venerable Jueming has left the Moonfall Abyss, and four gods have died."

At the word 'died', Li Chunyi hesitated, then said, "Daoist Beiming, I must tell you something. Of the nine gods who reached Thousand Star Island, three of the four who died perished on the Floating Wood Bridge, lacking strength. But one god died on Thousand Star Island itself."

"Died on Thousand Star Island?" Ji Ning was puzzled. "I heard from the Demon King that the Moonfall Abyss doesn't attack here. How could one die?"

"Killed by God Great Dream," Li Chunyi said grimly.

"God Great Dream?" Ji Ning's pupils contracted.

He knew of God Great Dream, one of the missing gods who entered the Moonfall Abyss. He was called 'Great Dream' because he was the personal disciple of the God King of the Unbound Gate. The God King was harsh and cruel in training disciples, and God Great Dream was immensely ambitious. Hearing that Venerable Jueming had become a Buddha, he gritted his teeth and entered the Moonfall Abyss.

"Now on the island, those who came by their own strength are God Great Dream, God Sealed Throat, and God Sin," Li Chunyi said solemnly. "God Great Dream belongs to the Unbound Gate; Gods Sealed Throat and Sin belong to our Pangu Chaosworld. Logically, the Unbound Gate has merged into the Three Realms and should coexist peacefully. God Great Dream, after entering the Moonfall Abyss, befriended all gods, honed himself, and after millions of years reached Thousand Star Island."

Li Chunyi continued gravely, "At that time, the island had God Great Dream, God Sealed Throat, God Sin, and God Xu Jiu. The others had long given up."

"God Great Dream still made friends everywhere, especially close to God Xu Jiu. Who would have thought he could be so treacherous..."

"When God Xu Jiu was off guard, he struck and killed him."

Li Chunyi shook his head with a sigh. "God Xu Jiu was the strongest among them, the most promising. He died at the hands of that villain, God Great Dream. The commotion drew us, but we were too late... When we arrived, God Sin and God Sealed Throat were furious and wanted to kill God Great Dream, but he often hid in his immortal mansion, and many gods followed him."

"He attacked his own friend?" Ji Ning found it hard to believe. "Why? God Xu Jiu didn't hinder him."

Anger rose in Ji Ning's heart.

God Xu Jiu was a member of the ancient human race! The tribe 'Xu Yang' had nine most powerful gods, ranked from Xu Yi to Xu Jiu by age. They had followed Suiren in conquering the world long ago. Ji Ning had always admired these ancient human gods.

And now he had died at the hands of the Unbound Gate's 'God Great Dream', by ambush!

"God Great Dream did this, and still has many gods following him?" Ji Ning asked.

"Those who follow him are from the Unbound Gate," Li Chunyi said. "God Great Dream claims that in the ancient war of destruction, many of his brothers and friends died, and he harbors endless hatred. Though some Unbound Gate gods disagree, they are still of the Unbound Gate. When God Sin and God Sealed Throat led an army to kill him, the Unbound Gate gods stood by him, unwilling to see him die."

Ji Ning nodded.

"Come, I'll take you to meet God Sin and God Sealed Throat," Li Chunyi said.

...

Soon they arrived at a palace where gods gathered, surrounded by some immortal mansions.

"Haha, lively indeed."

"So many gods."

"Seven Dragon God, you're here too."

"Brother Feiyou."

Over a hundred gods came to welcome Ji Ning's group. Li Chunyi was startled to see a large crowd of gods suddenly appear beside Ji Ning. He had guessed Ji Ning would bring some, but not so many. Since Ji Ning brought those from the Nuwa camp, they were welcomed, many being old acquaintances or close friends.

After a long while.

On a mountain peak, three figures sat drinking and talking. They were three of the four great gods on Thousand Star Island—God Beiming (Ji Ning), God Sealed Throat, and God Sin.

"Those are treasures carried by gods," said God Sealed Throat, a cold silver-haired youth, pointing at distant immortal mansions. "After that traitor 'God Great Dream' ambushed and killed Xu Jiu, the whole island became tense. Everyone feared ambushes, so they usually cultivate in their mansions, where others can't enter easily, making it safer."

"Damn Great Dream." God Sin gripped his wine cup, murderous intent in his eyes.

"Be careful, Beiming," God Sin said grimly. "Sealed Throat and I have fought Great Dream many times. We know his nature. He claims he killed Xu Jiu out of hatred, but from our observations... he's a narrow-minded villain. Xu Jiu was the most likely to leave the Moonfall Abyss, so he befriended him, then killed him."

"Whoever has hope, he kills," God Sealed Throat said solemnly. "He even tried it on me."

"That was foolish of you," God Sin sneered. "He killed Xu Jiu, and you still gave him a chance."

"I just wanted to see his true nature," God Sealed Throat sighed.

"Now you see," God Sin said coldly.

"Beiming, the Demon King said you're the most likely to leave the Moonfall Abyss since Venerable Jueming, right?" God Sealed Throat looked at Ji Ning.

Ji Ning nodded. Earlier, when he released a large group of gods, they naturally talked about him. God Feiyou and others asked Ji Ning, and he allowed it, seeing no need to hide. So they boasted, and God Sealed Throat and God Sin learned some things.

"Your hope is great, so God Great Dream might target you," God Sealed Throat said. "Though he doesn't know your strength yet, he'll hear from the creatures of the Moonfall Abyss, and over time, he'll learn of your power."

"You must be wary of him. He's treacherous and strong, close to Xu Jiu's level, stronger than us. Over the years, he's improved and might have a chance to leave. You can't be too careful."

"Oh?"

Ji Ning's pupils contracted, then he said, "There's something I haven't told you two."

"What?" God Sin and God Sealed Throat looked at him.

"The Three Realms are now facing a great calamity..." Ji Ning told them about the disaster, making both anxious and angry.

"I knew the Unbound Gate were untamable wolves. They deserve death," God Sin roared.

"Is it already like that outside?" God Sealed Throat worried.

Ji Ning said calmly, "God Great Dream killed Senior Xu Jiu, and if he leaves the Moonfall Abyss alive, he'll be a threat. He might even become a Dao Ancestor."

God Sealed Throat and God Sin nodded.

"You both want to kill him, right?" Ji Ning asked.

"We do, we dream of it. Xu Jiu was my brother, who fought alongside me in humanity's rise. He died so unjustly," God Sin gritted his teeth. "But it's useless. I know you want to help, but God Great Dream is very careful. He has a group of gods with him and hides in his mansion. How can we kill him?"

"There's no way. Though you brought many gods, giving us an absolute advantage, they hide in their mansions and can hold out," God Sealed Throat shook his head.

"How do you know without trying?" Ji Ning said calmly.

"You have a plan?" Both were excited.

They had long wanted to kill that villain Great Dream but had no chance.

"I'll try," Ji Ning said. "We can't use force. We need to be subtle."

"Beiming, Great Dream isn't easy to deal with. Don't get yourself caught," God Sin warned, fearing Ji Ning would walk into a trap.

"Don't worry," Ji Ning said.

Earlier, he only felt disgust toward Great Dream and would kill him if the chance arose, but hadn't planned to seek him out. However, hearing that Great Dream was strong and likely to leave the Moonfall Abyss, Ji Ning became determined to kill him. If he got out and became a Dao Ancestor, he'd be another asset for the Unbound Gate. Though it wasn't certain, Ji Ning didn't want to gamble. Those trapped here, cut off from the Three Realms, couldn't sense the Heavenly Daos and could only cultivate other powers like Tai Chi, Wuji, or lightning.

Those who could leave the Moonfall Abyss by their own strength were likely no less than Hongxue or Lü Dongbin. After tempering, returning to the Three Realms to comprehend the Heavenly Daos, they might truly become Dao Ancestors, as Venerable Jueming did. Ji Ning didn't want to see the Unbound Gate gain a 'Great Dream Dao Ancestor'.