Chapter 2: Heart's Enlightenment

In truth, the 'General' of the Mystic Ice Cavalry had long looked askance at the Celestial Palace; this was merely a pretext. For the General truly cherished the disciple 'Blood Revenge', believing him to be his finest successor. Blood Revenge's talent was exceptional, but it had always been suppressed by hatred. Once he avenged his wrongs, Blood Revenge would likely undergo a true phoenix-like transformation. Hence, seizing this opportunity... he annihilated the Celestial Palace in one fell swoop.

“Flee, flee, flee.”

“As long as I live, the Li clan is not extinguished.” The white-bearded elder, seeing the situation on the battlefield, lost all will to fight and began to flee.

The silver-armored knight, meanwhile, madly slaughtered all who obstructed him, striving to draw near. Especially when the armored soldiers of the Tianxun Fort saw their 'Fort Master' beginning to flee, their morale plummeted, and they too started to scatter.

The Mystic Ice Cavalry began a frenzied slaughter... following Blood Revenge's orders: kill them all, leave none alive.

“Li Tianxun, stop struggling.” An aged voice rang out.

In the distance, two streaks of light flew over—it was the two Elders. At the same time, the mutilated corpse of the Omniscient Immortal fell from midair.

“No.”

The white-bearded elder stared in despair at the two armored Elders hovering in midair before him.

“Blood Revenge, he's yours.” One of the Elders spoke.

“Thank you, Elder.” The silver-armored knight strode forward, his killing intent soaring to the heavens.

Just then—

The world suddenly fell silent.

All sounds of battle cries, pleas for mercy, and weeping vanished entirely. An utter stillness reigned. The Mystic Ice Cavalry swinging their spears, the mother shielding her child from blades, the silver-armored knight with boundless hatred in his eyes, the two indifferent Elders in the air—all wore expressions of shock.

For they all realized they could not move.

Even the two Elders in midair were completely immobilized.

“Alas.”

A sigh echoed through heaven and earth.

From the distant void walked a black-robed youth. He had been far away a moment ago, but with another step, he was already above the Tianxun Fort.

Everyone present was terrified, including the silver-armored knight and the two Generals, whose hearts turned cold. For even the 'General', ranked among the top three in the entire world, was far inferior to the dreadfulness of this black-robed youth. The youth stood there as if the entire world revolved around him, trembling faintly, as if he could easily destroy this realm.

“Are you the leader of these knights?” The black-robed Ji Ning stood before the white-bearded elder and the silver-armored knight, looking at the latter.

The silver-armored knight suddenly found he could speak. He nodded: “Yes.”

“Are you the leader of this fortress?” Ji Ning looked at the white-bearded elder.

The white-bearded elder also found he could speak and quickly said, “Esteemed senior, these Mystic Ice Cavalry have directly destroyed my tribe and slaughtered the innocent. I beg you to grant us justice.”

Ji Ning looked at the silver-armored knight.

“Justice from him? The entire Tianxun Fort is a den of demons, all deserving death.” The silver-armored knight's eyes were filled with hatred.

Ji Ning probed and examined the soul memories of the silver-armored knight and the white-bearded elder, fully understanding the matter and the boundless hatred in the silver-armored knight's heart.

“Our Tianxun Fort benefits the region. Though with many people, some are good and some bad, senior can certainly inquire about our Tianxun Fort's reputation.” The white-bearded elder knew that the 'being' before him was his only hope; tears streamed from his eyes. “But hateful as these Mystic Ice Cavalry are, they didn't even spare the children.”

“No need to speak of reputation.” Ji Ning glanced at the white-bearded elder, his gaze still calm. “Fort Master of Tianxun Fort, leader of the Black Wind Cave.”

The white-bearded elder's face turned deathly pale.

Indeed, the Tianxun Fort was secretly also the 'Black Wind Cave'. Every male was trained, their killing instincts honed from the age of three. But a rabbit does not eat the grass near its own burrow; the Tianxun Fort had an excellent reputation in the surrounding area, known for charity. Yet elsewhere... they were truly the Black Wind Cave, committing every evil. Through countless murders and plunder, they had amassed the Tianxun Fort's wealth and power.

But this secret was known to very few!

Blood Revenge, as a victim himself, only learned of it after becoming a member of the Mystic Ice Cavalry.

“They all deserve death, death.” The silver-armored knight was frenzied.

“But what of the children? What of the women who have never killed? Especially those infants still in swaddling?” Ji Ning looked at him.

“Cut the roots and eliminate the weeds.” The silver-armored knight looked at Ji Ning. “I know senior is powerful, but I have avenged my wrongs. Do with me as you will, but please do not implicate others. My brothers of the Mystic Ice Cavalry attacked here on my orders. I have lived in hatred for so many years; now that I have taken revenge, I am content to die.”

The silver-armored knight stood there.

Ji Ning shook his head.

“Whoosh.”

Ji Ning waved his hand, and all the children and women within the fortress were swept into the small world treasure he carried.

Then Ji Ning vanished into thin air.

“Huh?” Everyone felt they could move again.

“He didn't kill me?” The silver-armored knight was startled, then knelt solemnly and kowtowed three times.

As for the white-bearded elder, he was completely panicked and dazed.

The two Elders, solemn-faced, urged, “Blood Revenge, finish off Li Tianxun quickly. We must leave at once. We need to report this to the General.”

“Mm.” The silver-armored knight nodded and stepped forward. The white-bearded elder closed his eyes.

Pfft.

The spear thrust forward, piercing the white-bearded elder's chest. With a pull, blood spurted out. The white-bearded elder opened his eyes, slumped to the ground, then laughed—a mad laugh—before his breath ceased entirely.

Not long after, the three thousand Mystic Ice Cavalry departed that very night.

…

“The resentment and malice in the Three Realms grow ever greater.”

Walking upon the earth, Ji Ning could faintly sense the resentment and malice pervading the entire world.

One hundred and sixty years had passed since his two avatars entered the Moon Under the Abyss. He could not sense what had happened within, but he could confirm that both avatars were still alive. For if they died, his other avatars would sense it and could regenerate two new ones.

“Ji Ning, to save your senior apprentice-sister, you should not involve yourself in the Realm War for now.”

“Master, senior apprentice-sister is one matter; the war is another.”

“Rest assured, you will be allowed to participate in the final battle for the contest of fortune. For now? Your presence would not affect the overall situation. Focus on your cultivation. Fuxi, Suiren, and the others think highly of you. Becoming a True God or Dao Ancestor before the final battle would be of greater help.”

“Yes.”

This was the conversation between Ji Ning and Bodhi back then.

From then on, Ji Ning traveled the Three Realms, witnessing more. As the Realm War raged on, the Abyss Gate grew ever more frenzied. Their infiltration and influence expanded, even affecting mortals. All kinds of slaughter, hatred, and cycles of vengeance became all too common.

Ji Ning saw too much and understood that the root of all this was the Abyss Gate's instigation, turning what was once stable into chaos.

The Abyss Gate thrived in turbulent times.

But in turbulent times, mortal lives were as worthless as grass!

Moreover, Ji Ning had always believed that children were innocent. Just as when he was young, avenging Chuncao by tormenting the enemy from the Riverside Tribe, he had spared that enemy's child, 'Cai'er'. If you have the ability, cultivate and seek revenge on me. But clearly, that child 'Cai'er' ultimately only reached the Zifu stage before perishing in the chaos stirred up by the Abyss Gate.

…

Observing the myriad facets of life, discerning the entanglements of gratitude and enmity.

Ji Ning could not articulate his feelings, but he sensed that his 'heart' was subtly changing.

Night.

On a boulder atop an ordinary barren mountain, the black-robed Ji Ning sat cross-legged. Before him floated a Zhutian Star Gold Bead, its divine patterns shimmering. Ji Ning often studied the Wu Bao Sword Art and the Ninefold Chaos Seals; combining the two allowed for faster comprehension. The Ninefold Chaos Seals required observing these Zhutian Star Gold Beads.

“Hmm?” Ji Ning's heart stirred.

“Appear.”

Instantly, three thousand six hundred Zhutian Star Gold Beads appeared around him like a sky full of stars. As Ji Ning's mana surged, the beads began to glow, their surface patterns shifting continuously. Gradually, streams of mysterious aura emerged from the void, converging on each bead, imbuing them with a 'profound and subtle' charm.