Chapter 10 Return

Although the Flame Star was terrifying within, the power of the flames swirling on its surface was ordinary, at most harming some Void Return Sanxian.

The white-robed youth stood motionless.

The two parts of memories from six hundred years were continuously merging.

If Ji Ning in the Moon Underwater Pool was like a sword demon or sword fanatic, completely immersed in the sword, with a somewhat restless heart that had not yet transformed, then Ji Ning in the outside world had undergone an essential transformation in 'heart'. He had swept through the 'World Prison' for six hundred years, soul-searched many prisoners, and seen too many memories.

Dark, mad, sweet, cold...

Each soul-search affected Ji Ning. For some mortals, viewing others' memories might cause confusion between their own and others' memories. Of course, for someone of Ji Ning's level, this was not the case, but heart demons could still arise. However, if one could endure it, it became a kind of tempering.

For Ji Ning, the heart demons from soul-searching were nothing, but his heart gradually transformed, becoming like an endless abyss that could bear everything.

And walking the Three Realms, comprehending the Ninefold Chaos Prohibition, constantly polished Ji Ning's heart...

...

One had astonishing sword realm.

The other had a heart undergoing transformation.

Mortals say that only with a focused heart can one do better. The same level of sword technique, when wielded by people with different mental states, manifests differently.

"My sword tends to be too sharp, lacking a bit of沉淀. Previously, in the Moon Underwater Pool, I could never break through." The white-robed youth murmured, pointing a finger forward. At the tip of his finger, opposing forces of tearing and spinning faintly appeared. Whoosh~~~ The void was pierced through.

"Now, finally, there is some breakthrough."

Ji Ning nodded lightly.

In the six hundred years in the Moon Underwater Pool, Ji Ning was almost entirely immersed in swordsmanship, especially after viewing the ninety-eight steles left by the World God Northrest, which showed Ji Ning a new path. He had always wanted to reach the fifth level of sword force, but from the fourth to the fifth level was like ascending to heaven. Similarly, the fifth level of heart force was only achieved by the great god Houyi alone.

The fifth level of sword force was also rare in the Three Realms.

It was too difficult to reach the fifth level in just a few hundred years. Ji Ning kept trying, but before breaking through in sword force, he found another path. He gradually comprehended 'Yin Force' and 'Yang Force', and even combined them to form 'Wuji Force'. His insights into Northrest's swordsmanship continuously integrated into 'Wuji Force'.

The swordsmanship of World God Northrest actually contained multiple forces: sword force, Wuji force, spacetime force...

But clearly, Ji Ning was better at comprehending Yin and Yang when understanding the sword, leading to the realization of Wuji Force. In fact, back in Yanshan, Ji Ning simultaneously cultivated the Water and Fire sword techniques, balancing water and fire, which instinctively allowed him to comprehend Yin and Yang. However, Ji Ning's cultivation time was too short; in the past, his mind was always on 'Sword Dao' and 'Drip Water Dao', unwilling to divert attention.

In the Moon Underwater Pool, Ji Ning could not comprehend other Daos, only the sword.

Thus, he realized Wuji Force.

In three years, Wuji Force entered the gate. Strictly speaking, if outside, he would have already comprehended the Wuji Dao.

In twenty years, Wuji Force reached the second layer.

In less than a hundred years, Wuji Force reached the third layer.

But the fourth layer always eluded him.

Until leaving the Moon Underwater Pool, merging memories with his external incarnation, his heart transformed, and he also absorbed six hundred years of insights into swordsmanship from the outside. Ji Ning naturally reached the fourth layer of Wuji Force. Importantly... Ji Ning was comprehending the swordsmanship of World God Northrest, so Wuji Force and sword force were fused together from the start, perfectly integrated.

"The fifth level of sword force..." Ji Ning felt it becoming clearer.

"It seems the experiences of predecessors are correct." Ji Ning nodded inwardly.

The vast number of bamboo slips left behind by Northrest World God contained not only techniques but also some common knowledge about cultivation and introductions to the endless chaos. Unfortunately, Northrest World God had fled in panic and madness, crossing who knows how many spacetime realms before reaching the Three Realms, so maps of the endless chaos, various powers, and the like were of no use to Ji Ning now.

But the cultivation knowledge was very useful.

According to Northrest World God, to reach the fifth level of the Sword Dao, it was best to integrate other powers as well to unleash even stronger sword techniques. The stronger the sword technique, the closer one could get to the fifth level of Sword Force.

To reach the sixth level of Sword Force, the true 'Sword World' level, one would already be at the World level, completely transcending the Heavenly Daos. A method that could help was to cultivate sword techniques that surpassed the Heavenly Daos! Because the World level was itself completely above the Heavenly Daos, practicing sword techniques that surpassed them—even if only in one aspect, like the Five Treasures sword technique which surpassed in speed—would at least tear a crack in the completely sealed Heavenly Daos, bringing Ji Ning closer to that level.

"With guidance from predecessors, it's like standing on the shoulders of giants." Ji Ning did not reject guidance from predecessors.

What he needed to do was to continuously improve himself, even surpassing his predecessors.

Back when Yu Wei was sent by his own hands into the Infinite Hell, Ji Ning had an epiphany and said, 'I am but a speck of dust, yet my heart yearns for the skies.' This revealed his inner thoughts.

…

"Hm? The Dao of Rainwater has been comprehended?"

The white-robed youth stood on the surface of the Flame Star, suddenly stunned.

Because the Five Treasures sword technique had been perfected, he could finally comprehend Daos. In just a few breaths, he had fully understood the Dao of Rainwater! This was mainly because Ji Ning's level was so high. For instance, when the mortal Ninth Senior Brother 'Jun Five' was a child, a single pointer from Bodhi allowed him to comprehend an entire Dao overnight. What level was Ji Ning at? In terms of sword techniques, he had surpassed the Heavenly Daos, perfectly combined Sword Force and Taiji Force, and absorbed the essence of the sword techniques left by Northrest World God. The 'Moonbright Sword Technique' he created was already absolutely the number one in the Three Realms.

With such a high level of insight and such a high level of heartforce,

Comprehending Daos naturally came as a matter of course.

"Let's go, to the World Prison." The white-robed youth steered a boat, tearing through the void and departing.

…

Arriving at the Ice Star, he entered the World Prison.

"The Dao of Thunderbolt has been comprehended?" Just a moment after being in the World Prison, Ji Ning was astonished. Before cultivating the Five Treasures sword technique, he had no talent in lightning, but now he was comprehending it so quickly. Second only to the Dao of Rainwater, he hadn't even comprehended the Dao of Blazing Fire yet, but he had already grasped the Dao of Thunderbolt.

But that made sense.

His divine body had long been tempered into a Lightning Divine Body. In terms of compatibility with lightning, he was even higher than the Thunder God天尊 born from chaos, fully capable of matching the Nine-Angled Electric Serpent. His compatibility with lightning was like that of the Golden Crow with the sun.

In fact, in terms of talent now, Ji Ning's talent in lightning was even higher than in water. It was just that he had previously cultivated the Dao of Drops, and although the memories were forgotten, his instincts during comprehension naturally led him to quickly understand the Dao of Rainwater.

Then…

The Dao of Blazing Fire, the Dao of Gale Wind, one by one began to be comprehended, and even the Dao of Space began to be grasped…

"With a solid foundation, one comprehends at a higher level." Ji Ning was calm.

According to Northrest World God, different chaos worlds had different Heavenly Daos! Even the same 'Earthly Dao of Earth' was called the Dao of Earth in the Pangu Chaos World, but in the Netherworld Chaos World it was called the 'Heavenly Dao of Earth'. Although they were mostly similar, there were still differences.

For true experts, as long as their foundation was solid—such as Sword Force, Taiji Force, Supreme Force, Chaos Force, and other fundamental forces cultivated to a high enough level—then no matter which chaos world they entered, they could quickly comprehend a large number of Daos in a short time. And now, Ji Ning's foundation was solid enough.

"The World Prison."

"In the past, my horizons were too narrow. Or rather, the horizons of those True Gods and True Immortals of the Nine Chaos Kingdoms were also too narrow." Ji Ning sighed with emotion.

Standing on a grassland in the World Prison, eighteen white-robed youths stood scattered around, with a large number of先天 spiritual treasures and various strange items placed before them. Among them, the one with the strongest aura was a sword—the Northsea Sword.

After six hundred years of sweeping through, more than twenty True Gods and True Immortals had died! This finally allowed one of Ji Ning's six Northsea Swords to absorb enough凶戾之气, and through the 'Sin Divine Weapon' technique, it evolved to the 'Chaos Treasure' level.

"Fortunately, Northrest World God left behind some techniques that allowed me to identify the uses of many treasures."