Chapter 5: Changes in the Three Realms

Ji Ning had become a half-step Ancestral God, his eyesight astonishingly keen. As his gaze swept across, he saw many celestial palaces, flying boats, and maze formations famous throughout the Three Realms, many of which were treasures of True Gods and Dao Ancestors, all extremely adept at defense.

"Junior sister, look, that's the Northmoon Sword Immortal."

"He's Ji Ning?"

"I heard from my father that this Northmoon Sword Immortal's sword arts are astonishing, even unmatched in the Three Realms, and his strength is comparable to my father's."

"Unmatched in the Three Realms is a bit of an exaggeration. He only mastered the Five Treasured Swords, and his sword force is only at the fourth level. Moreover, his true body was destroyed by the Abyss of Nothingness Sect. With the help of the All-Things Emissary... his strength might have been comparable to our master's. But I heard the All-Things Emissary was broken, and his true body was destroyed. Now he's far inferior to our master. He was born at the wrong time; if he had been born ten thousand years earlier, his achievements might have been much greater."

...

"Look, that's Ji Ning."

"The Northmoon Sword Immortal?"

"What a pity. I heard he was assassinated by the Abyss of Nothingness Sect."

"The one who made the move, the Darklight Swordmaster... is said to have been killed by Houyi. Houyi is truly formidable; without even using his bow and arrows, just a single axe blow killed the Darklight Swordmaster."

"According to my grandmaster, Ji Ning's talent is astonishing, no less than Houyi's."

"Maybe. But Ji Ning still can't compare to Houyi; the gap is too great. If his true body were still alive, after millions or tens of millions of years, he might have had hope to match Houyi. Now... there's no hope anymore."

"What a pity."

...

Ji Ning appeared on the island. The island was tens of thousands of miles in circumference, and many immortals were on it. Quite a few immortals noticed Ji Ning's arrival. They all felt sorry for him, feeling that he was born at the wrong time. They all acknowledged... how astonishing Ji Ning's talent was, but he was simply born too late.

"What's going on? So many treasures appear here, and the island's hidden formations are also so terrifying." Ji Ning was full of doubts. "Moreover, the immortals here, even Celestial Immortals and True Immortals, many are descendants of great powers."

"Come here."

A breath of qi transmitted over.

Ji Ning followed the qi and looked. In his eyes, candlelight burned, and he saw a seemingly unremarkable Daoist temple in the distance.

"Master?" Ji Ning was even more shocked. This Daoist temple was precisely Patriarch Subhuti's temple. For endless ages, the temple had always been on Mount Fangcun. How did it appear on this island?

Swoosh.

Ji Ning immediately flew over, crossing over a hundred thousand miles, and landed before the temple.

"Uncle-Master." Before the temple were still the two boy attendants, Qingshui and Baihe. The two boys respectfully called out, their eyes filled with curiosity and admiration as they looked at Ji Ning.

Ji Ning's heart relaxed. Seeing the appearance of these two boys, everything should be fine.

Ji Ning immediately stepped into the temple.

Soon he saw, far away, Patriarch Subhuti sitting cross-legged on the ground, his hair and beard white.

"Master." Ji Ning went over and immediately bowed respectfully.

"Sit down." Subhuti smiled as he looked at Ji Ning.

Ji Ning sat down cross-legged and looked at his master.

"Not curious?" Subhuti looked at Ji Ning.

"Of course I'm curious." Ji Ning nodded. "In the Crescent World... there was no such island in the past. Now suddenly this island appears, and even the formations are so terrifying. There are also cave-heaven treasures, palaces, flying boats, and other treasures of various great powers, along with a large number of younger disciples. Especially you, Master, even moving your temple here."

"Master, has this place been turned into a refuge by the great powers of the Three Realms?" Ji Ning frowned.

Subhuti nodded: "Indeed, this is a refuge."

Ji Ning felt uneasy.

"Master, the Buddha Tathagata, the Dao Sect's Three Pure Ones, and the ancient imperial clan all have their own means to protect their younger disciples... it shouldn't be difficult. Why have they all moved to the Crescent World?" Ji Ning quickly asked. "Has the situation become so dire?"

"The situation has indeed become dire. Doing this now is just preparing for a rainy day." Subhuti said.

"The situation is dire?" Ji Ning was startled.

Only six years had passed since he was in the World Prison, and such great changes had already occurred outside?

"What happened?" Ji Ning pressed.

"Let me explain in detail." Subhuti said. "Back then, the Abyss of Nothingness Sect suddenly attacked you. After negotiations, they agreed not to use the All-Things Emissary in the struggle for qi fortune. You also agreed not to meddle in the struggle for qi fortune... In the following days, it was the border wars between the two sides. Everything was normal. But half a year ago..."

Ji Ning was secretly shocked. A change occurred half a year ago?

"Half a year ago, the Three Pure Ones felt that our struggle with the Abyss of Nothingness Sect was intensifying. Once the struggle for qi fortune ends, it will be the final battle! But now, besides our two camps, there are two other forces. If these two forces are not dealt with, they might take advantage of our conflict."

"Two other forces?" Ji Ning was startled.

"The first is the faction of Source Elder and his group." Patriarch Subhuti said. "The faction of the Four Ancestors of Source River is not very strong. Before the final battle, they must choose a side. Their strength is insufficient to 'reap the benefits'."

"The second is the Ancient Ruins!" Patriarch Subhuti said solemnly.

Ji Ning suddenly woke up.

The Ancient Ruins?

Yes.

The Ancient Ruins! He had been focused on the Abyss of Nothingness Sect and had almost forgotten about the Ancient Ruins. Back then, he was banished to the Realm of Extinction and was attacked by the 'Broken Horn World' within the Ancient Ruins. In the end, it was his master Subhuti who took action and killed the three Mother Queens. The Broken Horn World was just a small faction within it. If the entire Ancient Ruins united, it would be very powerful! Even True Gods and Dao Ancestors dared not trespass rashly; they might lose their lives.

"The Ancient Ruins is a force far stronger than the Four Ancestors of Source River." Patriarch Subhuti said. "After the great war of the ancient era, Goddess Nuwa forced all those Chaos alien races to retreat into the harsh environment of the Ancient Ruins."

Ji Ning nodded.

The environment of the Ancient Ruins was indeed harsh, with chaotic space and disordered time and space. Even the dangers of the environment itself, falling into some shattered spaces, could cost an ordinary Celestial Immortal or True Immortal their life.

"Back then, Goddess Nuwa had reached the Pangu God realm." Subhuti said. "She swept through everything, invincible. The reason she didn't kill those Chaos alien races was to leave a neighbor, to keep us vigilant, to prevent us from killing each other, and even to subtly push us to constantly cultivate and grow stronger."

"What Goddess Nuwa did was very right, and we fully agreed. You must know that in the ancient era, because there was no external enemy, we instead fought internally, and many great powers and Celestial Immortals died in internal strife."

"Goddess Nuwa left those Chaos alien races behind, and we never again engaged in large-scale internal conflict." Subhuti said. "Even often, experts from the Three Realms would enter the Ancient Ruins to temper themselves, causing the strength of our Nuwa camp's immortals and demons to continuously improve, and several True Gods and Dao Ancestors were born."

Ji Ning nodded.

The threat of external force indeed makes one's own side very united.

"This time, the Three Pure Ones felt that before the final battle with the Abyss of Nothingness Sect, we should first deal with the Ancient Ruins." Patriarch Subhuti said. "Those Chaos alien races in the Ancient Ruins, living in such dangerous environments, have always dreamed of entering the Three Realms. Once our two sides are both weakened, the Chaos alien races of the Ancient Ruins will surely attack."

"Right." Ji Ning agreed.

"So we discussed this with the Abyss of Nothingness Sect. The final battle between the two camps is unavoidable, but it's better to clean up the neighbor beside the bed first." Patriarch Subhuti said. "But the Abyss of Nothingness Sect was unwilling to act against the Ancient Ruins."

"They're unwilling?" Ji Ning was puzzled. "What do they mean? Do they want us to do it? Let our Nuwa camp consume our own strength? But... no one is stupid. The Abyss of Nothingness Sect should understand that without dealing with the Ancient Ruins, they can't rest assured for the final battle."

"It's not as simple as you think." Subhuti shook his head. "I and several other great powers quietly investigated and discovered... that within the Ancient Ruins, many terrifying formations have appeared. And from these formations, Fuxi discerned the handiwork of the Lord of the Firmament."

"Master..." Ji Ning was shocked. "You mean, within the Ancient Ruins, there are many formations, and they were set up by the Lord of the Firmament?"

"Yes."

Subhuti nodded. "We are ninety percent certain that the Ancient Ruins has long since secretly allied with the Abyss of Nothingness Sect."

Subhuti's eyes held a cold intent: "These people of the Abyss of Nothingness Sect. Back then, we allowed them to remain in the Three Realms. Now, to win the final battle, they collude with those Chaos alien races. They forget that the great war between the two Chaos worlds was instigated by these Chaos alien races! Hmph, but speaking of it, these people of the Abyss of Nothingness Sect are also alien races to us."

"What do we do now?" Ji Ning quickly asked.

"You see, the Crescent World has become a refuge." Subhuti said coldly. "We have already sent great powers into the Ancient Ruins, intending to annihilate all the Chaos alien races within the entire Ancient Ruins!"