Chapter 6: The Guardian in the Heart

"Exterminate all the chaotic alien races in the ancient ruins?" Ji Ning asked worriedly. "Are you confident?"

"As for the alliance of the ancient ruins and the Seamless Gate, of course we can't say we're absolutely confident," said Bodhi. "But this time, the leader of the great power team we sent out is Fuxi and Tathagata. Fuxi is skilled in formations and adept at tying down enemies. The Buddha Tathagata has the best defensive divine body and is good at handling dangerous situations. With the two of them leading the team... even if they encounter some special dangers, they can hold out for a while, long enough for us to rush over and support them."

Ji Ning breathed a sigh of relief.

Fuxi was the best at formations in the Three Realms.

Tathagata's divine body defense was arguably the best.

"This time, the two of them are leading, along with nineteen other Dao Ancestors. There are top-tier Dao Ancestors and ordinary ones," said Bodhi. "They'll act together, but they're divided into four small teams, acting simultaneously to deal with the same world."

"Deal with the same world?" Ji Ning was puzzled.

"Yes, there are many worlds within the ancient ruins," said Bodhi. "The Broken Horn World you encountered back then was just an insignificant one. We don't know exactly where the dangers and alien great powers of the ancient ruins are lurking. We can only crush them world by world! They will attack the same world simultaneously."

"The reason for dividing into four teams is to guard against certain trap formations," said Bodhi. "When four teams attack a world at the same time, even if one team falls into a formation restriction, the other three will know immediately, be on guard, and can go to rescue. Even if the Seamless Gate or the ancient ruins have some trap, they won't all be caught at once."

Ji Ning nodded, was silent for a moment, then said solemnly, "Master, I want to go to the ancient ruins."

"You want to join the battle?" Bodhi was startled.

"Yes." Ji Ning nodded solemnly.

Bodhi was silent at first, then looked at Ji Ning: "The space in the ancient ruins is chaotic, time and space are disordered. They are now in a very dangerous world within the ancient ruins. If you go now, you first need to rendezvous with them. But we can't get a clear enough spatial position because it's too chaotic inside the ancient ruins. We can only tell you the approximate world. Going to join the team will be very dangerous."

Bodhi said this hoping Ji Ning would back down.

After all, he knew well that Ji Ning's Myriad Things Emissary had been destroyed!

"Disciple is confident." Ji Ning looked at his master, and a faint sword light flickered in his eyes.

"You..." Seeing that fleeting flash of seven-colored sword light, Bodhi was also shocked.

This, this...

Lü Dongbin comprehending the fifth level of the power of Taiji was already impressive. But Ji Ning had now reached the fifth level of 'sword force', which was stronger in attack! It must be known that the reason Darklight Swordmaster was so deadly in assassination, even destroying Ji Ning's divine body with one sword strike, was his sword force! And Ji Ning was different from Darklight Swordmaster; his sword had surpassed the limits of the Heavenly Dao.

With such swordsmanship alone, Ji Ning was already very close to the leader level!

"I didn't expect that in the blink of an eye, your strength has reached this level," said Bodhi with a smile. "It seems I was overthinking. Good, you have the art of division; it's fine for you to venture into the ancient ruins."

"Yes." Ji Ning nodded. "Disciple will first go see my daughter."

"Your daughter Mingyue has been very worried about you. You should go see her," said Bodhi.

"Worried..." Ji Ning was startled, then nodded lightly and left.

Watching Ji Ning's retreating figure, Bodhi stroked his beard and smiled: "I was right back then. Compared to heartforce, Ji Ning's talent in the sword is indeed higher. In less than a thousand years, his swordsmanship has reached this level... With this swordsmanship, he can stand proudly in the Three Realms."

...

By the lake.

A black-clad girl sat quietly at the edge, gazing at the water.

"Mingyue." Qiuye walked over and called out.

The black-clad girl turned her head to look, then turned back, silently watching the lake.

"What's wrong? Why so unhappy?" Qiuye asked.

"Aunt Qiuye, it's nothing." The black-clad girl shook her head gently.

"Worried about your father?" Qiuye sat down beside her.

The black-clad girl hesitated, then nodded slightly: "A little worried. Father is devoted to cultivation, and he is the only one since ancient times who can match Houyi. But Aunt Qiuye, you've also heard what they say—that my father's true body was killed by the Seamless Gate, that his puppet is broken... I don't believe it. I went to ask Grandmaster Bodhi, and he didn't deny it..."

"Don't worry." Qiuye reached out and gently embraced Mingyue. "I watched your father grow up. No matter what setbacks he encounters, he always becomes stronger. He never gets discouraged or gives up. You have to trust your father."

"Can you tell me more about Father?" Mingyue looked at Qiuye.

"Alright." Qiuye nodded with a smile.

...

In the distance, Ji Ning, Uncle Bai, and Xiaoqing were together, looking over.

"The great powers of the Nuwa camp moved their descendants here for their safety, so Ning'er, the things that happened in the Zhulu Grand World couldn't be hidden from Mingyue," said Uncle Bai. "At first, Mingyue didn't believe it and argued with other immortals and demons. Later, she personally went to request an audience with Bodhi... Only then did she truly believe what happened in the Zhulu Grand World. She's been worried about you for months."

"Yes." Ji Ning looked at his daughter, feeling warmth in his heart.

"Go ahead. She'll be very happy to see you," said Uncle Bai.

"Yes."

Ji Ning walked over.

Qiuye was speaking softly, and Mingyue listened intently to the stories of her father, never tiring of hearing them. She longed to hear more.

Ji Ning felt secretly ashamed... making his daughter worry so much; he was truly a failed father. Although he had a clone silently protecting her, that clone had been in seclusion, not checking the outside world. Only when his daughter was in danger and the restrictions were triggered would the clone investigate.

As a result, the clone had never appeared for so long, and Ji Ning was completely unaware of the upheaval in the Crescent Moon Grand World.

"My clone silently watches without appearing, which might temper my daughter, but... perhaps emotion is more important to her than tempering?" Ji Ning thought silently. "Was I wrong?"

"Father!"

At that moment, Mingyue seemed to sense something and turned her head. Seeing Ji Ning standing behind her, she was overjoyed and immediately flew toward him.

"Father, you're finally back. I've been waiting for you for so long. You've been away for too long this time." Mingyue hugged Ji Ning and kept talking.

Ji Ning gently stroked his daughter's hair. After becoming a Celestial Immortal, her 'Celestial Immortal body' took this form, very similar to her mother Yu Wei. Mingyue also liked to wear black... Looking at his daughter, sometimes Ji Ning felt as if his senior apprentice-sister was by his side, but her gaze was warmer and more settled, while his daughter's eyes were full of admiration and affection.

Senior apprentice-sister was colder.

His daughter was more lively.

"Father, the other immortals and demons on the island say your true body was destroyed, that you..." Mingyue looked at Ji Ning, still holding his arm tightly, and whispered, "Can you stop fighting the Seamless Gate?"

"Which of the elders of those immortals and demons on the island has backed down?" Ji Ning shook his head. "I cannot retreat, Mingyue. You should understand."

"But Father, you've already sacrificed so much. Your true body was destroyed, your strength greatly diminished. What more do they want? Father, you're only a Celestial Immortal True God. Even if your heartforce is strong and you can lead the Luohou Formation, you're ultimately not a True God Dao Ancestor. There are several Celestial Immortals True Gods on the island who haven't joined the battle. Father, you've done far more than them." Mingyue looked at Ji Ning, on the verge of tears. "I'm afraid, afraid that your second soul will also be killed. I've already lost my mother; I don't want to lose my father."

Ji Ning's heart trembled.

"Promise me." Mingyue looked at Ji Ning. "Stay with me, okay?"

"I will stay with you." Ji Ning was stung by his daughter's gaze and nodded gently. "I will always be with you. From today, my second soul will stay here with you."

"Second soul?" Mingyue was puzzled.

"Didn't you know that your father in white is the true body?" Ji Ning touched Mingyue's head.

"I thought, I thought..." Mingyue showed joy.

"Others may underestimate your father, but you shouldn't," Ji Ning said with a smile. "Your father's true body and second soul are both fine, and I'm even stronger now." Ji Ning extended his palm, and a faint seven-colored sword light appeared, beautiful yet terrifying in power.

Mingyue stared at the seven-colored sword light in surprise.

As Ji Ning's daughter and a disciple of the Mount Crescent sect, she was knowledgeable. Since Ji Ning followed the path of the sword immortal, Mingyue had long understood the five levels of sword force and recognized it at a glance.

"Father, you, you..." Mingyue was both excited and proud. The fifth level of sword force, surpassing the limits of the Heavenly Dao? This was her father! Those immortals and demons said all sorts of things about her father, but her father was far stronger than before.

"Father, you said your second soul will stay with me. What about your true body?" Mingyue immediately realized something.

Ji Ning smiled: "Of course I have to go out. Your father cannot hide."

"But, but..." Mingyue bit her lip and said softly, "I really don't want you to go to war anymore."

"When the calamity comes, someone must step forward," Ji Ning said with a smile.

"If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up," Mingyue quickly said.

"Your father is one of those tall ones." Ji Ning smiled. "Alright, you're a Celestial Immortal now. Don't act like a little girl in front of your father."

...

Being with his daughter, Ji Ning felt power constantly welling up from within—an intense desire deep in his heart.

"I must protect my daughter."

"Even if it costs my life."

The white-clad Ji Ning turned to look at the black-clad girl standing by the lake, then hesitated no more.

"Master, send me off." Ji Ning transmitted.

"Be careful on the way to the ancient ruins." Bodhi's voice echoed in Ji Ning's ear.

"Yes." Ji Ning nodded.

A spatial vortex appeared before Ji Ning, and he stepped into it.