Chapter 2: Lord Cui

In principle, the two of them vaguely felt that the 'Inner Contemplation of the Ancestral God Scroll' was more profound, but the 'World God of Desolation' was more complete and detailed. After all, it was a method that had been tested by countless cultivators, so the likelihood of success was much higher. Although the principles of the 'Inner Contemplation of the Ancestral God Scroll' were mysterious, it was created by Nuwa when she had just become a World God, whereas the 'World God of Desolation' could be cultivated all the way to the World God level. The creator's level of strength and realm was far higher than Nuwa's.

But judging from the methods created...

Ji Ning, however, sensed that Nuwa's potential was truly astonishing. Having cultivated to this level in the Three Realms, a single chaosworld, it would be difficult to guess what realm Nuwa had reached in the boundless chaos and the broader heavens.

"Master." Ji Ning quickly said, "With this method, does our Nuwa camp have any Ancestral Gods?"

Previously, Ji Ning had always thought that the only Ancestral God in the Three Realms was Lord of All Demons. Even Fuxi, Tathagata, and the others had said so.

Fuxi and Bodhi exchanged a glance and both laughed.

"Yes." Fuxi said, "No one would tell you before because it needed to be kept secret."

"There's an Ancestral God?" Ji Ning was overjoyed. "Who?"

Although the Three Pure Ones, Tathagata, and the others were formidable, they were all True Gods or third-class Ancestral Immortals... relying on their profound insights into the Dao to match ordinary Ancestral Gods. But a true Ancestral God... even the simplest of their techniques displayed Ancestral God-level power. If their realm of insight was higher, they would be top-tier Ancestral Gods.

"Among the Ancestral Gods born from the boundless chaos, there is actually one still alive in the Three Realms." Bodhi sighed.

"Who?" Ji Ning was curious.

The Ancestral Dragon and Divine Phoenix were dead, Fuxi had reincarnated, and all the ancient Ancestral Gods like Zhurong and Rushou had died. Who was still alive?

"The Water Ancestral God, Gonggong!" Bodhi said.

"Gonggong? The one who broke Mount Buzhou?" Ji Ning immediately guessed.

"Yes."

Bodhi sighed. "That's right, it's him."

"But why has he never appeared?" Ji Ning wondered.

"During the ancient war of destruction, Zhurong actually died saving Gonggong." Bodhi said. "Zhurong died, but Gonggong lived... All these years, Gonggong has been unable to get over that guilt, always feeling ashamed before Zhurong. This mental barrier is hard to overcome... but there's no need to dwell on it. He will definitely appear in the final battle."

"Mm." Ji Ning was delighted. Gonggong was originally an Ancestral God, and having lived for over a chaos cycle, he must have made some progress. His strength was probably considerable.

"Are there any others? Has anyone succeeded in cultivation through the 'Inner Contemplation of the Ancestral God Scroll'?" Ji Ning asked.

"Yes." Bodhi smiled.

"Suirenshi." Fuxi said.

Ji Ning was startled. "Suirenshi? He, he's an Ancestral God? But... last time when the Outcast Gate assassinated me, why couldn't Suirenshi suppress Lord Huanmu?"

"Even if you lost a clone, the secret that Suirenshi is an Ancestral God could not be exposed." Bodhi looked at Ji Ning. "At that time, it was already a struggle for fortune. All our preparations were for the final battle. Even if you lost a clone, or even if you had only one life and no clones, we would have found other ways to save you. We could not have exposed Suirenshi's strength."

Ji Ning nodded. He understood.

"So the chaos nectar you brought back then, we gave it to Suirenshi." Bodhi smiled. "Suirenshi's realm was already extremely high. As a True God, he could match an Ancestral God. Now that he has an Ancestral God's body... in terms of strength, he is definitely at the top-tier Ancestral God level! With the Nine-Angled Electric Serpent escape technique, he will surely give the Outcast Gate a good show in the final battle."

"Mm." Ji Ning was also looking forward to it. "Are there any other Ancestral Gods?"

"That is unknown." Bodhi shook his head. "As for those who became Ancestral Gods through the 'Inner Contemplation of the Ancestral God Scroll', the only one we know of is Suirenshi! There might be none others, or perhaps some True God... has hidden their strength."

"Understood." Ji Ning nodded.

Great beings instinctively trusted themselves more.

A secret known only to oneself was a true secret! So 'Buddha Jueming', who obtained the method in the Moon Underwater Pool, might have extraordinary strength, yet the Three Realms always regarded him as an ordinary Dao Ancestor. Ji Ning believed... there might be other True Gods or Dao Ancestors on their side who had hidden their strength. After all, from the ancient war of destruction to now, over half a chaos cycle had passed.

Over half a chaos cycle—such a long time—anything could happen.

By the same token!

The strength of the Outcast Gate was also hard to guess!

"We cannot be careless." Bodhi said. "Back then, Lord of All Demons led the remnants of the Outcast Gate roaming the boundless chaos for a long time. What exactly did Lord of All Demons experience during that time? We don't know. Even Huanmu and the others don't know. Only Lord of All Demons himself knows."

"Moreover, after all these years of development, the Outcast Gate's apparent leaders are still Lord of All Demons, Lord Huanmu, and Demonhand Dao Ancestor. I don't believe... that in such a long time, not a single leader has emerged." Bodhi shook his head. "We have great beings hiding their strength, and so does the Outcast Gate."

"Everything... will only become clear in the final battle."

Ji Ning nodded.

"Before considering victory, first consider defeat." Subhuti said, "In this final battle, I still won't participate. If our side has no hope... I will lead our remnants to flee the Three Realms."

"Flee?" Ji Ning looked at Subhuti.

"Yes. In ancient times, Goddess Nuwa arranged for me." Subhuti said, "Over these years, I have devoted myself entirely to studying spacetime... If I lead our remnants to flee, the Lord of the Abyss Gate cannot pursue. Though the Lord of All Demons is fast, his forte is wind, is space! In spacetime, he cannot compare to me."

Subhuti had absolute confidence in spacetime.

...

Ji Ning, Subhuti, and Fuxi were conversing in the wooden hut when suddenly footsteps came from outside.

"Hm?" Ji Ning turned to look.

A middle-aged man in green robes walked in from outside.

"You..." Ji Ning was startled.

"Ji Ning, long time no see." The green-robed middle-aged man smiled at Ji Ning.

"Lord Cui." Ji Ning found it hard to believe. "You're here. All these years... I've been looking for you but couldn't find you."

During the six hundred years his true body's avatar spent in the Moon Underwater Pool, Ji Ning had traveled the Three Realms searching for Lord Cui, but he was nowhere to be found, as if he had vanished.

"I am the artifact spirit of the Book of Life and Death. As for this Nuwa Immortal Realm... Goddess actually entrusted it to me to manage. When the underworld was destroyed, I naturally came here." Lord Cui laughed.

"Ji Ning." Subhuti smiled. "Lord Cui's relationship with Goddess Nuwa is like that between your Yellow-haired Great Bear and Three-Life. Do you understand?"

Ji Ning nodded.

The Book of Life and Death... was the most famous divine artifact refined by Goddess Nuwa, containing inconceivable power over fate. To refine such an artifact, Goddess Nuwa must have expended boundless effort and likely carried it with her for a very long time. Naturally, the artifact spirit would be very close to Goddess Nuwa. For great powerhouses, they actually trusted artifact spirits more.

Because an artifact spirit cannot disobey its master's orders; it will absolutely obey.

"I was able to exist independently of the Book of Life and Death long ago, and I can also cultivate on my own." Lord Cui looked at Ji Ning. "I sent an avatar to reincarnate and entered your homeworld, Earth, so we are also fellow townsmen."

When Ji Ning was weak, he had found it strange.

If Lord Cui had achieved success through cultivation starting from Earth, then he should have only served as the First Judge of the underworld for a short time. Yet in the Three Realms, Lord Cui's reputation had spread for endless ages.

Only now did he understand... that Lord Cui had been managing the underworld for a very long time. Going to his homeworld 'Earth' was merely one reincarnation of an avatar.

"How remarkable." Lord Cui smiled at Ji Ning. "I still remember that weak and delicate youth... on Earth he was even a sickly child, yet now he stands at the pinnacle of the Three Realms."

"I must thank you, Lord Cui, for bestowing the Nuwa Painting upon me back then." Ji Ning also said, "Without the Nuwa Painting, I would not be where I am today."

The Nuwa Painting was nothing to Ji Ning now.

But precisely because of the Nuwa Painting, he had been able to survive and obtain the legacy of the Water Mansion, to enter the Black-White College, to win first place in the Immortal Feast Competition, and to become Subhuti's disciple... Without the Nuwa Painting at the start, even if he could have achieved some success, it would have been very difficult to reach his current level.

"I bestowed the Nuwa Painting on many, but none of them became as remarkable as you." Lord Cui laughed. "Back then, I felt that deep inside you there was a tenacity; no setback could crush you. In a place like Earth, where cultivation methods were severed, you could change your fate, living two years longer than the judge's original verdict. I thought you might create a miracle, so I granted you the Nuwa Painting."

"Lord Cui, you..." Ji Ning was startled.

"Yes. Back then, I already sensed some secret arrangements by the Abyss Gate. So for those I deemed worth cultivating, I would bestow the Nuwa Painting upon them, giving them an easier start. But this was just a small whim of mine. After all, with such thoughts, it's hard to cultivate true powerhouses. Among those I helped, fewer than ten even managed to survive the tribulation and become Celestial Immortals." Lord Cui shook his head and smiled at Ji Ning. "Fortunately, there was you."

"Lord Cui, you have rendered great merit too." Subhuti laughed.

"Haha..." Lord Cui also laughed.

"Lord Cui, I have also searched for my homeworld Earth, but I have never been able to find it." Ji Ning quickly asked.

Lord Cui shook his head. "Of course you can't find it. Just like the Crescent World is in another time dimension. Among the billions of minor worlds in the Three Realms... some minor worlds are hidden in other time dimensions. These were minor worlds painstakingly created by Goddess Nuwa in other time dimensions after she became a World God. Earth is one of them."

"Even if the Three Realms experience some upheavals, those minor worlds will remain havens." Lord Cui said. "Only if the entire Three Realms are destroyed will those minor worlds, having lost their foundation, be destroyed."

"As long as the Three Realms are not extinguished... those minor worlds will be havens, unless a great power from the Abyss Gate can also traverse time dimensions to reach those minor worlds." Lord Cui said.

Ji Ning asked softly, "May I ask about my parents from my previous life..." Though his parents from his previous life were not as deeply etched in his heart as his parents in this life, Ji Ning could not forget his previous life mother's care and protection. His father had been devoted to his career, and Ji Ning's feelings toward his previous life father were rather complicated.

"Born in a haven, naturally without worries." Lord Cui said.

"Please elaborate." Ji Ning relaxed slightly and quickly asked.