Chapter 1: Leaving the Three Realms

Within the chaos lay an immortal estate covering several li in area, with babbling brooks and flowers and grass everywhere.

"Father, will you live here permanently from now on? Not returning to the Three Realms?" Mingyue hugged Ji Ning's arm, looking around curiously as she asked.

"Yes, I need to go into secluded cultivation." Ji Ning nodded with a smile. "I won't be returning to the Three Realms for a very long time."

Back then, he had sworn a lifeblood oath.

Once he became a Ancestral God, he had to leave the Three Realms within a thousand years. Once this lifeblood oath was made... Ji Ning's soul was bound by the oath. Not only his true body, but also his second true spirit. Thus, even though Ji Ning's second true spirit intended to guard the Three Realms, he could not live within the Three Realms; he could only live in the chaos relatively close to the Three Realms.

Only if he fulfilled the lifeblood oath and transmitted the message to the Heavenly Cang Palace would he be free from the binding.

"Oh, that's fine. I'll come here often from now on. This is my first time in the chaos." Mingyue was somewhat excited. "Father, I'll go look around elsewhere."

"Go ahead." Ji Ning nodded.

Autumn Leaf and Uncle Bai, who were accompanying him, knew Ji Ning well. They understood that even if he wanted to go into seclusion, why must it be in the chaos?

"Ning'er, are you hiding something from us?" Uncle Bai asked. Autumn Leaf also looked at Ji Ning.

"There are some things." Ji Ning nodded. "There are some things I must do. I've spent these years recovering my second true spirit. It has fully recovered, and everything else is in order. It's time for me to go. Don't worry, my second true spirit will remain here."

His true body had a clone placed in the World Prison.

His second true spirit had a clone previously placed in the Xieyue Major World.

During the great battle, the second true spirit had self-destructed...

After all, he was already a Ancestral Immortal. To rely on 'Chaos Nectar' for immediate recovery would require an inconceivable amount. He could only slowly cultivate back. Since Ji Ning had already comprehended the Water Dao and gained some insight into the 'Chaos Dao', he could draw power from the chaos and frantically absorb chaos power at all times, recovering at a fast pace.

For his true body, which cultivated both divine power and qi, recovery would take ten thousand years.

For his second true spirit, which only cultivated qi, recovery would take a little over three thousand years. Because of the 'Kuitai Grand Hao Pagoda', Ji Ning could easily maintain a twentyfold time acceleration, so his second true spirit had long recovered. He had delayed until now only to settle matters in the Three Realms.

"Master..." Autumn Leaf was worried. "Let me go with you."

"No need." Ji Ning shook his head.

Nonsense.

The journey from the Three Realms to the 'Vortex Space' of the Damo Domain was dangerous enough. Who knew what they might encounter along the way? It wasn't worth the risk for Sister Autumn Leaf.

...

The immortal estate in the chaos was established, and Ji Ning invited some friends. Junior apprentice-brother Mu Zishuo, disciple Qingya Xiaoyu, senior apprentice-brothers Sun Wukong and Ji Dian, and others came to visit. Lü Dongbin, Kuafu, and others also arrived. Everyone knew that from now on, to see Ji Ning, they would have to come to this chaos immortal estate.

"Disciple, there are countless powerful beings in the chaos. The Three Realms is just a small place. Be careful on your journey." Patriarch Subhuti looked at Ji Ning.

"Rest assured, Master." Ji Ning nodded.

Today was the day Ji Ning set out. He hadn't told anyone else; only his master, Subhuti, knew.

"When Nuwa left back then, she never returned, and there's been no news." Subhuti said softly. "You must be extremely careful. Also, if you ever encounter Nuwa, you must inform me immediately."

"Alright." Ji Ning nodded. His second true spirit was in the chaos immortal estate guarding the Three Realms. The true body and the second true spirit shared memories; whatever the true body experienced, the second true spirit would know clearly.

"Go." Subhuti nodded.

Whoosh.

A deep cyan flying boat appeared in midair, and Ji Ning was inside it. Then, with a swoosh, ripples appeared in the void, and the flying boat had already torn through the void and departed.

"Be careful." Subhuti watched Ji Ning leave, silently hoping.

A long, long time ago, Nuwa had left the Three Realms.

Now, Ji Ning was also leaving the Three Realms.

They were both beings at the pinnacle of the Three Realms.

...

The deep cyan flying boat tore through the void repeatedly, advancing continuously.

The space inside the flying boat was not large.

Ji Ning sat cross-legged, his gaze passing through the flying boat to look at the chaos outside.

"Alone, leaving the Three Realms, walking the chaos..." Ji Ning shook his head gently. "It's a pity I still can't break the chains in the World Prison."

The World Prison held a large number of prisoners, including Ancestral Gods and Ancestral Immortals.

Those chains could only be broken by those at the World God or Chaos Immortal level, and even the prison itself could be broken. Ji Ning's strength was considerable, but even with his divine sword Violetjade, he could only leave marks on the chains, which then healed automatically. He was still far from cutting them.

In fact, thinking carefully, it made sense.

When Lord Jiufang set up the 'warden' in the World Prison, what was his purpose? To monitor and report immediately if a World-level existence appeared. This meant that even if someone became a World-level existence, cutting the chains and breaking the prison would take a considerable amount of time—enough for Lord Jiufang to arrive. Otherwise, setting up a warden would be meaningless.

Ji Ning's strength had just reached the threshold of a World God, barely enough to leave a few marks on the chains.

"But these Ancestral Gods and Ancestral Immortals do have considerable wealth." Ji Ning nodded to himself. The flying boat he was piloting now was a top-grade Chaos treasure, the 'Feiqian Shenmu Boat'. He had plundered the prisoners in the World Prison, including the Wild Dog Ancestral God and others. Even the ferocious Wild Dog Ancestral God was only at the peak Ancestral God level.

With his 'Heartsword Technique', Ji Ning could easily defeat them without even using his divine sword Violetjade.

"If I could cut the chains, I would have more servants." Ji Ning stopped thinking about it. With a thought, around him appeared Star Gold Pearls—three thousand six hundred of them, like brilliant stars surrounding him.

Since the great battle where he comprehended the Heartsword Technique, during the quiet three hundred years that followed, Ji Ning's insights had advanced by leaps and bounds.

His understanding of chaos...

His understanding of space...

His understanding of water and lightning...

His understanding of the sword...

He had even fully comprehended the eighth level of the 'Nine Chaos Seals', matching Nuwa before she became a World God.

"The ninth level... I always feel that once I comprehend it, something special will happen." Ji Ning could sense that each previous level was an accumulation of quantity. Once all nine levels were comprehended, the nine seals would perfectly merge into one—a qualitative change. Ji Ning looked forward to it.

...

Piloting the Feiqian Shenmu Boat, he traveled through the chaos for over half a month before finally reaching the so-called 'Vortex Space' on the star chart.

"This is the vortex space passage?" Ji Ning looked ahead from within the flying boat.

Ahead was an enormous vortex.

The vortex tore apart the chaos, and its concentric rings made Ji Ning feel oppressed and fearful.

"The most dangerous vortex passage." In the records of the alien races that had survived and reached the Three Realms from outside, the danger of the vortex passage was described in great detail.

"No matter what, I have no other path."

"Charge."

Ji Ning poured his divine power fully into the Feiqian Shenmu Boat. At this moment, the boat became like a sword, and Ji Ning piloted it as if controlling a divine sword. Swoosh! After hesitating briefly before the enormous vortex, the boat plunged directly into it.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh~~~

The immensely powerful tearing force of the vortex instantly swallowed the Feiqian Shenmu Boat. Ji Ning piloted the boat, flying along with the vortex's force while trying to deflect the power.

As a truly supreme sword immortal, Ji Ning had reached an inconceivable level in controlling force, borrowing and deflecting power.

Whoosh.

Though the vortex's tearing force was terrifying, the Feiqian Shenmu Boat spun and flew, effortlessly entering the interior of the vortex space without causing Ji Ning any trouble.

"I hope I can safely pass through this vortex passage and reach the Damo Domain." Ji Ning murmured to himself. "With my level of swordsmanship, I should be able to avoid deadly danger. But if I get lost... then nothing is certain."

Ahead of Ji Ning was a tube-shaped, enormous vortex passage. Within it, massive spatial cracks appeared from time to time—some pale white, some dark.

Whoosh.

The Feiqian Shenmu Boat flew within this huge tube-shaped passage.