Chapter 10 The Black Mist World God

Voidhermit Immortal and the Black Mist World God suddenly looked outside the hall at the same time.

Whoosh.

A figure walked in from outside the hall.

Ji Ning, the red-clad youth, Ancestor Gongzhao, Fuzhe Island Lord, and the others all turned to look. The man who walked in wore a starry robe; his flowing black hair, each strand seeming to shimmer with stars, and his gaze made Ji Ning and the others involuntarily dare not meet his eyes.

“This aura…” Ji Ning was shocked. Seeing this suddenly arrived man, he felt as if he were in the void observing ‘Wuyan Star’.

“Star Lord.” Voidhermit Immortal in the hall had already risen, and with a wave of his hand, a low table appeared in the center of the hall, with him and the Black Mist World God sitting on either side.

“Zichen.” The Black Mist World God also rose.

Whoosh.

The man in the starry robe was already at the head of the hall, sitting cross-legged, and said with a smile, “Uncle, Voidhermit, both of you sit down, no need to be polite… I just heard from my subordinates that a祖神 named Beiming wants to join our Wuyan Army. I happened to come out of seclusion, so I came to take a look.”

“Haha, Black Mist was just about to personally test Beiming’s strength,” Voidhermit Immortal said with a smile. He had great respect for the Wuyan Star Lord before him, because the Wuyan Star Lord’s power was extremely formidable; even the leaders of the other two nearby forces, ‘Black Lotus God Emperor’ and ‘Dongfu Emperor’, were slightly inferior to the Wuyan Star Lord.

Voidhermit Immortal admired him greatly and was willing to reside here long-term.

“Uncle, you want to personally make a move? Haha, it seems I came at the right time,” the Wuyan Star Lord said with a laugh.

“This Beiming seems quite proficient in the way of the sword,” the Black Mist World God nodded with a smile. The little child back then had now become so powerful.

…

The Wuyan Star Lord, Voidhermit Immortal, and the Black Mist World God were conversing above, but Ji Ning and the others could not hear them.

“Is that the Wuyan Star Lord?” Ji Ning and the others, including the disciples of Voidhermit Immortal, all held their breath.

The Wuyan Star Lord was a legend.

Strictly speaking, every generation of Wuyan Star Lords was extremely powerful. Wuyan Star had a very ancient history, even older than the Damo Academy! After the younger generation grew up, the previous Wuyan Star Lord would leave, to wander and drift, to seek his own path; many died outside due to adventures and risks.

After wandering for long ages, they would also return to see their homeland. Thus, the lineage of Wuyan Star, though occasionally destroyed, would soon rise again.

Moreover, any junior who grew up and assumed the role of ‘Wuyan Star Lord’ would see their power skyrocket.

The reason Ji Ning joined Wuyan Star was also because Wuyan Star’s foundation was very deep; he could use Wuyan Star’s power to improve himself faster.

“Beiming.” Voidhermit Immortal above spoke.

“Here.” Ji Ning replied respectfully.

“This time, the one testing your strength is the Black Mist World God,” Voidhermit Immortal said. “The Black Mist World God has long reached the ‘Sword World’ level in the way of the sword. You must seize this opportunity.”

“Yes.” Ji Ning was startled.

Sword World?

The sixth level of sword force? With just the realm of the sword, one could achieve the World level.

“My uncle rarely makes a move; you must cherish it,” the Wuyan Star Lord above also said with a smile.

“Little one, I won’t bully you.” The Black Mist World God pointed from afar, and a drop of fresh blood flew out from above, then condensed in the hall into the form of the Black Mist World God, though its aura was clearly much weaker. “This incarnation formed from a drop of blood is slightly weaker than a祖神. Use your strongest strength to attack me.”

“Alright.” Ji Ning’s eyes lit up.

Ji Ning and the Black Mist incarnation faced each other from a distance.

The Black Mist incarnation was relatively weak in strength and speed, even weaker than a祖神, while Ji Ning was a half-step World God, having a great advantage in foundation. But Ji Ning knew well that the other’s realm was far higher than his.

“Senior Black Mist, this is the strongest sword technique I have devised so far. Please guide me, senior.” Ji Ning said solemnly, holding a sword in each hand. Instantly, the entire hall faintly resonated with sword intent, and Ji Ning had a very exquisite control over everything around him.

Heartsword Style of the Nameless Sword Art!

After the war of calamity, Ji Ning had spent three hundred years in seclusion. Three hundred years in the Kuitan Taihao Pagoda became six thousand years. During these six thousand years, though Ji Ning was restoring his strength, his main focus was on comprehending the Dao and the sword. Now his sword art was more perfect and more formidable than when he had slain the Source Elder.

Whoosh. Ji Ning pounced forward instantly, his entire body seeming to transform into a sword.

"This artistic conception... truly a master of the sword." The black mist incarnation smiled, and a sword appeared in his hand as he engaged Ji Ning in combat.

Clang, clang, clang~~~

Countless sword shadows filled the air as the two fought madly.

Ji Ning's strength was mighty, his divine abilities remarkable, and his sword art astonishing. But the black mist World God's sword was even more ethereal, causing Ji Ning's sword strikes to miss time and again.

"Second Uncle, this incarnation of yours probably can't do anything to this Beiming. Although his comprehension of the sword's origin is mediocre in other aspects, his control over the sword is already perfect." Above, Wuyan Star Lord, who was even more accomplished in the sword, said with a smile.

"No flaws at all. He advances step by step to crush me, taking advantage of my insufficient divine power." The black mist incarnation below had too little divine power. "I'll have to fight with my true body."

Swoosh.

The black mist World God, who had been sitting in the great hall, flew down directly, withdrew his incarnation, and began to fight Ji Ning in person.

...

"What? The true body of the black mist World God has joined the battle?"

"Even the incarnation of the black mist World God can't handle this Beiming?" The watching Fuzhe Island Lord and the other disciples of Void Immortal in the hall were shocked.

In the great hall.

Void Immortal was also puzzled. "Brother Black Mist's sword art is superb. Although his incarnation is weaker in strength and such, with his sword art, he should have been able to overcome the weaker and defeat this Beiming."

"You don't understand," said Wuyan Star Lord. "The way of the sword is a path of attack. Thus, when one's comprehension of the sword reaches a high level, one usually first comprehends the artistic conception of attack and slaughter... But this Beiming, what he first comprehended was not slaughter, but an absolute control over the sword. He can maximize the effectiveness of his sword strikes, leaving him almost without flaws—at least, it's very hard to find flaws when fighting someone of the same level."

"Absolute control?" Void Immortal didn't quite understand.

Wuyan Star Lord smiled faintly. "The origin of the sword is vast and boundless. Different sword masters comprehend different things from it. What this Beiming comprehended is a kind of control—control over the sword. His sword is not the fastest, nor the sharpest, but it is the most perfectly controlled."

Indeed.

The deceased Northrest World God, in order to find a successor, had left behind ninety-eight stone tablets, allowing Ji Ning to comprehend the artistic conception of 'concealed sharpness'—a form of control that did not require offense. Later, during the final war of calamity, Ji Ning truly realized the 'Heartsword Style.' The Nameless Sword Art required a sword immortal who could absolutely control his own sword. A sword immortal who cannot fully control his sword, no matter how great his power, will not go far.

"This is a realm many sword masters yearn for. When encountering such an expert, one finds no flaws, making it very difficult to defeat him in battle," said Wuyan Star Lord with a smile. "I only comprehended this realm long after becoming a World God. My second uncle, for instance, has not yet comprehended it. He walks a different path in the sword."

...

The black mist World God suppressed his own strength and competed with Ji Ning purely in sword art.

"Rumble~~~" Sword light filled the sky, pressing down from all directions.

Ji Ning felt as if he were trapped under countless sword shadows. In his eyes, he saw nothing else—only the incoming sword light. Each beam seemed to emerge from black mist, ghostly yet fierce and ruthless.

"Kid, this is my Sword World. Savor it well." The voice of the black mist World God echoed.

Ji Ning did his utmost to defend. Under the perception of his 'Heartsword World,' he executed his Brightmoon Sword Art even more perfectly, coordinating with exquisite precision. Yet he still teetered on the brink of collapse. He could only give his all, constantly integrating his insights from these years into his sword art.

In recent years,

Ji Ning had never encountered a true opponent in the sword. He had always been training in seclusion. Now, a World God who had comprehended the 'Sword World' was personally fighting him, revealing a brand new horizon and a vaster realm of the 'origin of the sword.' Many aspects of the second stance of the Nameless Sword Art suddenly became clear to him.

"Six thousand years of secluded training cannot compare to this single battle." Ji Ning's eyes burned with fervor as he fought the black mist World God with all his might, testing his many insights into the sword. He even wished the black mist World God would fight him longer.

His sword art was visibly improving.

"His power has increased?"

Wuyan Star Lord, watching from the great hall, brightened. "It seems this Beiming has never encountered any true sword masters before... Second Uncle, spend more time with him. A sword master rarely appears on Wuyan Star."