Chapter 8: Battle in the Monolith Forest

"Let's go, to the Monolith Forest." Ji Ning smiled and walked toward the Monolith Forest.

"Master, are you really going?" Su Youji was somewhat worried. She had felt concerned when she heard Ji Ning tell the formation-spirit maiden to teleport them here. The Monolith Forest was one of the true death zones in the Mist Sea; even a peak World God had only a slim chance of escaping alive, which showed how terrifying it was.

"Mm." Ji Ning glanced at Su Youji and laughed. "But you don't need to fight. You'll enter my cave world when the time comes. Having you by my side would only distract me."

Ji Ning spoke casually, but Su Youji sensed an absolute dominance and confidence.

Her master had just broken through from Ancestral God to World level, yet he had such strong confidence?

Su Youji nodded gently: "Mm, I'll follow your orders, Master. But please be careful in the Monolith Forest." As she spoke, she carefully observed Ji Ning, trying to discern any changes in him. In terms of aura, Ji Ning now exuded the aura of a World-level cultivator. Aside from that, there was no significant change.

Or perhaps... Ji Ning was even calmer, composed even in a dangerous place.

"Master, why are you carrying that sword on your back?" Su Youji suddenly noticed the biggest change in Ji Ning. In the past, he would instantly draw his sword during battle; he had never carried it like this.

"Cultivation." Ji Ning said.

"Cultivation?" Su Youji was puzzled. Carrying a sword on one's back counted as cultivation? She didn't press further.

Ji Ning carried the Eternal divine weapon 'Ziguang Qiong' on his back. By always carrying a sword, he could constantly sense the 'Primordial Sword Intent' contained within the divine sword, day and night. After all, if a mortal swung a blade every day, slept with it, and never let it leave his hand, he could also master terrifying sword techniques.

This habit was quite important. By constantly sensing the 'Primordial Sword Intent', Ji Ning could comprehend it faster.

After all, the divine sword 'Ziguang Qiong' was Ji Ning's strongest weapon!

For instance, 'The Fourth Stance of the Nameless Sword Art, Horizon's End' and 'The Second Stance of the Primordial Sword Intent, Myriad Gods Stance' were on par in terms of realm. If executed with other weapons, their power would be similar. However, because 'Myriad Gods Stance' was specifically created by comprehending the Primordial Sword Intent, it was far more adept at guiding the divine sword's primordial power. When using the divine sword Ziguang Qiong to execute these two stances, the difference in power was immense. Executing 'Myriad Gods Stance' could draw out several times the divine sword's power, making it astonishingly strong.

"On the path of cultivation, one must have enough strength to protect oneself, or else one might die early on this road."

"Now, as I ponder sword techniques, between the Nameless Sword Art and the Primordial Sword Intent, I lean slightly toward the Primordial Sword Intent, so my combat power can increase more." Ji Ning had some estimation of his current strength, but not a very detailed understanding.

Everything needed to be confirmed through battle to know his exact current strength.

"Monolith Forest..." Ji Ning looked ahead. In the depths of the mist ahead, giant stones embedded in the ground faintly appeared.

"You, Xuanyang, and Yegou, all be ready and await my orders." Ji Ning said.

"Yes, Master. Be careful, Master." Su Youji's face showed worry.

Ji Ning smiled, then waved his hand to put Su Youji into his cave world. He turned and walked alone toward the Monolith Forest with a faint smile. Within the forest, massive stones stood like a forest, embedded in the ground. Within ten thousand miles, there were tens of thousands of stones, some of which housed powerful insect beasts resting on them.

Ji Ning strolled as if in his own backyard.

Several hundred miles away from Ji Ning, on a tall giant stone, perched a flying insect beast. Its claws were tinged with scarlet. It had been dozing with its eyes closed, fiery red airflow streaming from its nostrils, swirling around it for a hundred zhang. But when Ji Ning approached, it sensed him and opened its eyes—cold, murderous eyes that stared at the approaching human cultivator.

"Outsider..." The flying insect beast uttered a low voice.

"Die."

Its black wings suddenly spread wide, flapped once, and it transformed into a dazzling bolt of lightning charging forward. Its speed far exceeded the limits of the Heavenly Daos. This flying insect beast was quite formidable, far stronger than the crocodile-dragon insect beast Ji Ning had chased that carried the sword-qi scroll. It possessed strength comparable to a top-tier World-level cultivator. It had absolute confidence against these outsider cultivators.

Even if an opponent was stronger, they could at most suppress it slightly. Once battle began, other insect beasts would come one by one, and the outsider would either flee or die.

"Hahhh..." An unpleasant, piercing roar came from the flying insect beast's mouth. Its huge scarlet claws reached directly for Ji Ning, while its black wings slapped toward Ji Ning's head.

Ji Ning continued walking, very calm.

No wonder he was calm; even as an Ancestral God, he had power that didn't fear this insect beast, let alone now.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..." Space rippled. The huge claws caused the void to tremble, their strength rivaling that of a rock giant.

Ji Ning finally moved.

"Pfft!"

Ji Ning's arm stretched dozens of zhang, his fingers like sharp blades, piercing directly through the flying insect beast's head. Then he withdrew his right hand, leaving a large hole in the insect beast's head. At that moment, the inside of its head was completely pulverized, its life force dissipated, and it died on the spot. Insect beasts, after all, were bred; though they had incredibly powerful bodies, they also had some fatal weaknesses.

The flying insect beast's eyes still held shock, then it fell to the side, raising some dust from the ground.

Ji Ning glanced at it.

"Horizon's End, truly a sword technique created by a mighty figure. Impressive." Ji Ning marveled inwardly. He had just used his fingers to execute the sword technique. His hands, due to the 'Seventh Cycle of the Star-Picking Hand', were comparable to Dao divine weapons. These insect beasts weren't worthy of making him draw his sword.

Horizon's End was all about speed!

With one sword stroke, the sword had already reached the horizon's end—showing how fast it was. Ji Ning had merely extended his right hand, and the flying insect beast couldn't dodge in time. The power of the Blueflower Mist energy gave Ji Ning incredible speed and strength, and executing such a sword technique made it even faster. Even insect beasts with naturally powerful bodies couldn't evade in time.

"Roar!"

"Howl!"

"Kill the outsider!"

"Kill the intruder!"

With the surging aura from the instant clash, the entire Monolith Forest, spanning over ten thousand miles, stirred. Insect beasts crazily charged from all directions toward this spot. This was the most terrifying aspect of the Monolith Forest: a single insect beast could be handled by a decent World-level cultivator, but when they attacked from all sides, even a peak World God would have to flee in panic.

"Interesting. I'll use you to test how strong I am now." Ji Ning continued walking forward calmly, heading toward the crocodile-dragon's direction.

Insect beasts began to appear within his field of vision. Some had huge scaly wings, some crawled like centipedes, some were covered in green leaves like plants, and some resembled humanoids striding forward. All had powerful auras, but none rushed to attack immediately. Instead, they gathered around Ji Ning—ten, twenty, thirty...

They all surrounded Ji Ning, encircling without attacking.

"How cunning. Even insect beasts, usually so stupid, become quite sly when they reach the World level." Ji Ning smiled as he watched over thirty insect beasts gather around him, all glaring at him fiercely, yet he remained as calm as water.

"Kill."

"Kill it."

Finally, they moved. When the number reached thirty-nine, a towering humanoid insect beast covered in spikes let out a roar, and the thirty-nine insect beasts attacked from all sides.

Ji Ning stood still, letting the thirty-nine insect beasts surround him.

Whoosh.

Ji Ning suddenly reached out his hand. His palm was like a huge fan, possessing the power to easily shatter a chaotic star. With one move, the surrounding sky seemed to darken. At Ji Ning's current realm of sword techniques, every move contained incredible profundity. This slap directly struck the head of the fastest charging insect beast—a four-hoofed, single-horned creature. With a bang, its head caved in, smashed into its neck, and it died on the spot.