Chapter 32: The Twelve Palaces of Mangya Kingdom

Inside the Star Island, within the top-grade Dao artifact 'Haoguang House' that could accelerate time, Ji Ning was alone, contemplating his sword arts.

Ji Ning sat cross-legged, before him a low table with a jug of wine, a sheet of paper, a brush rack, and a writing brush. From time to time he picked up the brush and drew on the paper.

The fifth stance of the Nameless Sword Art, 'World Sinking', still required some thought. Ji Ning was now close to fully comprehending this fifth stance. Back then, the Northrest World God had fully comprehended the fifth stance of the Nameless Sword Art!

Both were at the World level, both had reached the pinnacle of the Dao of the Sword, yet their sword arts still differed in quality.

For instance, Northrest relied on an Eternal divine weapon to reach the peak of World Gods! But among the true prodigies that Mangya Kingdom had scoured from the endless territories, some could reach the peak of World Gods even using Dao artifacts! Some were even more terrifying.

This was the gap in sword arts.

In terms of sword art mastery, many on Star Island surpassed Ji Ning! Ji Ning himself understood this. After all, he had been cultivating for too short a time; he had broken through to the World level too recently. If others knew that Ji Ning had reached the pinnacle in less than a thousand years after becoming a World God, they would probably be dumbfounded.

Others won't look at how long you've cultivated, only at how strong you actually are.

My advantage is the power and speed granted by the azure flower mist force, comparable to a one-step Daolord! My weakness is my sword art...

I need to acquire a complete sword art inheritance as soon as possible; it will help my sword art. Ji Ning thought to himself.

What could be called an inheritance was very detailed, with step-by-step cultivation guidance. The Nameless Sword Art Ji Ning had obtained was merely a fragment, not an inheritance.

On the contrary, when Northrest World God painstakingly carved so many 'sword art stone steles', step by step guiding Ji Ning to comprehend the first stance of the Nameless Sword Art, 'Heartsword Stance'—that kind of detailed guidance was truly an inheritance, that was what 'teaching' meant!

This was the inheritance left by Northrest World God.

As for the two sword art inheritances among the ninety-nine inheritances on Star Island, they were left by a Daolord of Life and Death... One must know that after Ji Ning left the Three Realms, he had never encountered any truly formidable sword master to guide him; he had always been cultivating on his own.

...

Hmm? Ji Ning, immersed in sword art contemplation, suddenly stirred. Someone's coming?

He had long refined Star Island, so he could easily sense an outsider entering.

Even I am restricted and cannot leave Star Island. At this time, coming to my island... it should be someone from Mangya Kingdom. Ji Ning placed his brush on the rack and instantly left the Haoguang House.

Putting away the Haoguang House, Ji Ning walked out of the meditation room, then out of his small courtyard, and saw a figure standing outside.

An old man in cyan armor stood with his hands behind his back. When Ji Ning opened the courtyard gate, he turned to look and smiled: I am Liuyan, from the Thunder Palace of the Twelve Palaces.

Ji Ning was startled—the old man before him was a Daolord of Life and Death! He quickly said: Beiming pays respects to Senior Liuyan.

Beiming? The old man in cyan armor nodded slightly and praised: Brother Beiming, impressive. You've only been on Star Island for three months and already risen to the fourth level, and now you've won six consecutive matches on the fourth level.

Still lacking; I need ten consecutive wins to rise to the fifth level. Ji Ning said.

Generally, those who come to Star Island, after repeated tempering and obtaining some inheritances, tend to improve in strength. The old man in cyan armor said. You've just arrived and already won six straight on the fourth level; I believe rising to the fifth level won't be difficult for you.

Ji Ning understood this as well.

One precious thing about Star Island was that there were many astonishing World-level cultivators. In the endless territories, it was very hard to find a suitable opponent. Even a being surpassing the peak of World Gods would find it extremely difficult to find another similarly transcendent being.

But on Star Island, large numbers of powerful World-level cultivators gathered; one could find opponents of equal strength or slightly stronger—all were available! Moreover, losing here could cost one's life, which also forced one to tap into potential. Thus, cultivators who came here and survived generally increased their strength by a notch.

Only by breaking into the fifth level could one gain protection. But how many on the entire Star Island had broken into the fifth level?

Please sit, Senior. Ji Ning pointed to the side. Outside the courtyard were wooden tables and stools, which Ji Ning had placed there. He often liked to sit here drinking wine and watching the many other floating Star Islands outside.

Daolord Liuyan sat down.

"Please." Ji Ning sat across from him and helped pour the wine.

"I know you are skilled in the art of lightning," said Lord Liuyan.

"Senior, you know?" Ji Ning was surprised. Although he had fought many battles on Star Island, he had only used lightning techniques in two recent ones; his earlier opponents were too weak and he had never used them.

"I have records of every battle you fought on Star Island," Lord Liuyan said with a smile. "It is precisely because we know each of your battles and what you excel at that the Twelve Palaces can select people."

"Twelve Palaces?" Ji Ning was puzzled.

Lord Liuyan smiled. "You were brought here by the Great Ruler and may not be fully aware. For some weak World-level cultivators, this might be a calamity, but for you, it is an opportunity. The Great Ruler... is an immensely powerful being who truly stands at the pinnacle of the endless territories. He has lived for an extremely long time and founded this 'Mangya Kingdom.'"

"Have you heard of the Dao Alliance?" Lord Liuyan asked.

"Yes," Ji Ning nodded.

"The Dao Alliance has the broadest sphere of influence, and almost all cultivators belong to it. Compared to the Dao Alliance, the Mangya Kingdom is more transcendent and mysterious," Lord Liuyan said. "The Mangya Kingdom rarely involves itself in various conflicts, so its relationship with the Dao Alliance is fairly good."

The Mangya Kingdom and the Dao Alliance had a good relationship?

Ji Ning breathed a sigh of relief, because the Heavenly Cloud Palace was part of the Dao Alliance. If the relationship were hostile, he would be in trouble. But since it was good, why did the Great Ruler seize World-level cultivators under the Dao Alliance?

"The Mangya Kingdom is mainly divided into the Imperial Clan and the Twelve Palaces," Lord Liuyan said. "The Imperial Clan is the Great Ruler's own race, few in number but powerful."

"The Great Ruler's own race?" Ji Ning suddenly thought of the terrifying giant beast that had abducted him.

Were they of the same race as that giant beast?

"Yes, the Imperial Clan is extremely scarce, but each member is immensely powerful. Of course, the Great Ruler is the strongest," Lord Liuyan said. "The Imperial Clan rarely appears. As for us, the Twelve Palaces, they are formed by all the powerful cultivators, Eternal clans, special lifeforms, and so on throughout the Mangya Kingdom."

"The Twelve Palaces are powerful. They are divided into the Blade Palace, Sword Palace, Light Palace, Life-and-Death Palace, Lightning Palace, Flame Palace, Heartforce Palace, Water Palace, Wood Palace, Metal Palace, Earth Palace, and Space-Time Palace," Lord Liuyan said. "Our Lightning Palace gathers almost all the great experts in the Mangya Kingdom who excel in the lightning path. Generations of experts have left many inheritances and insights in the palace, and now there are many Daolords. If you join, you can go further on the lightning path."

Ji Ning now fully understood.

At the top level of the Mangya Kingdom, the main entities were actually the Twelve Palaces. As for the Great Ruler and the Imperial Clan, the Great Ruler was certainly formidable, but the Imperial Clan... was too few in number.

The Twelve Palaces, however, had a steady stream of new talents joining. The cultivators and special lifeforms on Star Island, the best among them, would eventually join the Twelve Palaces.

"When you have gathered a complete set of inheritances and are qualified to leave, if you wish to join our Lightning Palace, you can crush this token," Lord Liuyan said, taking out a deep cyan token with faint lightning power on it and handing it directly to Ji Ning. "As soon as you crush it, I will sense it and come to pick you up immediately."

Ji Ning blinked. The Lightning Palace?

He was destined to walk the path of the sword! His lightning path was far inferior. His skill in lightning techniques came entirely from the 'Nine Source Divine Lightning,' one of the nine secret arts passed down by Daolord Wanshen.

"I know you are also skilled in swordsmanship. I guess you will have to choose between the Sword Palace and the Lightning Palace in the future. The Twelve Palaces will not force you; you can choose whichever you prefer," Lord Liuyan said, placing the token on the table.

"By the way."

Ji Ning's eyes suddenly lit up. "Senior, you said you know about every battle we fight?"

"Yes, that makes it easier for the Twelve Palaces to select," said Lord Liuyan.

"Then do you know of a female Chaos Immortal skilled in the fire path, with fifty-one insect beasts comparable to perfected World-level cultivators, and a set of eighteen powerful puppets, also comparable to perfected World-level?" Ji Ning quickly asked. "Her appearance is like this, and she came here in the same batch as me."

Ji Ning pointed at the void beside him, where an image of Su Youji immediately condensed.

"I don't know her appearance. As for the insect beasts, the eighteen puppets, and the female Chaos Immortal skilled in the fire path..." Lord Liuyan smiled. "Among the more than thirty thousand World-level cultivators who just arrived, there is indeed one who roughly matches that description."

Ji Ning breathed a sigh of relief. Found, he had found Su Youji!

...