Chapter 34: The Black-Robed Powerhouse

On Star Island, a gentle breeze blew through the void.

Ji Ning was in a good mood, examining the golden scroll, when suddenly his expression changed: "A challenge to me?"

Since ascending to the fourth level, this was the first time a peer on the same level had challenged him! Because those on the fourth level were generally only one step away from breaking into the fifth level, they were extremely cautious and would not easily engage in battle with unfamiliar peers of the same level. They would usually gather as much intelligence as possible and only fight after sufficient preparation.

"He's actually under protection?" Ji Ning frowned. "In the entire Star Island region, there are no more than twenty who are protected! Each one's strength is unfathomable, and he challenges me..."

"Wait."

"Just wait."

Ji Ning closed his eyes and began to wait calmly.

Because only one challenge could be issued per day, he had long since issued a challenge to an unprotected opponent on the fourth level. But the opponent might not accept. The higher the level, the harder it was to find a peer to fight.

Especially those on the fourth level who were unprotected!

Because they were very close to breaking into the fifth level, they were all very cautious. They would defeat some opponents on the second or third level, not kill them, but force them to swear oaths that they must accept a challenge when issued, promising not to harm their lives.

Thus, when a fourth-level powerhouse received a challenge from a peer, they could immediately issue a challenge to a second- or third-level opponent who had sworn a life oath, thereby avoiding the fight.

Avoiding once, twice, three times, four times... but after many times, accidents could happen. That second- or third-level opponent might have already accepted a challenge from someone else, making it impossible to accept another, which wouldn't violate the oath.

So Ji Ning could only successfully challenge someone about once every half month. The rest were failures.

"Hope this time it works."

"If there's no need, I really don't want to fight a protected opponent before ascending to the fifth level," Ji Ning thought to himself.

He was unprotected while the opponent was protected; the psychological state in battle was completely different.

...

Time passed minute by minute.

"Hum."

A message came from the golden scroll. The one Ji Ning had actively challenged was already fighting another World-level cultivator.

"Avoiding battle again." This was actually within Ji Ning's expectations. After all, he only succeeded about once every half month, and the probability of failure was high.

"I have to accept the challenge."

"Let's see just how strong a protected one really is." Ji Ning only knew from the golden scroll that the opponent was a special lifeform, under protection, and had quite a few inheritance treasures.

He knew nothing else.

Through the golden scroll, Ji Ning crushed the opponent's challenge message, indicating acceptance.

Then he walked directly into one of the huts. Inside, there were numerous divine runes. When Ji Ning stood in the center of the room, the runic formation activated, and space shifted.

Hum~~~ Ji Ning vanished from the room.

...

It was still a sea island, lush and beautiful. Ji Ning appeared on a small hill on the island, and with a single glance he could see the distant sandy beach and the vast blue sea.

"Hum." On the same small hill, only a hundred zhang away from Ji Ning, another figure appeared out of thin air—a figure completely shrouded in a black robe.

Ji Ning looked at his opponent.

The black-robed powerhouse also looked at Ji Ning. Under the black robe, only a pair of crimson eyes were visible.

"New to Star Island, ascended to the fourth level, and won nine consecutive battles on the fourth level," the black-robed powerhouse said in a cold voice. His gaze was utterly unlike that of a normal cultivator; those crimson eyes were even more terrifying than the eyes of some strange beasts Ji Ning had seen. Ji Ning also knew that the opponent was not a cultivator but a special lifeform.

"Impressive. Given enough time, you'd have a good chance of ascending to the fifth level. Too bad—you'll never have that chance," the black-robed powerhouse laughed. His laugh was harsh and grating.

"Hahaha... only one step away, yet you'll die here. Isn't that despairing? Hahaha..." The black-robed powerhouse laughed arrogantly. A chaotic aura of flames spread out; if a weaker cultivator were enveloped by this aura, they would likely fall into chaos and madness.

Ji Ning frowned. He had no enmity with this person, yet he wanted to cut off his path.

"Big words," Ji Ning said calmly.

"Boom." A black greatsword suddenly appeared in the black-robed powerhouse's right hand. Though called a sword, it had no blade. The波动 it emitted made Ji Ning feel an immense heaviness.

"Hahaha, since I dare say that, I naturally have the strength to take your life. You've been on Star Island far too short a time and haven't received enough tempering. Where else in the outside world is there an environment like Star Island, with so many prodigies to compete against? I'm afraid you won't even be able to block my first sword," the black-robed powerhouse cackled.

"Hmph."

A sharp glint flashed in Ji Ning's eyes, and a crimson-gold lightning bolt shot out from between his brows.

Ji Ning was somewhat angered by the black-robed powerhouse's words. Regardless of anything else, he would first give him a taste of the Nine Source Divine Lightning!

"Bang!"

The crimson-gold lightning was incredibly fast. The black-robed powerhouse couldn't dodge and was struck directly. His body trembled slightly, but he still stood there calmly.

"Impressive lightning, but using it on me is a mistake." The black-robed powerhouse completely ignored the Nine Source Divine Lightning. Despite the lightning binding him, he stood there calmly. The lightning that grazed the mountain rocks and ground instantly reduced them to powder.

"Die."

The black-robed powerhouse struck with his sword.

Ji Ning did not dare to be careless. The opponent knew he had won nine consecutive battles on the fourth level and still dared to say, "I'm afraid you won't even be able to block my first sword." This first sword must be extraordinary.

"Boom~~~" As the sword was unleashed, the sky above the entire island instantly darkened. Endless fire clouds gathered, and the terrifying momentum of the sword seemed to press the entire world down upon Ji Ning.

This sword, heavy as the boundless world, struck directly at Ji Ning.

"Myriad Gods Style!" A sharp glint flashed in Ji Ning's eyes, and he directly executed his most violent sword technique. As Ji Ning's sword realm improved, the Myriad Gods Style became increasingly extraordinary, drawing more and more of the Eternal Divine Weapon's innate power.

"Boom." "Boom." "Boom." "Boom." "Boom." "Boom."

Ji Ning manifested three heads and six arms.

All six divine swords transformed into six blood-colored vicious dragons, charging directly at the world-shaking might of the greatsword.

"Boom~~~"

When the first blood-colored vicious dragon collided with the opponent's greatsword, the dragon halted, but the opponent's greatsword was also sent flying backward.

"What!" The black-robed powerhouse exclaimed in shock.

"He does have some strength, no wonder he spoke so boldly," Ji Ning thought to himself, secretly startled. He had already infused his power with the Blueflower Mist, making his strength comparable to a One-Step Daolord, enough to make countless World-level cultivators look up to him. On top of that, he was using Eternal Divine Weapons and his strongest sword technique.

Few could withstand the sheer force of his sword head-on.

But the black-robed powerhouse's greatsword had blocked it! Of course, it only blocked one of Ji Ning's swords, and Ji Ning had six Eternal Divine Weapons.

One blood-colored vicious dragon halted and dissipated, but the other five vicious dragons continued to charge forward.

"How can this be—" The black-robed powerhouse was utterly shocked. A fiery red warblade appeared in his other hand, equally heavy. He now desperately wielded his pair of sword and blade, combining them in front of him to defend.

"Bang." "Bang." "Bang."...

Five vicious dragons, with overwhelming power.

Directly crushed and struck.

"Boom~~~"

The entire small hill collapsed, and the whole island split apart, with parts sinking.

As for the black-robed powerhouse, he was completely blasted by Ji Ning deep into the foundation of the island.

"Swoosh." But immediately, the black-robed powerhouse shot out of the sea, hovering in the air, staring at Ji Ning, who stood on a distant reef.

"Big words, but your strength is a bit lacking," Ji Ning said with a smile.

"You—" The black-robed powerhouse was furious.

His earlier arrogance had reason: he was a special lifeform with immense strength. Even as a World-level cultivator, he could unleash power comparable to a One-Step Daolord. Moreover, his two Eternal Divine Weapons were suited for exerting force. Normally, opponents on the fourth level dared not directly block his sword.

That was why he had been so confident! But he didn't know that many of Ji Ning's opponents had been directly crushed by him.

"Your sword is quite formidable, and your strength is not inferior to mine," the black-robed powerhouse said in a low voice. The crimson eyes under the black robe were filled with madness. "You're worthy of seeing my true form."

"Boom."

Suddenly, endless flames burst forth around the black-robed powerhouse—dark red flames. At this moment, he was like a god in the midst of the endless fire. At the same time, the black robe he wore vanished, revealing the body beneath...