Chapter 58: Conclusion (End of This Volume)

"Big Brother." The East Smoke Sect Leader looked at his elder brother with a complex expression. Go and admit his mistake?

"I said, apologize to this Daoist!" Bat Dragon Lord's voice was low, his eyes full of anger, speaking each word deliberately.

Although the East Smoke Sect Leader was extremely displeased—even if this white-clad youth was indeed from the Twelve Palaces, so what? His big brother was also from the Twelve Palaces, and the Twelve Palaces forbade killing each other. Why apologize? But Bat Dragon Lord's tone just now made the East Smoke Sect Leader understand that his big brother was truly angry. Over the long years, he had grown accustomed to obeying his big brother.

"This time, it is my fault." The East Smoke Sect Leader bowed to Ji Ning. "I ask for your forgiveness, Daoist."

"I am Bat Dragon." Bat Dragon Lord looked at Ji Ning, speaking quite politely. "I can guess that my worthless younger brother must have done something to anger you, Daoist. I am willing to offer fifty thousand cubes of chaos liquid as compensation, hoping you will spare my brother."

As he spoke, a ring appeared in his hand.

"This ring contains ten thousand cubes of chaos liquid and two Eternal Divine Weapons, together worth fifty thousand cubes. I hope you won't mind, Daoist." Bat Dragon Lord said, and the ring flew toward Ji Ning.

Ji Ning was startled.

Apologizing as soon as he arrived, and even offering fifty thousand cubes of chaos liquid?

Ji Ning knew well that the other party was merely a Black-Armored Daoist, and one who had become a Daoist through the 'Heaven-Stealing Life-Death Pill' at that. He couldn't be very wealthy. Even if this treasure worth fifty thousand cubes wasn't all he had, it must have cost him dearly.

Ji Ning glanced at the ring but didn't rush to accept it.

First trying to kill Su Youji, then trying to kill him... Even after Ji Ning had swept through numerous World-level cultivators and even attacked the main hall, the East Smoke Sect Leader still refused to bow his head. He even used the sealing formation to prevent Ji Ning from leaving, waiting for his big brother to step in. How intense was his killing intent? Now, offering some compensation and letting it go just like that?

Although the other party's big brother was present, making it impossible for Ji Ning to do anything, he was unwilling to accept the ring.

Accepting it would mean the matter was resolved.

Ji Ning's fury from a day and night of frenzied attacks was not so easily dispelled.

"You will immediately swear a lifeblood oath." After sending the ring, Bat Dragon Lord turned to the East Smoke Sect Leader and shouted, "Arrive at the Nine-Head Dragon Mountain within a thousand years and mine for a hundred chaos cycles. I see that being the East Smoke Sect Leader has made you forget your place. Go mining to clear your head."

"Mining for a hundred chaos cycles?" The East Smoke Sect Leader immediately became furious.

"Big Brother!" The East Smoke Sect Leader's face was full of anger and resentment.

"Did you not hear what I said? Quickly swear the lifeblood oath." Bat Dragon Lord shouted.

The East Smoke Sect Leader was both anxious and angry: "Big Brother, why fear this brat? Even if he is from the Twelve Palaces, so wha—"

"Slap!"

Bat Dragon Lord struck him again with a heavy slap, even harder than before. The East Smoke Sect Leader was sent flying backward, crashing into the hall wall, which was now stained with blood. He fell to the ground and looked at his big brother.

Seeing this, Bat Dragon Lord sent a telepathic message urgently: "Would I harm you?"

The East Smoke Sect Leader sobered up a bit, but still couldn't understand. He telepathically replied, "But big brother, why? He's just a World-level cultivator. Offering fifty thousand cubes of chaos liquid is already an honor. And now you want me to mine for a hundred chaos cycles at the Nine-Head Dragon Mountain? How tedious! Although it's relatively safe, there are occasional dangers."

As the East Smoke Sect Leader, he was well aware of the legendary Nine-Head Dragon Mountain.

The Nine-Head Dragon Mountain was not in the Mangya Kingdom but in a dangerous region of the Endless Territories, now exclusively occupied by the Mangya Kingdom. Mining there was forbidden from killing each other, making it quite safe. However, the mountain itself occasionally had harsh environments, and one had to mine regardless, so deaths did occur occasionally, though the mortality rate was extremely low.

"And with you here, big brother, what can he do to me? You're also from the Twelve Palaces." The East Smoke Sect Leader telepathically said.

"Foolish."

Bat Dragon Lord said, "He is from the Twelve Palaces, and I am from the Twelve Palaces, but... it's different."

"I broke through using the Heaven-Stealing Life-Death Pill, becoming a Black-Armored Daoist, the lowest-ranked Daoist in the Twelve Palaces." Bat Dragon Lord looked at his brother, telepathically explaining some secrets of the Twelve Palaces. "Do you think that in the Twelve Palaces, the status of a terrifying Daoist with immense power, feared even by other forces in the Endless Territories, is the same as mine—a Daoist who broke through with the Heaven-Stealing Life-Death Pill and can never advance another step?"

"He can't do anything to you anyway, big brother." The East Smoke Sect Leader vaguely understood but still insisted stubbornly.

"Wrong." Bat Dragon Lord telepathically said, "You don't understand. In the Twelve Palaces, killing each other is forbidden. But if there is a deep grudge, mediation is usually attempted. If mediation fails, then it becomes a life-and-death duel!"

"Ah..." The East Smoke Sect Leader immediately became excited, telepathically saying, "He should be afraid of you. If it's a life-and-death duel, how could he be a match for you, big brother?"

"Wrong again. I, a lowliest Black-Armored Daoist who broke through with the Heaven-Stealing Life-Death Pill, am not qualified for a life-and-death duel." Bat Dragon Lord telepathically said, "The mediation is handled by the Palace Lords, Vice Palace Lords, and other great figures of the Twelve Palaces. If they mediate, would I dare to refuse? I have no future and the lowest status, but this Bei Ming, being recruited into the Twelve Palaces, truly has a bright future. If he breaks through, he will soon become a Second Step Daoist, and even continue to rise."

"Someone like me... is usually just a follower or attendant to some powerful Daoist." Bat Dragon Lord sighed. "Brother, you must understand. In the Twelve Palaces, those of us who broke through with the Heaven-Stealing Life-Death Pill are looked down upon. I only follow Daoist Huilan, and other Daoists treat me with some respect because of him."

"Ah." The East Smoke Sect Leader was stunned, as his big brother rarely spoke to him about the Twelve Palaces.

"It's normal. We couldn't break through on our own and relied on the Heaven-Stealing Life-Death Pill. To go from First Step to Second Step Daoist on our own? Even more impossible." Bat Dragon Lord telepathically said, "So I tried every way to resolve your grudge with him. Otherwise, even if he can't kill you now, once he becomes a Daoist in the future, he will have plenty of ways to deal with you."

"By the way, how did you and he come to conflict?" Bat Dragon Lord asked.

"It started because of his follower, one called Fire Fairy..." The East Smoke Sect Leader dared not hide anything and honestly recounted everything from beginning to end.

"Foolish! His divine sense overwhelmed three hundred World-level cultivators' divine senses! Such power is rare even among the World-level cultivators recruited by the Twelve Palaces. How dare you offend such a prodigy?" Bat Dragon Lord was truly angry. "And that's not all. He forcefully broke through the formation restrictions and even furiously attacked the protective restrictions of your main hall. He broke seven of the eight layers! Such power! If you had quickly opened the sealing formation, he would have left. But you insisted on tangling with him for a day and a night. And did he really attack so frenziedly for a whole day and night?"

"Yes, without stopping." The East Smoke Sect Leader was starting to feel afraid.

"Such frenzy sustained for a day and night?" Bat Dragon Lord was even more furious. "No wonder his killing intent was so strong. I sensed it as soon as I arrived. Even when I gave him the ring, he didn't accept it directly. Ever since I became a Daoist and made you the leader of this branch sect, you've forgotten who you are! If you keep acting so recklessly, even if you escape this time, you'll lose your life next time."

"I, I... what should I do?" The East Smoke Sect Leader looked at his big brother.

"What I fear most is that this Bei Ming holds grudges." Bat Dragon Lord said, "You should quickly swear the oath and go to the Nine-Head Dragon Mountain. The Nine-Head Dragon Mountain is a key mining site ordered by the great Lord, and no one dares to target you there. After a hundred chaos cycles, this matter will fade. If he still holds a grudge after a hundred chaos cycles... that would be too much. Then I would have a reason to ask Daoist Huilan for help."

...

The East Smoke Sect Leader was fully awake. He understood that even his big brother was just a small figure in the Twelve Palaces. If this Bei Ming truly held a grudge, he would indeed be in trouble.

"Daoist Bei Ming, I was blinded by greed." The East Smoke Sect Leader looked at Ji Ning, bowed respectfully, and then solemnly began to swear a lifeblood oath: "I swear by my life that I, Huo Long, will arrive at the Nine-Head Dragon Mountain within a thousand years and mine there for a hundred chaos cycles as an apology to Daoist Bei Ming. If I break this oath, may my true spirit scatter and I perish."

Ji Ning was stunned.

In truth, he was not afraid of Bat Dragon Lord, because he now possessed the strength of a 'Black-Armored Daoist,' and the two were evenly matched, especially since Ji Ning was only a World-level cultivator.

But Ji Ning also understood that with Bat Dragon Lord's protection, it was already very difficult to deal with the East Smoke Sect Leader. Yet the other party not only offered compensation but also went to mine at the Nine-Head Dragon Mountain for a hundred chaos cycles? That was an extremely long time, longer than many cultivators' entire lives. Ji Ning could also feel that Bat Dragon Lord truly cared for his brother.

"Let the matter rest here." Ji Ning accepted the ring, indicating that he agreed to settle the matter. "I won't stay any longer. Farewell."

Ji Ning then left the main hall.

Watching Ji Ning accept the ring and leave, Bat Dragon Lord breathed a sigh of relief. The matter was settled.

...

Outside the main hall, Ji Ning saw Fairy Qingfan.

"Fairy Qingfan." Ji Ning looked at her and waved his hand, sending a communication talisman flying toward her.

Fairy Qingfan stared blankly at the talisman before her.

"The matter is resolved. I believe Bat Dragon Lord will not pursue it... But if you encounter trouble, crush the talisman, and I will come as quickly as possible." Ji Ning said. In this matter, Fairy Qingfan had indeed shown kindness to Fire Fairy.

"Mm." Holding the talisman, Fairy Qingfan nodded.

Ji Ning then soared into the air, transforming into a streak of light and flying into the distance. The sealing formation in the sky had long been removed. Ji Ning quickly reached the distant horizon, rapidly moving away through the clouds.

Watching Ji Ning leave, Fairy Qingfan silently clutched the talisman, thinking to herself: "If I had asked to follow him just now, he might have agreed. Perhaps my path of cultivation would have been different..."

The path of cultivation is always one's own choice.

Different choices lead to different outcomes.

...

Standing at the entrance of the main hall, watching Ji Ning disappear into the distance, Bat Dragon Lord breathed a sigh of relief. Then he looked at his brother beside him and said, "Prepare quickly. I will send you off today to the Nine-Head Dragon Mountain."

"Leaving today?" The East Smoke Sect Leader hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I'll go prepare." With that, he turned and left.

"This Bei Ming doesn't seem like a wicked person. This matter should truly be over." Bat Dragon Lord watched his brother's retreating figure. "It's good. Let Huo Long go to the Nine-Head Dragon Mountain and temper his character. But the Nine-Head Dragon Mountain does have occasional dangers... Mm, I'll request to be a guard there and secretly look after him."

The Nine-Head Dragon Mountain had miners and also guards.

Such boring guard duty was almost always handled by Black-Armored Daoists, as more powerful Daoists were out exploring and wouldn't do such work.

"I'll watch over him secretly, without letting him know." Bat Dragon Lord made his decision.

...

With the matter at the East Smoke Branch Sect resolved, Ji Ning took Su Youji and the others aboard the flying boat and continued onward. After flying for another five months, they finally saw the Twelve Palaces in the distance.

"So beautiful." Su Youji looked into the distance from the flying boat.

Ji Ning also gazed into the distance.

In the distant sky, twelve massive palace complexes could be seen floating high in the air. At the center was a faint black hole, its edges emitting boundless golden light. Those twelve palace complexes were the Twelve Palaces. They appeared close together, but in reality, the spaces between them were layered, separated by trillions of miles. It was only through the great Lord's extraordinary means that they seemed gathered together, forming the Mangya Kingdom's most顶尖 formation.

Even an Eternal Emperor, without permission, could not enter the gates of the Twelve Palaces.

"To the Sword Palace." Ji Ning said with a smile.

Swoosh.

The flying boat swiftly flew toward the Sword Palace of the Twelve Palaces.

(End of This Volume)