Chapter 15 Preparations

Ji Ning was overjoyed. He finally knew the origin of the nameless sword art.

Palace Master Woodflower continued, “This sovereign, titled ‘Heartsword Sovereign,’ rose extremely quickly. For a time, he was the most dazzling figure in the entire endless territories. However, after shining brilliantly, he soon drifted away and wandered. His strength should be the closest to the three Overlords throughout endless ages to the present.”

“Mm.” Ji Ning nodded.

After mastering the seventh stance of the nameless sword art, he had discovered that in terms of pure swordplay, this ‘Heartsword Sovereign’ was on par with ‘Snowsword Sovereign.’ What made Heartsword Sovereign formidable was that he truly and perfectly integrated his heartforce with his sword art, greatly increasing the power of his sword strikes. He was likely far stronger than Snowsword Sovereign, and it was only natural that he could rival the three Overlords.

It wasn’t that Snowsword Sovereign was weak. When Snowsword Sovereign was at the World level, he created the ‘Reincarnation Stance’ and used it to break through to become a Daolord. If he had been in the Sword Pagoda Forest, creating the ‘Reincarnation Stance’ would have earned him the recognition of the Sword Pagoda! With such sword art, upon breaking through, a First Step Daolord could match an ordinary Second Step Daolord.

Of course, Betalaeru and Dong Xiu were even more monstrous. Upon breaking through, a First Step Daolord could match a Third Step Daolord. But the more difficult the path, the harder it was to become a Sovereign! The more monstrous one was, the harder it was to become a Sovereign. Throughout endless ages to the present, only the three Overlords had achieved it.

“What is his sword art called?” Ji Ning pressed.

“Before he drifted away and wandered, he left a complete set of sword art with the Dao Alliance, called the ‘Heartsword Art.’” Palace Master Woodflower said. “Only the Dao Alliance has this complete set.”

“Only the Dao Alliance has it?” Ji Ning was somewhat disappointed.

“Mm, because this is the only sword art that perfectly combines heartforce cultivators with the divine-mortal and qi-refining paths, and can achieve eternity.” Palace Master Woodflower said.

For the divine-mortal path, one could perfectly combine heartforce and sword art in close combat.

For the qi-refining path, one could also control flying swords, likewise perfectly combining heartforce and sword art.

“A sword art that can rival the Overlords, and the only one of its kind—naturally, the Dao Alliance won’t pass it on. No matter how great a price our Brightshore Kingdom pays, they won’t agree. This is no longer something that can be exchanged for treasures; it is the foundation and cornerstone of a power.” Palace Master Woodflower said. “What circulates outside are only fragments. How many stances did you obtain?”

“Only the first seven stances.” Ji Ning said.

Palace Master Woodflower was somewhat disappointed. “The first seven stances were created by Heartsword Sovereign before he became a Daolord, and they are the most widely circulated. I thought you had some special encounter. By the way, have you browsed the Ancient Library? Among the incomplete sword arts in the Ancient Library, there is the first ten stances of the ‘Heartsword Art.’”

“The Ancient Library has it?” Ji Ning was pleasantly surprised. After all, the Ancient Library housed far too many sword arts, with tens of millions of incomplete volumes. Each required divine sense to penetrate and examine. Even if one merely skimmed through them all, at a rate of a thousand volumes per day, it would take a hundred years.

“Our Brightshore Kingdom paid a price to acquire the first ten stances for public dissemination.” Palace Master Woodflower said. “Since you are a cultivator, you will likely have dealings with the Dao Alliance in the future. Then you can go to the Dao Alliance and spend some chaos nectar to fully memorize the complete ‘Heartsword Art.’”

Ji Ning nodded. As a member of the Skylight Palace, he indeed had a close relationship with the Dao Alliance.

“Prepare well. In a little over a hundred years, only four of the twelve palaces will obtain that opportunity.” Palace Master Woodflower smiled and added a reminder.

…

After parting with Palace Master Woodflower, Ji Ning immediately headed to the Ancient Library. Among the tens of millions of sword arts in the Ancient Library, Ji Ning’s divine sense swept and soon discovered a jade slip with the words ‘Heartsword Art.’ In the past, Ji Ning hadn’t known, but now he knew that the Heartsword Art was the nameless sword art.

“It really is this.” Taking the jade slip, he infused it with divine sense, and information surged into his memory. It was indeed the first ten stances. The slip also contained an introduction to this sword art.

The complete sword art had fifteen stances. The first seven were created by Heartsword Sovereign before he became a Daolord! He became a Daolord by relying on the seventh stance, and later became an Eternal Sovereign by relying on the fifteenth stance.

“It becomes more and more profound and mysterious.” Ji Ning sighed as he looked at the later three stances. In fact, even a fool could see that the first stance of this sword art was the ‘Heartsword Stance.’

The Heartsword Stance required an extremely high state of mind, needing to comprehend the Heartsword World and absolute control over the sword.

Each subsequent stance demanded high requirements for both sword and heart.

The sixth stance… ‘Spiritual Connection Like a Thread.’ This spiritual connection domain was even more profound and mysterious than the ‘Heartsword World,’ giving a feeling of heart-to-heart connection.

The seventh stance was even better, called ‘Heart of the World,’ directly drawing upon heartforce to perfectly align. With one sword strike, it was like the tears of a beloved.

“His sword art is not particularly high among sword path grandmasters.” Ji Ning had seen much in the Sword Pagoda Forest and had a high眼界. “But the mystery of combining heartforce and sword art is worth exploring.”

…

The twelve palaces, Flame Palace.

“Have you heard? A World-level cultivator named Northmont in the Sword Palace gained the recognition of the ancient pagoda today.”

“Ah, a World-level cultivator gaining recognition from the ancient pagoda? Truly monstrous.”

“The Sword Palace now has seven Sword Lords, right?”

Some black-armored Daolords patrolling also chatted among themselves. News spread very quickly among the twelve palaces. A World-level cultivator gaining recognition from the ancient pagoda—there were only a little over sixty in the entire twelve palaces, and such a thing generally occurred only once in a hundred million years. Those who gained recognition from the ancient pagoda were destined to be no ordinary Daolords in the future.

“Truly monstrous. We can’t even enter the Flame Palace, but those monstrous ones can gain recognition from the ancient pagoda within the twelve palaces.” The World-level cultivators gathered at the entrance of the Flame Palace soon discussed it, sighing with emotion.

“Fellow Daoist, what does gaining recognition from the ancient pagoda mean?” Immediately, a tall, thin youth with green hair asked.

“Let me tell you. Those who join the twelve palaces as World-level cultivators are nothing special. Some of them can’t even become Daolords! Those who have attained a high enough level of enlightenment and can become Daolords at any time are still nothing special! Only those whose level is high enough to resonate with the ancient pagoda are noteworthy. It is said that if such a World-level cultivator is willing to break through, once they become a First Step Daolord, they can match an ordinary Second Step Daolord.”

“What? They can become Daolords at any time if they wish? And they can match a Second Step Daolord?” Many World-level cultivators were shocked, discussing it animatedly.

“Hmm?”

“Northmont?”

Among the crowd of World-level cultivators outside the Flame Palace trying to pass the trials to join, two were familiar with Ji Ning. One was Fire Fairy Su Youji, and the other was the World God Danbao. They had tried many times over the years but still couldn’t pass the trials to enter the Flame Palace.

“Master has gained recognition from the ancient pagoda?” Fire Fairy Su Youji was overjoyed. “Too amazing! Master is too amazing!” Ignoring everything else, she turned and left, hurrying toward the spacetime teleportation array in the distance to return to the Sword Palace. Since her master had such great news, how could she, as his follower, not go to congratulate him?

“Brother Northmont?” The chubby World God Danbao was also startled. “Sword Palace—it must be my brother Northmont. He told me he wanted to join the Sword Palace. How many World-level cultivators can there be in the Sword Palace? It’s unlikely for dao titles to repeat. Sigh, I’ve been here all these years and still can’t enter the Flame Palace. I might as well follow Brother Northmont.”

World God Danbao quickly made a decision. He also turned and left, heading for the spacetime teleportation array. Even if he didn’t follow Ji Ning, Ji Ning had shown him kindness, so he should go and congratulate him on his breakthrough.

…

“Whoosh.” Su Youji, World God Danbao, and others waited several hours before taking the spacetime teleportation array from the Flame Palace to the Sword Palace.

Su Youji walked directly into the Sword Palace. As Ji Ning’s servant, she could enter and exit the Sword Palace.

World God Danbao, who had arrived at the Sword Palace with Su Youji, said to the black-armored Daolord blocking the way, “Senior, I wish to see Sword Lord Northmont. I am his friend.”

“See Sword Lord Northmont?” Su Youji, walking ahead, turned back to look at the chubby World God Danbao.

…

A moment later.

At the peak of a mountain within the Sword Palace, inside an immortal estate.

Ji Ning, Su Youji, and World God Danbao were all seated.

“Youji, this is the World God Danbao I mentioned to you.” Ji Ning smiled. “On Starcloud Island, he was the first to fight me.”

World God Danbao felt somewhat ashamed and quickly said, “I was truly overestimating myself back then. Fortunately, Brother Northmont showed mercy, or I would have lost my life.”

Ji Ning laughed. “This can be considered fate between us.”

“Yes, yes, fate.” World God Danbao grinned at Ji Ning. “Brother Northmont, I have nowhere else to go in Brightshore Kingdom. After trying many times over the years, I still haven’t been able to enter the Flame Palace. So I’ve come to seek refuge and follow you. I wonder if I have that fortune?”

“Follow me?” Ji Ning was taken aback, then laughed. “If you don’t mind, I welcome it. A master alchemist like you—others would beg for the chance.”

“It’s settled then.” World God Danbao very straightforwardly swore a lifeblood oath, a common oath of allegiance in the endless territories. The binding power of a follower oath was not too great. Now that Ji Ning could become a Daolord at any time and was no ordinary Daolord, such an existence was absolutely qualified for World God Danbao to follow.

“Danbao greets Master.” World God Danbao stood up and bowed respectfully.

“Enough, enough. There’s no need for such formalities between us.” Ji Ning smiled. He had felt a liking for World God Danbao the first time he saw him. This chubby, fair-skinned, red-lipped youth, like a baby, showed everything on his face. Such a childlike heart was rare among World-level cultivators.

“Ah, finally I have a backer. These years in Brightshore Kingdom have been really stifling.” World God Danbao sighed emotionally.

“Fire Fairy, we met without knowing each other, but now we both follow the same master.” World God Danbao looked at Fire Fairy Su Youji and said.

“Mm.” Fire Fairy Su Youji nodded.

“Can’t you say a few more words?” World God Danbao was helpless. Fire Fairy Su Youji glanced at him, smiled, and said nothing more.

Ji Ning then said, “By the way, I have something I need you two to do.”

“Master, please command.” World God Danbao and Fire Fairy Su Youji quickly said. Su Youji was even somewhat excited; Ji Ning rarely asked her to do things.

“There is a great opportunity, and I have a slight hope of obtaining it, so I naturally must prepare as best I can.” Ji Ning said. “I plan to sell a treasure, the Bloodflame Cloudfruit! I need you two to help.”

The Bloodflame Cloudfruit was the most valuable treasure he currently had.