Chapter 23: The Dust Has Settled

Watching Ji Ning advance past six hundred and eighty layers, Yin Feng Dao Lord felt helpless. The best performer from his Blade Palace, 'Red Snow Blade Lord', had stopped at six hundred and eighty layers. 'Feng Yi Xin Lord was already formidable, as expected. But Qing Heng's progress is astonishing—he's even better than Feng Yi. And now this Bei Ming appears.'

Ji Ning advanced step by step.

"Kill."

"Boom~~~"

The attacks of these ancient puppets were like heaven and earth collapsing, striking at Ji Ning from all directions.

As Ji Ning walked, the Yin-Yang Sword Intent Domain spread out, dark and chaotic, with faint flashes of lightning and water light visible. It covered ten thousand miles, and any enemy trying to approach him had to endure the invasion of the 'Yin-Yang Sword Intent Domain'.

"Break."

"Go."

Ji Ning's sword was sometimes ethereal and mysterious, sometimes heavy as a mountain. But his pace gradually slowed, the pressure clearly increasing.

"Six hundred and ninety layers, six hundred and ninety-five, six hundred and ninety-six..." Mu Hua Dao Lord's eyes showed surprise.

"He broke through seven hundred layers!"

Ji Ning continued to advance with difficulty, but his speed grew slower. Even with the Yin-Yang Sword Intent Domain, the increasingly terrifying puppets were becoming too much for him.

Boom~~~

At the seven hundred and fifth layer, Ji Ning's sword technique was finally broken. Though his sword technique was perfect and without flaw in its reincarnation, it still collapsed before absolute power.

...

Outside the Dao Lord Cloud Realm.

Ji Ning, in white robes, appeared somewhat disheveled, a hint of worry in his eyes. "I wonder if I can make it into the top four."

"But this time, my foray into the Dao Lord Cloud Realm went better than I expected. I actually broke through and comprehended a path of defense." Ji Ning was both satisfied and worried. His current sword technique realm was high, but his opponents were the prodigies of the Twelve Palaces. Only now, recalling his battle with Beta Leo, did he understand just how high Beta Leo's realm was!

Beta Leo's realm was probably still a notch above Ji Ning's current level. Because it was only a single notch, Ji Ning could now judge clearly. Back on Star Island, he had only felt that the other's realm was extremely high—how high, he couldn't say. At that time, Beta Leo hadn't even revealed his true form; just an incarnation had been enough to suppress Ji Ning.

"Now, even if Beta Leo goes all out, I have nothing to fear," Ji Ning thought to himself.

His Yin-Yang Sword Intent Domain specialized in defense! Even if an opponent was slightly stronger, he could hold them off.

"Bei Ming."

Suddenly a voice came from afar, reaching Ji Ning's ears.

"Hmm?" Ji Ning turned to look. It came from the direction of Mu Hua Palace Master's cave.

"Come to me quickly." Mu Hua Palace Master transmitted.

"Yes." Ji Ning immediately transformed into a streak of light and flew over. Soon he arrived before Mu Hua Palace Master's cave, where the latter was already standing at the entrance, smiling. "Bei Ming, come in."

"Senior apprentice-brother, what is it?" Ji Ning walked over, feeling a bit anxious about whether he could make the top four.

"Impressive! The Great Dominator and the others all saw your Sword Intent Domain." Mu Hua Palace Master beamed. He was overjoyed—his Sword Palace completely overpowering the Blade Palace was truly satisfying!

For endless ages, the Sword Palace and Blade Palace had been vying for supremacy.

"I just comprehended it. It's called the Yin-Yang Sword Intent Domain," Ji Ning said with a smile. "I was lucky. I had prepared sevenfold Dao Thunder and sevenfold Dao Water beforehand, and I could use them to manifest the domain. Otherwise, I'd have to use other treasures, and the power would be greatly reduced."

"The thunder and water are ordinary; it's your sword intent that's formidable," Mu Hua Palace Master praised.

Ji Ning smiled.

Even if he used only ordinary flying swords to manifest the Yin-Yang Sword Intent Domain, naturally condensing sword power, its power would still be twenty to thirty percent of the current domain formed by the 'Dao Thunder and Dao Water'. At his level, even by condensing sword power through mana, he could form a powerful domain.

"Without the Dao Thunder and Dao Water, I probably would have stopped around six hundred and ninety layers," Ji Ning said, then couldn't help asking, "Senior apprentice-brother, do I have a chance at the top four this time?"

Making the top four would grant him that great opportunity.

"Yes." Mu Hua Palace Master nodded. "A good chance. But the three-day period isn't over yet; other World-level cultivators are still challenging the Dao Lord Cloud Realm. Nothing is certain until the end."

"Mm." Ji Ning nodded. "So where am I ranked now?"

"You're second now," Mu Hua Palace Master said. "Qing Heng Imperial Prince is first, stopping at seven hundred and nineteen layers. Feng Yi Xin Lord is third, stopping at six hundred and ninety-two. Fourth is Red Snow Blade Lord, at six hundred and eighty."

"Red Snow?" Ji Ning was startled.

"What's wrong?" Mu Hua Palace Master asked.

"Nothing." Ji Ning quickly shook his head. "Just thought of an old acquaintance."

The strongest general under San Shou Dao Lord, who had once followed him and later became a disciple of Bodhi—'Red Snow'—shared the same Dao title as this Red Snow Blade Lord. But there were many with the same name; any mortal chaos world had countless duplicates, so it was normal for powerful cultivators to share Dao titles.

"Wasn't the Blade Palace boasting earlier?" Ji Ning asked.

"Haha, they were indeed boasting." Mu Hua Palace Master laughed, then sighed, "But they had reason to boast. Fourth to sixth are all from the Blade Palace. Feng Yi Xin Lord's strength was expected, but you and Qing Heng Imperial Prince were surprises."

"Qing Heng Imperial Prince?" Ji Ning listened carefully. He was curious about this person who had gone further than him at the Silver Cloud Realm altar.

"His strength has improved rapidly. He actually comprehended two supreme Daos," Mu Hua Palace Master remarked. "If he can combine those two supreme Daos, he might rival Dong Xiu and Beta Leo."

Ji Ning nodded.

Supreme Daos also needed to be combined.

Just as Ji Ning's Brightmoon Five Forms were now combined through 'Reincarnation Sword Intent'. If the sword techniques couldn't be perfectly integrated, there would naturally be flaws in battle.

A true expert must have strong defense to live long, and strong offense to kill enemies. If Ji Ning's offense were stronger, he could have advanced much further at the Silver Cloud Realm altar.

"Ah." Mu Hua Palace Master suddenly showed a look of shock.

"What is it?" Ji Ning looked at him.

"I'll tell you later." Mu Hua Palace Master didn't elaborate; his incarnation was clearly watching the battle in the imperial palace.

Ji Ning was curious about what Mu Hua Palace Master had seen. He suppressed his curiosity and waited silently. After a long while, Mu Hua Palace Master laughed: "Haha, those who rejoice too early indeed fall the hardest."

"Senior apprentice-brother?" Ji Ning spoke.

"A World-level cultivator from the Goodwater Palace, named 'Fire Jin Water Lord', actually advanced to six hundred and eighty-seven layers," Mu Hua Palace Master said.

"Isn't that more than the Blade Palace's Red Snow Blade Lord?" Ji Ning was stunned.

"Exactly. The top four—none from the Blade Palace made it." Mu Hua Palace Master laughed heartily. "How satisfying! Seeing Yin Feng's sour face just now was wonderful. Haha... that guy usually acts so smug in front of me."

Ji Ning also found it remarkable. The Blade Palace, which had made such a big show, ended up with nothing. But one couldn't judge the prodigies of the Twelve Palaces by common sense. Qing Heng, Bei Ming, and Fire Jin had all suddenly displayed such astonishing strength.

"He's from the Goodwater Palace, so why is his Dao title 'Fire Jin'?" Ji Ning asked curiously.

"He also cultivated from the mortal world. I heard he originally focused on fire, but due to some tribulations in his mortal sect, he discovered that water was his true path. As for the Dao title, it was set in his mortal days and never changed," Mu Hua Palace Master said. The World-level cultivators of the Twelve Palaces were few, and most knew each other's backgrounds.

Ji Ning nodded.

Some cultivators changed their Dao titles as they grew stronger. Ji Ning had set his Dao title 'Bei Ming' very early on and never changed it.

"Wait a bit longer. There's one last World-level cultivator challenging," Mu Hua Palace Master said.

After a short while.

"Alright, the results are out. Qing Heng Imperial Prince, you, Feng Yi Xin Lord, and Fire Jin Water Lord—you four have obtained this great opportunity," Mu Hua Palace Master said.

"What exactly is this great opportunity?" Though excited, Ji Ning was more curious about what it was. He only knew it was extraordinary, but no one knew the specifics.

"Don't ask. You'll know when you see the Great Dominator," Mu Hua Palace Master said.

"See the Great Dominator?" Ji Ning was startled.

"Yes. The Great Dominator has ordered an audience with you four. You can head to the imperial clan's location now," Mu Hua Palace Master said.

...