Chapter 47: Kindness

"Something's still missing." Ji Ning sat on the waves, frowning, as the shadow of his sword in midair continuously practiced sword techniques.

"That's not right. I've clearly comprehended all five strongest Daos and perfectly combined them." Ji Ning practiced the sword techniques again and again. "But why do I always feel something is lacking..."

"What exactly is missing?"

Ji Ning practiced the sword techniques over and over.

"Ah!" After practicing for five full days and nights without any clue, Ji Ning couldn't help but let out an angry roar, which echoed through the cave-heaven. The once turbulent sea suddenly sank, becoming completely calm as if frozen, not a single wave stirring.

"Whoosh." Ji Ning exhaled, and the frozen sea surface returned to normal, rippling once more.

"I've been too impatient." Ji Ning murmured softly.

It wasn't entirely his fault.

He had originally believed his sword Dao was the strongest, but now he suddenly realized something was missing—it probably wasn't truly the ultimate sword Dao. This naturally spurred him on!

"Discovering a flaw in my sword Dao is a good thing. Better than not finding it at all." Ji Ning calmed down. "I'll just focus on comprehending the sword techniques. Perhaps with time, a breakthrough will come naturally."

"I've already perfectly combined five strongest Daos. If I break through again..."

"I've never heard of such a thing." Ji Ning was puzzled.

Prodigies like Betaeru and Dong Xiu had generally comprehended several strongest Daos and then perfectly combined them, representing a limit. This was the consensus of many mighty cultivators! Ji Ning had thought so too, but now he suddenly realized this wasn't the true ultimate.

...

In the following years, Ji Ning devoted more attention to the sword, though he also studied the alchemy techniques of the "Seven Chapters of the Dan Leaf."

Time in the Third Leaf realm quickly passed into the fifty-thousandth year...

"Finally done."

"Incredible. As a World-level cultivator, I've actually mastered the Fourth-Level Divine Thunder."

Ji Ning stood atop a mountain peak. A glint flashed in his eyes, and a golden lightning bolt shot forth.

This sharp, golden lightning was the newly mastered 'Fourth-Level Divine Thunder'! When Ji Ning first learned alchemy techniques, he had smoothly mastered the Third-Level Divine Thunder and Fourth-Level Divine Water. Now, after spending over five million years on alchemy techniques, his skill had greatly improved.

In terms of alchemy technique alone, Ji Ning was now stronger than Dan Bao. After all, Dan Bao studied the third chapter, while Ji Ning studied the seventh!

"Wan Shen Daolord once said that a Daolord of the first step might hope to master the Third-Level Divine Thunder." Ji Ning smiled. "But I, a World-level cultivator, have mastered the Fourth-Level Divine Thunder. Haha..."

The power of his blue flower mist rivaled a Daolord's divine power.

Only with such extraordinary alchemy techniques could such a miracle occur.

"Now I have the Fourth-Level Divine Thunder and Fourth-Level Divine Water." Ji Ning willed it.

Boom~~~ Boom~~~ Boom~~~ Boom~~~

Above the mountain peak, dazzling golden lightning and translucent, green-tinged water rampaged through the air, forming a terrifying Sword Intent Domain! This 'Yin-Yang Sword Intent Domain' was now Ji Ning's strongest killing move. Even the crudest assault with the Fourth-Level Divine Thunder and Fourth-Level Divine Water could severely wound a Daolord of the second step.

Now, with the Sword Intent Domain, he could even kill a Daolord of the second step!

...

This was the limit for Ji Ning's divine thunder and divine water. He had no hope of mastering the 'Fifth-Level Divine Water' now; he would probably have to become a Daolord first.

A little over a thousand years after Ji Ning mastered the Fourth-Level Divine Thunder.

"Master, master, I've done it! I've done it!" Dan Bao the World God came running to find Ji Ning.

"Come with me."

After confirming that Dan Bao the World God had fully mastered the third chapter, Ji Ning immediately took him out of the cave-heaven world to pay respects to Dan Zunzhe.

...

"Come in."

The dark, icy cave dwelling made Ji Ning involuntarily shiver. He sighed inwardly—why did Dan Zunzhe keep herself isolated here? Why bother?

Thinking this, Ji Ning led Dan Bao the World God into the cave dwelling.

Before the massive alchemy furnace.

Dan Zunzhe sat cross-legged, her black gauze robe spread on the ground.

"Beiming." Dan Zunzhe looked at Ji Ning, her gaze softening.

"Greetings, Zunzhe." Ji Ning said respectfully, while Dan Bao the World God obediently knelt and bowed.

"Sit." Dan Zunzhe instructed.

Though told to sit, Ji Ning and Dan Bao simply sat cross-legged. Dan Bao the World God glanced at Dan Zunzhe but dared not stare. He was somewhat puzzled—though he saw her clearly, he couldn't quite make out her features.

"Zunzhe." Ji Ning spoke.

"If you don't mind, call me Master Dan." Dan Zunzhe said.

"Master Dan." Ji Ning naturally obeyed. He had already vaguely understood the relationship between Dan Zunzhe and the deceased Lord, as well as some of her emotions.

Dan Zunzhe nodded. "You brought this little one today because of the 'Seven Chapters of the Dan Leaf'?"

Ji Ning nodded. "He is my follower, 'Dan Bao the World God.' I have taught him the first three chapters, and he has fully learned them, so I brought him here."

"Refine a batch of Thousand-Curve Pills." Dan Zunzhe glanced at Dan Bao the World God, her gaze calm. In truth, she didn't care much about alchemy prodigies. Mighty cultivators at the Lord level were not keen on taking disciples. Since they could live for endless eons, why bother?

Only when she saw an extraordinary genius and truly liked them would she consider taking them as a disciple. Her feelings toward Ji Ning were special, and by extension, she gave Dan Bao a chance.

"Yes." Dan Bao the World God understood this was the moment that would decide his fate. He immediately began alchemy nearby. Seeing the vast lake of Chaos Liquid nearby, he was somewhat stunned.

Dan Bao was very meticulous, and the batch of pills turned out quite well.

"Not bad. Beiming, how long did it take your follower to learn the first three chapters?" Dan Zunzhe asked.

"He has been in my cave-heaven world with a hundredfold time acceleration, so in real time, it's over five million years." Ji Ning answered honestly. Lying before such a mighty cultivator was the stupidest thing to do.

Dan Zunzhe frowned slightly.

Over five million years? Just to learn the first three chapters?

In her eyes, this was slow! The disciples she took were usually top-tier geniuses like Betaeru and Ji Ning. Though Dan Bao had high talent in alchemy, he still fell short.

"You will be my nominal disciple." Dan Zunzhe said calmly. "I will teach you the first six chapters of the 'Seven Chapters of the Dan Leaf.' Swear an oath not to pass them on."

"Yes." Dan Bao was overjoyed.

Learning six chapters was already remarkable.

Dan Zunzhe bestowed a golden talisman, which merged into Dan Bao's body upon contact, pouring information into his memory and even forcing him to swear a lifeblood oath. Clearly, her treatment of Dan Bao was not as gentle as it had been with Ji Ning.

"Thank you, Master." Dan Bao, having fully memorized the content, was ecstatic and kowtowed respectfully in gratitude.

Even the first six chapters far surpassed Wan Shen Daolord's knowledge. Many of the pills described in the first six chapters could only be refined by Eternal Emperors.

"You are Beiming's follower. Henceforth, serve him well. If you slack off, do not blame me for being ruthless." Dan Zunzhe said.

"This disciple understands." Dan Bao said respectfully. He had guessed that this opportunity was largely due to Ji Ning.

"Thank you, Master Dan." Ji Ning was also grateful. Dan Zunzhe had indeed been good to him.

"Qi Huo is forging your lifebound divine weapon. It should be completed within ten thousand years." Dan Zunzhe looked at Ji Ning. "I can vaguely deduce that you will leave once you obtain your lifebound divine weapon."

"Yes." Ji Ning nodded respectfully.

"According to my deduction, after you leave this time, it may be a long while before we meet again." Dan Zunzhe said. "So be careful on your path of cultivation. If you truly encounter great danger, you may invoke my name—it might be of some use. Also... the methods of mighty cultivators are vast and varied. Do not rely on any single means of survival."

"For instance, I have calculated that you have a second true body. But if some mighty cultivator wishes to kill you, they could use a karma technique to annihilate all your true spirits, whether your main body or second true body." Dan Zunzhe said. "The power of karma techniques is similar to lifeblood oaths—they can use the connections in the unseen to destroy all your avatars and true spirits."

Ji Ning was secretly horrified. Breaking a lifeblood oath would annihilate all bodies and avatars.

But he hadn't expected there to be similar attack methods! This was terrifying.

"You will learn of the methods of mighty cultivators in time." Dan Zunzhe said. "So be extremely cautious on your path. That way, we may meet again. You may go now. No need to see me when you leave."

"Yes, Master Dan." Ji Ning knelt and bowed in gratitude.

Though they had met infrequently, Ji Ning felt that Dan Zunzhe harbored no ulterior motives toward him and truly wished him well.

Ji Ning regarded Dan Zunzhe as a dear elder and silently remembered this kindness. He was still weak now; repaying her was far in the future.

...