Chapter 41: Yu Wei and Ji Ning

Some of the originally seated senior fellow apprentices of extremely high status, including Senior Fire Saint, the slovenly fat youth, and the black-clad girl, all stood up one after another, each showing expressions of shock as they stared in astonishment at the beast-skin-clad youth standing on the stone pillar.

Beishan Xuantang, on another stone pillar within the sealing formation, had his face instantly turn pale.

“I… I lost?”

“I… how could I lose? How could I possibly lose?”

Beishan Xuantang’s eyes were filled with disbelief.

He was such a proud person.

Even direct descendants of the Beishan clan like Beishan Baiwei, who held noble status, he had never taken seriously, precisely because he had absolute confidence in himself. Yet a newly initiated junior fellow apprentice, and one who had a very good relationship with Beishan Baiwei… had actually defeated him in the ‘discourse on the Dao’ in which he was quite confident.

“It was that sword strike, that sword strike…”

Beishan Xuantang’s mind still clearly remembered that terrifying sword strike from before, a fearsome slash executed by over a thousand flying swords simultaneously… it had even left a crack in Beishan Xuantang’s Dao-heart.

“What a terrifying sword strike. Only by truly facing it can one feel its terror. A sword strike with no regrets, unstoppable.” Beishan Xuantang’s heart was filled with panic and unwillingness to believe he had failed, but whenever he thought of that sword strike, he felt powerless.

“Ji Ning, wins!” The white-haired elder shouted, and the sealing formation began to dissipate.

“Senior Xuantang, you yield,” Ji Ning said clearly, his voice echoing throughout the Discourse Hall.

Beishan Xuantang finally came to his senses. Suppressing his chaotic thoughts, he cupped his hands: “Junior fellow apprentice is truly formidable. I admit defeat.” After speaking, he released the refining of his puppet, then with a flash, he left the arena, handed two jade bottles to the white-haired elder, and silently slipped into the crowd of senior and junior fellow apprentices.

…

“What a formidable sword strike,” the slovenly fat youth murmured to himself.

…

“In a few decades, our Black-White College will produce another formidable figure,” Senior Fire Saint said, a hint of a smile on his face as he looked at Ji Ning.

…

Only the two immortals in the entire Discourse Hall truly understood the sword strike Ji Ning had just executed!

“Sword Heart Unobstructed! What a Sword Heart Unobstructed!” The dwarf elder’s eyes lit up as he stared at Ji Ning in the distance. “Such a powerful sword heart, such a firm sword heart… Our Black-White College has truly found a treasure this time.”

“Indeed, we have found a treasure.” The Hall Master Immortal also stared at Ji Ning in the distance, his gaze burning. “I wonder how my disciple managed to temper such a sword heart in just over ten years. With those experiences, though there were partings of life and death, yet his sword heart has become so powerful—truly inconceivable.”

“Haha, you’ll see, those fellows will probably come soon,” the dwarf elder said with a sly chuckle.

The Hall Master Immortal also smiled.

“They will definitely regret not coming to the Discourse Hall to see it in person,” the dwarf elder cackled.

…

The Black-White College’s School Leader,碧海道人 (Bihai Daoren), was sitting cross-legged on a jade bed, with a water mirror suspended before him clearly displaying the discourse scene in the Discourse Hall.

“That sword strike!”

Bihai Daoren’s face, handsome enough to drive women mad, showed a look of surprise. “Could it be that he has entered the gate of the Sword Immortal?”

“Alas!” Bihai Daoren sighed in frustration. The water mirror only showed the scene; the aura, power, fluctuations of heaven and earth, and other subtle aspects could not be sensed.

“Let’s go.”

Bihai Daoren did not hesitate. With a wave of his hand, the water mirror dissipated directly, and with a flicker of his form, he vanished.

…

Many Primordial Daoists in the Black-White College who had been watching this battle through water mirrors were horrified when they saw that sword strike. However, since they had not personally experienced it in the Discourse Hall, they dared not be certain. So one by one, they hurried toward the Discourse Hall… even two immortals rushed over.

…

The third-generation disciples inside the Discourse Hall were still unaware of what was happening outside. They were discussing: Even Senior Beishan Xuantang had lost? Who would step up next?

Among those in the Multiple Dao Domains, Senior Beishan Xuantang was one of the top ten or so.

“Junior Fellow Apprentice Ji Ning, no need to be modest. It’s just a set of flying swords.” Senior Bloodshadow was currently conversing with Ji Ning, presenting him with that set of the Heaven and Earth Sword Formation.

Ji Ning also smiled: “Alright, then I’ll accept it, Senior.”

Through this brief interaction, Ji Ning had developed a good impression of Senior Bloodshadow. Accepting this set of flying swords was clearly Ji Ning’s way of acknowledging this friendship.

“Excellent.” Senior Bloodshadow nodded. “Junior Fellow Apprentice Ji Ning, your talent is astonishing. However, on the path of immortal cultivation, burying oneself in cultivation alone cannot lead to achievement. One must travel far and wide, see more, and experience more. I imagine that in a few years, you will go out to explore. You will probably also want to join the Yinglong Guard and such. For such matters, feel free to come to me; I am very familiar with the inner workings of the Yinglong Guard.”

“Then I will surely trouble you, Senior, when the time comes,” Ji Ning said with a smile.

“Hmm?” Senior Bloodshadow suddenly turned his head to look.

Ji Ning also turned to look.

A figure emerged from the crowd of third-generation disciples.

“It’s her?” Ji Ning’s pupils contracted. The one who stepped forward was a black-clad girl. Earlier, this black-clad girl had been sitting there, surrounded by others. Even Senior Sister Jiulian was among those clustering around her. Clearly, her status was extremely high.

“Junior Fellow Apprentice Ji Ning.” The black-clad girl stepped forward and said coldly, “Among the disciples in the Multiple Dao Domains, I should be considered the strongest. If you defeat me, then Senior Tiansheng and the others will come to fight you.”

After speaking, the black-clad girl walked directly toward the side hall to select a puppet.

"You're in trouble." Senior Brother Blood Shadow also drew in a cold breath.

"Who is she?" Ji Ning asked, though he had a guess.

"Fire Rainbow Fairy Yu Wei!" Senior Brother Blood Shadow said in a low voice. "She's a reincarnated immortal, terrifyingly talented. Even when she first joined, the old disciples didn't dare to 'debate the Dao' against her. Her cultivation speed is astonishing. She should be just over twenty now, but her strength is already shockingly high."

Ji Ning was secretly startled.

A reincarnated immortal?

His master had told him that among the third-generation disciples, there were only three reincarnated immortals. Two had been cultivating for over eighty years, and one for over twenty years. The one who had cultivated for over twenty years was probably the black-clad girl, Yu Wei.

"No wonder she dared to claim she was the strongest among those at the Multiple Dao Domain stage." Ji Ning was secretly shocked.

"Junior brother, your senior brother can't help you." Senior Brother Blood Shadow immediately withdrew.

"So what if she's a reincarnated immortal? She's only been cultivating ten years longer than me." Though Ji Ning was cautious, he felt no fear.

…

But just a moment later,

Inside the sealing formation, on one of the stone pillars, Ji Ning stared in astonishment at the scene before him.

The first stance of the 'Three-Foot Sword' executed by the thousand flying swords he had released was indeed astonishingly powerful. But the 'Fire Rainbow Fairy' Yu Wei had also chosen a thousand-sword puppet, and the thousand flying swords she released all transformed into a blaze of fiery sword light.

Scorching fiery sword light, fierce fiery sword light, irresistible flames!

Meeting force with force!

Meeting strength with strength!

Ji Ning's sword light was indeed sharp and powerful, but the all-consuming flames were even more frenzied, directly crushing Ji Ning's sword light and piercing through the protective layer of his thousand-sword puppet.

"Yu Wei wins!" the white-haired elder announced loudly.

The victory was clean and decisive.

Ji Ning also snapped out of his shock.

"I lost!" Ji Ning stood up and smiled. "Senior sister is formidable. I admit defeat willingly."

"When I was sixteen, I wasn't as good as you." Fire Rainbow Fairy Yu Wei glanced at Ji Ning. "By the way, don't forget to give me the hundred black-and-white pills and ten catties of liquid essence."

Ji Ning's eyes went wide, and he opened his mouth but no words came out.

Was a reincarnated immortal really so concerned about a bet? Did he think I would renege on the debt?

…

Just then, several Primal Daoists arrived at the Discourse Hall. They had narrowly caught sight of the battle between Ji Ning and Fire Cloud Fairy Yu Wei, and each nodded inwardly: "Truly a sword immortal, and with such a powerful sword heart. In a few hundred years, our Black-White College may produce another sword immortal to rival Uncle-Master Diancai!"

In a corner of the Discourse Hall.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two more immortals appeared beside Madman Five and Immortal Diancai—a long-bearded elder in a tall crown and a childish youth radiating endless cold. Their arrival went unnoticed by the Primal Daoists and third-generation disciples in the hall.

"A sword immortal!" The long-bearded elder in the tall crown nodded. "Indeed, he has already stepped onto the path of the sword immortal. Our Black-White College finally has another disciple beginning to comprehend the Grand Dao of the Sword."

Daos have high and low.

Daos like Rainwater and Cold Ice are merely among the countless Daos of heaven and earth.

But the Sword Dao is a higher 'Grand Dao'.

Even entering its gate is far more difficult. For a Dao like Rainwater, a Zifu Disciple can easily enter and comprehend a trace of Rainwater True Intent, and even comprehending the 'Rainwater Dao Domain' is nothing special.

Yet the Way of the Sword, as one of the 'Great Ways,' was extraordinarily difficult even to enter.

"What a powerful sword heart—such a sword heart, such talent, such comprehension." The childish voice was young, but the words it spoke were worldly-wise. "Truly a piece of rough jade that can be carved into a 'mighty sword immortal.'"

"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm." The short old man shook his head. "Our Black-White College had only one sword immortal, Junior Brother Diancai. Now we have another. A sword immortal—even if they fail the tribulation and become a loose immortal, they are still a loose immortal with astonishing combat power. Tsk, tsk."

The long-bearded old man in a tall crown immediately frowned and scolded, "Senior Brother Wufeng, Junior Brother Diancai is only an earthly immortal now, and there is a great chance he will become a celestial immortal. Do not speak such discouraging words."

The short old man quickly looked at Immortal Diancai: "Junior Brother Diancai..."

"It's fine. As long as I have no regrets, that is enough." Immortal Diancai said with a calm smile. "As Senior Beixing said, a day of joyful living is better than a hundred years of stifled existence. I only need to keep moving forward... whether I become a celestial immortal is secondary."

"Good, well said." The short old man nodded.

The childish child, however, looked at Immortal Diancai: "Junior Brother Diancai, Ji Ning is another sword immortal of our Black-White College. You must teach him well!"

Immortal Diancai turned his head to look at Ji Ning, who was in the distance handing two jade bottles to Yu Wei. A hint of anticipation appeared in his eyes, and he said slowly, "Naturally! He is my disciple!"

...

"Senior Sister, one hundred Black-White pellets and ten catties of liquid essence. Here." Ji Ning handed the two jade bottles to Fire Cloud Fairy Yu Wei.

The black-clad girl Yu Wei glanced at Ji Ning, then revealed a hint of a smile. She reached out, took the bottles from Ji Ning's hand, turned, and left.