Chapter 1 The Blue Sea

The temperament of the black-robed junior sister Yu Wei also left Ji Ning somewhat puzzled, but thinking of the black-and-white pills and primal liquid he had just received all at once from the white-haired old man, winnings from the previous battles, Ji Ning felt overjoyed. Moreover, the battles in the Debate Hall felt like a baptism; he could sense a transformation within himself.

"Senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning!" A cheer rang out.

Ji Ning looked over.

The thin, white-robed youth Mu Zishuo rushed over excitedly, shouting, "Senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning, you're too powerful, winning against so many Wanxiang Adepts in a row. Even that seemingly formidable Beishan Xuantang was defeated by you. I just asked Senior apprentice-sister Donglin, and the Yu Wei who defeated you is a reincarnated immortal, has cultivated ten years longer than us, and entered the school much earlier."

"Don't worry, I don't mind." Ji Ning smiled.

"Anyway, you're incredible." Mu Zishuo was very excited. "I heard from Senior apprentice-sister Donglin that someone like you is very rare, among the top geniuses even in the Black-White College. Maybe after a few thousand or even tens of thousands of years, the Black-White College will remember your name."

Ji Ning shook his head: "You flatter me."

Suddenly—

Voices came from the side.

"Uncle-Master."

"Uncle-Master."

A chorus of calls.

The group of Primordial Daoists who had silently arrived at the Debate Hall, previously concealing their forms, now walked out directly.

"All of you may return." The one walking in front, the Blue Sea Daoist, said calmly, "Ji Ning, stay!"

"Yes." Many of the third-generation disciples had wanted to exchange a few words with Ji Ning, at least to know each other's names, because everyone understood... that someone so formidable right after entering the school, as long as he didn't die, would surely become a prominent figure in the entire Anchan Commandery. But since the College Master had given the order, they all withdrew.

"Ji Ning?" Senior apprentice-brother Huosheng also took a deep look at Ji Ning, silently remembering him.

"Interesting, interesting, more and more interesting." The slovenly fat youth, his face full of delight, swayed as he walked out.

...

Ji Ning said to Mu Zishuo beside him, "Junior apprentice-brother Shuo, you go back first."

"Mm." Mu Zishuo nodded, and together with Senior apprentice-sister Donglin, they left. Soon, only the group of Primordial Daoists and Ji Ning remained in the Debate Hall, along with the few immortals hiding in the corner.

"Ji Ning." The Blue Sea Daoist looked at Ji Ning, and the surrounding Primordial Daoists also looked at Ji Ning, their expressions peculiar.

"Uncle-Master." Ji Ning said respectfully.

"Do you know what a Sword Immortal is?" The Blue Sea Daoist asked.

Ji Ning asked in surprise, "Sword Immortal? Some cultivators who are extremely skilled with flying swords... a flattering title. Does it have a special meaning?" Until now, Ji Ning himself didn't quite understand the true meaning of 'Sword Immortal'.

"Uncle-Master Diancai didn't tell you?" The Blue Sea Daoist asked thoughtfully.

"Master didn't go into detail about Sword Immortals; he only guided me in swordsmanship and told me to see him after mastering the New Three Talents Lotus Sword and the first stance of 'Three-Foot Sword'." Ji Ning said.

The Blue Sea Daoist nodded: "That's it. If you can master the first stance of 'Three-Foot Sword', you will already be a Sword Immortal. You should know that there are countless 'Daos' in heaven and earth."

"I know." Ji Ning nodded.

In his heart, he thought secretly... I also know that the supreme existence of the Three Realms, 'Goddess Nuwa', comprehended eighty-four thousand Daos! Of course, this was something he had heard from Lord Cui in the underworld back then.

"The Daos are innumerable." The Blue Sea Daoist looked at Ji Ning. "And Daos also have high and low distinctions."

"High and low distinctions?" Ji Ning pricked up his ears.

"Mm."

The Blue Sea Daoist nodded. "Daos are divided into the supreme 'Heavenly Dao', the extremely noble 'Grand Dao', and the most common 'Dao'."

"Heavenly Dao, Grand Dao, Dao?" Ji Ning held his breath; even his master had not explained this to him in detail.

"The Heavenly Dao is the fundamental Dao that maintains the operation of heaven and earth; it is supreme. For example, the Five Elements! When Pangu created the world, heaven and earth evolved from the foundation of the Five Elements. What we usually call 'Heavenly Dao vows' or 'Heavenly Dao blood oaths' are all sworn to the Heavenly Dao. The Heavenly Dao maintains the operation of heaven and earth. Once we break our vows, we are naturally punished. No one can escape the punishment of the Heavenly Dao; this is the supreme 'Dao'."

Ji Ning was awed.

"It is said that if one can comprehend the Heavenly Dao, one becomes a supreme existence in the entire Three Realms." The Blue Sea Daoist's eyes were full of boundless longing, and the other Primordial Daoists also had ethereal expressions; for them, the Heavenly Dao was entirely a legend.

"But I have never heard of anyone comprehending the Heavenly Dao." The Blue Sea Daoist smiled at Ji Ning. "Never even heard of it, not even in legends."

Ji Ning sighed.

Indeed, the Heavenly Dao—cultivators swear to it, and it maintains the operation of the Three Realms; naturally, it is supremely revered.

"One level below the Heavenly Dao is the Grand Dao!" The Blue Sea Daoist looked at Ji Ning. "Each Grand Dao is extremely noble, and even entering it is very difficult."

"One level below the Grand Dao are the most numerous common Daos." The Blue Sea Daoist looked at Ji Ning. "Your Rainwater Dao, as well as the Cold Ice Dao, Profound Ice Dao, etc., are all common Daos."

Ji Ning nodded.

Now he understood: the Daos were divided into high and low, with the Heavenly Dao being supreme, the foundation of the Three Realms' operation!

"And the Sword Dao is one of the Grand Daos!" The Blue Sea Daoist looked at Ji Ning. "Those who walk the path of the Sword Dao are Sword Immortals."

"Ah!" Ji Ning's eyes widened.

The Sword Dao was one of the Grand Daos?

He had already embarked on this path?

"The entry into the Sword Dao is to understand the sword heart, to have a clear sword heart." The Blue Sea Daoist looked at Ji Ning. "This is also the first stance of 'Three-Foot Sword'. To possess a sincere sword heart and have it clear... this difficulty is even greater than your Rainwater Dao's Dao Domain."

Ji Ning nodded in agreement; achieving 'clear sword heart' was indeed more difficult than the Rainwater Sword Domain.

"This is the difference between high and low Daos."

"The entry into a Grand Dao is more difficult than the Dao Domain of a common 'Dao'."

The Blue Sea Daoist looked at Ji Ning, his gaze fervent. "This is why you were able to defeat Beishan Xuantang, who had reached the fifth level of Dao Domain. Because you comprehend a Grand Dao! He comprehended many, but they were only lesser Daos. Moreover... the Sword Dao is among the Grand Daos, considered the most adept at attack and killing. Sword Immortals are famous for their offensive prowess."

"Our Black-White College... including you, has only two Sword Immortals." The Blue Sea Daoist said. "One is you, and the other is your master, Uncle-Master Diancai."

Ji Ning nodded.

"Because you have entered the Grand Dao 'Sword Dao', on behalf of the Black-White College, I award you two thousand black-and-white pills." The Blue Sea Daoist took out a jade bottle and handed it to Ji Ning.

Ji Ning was overjoyed inside. Two thousand black-and-white pills? When his master had given him black-and-white pills before, he had said that 'reaching Dao Domain' awarded a thousand black-and-white pills, and 'divine soul reaching the level of divine sense' awarded two thousand. Generally, only Primordial Daoists could have their divine souls reach the level of divine sense. Entering a Grand Dao was worth two thousand black-and-white pills.

"Why isn't it recorded in the black-and-white book?" Ji Ning quickly asked. "The black-and-white book has many records about rewards for 'black-and-white pills', such as joining the Yinglong Guard, becoming a two-clawed or three-clawed Yinglong Guard, each with rewards. Why isn't becoming a Sword Immortal recorded?"

"The division of Heavenly Dao, Grand Dao, and common Dao is not easily disclosed." The Blue Sea Daoist looked at Ji Ning. "If you hadn't comprehended it, telling you would instead affect your Dao heart. It would make you unwilling to comprehend common Daos,一心 wanting to comprehend the 'Grand Dao'. But the Grand Dao is not so easy to comprehend; if you're not at that stage, it would be harmful rather than beneficial."

Ji Ning understood.

"Even we." The Blue Sea Daoist looked at the surrounding Primordial Daoists. "Only after comprehending a complete Dao did we learn of this. We have all comprehended a complete Dao; the next step is naturally to comprehend the Grand Dao!"

Ji Ning was enlightened.

"The Grand Dao is difficult; even our Black-White College, even Senior Beixing, has not fully comprehended the Grand Dao." The Blue Sea Daoist looked at Ji Ning. "The path of the Grand Dao is thousands or even tens of thousands of times harder than the path of a common Dao. But the strength gained is also incomparably greater. You must cultivate diligently and not slack off."

"Mm." Ji Ning nodded solemnly.

"Alright, as for the cultivation of a Sword Immortal... go ask your master. Only your master in the entire Black-White College can truly teach you." The Blue Sea Daoist smiled, then turned and left.

"Ji Ning, I rarely preside over disciple recruitment, and I took you in, hahaha." Wu Xiu Daoist also came to chat with Ji Ning.

One by one, the Primordial Daoists exchanged a few words with Ji Ning, clearly believing that in a few decades or a hundred years, Ji Ning would be on equal footing with them.

Soon, the Primordial Daoists all left.

Ji Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Heavenly Dao? Grand Dao? Dao?" Ji Ning suddenly thought, "That San Shou Daoist who created the Water Mansion left many immortal-level and pure Yang treasures there. I heard he was a primordial chaos-born godfiend before the creation of the world, also a great power in the Three Realms. Even the 'Star Picking Hand' he comprehended was so powerful; he must have fully comprehended the Grand Dao. I just don't know if San Shou Daoist comprehended the Heavenly Dao."

"Stop thinking."

"Two thousand black-and-white pills." Ji Ning looked at the jade bottle in his hand. "And I also got quite a few black-and-white pills from the battles in the Debate Hall."

"Which technique should I get from the Scripture Depository?" Ji Ning pondered. "Exchange for a divine ability? Or the Soul-Shaking Art?"

Just then, a voice came.

"Ji Ning." The voice sounded in his mind.

"Master." Ji Ning quickly looked around.

"Go back and meditate quietly, consolidate the gains from this debate. I believe you will make further progress. Come see me in three days." The voice of Diancai Immortal sounded in Ji Ning's mind. Then Diancai Immortal, the short old man, the childish child, and the tall-capped, long-bearded old man—four immortals—looked at Ji Ning from the corner and then vanished directly into thin air.

Ji Ning looked around the Debate Hall; there was no one else except him, but he still replied respectfully, "Yes, Master."

Immediately, Ji Ning mounted a boat-shaped vessel, turning into a streak of light, flew out of the Debate Hall, and returned to his North Bright Peak to meditate quietly and consolidate his gains from this time.