Chapter 6: Weakness

On the open ground outside the Immortal Palace.

"All of you, withdraw." Silvermoon ordered, and the disciples of the Mount Fangcun lineage all retreated from the open ground.

Silvermoon waved his hand, and a puppet about ten feet tall appeared out of thin air on the ground. The puppet seemed forged entirely from steel, with six rings on its arms.

"Junior brother, this is a sixth-rank puppet," Silvermoon said.

"Thank you, senior brother." Ji Ning was also full of anticipation.

Immediately, Silvermoon, the Whitewater Marsh, and Little Qing walked out of the combat area, while the other disciples of the Mount Fangcun lineage were curious and astonished.

"The junior master is going to spar with the puppet."

"The master is about to act!"

"This little master just came up the mountain and dares to spar with a sixth-rank puppet. He must have some confidence. He's only a Wanxiang Adept, yet he dares to fight a sixth-rank puppet. What level of insight into the 'Dao' must he have reached? No wonder he was accepted as a disciple by the Patriarch. Truly a monstrous genius."

"I've been on the mountain for thousands of years and still haven't defeated a sixth-rank puppet. I only learned the techniques of the eighth floor of the Immortal Palace by transforming into a boy." A Return to Void old demon said in a low voice.

"Just up the mountain and daring to spar with a sixth-rank puppet—impressive, impressive. In my home major world, such a genius would be rare in endless ages."

These humans, demons, and gods all praised him.

In their hearts, since Ji Ning was accepted as a disciple by Patriarch Subhuti, he must be extraordinary. And the manager of the Immortal Palace, the old demon Silvermoon, was also a personal disciple of the Patriarch. Choosing a sixth-rank puppet, he probably had some confidence.

"Impressive."

"Monstrous genius."

"Extraordinary."

These disciples of the Mount Fangcun lineage watched expectantly.

…

The sparring ground.

Ji Ning and the sixth-rank puppet faced each other from a distance. In the distance, Little Qing was still shouting, "Master, master, defeat that puppet lump."

"Wanxiang boy, to defeat me, show enough strength." The ten-foot-tall puppet said in a low voice, and at the same time, it flipped its hand, and a longsword appeared in its hand.

"Alright." Ji Ning produced a Northsong sword in each hand.

"Kill!"

Ji Ning moved instantly.

Outside the sparring ground, the disciples of the Mount Fangcun lineage, including the old demon Silvermoon, watched carefully. Having comprehended the 'Way of the Gale,' Ji Ning was extremely fast, like a gust of wind, instantly arriving before the sixth-rank puppet. The two Northsong swords in his hands transformed into two dazzling sword lights.

After the 'Dream of a Thousand Years,' Ji Ning's swordsmanship was noticeably more solid, and his sword techniques purer.

"Boom!"

The ten-foot-tall puppet swung its longsword, and for a moment, it seemed as if the earth's veins surged. The longsword crashed down like a great mountain. Ji Ning could even see the hazy shadows of countless mountains with his naked eye. The momentum of this strike filled Ji Ning with terror.

"Not good, the gap is too great!" Ji Ning saw the hazy mountain shadows formed by the puppet's sword strike, and the intangible mystery of the Dao made him feel unable to resist.

The two sword lights he had just sent out instantly transformed into silk threads, becoming incredibly pliable.

"Bang!!!"

The puppet's longsword struck Ji Ning's twin Northsong swords. An irresistible force pressed down, and Ji Ning was sent flying like a meteor. When he reached the edge of the sparring ground, a faint barrier appeared in midair, stopping him. At the same time, the two Northsong swords were thrown high into the air, also crashing into the distant barrier before falling to the ground.

"I concede." Ji Ning shouted. His palms were completely torn open, dripping with blood.

Just one exchange.

His swords had flown away... The gap was too great.

"Uh..."

"This..."

Outside the sparring ground, the disciples of the Mount Fangcun lineage—humans, demons, and gods alike—all stared in shock at the scene before them, blinking.

In their hearts, Ji Ning, accepted as a disciple by Patriarch Subhuti, must have something extraordinary about him! Even when they first came up the mountain, they could usually defeat second- or third-rank puppets. Some talented ones could even defeat fourth- or fifth-rank puppets. But none of them had ever defeated a sixth-rank puppet on their first day. However, in the endless years of Mount Fangcun, there had been those who defeated sixth-rank puppets on their first day.

Their status was far inferior to Ji Ning's.

Ji Ning was a disciple of the Patriarch! These disciples also thought Ji Ning should be able to create a miracle.

But unfortunately, Ji Ning, who they thought should be 'extraordinary,' was defeated in one move, utterly powerless!

"Master!" Little Qing looked at Ji Ning, her heart aching. Her master was the champion of the Immortal Fate Convention. When he first came to Mount Fangcun, she believed he would display great prowess. But he lost so miserably. "Master must be feeling terrible! And so many disciples of Mount Fangcun are watching. That hateful old Silvermoon made him spar with a sixth-rank puppet."

"Ning'er..." The Whitewater Marsh hadn't expected this either.

"Ah."

Senior brother Silvermoon, holding a feather fan, quickly waved his hand, collecting the sixth-rank puppet. He hurried over, "Junior brother, this, I didn't... I wasn't clear about junior brother's strength. I only knew that Master had taken a new disciple, and I..."

Silvermoon meant no harm.

He knew well how demanding Patriarch Subhuti was in accepting disciples. Those accepted before becoming Celestial Immortals or Heavenly Gods were all monstrously talented—so monstrous that they inspired fear. That's why he guessed that 'Junior Brother Ji Ning' should be able to fight a sixth-rank puppet. Even if he lost, it should be after a long struggle. He never expected such a one-sided defeat.

"It's not senior brother's fault." Ji Ning shook his head. He also noticed the shock, doubt, and faint disregard in the eyes of the onlookers—humans, demons, and gods. Clearly, among cultivators, strength mattered most. Even with high status, if one lacked strength, others would still look down on them.

"It's because I lack strength," Ji Ning said. "A sixth-rank puppet is indeed far beyond my limits."

"It's my fault." Silvermoon quickly said. This junior brother had suffered a major setback in his first sparring match on the mountain, and the opponent was chosen by him. He naturally felt ashamed. He added, "From the swordsmanship junior brother just displayed, defeating a third-rank puppet is no problem. A fourth-rank puppet... there's some hope. Which one would junior brother like to choose?"

"A fourth-rank puppet," Ji Ning said.

"Would junior brother like to rest before the next match?" Silvermoon asked.

Ji Ning shook his head with a smile: "I was defeated instantly in that match, so my divine power consumption is negligible. No need to rest."

Silvermoon saw Ji Ning's smile and nodded inwardly. This junior brother had remarkable composure. Losing in his first sparring match in front of an audience, yet remaining so calm.

"Alright." Silvermoon nodded, then waved his hand. A fiery red puppet appeared in the sparring ground, with four rings on its right arm.

…

"This Master Ji Ning seems quite ordinary. He was utterly powerless against a sixth-rank puppet."

"Mm, he's very weak."

"Weak? When you first came up the mountain, you would also have been defeated in one move against a sixth-rank puppet."

"I'm just a spirit beast of my master, and this Ji Ning is a disciple accepted by the Patriarch. I have to call him 'master.' Are we the same? When I first came up, I even defeated a fourth-rank puppet!"

"Look, it's starting."

"The master is starting his match with the fourth-rank puppet."

The disciples of Mount Fangcun had initially looked up to Ji Ning, but after seeing his performance, they found him nothing special. Compared to when they first came up the mountain, Ji Ning was merely average—ordinary, unremarkable!

In fact, these disciples—

Some were personal disciples of True Immortals or Heavenly Gods! They were top-tier geniuses selected by True Immortals and Heavenly Gods from the Three Realms. Even figures like Blackstone True Immortal or Nine Deaths True Immortal might not be chosen. Their talent and comprehension were unimaginable.

Some were disciples of Celestial Immortals!

Some were spirit beasts!

Some were demon servants!

When they first came up the mountain, some were only at the Wanxiang level, some at the Yuan Shen level, and some even at the Return to Void level!

Some Return to Void demons had lived long and had high realms, so defeating a fifth- or sixth-rank puppet was normal. Disciples chosen by Celestial Immortals were also exceptionally talented, possibly reaching the level of Cangwu Vulture or Blackstone True Immortal.

Thus, the vast majority of these Mount Fangcun disciples who called Ji Ning 'master' or 'grandmaster' could be considered peerless geniuses in their own major worlds! Some were even more monstrous!

"This master's swordsmanship is not bad. It seems he should be able to defeat this fourth-rank puppet."

"Mm, I estimate he can defeat the fourth-rank puppet, but barely."

"Yes, barely."

The Mount Fangcun disciples made their judgments. They no longer held much respect for this high-status disciple of the Patriarch, 'Ji Ning.'

…

"Chi!"

A sword light pierced the puppet's chest, sinking an inch deep, then could go no further.

The puppet stopped, motionless, looking at Ji Ning, and said in a low voice, "You win."

These puppets were immortal bodies. Even Return to Void demons couldn't harm them in combat... So as long as one could pierce the outermost layer of the puppet's body, it counted as a win.

"Junior brother can now go to the fourth floor of the Immortal Palace and choose any technique." Senior brother Silvermoon, holding a feather fan, walked over with a smile and waved his hand to collect the fourth-rank puppet.

Ji Ning smiled.

Fortunately, after the Dream of a Thousand Years, his swordsmanship foundation was more solid, and his sword techniques more subtle and unpredictable, allowing him to defeat the fourth-rank puppet. Otherwise, he would probably only be able to defeat a third-rank puppet.

This was expected. After all, he was forbidden from using any divine abilities or secret arts. His greatest asset, 'Star Picking Hand,' couldn't be used, so his strength was relatively much weaker!

In the Immortal Fate Convention, he won first place. In terms of Dao realm, he was actually weaker than Cangwu Vulture, Xiamang Zishan, and the others. He relied on 'Star Picking Hand' to win.

"Senior brother, when ordinary disciples of Mount Fangcun first come up the mountain, how many ranks of puppets can they defeat?" Ji Ning asked.

"When they first come up, some are weaker, some stronger. Overall, they're about the same as junior brother. But they usually have cultivated for hundreds of years, some for thousands or tens of thousands of years." Senior brother Silvermoon said. As they spoke, the surrounding sound was naturally blocked.

Ji Ning smiled. "These ordinary disciples have been on the mountain for many years, so their strength is certainly different now. On Mount Fangcun, I'm probably the weakest."

But Ji Ning was still confident. He had only been cultivating for a little over thirty years and had just come up the mountain. Give him a hundred years, and he would completely surpass them! Moreover, he had the divine ability 'Star Picking Hand.' Since sparring with puppets forbade using divine abilities, his greatest advantage was negated.

But still, compared to these ordinary Mount Fangcun disciples, he was at the bottom.

A tall building rises from the ground. He still needed to work hard!

…