Chapter 6 The Curtain Rises

The kneeling Cracked Ice Daoist felt as if drenched in icy cold water, his whole body chilled, his face turning pale. Kill? Flay? Torture his soul? Cracked Ice Daoist immediately kowtowed violently, his forehead hitting the ground with a thud, blood streaming from the wound, but he paid no heed, crying out miserably, "Ancestor, Ancestor, and you two seniors, spare me, spare me! I have never offended this Lord Ji Ning, someone must be framing me, it must be a frame-up."

Ji Ning stood there, watching the pitiful state of the kneeling Cracked Ice Daoist, but remained calm.

Yan Wang, standing beside him, spoke, "If you are said to deserve death, then you deserve death!"

Cracked Ice Daoist's heart trembled.

Indeed.

Even a Celestial Immortal like Huashan Ancestor had to be so courteous; did such an existence need a reason to kill him?

The yellow-robed man kneeling nearby doted on his son but dared not utter a word, fully aware of the terrifying situation they faced.

"Even if I am to die, please let me understand why," said Cracked Ice Daoist, still clinging to a strong will to live. Suppressing his fear, he looked up at Ji Ning. He had to find out the reason, only then could he refute and explain clearly; otherwise, there was no way to explain.

"How many mortals have you harmed over the years?" Ji Ning's voice was calm and flat, his gaze equally serene.

Cracked Ice Daoist shuddered, then collapsed to the ground, a look of despair on his face.

Mortals?

Countless women had fallen into his hands, even to the point of being ravaged to death. Mortals were one thing, but there were even female cultivators who had ended up in his grasp. Yet he had always covered his tracks well.

"Who is it? This youth, whom even the Ancestor must be wary of, which mortal does he have a connection with? Is it Que'er? Nuan'er? Or Dongyou?" Images flashed through Cracked Ice Daoist's mind—each a tragic woman he remembered vividly.

"You have harmed too many; you can't even guess," Ji Ning said softly. "Then slowly ponder it in the hellish torment."

A strange ripple fell upon Cracked Ice Daoist. His body trembled, a look of terror lingering in his eyes, then he became motionless. A soul flew out from his body—Ji Ning had used soul-charming to forcibly extract Cracked Ice Daoist's soul from his primordial spirit. A black bottle appeared in Ji Ning's hand, and Cracked Ice Daoist's soul was instantly drawn into it. Within the bottle, faint green flames could be seen.

The kneeling yellow-robed man saw the flames in the bottle and his heart quivered: "My son, your father did not discipline you properly." He knew something of his son's sordid affairs and had admonished him; Cracked Ice Daoist behaved obediently in his presence, but then went back to his old ways, only more covertly.

Seeing his son like this, and thinking that mortals probably didn't matter, he hadn't enforced strict control.

"He who often walks by the river will eventually get his feet wet. Do too many evil deeds, and you may escape for a time, but it's hard to escape for a lifetime." Only now did the yellow-robed man understand this truth: Heaven's justice is clear, karma cycles, and punishment will come.

"Daoist Ji Ning, this Cracked Ice Daoist has committed countless evils. I have been lax in disciplining my disciples, allowing such a villain to live until now. Cracked Ice Daoist's father, 'Yuyang,' is also here; without his father's protection, how would this villain dare to be so arrogant? As for punishment, Daoist Ji Ning need not顾忌 me," said Huashan Ancestor.

A returned Void-level Earth Immortal was indeed nothing in the eyes of a Celestial Immortal.

Ji Ning glanced at the yellow-robed man.

Yan Wang had gathered intelligence on both Cracked Ice Daoist and his father, and Ji Ning had reviewed it. Cracked Ice Daoist was a hypocrite, committing countless evil deeds behind the scenes. But his father was relatively upright, with no misdeeds, and was highly respected. He was also highly talented, which allowed him to become a returned Void-level Earth Immortal. His only weakness was doting on his son.

"Let's go," Ji Ning said to Yan Wang, then looked at Huashan Ancestor. "Daoist Huashan, we have troubled you. We'll return to the Grand Xia now."

"Good, good," Huashan Ancestor said with a smile. "If you have time, feel free to visit my Wuqiong World anytime."

Yan Wang also expressed his thanks.

Then Ji Ning and Yan Wang rode a cloud directly, flying out of the Huashan Immortal Sect's grand formation before tearing through the void and departing.

Huashan Ancestor's face darkened as he looked at the yellow-robed man. "Yuyang, to raise without teaching is the father's fault. Your son has brought such great calamity upon our sect, and you, by shielding him, are also guilty. You should end yourself and reincarnate."

The yellow-robed man trembled, dared not resist, and immediately kowtowed. Then his body directly disintegrated, even his golden lotus primordial spirit completely dissipated. A wind blew, and he vanished without a trace. His soul was sent directly to a minor underworld by the Heavenly Dao.

"Ancestor," the Huashan Sect Leader finally spoke, "why must Yuyang die? Didn't Lord Ji Ning spare him?"

"Daoist Ji Ning did not act, but that is because he only seeks vengeance on the one who wronged him and is unwilling to act further," Huashan Ancestor shook his head. "However, if Yuyang harbors resentment and, overestimating himself, seeks revenge against Lord Ji Ning, that would bring great disaster upon our Huashan Immortal Sect. Moreover, Daoist Ji Ning left seemingly without a care, but who knows if he bears any grudge against Yuyang? If I do not kill him, Daoist Ji Ning might hold a grudge. So it is better to kill him... and Daoist Ji Ning will have no ill feelings."

The Huashan Sect Leader sensed the Ancestor's caution and asked, "Ancestor, who exactly is this Ji Ning, that you are so careful? I carefully sensed him but found no trace of immortal aura; he should not be a Celestial Immortal."

Huashan Ancestor glanced at him. "Indeed, he is not a Celestial Immortal. He is merely a returned Void-level Fiendgod, yet he was able to resist the nine Celestial Immortals of the Shaoyin clan of the Grand Xia world and even killed two of them. Moreover, he was engulfed in karmic fire and did not die. Even in his returned Void form, it would not be difficult for him to destroy our Huashan Immortal Sect. And he is a disciple of a Dao Ancestor."

"A disciple of a Dao Ancestor?" The Sect Leader, already stunned by Ji Ning's strength, was now even more shocked by the mention of a Dao Ancestor.

"Now you understand," Huashan Ancestor said calmly. "Whether it is his strength, potential, or background, he deserves my caution."

...

Tearing through the void, they returned to the Grand Xia world.

In the Grand Xia world, at the Black-White College in Anchan Commandery, Ji Ning and Yan Wang appeared high in the sky, then flew down to Yu Wei's cave dwelling. It was now dusk.

"Junior apprentice-brother."

"Brother."

Yu Wei and Yuchi Xiyue were already waiting in the courtyard.

Ji Ning nodded slightly. Killing Cracked Ice Daoist brought him no joy; his heart was filled with pain and boundless hatred for the Gate of Infinity.

"Senior apprentice-sister, prepare some food. We'll eat a little and then rest," Ji Ning said. "The Gate of Infinity has issued an ultimatum; they may attack at any time. We should make more preparations."

"Alright." Yu Wei sensed Ji Ning's low spirits and went along with him.

At the evening banquet, Yuchi Xiyue tried to lighten the mood with amusing stories, and Yu Wei chimed in. Ji Ning forced a faint smile, but that smile made Yuchi Xiyue and Yu Wei sigh inwardly: "Only time can heal everything."

That night.

Ji Ning finally spoke some heartfelt words to Yu Wei.

"There are all kinds of injustices in this world, and I am powerless to change them. Billions of mortals and billions of cultivators are also powerless. The only ones who can change things... are those at the very top, like my master and other great powers," Ji Ning said. "I, Ji Ning, am powerless to change things now, but once I become a True God or Dao Ancestor, there will be hope for change."

"I want to stand at the peak and change everything. I want to protect you, protect our future children, and protect those I love." Ji Ning sat on the steps, Yu Wei leaning in his arms. "Stand at the peak!"

"I will change all this!"

"First, I must gain the power to change it."

Ji Ning looked up at the crescent moon in the sky.

Yu Wei watched Ji Ning, sensing the terrifying determination in this youth. Suddenly, a scene flashed through her mind—

"The farther your heart reaches, the greater your achievements will be." In that dark space, countless beings knelt and prostrated themselves, Yu Wei among them. The dominant presence in that dark space spoke in a loud voice.

At this moment, Yu Wei could strongly feel the true meaning of those words spoken by that terrifying existence, as embodied in Ji Ning.

A powerful heart...

Even possesses the power to influence fate.

"Perhaps junior apprentice-brother really can become a True God or Dao Ancestor," Yu Wei silently thought. "At that time, will I still be by his side, accompanying him?"

...

In the days that followed, in Anchan City, Tonghe Celestial Immortal, Diancai Immortal, Yu Wei, and Ji Ning all made preparations, familiarizing themselves with formations and restrictions. Meanwhile, Ji Ning's second soul was fully focused on comprehending how to apply heartforce to his immortal swords. Previously, in the Silent Abyss, he had applied heartforce to his sword fingers.

Sword fingers and immortal swords are somewhat different, but both are sword techniques. Ji Ning had already touched the threshold from the start, but reaching perfection would take time.

Ji Ning longed...

Once his second soul perfected the application of heartforce to immortal swords, it would be time for the tribulation!

...

In the Fifth World, within the massive fortress-like city stood towering buildings, the most majestic of which could only be inhabited by Heavenly Gods and True Immortals.

Inside a great hall.

Blazing flames rose and burned in the center of the hall. Around the hall were three thrones. On the central throne sat a pale-skinned woman in green robes. On the left throne sat a man in fiery red robes, and on the right throne sat a gaunt, monkey-like old man.

"The Beishan Major World can be considered occupied, with only sporadic resistance remaining," said the green-robed woman, her voice possessing a soul-penetrating allure. "We can now shift our forces and truly begin to act against the Grand Xia world."

"The strength of the Grand Xia world is not comparable to that of the Beishan Major World," the gaunt old man said in a low voice. "I, from the Blood Cloud Tower, have infiltrated the Grand Xia many times and personally investigated. The power of the Grand Xia dynasty is somewhat frightening to me. Don't forget, behind it stand the Redbright Dao Ancestor, the Yinglong Dao Ancestor, and the ancient imperial clan!"

"Would the human imperial clan engage in a final battle with our Gate of Infinity over a branch lineage?" The green-robed woman shook her head. "No, they wouldn't."

"But the ancient imperial clan will send reinforcements," the gaunt old man said. "Although we have shifted forces from the Beishan Major World and other places, I still feel... it's dangerous, very dangerous. The Grand Xia world is probably the most powerful major world under the Redbright Dao Ancestor."

The green-robed woman looked at the man in fiery red robes.

The man in fiery red robes smiled. "Don't look at me. My Ten Thousand Demon Cave is only responsible for refining puppets. How to attack the Grand Xia world is your responsibility as the Gate of Infinity's gate lord."

"Do you think I don't know how troublesome the Grand Xia world is?" The green-robed woman glanced at the gaunt old man. "This time... attacking most of the commandery cities of the entire Grand Xia is just a probe, a probing skirmish before the real war. After this probing skirmish, once we understand the true situation, the final war will come."

"Hmm, when do you plan to act?" the gaunt old man asked.

"Ten days from now! Two thousand routes, acting simultaneously!" The green-robed woman's eyes flashed with cold light.

The Blood Cloud Tower Lord and the Ten Thousand Demon Cave Lord also composed themselves, feeling the pressure.

Finally...

Finally, they were going to act against the most difficult nut to crack—the Grand Xia world!

...