Chapter 2: Ten Thousand Immortals Come to Pay Homage

The tenth floor of the War God Hall seemed very difficult, but Ji Ning could have passed it after returning from the Realm of Extinction. However, his second true body had yet to undergo the tribulation, and even if he obtained Pure Yang treasures, he couldn't use them. So Ji Ning wasn't in a hurry to challenge it. Last time, he had exchanged the 'One Qi Nine Yuan Beads' with the Xia Emperor for many treasures to repair the Rahu Bow and cultivate the Eight Nine Mysteries and the Star Picking Hand.

This time, Ji Ning couldn't bear to exchange them.

With war approaching, he also needed powerful treasures. Although he had obtained many treasures from the Undying Sect, especially when Old Man Yuan made his move, he had acquired three top-grade Pure Yang treasures and one innate spirit treasure. Unfortunately... only the Nine-Petal Snow Lotus was of great help to him; the others were of little use, and none were urgently needed by Yu Wei. Ji Ning had even given one of the top-grade Pure Yang treasures to his master, Immortal Diancai. He kept the rest for now.

"I hope there's a flying sword," Ji Ning said as he entered the Treasure Hall and saw the yellow-furred bear waiting there.

"Ji Ning, this time you can choose one set from twenty-two sets of Pure Yang treasures," said the yellow-furred bear, waving his hand. A booklet flew toward Ji Ning.

"Only five more than last time?" Ji Ning was surprised.

"These are Pure Yang treasures. How many do you think there are?" the bear said discontentedly.

Last time, Ji Ning had chosen the 'One Qi Nine Yuan Beads' from eighteen sets, so seventeen sets remained. This time, five more were added, increasing the options to twenty-two. But in reality... Ji Ning looked down on the leftovers from last time; he could only choose from among these five new sets.

"Once you become a Celestial Immortal and become the master of the Star Picking Manor, you'll get better treasures. For now, follow the master's rules," the bear said.

Ji Ning smiled and lowered his head to open the booklet.

Surely...

Surely there must be a top-grade Pure Yang flying sword! His second true body's Grand Thousand Sword Formation needed flying swords!

"Truly extraordinary," Ji Ning held his breath as he looked.

The Pure Yang treasures collected by Daoist San Shou were indeed not comparable to those of ordinary Celestial Immortals or True Immortals.

In terms of value.

Among the five new sets of Pure Yang treasures, one called the 'Nine Sons and Mother Invisible Hooks' ranked first. It consisted of nine top-grade Pure Yang poison hooks and eighty-one medium-grade Pure Yang poison hooks, forming a Nine Sons and Mother formation that could fix the void, preventing the enemy from using Greater Teleportation! It was extremely fast and had astonishing power.

Unfortunately, Ji Ning needed swords, not poison hooks.

"These two sets of flying swords..." Ji Ning showed a joyful expression. Among the five sets, there were actually two sets of flying swords. It seemed the bear had considered his needs.

One set of flying swords was the Three Pure Swords.

They consisted of three top-grade Pure Yang flying swords, personally refined by the Daoist leader 'Three Pure Daoist'. These three swords were extraordinary even among top-grade Pure Yang flying swords.

In his previous life on Earth, Ji Ning had heard legends about the Three Pure Ones, but now that he had truly entered the path of cultivation and even taken Bodhi as his master, he truly understood... the Lord of the Beginning, the Lord of the Way, and the Lord of Numinous Treasure in Earth's myths were actually just the three incarnations of the 'Three Pure Daoist'. As the leader of the Daoist school, the Three Pure Daoist's strength in the Three Realms was unquestionably at the pinnacle. The only one who could be said to be stronger than him was probably Nuwa, who had left the Three Realms for the endless Chaos.

The other set of flying swords was called the Ananda Universal Salvation Swords.

Ananda was the attendant of the Buddhist leader. Although merely an attendant, he was at the level of a Buddha (Dao Ancestor), holding a very high status in Buddhism, with strength ranking in the top ten.

The Ananda Universal Salvation Swords were nine top-grade Pure Yang flying swords, personally made by Buddha Ananda. They were incomparably sharp and could cut through the world's suffering.

"Unexpectedly, these two sets of flying swords—one made by the Daoist leader, the other by Buddha Ananda of Buddhism," Ji Ning smiled. He was a disciple of Bodhi. Although he knew some Daoist and Buddhist divine abilities and secret arts, he didn't belong to either school. Both Daoism and Buddhism were on the side of Nuwa, so to Ji Ning, they were allies.

"Have you chosen?" the bear asked.

"The Ananda Universal Salvation Swords," Ji Ning said with a smile. "After all, they are nine top-grade Pure Yang flying swords. With them as the core, the power of my Grand Thousand Sword Formation will surely skyrocket."

"Good."

The bear waved his hand.

Whoosh.

From deep within the many treasures floating above the Treasure Hall, a powerful fluctuation descended. Nine pitch-black flying swords descended, hovering before Ji Ning. From the nine swords flew nine little monks radiating golden light, all wearing yellow robes and bald, looking like seven or eight-year-olds.

Each of the nine little monks had a fierce aura and boundless killing intent.

"Are you our new master?" one of the little monks asked.

"Yes," Ji Ning nodded.

"Will you cut through the world's suffering and benefit countless living beings?" the little monk pressed.

Ji Ning smiled: "Now that the great calamity has arisen, I will naturally kill without restraint. I am on the same side as Buddha Ananda, who refined you."

The nine little monks immediately pressed their palms together: "Amitabha."

...

With the nine top-grade Pure Yang flying swords as the core and hundreds of immortal-grade top-quality flying swords as supplements, the power of the Grand Thousand Sword Formation... immediately surpassed that of the 'Nine-Petal Snow Lotus'. After all, the Nine-Petal Snow Lotus was only a top-grade innate spirit treasure. Top-grade Pure Yang flying swords were comparable to medium-grade innate treasures. With nine swords combined in a formation, they naturally overpowered it.

Moreover, the Nine-Petal Snow Lotus excelled at trapping and binding enemies, while the immortal swords excelled at offense.

...

On the sixth day of the eighth month, night fell.

"Let's go."

Celestial Immortal Tonghe, the black-robed Ji Ning, Yu Wei, Immortal Diancai, and over two hundred loose immortals soared into the sky, then directly tore through the void and left.

Over two hundred loose immortals—that was all the loose immortals in the entire Anchan Commandery! The various tribes and sects within Anchan Commandery, such as the Lie Tian Sword Sect, the Hundred Flowers Immortal Realm, the Donghe clan, the Lielong clan, etc., actually had more loose immortals than the Black-White College, but now they all had to turn out. The Xia Emperor's orders could not be disobeyed.

"It really is war. All loose immortals and Celestial Immortals are involved." Ji Ning, seeing over two hundred loose immortals gathered, sighed inwardly.

...

Above the Grand Xia imperial capital.

Spatial fluctuations appeared from time to time, and teams of Celestial Immortals and loose immortals emerged. These teams ranged from a few dozen to even thousands! If the Shaoyin clan hadn't defected to the Undying Sect, the Shaoyin clan together with the loose immortals from its three commanderies would indeed number in the thousands.

That day was truly shocking.

Countless people in the Grand Xia imperial capital looked up at the sky, watching the once-powerful loose immortals appear in countless numbers, and even the lofty Celestial Immortals appeared one after another.

"So many?"

"At least loose immortals."

"Heavens."

The residents of the capital were stunned.

The immortals in the sky were like countless meteors, streaking across the sky toward the imperial palace.

Whoosh.

Ji Ning and his group of over two hundred from Anchan Commandery also appeared.

"So many." Ji Ning was also shocked by the sight of so many Celestial Immortals and loose immortals gathering, and he felt a trace of fear. "With so many immortals gathered, even a Celestial Immortal or True Immortal would be in great danger fighting alone."

Ji Ning glanced at Yu Wei beside him. Her belly wasn't protruding yet; since he was a Fiendgod and she was a Celestial Immortal, their child would take longer in the womb. Ji Ning thought to himself: "Senior apprentice-sister is pregnant, not fit for battle. I'll need to speak with the Xia Emperor about it."

Then the group of over two hundred from Anchan Commandery flew toward the imperial palace.

...

In the palace square, dense crowds had already gathered, looking like an ocean at a glance.

The Xia Emperor had previously ordered that only Celestial Immortals were qualified to gather in the Tianmang Hall. The main hall simply couldn't accommodate so many loose immortals. Would they have to squeeze together shoulder to shoulder? When the Immortal Fate Convention was held, the main hall of Tianmang Hall had only seated a few thousand people.

"You stay here."

Celestial Immortal Tonghe instructed.

The over two hundred loose immortals descended, while Ji Ning, Yu Wei, Immortal Diancai, and Celestial Immortal Tonghe soared up toward the main hall of Tianmang Hall.

...

Inside the main hall of Tianmang Hall, a large number of Celestial Immortals had also gathered. From the three thousand six hundred commanderies and even the Four Seas, many Celestial Immortals had come. Although the Undying Sect's recruitment was fierce, over the endless years, many had long been bound to Dao Ancestor Redmoon, so many still came.

"So many." Ji Ning, Yu Wei, Immortal Diancai, and Celestial Immortal Tonghe held their breath as they entered the main hall.

"Probably six or seven thousand at least," Ji Ning judged with a sweep of his gaze.

"Daoist Ji Ning."

"Daoist Beiming."

"Daoist Beiming."

As soon as Ji Ning appeared, many Celestial Immortals came over to exchange a few words. Of course, some also spoke with Celestial Immortal Tonghe, Yu Wei, and Immortal Diancai. But clearly, Ji Ning attracted the most.

After all, Celestial Immortal Tonghe had been in seclusion for too long, Immortal Diancai had the least reputation, and Yu Wei was a bit better, being a disciple of Patriarch Lu. Ji Ning was the most monstrous—resisting the nine Celestial Immortals of the Shaoyin clan while still at the Void Refiner stage, and being a disciple of a Dao Ancestor with unfathomable strength. These Celestial Immortals naturally took the opportunity to get familiar with Ji Ning, to put in a face, so that if they ever had trouble and needed to ask Ji Ning for help, they wouldn't even be able to see him.

"There really are so many Celestial Immortals," Yu Wei was also shocked.

"In the past, various tribes had some old fellows in seclusion. How many Celestial Immortals each major power had was always a mystery. But this time, with the great calamity of the Three Realms, the Xia Emperor personally ordered, which was essentially an order from Dao Ancestor Redmoon behind him. How could they dare not come out? After all, Dao Ancestor Redmoon knows exactly how many Celestial Immortals are under his command," Celestial Immortal Tonghe said. "With all those in seclusion emerging, naturally there are many."

As time passed.

The number of Celestial Immortals continued to rise, soon breaking nine thousand and approaching ten thousand.

"Why isn't there a single Celestial Immortal or True Immortal?" Immortal Diancai wondered.

"Celestial Immortals and True Immortals were probably invited by the Xia Emperor elsewhere," Celestial Immortal Tonghe said. "After all, they have a higher status than us."

After another hour or so.

The Celestial Immortals in the main hall of Tianmang Hall were seated by attendants, each with a low table before them. The main hall barely accommodated over ten thousand Celestial Immortals.

"His Majesty is here."

All the Celestial Immortals turned their heads in unison.

The black-robed Xia Emperor entered from a side door, followed by five Celestial Immortals and True Immortals with equally powerful auras. The Xia Emperor ascended the throne and looked down.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" The five Celestial Immortals and True Immortals immediately bowed and called out.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Over ten thousand Celestial Immortals all rose and bowed in unison.

The Xia Emperor sat high on the throne, watching the ten thousand immortals pay homage. For a moment, he was filled with high spirits. This was the first time he had received homage from ten thousand Celestial Immortals!

...