Chapter 8 The Living Celestial

"You're too weak, too weak!" The golden yaksha's frenzied voice echoed between heaven and earth as he transformed into golden light, chasing Ji Ning, lunging at him again and again.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Ji Ning was sent flying backward, tumbling into the seawater, rolling in disarray, utterly on the defensive.

"You're truly weak, but your divine body is quite impressive. My Sea Domain Divine Fork's power is immense, yet you can easily withstand it." The golden yaksha laughed wildly as he attacked.

He was right—without the Eighty-Nine Arcane Art, an ordinary celestial's divine body would have long since collapsed under such force.

But without the Eighty-Nine Arcane Art, Ji Ning wouldn't dare play this game either!

"Great strength, incredible speed, but average agility and ordinary combat skills." Ji Ning quickly assessed his opponent's strengths and weaknesses during the exchange. "In battle with him, I must never clash head-on. I should counter with sword techniques."

Whoosh.

Ji Ning, knocked into the sea, suddenly burst out of the water, while the golden yaksha also flew out, pursuing him.

"Out." Ji Ning held two divine swords, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. It was time to counterattack.

Instantly, seven hundred and twenty-nine divine swords materialized around him, undulating in the air. Before Ji Ning, a jade sword condensed, its power so immense it sent a chill through the heart. He could only mobilize the ninth level of the Grand Thousand Sword Formation thanks to his fourth-level heartforce and his heartforce-soul technique.

Combining the power of over seven hundred Pure Yang顶级 magic treasures, the condensed sword light was no less formidable than Ji Ning's Star Picking Hand!

"Go."

Ji Ning pointed from afar.

"Haha, an immortal's technique." The golden yaksha laughed wildly, still charging forward. He couldn't care less whether Ji Ning fought close or at range; absolute power advantage meant he could just bulldoze through.

Swish.

The jade sword flashed, striking at the golden yaksha, trying to bypass his defense. But the golden yaksha's strength was too great; he blocked it with his ancient steel trident. With a "Bang!" the jade sword shattered, and the golden yaksha paused slightly in midair.

"The ninth level of the Grand Thousand Sword Formation only made him pause. I'll have to use heartforce." Ji Ning condensed a second jade sword before him, infusing it with ethereal heartforce, which drastically elevated the sword's power.

Fourth-level heartforce was far more potent than the ninth level of the Grand Thousand Sword Formation itself.

With this fourth-level heartforce, Ji Ning could briefly reach the pinnacle of celestial lords and true immortals, though Red Snow Celestial and others could sustain it long-term, while Ji Ning could only maintain it briefly.

"Useless. With such power, it's useless—" The golden yaksha paused briefly, then laughed wildly as he charged again.

The jade sword left a trail of afterimages.

It seemed the same as before, but when it reached the golden yaksha, its speed surged dramatically as the heartforce within fully erupted. The jade sword, now blindingly fast, left only a phantom before the golden yaksha. Though he tried desperately to block, his combat skills were too ordinary.

Pfft!

Moonbright Sword Art: Shadowless Form!

The jade sword, eerie and unpredictable, sliced through the golden yaksha's body. Though it was nearly a true god's body, without any protective divine ability, the razor-sharp jade sword cut it in two.

Ji Ning remained cautious, knowing the golden yaksha could easily merge, split, and even turn into water. He likely wasn't so easy to kill, and Ji Ning's senses told him the opponent's aura remained strong.

Whoosh~~~

The golden yaksha's bisected body in midair transformed into a torrent of water, suspended in the sky. With a bang, it exploded into countless streams, scattering across the sea surface, each becoming a green yaksha—over five hundred in total.

"You actually wounded my true body. You've passed this trial I guard." The five hundred-plus green yakshas stood on the sea, speaking in unison. "But I'm just the weakest guardian under my master. The old fellows behind me are all stronger. If you want to leave alive and claim my master's treasures, I think you're not enough. Haha..."

With piercing laughter, the five hundred-plus green yakshas flew in all directions, vanishing from sight.

Ji Ning stood silently in midair.

"Withdraw."

The seven hundred and twenty-nine Pure Yang顶级 flying swords were all taken back into his body.

"Just the weakest guardian, with more ahead?" Ji Ning frowned, muttering to himself. He had a vague understanding.

"Even the only one to leave, Buddha Jueming, entered in the ancient era and only emerged in the Three Realms era, spending endless time." Ji Ning thought. "Clearly, the Moon Under the Pool world isn't easy to traverse. My first opponent forced me to use heartforce. The rest will likely be even harder."

Swish!

He immediately mounted his Spirit Serpent Shuttle and continued along the floating log bridge.

...

After flying for about half a day, Ji Ning spotted a magnificent island in the distance, with the floating log bridge leading directly to it.

"What a beautiful island." Ji Ning soon landed. He saw that the world's energy around the island was subtly controlled, causing perpetual snowfall. A snow-covered island was naturally beautiful, and at its center stood a grand palace a thousand zhang tall.

On the palace roof were carvings of three coiled exotic beasts.

"A palace?"

"Why build a palace here?" Ji Ning wondered, walking across the island and observing his surroundings until he reached the palace.

Ji Ning stood outside, peering inside, candlelight flickering in his eyes. He felt this palace's presence must have a reason.

"Hm?" His Candle Dragon Eye caught a faint afterimage flashing deep within the palace.

...

"Here he comes."

"It hasn't been a thousand years. Why another one?"

"Then kill, kill."

A figure hidden in the darkness deep within the palace, eyes filled with madness.

...

Ji Ning frowned outside. "I wasn't mistaken. There's a living being inside."

Whoosh.

After a moment's hesitation, Ji Ning stepped into the palace. Since he couldn't use heartforce or heart-sense in this world, he had to investigate personally. The floating log bridge led here, and the palace was so conspicuous—there had to be a reason.

This was the front hall, with two side corridors. Ji Ning chose one and continued, passing through a large courtyard and various halls.

Whoosh.

A gust of wind.

Ji Ning, walking in the corridor, tensed and immediately struck with his divine sword, always at the ready in this palace.

"Clang." A boom, and a figure flashed by.

"Stop." Ji Ning's expression changed. "Hold on. I'm not an enemy."

"Sss."

Another gust of wind, another afterimage attacked.

"Celestial Xiuke, I'm also from the Three Realms." Ji Ning called out urgently, his voice infused with divine power as he retreated, parrying with his sword.

"Hm?"

The afterimage stopped in the distance, revealing a pale-faced youth holding a blade wheel in each hand. His maddened eyes fixed on Ji Ning, faintly red, his killing intent undisguised.

"From the Three Realms?" The pale youth sneered. "Snow Demon, we've fought countless times. You've disguised yourself as a Three Realms celestial many times. Think you can fool me again?"

"Celestial Xiuke," Ji Ning said quickly. "I truly am from the Three Realms, not the Snow Demon in disguise. Your master is the Daoist Free and Easy Celestial. Am I right?"

Ji Ning recognized him at once.

There were only so many celestials and true immortals in the Three Realms. Of the thousands who entered the Moon Under the Pool world, Ji Ning had memorized them, as the world was rich with primordial energy and even various star forces, allowing both dharma power and divine power to recover. Though not as dense as in the Three Realms, it sufficed for survival.

Xiuke Celestial's appearance hadn't changed, but his demeanor had drastically.

Xiuke Celestial had once been an elegant, carefree, and unrestrained celestial, always smiling.

But the one before Ji Ning was pale, red-eyed, and brimming with killing intent, having reached a point where his Dao-heart could no longer control his murderous urges.

"Master?" The youth stared at Ji Ning, frowning. "Who are you? I've never seen you before."

"I cultivated after Celestial Xiuke entered the Moon Under the Pool," Ji Ning said quickly. "I'm a disciple of Patriarch Bodhi."

By now, the news that Ji Ning was Patriarch Bodhi's disciple was widely known in the Three Realms, and Bodhi didn't forbid Ji Ning from spreading it.

"Bodhi?" The youth sneered. "You picked up some information from the many Three Realms celestials here. Think that can fool me?" Yet he didn't attack.

"My master resides in the Crescent Moon Great World, at the Three-Star Cave on Square Inch Mountain." Ji Ning pressed on.

The youth frowned.

Though many celestials had entered here, few would casually discuss 'Square Inch Mountain, Crescent Moon Three-Star Cave.'

"Your master is Free and Easy Celestial. When you, Celestial Xiuke, were still around, he had seventy-three disciples. Now he has seventy-six." Ji Ning continued. "The senior disciple, True Immortal Fuluo, died in the ancient era. The second disciple..."

Ji Ning spoke on.

The youth's face changed. His body trembled, and tears welled in his eyes.

"Ha, haha..." The youth laughed through tears. "Haha... haha..."

Ji Ning fell silent, watching Xiuke Celestial weep and laugh wildly. He sensed the celestial had endured much; this wild laughter was just release.

"What should I call you, junior brother?" The youth finally stopped, looking at Ji Ning with warmth. Generally, fellow Daoists from different great masters could still address each other as 'brother'—a term of closeness. Though Patriarch Bodhi cultivated both Buddhism and Daoism, he wasn't strictly Daoist.

Clearly, Xiuke Celestial, seeing a celestial from the Three Realms, felt a deep kinship and thus called him 'junior brother.'

"I am Beiming. Greetings, Brother Xiuke." Ji Ning replied.

"Junior Brother Beiming." The youth smiled, the tears in his eyes gone.