Chapter 33: Days of Understanding the Sword

"How is this possible? This, this is the chain refined by Lord Jiufang... He, he clearly..." The black-haired elder found it hard to believe. Looking at Ji Ning, he was only a Patriarch, yet he remembered that a few hundred years ago, Ji Ning had wielded that blood-colored divine sword, slashing at the very chains that imprisoned him. Back then, he had only left a few marks on the chains.

At that time, the Three Absolute Sword Master had been amazed. It was right after the Tribulation of the Three Realms, and Ji Ning's attack power had only just touched the threshold of the World level.

But now, he was far stronger than before.

'Blueflower Mist Force'—activate!

The full power of the intact Eternal divine weapon erupted, and even a trace of the divine sword's origin within was triggered!

The power of this sword strike was so great that it cut through the chains with ease, without any resistance.

"According to Lord Jiufang, only a World God or Chaos Immortal could break these chains. Even if they could... it shouldn't be this easy. Could he be stronger than a newly broken-through World level?" The black-haired elder looked at Ji Ning before him, his heart filled with shock. A Patriarch with such power?

"Alright, I've broken the chains, and you can leave now," Ji Ning said. "From now on, you will follow me peacefully. When I reach the World level, you may stay or leave as you wish."

"To follow my master is my fortune," the Three Absolute Sword Master said respectfully.

A legendary prodigy...

A Patriarch in body, yet stronger than a newly broken-through World level.

"Mm." Ji Ning smiled, understanding that the Three Absolute Sword Master was only now truly sincere. Before, it had been forced by circumstances and bound by the oath of his true fate.

Ji Ning glanced at the divine sword Violetjade in his hand. Because it had a master, this divine sword appeared ordinary, and no one could see its true power. Even the Three Absolute Sword Master, who had witnessed that strike, thought Ji Ning had made a breakthrough, unaware that the sword had undergone earth-shattering changes.

"The gap between an Eternal divine weapon and a Dao divine weapon is this vast."

"Even without drawing on its internal origin, its power far exceeds that of a Dao divine weapon. Once the origin is triggered... the power is incalculable!" Ji Ning thought to himself.

The most precious thing about an Eternal divine weapon was its internal origin.

This was also why it was worthy of being the weapon of beings at the level of Da Mo Daofather or Sui Feng Daofather. Once the power of the internal origin was unleashed, it was indeed inconceivable. But Ji Ning was still far from that; all he could draw out now was a mere thread, yet that thread had already propelled his strength forward by leaps and bounds.

...

Ji Ning began to rescue the imprisoned prisoners one by one.

All the prisoners in the world prison had long been swept clean by Ji Ning. Back during the Tribulation of the Three Realms, Ji Ning had exhausted every possible means. Those who did not submit died; those who lived had already submitted.

Now, Ji Ning helped them break their chains.

"Whoosh."

On a grassy plain, a group of figures appeared out of thin air.

They were all the immortals and demons imprisoned in the world prison. They had been collected by Ji Ning into his cave-heaven treasure and were still excitedly talking: "That warden is too powerful. I saw it with my own eyes. He flew over from afar in an instant, his speed absolutely surpassing the limits of the Heavenly Dao. He casually swung his sword, and the sword also exceeded the limits of the Heavenly Dao. The chains were like mud; they broke with a 'pfft' without any resistance. That is definitely the power of a legendary Chaos Immortal or World God."

"But he's clearly a Patriarch."

"Right, the warden is indeed a Patriarch. He was a True God back then and even fought me. How could he become a World God so quickly?"

"But a Patriarch with World-level power..."

"A legendary existence."

They were all extremely excited.

After all, such legendary prodigies were too rare. Roaming the vast chaos territories, it was not hard to see ten or a hundred World-level experts. But seeing such a prodigy was far more difficult.

"Whoosh."

Just as they were talking excitedly, they were suddenly all teleported onto the grassland.

They all fell silent.

Because ahead stood a figure in white robes. They all knew that was the warden. Even those prisoners who had been dissatisfied in the past were now completely convinced, even feeling admiration.

"Everyone," Ji Ning in white began.

"I said before that when I had the strength, I would let you leave this prison."

"Now..."

"You may leave the prison."

"But before that, I must tell you that the territory I am in now is the 'Da Mo Territory' in the endless chaos. The Da Mo Territory is a very vast territory, with over eighty thousand chaos worlds and many World Gods and Chaos Immortals, divided into many factions. The strongest is the Da Mo Institute, which occupies the 'Da Mo Eternal World'. The Da Mo Institute was founded by 'Da Mo Daofather', an existence above the World level... with power you can hardly imagine."

"In the Da Mo Territory, Patriarchs and Ancestral Immortals can go out and adventure."

"True Gods, True Immortals, Heavenly Gods, and Heavenly Immortals should stay in as much as possible, because if they run into ruthless people, they might be captured as slaves," Ji Ning said. "I'm not threatening you; this is the truth. There's no need for me to threaten you."

The immortals and demons were all stunned.

Da Mo Territory?

What place was this? How, how was it so much stronger than their Jiufang Chaos Kingdom?

"I haven't found any information about your Jiufang Chaos Kingdom in the Da Mo Territory," Ji Ning said. "Alright, you can make your choice. If you choose freedom, you must swear a true fate oath not to reveal anything about me to outsiders."

"We are willing to follow our master forever."

Suddenly, sixteen Patriarchs and Ancestral Immortals exchanged glances and said in unison.

They had already sworn true fate oaths to be followers when Ji Ning defeated them earlier.

"We are willing to follow our master." The True Gods, True Immortals, Heavenly Gods, and Heavenly Immortals hesitated for a moment, then also called out one after another.

Even the Patriarchs and Ancestral Immortals called him master.

What did they have to lose?

Besides, hadn't they heard the warden say, 'True Gods, True Immortals, Heavenly Gods, and Heavenly Immortals should stay in as much as possible, because if they run into ruthless people, they might be captured as slaves'? Although Ji Ning repeatedly said it wasn't a threat, these immortals and demons still felt uneasy and panicked. They had been imprisoned for so long, with no hope of breakthrough, and only wanted to live well.

"Good," Ji Ning nodded. "I now live in the Sui Feng Chaos World. You will come with me."

"Yes."

All the immortals and demons responded.

Ji Ning glanced and nodded slightly. In truth, he didn't think much of those Heavenly Gods, Heavenly Immortals, True Gods, and True Immortals. But some of them knew the secret of his avatars! Because when dealing with some immortals and demons, Ji Ning had used both his true body and avatars. So even if they wanted to leave, they had to swear a true fate oath.

In fact, Ji Ning also felt that, being unfamiliar with the place and having no backing, if they went out, most would end up being captured as slaves.

...

The Sui Feng Chaos World was vast.

After Ji Ning returned, as a patrol guard, he casually marked out a million-mile area around the East Ning Mountains for these immortals and demons to live in. Those Patriarchs and Ancestral Immortals also released some living beings from their cave-heaven treasures, allowing them to multiply and live on this land.

"Build your respective caves on this mountain," Ji Ning instructed.

The Dawnsun Small Pavilion was on this mountain.

The sixteen Patriarchs and Ancestral Immortals, along with Fire Fairy Su Youji, also built residences nearby, clustering around Ji Ning.

The days that followed were very peaceful.

Su Youji often sparred with Ji Ning. Each time, Ji Ning's sword techniques suppressed her, making Su Youji constantly ponder how to become stronger. Her strength improved noticeably.

And Ji Ning?

Ji Ning improved even faster. Under the influence of the 'divine sword origin', his sword's killing intent became much heavier, and his comprehension of the 'Kill Sword Style' accelerated greatly.

As for the other sixteen Patriarchs and Ancestral Immortals, they also came once or twice to seek guidance in sparring, but their enthusiasm was clearly low. After all, they had been cultivating for far too long and had long given up hope of reaching the World level.

...

In the peaceful days of the Sui Feng Chaos World, Ji Ning devoted himself to cultivating sword techniques and studying the divine sword origin. In the blink of an eye, over two hundred years passed.

At the mountaintop.

Ji Ning sat cross-legged, the mountain wind stirring his robes.

On Ji Ning's lap lay the divine sword Violetjade. The divine sword Violetjade was like his beloved; he carried it with him everywhere, constantly sensing the artistic conception of the divine sword origin. This made Ji Ning progress extremely quickly. Decades ago, he had already fully comprehended the second move of the nameless sword technique, the 'Kill Sword Style', but Ji Ning felt no complacency.

Because before the sword intent contained in the divine sword origin, Ji Ning could recognize his own weakness.

"If only one day I could reach the same realm as the sword intent of the divine sword origin," Ji Ning thought, gazing into the vast distance. The faintly sensed sword intent caused strands of sword light to naturally flow around Ji Ning's body.