Chapter 2: Sword Qi Island

Within the Tracewind Ruins.

Dao Lord Tianyi and Ji Ning both stood in midair, surrounded by streams of gray qi.

"Woo..." Dao Lord Tianyi gazed at the countless gray streams in the vast sky. Each stream surged from one of the abysses in the earth, crossed with others high above, then plunged into another abyss below.

"Interesting. Tracewind Dao Lord earned his fearsome reputation—his strength is no bluff." Dao Lord Tianyi looked at the crisscrossing gray streams. "Pity my path is utterly different from his. Otherwise, I'd burrow into the earth and get a good look at the full scope of the Hundred Streams."

Ji Ning stood by, completely baffled.

He had been swept into one of the abyss caves by a gray stream on his first visit.

"Brother." Ji Ning pointed to a lakeside below. "Last time I entered the Tracewind Ruins, I stumbled upon a manor by the lake. Inside lay a dead World God with a pagoda-shaped Eternal treasure."

"Eternal treasure?" Dao Lord Tianyi looked down, twin beams of golden light shooting from his eyes.

"No, there's no manor there now." Dao Lord Tianyi said, "The Hundred Streams are constantly shifting. The manor you found might now be millions of li away."

If he could conveniently take an Eternal treasure, Dao Lord Tianyi wouldn't hesitate.

But there was none.

"Let's go." Dao Lord Tianyi shook his head. "When Tracewind Dao Lord died, he had some World Gods buried with him, but only three or five of them likely owned Eternal treasures. Scattered across the entire ruin, and I can't force my way through the Hundred Streams Formation. I'd have to search by luck—even in a thousand or ten thousand years, I'd be hard-pressed to find one."

Ji Ning nodded in agreement.

Dao Lord Tianyi had said earlier that the full eruption of the Hundred Streams Formation would be terrifying. Many Dao Lords—Waterwindzi, Damos Dao Lord—had come before, all probing cautiously, none daring to break the formation directly. After all, Tracewind Dao Lord had poured his life's pride—his 'Dao'—into this formation, drawing on the power of heaven and earth, matching his most frenzied strike in battle.

"If I fought Tracewind Dao Lord himself, I wouldn't fear him." Dao Lord Tianyi smiled. "But this formation, laid with all his dying heart—I'd rather not face its full force."

"Come, let's head to the core."

Dao Lord Tianyi took Ji Ning and flew on.

...

He didn't break the formation; instead, he followed its flow and naturally reached the core.

"Whoosh, whoosh..." Before them stretched endless gray gales. The further they went, the mightier and denser the winds became.

Ji Ning, standing beside Dao Lord Tianyi, felt his heart quake.

He sensed that if he were caught alone in these winds, he'd be ground to pieces.

"These Tracewinds are lethal, but if you're strong enough, you can pass through easily—not a trap, but a clear path." Dao Lord Tianyi smiled, and as he spoke, they emerged from the gray wind.

Ahead lay a cluster of islands.

"This is the core region," Dao Lord Tianyi said.

"How beautiful." Ji Ning saw a lake thousands of li across, with a large central island surrounded by a dozen smaller ones.

"Don't let the beauty fool you—this place is extremely dangerous." Dao Lord Tianyi's eyes shot golden light as he scanned the core. "The central island is where Tracewind Dao Lord once lived. The surrounding islands were for disciples and servants."

"Hmm?" Ji Ning swept his gaze.

Each island emitted a distinct aura.

One crackled with lightning.

Another radiated chill.

A third reeked of blood.

...

One island blazed with towering sword qi.

The central island, Tracewind's own, pulsed with ripples of wind, as if it were the source, sending gentle breezes in all directions. The wind brushed against them—Dao Lord Tianyi didn't block it—and felt pleasant on the skin.

Yet somehow, looking at that central island, Ji Ning felt a creeping fear.

"This old fellow." Dao Lord Tianyi's golden gaze fixed on the central island. "Even dead, he won't let his treasures fall easily to outsiders."

"I can't take you inside—I wouldn't be able to keep you alive." Dao Lord Tianyi turned to Ji Ning. "There are several islands around the main one. Pick one."

Ji Ning's heart leaped.

He had no desire to enter the central island—too dangerous. He might not even know how he died.

"Alright." Ji Ning looked at the islands, his eyes settling on the one with soaring sword qi. "That one."

Ji Ning knew that all the dead World Gods had left their treasures ownerless, radiating powerful auras. Such intense sword qi meant something extraordinary.

"That one?" Dao Lord Tianyi's golden eyes pierced the island, where a celestial palace blazed with sword qi.

"Ji Ning, you have Beixiu's Eternal divine weapon, don't you?" Dao Lord Tianyi looked at him.

"Yes." Ji Ning nodded.

"Mm. When I saw you fend off those black lotuses, I sensed your strength was considerable and guessed you were using 'Ziguang Qiong'." Dao Lord Tianyi nodded. "With the divine sword Ziguang Qiong in hand, you can handle the danger on that island, though it's no small threat."

"No small threat?" Ji Ning was alarmed.

"Go. Three World Gods died on that island." Dao Lord Tianyi smiled. "The treasures they left are decent and suit you."

"Three?"

Ji Ning pondered.

"Remember, don't set foot off that island." Dao Lord Tianyi warned gravely. "If you trigger the formation's restrictions, you'll turn to ash before I can save you."

"I understand." Ji Ning nodded.

"Go." Dao Lord Tianyi waved his hand, and a watery light wrapped Ji Ning, speeding toward the distant island.

Whoosh—

Ji Ning landed on tangled grass. He looked up; Dao Lord Tianyi smiled and nodded from above: "Wait for me on this island." With that, Dao Lord Tianyi transformed into a stream of water, formless and flowing, heading for the central island. The gentle breezes around the central island instantly turned into golden winds.

The winds were razor-sharp.

But the water stream was pliant and intangible; even when torn apart, it seeped through and easily bored into the great island.

Ji Ning, watching the water stream and the golden winds, felt the vast gulf between their power and his. They were on entirely different levels.

"I'm still too weak." Ji Ning shook off the thought and turned to survey his island.

The island was about several dozen li across.

It was adorned with flowers, trees, and rolling hills, with the celestial palace at its center, dazzling and resplendent.

"Three World Gods?"

"Brother said there's a dangerous spot, but I can handle it." Ji Ning extended his hand, and the divine sword Ziguang Qiong appeared. The misty power from the greenflower space in his brow spread, reinforcing his entire body.

Ji Ning walked cautiously, step by step, and in a few breaths reached the palace gate.

The doors were wide open, utterly silent.

"Hmm?"

Ji Ning moved carefully through the palace. All was dead quiet—corridors, gardens, everywhere spotless.

"Not a soul?" After a while, Ji Ning found nothing but emptiness, not even servant corpses. He tried to extend his heartforce and mindpower, but the gentle winds in the core blocked all probing. Dao Lord Tianyi could scan, but Ji Ning was far from that level.

"Eh?" Just as Ji Ning was about to give up finding anyone, his eyes lit up.

Through the palace wall, he saw a distant hill. Midway up was a pavilion, and inside sat a figure in a golden robe, legs crossed.