Chapter 7: The Flame Beast

Ji Ning knew well that there were countless rare treasures in the vast territories, and it was perfectly normal for him not to obtain them. He was already quite lucky to have acquired the Ninefold Chaos Seals.

"Master." After leaving the Divine Weapon Valley, Ji Ning and Su Youji reunited.

"Let's find a place to settle down first." Ji Ning and Su Youji flew high in the sky, when he spotted a mountain peak. The peak stood proudly, surrounded by clouds and mist, and was considered one of the taller peaks within the vast territory of the Sword Palace. Since the Sword Palace had only a few formal members, one could freely choose a spot within the palace, as long as it wasn't already occupied by another cultivator.

Ji Ning pointed into the distance.

Whoosh~~~

A celestial mansion materialized in midair, then descended and landed on the mountain peak.

"From now on, this mansion will be our residence in the Sword Palace." Ji Ning looked at Su Youji. "By the way, Youji, the twelve palaces all have spacetime teleportation arrays. You can also try the Flame Palace; you might be able to join it." He couldn't guide Su Youji himself; everything depended on her own efforts.

"Seeing the Sword Palace, I'm tempted too." Su Youji smiled. "Though I know the chances are slim, I'll give it a try."

"Mm." Ji Ning nodded.

…

Towering sword pagodas stood tall, like ancient mighty figures before him. Ji Ning walked among them, sighing inwardly. Those great beings who had once dominated their eras, even rivaling Eternal Emperors, had all perished. In the entire Sword Palace, Daoists who had lived beyond a hundred thousand chaos cycles were few and far between.

Such was the power of time.

"To become an Eternal Emperor, one must become an Emperor like the Great Dominator."

"Otherwise... it's better to be a Daoist capable of slaying Emperors."

"Only if I become strong enough can I hope to invite the Great Dominator or another mighty being of the same level to revive my senior apprentice-sister."

"As long as I reunite with my senior apprentice-sister, and together with Mingyue, the three of us as a family, even if I ultimately fail in my Dao-heart integration, it will be enough." Although Daoists faced life-and-death crises at every step, even failing integration meant they could live for a very, very long time. As long as the three of them could truly be together and live in peace, Ji Ning would be content.

Ji Ning's greatest regret was...

His wife, Yu Wei, had died shortly after giving birth to their daughter.

"Huff." Ji Ning waved his hand, and a thatched hut appeared on the empty ground beside him. The hut was transformed from his time treasure.

Ji Ning sat cross-legged inside the thatched hut, then fixed his gaze on the distant sword pagodas. Time inside the hut flowed at a hundredfold rate.

"With so many top-tier sword techniques to study, each containing its own sword intent." Ji Ning marveled. For some cultivators, too much variety would spoil the broth, even hindering their progress. But Ji Ning's path started from the essence of the sword, analyzing all sword techniques and absorbing their essence into his own "Brightmoon Sword Art."

The "Brightmoon Sword Art" was still immature, but as Ji Ning walked this path, it would become a sword art encompassing all the mysteries of the sword.

Ji Ning's path was arduous.

He had first vaguely sensed this path in the Three Realms, then gained clarity after guidance from Daoist Tianyi. During his initial enlightenment in the Five Thousand Sword Dao Hall, he accumulated sword insights. Now, he had arrived at the Sword Palace's foremost sacred ground, the Sword Pagoda Forest.

"Eighty-three thousand six hundred and twelve sword pagodas."

"Many are comparable to the 'Nameless Sword Art.' I must cherish this opportunity." Ji Ning, hailing from the Three Realms, understood how precious this opportunity was. In the Three Realms, his master Bodhi, as well as Houyi and the Three Pure Ones who had sacrificed themselves for the Three Realms, had never become World-level cultivators due to a lack of good techniques. Only now, with Ji Ning's second avatar spreading teachings in the Three Realms, had things changed.

But relatively speaking, the opportunities in the Sword Palace were far more precious.

Ji Ning naturally treasured them deeply. He was the second being from the Three Realms, after Nuwa, to venture out. He didn't know what Nuwa had experienced, but he would seize every opportunity to grow stronger.

…

Su Youji stood outside the Sword Pagoda Forest, gazing at the figure in the thatched hut in the distance. Amid the ancient sword pagodas, the white-robed youth inside the hut was completely immersed in sword techniques. Around him, countless sword energies naturally converged, and sword moves manifested spontaneously. These were the natural manifestations of Ji Ning's insights.

"Master has never had a good teacher or proper guidance. Now that he has a true sacred ground, he will probably soar to new heights, even more dazzling than before." Su Youji murmured to herself.

"I must also work hard. With the legacy of Flying Immortal Saint, at least I can be of some help to Master."

Su Youji had always been helped by Ji Ning, and she was grateful. But she also longed to do something for him.

"Time to go to the Flame Palace." Su Youji turned and left.

…

The twelve palaces were connected by spacetime teleportation arrays.

"So many World-level cultivators?"

Su Youji arrived at the Flame Palace. Walking along the path, she saw some World-level cultivators sitting cross-legged on the ground. She followed the path until she reached its end.

"Stop." Suddenly, a patrolling black-armored Daoist shouted at Su Youji.

"I wish to join the Flame Palace." Su Youji said.

"Wait. In half a month, a batch of you World-level cultivators will undergo the trial together." The black-armored Daoist glanced at her coldly. "You World-level cultivators can only stay on this path. Do not trespass into other areas. If you do, the Flame Palace's formations and restrictions will incinerate you to ashes."

"Understood." Su Youji quickly replied.

Earlier, at the Sword Palace, she had entered with Ji Ning, and even the black-armored Daoists had been relatively polite to her.

But in reality, black-armored Daoists were very cold toward World-level cultivators not belonging to the twelve palaces, as there were far too many who wanted to join.

"Half a month to wait." Su Youji found a corner and sat down cross-legged.

"Another one. So many want to join the Flame Palace." A few hundred zhang away, a plump, rosy-lipped, fair-skinned youth in a fiery red robe muttered, "I'm a grandmaster alchemist, but I couldn't get into the Spacetime Palace, and I can't pass the Flame Palace trial either. What to do? Why isn't there an Alchemy Palace?"

"I'm good at alchemy, and also decent at space and flame. But I've failed both the Spacetime Palace and Flame Palace trials..."

"I'll have to find Brother Beiming for help." The plump youth thought to himself. "He's sure to enter the twelve palaces. If I stick with him, life will be better..."

This plump youth was none other than Danbao, the World God.

He was truly unlucky.

Originally a grandmaster alchemist, he rarely needed to fight. He was always surrounded by attendants, and his master guided him in alchemy. But then he was captured and taken to the Star Island, where everyone fought each other, and no one cared about alchemy. He had once possessed an Eternal treasure, but it was taken from him as soon as he arrived on Star Island. Fortunately, alchemy required high proficiency in flame and space, and he was decent in both, so he managed to survive on Star Island. But completing a set of inheritances and leaving alive was extremely difficult.

Later, with Ji Ning's help, he managed to escape alive.

Relying on his alchemy skills, he lived quite comfortably in the Mangaya Kingdom and safely reached the twelve palaces. But his abilities weren't enough to enter any of them.

"I'll try again. The Spacetime Palace trial is too hard. If I improve a bit more, maybe I can pass the Flame Palace trial." Danbao gritted his teeth, determined. He knew the Flame Palace was a great opportunity, and he longed to enter.

Su Youji and Danbao were only a few hundred zhang apart, but they didn't recognize each other.

…

Mangaya Kingdom, Imperial Palace.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~~~"

A flame beast galloped through a stretch of void, dotted with chaotic stars. This void was part of the Mangaya Kingdom's imperial palace, a place where the Great Dominator usually rested.

The flame beast ran freely. Ever since being captured, it had lived a life of misery, constantly teetering on the edge of death. Although a powerful kin named "King Wu" kept an eye on it, it still feared losing its life at any moment. So it never dared to slack off, and finally, it had made it through.

"Child." A colossal beast manifested in the void, gazing at the flame beast with gentle eyes.

"Dominator." The flame beast quickly stopped, standing respectfully and obediently. It had learned that the Great Dominator was the strongest among their kind.

"Since your birth, you have cultivated on your own, but you've been too lazy, spending most of your time sleeping. After some trials in the Star Island Abyss, though brief, you've made progress. Now you are qualified to go to the 'Ancient Domain.'" The beast's head spoke.

"Ancient Domain?" The flame beast was puzzled. "Where is that?"

…