Chapter 23: Arrival at the Inner Region

As soon as Ji Ning stepped onto the source chain, he felt an invisible force envelop him, like a strange melody echoing in his sea of consciousness. However, Ji Ning was no ordinary World-level cultivator; he easily blocked this influence.

Walking on the chain, he moved with great speed.

The wraiths flew toward him like lightning from afar, attacking him.

But Ji Ning's Yin-Yang Sword Intent domain covered an area of eight hundred li, and the wraiths that charged into it were torn apart and dissipated. Even an ordinary one-step Daolord would be killed within Ji Ning's Yin-Yang Sword Intent domain, let alone these wraiths.

Hmm?

The invisible force of the source chain was indeed growing stronger. As Ji Ning advanced toward the inner region, the sound of the melody grew louder, tempting him. Within the melody, there seemed to be peerless beauties, endless treasures, an exalted ruler, warm familial affection, undying love, and fervent brotherhood...

Enjoy it.

Truly feel it, sink into it, and you will have everything.

The seductive power grew stronger.

"Eight hundred li, nine hundred li—already nine hundred li. This Beiming is too strong," said Bathound Daolord, wide-eyed in shock. "He's relying solely on a domain to crush the wraiths, without using any other techniques."

Su Youji and the others watched nervously.

"Nine hundred li?" Huo Jin watched silently. Among the four prodigies selected by the twelve palaces, Ji Ning and Qinghun had both walked over nine hundred li on this source chain, while he himself had yet to reach eight hundred li.

"Brother Beiming's sword-intent domain is formidable," said Prince Qinghun with a smile. "It seems this domain alone is enough to fend off all the wraiths."

The Yin-Yang Sword Intent domain, after all, was based on the supreme Dao, a terrifying domain unleashed after mastering the seven Dao Thunder and seven Dao Water.

In terms of power, it was not too far behind the killing moves of Prince Qinghun and Feng Yi.

Moreover, wraiths excelled at swarm attacks, while the Yin-Yang Sword Intent domain excelled at dealing with such attacks. As for Qinghun, Feng Yi, and Huo Jin, they all handled the wraiths with ease, never revealing their true strength. Each of them possessed strength comparable to a two-step Daolord. Clearly, the requirement for a World-level cultivator to pass the source chain was not that high; those who were extremely strong among one-step Daolords could already withstand the wraiths.

"Nine hundred and twenty li, nine hundred and thirty li, nine hundred and forty li, nine hundred and fifty li," Su Youji murmured softly.

The others held their breath, watching.

Could there be another one who would pass the source chain?

Prince Qinghun fell silent, watching intently. Ji Ning had walked farther than he had.

...

The invisible force of the source chain was not entirely directed at Ji Ning; it was inherently mysterious and special, naturally radiating outward and affecting him.

The closer he got to the inner region, the stronger the invisible force emitted by the chain.

The melody grew more ethereal and profound, captivating him and tempting him to immerse himself. Ji Ning even vaguely saw illusory worlds; if he let down his guard, he would be dragged into the illusions and completely lost.

Hmph.

Ji Ning continued forward.

The Yin-Yang Sword Intent domain was enough to fend off the wraiths. Although Ji Ning held an eternal divine weapon in his hand, he had not yet used it.

Nine hundred and eighty li, nine hundred and ninety li...

Ji Ning kept advancing. Though the temptation on his mind grew stronger, shaking his soul, he held firm with a single thought: maintain his true heart and cross this source chain.

Ah.

Was he really going to reach the inner region?

Soon, soon.

Bathound Daolord and the others watched in shock. Prince Qinghun and Huo Jin also watched. Su Youji was the most tense, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the white-robed youth under the sword-intent domain in the distance.

Finally—

With his last few steps, Ji Ning charged off the source chain. The wraiths madly attacked but could not penetrate the Yin-Yang Sword Intent domain to reach him.

"Whew." As Ji Ning stepped onto the ground of the inner region, he let out a sigh of relief and withdrew his Yin-Yang Sword Intent domain.

"This inner region..." Ji Ning felt the invisible force emanating from the ground, warming him as if in a mother's embrace.

Ji Ning mused inwardly.

The inner region, after all, was the core of a universe's origin, where even the universe's source lay. It was only natural for it to be extraordinary.

"Brother Beiming, congratulations," said Feng Yi Xinjun, who had stepped back to avoid the Yin-Yang Sword Intent domain, as he approached Ji Ning with a smile.

"It was perilous, but I made it," Ji Ning replied.

"It's remarkable that Brother Beiming made it. The temptation of this source chain on the mind is indeed formidable," Feng Yi remarked.

Ji Ning nodded.

It was indeed formidable.

But Ji Ning knew that he had a great advantage over Feng Yi, Qinghun, and Huo Jin. Qinghun, Feng Yi, and Huo Jin were relatively normal World-level cultivators; their burst strength in battle could rival two-step Daolords, but only through divine abilities and secret arts.

Their power was ultimately still World-level mana and divine power.

But Ji Ning was different.

He had the power of the blueflower mist, which rivaled Daolord-level mana. This power nourished his soul, making it comparable to that of a one-step Daolord. It was extremely difficult to tempt his soul and make him fall into illusions. In terms of mental state, Ji Ning was on par with Prince Qinghun, but his soul was stronger, allowing him to resist.

Tianhuo Mangya, a prince of the Mangya Kingdom and on the same level as ancient cultivators, as well as Waterwalker and Betaileu, both top-tier special lifeforms, could match them. Their unique lifeforms, enhanced by the blueflower mist, were on par with Ji Ning's, with equally strong souls.

There was also Qianxingzi, who cultivated the Thousand Bodies Sacred Scripture; his divine power also rivaled Daolord level, and his soul was strong.

Among World-level cultivators, those whose souls could rival Daolords were extremely rare. Feng Yi, a heartforce cultivator, had some methods to nourish his soul, but he was far inferior to Ji Ning and Betaileu. Qinghun and Huo Jin were also relatively weak in this aspect.

...

"My blueflower mist nourishes my soul, allowing me to hold out. Feng Yi Xinjun also passed easily. No wonder he's the only Xinjun of the Heartforce Palace," Ji Ning admired inwardly.

Ji Ning glanced at the inner region. Earlier, from the outer region, he could only see the vast world of the inner region, but not its details.

Now, as he looked...

"Hmm?" Ji Ning frowned.

It was battered and ruined.

On the ground, he could see huge ravines, canyons, and caves—clearly traces left by battles among mighty figures, scars from blade light and sword light.

In the distance, there were broken mountain ranges and towering corpses emitting terrifying auras.

"Those corpses?" Ji Ning looked.

Each corpse's aura was astonishingly powerful, feeling no weaker than Woodflower Palace Master.

"Are they all Eternal Emperors?" Ji Ning thought. "This place of origin is nothing but a battlefield. Since when were there so many Eternal Emperors?"

Eternal Emperors were extremely rare.

Even in other universes, as Ji Ning understood, this was the case. In the Endless Territories, the Mangya Kingdom had only a few Eternal Emperors. Yet here in the inner region, Ji Ning saw twelve corpses emitting terrifying auras, all seemingly at the Eternal Emperor level.

The number of Eternal Emperor corpses in the entire place of origin was probably beyond count. No wonder the Eternal Emperors of the Destruction God Palace entered to explore, and no wonder the Lord of the Destruction God Palace had soared here.

"A place like this—I, Ji Ning, am fortunate to come here." Ji Ning felt exhilarated. The ten thousand years of hardship on the journey, the brushes with death—all were worth it, every bit.

"Tianhuo is starting," Feng Yi said.

Ji Ning composed himself and turned to look at the source chain.

At the other end, Tianhuo Mangya stepped onto the source chain. Although his soul was comparable to Ji Ning's, his mental state was too weak; he had experienced too little. Probably any World-level cultivator who had risen through hardships from the mortal world would have a far stronger mental state than him.

Tianhuo Mangya eventually stopped, barely reaching nearly five hundred li, then chose to retreat. Disappointment showed on his face. He hadn't even reached five hundred li; even if his mental state improved greatly, his chances of passing the source chain seemed slim.

...