Chapter 278: Approaching
The Sword Dao Rule Divine Chain, with fifty percent of its power, was severed by Ning Qi.
Jian Jingjue looked up at Ning Qi, admiration gleaming in his sword-like eyes.
“Not bad, to be able to withstand even fifty percent of my strength, and even achieve enlightenment on the spot. Your talent is even beyond mine.”
“However, I will use seventy percent of my strength next. Are you ready?”
Ning Qi replied, “Then I humbly request Ancestor Jian to impart more teachings.”
Thus, the two began their third sparring match.
This time, both Ning Qi and Ancestor Jian only released one Rule Divine Chain.
The Rule Divine Chains instantly collided, their Sword Intent exceptionally sharp.
The observing Great Powers felt their eyes sting just by watching, and even their Nascent Souls dared not look directly.
The two Rule Divine Chains were like two great serpents fighting in the void; all other rules in the void were completely suppressed, as if they had entered a vacuum.
Initially, Ancestor Jian Jingjue could still suppress Ning Qi with his Sword Dao cultivation.
However, after just a few breaths, Ning Qi’s Sword Dao rules began to suppress Jian Jingjue’s Sword Dao instead.
Many of the observing Great Powers’ throats bobbed, seemingly unable to believe what they were seeing.
Because they could clearly feel that Ancestor Jian had indeed improved his cultivation, but why was Ning Qi now at an advantage?
Finally, Ning Qi’s Sword Dao rules completely annihilated Ancestor Jian’s, and the void returned to peace.
Seeing this, Jian Jingjue’s outstretched hand froze in the void.
His sword-like eyes shone brightly, staring at Ning Qi as if he had discovered a treasure.
He had seen countless prodigies in his life, yet he had never encountered someone like Ning Qi who made such great progress at a visible speed.
After all, Jian Jingjue was also a prodigy, praised by his Master and Senior Brothers in his youth, and traversed the Northern Xuan Region in his prime.
“I will use my full strength next, be careful,” he said.
“Alright.”
This time, Jian Jingjue held nothing back.
His figure suddenly shot up from the plaza, and the Sword Intent surrounding him descended upon the entire space like winter frost, chilling all; it seemed as if only he existed between heaven and earth.
The observing Great Powers below didn’t even dare to move, as if any slight movement would immediately have their Nascent Souls severed, leading to death and the demise of their Dao.
They were incredibly terrified, wondering in their hearts what level of cultivation Ancestor Jian had reached.
They were also at the Late Void Dao Realm; why did they feel like fallen leaves facing an autumn wind in front of Ancestor Jian?
The gazes of the Great Powers couldn’t help but sweep towards Ning Qi.
Under such terrifying Sword Intent, Ning Qi could still fly out; he was the only being able to move within that pervasive frost!
Ning Qi ascended step by step, as if walking on a cloud ladder, eventually reaching the same height as Ancestor Jian.
Jian Jingjue floated in the void, his robes fluttering, his beard and hair dancing.
He gazed at Ning Qi and suddenly asked, “Your sword has just begun its journey; do you have any intention of surpassing me?”
However, Ning Qi uttered a single word: “None!”
Jian Jingjue was taken aback.
The size of a person’s heart determines the height of their upper limit.
Jian Jingjue had never followed conventional rules since his birth; such meaningless conventionalities like respecting teachers and honoring the Dao could not bind him.
He had never, like other disciples of the Boundless Sword Sect, viewed the Sect Master and the sect’s foremost figure as insurmountable.
It was precisely for this reason that Jian Jingjue became the most astonishing prodigy in the history of the Boundless Sword Sect at that time.
Therefore, Jian Jingjue deeply understood that a person’s heart must be like a sword, cutting through everything, to truly transcend.
He had always disdained those who followed conventions, because these people dared not break the mold and lacked the ambition to surpass their predecessors!
Thus, at this moment, Jian Jingjue asked if Ning Qi had any intention of surpassing him.
After learning of Ning Qi’s deeds, Jian Jingjue believed Ning Qi was someone like himself.
But Ning Qi replied, none!
Jian Jingjue, after a moment of surprise, recovered and asked in confusion, “What do you mean by ‘none’?”
Ning Qi said, “I have never had the intention of surpassing in my heart!”
The observing Great Powers, seeing that although the two had not yet made a move, they were engaging in a verbal battle filled with profound meaning.
They could understand Ancestor Jian’s words but not Ning Qi’s.
Only Jian Jingjue’s sword-like eyes suddenly widened, and after a while, he said:
“Well said, ‘None’!”
Jian Jingjue savored the words, gradually understanding Ning Qi’s meaning; he, Jian Jingjue, had the ambition to surpass everything, not bound by worldly conventions, but he had fallen short.
Ning Qi, however, had taken a step further, never viewing surpassing as surpassing, which was the superior path.
Simply put, Jian Jingjue had an object of surpassing in his heart.
For instance, as a child, he had the ambition to surpass his parents and elders at home; upon entering the sect, he had the ambition to surpass his senior brothers and master, and even extended it to all the experts in the Northern Xuan Region and Southern True Domain who preceded him in the Sword Dao.
But Ning Qi, from the very beginning, had no such thing in his heart; in his heart, there was no one ahead!
“Then let me witness your Dao!”
After speaking, Jian Jingjue stroked the void with one hand, as if caressing a hidden sword.
Instantly, ten thousand sword shapes appeared in the space around them, all constructed from Sword Dao rules.
The Great Powers below, witnessing this scene, had their eyes nearly popping out.
“Is this Ancestor Jian’s true strength?”
No wonder Ancestor Jian could blockade all surrounding rules, and no wonder they couldn’t condense their own rules in front of Ancestor Jian.
Even Ning Qi was stunned and felt admiration.
The standard for judging Great Powers in the Late Void Dao Realm is not based on the number of rules they have mastered, but on the number and length of their single Rule Divine Chains.
For example, when Ning Qi broke through to the Void Dao Realm, he directly entered the Late Void Dao Realm.
At that time, Jiang Qingxue used Ning Qi’s single Rule Divine Chain having twelve strands, each eleven zhang long, as a basis, which far exceeded the standard for judging ordinary Late Void Dao Realm cultivators, who typically had ten zhang long chains with at least five strands.
Ancestor Jian, who had been in closed-door cultivation for ten thousand years, specializing in the Sword Dao, was still in the Void Dao Realm.
However, he had only one Sword Dao Rule Divine Chain, but it permeated the entire void!
It now surrounded them, densely packed and overlapping, forming a spherical shape.
At a glance, if one were to calculate its length, it would likely be tens of thousands of meters!
Therefore, even Ning Qi had to admire it.
Ancestor Jian’s realm was indeed the Void Dao Realm, but that ten-thousand-meter Sword Dao Rule Divine Chain, combined with his Dao of “One Sword Breaks All Laws,” would likely render even a Body Integration Realm expert vulnerable.
“Are you ready to receive my strike?” Jian Jingjue asked.
Ning Qi suddenly said, “Wait a moment, Ancestor Jian, are you sure you used seventy percent of your strength before, not zero point seven percent?”
Jian Jingjue’s face rarely showed a smile.
“Kid, are you scared?”
Ning Qi was speechless; he just felt the contrast was too great.
Scared? The word ‘scared’ never existed in his dictionary!
As if sensing Ning Qi’s thoughts, Jian Jingjue coughed lightly, a hint of unnatural flush appearing on his gaunt face, before saying:
“Don’t worry, I did indeed use seventy percent of my strength before; the current situation is just a bit special.”
Ning Qi vaguely sensed that Ancestor Jian seemed to be concealing something in his words.
Especially the fleeting unusual expression on Jian Jingjue’s face, which he had clearly captured.
“Alright, then I won’t hold back anymore either,” Ning Qi said.
With that, a ‘whoosh’ sound came from behind him as several Rule Divine Chains shot out.
This time, Ning Qi no longer responded to Ancestor Jian with a single Sword Dao Rule Divine Chain, but unleashed all the rules he had mastered.
Sword, Water, Fire, Thunder, Metal, Earth, Wind, Saber…
The appearance of the eight Rule Divine Chains shocked the observing Great Powers once again.
“When did Sect Master Ning master eight rules? Do you know, Ziyang?” Jiang Ruhai asked.
Ziyang shook his head with difficulty, “We have been traveling together, so naturally I don’t know. The Sect Master probably comprehended them recently…”
“Recently? Didn’t you return to the sect only a little over ten days ago?” another Great Power asked in surprise.
True Person Ziyang glanced at him and chuckled, saying:
“Ten-plus days is quite a lot. Don’t forget, including our trip to the Profound True Secret Realm and the return journey, it’s only been a little over two months. And two months ago, the Sect Master was still in the Nascent Soul Realm.”
The Great Power choked upon hearing this, feeling quite disheartened.
A little over two months, from Nascent Soul Realm to Late Void Dao Realm, and now eight Rule Divine Chains… Heh heh…
If it weren’t for the real case before him, he would have definitely choked his opponent to death and cursed them for talking nonsense!
At this moment, Jiang Baichuan looked at the eight Rule Divine Chains behind Ning Qi, his heart filled with bitterness.
So, Ning Qi had held back when dealing with the four Great Powers of the Ye Family.
How ridiculous that he had thought of suppressing Ning Qi at that time. If Ning Qi had revealed his full strength then, he, as the Sect Master, would probably have been beaten like a dog by Ning Qi!
What puzzled everyone even more was that they couldn’t condense any rule power in front of Ancestor Jian.
Why could Ning Qi still do it?
Ancestor Jian Jingjue also harbored the same question.
Thirty percent, fifty percent, seventy percent were all fine, but now that he had revealed his full strength, why could Ning Qi break through his Sword Dao blockade?
Naturally, they did not know that Ning Qi’s mastered rules were different from theirs.
Their rules were condensed from the Mountain Sea Realm, but Ning Qi’s were condensed from the True Martial Realm and poured into the Reincarnated Body by the Main Body.
The astonishment of the crowd was not yet over, as the eight Rule Divine Chains behind Ning Qi were still continuously lengthening.
From eleven zhang to twenty zhang, then to fifty zhang, one hundred zhang, and finally to three hundred zhang!
Eight different three-hundred-zhang Rule Divine Chains appeared behind Ning Qi.
The Great Powers were shocked, and Jian Jingjue was shocked!
The youngest among all the Great Powers had been in the Void Dao Realm for hundreds of years, and their condensed Rule Divine Chains were mostly slightly above ten zhang.
The standard for judging the length of Rule Divine Chains for Late Void Dao Realm Great Powers was ten zhang.
Why was this the standard?
It wasn’t that they didn’t want to condense longer Rule Divine Chains, but their hearts were willing but their strength was insufficient.
The longer it was, the more mental energy and Nascent Soul it consumed, and the more difficult it was to control.
Like a child playing with a great saber; not only would they be unable to kill enemies, but they might even exhaust themselves first.
Hence, there was another standard for judgment: the number of strands!
Almost all Void Dao Realm Great Powers, after condensing a ten-zhang Rule Divine Chain, would focus on increasing the number of strands.
Looking at the two figures currently in battle, it was undeniable that both were anomalies among anomalies.
Ancestor Jian’s condensation of a ten-thousand-meter divine chain signified his supreme talent in the Sword Dao and his terrifying control.
As for Ning Qi, not to mention how many types of rules he possessed, the Great Powers never expected him to be so terrifying in terms of divine chain length as well.
On the opposite side, Jian Jingjue’s face also showed surprise; he suddenly said:
“Good kid, you’ve been hiding quite deeply! Tell me, how much strength did you use when fighting me earlier?”
Ning Qi smiled and said, “Since Ancestor Jian used seventy percent, I’ll also count it as seventy percent.”
Jian Jingjue coughed, “Alright, then now we are ten percent versus ten percent. Let’s see whose ten percent is stronger.”
He pointed his extended right palm forward like a sword, and with a sweep, he aimed at Ning Qi.
In the void, the ten-thousand-meter Sword Dao Rule Divine Chain rumbled and converged, completely transforming into a magnificent divine dragon.
With dragon whiskers, dragon claws, dragon scales, and a dragon tail, lifelike, it weaved around the two figures in the air.
“Go!” Jian Jingjue commanded.
The Sword Dao Rule Divine Dragon immediately bared its fangs and brandished its claws; with a casual movement, the void collapsed, revealing deeper black holes.
The colossal Sword Dao Divine Dragon charged towards Ning Qi.
Behind Ning Qi, eight rules, with the Sword Dao as the primary, and the other seven integrated into it, transformed into an incomparably brilliant Dragon Spear.
Thunder and lightning surged upon it, winds and clouds shifted, water and fire complemented each other, its sharpness was awe-inspiring, yet it possessed a sense of gravitas!
The Dragon Spear pierced the void and stabbed towards the Sword Dao Divine Dragon.
Upon their collision, spiritual energy was annihilated, and the void shattered; the central peaks of the entire Boundless Sword Sect seemed to have fallen into a meteor shower.
Rumble!
Initially, the observing Great Powers could still see fragments of the battle and hear some sounds.
Afterwards, they could no longer see anything, nor could they hear anything; their five senses were all taken away.
Like a weak person falling into an abyss, unable to reach the heavens or the earth, only a faint flicker of a spiritual fire remained, knowing they were still alive.
After a few breaths.
The Sword Dao Divine Dragon suddenly disintegrated, and the Dragon Spear also shattered.
The void where they were located surged with endless spiritual energy and rules, light reappeared, and sounds returned.
The observing Great Powers looked at the two figures.
Ning Qi appeared to have been repelled ten zhang in the air, yet his white robes remained pristine, and he was calm and composed.
Jian Jingjue’s back, as seen from behind, was as straight as a divine sword, just as when they first met.
Only Ning Qi, seeing from the front, noticed a trace of blood seeping from the corner of Jian Jingjue’s mouth, though he instantly wiped it away.
Ning Qi’s gaze flickered; he couldn’t help but recall Jian Jingjue’s earlier statement about his situation being special, and that Ancestor Jian had decided to conceal some important matters!
However, this was not the time to inquire about such things.
Ning Qi descended to the plaza and proactively said, “Old Ancestor’s cultivation has reached the divine, this junior is not as capable.”
Jian Jingjue coughed lightly again and also landed in the arena.
He looked at Ning Qi, deeply shocked.
That ten-thousand-meter Sword Dao Rule was something he had used at the cost of a Great Dao Injury. Although it could only be maintained for a moment, he could still kill an ordinary Body Integration Realm cultivator with it.
Originally, Jian Jingjue did not intend to use such a move, but his interest was piqued upon encountering Ning Qi, a monstrous talent rarely seen in a million years; he ultimately used it.
If Ning Qi had not gained some enlightenment from his imparting of Dharma before their duel, he naturally would not have used it.
But after several exchanges, Jian Jingjue discovered that Ning Qi’s comprehension was astonishingly heaven-defying, and after a few rounds, Ning Qi had grasped seventy to eighty percent of his Sword Dao understanding.
Therefore, he will use it.
It’s just that he never expected that even if his later strength was insufficient, Ning Qi could still hold on, and even…
Jian Jingjue pursed his thin lips; Ning Qi could defeat him!
“You don’t need to flatter me. We sword cultivators act with a straightforward heart; one is one, and two is two.”
He sighed softly and said, “In the end, I am old. I am not as good as you, my talent is not as good as yours, and my future is even less so!”
Ning Qi was taken aback. The Sword Ancestor’s candidness naturally made him feel favorable towards him.
And as for the Great Powers observing, each one of them, upon hearing this, felt as if they had been struck by Sword Dao.
What did the Sword Ancestor just say?
Before Ning Qi appeared, the most talented and astonishing person in the Boundless Sword Sect admitted that he was not as good as Ning Qi. Did he lose?
All Great Powers struggled to turn their heads, their gazes shifting from Sword Ancestor to Ning Qi.
Their pupils were like earthquakes, gazing at the person in white, fervent admiration gradually appearing in their eyes.
The person even the Sword Ancestor admitted was inferior. How fortunate their Boundless Sword Sect was, how honored they, the elders, were to be alive to witness it.
The desolate aura on Jiang Baichuan’s body suddenly vanished completely, and he finally felt relieved.
It is a true blessing for a prodigy like Ning Qi to become the Sect Master of the Boundless Sword Sect. If he were to continue causing trouble, not only would he himself get into trouble, but it would also definitely slow down the sect’s future.
“I have already preached the Dao, you juniors may go down and observe.”
The Sword Ancestor waved his wide sleeve.
The congregation respectfully bowed, “Thank you, Sword Ancestor, for imparting the Dao.”
“Ning Qi, stay behind.”
Ning Qi’s just-outstretched foot instantly paused, and he followed the Sword Ancestor back into the Mingxin Hall.
The two sat down, Ning Qi took out the tea set and personally brewed a pot of Enlightenment Tea.
For a moment, the aroma of Enlightenment Tea filled the Mingxin Hall. The tea soup was crystal clear, with spiritual energy rising like mist.
“Sword Ancestor, please have some tea.”
Jian Jingjue was devoted to his sword, uninterested in other matters. He glanced at Ning Qi in surprise and said:
“You also know the Way of Tea?”
“I occasionally cook it.”
Jian Jingjue nodded and took a sip of the tea.
With a mouthful of tea soup swallowed, even at his level of cultivation, Jian Jingjue felt his Dao Heart become clearer and his Nascent Soul more translucent.
“Huh? What is this tea, that it has such an effect?”
Ning Qi smiled and replied, “This is Enlightenment Tea; I found it in the Profound True Secret Realm.”
“Your luck is truly flourishing.”
After the two finished drinking tea, Ning Qi proactively asked:
“I see the Sword Ancestor seems to be injured? If it weren’t for that injury, this kid would definitely not be your opponent.”
Jian Jingjue looked to the side, “You can tell?”
“Yes, I wonder if Sword Ancestor can trust me. If you can trust me, please tell me. This junior is willing to do his part to help Sword Ancestor recover from his injuries as soon as possible.”
Jian Jingjue said with a smile, “The Sect Master position has already been given to you, kid. What else is there not to trust?”
Then, he slowly expounded the Dao.
Ten thousand years ago, Jian Jingjue had also entered the Profound True Secret Realm.
It was he who brought out the Boundless Sword Sect’s ultimate skill, the Limitless Sword Canon.
However, that time was also like Ning Qi and the others this time, the Northern Profound Upper Sect also wanted to get rid of Jian Jingjue in the Profound True Secret Realm because they discovered that the Boundless Sword Sect had produced a terrifying prodigy like Jian Jingjue.
But later, he was killed by him.
However, the other party’s true disciple found an evil thing from the Profound True Secret Realm, and it is probably from the side of the mastermind who caused the division of the Profound True Realm back then.
The other party used this item on Jian Jingjue, and from then on, Jian Jingjue suffered from a Great Dao Injury, only able to break through to the Void Dao Realm and unable to go any further.
Therefore, he entered closed-door cultivation for ten thousand years, chose a different path, and embarked on the path of “One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws,” condensing the Ten Thousand Meter Rule Divine Chain of the Sword Dao.
Jian Jingjue originally wanted to use this to completely remove the Great Dao Injury in his body.
However, that evil thing attached itself to his Nascent Soul and physical body, and even after ten thousand years of closed-door cultivation, it could not be removed. Instead, his injuries worsened.
He could only maintain that ten thousand meter rule divine chain for a few breaths when he fought Ning Qi with all his might. If it weren’t for his delight at encountering a worthy opponent, he would not have used it at all.
Hearing this, Ning Qi frowned slightly.
So the Sword Ancestor had a story like this behind him.
“Can Sword Ancestor force out a trace of that evil thing, so I can observe it? This way, I can find something to resolve it for Sword Ancestor in the future.”
Jian Jingjue placed his hand on his dantian and immediately closed his eyes.
He could be seen trembling slightly, with the Nascent Soul Spiritual Energy within his body gathering towards his Dantian.
Before long, Jian Jingjue sealed a wisp of black qi with Sword Dao rules, placed it into a jade slip, and handed it to Ning Qi, his face pale and his forehead already showing a slight sheen of sweat.
A person like him, even if he dies, will not utter a single word of suffering.
But it only forced out a wisp of evil qi, like having a minor illness.
Jian Jingjue said, “Don’t hold out too much hope either. Your talent far surpasses mine. Don’t waste your time on me; I can still hold on.”
Ning Qi accepted it cautiously.
“Sword Ancestor, rest assured, this child will not act rashly.”
He didn’t check the evil qi within for the time being, but instead asked again, “I wonder why the Sword Ancestor kept me behind alone?”
Jian Jingjue actually took out another jade slip and handed it to Ning Qi.
“I have observed the path of heaven for ten thousand years to reach my current enlightenment, which has three aspects.”
“First, it is the true explanation of ‘One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws’.”
“Second, it’s the Sword Dao Controls Ten Thousand Daos technique.”
“Third, although I am untalented, I have vaguely perceived some things from heaven and earth.”
The Sword Ancestor pondered for a moment, looking towards the void. His sword-like eyes seemed capable of piercing through the roof, seeing through the void, and extending directly out of the Spirit Realm.
“This Spirit Realm seems incomplete. If we continue with our original cultivation methods, there might be significant problems. It was a fortuitous encounter that allowed me to comprehend a new method, which can be seen as both misfortune and fortune intertwined. However, my path is one that perhaps only you in the entire sect can inherit, so I will now completely impart it to you.”
Ning Qi carefully accepted it, and he was even more immensely impressed with his cognition of the Sword Ancestor.
As the True Martial Realm Master, he could see what the Sword Ancestor could also see.
Then Jian Jingjue’s face suddenly showed a bit of seriousness, and he continued:
“What I just mentioned is too distant. There is a more important matter right now, which is pressing. I must tell you about it.”
“Please grant me your guidance, Sword Ancestor.”
Jian Jingjue lightly nodded.
“Since you are the Sect Leader, do you know that the Spirit Realm we are in also has its own consciousness?”
Ning Qi nodded, “Is Sword Ancestor going to talk about the Spirit Realm War?”
“Exactly, I didn’t expect you to know already.”
“Grand Elder Zi Yang once mentioned some to me.”
Jian Jingjue understood, “That makes things easier. The Spirit Realm War is the most dangerous. Even if you and I step into the Body Integration Realm, or even the Dao Integration Realm afterwards, if the Spirit Realm War fully erupts, we might not be able to protect ourselves, let alone the sect.”
Ning Qi said, “Sword Ancestor, since the Spirit Realm War is so perilous, do we have no retreat?”
Jian Jingjue said, “We are merely an Upper Sect in the Northern Xuan Region, and the Spirit Realm War is a war between realms. As people of a realm, we naturally have no retreat. As the saying goes, shared honor brings shared glory, and shared loss brings shared destruction.”
He paused slightly, “Fortunately, even if the Spirit Realm War begins, unless it comes to the absolute last resort, it’s usually soldier against soldier, general against general.”
“My emerging from closed-door cultivation this time was not only due to the disturbance within the sect, but also because I sensed that the Spirit Realm War is imminent. And our Boundless Sword Sect will definitely be conscripted to go, therefore, I hope you can lead the Boundless Sword Sect through this difficult period.”
“Opportunities are also bred within danger. With you now serving as Sect Master, and judging from your leadership performance in the Profound True Secret Realm, I believe you can certainly lead the Boundless Sword Sect through this crisis and turn danger into opportunity.”
Ning Qi followed Jian Jingjue’s gaze.
His gaze also penetrated the roof, directly into the void and beyond the Spirit Realm.
Other sects may be worried about the Spirit Realm War, but only Ning Qi himself knows how important the Spirit Realm War is to him.
For the True Martial Realm to escape the fate of being devoured by the Mountain Sea Realm, one is to fuse more rules and ascend to the Spirit Realm to contend with it.
Second, by him actively participating in the Spirit Realm War, when the crane and clam fight, the fisherman benefits.
Ning Qi wants to do both!
