Chapter 54

"Can't run anymore. If I keep running, the divine power within me will be completely drained. Once the divine power is gone, I will surely die, and I won't even have the strength to struggle." Ji Ning suddenly stopped, then turned to look at the nine ugly giants who were chasing him with great anger. The ugly giants were holding stone clubs, running with large strides.

"Finally stopped running."

"The human, his divine power must be almost gone."

"Running with us, we wouldn't be afraid even if you ran for a few more days." The nine ugly giants wanted to devour the human in front of them.

Ji Ning, however, held a sword in each hand and stood calmly.

Facing life and death, Ji Ning's mind was incredibly clear. At this moment, he had cast aside all other thoughts, and his heart was focused solely on this battle.

"Hmph." As the nine ugly giants rushed to him, Ji Ning immediately lunged forward. The three fire lotus leaves and three water lotus leaves around his body spun and stirred, causing the ugly giants to stagger as they approached Ji Ning, unable to form an encirclement.

Ji Ning's sword moved.

The sword was like fire!

Reckless slaughter!

"Ha ha ha, the sword is too weak."

"Too weak." The ugly giants didn't care. Ji Ning's sword, passing through the dense black light, could only leave a slight scratch on their faces.

Ji Ning, however, remained calm, doing his utmost.

"Divine power is running out." Ji Ning sensed his divine power, gritted his teeth, and suddenly leaped upward, like a great roc soaring into the sky.

Whoosh!

The corridor was a hundred zhang high, and Ji Ning leaped to the top. As he ascended, two ancient talismans appeared in his hands: one for lightness and one for speed. The innate true essence in his body instantly surged into the two talismans, and two strange forces immediately flowed into Ji Ning's body.

"The final strike!" When Ji Ning touched the top of the corridor, he immediately kicked off with both feet, unleashing all his strength!

Diving downward!

Fast!

Fast!

Fast!

Using the rebound from his feet on the top of the corridor, the terrifying speed of the "Wind Wing Escape Technique," the downward pull of gravity, and the enhanced speed from the lightness and speed talismans, Ji Ning's downward dive reached an incredible speed, as fast as a streak of light!

Speed is power, and when speed reaches its peak, the power of the sword naturally increases.

"Water droplet, embodying the meaning of water dripping through stone. A water droplet can form a thread, a stream, a river, or an ocean." As Ji Ning dove downward, he executed the killing move "Water Droplet Piercing Stone" from the "Water Droplet Scripture." In his mind, scenes of his father Ji Yichuan guiding him in sword techniques flashed by. His father had demonstrated the "Water Droplet Nine Swords" three times in front of him.

At this moment, with a resolve to die, Ji Ning suddenly understood.

His father's demonstration was slow, starting with "Water Droplet Piercing Stone," followed by "Silk Rain Forming Threads," "Flowing Water Not Rotten," "Flowing Water Without Sentiment," and then returning to "Water Droplet Piercing Stone."

Then it turned to "Fine Rain Falling," "Heavy Rain Like a Curtain," "Water Curtain Reaching the Sky," and finally returned to "Water Droplet Piercing Stone"!

Then it turned to "Continuous Flowing Water," "Water Droplet Without Leakage," and finally returned to "Water Droplet Piercing Stone"!

"Water Droplet Piercing Stone is the strongest move and the weakest move. The profundity of the 'Water Droplet Scripture' is endless, and can be studied for a lifetime. Remember... water dripping through stone!" When Ji Yichuan said these words, Ji Ning thought he understood.

But after a night of enlightenment, and several brushes with death, Ji Ning now truly understood his father's intentions.

"This is the move."

"Water Droplet!"

As Ji Ning dove downward at high speed, he held a sword in each hand. One sword instantly lured the ugly giant's stone club, causing it to strike to the side. The other sword in his right hand directly stabbed at the ugly giant's head! The stone club had already missed, leaving no time to defend, but the ugly giant was unafraid: "You can't hurt me."

"Piercing Stone!" Ji Ning's eyes calmly watched the ugly head.

Swoosh!

The sword was like water, like a heavy drop of water falling on a stone. With a crack, the sword instantly penetrated the dense black light, deeply piercing the ugly giant's head, even reaching into the abdomen. The terrifying power contained within the sword erupted, and with no internal defenses, the body exploded, turning into a pool of black water. The armor and stone club fell to the ground.

"Retrieve." Ji Ning immediately stored the armor and stone club in his storage treasure.

The pool of black water quickly coalesced back into the ugly giant, who cried out in shock: "How is this possible? How is this possible?"

"Nothing is impossible." Ji Ning was completely at ease, understanding that the nine ugly giants could no longer hinder him.

"Die."

Ji Ning, using only the water and fire lotus leaves, quickly crushed the ugly giant into a pool of black water. Without the protection of the armor, the ugly giant could not withstand the crushing force of the water and fire lotus leaves.

"You eight, die as well." Ji Ning transformed into a blur, flickering repeatedly.

The nine ugly giants needed to gather to form a united front, but now they could not. Faced with Ji Ning's greatly enhanced sword technique, they could not escape, and one by one they were slain. Even their armor and stone clubs were stored in Ji Ning's storage treasure.

"Die."

Ji Ning stood still, using the Yin and Yang divine patterns to control the six pairs of water and fire lotus leaves, repeatedly crushing the nine ugly giants, turning them into black water. Even as they reformed, Ji Ning crushed them again.

After just a few crushes, the nine ugly giants finally completely dispersed and could no longer reform.

The mist at both ends of the corridor gradually dissipated.

"Father." Ji Ning whispered to himself.

Although he had gained insights into water, fire, and wind during the night, understanding and application are two different things. Previously, Ji Ning only knew the "Water and Fire Lotus" technique, which was primarily for defense and not adept at offense.

But just now, relying on his foundation and his father's guidance, Ji Ning finally understood the ultimate meaning of the "Water Droplet Scripture" in the moment of life and death—the true meaning of water droplets!

In terms of realms:

Above the unity of heaven and man is the true meaning of the Dao!

"The essence of the true meaning of water droplets lies in the 'water droplet' itself." Ji Ning marveled, "A single water droplet is the foundation. When water droplets multiply, they can form a line, which is 'Silk Rain Forming Threads.' When water droplets increase further, they naturally flow and gain life, which is 'Flowing Water Not Rotten.' When the water surges and no one can stop it, that is 'Flowing Water Without Sentiment.' But countless water droplets, when gathered together, can still be called a water droplet."

"Water Droplet Piercing Stone is the strongest move and the weakest move." Ji Ning smiled, "In defense as well, 'Fine Rain Falling,' 'Heavy Rain Like a Curtain,' 'Water Curtain Reaching the Sky,' and 'Continuous Flowing Water,' 'Water Droplet Without Leakage,' all converge into 'Water Droplet Piercing Stone.'"

"True meaning of water droplets."

"Lies in the endless cycle." Ji Ning sighed, "No wonder Father said the 'Water Droplet Scripture' could consume a lifetime."

Without a doubt, his father had long understood the true meaning of water droplets.

Understanding that the "Water Droplet Scripture" could infinitely cycle and improve, but truly dedicating a lifetime to it.

Strictly speaking...

Once the true meaning of water droplets is understood, the "Water Droplet Scripture" itself becomes useless. Perhaps the ancestor who created this "Water Droplet Scripture" only understood the true meaning of water droplets, and by chance created the nine moves that could cycle infinitely. Or it could be that a powerful deity or immortal deliberately created this sword technique that could infinitely improve.

"Water dripping through stone, water dripping through stone." Ji Ning silently repeated, then closed his eyes to rest, as the previous battle had been exhausting.

...

After resting, eating, and drinking, and recovering his divine power, Ji Ning began to perfect his understanding of the true meaning of water droplets. Once the true meaning of water droplets was understood, he could form a thread from a single water droplet, executing 'Silk Rain Forming Threads,' which would be more powerful than 'Water Droplet Piercing Stone.'

Time passed.

Ji Ning ate and drank, grateful that he had some food in his storage treasures from the crystal and ironwood. He now lacked time the most; the longer he stayed, the greater the chance of improving his "Chi Ming Nine Heavens Chart" and his sword technique, increasing his chances of survival.

Ji Ning understood...

The first level he passed with the help of the water and fire lotus leaves, and the second level he barely overcame by understanding the 'true meaning of water droplets.' Given the increasing difficulty, the third level would be terrifying. The Juhua Immortal openly accepted disciples, and the difficulty of the third level could be imagined.

...

By the Wing Snake Lake.

Ji Yichuan and his wife, Wei Chixue, had temporarily settled by the lake, waiting silently for their son's return. As the days passed, their anxiety grew. The longer the delay, the lower the chances of their son's survival.

"Cough, cough." Wei Chixue coughed.

"Don't worry, don't worry." Ji Yichuan, seeing his wife's condition worsen in just over a month, was increasingly worried.

"I wish I could not worry." Wei Chixue looked at the endless waters of the Wing Snake Lake and sighed, "But Ning, Ning... it's been over a month, why hasn't he come out yet, why hasn't he come out?"

To Wei Chixue, her son was her world.

"Our son will definitely come back, definitely. You left a health issue when you were pregnant with Ning, and you know you can't get angry or anxious. Take care of your health." Ji Yichuan was also extremely anxious, his heart tied to his son, but he was also worried about his wife. Since the battle on their return from the Northern Sea...

Though Bai Shui Ze had risked his life to carry his injured wife to safety, and their child had survived, both his wife and child had been left with health issues.

"Ji Ning." Ji Yichuan also looked at the endless waters, "You must come back alive."

...

In the endless corridor.

The corridor had no sun or moon, and time passed vaguely. His appetite was large, and the food stored in the crystal and ironwood was not much. In just over a month, the food was completely consumed.

"Fine flowing water and silk rain forming threads have also been integrated into the true meaning of water droplets." Ji Ning thought, "One for defense, one for offense, my strength has greatly improved. Over a month of cultivation, my divine power has become more substantial. This third level is the final battle..."

Ji Ning understood the terror and danger of the final level.

He also understood that if he passed, he would survive.

But if he failed, he would die!

"Life or death, it's all here."

"Death, and I might go to the underworld. This time, I probably won't be lucky enough to avoid the soup of forgetfulness. Drinking the soup of forgetfulness, I won't be me anymore." Ji Ning had a vague feeling, a sense of the soul's strength, a sense of an impending great calamity.

"Decide life or death."

Ji Ning held a sword in each hand and walked to the other side of the corridor. On the ground were three partially decayed corpses and some scattered treasures.

Ji Ning's divine consciousness swept over, calmly refining them. Upon inspection, the storage treasures contained thousands of treasures, all easily refined. They were indeed low-grade treasures, but the sheer number was a vast fortune. However, Ji Ning remained calm, for... if he died, what use would these be?

"Finally, you've come." A hoarse voice spoke in the human language of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Ji Ning immediately looked up.

A figure emerged from the distant black mist, with a hunched body, green eyes, and a body covered in black fur. He seemed to walk slowly, but each step covered dozens of zhang: "Unfortunately, you are too weak."

Whoosh!

In an instant, he was in front of Ji Ning. The gray, fan-like palm, filled with dense death energy, struck Ji Ning. This simple strike was so fast that Ji Ning could not dodge, and he could only use the dual swords and the defensive technique 'Continuous Flowing Water' to block. 'Continuous Flowing Water' also contained the true meaning of water droplets.

"Bang!" Ji Ning was instantly thrown back, his hands numb and in pain.

"No—" Ji Ning tried to hold onto the Northern Sea swords, but if they flew away, what use would his sword technique be? His fingers were already completely numb and without sensation. Whoosh! Whoosh! The broken fingers and the two Northern Sea swords floated away, hitting the corridor walls with a crisp sound.

Ji Ning's skin split open, blood mist spraying out, his fingers broken, and he flew through the air, landing on the distant ground.

***

End of this volume!

{Piaotian Literature}