Chapter 257: The Six Primordial Gods

Time passed, and the Spirit Valley gradually grew colder. Water trickling down the rock faces solidified into tiny ice beads in the air, bouncing off the stone walls and falling with a pitter-patter.

Ning Xiaoling, gripping her black sword Blood Edge, walked through a damp and cold ice valley.

She continued forward, discovering that the massive canyon extended downwards in layers. After emerging from a cave, the view before her abruptly dropped away. Her gaze followed the chasm downwards, revealing another deep gorge shrouded in clouds and mist, where faint, crumbling divine statues were carved into the rock faces on either side.

Ning Xiaoling tightened her grip on her satchel.

Stepping onto the moss-covered, slippery rock face, she first used her sword energy to remotely sever the tangled vines hanging in the air. Then, spotting a foothold on the opposite cliff face, she transformed her sword into a rainbow and flew across, drawing a beautiful arc between the two precipices, landing precisely on the protruding rock on the other side.

Ning Xiaoling repeated this process several times. After a few leaps, she traversed the valley of crumbling statues and pressed deeper inside.

In the blink of an eye, Ning Xiaoling reached the end of this chasm.

She stood atop the last divine statue, opening her Sword Eyes to gaze into the distance.

Below, faint cries of monkeys echoed from the mountain forest, while the dense jungle above teemed with white snakes. They wriggled thickly on the trees, blending seamlessly with the trunks, making it impossible to distinguish between branches and their coiling bodies.

Although Ning Xiaoling's swordsmanship was exceptional, she harbored a natural aversion to creatures like snakes.

Just as she was searching for her next foothold, a massive disturbance suddenly erupted throughout the entire canyon.

Mist billowed up from beneath her feet, and the sound of clashing blades was imminent. That single loud noise startled monkeys and forest birds, sending them scattering, and caused snakes on the treetops to fall like rain.

Ning Xiaoling crouched down, propping herself with her broken blade, her gaze directed downwards to ascertain what was happening below. Then, she noticed the red glow of her blade suddenly intensify, a light carrying a warning.

Ning Xiaoling immediately retracted her gaze and concealed her aura using the Breath-Concealing Art.

A moment later, the commotion below ceased.

The towering mist settled back into the valley floor.

Ning Xiaoling breathed a sigh of relief. She hid for a while in the grotto where the divine statues were carved. Only after the red light from her broken blade vanished did she re-emerge, seeking out several thick trees, then leaping and bounding towards the edge of the mist.

After leaving the cold, mist-shrouded canyon, Ning Xiaoling turned back and saw three characters carved into the massive rock face: "Valley of White Snakes."

"White snakes..." Ning Xiaoling recalled the mist that had risen earlier.

After a moment's thought, she decided to turn back, re-entered the deep gorge, and cautiously made her way towards where the disturbance had occurred.

Soon after, Ning Xiaoling saw a large expanse of shattered rocks before her.

The rubble was piled haphazardly. In the center, it seemed a battle had taken place, as the stones there had been pulverized into dust, and the rising smoke had not yet fully dissipated.

Ning Xiaoling did not advance rashly. Maintaining her Breath-Concealing Art, she observed from a distance for a while before finally approaching the area.

In the center of the debris, she saw a deep, sunken crater, and within it, a faint puddle of blood.

Ning Xiaoling bent down and sniffed the blood—fresh human blood!

She searched the vicinity further and found a small broken sword fragment. Picking it up, she examined it, her brows furrowing.

The aura on this blade... it was clearly from a sword of the Nether Pavilion!

She was somewhat surprised, realizing that a battle must have taken place here earlier. It was a short skirmish, with the victor immediately decided. But why had the combatants vanished without a trace?

Ning Xiaoling was puzzled. How vast must the difference in cultivation be to determine victory in a single strike?

Could it have been Ming Lang?

Ning Xiaoling picked up the broken blade and left the Valley of White Snakes.

She continued onward, passing through a desolate area, and then arrived at a set of ruins.

This ruin was overgrown with flourishing flowers and plants, and from afar, a strong, almost bitter, floral scent could be detected.

Legend had it that this was the Medicine King Hall.

Mr. Shuo Ling had told her that an immortal Nether Spirit resided in the ruins of the Medicine King Hall. According to tradition, this Medicine King Nether Spirit guarded a spiritual treasure of considerable quality, but the Medicine King was difficult to deal with.

As she approached the Medicine King Hall, Ning Xiaoling slew a white python blocking her path, then stopped before a set of broken stone steps.

Loud impacts echoed from a distance.

Ning Xiaoling hid behind a rock face, observing for a while. Soon, from the direction of the Medicine King Hall, where the sounds had come from, three heavily wounded disciples emerged together.

Ning Xiaoling didn't recognize them, but she quickly guessed their identities: disciples of the Netherworld Lineage.

She knew the Netherworld Lineage had a renowned group, consisting of five disciples. Although none of them were exceptionally outstanding, even the least skilled among them was a cultivator at the initial stage of Longevity Realm.

Mr. Shuo Ling had once warned her that the disciples in that group might try to rendezvous after entering the Spirit Valley, forming a team to search for spiritual treasures and then splitting the final gains. She was cautioned to be extremely careful if she encountered them.

It seemed they had already gathered three members.

Ning Xiaoling watched them from behind the rock face for a while. After confirming they were not her match, she stepped out.

The three disciples, having returned defeated from the Medicine King Hall, were now sitting on the ground, tending to each other's wounds.

"That Medicine King is even stronger than Master said..." one disciple remarked, taking out ground herbs and handing them to his two fellow disciples.

The other two accepted them and said, "Indeed. We were so close to winning. If only we had one more person."

"Yes, it's a pity our two other junior siblings were teleported to who knows where. We haven't heard anything from them for so long."

"True, the longer we wait, the more dangerous it becomes. The Spirit Valley's terrain is complex, and while other disciples might not find their way here immediately, if Ming Lang arrives, we'll have no choice but to give way."

"Ming Lang..."

The Violet Court Realm and Longevity Realm represent a qualitative leap. While those in the Longevity Realm can only control their swords for a short distance, those in the Violet Court Realm can traverse the air directly, giving them a distinct advantage in such complex valleys. Even so, with Ming Lang's cultivation, it would still take at least three to five days to thoroughly search the entire valley.

"Ming Lang probably won't care for these spiritual treasures. He's only looking for the top one. As long as he gets that, he's guaranteed to be the champion."

"The top spiritual item... I fear it won't be easy to find. In many past Spirit Valley competitions, that spiritual item was only found in the deep mountains and ancient forests during the last few hours."

"Alright, let's first set up traps and communication patterns on all nearby paths leading here, then recover our injuries. Once we're healed, we'll try the Medicine King Hall again," one person suggested.

"Okay, we'll follow your lead, Senior Brother."

Next, they began discussing the spiritual treasures they had found on this search.

Working together, the three of them had found two spiritual treasures, but their quality was almost the lowest, not much better than the Soul Mirror.

"Only two items," Ning Xiaoling said, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

As the three of them were talking, a faint rustling of grass was heard. Their expressions tensed, and they immediately turned their heads to look behind them.

They saw a small, delicate girl, carrying a sword and a satchel, walking calmly along the broken stone path, gradually ascending it.

"Who's there?!" The man immediately gripped the sword in his hand and rose from the ground. The other two quickly stuffed the two spiritual treasures back into their cloth bags.

Before Ning Xiaoling could reply, another disciple also stood up and asked, "Are you the sole seedling of the Spirit Control Lineage?"

Ning Xiaoling was slightly surprised: "You know me too?"

The man chuckled, "Junior Sister, don't you know how famous you are? There aren't many in the entire sect who don't know you."

"Hmm?" Ning Xiaoling was startled. She unconsciously touched her cheek, thinking, 'I'm not like Sister Xiang'er; my appearance isn't that astonishing, is it?'

The man explained, "At the last Nether Moon Lake Fishing Competition, though I didn't participate, Junior Sister Xiaoling amazed everyone. You directly broke our Ancient Spirit Sect's record, surpassing the previous one by more than double. Our Netherworld Lineage talked about it for many days."

It was about *that*...

"...Just luck," Ning Xiaoling said blandly. She hadn't even known she had participated.

"So this is the famous Miss Xiaoling," another disciple realized, bowing to Ning Xiaoling.

Ning Xiaoling, who had originally intended to rob them, felt a little awkward about making a move after being saluted.

Ning Xiaoling, pretending not to know, asked, "Are you Senior Brothers here to fight the Medicine King?"

The three senior brothers nodded and said, "Yes. It's just that our skills are not refined, which must be amusing to Junior Sister Xiaoling. Hmm... why don't you join us, Junior Sister Xiaoling? We can defeat the Medicine King together and seize the spiritual treasure. After we leave the valley and receive the rewards, we'll share some with you."

In their eyes, Ning Xiaoling had no reason to refuse. Although this young girl was a famous fishing prodigy, it had taken her twenty breaths to draw her sword, making her publicly known as the weakest of the twenty-four participants. If she joined them now, she might still gain some benefits; alone, she would only wander aimlessly through the Spirit Valley like a headless fly.

"No need," Ning Xiaoling replied earnestly.

"Why?" they asked in surprise. "Don't you want the Medicine King's spiritual treasure?"

"I'll just get it myself," Ning Xiaoling said.

They froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Junior Sister, do you think that because we are so heavily injured, we also severely wounded the Medicine King? It's no use. Unless he's defeated in one go within the Medicine King Hall, his recovery speed is far, far faster than ours."

Ning Xiaoling said seriously, "Thank you, Senior Brothers, for your kind advice."

Seeing Ning Xiaoling's determined expression, they asked, puzzled, "Junior Sister Xiaoling, could it be that you don't trust us?"

"No, that's not it."

"Then why?"

Ning Xiaoling thought for a moment, then truthfully said, "Actually... I'm here to rob you."

She spoke very seriously, raising the sword in her hand, her clear and lovely face illuminated by bright, sparkling eyes.

The three froze for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter. "Junior Sister Xiaoling, you're so adorably naive, we Senior Brothers can't bring ourselves to attack you."

"Just draw your swords," Ning Xiaoling said.

They replied, "Then don't regret it, Junior Sister."

"I won't," Ning Xiaoling said solemnly. "Xiaoling takes responsibility for her actions."

She drew her blade, aimed it at them, and struck with serious intent.

Screams erupted before the Medicine King Hall.

Ning Xiaoling's cuteness seemed to be a disguise. The moment the black blade glowed crimson, her demeanor transformed. The Ancient Spirit Sect's foundational cultivation method and swordsmanship were simultaneously unleashed within her. Gray Netherworld Qi, like slender smoke dragons coiling around her, spiraled forth with a deep aura of death, engulfing her entire body.

The three senior brothers were not ordinary individuals either. They immediately separated into formation, drawing their swords in unison to block Ning Xiaoling's sudden lunge.

Sword and blade clashed, and the long wind stirred by their combined blade and sword energy swept through the ruins.

Of the three disciples, one was in the initial stage of Longevity Realm, and two were in the middle stage. Normally, they would have been formidable opponents even when working together. However, at this moment, they were severely wounded from their battle with the Medicine King, and Ning Xiaoling's attack was, arguably, a sneak attack. Taken by surprise, her blade plunged among them like a water monster entering a pond, scattering the fish, defeating each one individually, like a massacre.

The battle tilted decisively from the very beginning.

In just a moment, Ning Xiaoling sheathed her blade.

"Thank you for your efforts, Senior Brothers," she said, taking the spiritual treasures from their cloth bags and putting them into her own pouch. Then, under the stunned and resentful gazes of the three fallen disciples, she slowly walked into the Medicine King Hall.

A moment later, one disciple, still unable to believe their defeat, pulled himself up from the ground: "How is that wretched girl so powerful?"

"She must have been hiding her true abilities... The twenty breaths back then must have been an act! I never expected someone so pretty and cute on the outside to have such a vicious heart. Who taught her that?!"

"If we hadn't been injured, she'd be no match for us!"

"Ah, never mind. That girl is indeed powerful, but she's too overconfident. That Medicine King is not someone to trifle with. Once she's taught a lesson by the Medicine King, we'll take our spiritual treasures back!"

The three nodded, not believing for a moment that Ning Xiaoling could defeat the Medicine King. They healed their wounds outside the hall, waiting for her return.

Half an hour later, Ning Xiaoling emerged from the Medicine King Hall.

She held the Medicine King Pestle in her hand, her white dress spotless, showing no sign of injury whatsoever.

She met their gaze for a moment.

"Are you three Senior Brothers waiting for me?" Ning Xiaoling asked.

A brief silence.

The three felt as if they had seen a ghost, rubbed their eyes, and bolted.

Ning Xiaoling did not pursue them.

After they left, she looked at the Medicine King Pestle in her hand, her eyes narrowing into slits.

No battle had occurred earlier within the Medicine King Hall.

Deep within the hall, she had encountered a colossal specter, cloaked in official robes, hidden in the darkness. Though dormant for many years, the spirit still possessed the power of a half-step Violet Court Realm cultivator. Sustained by the foundations of this ruin, it could linger for at least several more centuries.

Upon seeing Ning Xiaoling, this enormous Medicine King Spirit showed no hostility whatsoever. Instead, it willingly presented the Medicine King Pestle, respectfully offering it to her.

Ning Xiaoling was not particularly surprised by this scene; after all, something similar had occurred once before in the Nether Pavilion.

But she couldn't understand what she carried that commanded such reverence from these ancient, lingering nether spirits.

Ning Xiaoling accepted the Medicine King Pestle, thanked him, and was about to leave when the Medicine King stopped her. Speaking slowly, he imparted a heart sutra related to the Netherworld to her.

Ning Xiaoling was somewhat overwhelmed.

However, at the end of this instruction, the Medicine King suddenly showed an expression of pain.

He opened his bell-like eyes, staring intently at Ning Xiaoling, and stammered, "The... the Emperor is not in the hall... Be... careful!"

After uttering these words, the Medicine King's form slowly faded, re-concealing itself within the mural on the wall.

"The Emperor is not in the hall? Be careful?" Ning Xiaoling murmured to herself. "Careful of what?"

She felt a hint of unease.

Sea Kingdom, Iridescent Immortal Palace.

It was the morning of the Dragon Mother Banquet's commencement.

Ning Changjiu slowly awoke from his bed. Lu Jiajia had already dressed and was seated beside a carved wooden desk, the fragrant smoke from the censer making her silhouette waver gently.

"Daddy's awake," Qiu Yue said, crouching by the balcony and smiling at Ning Changjiu.

Ning Changjiu hummed in acknowledgment, got out of bed, walked over to Lu Jiajia, and asked, "How are the preparations coming along?"

Lu Jiajia replied, "I heard disciples from the Sword Pavilion are also coming."

Ning Changjiu asked, "That renowned seventh disciple of the Sword Pavilion?"

Lu Jiajia nodded gently. "I heard that both the seventh and eighth disciples of the Sword Pavilion have Sword Spirits within their bodies. The eighth disciple is currently guarding the Heavenly Rankings, while this seventh disciple, whose strength is even greater, has come to attend the Dragon Mother Banquet."

This matter had been widely discussed for the past two days, and Ning Changjiu had also heard about it.

It was unprecedented for disciples from the Sword Pavilion to travel thousands of miles to the Unlucky Sea in the southernmost part of the Central Continent to attend the Grand Dragon Mother Banquet.

"Don't worry," Ning Changjiu said, "these disciples from prestigious sects respect their status; they likely won't participate directly."

Lu Jiajia pursed her lips and chuckled softly. "Disciples from prestigious sects need to respect their status? And I don't?"

Only then did Ning Changjiu recall that the Sword Immortal wife he had "abducted" also held the title of Sect Master of the Edict Sword Heavenly Sect.

He smiled and discussed swordsmanship and sword techniques with Lu Jiajia for a while.

Lu Jiajia asked, "Have you decided which competition you'll enter?"

"Actually, I decided long ago," Ning Changjiu replied.

"Oh?" Lu Jiajia looked sideways at him.

Ning Changjiu didn't answer immediately.

He draped a snow-white outer robe over himself, slowly stood up, and casually walked behind Qiu Yue.

The little girl, like a child full of curiosity about the world, was intently gazing at a shyly half-opened flower in a potted plant, completely unaware that Ning Changjiu was standing behind her.

Sunlight streamed in, falling upon Qiu Yue's face and hair, and also upon Ning Changjiu's chest.

The scene even looked a little heartwarming.

Ning Changjiu gently raised his hand, the light between his fingers blending with the sunlight streaming in from outside the window.

Lu Jiajia's beautiful brows furrowed, and her vermilion lips parted slightly, but she remained silent.

Ning Changjiu's finger pointed towards Qiu Yue's nape.

Qiu Yue intently watched the flower in the pot, completely oblivious to the finger pointed at her from behind.

His finger was almost touching the tiny, translucent hairs on Qiu Yue's neck.

A fabric curtain cast a shadow, separating them.

Outside the shadow, the girl watched the flower; within the shadow, killing intent blossomed.

Lu Jiajia's elegant brows furrowed even tighter.

Ning Changjiu calmly withdrew his finger and said with a casual smile, "Naturally, I choose the Way."

Lu Jiajia's expression also relaxed. "The Way? Ha, if you hadn't said anything, I would have almost forgotten you used to be a young Daoist."

"Indeed," Ning Changjiu said. "If I can't emerge as champion, it would be too much of a disservice to my master's guidance."

Lu Jiajia's breath hitched.

She knew the 'master' he spoke of was not her.

Qiu Yue, who was admiring the flowers, heard their words and let out a soft "Hmm?" before saying, "Isn't Daddy's master Mommy? But Mommy isn't a Daoist."

Ning Changjiu hesitated no longer. His hand chopped down, precisely striking her nape.

But the situation was once again unexpected.

Qiu Yue showed no resistance that might have been expected. Her head swam, her body swayed, and she simply collapsed onto the tabletop, falling unconscious.

Lu Jiajia looked at her and said, "I've investigated her many times."

"Me too," Ning Changjiu replied.

Lu Jiajia asked, "You still don't trust her?"

"I don't believe we encounter normal people," Ning Changjiu said with a self-deprecating laugh. "And after all these days, I still don't understand what she's trying to do."

Lu Jiajia's red lips pressed together lightly, and she shook her head slightly.

"This little girl certainly has a sweet tongue," Ning Changjiu said, "but don't let her fool you so easily."

"You're right," Lu Jiajia said. "I was fooled by you."

Ning Changjiu smiled.

Lu Jiajia stood up, tied her sash, put on her outer robe, and slowly walked to Qiu Yue's side. Looking at the little girl's delicate form, she said, "Neither my Sword Eyes nor your Divine Pupils could detect any abnormality. If she truly isn't an ordinary girl, then who could she be?"

Ning Changjiu's smile faded. "That's precisely what concerns me."

Lu Jiajia asked, "So, we'll leave her here for now?"

"Yes," Ning Changjiu nodded.

He didn't dare to say too much. Although they were currently speaking by gathering sound into a thread, he still couldn't be certain if the little girl could hear them.

Before the Dragon Mother Banquet's competitions began, there was a grand feast to worship the gods of heaven and earth.

Ning Changjiu and Lu Jiajia were seated in the Iridescent Immortal Palace. Beneath their feet were emerald green waves, and before them were countless sheer, translucent curtains.

In the very center, colorful glazed orbs slowly rose from beneath the water's surface, reflecting a spectrum of colors. What they lifted were cloud platforms, which gradually ascended until they floated outside the high buildings.

Upon the cloud platforms were mythical fantasies of countless ancient gods and immortal beasts.

"Those are the Six Primeval Deities," Ning Changjiu said, looking towards the highest point.

On the highest cloud platform, there were six juxtaposed figures of ancient deities.

"The Six Primeval Deities? Sky-Hidden Ancestral Dragon and the others?" Lu Jiajia asked.

Lu Jiajia wasn't very familiar with that ancient myth, but Ning Changjiu had read related records in the Lotus Scripture Pavilion managed by his Senior Sister.

Ning Changjiu explained, "Those are the six great ancient gods who ruled heaven and earth at the dawn of creation, when the world transitioned from chaos to new life. They are Xuanze, Tianzang, Zhulong, Suiputizi, Huanghe Longque, and Mingjun. The first five represent the authorities of water, metal, fire, wood, and earth, respectively. At that time, concepts like time or fate had not yet been discovered, and these were the most primordial and powerful elements when heaven and earth first formed. Mingjun, on the other hand, governed the Netherworld and death, which were the final resting place for all spirits. The world at that time was under the control of these six."

"It is said that Suiputizi is the current Yuanjun, and Huanghe Longque, reborn from 'earth,' is the current Vermilion Bird. The others are no longer traceable..." Ning Changjiu said, then suddenly chuckled, "Of course, these are also distant legends, their truth hard to ascertain."

As they spoke, the stories of the ancient gods on the cloud platforms above transformed into falling characters.

The first to unfold was the world-shaking war between Tianzang and Mingjun, who were famously eternal enemies. Legend has it that the Central Continent and the Southern Province were once a single landmass, but their successive wars fractured the earth's veins, literally carving out the vast and boundless Unlucky Sea.

Even now, on the Sea Kingdom's topographical maps, the boundary lines of the Central Continent and the Southern Province can be quite accurately pieced together.

As Ning Changjiu spoke, the grand sacrificial feast was abuzz with a continuous stream of people, as important figures from all directions arrived one after another.

Meanwhile, in the waters surrounding the Iridescent Immortal Palace, six rotating, music-box-like towers slowly rose to the surface.

Some resonated with vibrant zither music, some brimmed with unrestrained sword energy, some manifested wondrous techniques like blooming flowers, and some saw chess pieces fall like rain...

Ning Changjiu and Lu Jiajia exchanged a glance, then each walked towards one of the immortal towers.

(Thanks to user "Sniper of Wind" for the generous tip! Thank you for your support and encouragement!)

Fast-paced text: Above the Divine Kingdom, Chapter List