Chapter 550

In other words, Fang Yu, while gazing upon the Nüwa painting and meditating in prayer, received the blessing of an immortal.

This was a stroke of fortune even Fang Yu could not immediately obtain in the Eternal Life Realm, and one of the reasons he came to see Ji Ning.

Ji Ning, in his past life, was a good man; when reincarnating, he received favor from Cui Fu Jun and obtained this Nüwa painting, and this Nüwa visualization diagram is undoubtedly an unparalleled cultivation technique, comparable in the Eternal Life Realm to the Three Thousand Great Paths.

Fang Yu holds the Nüwa painting in extremely high regard; otherwise, Ji Ning could never have risen to prominence.

Think about it: if Ji Ning had not obtained this Nüwa painting, he would merely have been a minor young master of the Ji clan, one of countless petty tribes in the Great Xia world, his achievements capped at the Purple Mansion realm—just like the Ji clan's past genius, Ji Ji Jiuhuo, who, due to low-level Qi Refining techniques and insufficient Spirit Stones, was destined for life as a Purple Mansion cultivator.

Only this supreme Famen, the Nüwa painting, enabled Ji Ning's Primordial Spirit to continuously ascend, greatly enhancing his Dao comprehension, allowing him to effortlessly enter the Chiming Jiutian Tu—a technique most mortals could never even begin to master—and cultivate it to the highest realms.

The Chiming Jiutian Tu, hailed as the number one body refinement technique in the Three Realms, is everywhere in the Great Xia world, yet no one learns it—not because they don't want to, but because they simply cannot enter it; the Nüwa painting is the key to entry, as if opening the mind and unlocking the Shentongzhi Sect.

This is a major factor in Ji Ning's rise.

Now, as Fang Yu visualizes the Nüwa painting, he feels his Second Primordial Spirit rapidly strengthening, as countless Xu Yuan Qi surge forth from the void, making his spiritual power increasingly potent.

As for his true body, having received the Nüwa painting, wisdom continuously wells up within him, and the great Dao arts within his body flow unceasingly, as if about to give rise to new transformations.

For a moment, Dao principles flowed around Fang Yu; even the casual aura he leaked allowed Ji Ning beside him to gain insight, as if on the verge of taking a new step in Dao comprehension.

"Ji Ning, your comprehension ability seems quite impressive. What have you understood?"

Fang Yu, seeing Ji Ning's expression, spoke.

"Senior, what I've comprehended is trivial—it's my Ji clan's Drop of Water True Meaning."

Ji Ning spoke, and a stream of Dao rhythm flowed around him.

It was drop after drop of water, yet within each drop seemed to dwell a blade qi.

"The Drop of Water True Meaning lies in the words 'drop' and 'water': each drop is fundamental; many drops link into threads—'rain becomes a thread'; more drops still bring forth life—'flowing water never rots'; when the flood surges, nothing can stop it—that is 'flowing water without mercy, flowing water without end'; the drop pierces the stone—that is the ultimate expression of the Drop of Water True Meaning."

As Ji Ning spoke, a sword art manifested in his hands; initially, the moves were unremarkable, but later, his sword strikes surged like endless flowing water, imbued with the powerful will of the drop piercing the stone.

Fang Yu nodded.

Though young, Ji Ning had managed to comprehend such a thing—truly extraordinary.

Though the Drop of Water Pierces Stone True Meaning held little power in Fang Yu's eyes, for one so young to have discovered something of his own already surpassed most others.

He pondered whether his cultivation of the Black Emperor Water Emperor Fist from the Great Five Elements Art counted as his own comprehension.

It seemed so, yet it also seemed not quite so.

After all, the Great Five Elements Art, if not comprehended, is unlearnable—but it was never something he himself discovered; it is the Dao of Heaven and Earth, and he merely learns it.

To comprehend a Dao. To learn a Dao.

The former is exceedingly difficult; the latter is what most can achieve.

Even the most powerful beings could not create the Three Thousand Great Paths at birth; yet grasping even a small fragment of Dao is possible.

"Your Drop of Water Pierces Stone is indeed impressive, yet there is still room for improvement. Look."

Fang Yu's intent shifted; the Black Emperor Water Emperor Daoist Gang Qi flowed, forming a vast river of Water Emperor currents, each wave crest containing aquatic lifeforms, divine beasts: Xuanwu playing in the Dahe, water apes roaring in the river, water dragons freely swimming, countless tiny deities bowing in reverence within the current.

This mysterious, terrifying scene instantly broadened Ji Ning's horizons.

In his days of cultivation, he had comprehended the Drop of Water True Meaning and believed he had reached a decent level in the Dao of rain; today, seeing this river of water, he realized the Dao of rain was but a negligible fragment of the greater Water Dao, and far more of the Water Dao now lay revealed before him.

"This senior is guiding me!"

A joyful thought rose in Ji Ning's heart, and without hesitation, he began his Dao comprehension.

At this moment, his entire being was immersed in the river before him; within it, he saw countless Dao principles, a sensation like a greedy child facing endless snacks.

A session of Dao comprehension began.

Each person viewing this river of water might perceive it differently, for as the Black Emperor Water Emperor Daoist Gang Qi flowed, each wave crest revealed the profundity of the Black Emperor Water Emperor Fist under the Great Five Elements Art—a technique in the Eternal Life Realm called the Supreme Divine Art: Black Emperor Water Emperor Fist, Red Emperor Fire Emperor Qi, White Emperor Gold Emperor Slash, Yellow Emperor Earth Emperor Dao, and Green Emperor Wood Emperor Art together form the Five Elements Dao.

Yet in the Manghuang Ji world, each of the Five Elements is itself a Dao, even a Heavenly Dao.

In this world, the Heavenly Dao surpasses the Dao.

In other worlds, the Dao surpasses the Heavenly Dao; Dao stands above Heavenly Dao, and cultivators can merge their bodies with Dao—further advancement requires achieving Dao to transcend, and such worlds even have sayings like "Dao hides, Heavenly Dao emerges."

But in the Manghuang Ji world, the Heavenly Dao vastly surpasses the Dao: the Ten Heavenly Daos rank higher than the Eighty-One Daos, and the Five Elements are five mighty Heavenly Daos.

Consider carefully: the Five Elements can indeed be five Daos, or five Heavenly Daos.

In the Eternal Life Realm, the Great Five Elements Art as one Dao is excessive.

As these thoughts flashed through Fang Yu's mind, he saw Ji Ning before him rise unconsciously, then bring his index and middle fingers together into a sword finger and begin performing sword techniques beneath the Black Emperor Water Emperor Daoist Gang Qi river.

This sword art had no blade aura, no spiritual energy—it looked ordinary, yet a stream of Dao rhythm flowed around him.

It was a longing.

Endless longing.

It seemed to be longing for family.

As Ji Ning observed Fang Yu's Black Emperor Water Emperor Fist, he sank into his own emotions, and his sword intent carried the flavor of longing.

When longing merged with the drops of water, each drop acquired the sentiment of longing, and Ji Ning at that moment became like a child of the rain, surrounded and cherished by countless raindrops.

Raindrops fell; within the rain, Ji Ning was utterly immersed in his sword art, and merely with his sword finger, he stirred the "Dao."

At that moment, Fang Yu felt as if Ji Ning had become a single raindrop, chasing and playing with others, merging upon contact into a thread.

The mutual affection caused countless raindrops to connect, eventually fusing into lines, beautiful beyond compare.

Hua hua hua.

Each thread of rain faintly resembled an unparalleled blade.

"Hong long long~~"

The rain grew heavier, pouring down in torrents, finally becoming a thunderous downpour, each raindrop carrying terrifying sword intent.

If a cultivator were caught in this downpour, he would be sliced to pieces in an instant.

The water drops Ji Ning now unleashed were no longer mere drops—they were clearly swords of the Drop of Water.

Hua hua~~~

The rain continued, yet grew lighter, pattering gently, appearing tender, yet still razor-sharp—each raindrop capable of cutting through stone and steel.

When Ji Ning comprehended this Dao, he snapped back to awareness, seeing himself already standing and wielding a certain sword art, his face filled with shock.

He had been utterly unaware of everything just now.

"Ji Ning, your comprehension is truly impressive—you just grasped something remarkable."

Fang Yu murmured in amazement.

Blending rain with sword intent through your own insight—this level of comprehension is indeed exceptional.

Fang Yu's Black Emperor Water Emperor Fist contains countless water-based supreme techniques and great techniques, yet it could never contain this rain sword intent.

After all, this kind of rain sword intent arises from individual insight; its emergence is always accidental. Perhaps Ji Ning would not have grasped it today—if he hadn't, he might never have. Or perhaps he grasped rain sword intent, but not this exact form.

The rain sword intent Ji Ning comprehended today carried a sense of longing—a longing, it seemed, for his mother.

The longing was profound; not everyone possesses such a state of heart.

"Elder, just now, from your Water Changhe, I sensed a spark of opportunity, and thus gained insight. What I comprehended might be called Rain Sword Intent."

Ji Ning also reflected on what he had comprehended—he had recalled his mother during his insight, and that intensely rich longing had been woven into the rain, woven into the sword intent.

In the end, longing became Rain Sword Intent.

This thing he comprehended might mean nothing to the elder before him, but before cultivators of the same realm, it could be lethal.

Rain Sword Intent kills without trace—unless a cultivator wastes their Nascent Soul energy constantly to keep the rain at bay.

But even ordinary Nascent Soul energy cannot repel my Rain Sword Intent—it can be called an absolute kill.

"Rain Sword Intent is indeed a fine thing. Here, perhaps I can attempt to fuse Dao and create a Black Emperor Water Emperor Sword…"

As Fang Yu listened to Ji Ning's words, he murmured in admiration; countless wisdoms swirled in his mind, and above, the Black Emperor Water Emperor Changhe surged endlessly, countless water droplets transforming into piercing sword qi.

This was a fusion of Dao.

The fusion of Black Emperor Water Emperor Fist with Fang Yu's many supreme sword techniques—such as the Wu Sheng Killing Sword Great Killing Art and the Cao Character Sword Art.

But it had no compatibility with Great Freedom Mystic Golden Sword Qi or Instant Kill Method.

After all, both of these techniques—Great Freedom Mystic Golden Sword Qi and Instant Kill Method—are purely about speed to slay enemies; if speed is sufficient, all can be annihilated.

But the Cao Character Sword Art and Great Killing Art contain many truths of sword intent; fused with Black Emperor Water Emperor Fist, they made its power far more terrifying.

Originally, cultivating Black Emperor Water Emperor Fist granted immensely potent magic power, traditionally used to slowly wear down enemies—achieving instant slaying was nearly impossible.

But now, with Wu Sheng Killing Sword fused into Black Emperor Water Emperor Fist, its power has grown even greater.

In Ji Ning's eyes nearby, the Water Changhe before him suddenly changed—thousands of piercing sword rays appeared, then seemed to merge with the Water Changhe, losing their sharpness on the outside yet concealing lethal sharpness within.

"The elder has actually comprehended something like this—this Water Changhe has now become a Water Jianhe; its power is even more terrifying…"

Ji Ning pondered deeply.

He dared not imagine what would happen if this Water Jianhe flowed forth, nor what would occur if it rose into the sky and rained down countless sword rains—perhaps a million lives would perish in an instant.

At this moment, the river rolled on, outwardly showing no sharpness at all—only Ji Ning knew the horror hidden within.

"Fusion of Dao can be called Immortal Art in the Eternal Life Realm, yet even the simplest fusion of two Immortal Arts cannot be comprehended by ordinary people—only learned. But in truth, Immortal Arts seem originally capable of being self-comprehended."