Outside the Temple of the Deity

  "Everyone retreat." Yin Yue ordered, and all the disciples of Fangcun Mountain retreated from this empty space.

  Yin Yue waved her hand, and suddenly a puppet about the height of a zhang appeared out of thin air on the empty ground. The puppet was entirely made of what seemed to be cast iron, with six circular rings on its arm.

  "Junior brother, this is a sixth-grade puppet." Yinyue said.

  "Thanks, brother." Ji Ning also looked forward to it.

  Yin Yue, Bai Shui Ze and Xiao Qing immediately left the battlefield, while other disciples of Fang Cun Mountain were shocked and curious.

  "Shifu wants to have a contest with the puppet now."

  "The ancestor is going to take action!"

  "This little Shizu has just come up the mountain and wants to compete with the sixth-grade puppet, he must have some confidence in himself. This is indeed Wanxiang Zhenren, who dares to compete with a sixth-grade puppet. Little Shizu's understanding of 'Dao' has reached what kind of realm? No wonder he was taken as a disciple by the ancestor, truly an extraordinary talent."

  "I've been cultivating on this mountain for thousands of years, yet I still haven't defeated the sixth-grade puppet. It's all thanks to transforming into a child prodigy and learning the eighth layer of the Divine Palace's technique." The old demon Huanxu said in a low tone.

  "Just climbed the mountain and dared to compete with a sixth-grade puppet, awesome! In my hometown's vast world, that is also a rare and unparalleled genius in endless years."

  These humans, demons, and gods all praised him.

  They were able to be accepted as disciples by the old ancestor, which is definitely not ordinary. Moreover, the manager of the Immortal Palace, 'Silver Moon', that old demon head is also a direct disciple of the old ancestor, and choosing a sixth-grade puppet should also be reassuring.

  "Awesome."

  "Peerless demon."

  "It's incredible."

  All the disciples of Fangcun Mountain are looking forward to it.

  ……

  A place for a tryout.

  Ji Ning and the Sixth-Order Puppet were facing each other from a distance, while Xiao Qing was still shouting in the distance: "Master, master, defeat that puppet!"

  "Little Wanxiang, if you want to defeat me, show enough strength." The tall puppet said in a low voice, and with a flip of his hand, a long sword appeared in his hand.

  "Good." Ji Ning's two hands both grasped a North Ming Sword.

  "Kill!"

  Ji Ning moved suddenly.

  Outside the trial grounds, many disciples of Fangcun Mountain, including the Silver Moon Old Devil, were watching carefully. He had grasped the "Way of the Gale". Ji Ning's speed was very fast. In an instant, he seemed to have arrived in front of the six-stage puppet, and the two Northern Dark Swords in his hand also transformed into two dazzling sword lights in an instant.

  After 'a dream of a thousand years', Ji Ning's swordsmanship was much more solid, and his sword techniques were also purer.

  "Boom!"

  This giant puppet swung its long sword, and for a moment it seemed as if the earth's pulse was surging. That one long sword seemed to be a huge mountain crashing down directly. Even Ji Ning could see the vague shadow of that huge mountain with his naked eye when this sword was unleashed, and its momentum completely shocked him.

  "Not good, the gap is too big!" Ji Ning saw that puppet's sword slash open a series of hazy and majestic virtual mountains, the intangible mystery of the Tao, which made Ji Ning feel an irresistible force.

  The two sword lights that had just been split apart instantly transformed into silk threads, becoming extremely flexible.

  "Boom!!!"

  The marionette's long sword slammed into Ji Ning's Northern Dark Twin Swords, unleashing an unstoppable force. Ji Ning was sent flying back like a meteor, and when he reached the edge of the trial grounds, a layer of restrictions faintly appeared in mid-air, blocking his retreat. At the same time, the two Northern Dark Swords were also flung high into the air, slamming into the distant restrictions before falling to the ground.

  "I give up." Ji Ning shouted repeatedly, his palms were completely lacerated and dripping with blood.

  It was just one exchange of blows.

  His own sword flew out... The gap is too big.

  "Uh..."

  "This..."

  Outside the arena, the numerous disciples of the Wudang Mountains sect from various ethnic groups, including humans, demons and gods, were all staring at the scene in shock, blinking their eyes.

  In their hearts, Ji Ning was indeed taken as a disciple by Old Ancestor Bodhi, so he must have something extraordinary about him! Even when they first came to the mountain, they were generally able to defeat second and third tier puppets. Some of the more powerful ones could even defeat fourth or fifth tier puppets. However, none of them had defeated a sixth tier puppet as soon as they arrived on the mountain.

  They were far inferior to him in social status.

  Ji Ning is indeed Old Ancestor's disciple! This group of disciples also believed that Ji Ning should be able to create miracles.

  Unfortunately, in their eyes should be very 'extraordinary' of Ji Ning, actually one move was defeated, no resistance at all!

  "Master!" Xiao Qing looked at Ji Ning, her heart aching with each passing moment. The master was supposed to be the first in the Xianyuan Conference, and just as he stepped onto Fangcun Mountain, she had been certain that he would show off his divine might. But to lose so miserably... "Master must be feeling terrible! And there are still so many disciples from Fangcun Mountain's lineage watching, that despicable old man Silver Moon is the one who made Master compete with a sixth-stage puppet."

  "Ning Er..." Bai Shuizhe also didn't expect this scene would appear.

  "Ah."

  That silver moon master who held the feather fan waved his hand, and the six-stage puppet was directly taken back by him. He walked over, "Younger brother, this... I also didn't... I'm not too clear about your strength either, I just knew that Master had accepted a new disciple, I..."

  Silver moon is also unintentional.

  He was well aware that the old ancestor of Bodhi was extremely strict in accepting disciples, and those who were not heavenly immortals or gods would be taken in. They were all extremely evil and terrifying, so he guessed that this 'Junior Brother Ji Ning' should be able to fight against a sixth-grade puppet, even if defeated, it should be a regrettable failure after a long battle, but unexpectedly, it was a defeat without any resistance at all with just one move.

  "It's not surprising, Big Brother." Ji Ning shook his head. He also noticed the surprise, doubt and subtle disdain in the eyes of the onlookers from the Human Tribe, Demon Tribe and God Spirit Realm. Apparently, among cultivators, strength was still what mattered most. Even if one held a high position, but lacked actual power, others would still look down on them.

  "It's my junior brother, I'm not strong enough." Ji Ning said, "Sixth-grade puppet, indeed far exceeds the limit that I can bear."

  "It's the senior brother's fault." Yin Yue said, this little junior brother had just come up the mountain and was defeated in his first match, and his opponent was still chosen by him, he naturally felt ashamed. He continued to say, "With the swordsmanship that Junior Brother showed earlier, defeating a third-level puppet is absolutely no problem, and a fourth-level puppet... also has some hope. I wonder which one Junior Brother wants to choose?"

  "Four-stage puppet", "Mang Huang Ji" said Ningdao.

  "Or would you rather take a break, little brother, and fight again later?" asked Yin Yue.

  Ji Ning shook his head and smiled: "Just now in the battle I was instantly defeated, the consumption of divine power can almost be ignored, no need to rest."

  Yin Yue looked at Ji Ning's smile and nodded secretly. This junior brother's heart was indeed good, the first time he went up the mountain to compete and was surrounded by onlookers, yet after failing, he remained so calm.

  "Good." Yin Yue nodded, and with a wave of her hand, another crimson puppet appeared on the battlefield. The puppet had four circular rings on its right arm.

  ……

  "This Master Ji Ning seems to be quite ordinary, yet he's facing a sixth-grade puppet with no resistance at all."

  "Uh-huh. It's very weak."

  "You're so weak! You just started climbing the mountain and you'd probably lose in one move against a sixth-grade puppet."

  "I'm just a spiritual beast of my family's master, while Ji Ning is the disciple of our ancestor. I should call him Master Ancestor! Can we be compared? I've just ascended the mountain and defeated four-stage puppets!"

  "Look quickly. It's started."

  "The Master Ancestor and the Fourth-Stage Puppet began their contest."

  The disciples of Fangcun Mountain originally had a 'look up to' attitude towards Ji Ning, but in reality, they found that Ji Ning was nothing special! Even compared to when they first came to the mountain, Ji Ning could only be considered as being on the same level as them, ordinary and unremarkable.

  Actually these disciples.

  Some are the direct disciples of the true immortal heavenly gods! They are also the first-class, peerless geniuses selected by the true immortal heavenly gods in the three realms. Even if they have the strength of Heishi Zhenren or Jiushi Zhenren, it's not certain that they will be chosen by the true immortal heavenly gods for "entertainment". Their qualifications and enlightenment can be imagined.

  Some of them were even disciples of the heavenly immortals!

  Some of them are spiritual beasts!

  Some of them were divine demon servants!

  When they just went up the mountain, some were only at the Wanxiang level, while others had already reached the Yuanshen level. Some even reached the Fanzhuo level!

  Some returned to their years of living in seclusion. With a high level of cultivation, it's normal to defeat fifth-grade and sixth-grade puppets. Like the disciples chosen by the Heavenly Immortal, they also have extraordinary talent and can fully reach the level of Cangwu Xuanzi and Heishi Zhenren.

  So these Fangcun Mountain sect disciples who call Ji Ning 'Master Uncle' or 'Master Ancestor', the vast majority can be considered to be absolutely brilliant talents in their own world! Some are even more extraordinary!

  "This ancestor's swordsmanship isn't bad, it seems like he should be able to defeat these four-stage puppets."

  "Hmm, I think it's possible to defeat a 4th-tier puppet, but just barely."

  "Yes, barely."

  The disciples of Fangcun Mountain all made their comments, and for this highly respected old ancestor's disciple 'Jining', they didn't have much respect in their hearts.

  ……

  "Hah!"

  A sword light pierced into the puppet's chest, one inch deep, and then couldn't penetrate any further.

  That puppet also stopped moving, motionless, looking at Ji Ning and saying in a low voice: "You won."

  These puppets are undying, even if they fight with the Return to Void demons and gods, they won't be harmed... so as long as one can pierce into the outermost layer of the puppet's body, it means victory.

  "Junior brother, you can now go to the fourth floor of the Immortal Palace and choose a cultivation method." Silver Moon, holding a feather fan, walked over with a smile and waved his hand to retrieve the four-stage puppet.

  Ji Ning smiled.

  Luckily, I had a solid foundation in swordsmanship from my previous life, and my technique was even more mysterious and unpredictable. This allowed me to defeat the fourth-tier puppet. Otherwise, I might have only been able to defeat a third-tier puppet at most.

  This was also within expectation. After all, since he was forbidden from using any divine abilities or secret techniques, his greatest reliance, the 'Star Plucking Hand', couldn't be used, so naturally his actual strength was much weaker!

  Xianyuan Conference can win the first place, in fact, the realm of Tao is weaker than Cangwu Zong and Xia Mangzi Mountain. Relying on 'Star Plucking Hand' to win the first place.

  "Senior brother, when an ordinary disciple of the Fangcun Mountain sect first comes to the mountain, how many levels of puppet can they defeat?" Ji Ning asked.

  "Just as they ascended the mountain, ordinary disciples were somewhat weaker or stronger, overall comparable to their fellow disciples. However, they usually cultivated for hundreds of years when they first came up the mountain, some even for thousands or tens of thousands of years." Silver Moon Senior Brother said, and the two's conversation naturally blocked out the surrounding sounds.

  Ji Ning smiled and said: "These ordinary disciples have been on the mountain for many years, their strength must be different from before. I'm in Fangcun Mountain, it seems that I am the weakest."

  However, Ji Ning was still full of confidence. He had only been cultivating for over 30 years and had just started his journey up the mountain. Giving himself a hundred years' time, he would absolutely surpass them! Moreover, he also had the divine ability "Plucking Stars"! After all, when competing with puppets, using divine abilities was prohibited, and his greatest advantage had been erased.

  But no matter how you say it, compared with these ordinary disciples of Fangcun Mountain, I still belong to the bottom.

  A towering building rises from the ground, but I still need to work hard!

  (。)