Beginning with the Five Animals Fist to Become a Saint

The interior of Shangyang.

As Jiang Ning closed his eyes again, the sound of swords clashing in his ears gradually faded away until it disappeared completely.

His mind returned to tranquility.

After an unknown amount of time, whispers and discussions began to circulate around them.

Jiang Ning opened his eyes and saw that the people sitting around him all had an air of otherworldly elegance. The men were handsome and graceful, and the women were beautiful and ethereal.

Every line, every contour, seems to be meticulously sculpted.

"Junior brother, you look a bit unfamiliar!" A pretty woman sitting next to Jiang Ning said.

The woman's hair was simply tied up with a wooden hairpin, and her Taoist robe was only the most plain white, without any excessive decoration, yet she gave people the feeling of a celestial being.

“Senior sister has a discerning eye; junior brother is indeed a newcomer,” Jiang Ning said.

"No wonder you look unfamiliar!" The woman nodded slightly.

Then he asked, "Junior Brother, how many years have you been cultivating the Dao?"

"All things considered, it's been less than two years!" Jiang Ning said truthfully.

"Two years?" The woman's gaze sharpened, a hint of turmoil appearing in her calm eyes. "May I ask your honorable name, Junior Brother?"

"My surname is Jiang, and my given name is Ning!" Jiang Ning said calmly.

“Jiangning!” The woman slowly uttered these two words from her red lips, a thought flashing across her eyes: “I’ve never heard of this surname before.”

"Senior sister is overthinking it. Junior brother is just an ordinary person," Jiang Ning said.

"Junior Brother, you have reached this point in just two years. You are no ordinary person. Even those who defy their innate nature and possess ancient lineages could not achieve this!" the woman said, her eyes as clear as mirrors. "Behind you, Junior Brother, is there a phantom of a celestial seed. You have not yet become an immortal, yet you have already achieved such success. You are still young and can accumulate more knowledge. Once you become an immortal, you may be able to enter the Heavenly Immortal realm and directly enter the second realm. You are no ordinary person."

"Senior sister, how many realms are there above the immortal realm?" Jiang Ning asked, a thought stirring in his mind.

Upon hearing this, the woman's eyes flickered again as she looked at Jiang Ning.

"Junior brother doesn't seem to be one of the group?"

Jiang Ning hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"I never imagined that there would be a junior brother like this in later generations. It seems to be even more amazing than I imagined! Reflecting the past and present, the great power of the Venerable Zhouguang is truly awe-inspiring. He is indeed a great being who can travel through the river of time." The woman's calm face now showed a look of admiration.

At this moment, Jiang Ning also listened attentively. With just this simple exchange, he felt the secrets of the ancient times slowly unfolding in his heart.

Then, the woman looked at Jiang Ning.

“Since junior brother has doubts, as his senior sister, I naturally want to clear up some of his doubts.”

The words fell.

The woman's gaze was calm, but behind her, the phantom of a large tree slowly unfolded.

The tree was five zhang tall, with its branches and leaves spreading out, and a Taoist aura flowing through it.

Five flowers hang from the treetop.

One gold, one silver, two white, and one red.

"Junior brother, look! I have already condensed five Great Dao Flowers and become a Celestial Immortal, which is the second realm above Immortal."

"Senior sister is amazing!" Jiang Ning exclaimed in surprise.

At that moment, the image of the towering osmanthus tree, the phantom of the osmanthus tree behind the Moon Lake woman, immediately appeared in his mind.

He saw the fruit hanging in the osmanthus tree.

It flowers and bears fruit.

Four words immediately came to mind.

He also understood that the realm the Moon Lake woman had reached was above that of the woman before him.

It is the existence of flowers withering and fruit forming.

Then, the woman said, "To undergo the tribulation of lightning, one must discard the mortal body and condense an immortal body, which is then just a mortal body! Junior brother, your immortal seedlings are growing very well now, but without an immortal body as a bridge, the power of the immortal seedlings is currently just for show."

"The first realm above immortals is the human immortal who has condensed an immortal body."

"The process of becoming a human immortal begins with the growth of an immortal root, which grows into an immortal seedling. Throughout this process, the more lush the leaves of the real tree, the deeper the foundation."

“A deep foundation will eventually blossom into the flower of the Great Way.”

"Once the first Dao Flower is formed, one touches upon the power of the Great Dao's rules and enters the second realm, the Celestial Immortal."

At this point, the woman paused for a moment, giving Jiang Ning a chance to ask a question.

"Senior sister, does this mean there's a difference between immortals and the realm of immortals?"

"The difference is huge!" the woman said. "The power wielded by one Dao Flower and ten Dao Flowers is worlds apart. The power wielded by one Dao Fruit and ten Dao Fruits is also vastly different."

"Thank you for your explanation, Senior Sister!" Jiang Ning said.

"Let me tell you about what's to come," the woman said.

Then he continued, "After the Celestial Immortal comes the True Immortal! When the Dao Flower withers, it bears the Dao Fruit, and that is the realm."

"Upon entering this realm, one's words become law, and wherever one is, the Dao resides; one possesses the power to create heaven and earth."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning looked astonished: "The ability to create heaven and earth."

He immediately thought of the blessed lands scattered throughout the thirty-six prefectures of the nine provinces.

“Yes, the power to create heaven and earth!” The woman nodded slightly, then continued, “I have not yet stepped into the mysteries of such a realm, nor do I understand it much. As for those above, there are Heavenly Venerables and Dao Ancestors.”

Just then, her expression changed: "The Nine Netherworld Calamity Fire Grand Celestial Venerable has arrived. We'll talk again next time."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning looked up and noticed that a strangely handsome man had silently appeared on the previously empty stage.

The man's left robe was made of dark black silkworm silk, embroidered with the Taiyin Mingyan pattern that blends silver and black.

The patterns resemble dark fire flowing in the deep sea, and they feel icy cold to the touch.

The robe on the right is woven from crimson-gold phoenix feathers and adorned with a sun-fire talisman that blends crimson and gold.

The patterns resemble flowing magma, radiating a scorching Daoist aura.

The two meet at the chest, forming a yin-yang symbol, with black jade and reddish-gold jade inlaid in the eyes of the yin and yang fish respectively, symbolizing the harmony of water and fire.

With the arrival of the Nine Netherworld Calamity Fire Great Heavenly Venerable, the entire Daoist temple fell silent instantly.

"Today's sermon is about the Way of Water and Fire!" said the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Netherworld Calamity Fire.

"Thank you, Heavenly Venerable, for imparting the Dao!" The crowd below the stage bowed in greeting.

next moment.

With a wave of his wide sleeves, the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Seas Calamity Fire transformed the dome of the Daoist temple into a chaotic sky curtain interwoven with water and fire.

Its sound was like thunder, yet it was also like a gentle stream cleansing the heart.

"Water and fire complement each other, and yin and yang are mutually dependent."

"Today we will discuss three chapters of the True Secrets of the Nine Netherworld Calamity Fire. Those who resonate with the Daoist principles of the Heavenly Venerable can glimpse the path to immortality."

"The first chapter is about laying the foundation with water and fire."

"The profound darkness conceals the truth, and the fire of separation forges its form."

"The Kan River forms the foundation, cleansing the body of all impurities."

"Use the fire to burn away the shadows of the three corpses."

"With each breath, the Milky Way is drawn upside down into the Purple Palace."

"With each breath, I draw upon the earth's fiery energy to refine the elixir."

"Chapter Two is Yin and Yang Transformation into Calamity."

"The Yin Talisman locks the meridians, the Yang Talisman opens the heavens."

"The blazing Yin energy freezes the soul, yet the Daoist heart remains undying."

"The fire of the sun burns away all falsehoods, while true nature endures."

"When calamity strikes, observe water and fire as if they were flowers in the sky."

"At the point of annihilation, understanding Yin and Yang is understanding one's original nature."

"Chapter Three is about Tai Chi proving the Dao."

"Black jade represents yin, while red gold represents yang."

"The two polarities rotate, and the raging flames of the calamity give rise to the Taiji."

"When the thought arises, the Dao fruit will naturally be formed and one will enter the realm of a true immortal."

"If water and fire are combined, you may become my disciple and receive all my knowledge."

After speaking, the Taiji diagram on the Celestial Venerable's chest suddenly shone brightly, and the Daoist principles of water and fire transformed into countless talismans, which entered the brows of the listeners.

The crowd below felt their Purple Mansions tremble; some showed signs of sudden enlightenment, while others broke out in a cold sweat. Only the Jiangning Immortal Seedling swayed, revealing the faint phantom images of two Daoist leaves, one red and one black. At this moment...

The magnificent sound seemed to come from the sky above, from the horizon; the Daoist voice that resonated in Jiang Ning's heart echoed within him.

My mind is in turmoil, and my consciousness is blurred.

I do not know how long it has been.

Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes, and all the strange phenomena had disappeared.

The pulpit in front of me was now completely empty, a far cry from its former glory.

What I just saw, heard, and felt felt like a dream.

But when Jiang Ning saw the two Dao leaves, one red and one black, growing from the immortal seedling within his body, and the seven leaves on the immortal seedling in total, he knew that everything he had just seen was not an illusion.

Rather, it is a reflection of the past.

In the commotion just now, two different times and spaces converged here.

He spoke with a celestial being from the Shangyang Immortal Sect here and learned many secrets about the realm above immortals from that woman.

Now I know what a human immortal is, what a celestial immortal is, and what a true immortal is.

Thinking back on the conversation, he couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

Heavenly Venerable and Dao Ancestor.

Before the female celestial being could answer his questions, the conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the Great Celestial Venerable of the Nine Netherworld Calamity Fire.

He felt it was a real pity.

At this moment, the three key points of the Nine Netherworld Tribulation Fire True Technique, which the Great Celestial Venerable of the Nine Netherworld Tribulation Fire had just recounted, resurfaced in his mind.

Water and fire form the foundation.

Yin and Yang transform into calamity.

Tai Chi proves the Dao.

These three chapters represent the Dao of the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Netherworld Calamity Fire.

By using water and fire to enter the Dao, one can prove the Great Dao of Yin and Yang and attain longevity.

In this sermon, the Dao spoken by the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Netherworld Calamity Fire was about water and fire.

He also lectured on the first chapter, "Water and Fire Foundation Building," and the "Great Dao of Water and Fire."

As the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Netherworld Calamity Fire said, one can become his disciple by condensing the Dao Fruits of Water and Fire.

Thinking about this, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Compared to water and fire, he would rather listen to the Dao of Yin and Yang.

Because the profound and mysterious sword technique of Taixu Yin Yang Sword also involves the subtle changes of Yin and Yang.

"It wasn't a complete loss!"

He saw the seven leaves on the immortal seedling inside his body and felt slightly comforted.

He also learned the secrets of the Immortal Seed from that female celestial being.

The Immortal Seed is of little use to him now.

A mortal body cannot unleash the mysteries of immortality.

But the Immortal Seed is the foundation for becoming an immortal.

The more you accumulate now, the greater the help you will receive after you become an immortal.

Once the Dao Flower grows, one can even ascend to the second realm above immortals, the realm of celestial immortals.

Reach the level of that celestial being.

Even if not, one still accumulates a profound knowledge.

Moreover, the words of that celestial woman directly dispelled the fog surrounding his understanding of the path to immortality, bringing him sudden enlightenment.

With that thought in mind, he glanced at the panel.

His gaze suddenly sharpened.

[Skill]: Nine Netherworld Calamity Fire True Technique Chapter 1+ (Perfect 10000/10000) (Traits: Water and Fire Immortal Robe (Light Blue), Fiery Eyes (Dark Blue))
At this moment, the Water and Fire True Energy on the panel disappeared, clearly replaced by the first chapter of the Nine Netherworld Calamity Fire True Technique.

The "Features" section has also changed.

The other characteristics disappeared, leaving only two characteristics that appeared faintly, existing between reality and nothingness.

A thought flashed through his mind, and a guess formed in his mind.

He glanced ahead again and saw that Shen Yueru was now completely calm, and the earlier commotion had long since disappeared.

"No rush!" he said, calming himself down.

At this moment, he really wanted to go out, leave the inner realm of Shangyang Immortal Sect, return to the outside world, and properly digest what he had gained.

He knew that after this process of digestion, his strength would inevitably improve.

In this way, we will be more confident and in control when facing potential crises in the future.

But he understood that his main purpose in coming to Shangyang Immortal Sect this time was to try his luck at the Heavenly Ladder.

His main goal was to climb the Heavenly Ladder; the gains here were an unexpected bonus.

at this time.

He saw Shen Yueru slowly open her eyes and move.

Another moment passed.

"Senior sister?" he whispered.

Shen Yueru then turned to look at him.

At that moment, his eyes narrowed slightly.

He saw two straight longswords reflected in Shen Yueru's clear, spring-like eyes.

The two pupils, one on each side, gleam with sharpness.

As Shen Yueru's eyes gradually regained their clarity, the two long swords slowly disappeared, transforming into two points of starlight that adorned her pupils.

"Junior brother!" Shen Yueru spoke, her tone indifferent and devoid of any emotion.

"How was your harvest, Senior Sister?" Jiang Ning asked.

"Very good!" Shen Yueru nodded, her eyes filled with emotion again: "After I go back and digest this, my swordsmanship will surely improve. I will pass on my insights and understanding to my junior brother next time."

“Then next time I’ll share my insights with you, Senior Sister!” Jiang Ning said.

"Junior brother, did you also make some gains just now?" Shen Yueru asked.

Jiang Ning nodded: "I received the Dao from the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Nine Netherworld Calamity Fire."

"Great Celestial Venerable!!" Shen Yueru looked at Jiang Ning with surprise.

“Junior brother, you are so lucky! You have such good fortune to see a great celestial being imparting his teachings and leaving a photographic record,” she added.

"Does Senior Sister know about the Great Celestial Venerable?" Jiang Ning asked.

“I know a little!” Shen Yueru said, “Even in a powerful sect like Shangyang Immortal Sect, the Great Heavenly Venerable is one of the few! Only those who are above the Heavenly Venerable and one rank higher can be called Great Heavenly Venerable! Ordinary Dao Ancestors are also hard to compare with Great Heavenly Venerables.”

"Senior sister, could you please explain in detail?" Jiang Ning asked.

Shen Yueru shook her head: "I can't go into any more detail! It's something I can't understand either! Besides, it's hard to leave any records about such a person. If you try to recall now, Junior Brother, you'll find that you can't remember the appearance of that Great Celestial Venerable."

Upon hearing these words, Jiang Ning couldn't help but begin to recall.

Then he paused, stunned.

The memory that was just moments ago crystal clear is now a blur.

The image of that great celestial being could no longer be conjured in my mind; only his magnificent attire remained.

These phenomena also suddenly reminded him of his experience with the Moon Lake Woman.

The same is true.

Even though I've seen it many times, my memory is still hazy; I can't recall its appearance in my mind, only its general outline.

Seeing the expression on Jiang Ning's face, Shen Yueru continued, "The existence of the Celestial Venerable is beyond our comprehension! We forget him as soon as we see him!"

"How magnificent such beings are!" Jiang Ning exclaimed.

“Therefore, Junior Brother is fortunate to have received instruction from such a person, and you should cherish it,” Shen Yueru said.

Then he continued, "Junior Brother, you are blessed with extraordinary talent and should embark on the righteous path of immortality as soon as possible. Martial arts are ultimately a minor path! The world is recovering, and sooner or later it will be able to recreate the glory of ancient times! With your extraordinary talent and great fortune, you will surely achieve great things in the future!"

"I've remembered what you said, Senior Sister!" Jiang Ning replied simply. (End of Chapter)