Nine Nether Dragon Emperor

Only Ning Xuan would think this way.

For anyone else, facing a bottleneck was perfectly normal. If there were no bottlenecks, that would be the real problem.

Is this meant to make me find my own Dao?

Suddenly, enlightenment dawned in Ning Xuan’s heart.

Martial Arts, the Martial Dao... the process of transitioning from the martial to the Dao was critically important. It was akin to entering an entirely new world.

When entering a new world, how one took that first step was no less important than their first step in martial practice itself!

No! I won’t just seek one Dao! Of the three thousand Great Daos, I will take my pick!

Soon, Ning Xuan’s resolve hardened.

It was said that the most suitable Dao for oneself was the strongest, but he had only just come into contact with the concept of the Great Dao. How could he possibly know which one was suitable for him?

Follow one’s heart, and the Way will naturally manifest!

If possible, he would cultivate them all! He refused to be shackled from the very beginning!

A moment later, his thoughts became clear and focused.

Then, everything fell into place.

CRACK!

When Ning Xuan opened his eyes, a mountain peak dozens of yards away was sheared clean off by his mere glance!

This happened only because a single thought had flashed through his mind: That’s blocking my view. If I had a blade in my hand, I would slash it down!

That was all it took.

"So this is the Holy Realm? It truly is different."

Ning Xuan stood up. With a mere thought, nothing within a hundred-mile radius could escape his perception. He could use anything as he pleased. He was the absolute master here.

The next moment, Ning Xuan vanished on the spot.

"Damn! So you were in here. You scared me to death!"

It was the same Law Enforcement Officer who had entered earlier. After searching for Ning Xuan outside for a long time to no avail, he had entered the Trial Mountain once more. He was looking around when he turned his head and saw Ning Xuan.

"My name is Leng Yi. I’m a Law Enforcement Officer, just like you. I hope we can look out for each other in the future."

The Law Enforcement Officer immediately plastered a smile across his face. As the saying goes, you don’t hit a smiling man. Ning Xuan nodded and told Leng Yi his name in return.

"I already know. Brother Ning, have you heard? Your name has spread all over the city!" Leng Yi’s deliberate attempt to curry favor was surprisingly pleasant.

Before Ning Xuan could reply, Leng Yi suddenly added, "Oh, there’s something else you should know. The Judge has gone to the Realm Capital. Before he left, he said you shouldn’t worry about the three-day agreement and that you can go out whenever you’re fully confident."

"Why did he suddenly go to the Realm Capital?" Ning Xuan immediately asked.

He had read the handbook and knew that the Realm Lord wouldn’t summon the Judges from every city unless something significant had happened.

"You might not know this, but shortly after you left, an extraordinary phenomenon appeared across the entire Dali Realm. It’s suspected a Cultivator is about to achieve the rank of True Saint! The Realm Lord and all the city Judges have gone to pay their respects."

"A True Saint?"

"A True Saint is a terrifying being who achieves an ascension to the Extremity Realm from the peak of the Holy Realm! Although a Cultivator’s initial stage is the Holy Realm, only through this ascension can one possess the true might of a Saint. Their words become law, their power terrifying and boundless!" Leng Yi explained, his face full of admiration.

Ning Xuan nodded, a flicker of longing in his eyes.

Although he had just stepped into the Holy Realm, the stage Leng Yi spoke of seemed so distant...

Ning Xuan suddenly froze. He thought back to when he had just entered the Holy Realm and how the mountain had been leveled by a single thought. If a True Saint is really as Leng Yi described, then it doesn’t seem that remarkable after all.

Fortunately, Leng Yi was unaware of his thoughts; otherwise, he would have been scared to death. Ning Xuan himself would have likely been taken for a lunatic.

"By the way, how long have I been inside?" Done with his wild thoughts, Ning Xuan decided to face reality and asked Leng Yi.

Leng Yi looked astonished. "Didn’t you just come in?"

Ning Xuan raised an eyebrow and decided to rephrase his question. "What I mean is, how much time has passed since Zhou Nian led me here?"

"Only about half a day. Why?"

Ning Xuan was taken aback. He had reached the Holy Realm in only half a day? And that was even after encountering a "bottleneck."

That brief moment of confusion was actually what Ning Xuan considered a bottleneck.

Luckily, no one else knew. Otherwise, he would have become a public enemy! With such heaven-defying talent, others would never allow him to grow stronger!

"It’s nothing. Time is short, so I’m planning to head into the depths of Trial Mountain for some training. Want to come?"

No sooner had Ning Xuan finished speaking than Leng Yi shook his head like a rattle drum.

"No way, no way! It’s too dangerous in there. Brother Ning, I’d advise you to stick to the outer areas. Trial Mountain is vast, and even the Judge himself doesn’t dare to set foot in its depths!"

Seemingly afraid that Ning Xuan might actually drag him into the depths, Leng Yi quickly made his excuses. Before Ning Xuan could say another word, he vanished in a flash.

He didn’t realize that his words had piqued Ning Xuan’s interest in the depths of Trial Mountain.

However, Ning Xuan chose not to venture deeper. It would be troublesome if he went too far in and lost track of time. He had to keep his word: three days meant three days. He still had more than two days left, which was enough time to consolidate his new Realm.

Ning Xuan soon disappeared again, returning to his original spot.

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, the day of Ning Xuan’s appointment with the Yi Family arrived. Early that morning, the Yi Family had already gathered outside the Judgment Court. Further away, onlookers had gathered in layers upon layers.

"Officer, the time is almost up. Your Law Enforcement Officer Ning hasn’t appeared yet. Could you please give him a reminder for me?" a member of the Yi Family asked impatiently, smiling as he cupped his fist in salute to the guard on the wall.

"Ning who?"

"Ning Xuan! The guy who schemed his way into the Law Enforcement Officer position!" the Yi Family member said through gritted teeth.

"Never heard of him. We don’t have anyone like that here!" the guard immediately shot him an unfriendly look.

Ning Xuan had become their shame. None of them wanted to even hear his name.

Despite his words, he was signaling covertly to someone inside. Although they wouldn’t admit it, they were all hoping the Yi Family would kill that fool. Otherwise, they would secretly become a laughingstock forever.

Just then, the guard on the wall froze. Ning Xuan had suddenly appeared nearby and thrown an arm around his shoulder.

"Brother, thank you for standing up for me."

The guard’s expression froze, his body going completely rigid. Thankfully, Ning Xuan left just as quickly. The guard’s forehead was drenched in sweat, his heart pounding with terror. The pressure Ning Xuan had just exuded felt even more intense than what he felt when facing the Judge himself!

Dammit, what was that?!

He wiped the sweat from his brow, completely baffled.

Meanwhile, Ning Xuan landed in front of the Yi Family.

Seeing him appear, the Yi Family member let out a sigh of relief. He then smiled and said, "I thought you wouldn’t dare show up. Not bad, you’ve got the air of a Law Enforcement Officer about you. I just wonder if your strength is up to par!"

Ning Xuan sighed. "Do you have any idea how I’ve spent these past three days?"