In the training ground, a boy clad in animal skin stood holding a black dull sword, surrounded by nine tall and strong warrior fighters. Each warrior was armored and wielded various weapons like long spears, sharp swords, and knives, all of which were dull-edged. Although Ji Ning had just turned ten, after six years of practicing the "Chi Ming Nine Heavens Diagram," he had grown over 1.6 meters tall, only ten centimeters shorter than in his previous life. His appearance was almost identical to that of his past life, which could be described as the manifestation of one's inner spirit. The only difference was that while his face in the previous life was sickly pale, in this life, it was filled with vibrant energy.
"Same old rules," Ji Ning surveyed his surroundings, his gaze more fearsome than that of a beast. "If you can defeat me, each of you gets a piece of beast head gold!"
"Roar~~"
"Young master, be careful."
"Haha, a piece of beast head gold! Let the young master see our strength, brothers!" The warriors roared, each one a member of the strongest fighters in Ji's western manor—the Nine-Tooth Warriors! To earn the title of Nine-Tooth Warrior, one must have reached the pinnacle of inner strength and possess extensive battle experience.
Beast head gold weighed ten pounds, and gold was a universal currency among many tribes, making it highly attractive to the strongest fighters in the army.
However, none of them dared to underestimate Ji Ning, as his formidable strength was well-known throughout the army. After countless sparring sessions with some elite troops, these warriors understood that even the combined efforts of nine of them might not be enough to defeat Ji Ning.
Holding the black dull sword, Ji Ning silently observed his surroundings.
Since mastering the intricate "108 Swords of the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends," which earned his father's approval, sparring with puppets had lost its meaning, and he was permitted to train with numerous warriors in the army. All sparring weapons were dull-edged.
His father had also issued strict orders: "In your sparring with others, you may only use one sword! You can only use one-tenth of your strength! Only during sparring with me and your mother can you use two swords... Remember, the dual swords are your trump card; you can only use them when you genuinely wish to kill your opponent."
Thus...
Although Ji Ning had gained a reputation as a genius, they had no idea this was merely the tip of the iceberg. Of course, during battles, he poured all his effort into "single-handed sword techniques" and "footwork."
...
The nine warriors circled Ji Ning, their eyes locked on him like a predator. Ji Ning remained as unmoving as a mountain.
"Whoosh!" Suddenly, one of the bald warriors lunged forward, his spear darting out like a venomous snake, reaching Ji Ning in an instant.
Facing this brutal thrust, Ji Ning merely shifted his body and closed the distance, causing the spear to stab into empty air.
Spear attacks were most vulnerable at close range!
"Whoosh!" Ji Ning's black dull sword sliced through the air, and the bald warrior fell, kicking his spear back towards Ji Ning as he rolled away to return to formation.
"That was close! Almost got me in one blow. Brothers, be careful," the bald warrior shouted as he rejoined his comrades.
Ji Ning stepped on the spear beneath him, glancing around. "You might as well come at me together, or you'll miss your chance."
"Go!"
"Charge!"
The nine warriors, sensing the gap in strength, stopped testing the waters and went all out.
With the sound of wind whistling, blades flashing, and weapons moving like dragons and tigers, they all attacked Ji Ning from every direction. Yet, Ji Ning stood there, making only slight retreats and turns, effortlessly evading their many attacks.
The clashing of weapons echoed like muffled thunder, demonstrating their tremendous force.
Some attacks landed lightly with a "whoosh," while others struck heavily.
"Indeed, the Nine-Tooth Warriors are something else. Their teamwork is incredible. If it were just five or six of them, I could defeat them instantly. But with nine working together, I'm completely at a disadvantage," Ji Ning thought as he faced the assault. After all, he had only one sword, and under such pressure, he had to push his swordplay and footwork to their limits.
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
The sword shadows whistled.
Suddenly, Ji Ning felt a wave of ecstasy. At that moment, his body and sword were in perfect harmony. He could even sense the sword itself and feel the rushing wind as it moved at high speed.
"Whoosh!" The black dull sword lightly tapped a warrior's combat knife, first causing a shock, then twisting it, making the knife uncontrollably deviate. Following that, the tip of the sword thrust forward and pierced the warrior's chest, making him stagger back two steps before plopping down.
"Whoosh." The black dull sword carved an arc through the air, easily avoiding a long spear's block and slapping the bald warrior's face, sending teeth flying.
In an instant, it was like autumn leaves swept away by the wind.
Ji Ning's sword became ethereal, its movements precise and varied, capable of making multiple changes in an instant. In life-and-death battles, a moment's advantage could turn into a victory. This allowed the nine warriors, who had once made him struggle, to fall one after another in the blink of an eye.
"Congratulations, young master."
"Congratulations, young master, on your swordsmanship mastery and unity of man and sword."
The warriors were filled with shock and excitement as they offered their congratulations.
At just ten years old, he had achieved such mastery, surpassing even his father, Ji Yichuan, known for his "Dripping Water Sword."
"Hahaha..." Ji Ning felt immense joy. After six years of relentless sword training, every day except for mornings spent practicing archery outside the city was dedicated to swordplay, whether with his father, his father's disciples, or the army warriors.
The sword had long since become a part of him.
Countless hours of practice had made his sword skills terrifyingly precise.
His ability to multitask had further enhanced the unpredictability of his swordsmanship.
With a body as powerful as a deity and his internal energy refined to the pinnacle of the postnatal stage, his sword was unstoppable.
Until today!
Years of hard work finally bore fruit—swordsmanship mastery and unity of man and sword!
"Today, everyone has helped me breakthrough. There's no need for hesitation; each of you gets a piece of beast head gold." Ji Ning laughed heartily.
The nine warriors exchanged glances and spoke in unison, "Thank you, young master!"
If they had merely lost, they wouldn't have accepted anything, for as Nine-Tooth Warriors, they had their pride. But since Ji Ning achieved the unity of man and sword, it was indeed a joyous occasion. Receiving some benefits from such a celebration felt only right.
"Ninth brothers."
From a distance, the maidservants Chun Cao and Qiu Ye approached, holding a stone plate with nine pieces of beast head gold, all made from sheep gold! The nine warriors smiled as they accepted the gold, filled with admiration for Ji Ning's impressive skills, which they had observed over the years.
"Congratulations, young master!" Chun Cao and Qiu Ye exclaimed, their faces beaming with joy.
Six years had passed, and both Chun Cao and Qiu Ye were now around twenty, in their most alluring age. As personal maidservants, they were destined to become their master's women, and they had long regarded Ji Ning as their sky, their god. Seeing their master achieve such prowess filled them with immense happiness.
"Hahaha..." Ji Ning laughed along.
Anyone would be thrilled after enduring years of hard training; how could he not rejoice at his success?
It took him two years of sword practice to reach a level his father deemed ready in both body and mind to learn the "108 Swords of the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends."
Another year later, he achieved the first realm before being allowed to spar.
Three years later, he reached the second realm—mastery of swordsmanship and unity of man and sword!
"Chun Cao, Qiu Ye, come with me." Ji Ning called out, eager to see his parents.
...
In the depths of the sprawling mountains, furious roars echoed.
At the foot of the mountain, a large group of black-armored riders gathered. Their armor was thick with spiked joints, and their mounts were towering, long-haired beasts with curved tusks glistening coldly. Their stout hooves shook the ground as they ran.
These hundred black-armored riders exuded powerful energy.
"Huh?" The black-armored riders turned to the distance, where the mountainside rapidly softened to a fiery red and then transformed into molten lava. A vaguely humanoid figure walked through the lava, surrounded by flames, emerging unscathed.
With a powerful leap, he landed on the ground, dragging a massive beast with brown scales. A four-legged beast followed closely behind, obediently.
As the molten rock flew off his body, his appearance was revealed—an elder with fiery red hair, a small red snake hanging from his ear. The four-legged beast stood beside the snake elder, exuding a docile demeanor.
"Master," the black-armored riders respectfully addressed him.
The snake elder, Ji Lie, laughed heartily. "Came out to hunt and found a Ground Armored Dragon. What luck! This dragon is on the verge of evolving into a congenital being; we can take good care of it."
"Master, master!" Suddenly, a voice rang from above.
Ji