Book 6, Breaking Through the Cocoon, Becoming a Butterfly, Chapter 1 – The Four Palaces of the Aquatic Manor
The tall, wide, ancient hall was the same as it had been for countless years. Many enormous prayer mats were placed throughout the hall, and an old black ox had appeared, smiling as he looked at the suddenly arrived Ji Ning.
"The main hall." Ning looked at the great hall.
"Congratulations." The old black bull walked over, filled with joy. "It's only been a few years, but you've already reached the Zifu level. It was faster than I anticipated."
Ning was still worrying about the impending arrival of a large group of experts from Snowdragon Mountain, and so he said without too much joy, "I was simply lucky."
"The fact that you made it through those three trials earlier wasn't a matter of luck." The old black bull sighed. "You bound the control talisman...and you are now able to go to the most important places within the Aquatic Manor. With access to these places, you will now have the capital to truly rise to sudden prominence. Ji Ning, I feel as though I can already see into the future, with you as being one of the supreme experts of the Darcian Dynasty."
Ning was stunned. He hadn't imagined that this old black bull, the spirit of a magic treasure, would be so good at flattery.
"I'm not lying." The old black bull said. "Immortal Juhua's decision to accept a disciple caused countless people throughout the Darcian Dynasty to go wild. If they knew that Immortal Juhua was merely the third master of this Aquatic Manor, most likely, a true storm would have erupted in the world."
"What exactly is so special about this Aquatic Manor?" Ning hurriedly asked.
What he cared the most about was if this Aquatic Manor would be able to increase his power or not, and if he would be able to have a greater chance of success in the upcoming battle.
"The Aquatic Manor has many secrets." The old black bull said. "Immortal Juhua and I stayed here for a very long time. If my predictions are correct...this manor should have been designed for training future generations of Fiendgods."
"Training future generations of Fiendgods?" Ning was stunned.
"Right." The old black bull nodded his large head. "The first master of this Aquatic Manor should have been an extremely powerful Fiendgod! Just look at the prayer mats throughout the main hall, and you will understand...originally, quite a few Fiendgods would have sat here, waiting for his command and listening to him expound on the correct way of training."
Ning stared at the enormous nearby prayer mats, as well as that solitary prayer mat seated at the front of the hall. He nodded gently.
"The first master's method for accepting disciples was through two corridors; one for Xiantian-level Fiendgod Body Refiners, while the other was for Zifu-level Fiendgod Body Refiners." The old black bull said. "Ordinary Fiendgod practitioners wouldn't suffice. Only those whose bodies had transformed and become like the bodies of Fiendgods would qualify. Wouldn't this be, essentially, true Fiendgods?"
Ning nodded.
His own body had been birthed from fire and water that had descended from the heavens. He did indeed have the body of a Xiantian Fiendgod.
"In addition, clearly the various halls of the Aquatic Manor are meant for cultivating later Fiendgods." The old black bull said. "Unfortunately, the path of Fiendgods is simply too difficult. Although Immortal Juhua originally started on the path of Fiendgod Body Refining as well, slowly, that path became more and more difficult for him. He advanced more rapidly as a Ki Refiner, but in the end, he failed his tribulation and became a Loose Immortal."
