Desolate Era

by RWX

  As the white-robed, white-haired youth appeared, a buzz of conversation swept the entire palace. Ning’s ears twitched. He couldn’t help but feel secretly surprised. What a tremendous background this senior apprentice-brother Bloodshadow had. The Rites of Bloodforging…although the likes of the Ji clan had never heard of it, the Black-White College had. Only, one needed five hundred black-white pellets to trade for the technique.

  “And he’s actually a two-clawed Raindragon Guard as well!” Ning was privately shocked. After entering the Raindragon Guard, one would become an ordinary one-clawed Raindragon Guard, and the Black-White College would reward you with a thousand black-white pellets. If you became a two-clawed Raindragon Guard, you would be rewarded with five thousand black-white pellets. Upon becoming a three-clawed Raindragon Guard, the reward would be increased to fifteen thousand black-white pellets…

  However, it was very difficult to become a two-clawed Raindragon Guard. Generally speaking, only someone at the Primal Daoist level of power could become one. Only a very few, exceptionally monstrous Wanxiang Adepts were able to reach that level. As for that so-called ‘genius’ of Snowdragon Mountain, Xue Hongyi, by comparison, he was far inferior to this senior apprentice-brother Bloodshadow.

  “Swoosh!” The white-haired, white-robed Bloodshadow’s body flickered, and he appeared on the opposite stone pillar. “Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning.” Bloodshadow stared towards Ning. “I’m more used to engaging in close combat. I’m not that skilled in controlling magic treasures to attack. However, I’m still a bit stronger than junior apprentice-brother Qinghe. You must be careful.”

  “I await your instructions, senior apprentice-brother,” Ning said solemnly.

  This was no joke. A freak capable of becoming a two-clawed Raindragon Guard, even one who was primarily a Fiendgod Body Refiner, definitely wouldn’t be weak when controlling magic treasures. Fortunately, he would be doing so through the golems…and so his divine body and divine abilities would be of no use. Otherwise, there would be no need to compete at all. Ning would simply admit defeat.

  “Begin!” The white-haired elder called out in a high voice. Rumble…the grand sealing barrier once more covered the entire arena.

  Ning sat down in the lotus position. Bloodshadow did the same. “Junior apprentice-brother, be careful!” Bloodshadow called out in a cold voice. Instantly, the strange flying swords on the back of the Nineswords Golem began to fly out. Nine of the queer flying swords flew through the air, beginning to emit a dense, bloody light. The flying swords were all connected by the bloody light, and they quickly formed into an enormous…

  Something. It had enormous cicada wings, a head with three horns, a mouth that was as long and sharp as a blade, and a savage, flashing gaze. In fact, the killing aura coming from this creature was even more terrifying than that of the Direwolf which Bloodeater Bladask had summoned.

  “Mosquito?” Ning, staring the beast that had appeared, couldn’t help but feel astonished. This was a titanic mosquito.

  Swoosh! That sinister-looking, baleful giant mosquito of blood suddenly charged forward, howling through the air, its blade-mouth formed from one of the flying swords. The power and invisible pressure from this creature caused Ning’s heart to clench.

  “[Neo-Tripartite Lotus Sword]!” Ning didn’t hesitate at all, immediately executing his most powerful sword art. Instantly, three flying swords flew out from the back of his Thousandswords Golem. They soon formed an enormous, blooming lotus flower of sword light which stabbed directly towards that baleful, heaven-defying mosquito of blood.

  “Bang!” The two attacks were both as fast as lightning, and they instantly crisscrossed in the sky. The blooming lotus flower’s sword-light trembled, beginning to grow unstable.

  “It’s going to collapse.”

  “Although senior apprentice-brother Bloodshadow is not skilled in using flying swords, it isn’t too hard for him to suppress a young, newly recruited disciple.”

  “He’s won.”

  Quite a few fellow apprentices nodded musingly to themselves. As for Northson, he clenched his fists nervously as he watched, his heart filled with worry. It was as though he himself wanted to personally charge up. “You must win. You must win.”

  “Not good.” As soon as he began fighting, Ning began to sense how terrifying the penetrative power of the blood mosquito’s blade-mouth was. “Bang!” The blood mosquito moved as fast as a shadow, quickly smashing yet again against the lotus flower. Instantly, the blooming lotus flower crumbled, and the three flying swords were scattered to one side.

  However, Ning had expected this long ago. He had already prepared six more flying swords, which shot out from the back of the Thousandswords Golem.

  “Go, go, go.” A savage look was in Ning’s eyes. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Every three flying swords formed a blooming lotus of sword-light, and even the three original scattered swords once more reformed into a giant lotus of sword-light. All of a sudden, the air was filled with three enormous flashes of sword light, each of which bloomed into giant loti. They flew out in a straight row, simultaneously striking towards the blood mosquito. Meanwhile, Ning’s eyes were filled with savagery as he controlled them in attacking.

  “What!”

  “He’s actually able to simultaneously unleash three of those [Tripartite Lotus Swords]?”

  “How can this be?”

  The spectating disciples were all speechless. Using top-tier sword arts was tremendously taxing on one’s mental faculties. For something like the [Tripartite Lotus Sword]…most would be able to unleash just a single one at most. To unleash three at the same time was rather ridiculous.

  …..

  At the corner of the Dao Debate Palace. Immortal Diancai nodded gently.

  “He simultaneously executed multiple sword arts.” The nearby short elder shook his head repeatedly. “There’s only two possibilities. The first is that his current comprehension of the Dao is far beyond the level of this sword art, and so it is simplicity itself for him to use it; only then can one simultaneously use multiple sword arts. The second is that his soul is incomparably powerful, and so he can easily withstand the pressure this sword art creates, allowing him to use it multiple times simultaneously.”

  Either one had a high level of insight, or one had an extremely powerful soul.

  “Your disciple’s soul…is at the divine sense level?” The short elder looked towards Immortal Diancai, who nodded. “Right.”

  “As I thought,” the short elder said softly. “If he has a ‘divine soul’ at the divine sense level…I imagine he can execute two or three more sword-lights. This battle…your disciple is probably going to win.”

  …….

  The giant blood mosquito blurred, then transformed into three smaller blood mosquitoes, simultaneously defending against the three [Tripartite Lotus Swords].

  Boom! Boom! Boom! There, in midair, the three [Tripartite Lotus Swords] battled against the three smaller blood mosquitoes. Everything was a blur as they clashed and battled against each other repeatedly. Each side wanted to break through the protective armor of the other’s golem, but they also wanted to block the enemy attacks…for now, they were battling to a standstill.

  “Go, go!” Ning’s eyes were bloodshot, and the veins on his forehead were protruding. Clearly, he was now going all out. Instantly, six more flying swords flew out from the back of the Thousandswords Golem. The sky was soon filled with two more [Tripartite Lotus Sword] attacks. A total of five [Tripartite Lotus Swords] were surrounding and attacking the blood mosquitoes.

  “Eh?” Seated in the distance, Bloodshadow’s face changed. He immediately willed the three blood mosquitoes to once more transform into a giant blood mosquito. The cicada-like wings of the giant blood mosquito fluttered, wrapping around that Nineswords Golem while the blade-beak struck repeatedly against those [Tripartite Lotus Swords].

  The five [Neo-Tripartite Lotus Swords] attacked wildly in unison.

  “Five!�
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  “Five [Tripartite Lotus Swords]?”

  The spectating disciples were all rather stunned. They knew exactly how much stress would be placed on the soul when one executed five powerful sword arts simultaneously. To an ordinary person, dividing their mind to carry out just two tasks simultaneously was already very difficult. Dividing one’s mind to execute multiple supreme sword arts…and five in total, at that!

  “Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning’s comprehension must be at a very high level, or his soul must be very strong.”

  “He cannot be underestimated.”

  “It seems as though senior apprentice-brother Bloodshadow is about to suffer from it.”

  …….

  If one remains perpetually on the defense, one will eventually lose. Under the repeated strikes of Ning’s five [Neo-Tripartite Lotus Swords], in the end, the blood mosquito wasn’t able to block an attack, and the protective armor of the golem was breached.

  “Ji Ning wins!” The white-haired elder called out in high voice. Only now did Ning finally relax.

  He had won.

  He had actually defeated a two-clawed Raindragon Guard! Although this Raindragon Guard was more skilled as a Fiendgod Body Refiner and in using divine abilities, and although this was just a competition of the arts one could use based on their comprehension of the Dao…the fact that he had defeated a two-clawed Raindragon Guard still filled Ning’s heart with incomparable joy.

  “I lost.” Seated atop the distant stone pillar, Bloodshadow rose to his feet. Shaking his head, he laughed. “Junior apprentice-brother, you are already so impressive after entering our school. In the future, you will definitely not be any weaker than me.”

  “Senior apprentice-brother, you praise me too much.” Ning rose as well. “If we were in a real life-and-death battle, I probably wouldn’t have been able to withstand a single blow from you.”

  Bloodshadow laughed. This junior apprentice-brother of his was incredibly talented, and yet clear-minded and modest. He hadn’t turned smug from his victory in the Dao Debate. Most likely, in the future, this youth would have astonishing accomplishments. He was worth befriending.

  “Haha…” Bloodshadow laughed, then with a flicker, disappeared from the arena, reappearing before the white-haired elder, who he gave two jade bottles to.

  Ning took a deep breath. He had gone all out in his earlier battle against Bloodshadow. The sword art he had used was the strongest one available to him, and by relying on the power of his soul, he had gone all out to generate five of those [Tripartite Lotus Swords]! This was his limit. He had nothing further up his sleeve…and would probably lose the next match.

  However, if he was going to fight, he was going to fight to the bitter end.

  “Are there any other senior fellow disciples who would like to exchange pointers with me?” Ning looked about the room and spoke in a clear voice. His voice echoed in every corner of the palace.

  * * *

  Book 7, Chapter 38 - My Heart Holds Only the Sword The Sword Immortals Path

  The entire Dao Debate Palace once more fell silent. Everyone turned to look at their neighbors. Since Ji Ning was even able to defeat Bloodshadow in a Dao Debate, defeating him would be no easy task. Who would be the next?

  “His heart…it has changed!” In that quiet corner, the short elder suddenly spoke out. “This last Dao Debate was a form of baptism for your disciple.” Immortal Diancai turned to look towards Ning as well. There was no hesitating in Ning’s eyes at all; instead, there was a frightening desire for battle.

  “Right.” Immortal Diancai nodded lightly. “His heart has indeed changed. It is purer now. Before this, he had many miscellaneous thoughts in his heart, but right now, all he desires is the next battle. This is indeed a rare baptism for his Dao-heart.”

  …..

  Ning had only one thought in his heart right now; to engage in the next battle! If he was going to fight, he was going to fight to the very end!

  The entire Dao Debate Palace was silent for three breaths. Finally, an azure-robed woman walked out.

  “It is senior apprentice-sister Whitesnow.”

  “Senior apprentice-sister Whitesnow’s [Celestial Silknet Formation] is extremely powerful. In terms of just the Dao, not even senior apprentice-brother Bloodshadow is a match for senior apprentice-sister Whitesnow.”

  “Right. I wonder if this junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning has anything else left up his sleeve. If he does not, he is probably going to lose.” Conversations were going on everywhere.

  As for senior apprentice-brother Holyfire, surrounded by many fellow disciples, he stared into the distance, then said softly, “If my guess is correct, that was the limit of junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning’s power. This next battle…junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning is going to lose.”

  “When he encounters junior apprentice-sister Whitesnow’s [Celestial Silknet Formation], this junior apprentice-brother is going to lose.” This was the soft comment by the fat, sloppy-looking youth as well.

  ……..

  “Senior apprentice-sister. Will junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning win?” Ninelotus was next to the black-robed maiden, who stared into the distance. “Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning is probably at his limit. This should be his final battle.”

  ………

  The short elder, standing in the corner of the room, nodded as well. “It’s about time. This series of Dao Debates should be coming to a conclusion. Your disciple is at his limit.”

  “Right.” Immortal Diancai nodded lightly, continuing to stare towards his disciple…

  On the pillar. Ning stood there, waiting quietly.

  “Senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning, win. Win! I believe in you. You will definitely win.” Mu Northson’s fists were clenched tightly, and he called out in a high voice in the distance. Ning smiled towards him.

  The azure-robed woman stepped out from the side-door, leaping gracefully atop the opposing stone pillar. She looked towards the distant Ning, her gaze bringing a cold, quiet feeling. Looking at her was like looking at a sickly, yet beautiful woman. She finally spoke out. “Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning, I have chosen the Skynet Golem. Be careful.”

  “Senior apprentice-sister, please feel free!” Ning sat down in the lotus position, and the azure-robed woman did the same. The two stared at each other.

  “Begin!” The white-haired elder let out a loud shout. Rumble…the grand sealing barrier once more covered the entire battle arena.

  “Go!” The gaze of the azure-robed woman, seated in the lotus position, was cold and dim. The Skynet Golem beneath her instantly began to emit one line of silk after another, transforming into streaks of light.

  “[Neo-Tripartite Lotus Sword]!” A sharp look flashed through Ning’s eyes. Not hesitating at all, he immediately, consecutively released fifteen flying swords from the Thousandswords Golem, creating five [Tripartite Lotus Swords]. These five flashes of sword-light…they blossomed into lotus flowers, streaking forward to greet the flashing lines of silk.

  Whoosh…

  The silken rays of light suddenly slashed out in arious arcs. Instantly, the entire world seemed to change, as these silken ribbons of light actually formed a giant, completely sealed spherical region, trapping Ning’s five [Neo-Tripartite Lotus Swords] within them. The five flashes of sword-light wildly struck at one location, and a large bulge appeared on the side of the silken ribbons of light, but it still successfully kept the sword-light trapped within.

  “Constrict!” The azure-robed woman, seated in the lotus position, shouted softly. The silken ribbons of light, in the shape of that giant sphere, began to swivel and shrink, beginning to crush down upon the five flashes of sword-light within it.

  Although Ning could release these fifteen flying swords and control new ones…if he wasn’t able to defeat this technique, even if he unleashed more flying swords, the end result would simply be that they would be trapped.

  “Break!” Ning strove to control his swords
to break through.

  “Go.” The azure-robed woman once more pointed. Whoosh! Yet another silken ribbon of light flew out from the golem, this one moving directly towards Ning’s Thousandswords Golem.

  “Hmph.” Ning’s gaze turned cold. Three more flying swords flew out from the Thousandswords Golem’s back, transforming to yet another [Tripartite Lotus Sword] and intercepting the ribbon.

  There were six [Tripartite Lotus Swords] that had been unleashed, and Ning’s eyes were now completely bloodshot. Taxing. This was incredibly taxing. But Ning didn’t think of anything else. In his heart, there was only one thought; to use all of his power and fight to the bitter end! To force his flying swords to unleash the greatest amount of power possible!

  In this moment, the only thing in Ning’s heart…was the sword!

  ……..

  Within the arena.

  Ning and the azure-robed woman stared at each other, the golems they were controlling clashing against each other time and time again. Clearly, the azure-robed woman held the upper hand…but no matter what, she wasn’t able to defeat Ji Ning. In particular, with that giant, spherical region, one enormous bulge after another would appear. Clearly, the five rays of sword light within were still struggling, and with greater and greater power. The azure-robed woman couldn’t help but focus a great deal of her attention on that sphere.

  In the corner of the Dao Debate Palace. The short elder’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he murmured to himself, “My heart holds only the sword?”

  Immortal Diancai stared at his disciple as well. He, too, had noticed Ning’s change. “My heart holds only the sword!” Immortal Diancai said softly, “Finally, his sword-heart has finally begun to reach this level.”

  “Now things are unclear,” the short old man sighed. “This disciple of yours truly is a rare talent. This Dao Debate Palace is currently filled with the disciples of our Black-White College. So many geniuses are present…this disciple of yours is welcoming all challengers, and so in the end, he will definitely be defeated. And yet, this process has caused his sword-heart to grow brighter and brighter.”