Desolate Era

by RWX

  Ning was shocked and stunned.

  “According to the legends, so long as one can comprehend a Heavenly Dao, then one will become one of the most incomparably exalted figures of the Three Realms.” Daoist Jadesea’s eyes were filled with a boundless eagerness as well, and the gazes of the Primal Daoists next to him became lost and dreamy as well. To them, the Heavenly Daos were legends and myths.

  “But of course, I’ve never even heard of anyone who comprehended a Heavenly Dao.” Daoist Jadesea laughed as he looked at Ning. “Never, not even in any of the legends or stories.”

  Ning sighed to himself. Right. Heavenly Daos. When Immortal practitioners swore an oath, they would do so towards the Dao of the Heavens. It was the Daos of the Heavens which upheld the functioning of the entire Three Realms. It was naturally incomparably exalted.

  “One level lower than the Heavenly Daos are the Grand Daos!” Daoist Jadesea looked towards Ji Ning. “Every single Grand Dao is also extremely exalted, and it is extremely difficult to even gain an initial insight into them.”

  “On a level lower than the Grand Daos are the most numerous, ordinary Daos.” Daoist Jadesea looked at Ji Ning. “Your Dao of Rainwater, and the Daos of Freezing Ice, Mystic Ice, and the like…these are all ordinary Daos.”

  Ning nodded. He now understood that Daos were divided into levels as well! Heavenly Daos were the most supreme, the fundamental Daos which underpinned the cosmos!

  “The Dao of the Sword, however, is one of the Grand Daos!” Daoist Jadesea looked towards Ning. “Everyone who has embarked upon the Dao of the Sword is known as a Sword Immortal!”

  “Ah?!” Ning stared. The Dao of the Sword was one of the Grand Daos? He had actually embarked onto the path of a Grand Dao?

  “To gain an initial insight into the Dao of the Sword, one must clearly develop and comprehend one’s sword-heart and make it lustrous.” Daoist Jadesea looked towards Ji Ning. “This is also the first stance of the [Three-Foot Sword]. You need to have a heart which is supremely, sincerely devoted to the sword, and you need to make that sword-heart of yours lustrous…the difficulty of doing this is even greater than reaching the Dao Domain level of your Dao of Rainwater.”

  Ning nodded in acknowledgement. It was, indeed, a bit harder to reach the ‘Lustrous Sword-Heart’ level than to develop his Rainwater Sword Domain.

  “This is the difference in Daos. It is even harder to gain an initial insight into a Grand Dao than it is to reach the Dao Domain level in an ordinary Dao.” Daoist Jadesea stared at Ning, his gaze blazing.

  “This is also why you were able to defeat even Northmont Blackcurrent, who has reached the level of possessing five Dao Domains. It is because the Dao you comprehended is a Grand Dao! Although he has comprehended many, they are all lesser Daos! In addition…the Dao of the Sword, even amongst the Grand Daos, is known as the Grand Dao with the greatest offensive combat potential. Sword Immortals are legendary for their combat power as well.”

  “In our Black-White College…including you, we only have a total of two Sword Immortals,” Daoist Jadesea said. “One is you, with the other being your master, Uncle-Master Diancai.” Ning nodded.

  “Because you have gained an insight into the Grand Dao of the Sword, our Black-White College shall bestow upon you two thousand black-white pellets.” Daoist Jadesea took out a jade bottle, handing it over to Ning.

  Ning was instantly overjoyed. Two thousand black-white pellets? When his master had bestowed him with black-white pellets, he had informed Ning that he would receive a thousand black-white pellets for reaching the Dao Domain level, and just two thousand black-white pellets for his soul reaching the ‘divine sense’ level. Generally speaking, only Primal Daoists would have a soul at the ‘divine sense’ level. And yet, just gaining an initial insight into a Grand Dao merited a similar award of two thousand black-white pellets!

  “Why are there no records of this within the black-and-white book?” Ning hurriedly asked. “The black-and-white book has quite a few records regarding various rewards of black-white pellets, such as for joining the Raindragon Guard, becoming a two-clawed Raindragon Guard, a three-clawed Raindragon Guard…why aren’t there any records regarding becoming a Sword Immortal?”

  “Heavenly Daos. Grand Daos. Ordinary Daos. The fact that there are these differences is not something which is to be carelessly exposed.” Daoist Jadesea looked towards Ning. “If you hadn’t comprehended them for yourself and we told you of them, it would actually harm you by affecting your Dao-heart. You would be unwilling to go comprehend an ordinary Dao, and would focus on trying to master a Grand Dao. But do you think a Grand Dao is so easily comprehended? If you aren’t already at that level, letting you know about the levels will harm you for no benefit.”

  Ning now understood.

  “Even us.” Daoist Jadesea looked at the crowd of Primal Daoists. “Even we only learned about this matter after we finished comprehending a complete Dao Path. Now that we have mastered a complete Dao Path, the next step for us is to comprehend a Grand Dao!”

  Ning now understood.

  “Grand Daos are extremely hard to understand. Even in our Black-White College, and even for the likes of senior Northwalker, there has never been anyone who has completely and thoroughly mastered a Grand Dao.” Daoist Jadesea looked towards Ning. “The path of mastering a Grand Dao is incomparably more difficult than the path of mastering an ordinary Dao; thousands of times more difficult. However, the power of a Grand Dao is also countless times greater. You must diligently train and not slacken off in the slightest.”

  “Yes.” Ning nodded with solemnity.

  “Alright. With regards to Sword Immortals…if you have any questions, go ask your master. In the entire Black-White College, only your master is capable of truly teaching you.” Daoist Jadesea laughed, then turned and left.

  “Ji Ning, it is quite rare for me to officiate over a recruitment ceremony, and yet when I did, I ended up taking you in, hahaha.” Daoist Wu Xiu and the others all chatted for a bit with Ning as well. Every single one of them spoke with Ning for a bit. Clearly, as they saw it…in a few decades, or perhaps in a century, Ning would be on a completely equal level to them. Shortly afterwards, the Primal Daoists all departed.

  Only now did Ning let out a sigh of relief. “Heavenly Daos? Grand Daos? Daos?” Ning suddenly thought of something. “The creator of the underwater estate even had many Immortal-ranked magic treasures and Pure Yang magic treasures. I also heard that he was a Fiendgod who was born during the era of primal chaos, before the creation of the universe, and that he was one of the major powers of the Three Realms. Even the [Starseizing Hand] he developed was so powerful…he most assuredly must have comprehended a Grand Dao. Only, I wonder if Daoist Threelives was able to comprehend a Heavenly Dao.”

  “Well, enough of that. Two thousand black-white pellets!” Ning looked at the jade bottle in his hands. “And I earned quite a few black-white pellets during the Dao Debates as well. Should I go to the Dao Repository Vault to exchange them for techniques?” Ning began to ponder. “For divine abilities? Or for the [Soulshaker Art]?”

  Right at this moment, a voice was transmitted towards him. “Ji Ning.” This voice echoed in his mind. “Master.” Ning hurriedly looked around.

  “Go back and calm your mind and focus on your training. You must solidify your foundation to fully reap the gains from these Dao Debates. I trust you will make even more advancements if you do. Three days later, come and see me.” Immortal Diancai’s voice rang out in Ning’s mind. As for the four Immortals in the corner of the room, Immortal Diancai, the short elder, the juvenile child, and the crowned, bearded elder all gave Ning a final look before disappearing into thin air.

  Ning stared around within the Dao Debate Palace, but saw no one else present. Still, he acknowledged respectfully, “Yes, Master.”

  Ning immediately boarded his flying boat. Transforming into a streak of light, he flew out of the Dao Debate Palace and returned to his Darknorth Peak.
He was going to calm his heart and solidify the gains he had recently reaped.

  * * *

  Book 8, Chapter 2 - Northmont Blacktigers Style

  The flying boat soared through the skies, entering the Darknorth Peak’s estate.

  “Senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning.” Forgard, Cloudship, and Cloudjade, the three Zifu Disciples, all called out with respect. The Whitewater Hound next to them looked towards Ning as well, and Ning grinned towards him. “Uncle White, I’m going to go into my private training room to engage in some closed-door training. Only call me if there is something extremely important.”

  The Whitewater Hound nodded. Ning then went directly into his private training room.

  Cloudjade nibbled on her lips as she stared at Ning. “He just glanced at me. He didn’t even give me a good look. Hmph. Back in the tribe, there were so many people who wanted to become Dao-companions with me. But this senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning hasn’t even engaged in a proper conversation with me.”

  Cloudjade’s alluring charm was indeed tremendous. The fox spirits and other beautiful maidservants which Ning had seen in the Carefree Caverns were all inferior to her. Even Ninelotus was slightly inferior to her. The only one comparable to her was that reincarnated Immortal, the Rainbowflame Fairy, Yu Wei. No wonder Cloudjade had always been self-confident!

  She naturally wanted to reel in this disciples of the Black-White College. This Ji Ning, in her mind, truly was the best selection for her to become Dao-companions with. But unfortunately…up till now, Ji Ning had never said a word to her.

  “I refuse to believe it!” Cloudjade mused to herself silently.

  “I wonder how the battles at the Dao Debate Palace went.” Cloudship, by her side, had a look of anticipation in his shining eyes. “None of us know,” Forgard said gravely. Cloudship glanced at Forgard, then pursed his lips.

  …..

  Within the private training room. Ning sat there in the lotus position, streaks of sword energy flying around him, occasionally chopping, occasionally stabbing, occasionally blocking. One stance after another came out…they appeared ordinary, but they contained a truly heart-shaking fierceness to them.

  Suddenly, all of the sword energies around him vanished. “Whew.” A hint of a smile appeared on Ning’s face. “I’ve spent an entire night training, and I have indeed made further gains, as well as solidified my previous insights.”

  “The Grand Dao of the Sword? Sword Immortal?” A look of anticipation was in Ning’s eyes. Whoosh. Ning rose to his feet, and the stone door opened with a rumble. Soon, he arrived outside the courtyard.

  There was a hint of light in the skies. Ning stood there in the courtyard, and as he took in a deep breath of air, filled with dense amounts of natural, elemental energy, he felt all the happier.

  “Senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning.” A soft voice suddenly rang out nearby. Ning turned to look. It was Cloudjade, dressed in a light pink Daoist robe. Although the robe was rather loose and large, on her incomparably ravishing body, it gave an alluring feeling that was both faint and bone-deep. Her long black hair was simply combed, but it also gave off a natural, magnetic aura.

  “She truly is a lovely person. Why in the world did Baiwei have her come and be my retainer?” Ning mused to himself. Although Cloudjade was indeed exquisite in her appearance, what Ning wanted was to be truly carefree and unbound. How could he so casually select a Dao-companion? Even if he were to choose one, it would be an incomparably major affair. For now, at least, this Cloudjade hadn’t moved Ning’s heart in the slightest.

  “I haven’t had a chance to thank you yet, senior apprentice-brother, for giving me the chance to enter your service and join the Black-White College.” Cloudjade’s willowy, graceful body curtsied in a show of respect.

  Ning nodded gently. Suddenly, a figure ran over from outside. It was a young servant. The young servant couldn’t help but glance towards that exalted, insurpassably seductive Immortal practitioner, Cloudjade, but then he hurriedly said in a nervous manner, “Master, someone is outside, and he claims to be your senior apprentice-brother. He’s right at the door. He’s already been waiting for the amount of time needed to boil a kettle of tea.”

  “Oh?” Ning nodded, then laughed and said in clear voice, “Which senior apprentice-brother is it, might I ask? I’ve neglected you by making you wait here for so long, senior apprentice-brother. Please, come in, quickly.”

  “Hurry and go prepare refreshments,” Ning said, looking at the nearby Cloudjade. “Alright.” Cloudjade hurriedly bowed, then quickly departed.

  The ordinary, mortal youth had cold sweat rolling down his back. He hurriedly left as well. Just now, when he had taken a secret glance at that unsurpassingly alluring beauty, Cloudjade, he felt as though he had seen one of the legendary fairies. At the same time, he sighed to himself, “If I could have a fairy like her as my woman, even if I could only live for an hour, I would be satisfied. And yet, Master doesn’t even care about a maiden like her at all.”

  “Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning.” A youth dressed in a black Daoist robe came walking in. His eyes seemed to contain the stars in them, and a smile was on his face. “I previously met you both during the grand entrance ceremony as well as the Dao Debate Palace, but I hadn’t had the chance to say anything to you. My name is Hu Yongchun, and my Daoist title is the same as my name; Yongchun, meaning ‘Everspring’.”

  “Senior apprentice-brother Everspring, please come in.” Ning, as an Immortal practitioner, had an incomparably perfect memory. He remembered that during the Dao Debates, this Everspring had been by the side of the fat, sloppy-looking youth. Someone who was able to stand directly next to that youth was most likely one of the fairly talented Wanxiang Adepts of the College.

  The two fellow disciples sat there facing each other, while Cloudjade delivered fine wine and fruits to them. “Junior apprentice-brother, you have quite a lovely lady here.” Everspring laughed as he delivered a few words of praise, and Cloudjade’s face turned slightly red.

  Ning laughed. “She’s just taking the chance to train under my service.” “Oh.” Everspring nodded. He immediately noted that this junior apprentice-brother of his seemed to hold no interest at all in this devilishly attractive maiden, and so he didn’t mention her any further.

  ………

  Cloudjade served the two, watching as Ji Ning and Everspring, two formal disciples of the Black-White College, chatted and laughed amongst themselves. At first, she had been filled with eagerness, but towards the end, she felt vaguely heartsick. At first, Everspring had praised her beauty, but afterwards, both he and her own master, Ji Ning, had completely focused on their conversation, not sparing so much as a glance for her.

  Both of them were blessed by the heavens with talent; clearly, they didn’t care about her appearance. This truly hurt her heart.

  “Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning!” Suddenly, a voice rang out from outside. “Another one,” Ning mused to himself. The reason why he had left the private training room so early today was precisely because he realized that his performance during the Dao Debates had probably attracted the attention of quite a few fellow disciples, who would come in order to make friends with him. In turn, the more friends he had amongst his fellow disciples, the better it would be for him.

  The formal disciples of the Black-White College, after all, were people who outsiders would view as extremely hard to befriend, even if they wanted to. One formal disciple after another arrived, either alone or in pairs or triplets, causing the courtyard to become quite rowdy. Every so often, one of them would leave, but there would always be from three to five people within the courtyard.

  Cloudjade, as his female servant, naturally served them personally. What hurt her the most was…aside from those senior apprentices who offered her a kind word of praise, there was only a single senior apprentice-brother out of the twenty-plus formal disciples who gave her so much as a close look. That senior apprentice-brother’s Daoist title was �
�Joybliss’. According to what he said, he delighted in tandem-training.

  “These disciples of the Black-White College, aside from that one that likes to engage in tandem-training, truly all have extraordinary Dao-hearts.” In the end, Cloudjade could only sigh to herself in amazement. Indeed, everyone capable of joining the Black-White College was a peerless talent. And, from the sounds of it…

  Her own master, Ji Ning, was one of the most outstanding members of this group of peerless talents, someone who could be described as a monster! This was why so many fellow apprentice-brothers and apprentice-sisters had come to befriend him.

  “Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning, I brought two of my junior apprentice-sisters over as well Would you be willing to meet them?” A soft voice rang out, and instantly, Ji Ning and the two people he was chatting with turned their heads. They soon saw three streaks of light moving towards them through the air from afar.

  “Senior apprentice-sister Ninelotus, since you wish to meet with me, how would I dare refuse?” Ning raised his head to stare at Ninelotus, high in the sky. Ninelotus was accompanied by a lovely woman dressed in red robes as well as a silver-robed maiden with a fierce aura. The three women landed from the skies at the same time.

  “They…” Upon seeing these three senior apprentice-sisters descend, Cloudjade suddenly had a sense of self-contempt in her heart. The bearing and aura of these three…only they were truly worthy of being referred to as fairies.

  “This is junior apprentice-sister Qingqing, while this is junior apprentice-sister Whitewater.” Ninelotus laughed as she looked towards Ning. “Greetings to you, senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning.” Both the willowy, red-robed woman and the silver-robed maiden looked towards Ning.

  ……….

  Only with the arrival of nightfall did Ning’s Darknorth Peak return to its usual calm. His fellow disciples had all left. Only…one more person had arrived. It was Northmont Baiwei.

  “Baiwei, sit.” Ning and Baiwei sat down. Baiwei smiled and said, “I knew that you would definitely be very busy today, and that quite a few of your colleagues would definitely come visit you. So, I intentionally waited until it was almost dark before coming.”