by RWX
“Smash!” The distant black-robed figure let out an angry roar.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
The thirty-six frozen lotuses that had merely been hanging in the air around him all suddenly rushed towards him like meteors, smashing against the white-gold sword. Every single Frozen Lotus of the Heavens moved with incredible speed, far beyond the limits of the Heavenly Daos. Although this was just a simple smashing movement, it was based off of the ‘Shadowless’ stance of the [Brightmoon] sword-art.
Clang! Clang! Clang! The Frozen Lotuses of the Heavens smashed down one after another.
“Kill!” The three-headed, six-armed, white-robed Ning once more charged forward with his six swords at the ready.
The gold-white sword blasted away all the attacks; the Frozen Lotuses of the Heavens were primarily meant to be used to constrict the foe through the release of freezing energy, after all. They were rather similar to the Waterflame Apocalypse Formation in that regard. If they were used to smash…they would at most be comparable to top-grade Protocosmic spirit-treasures. They were simply too weak in this regard, whereas the gold-white sword was almost as powerful as Violetjewel itself. When they were joined together, they had very nearly surpassed the limits of power possible for Chaos treasures.
Boom.
Violetjewel transformed into a black hole, moving to defend against the gold-white sword as the other five swords struck out. The black hole of sword-light was actually able to completely defend against the gold-white sword.
“What?!” The black-haired elder’s face completely changed. “This sword-art…” He himself was a sword-wielder; he could immediately sense how terrifying that sword-light was!
The black hole of sword-light seemed eternal and inexhaustible, with no end and no beginning.
Ning just smiled coldly.
The first stance of the [Nameless] sword-art, ‘Heartsword’ stance, was simply far too profound. Ning simply wasn’t able to master it. However, the main purpose of the ninety-eight stone steles which World God Northrest had left behind was to teach the principle of the ‘hidden blade’. The ‘Heartsword’ stance actually also represented a profound offensive and defensive technique. After analyzing the ‘Heartsword’ stance, then focusing on the principles of the ‘hidden blade’, Ning felt that there were many similarities with his own ‘Soleheart’ stance. Thus, he fused all of his insights into his ‘Soleheart’ stance, causing it to now be the most profound of the five stances he had developed.
“Kill!”
While blocking with one sword, Ning continued to charge forward and attack with the others.
“Triult Sword, Second Stance!” The black-haired elder had an ugly look on his face. He had only come up with two stances thus far.
Rumble…
The gold-white sword suddenly began to spin.
Ning’s black hole of sword-light instantly began to tremble. It was only able to resist for a brief period of time before breaking apart, and the white-gold sword immediately stabbed Ning on the chest, knocking him one step backwards. However, it was only able to leave behind a white spot on his skin.
“A protective divine ability?” The black-haired elder was shocked.
Fiendgods were skilled in close combat, causing Ki Refiners endless headaches. Fiendgods who had exceptionally powerful protective divine abilities caused even more headaches!
“Go.” The frozen lotuses in the air suddenly began to smash towards the black-haired elder once more. A black chain instantly flew out from the black-haired elder’s body, coiling around him and blocking all the strikes from the frozen lotuses.
“Kill.” The white-robed Ning once more charged forward, and the black-haired elder’s face instantly turned extremely grim.
A short while later…
“I lost.” The black-haired elder gave up.
The white-robed Ning’s clothes were riddled with holes, but those holes were soon repaired.
“If I wasn’t trapped here and forced to endure your assaults without being able to flee, you wouldn’t be able to do anything to me.” The black-haired elder stared coldly at Ning.
Ning had to admit that this was true. His protective divine ability, combined with his superlative sword-arts, made it so that although the black-haired man worked hard to keep his distance from Ning, in the end he was still caught. The moment that Ning caught up to him was the moment that he lost.
“I can give you the Triult Swords.” The black-haired elder looked at Ning.
Ning stood in front of the black-haired elder, his murderous intent billowing forwards. “Previously, I merely wanted the Triult Swords. Now, your life itself is in my hands. You had best be obedient and submit.”
“Submit?” The black-haired elder’s face changed, but then he let out a snicker. “Even if I was willing to submit and be your retainer, there’s no way for me to leave this place and battle by your side, unless you are capable of releasing me from the prisonworld.”
“I have no way of releasing you. Not now, at least,” Ning said.
“Then why even speak of ‘submission’?” The black-haired elder shook his head disdainfully.
“I need to search your memories,” Ning said.
An Ancestral Immortal would definitely know many things. He might learn something of use to him for the war.
“Impossible!” The black-haired elder’s face changed, and he roared angrily, “I’m willing to submit to you, to be your retainer and to fight to the death in your service! However, don’t even think about shaming me in such a way. I would rather die than let you search my memories!”
Ning couldn’t help but sigh to himself.
It really was going to be quite difficult, as expected.
After gaining the teachings of World God Northrest, Ning understood that when voyaging through the endless primordial chaos, there was a certain custom known as ‘taking on retainers’. Certain extremely powerful cultivators would often have retainers who served them and followed them. True Gods and True Immortals were considered weaklings without power, and so they were often simply captured and enslaved. Of the six servants of Godfiend Witherspike, five had been enslaved in such a manner!
However, there were also retainers such as ‘Saber’ who chose to follow someone in order to repay a debt! They could be described as servants, but they were no slaves.
The black-haired elder was willing to be Ning’s retainer, but he absolutely was not willing to allow Ning to search his memories.
In the endless primordial chaos, Elder Gods and Ancestral Immortals generally were figures who were respected and honored.
“Then I have no choice but to do this.” Ning stared at the black-haired elder, his eyes brimming with killing intent. However, he didn’t take action right away, wanting to instead try and pressure the old man one last time.
“I can make one final concession.” The black-haired elder gritted his teeth. “I can swear a lifeblood oath that I will never lie to you. You can ask me any question you desire. So long as your questions do not impinge on certain personal matters that I cannot discuss with outsiders, I will answer them to the best of my ability.”
“A lifeblood oath?” Ning’s eyes lit up. “You have an oathstone?”
Generally speaking, only World Gods and Chaos Immortals could swear lifeblood oaths. Elder Gods, Ancestral Immortals, and weaker cultivators would generally only be able to swear lifeblood oaths if they made use of an oathstone.
“I was preparing to set up my own school. Of course I prepared an oathstone long in advance!” The black-haired elder waved his hand, causing a jade globe to appear within it. Runes swirled over the surface of the jade globe. “This is an oathstone which was personally forged by a Chaos Immortal. It cost me ninety-nine drops of chaos nectar to purchase it.”
Upon hearing the words ‘chaos nectar’, Ning felt delighted. Ancestral Immortals really were different from lower-ranking cultivators. They had far higher statuses, and they had far better
treasures! The only reason why he was able to force this person to bow his head was because he was trapped here, unable to move more than a thousand kilometers away! In the outside world, this Ancestral Immortal would’ve fled long ago.
“It is now an ownerless item. You can bind it.” The black-haired elder offered the jade globe to Ning.
“An oathstone.” Ning waved his hand, causing it to fly over to him. He immediately began to bind it, then activated the lifeblood oath ability.
“Swear your lifeblood oath.” Ning looked at the black-haired elder.
The black-haired elder let out a soft sigh. Retainer? This Overseer was, at best, on par with him in power. If they were in the outside world, he absolutely wouldn’t be willing to be this man’s retainer at all! Still…in the face of death, he chose to bow his head.
The black-haired elder stretched out with his hand, placing it against the oathstone. He could sense the lifeblood oath that had been activated. He didn’t try to fight it; instead, he borrowed from its power, causing his soul to begin swearing an oath. “I swear on my very life itself that I shall forever follow…”
As the master of the oathstone, Ning was able to sense the man’s soul making this lifeblood oath.
* * *
Book 23, Chapter 12 - Triult Swords
“Master,” the black-haired elder said respectfully.
Ji Ning sighed silently to himself. Ning knew himself to merely be a newly ascended Ancestral Immortal; it wasn’t very likely that he would be able to force other Elder Gods or Ancestral Immortals to become his retainers, but he had succeeded in doing so. If he was in the primordial chaos, even if had managed to take on a retainer, it would have been his responsibility to provide his retainers with treasures and weapons. This was an extremely fair relationship; if the retainer was to risk his life for the master, then the master had to provide the retainer with cultivation techniques and treasures. This was the reason why powerful cultivators generally found it fairly easy to acquire retainers.
Ning, on the other hand, ended up extorting his retainers for THEIR treasures…
Still, the black-haired elder was going to remain locked up in here. Only a World God or Chaos Immortal would be strong enough to break his chains! Thus, even though he had pledged his allegiance, there was no way he could really serve on Ning’s behalf.
“Let me ask you a question.” Ning looked at the black-haired elder. “Do you have an ‘Elder God Formation’?”
“Elder God Formation?” The black-haired elder was flabbergasted. “Master, are you perhaps thinking a bit too highly of me?”
“Even a small one would do,” Ning said hurriedly. “Or perhaps the other fifteen Elder Gods and Ancestral Immortals imprisoned here…would any of them have an ‘Elder God Formation’?”
“Fifteen?” The black-haired elder was surprised. “Which fifteen?”
He was kept separate from the others. The only Elder Gods and Ancestral Immortals he knew of were the ones who had been imprisoned here before him.
“They include Ancestral Immortal Jadetide…” Ning listed all fifteen of the other names.
“So that madman was imprisoned here as well? Good, good, good!” The black-haired elder was in quite a good mood upon hearing these names…but he then looked at Ning and shook his head. “Master, forget about acquiring an Elder God Formation. Although all the Elder Gods and Ancestral Immortals who have been imprisoned here are extraordinary, formations like that aren’t for meant the likes of us. None of the Elder Gods or Ancestral Immortals of Pangaea would be able to acquire any Elder God Formation, even one that is only meant for four or five Elder Gods. Generally speaking, only World Gods and Chaos Immortals will be able to acquire them.”
Elder God Formations could be meant for many experts or just a few.
Some, for example, could be used by as few as six Elder Gods! The six Elder Gods would take bind different parts of the formation stone, allowing them to naturally join together in a large formation. They would be able to seamlessly share their divine power together, with their attacks dramatically increasing in strength.
An Elder God Formation that could use up to a hundred Elder Gods would be able to give even a World God a good fight!
Even small-scale Elder God Formations could be used to dominate other Elder Gods and Ancestral Immortals with ease.
This was something which Ning badly wanted to acquire. Ever since he had heard of them from World God Northrest’s legacy, he had wanted to acquire one! If the Elder Gods of the Nuwa Alliance could join together in an Elder God Formation, they would definitely be able to effortlessly dominate the Seamless Gate with ease. Even if they didn’t have enough Elder Gods, they would be able to use certain True Gods to temporarily fill in positions!
“Even small-scale Elder God Formations would require five hundred bottles of chaos nectar in trade.” The black-haired elder shook his head. “Five hundred bottles! The King of Pangaea spent unbelievable amounts of resources and hard work in order to construct those thirty-six chaos nectar refinery formations. Although those thirty-six formations are known as ‘prisons’, in the eyes of the King of Pangaea their true value lies in their ability to distill chaos nectar.”
“The prisonworlds can be said to be the most important treasures of Pangaea. For even a prisonworld to fall into your hands…it means that the chaos-kingdom of Pangaea might have truly been annihilated.”
“Thirty-six prisonworlds…each chaos cycle, they can only produce roughly two hundred bottles of chaos nectar.” The black-haired elder looked at Ning. “An entire chaos cycle! But small-scale Elder God Formations will require at least five hundred bottles of chaos nectar. World Gods and Chaos Immortals might be able to afford such a price, but Elder Gods and Ancestral Immortals generally would not, unless they are ridiculously powerful or had absolutely incredible luck. Those of us who lived in Pangaea would rarely go out to adventure and risk our lives. Of course we wouldn’t have enough treasures!”
Ning nodded.
Elder Gods could generally be divided into two different types. The first type consisted of Elder Gods like Gonggong, Suiren, or Swordfather Triult; they spent their entire life in just a single chaosworld, rarely going out to adventure.
The second type consisted of the likes of the Lord of All Things or Godfiend Witherspike. They often went out adventuring. They acted carefully for fear of losing their lives, but if they were successful they could reap fantastic rewards!
“How much chaos nectar or chaos jewels do you have?” Ning asked.
“I have two bottles of chaos nectar and just a hundred or so chaos jewels,” the black-haired elder said.
Ning shook his head. How disappointing!
Still, this was the average networth for an ordinary Ancestral Immortal. Most of his resources would have been spent in acquiring those valuable Chaos treasures, after all! That black chain, for example; it would be worth quite a few bottles of chaos nectar. As for the Triult Swords? They were worth dozens of bottles of chaos nectar, and Swordfather Triult had only acquired them after spending countless years building up his resources.
Chaos nectar was something of a common currency in the endless primordial chaos!
It was the extracted essence of chaos energy and could be used to replenish the soul, divine power, Immortal energy, heartforce, all physical wounds.
After asking the black-haired elder a few more questions, Ning finally gave up on acquiring an Elder God Formation, a World Castle, or any other incredibly powerful treasures. It really just wasn’t realistic. Only the most monstrously powerful Elder Gods or Ancestral Immortals had access to such treasures, such as the ones who were able to battle against even World Gods and Chaos Immortals.
“Go ahead and give me your Chaos treasures,” Ning said.
“Ugh.” The black-haired elder revealed a hint of pain in his eyes, but he still waved his hand, causing the two crystalline swords and the golden sword to join together and fly over towards Ning. The black chains a
ppeared as well, spinning around him.
“You only have two?” Ning asked.
“How much more do you want?” The black-haired elder said angrily, “I nearly lost my life in acquiring the Triult Swords. Go ahead and see how many of the other fifteen Elder Gods and Ancestral Immortals here have treasures superior to the Triult Swords!”
Ning laughed, then waved his hand and accepted the two treasures, sending out his Immortal energy to quickly bind them.
“Eh?” A look flashed past Ning’s eyes.
“How many levels of the Triult Swords and the Darkcloud Chains have you mastered?” Ning asked.
“I’ve mastered the third level of the Triult Swords and the second level of the Chaincloud Chains,” the black-haired elder said.
“Oh, right. Take out all your other treasures and let me choose from them,” Ning said.
“You…!” The black-haired elder was instantly rendered speechless.
This was worse than a robbery!
What sort of a person extorted his own retainers like this?!
Ning didn’t pay any attention to the man as he picked through the treasures. These treasures weren’t very useful to him, and the two bottles of chaos nectar wouldn’t make much of a difference, but…when he left the Three Realms in the future, he would have to make sure that he had enough good things to leave behind for his daughter Brightmoon.
After cleaning out the black-haired elder, Ning immediately left. He wasn’t willing to face the old man’s glowering, resentful glare.
He located a nearby mountain, then landed atop it.
Ning waved his hand, causing the three Chaos swords to appear in the air before him as well as the large, serpent-like black chains.
“Blackcloud Chains. It has three levels of power, and can just barely be considered a high-grade Chaos treasure.”
“The Triult Swords…ehehe. They actually have six levels of power, and all three are top-grade Chaos treasures. Upon being joined together, they actually exceed the entire Chaos-level of power.” Ning nodded silently to himself, then began to test out binding the treasures.