Desolate Era

by RWX

  Ning’s words struck straight at Chen Jin’s weakness. Ninelotus had never shown him any interest…there was no way he could refuse this. As far as relationships went, Ninelotus had already chosen Ning; this meant that Ning was the victor.

  “You really deserve to die!” Chen Jin’s eyes flashed with savage light. “Wind!” Chen Jin suddenly let out a great howl. The giant clouds that had filled the skies instantly began to glow with streaks of light which condensed around Chen Jin’s body, forming into a gigantic azure bird-of-paradise. The massive azure bird-of-paradise proudly raised its head, the plumage atop its head clearly visible, as well as the arrogance in its eyes.

  “Compared to me, you are nothing!” Chen Jin sent a furious mental roar to Ning, while at the same time, the gigantic azure bird-of-paradise charged at high speed towards Ning.

  Ning stood there in midair. “Hmph.” Ning let out a cold snort. The area around him instantly became filled with a large number of flying swords. In the center of the mass of flying swords were those nine black Nethercold swords, which had caused the power of the [Lesser Thousand Swords Formation] to rise by a full level. Light began to glow from the flying swords, and soon, a jade sword of light appeared before Ning. This was the ninth level of the [Lesser Thousand Swords Formation]!

  “CHOP!” Ning let out an explosive roar. The jade sword of light instantly slashed through the skies, and as it did, the vague outlines of a tri-colored lotus could be seen. Ning had already reached the ‘Dao Domain’ level in the Dao of Rainwater, the Dao of the Inferno, and the Dao of the Gale. The power of his Tripartite Lotus Sword had also reached an astonishing level, and the attack of this sword was filled with some of the mysteries of the Grand Dao of the Sword.

  The sword-light flashed, and as it did, it was as though a dragon had appeared in the skies.

  Rumble…the azure bird-of-paradise charging down at high speed instantly collided with the dragon of sword-light. It was just like Chef Ding carving the ox [1. Mentioned before, but this is an idiom]; the sword-light sliced seamlessly through the azure bird-of-paradise, causing it to be instantly chopped apart.

  …….

  “What?!” A look of shock appeared on Holyfire’s face. He knew exactly how strong Chen Jin was; Chen Jin could be said to be one of the top ten figures of the third generation disciples of the Black-White College. “Although that attack wasn’t his strongest, it was one of his more formidable techniques; how could it have been suppressed by Ji Ning? In addition, Ji Ning used flying swords, not close-quarters combat.”

  Ninelotus, by Holyfire’s side, was similarly shocked. She had no idea as to exactly how strong Ning was in real combat, because during this year at Serpentwing Lake, Ning had never truly exploded forth with his full power in battle.

  “He actually…actually…” Ninelotus couldn’t believe it. “Can it be that Ji Ning is going to defeat Chen Jin?”

  …….

  Ninefire, Granny Shadow, and the others on Brightheart Island all felt extremely nervous. This combat between two Wanxiang Adepts was a world-shaking battle to them, and the power of these blows vastly outstripped the might that had been on display during their previous battle at Oxhorn Mountain. Everyone, including Autumn Leaf, Bluestone, Uncle White, and Qingqing, felt extremely nervous. However, upon seeing Ning’s sword-light chop through the azure bird-of-paradise, they all felt relieved. “It seems he’s going to win.” The Whitewater Hound nodded slightly.

  As for the midair Chen Jin, his face was completely ashen. He had wanted to teach Ning a vicious lesson in front of Ninelotus and trample over him, so as to let Ninelotus know how worthless this Ji Ning was, and that he, Chen Jin, was the truly powerful one.

  Chen Jin knew very well that in the world of Immortal cultivators, strength determined a person’s true status; everything else was meaningless. He wanted to use his own strength to show that he was more powerful than this kid, Ji Ning, which Ninelotus had taken a fancy to.

  “How could…” Chen Jin couldn’t accept this outcome.

  “Come, winds! Come, clouds!” Chen Jin suddenly let out a savage roar. Instantly, the skies once more began to gather power, and two creatures simultaneously appeared; an enormous azure bird-of-paradise, and a pure, golden divine dragon.

  The bird-of-paradise and the divine dragon coiled about each other, a shocking aura of power radiating from them. They charged directly towards Ning.

  “Chop!” The distant Ning once more let out a cold, angry bark. The power of the ninth level of the [Lesser Thousand Swords Formation] once more exploded forth. This time, the jade sword of light seemed to be like a painter’s brush, swiping outwards in an arc that was so beautiful as to cause the heart to tremble…and as it painted a streak of light through the skies, an astonishingly sharp sword-flash appeared as well.

  The third stance of the [Three-Foot Sword] – Sudden Sword Light!

  “What?!” Holyfire was watching this from down below, and upon seeing this technique, his eyes instantly turned completely round. “The [Three-Foot Sword] – Sudden Sword Light!”

  “This…!” Ninelotus was shocked as well. They were both disciples of the Black-White College, and the first six stances of the [Three-Foot Sword] had been passed down for many years; they naturally all recognized this technique.

  Swish!

  The sword-light suddenly appeared, carrying an invincible aura of majesty and power. Although the bird-of-paradise and the divine dragon mutually reinforced each other, filling each other with power and flexibility, in the face of this sword attack, which seemed to fill the world with its aura…they were still chopped into two halves, completely destroyed.

  “The third stance of the [Three-Foot Sword]?” Chen Jin’s eyes were filled with disbelief as well. “Impossible. This is completely impossible. There’s no way his swordplay can be this powerful. He’s just joined recently; how could he have already comprehended the third stance of the [Three-Foot Sword]? And even if he did master it, he still shouldn’t be a match for me.”

  “I reached the peak of the Wanxiang level long ago, and have the support of the Cloudwind Formation. The treasures used to form this formation, my father personally gathered for me…this formation is formed from 108 high-grade Earth-ranked magic treasures. Their power is definitely no weaker than a divine ability’s.” Chen Jin shook his head, his eyes filled with disbelief. “Although his swordplay is powerful, the third stance of the [Three-Foot Sword]…it should only be slightly more powerful than my attacks.”

  He was, after all, one of the top ten figures of the third generation disciples. He knew exactly how strong the [Three-Foot Sword] was. The fourth stance of the [Three-Foot Sword] was comparable in power to complete mastery over a Dao Path. The third stance, however, was a level lower in might.

  In the Black-White College, only Holyfire, the Sloppy Daoist, and a very few others were at a higher level of comprehension than Ning. The power of this sword attack alone was already enough for Ning to rank alongside Chen Jin and the Rainbowflame Fairy, Yu Wei, as one of the top ten disciples of the third generation.

  “Hmph.” Ning let out a cold laugh. It seemed as though Chen Jin found this to be unfathomable?

  Chen Jin’s ‘Cloudwind Formation’ had been famous for many years, but Ning’s own [Lesser Thousand Swords Formation] was also extremely powerful. By relying on the nine Nethercold swords, Ning was capable of unleashing tremendous power as well, and thus had been able to suppress his foe.

  “Impossible. You, a brat from a backwater clan…how can you compare to me?” Chen Jin’s face was filled with savagery. “I’m definitely going to beat you to your knees. Beat you until you submit!”

  This was the only thought in Chen Jin’s mind. He had to defeat Ji Ning; he had to!

  “Cloudwind Worldchains!” Chen Jin let out a furious howl. But right at this moment, a pair of black wings suddenly appeared on Ning’s back. The black wings trembled, and Ning instantly charged forward like a streak of light.

  At
this moment, many chains of azure light and golden light were sweeping forward, seeking to wrap around Ning.

  Slash! Ning’s Darknorth sword flashed out. Ning’s Fiendgod body had already reached the tenth stage; he was comparable to a normal late-stage Wanxiang Adept Fiendgod, and he was using his divine ability, the [Starseizing Hand]! Ning would even dare give Holyfire a battle, much less this Chen Jin!

  “Rumble…” The azure chains and golden chains were completely shattered.

  “No…” Chen Jin, shocked, wanted to dodge. But how could he possibly do so?! Ning’s left hand suddenly stretched out like the hand of a Fiendgod, grabbing Chen Jin around his throat, clenching around it. Chen Jin gurgled but was unable to speak. His eyes were filled with shock and horror.

  “Who is the pile of shit?” Ning, his hand around Chen Jin’s throat, barked coldly, “Tell me…who is the pile of shit?”

  * * *

  Book 9, Chapter 26 - Chen Jins Threat

  Chen Jin was being choked by the throat. Ning’s left hand appeared ordinary, but it contained power that was capable of tearing apart mountains; there was no way Chen Jin could struggle at all.

  “No…no…” Chen Jin’s eyes were bloodshot. This was humiliation. His throat was being choked by Ning; he felt humiliated, like he had never felt humiliated before.

  “You don’t know the answer?” Ning continued to grip Chen Jin by the throat. He said coldly, “Then I’ll tell you the answer. YOU are the pile of shit!”

  Although they were fellow disciples, Ning felt nothing but boundless distaste for Chen Jin. Ninelotus and Chen Jin were nothing more than old friends…what business was it of Chen Jin as to who Ninelotus wished to become Dao-companions with? Because Ninelotus was interested in Ning, Chen Jin was going to try to vent all of his anger on him? He had held Ning in no regard at all.

  “If it weren’t for the fact that we are forbidden from committing fratricide, I wouldn’t let you off this easily.” Ning continued to clench Chen Jin by the throat.

  “You’d dare to kill me? Do you dare? Do you dare?” Chen Jin stared at Ning, eyes filled with madness.

  “Kill you? Kill you, then be punished by the College?” Ning shook his head and let out a cold laugh. “You aren’t worth it!” And then, Ning swung his arm, exploding forth with the might of his Fiendgod body and throwing Chen Jin out like a meteor into the distance.

  The events which had transpired in midair caused Ji Ninefire, Granny Shadow, and the others on Brightheart Island to feel incomparably nervous.

  “He’s grown stronger, stronger than in the past.” Ninefire’s eyes were blazing with heat. “It’s only been a few years…although in the past he was already able to easily slay a Wanxiang Adept, Adept Xu Li was incomparably weaker than this student of the Black-White College. However…even this powerful disciple of the Black-White College was easily defeated by Ji Ning. Ji Ning’s advancement speed is simply too fast. If this continues…in a few more decades, what will he be like?”

  “Young master…” Autumn Leaf watched quietly as well, eyes filled with excitement.

  “Too formidable.” Qingqing blinked, somewhat dazed. Ning’s performance this time was clearly far stronger than his previous one against the Dragonwhale King. “No wonder, despite my countless strokes of good fortune, I remain so much weaker than him. His rate of advancement is simply too monstrous.”

  ……

  Chen Jin shot down from the skies like a meteor, smashing into the waters of Serpentwing Lake and arousing a wave that was three hundred meters high. However, he quickly managed to steady himself.

  “Flowcloud.” The fiery-robed, bare-footed Holyfire walked over the waves, moving towards him.

  “Uncle Fire.” Chen Jin lowered his head, an incomparably ugly look on his face. He had never imagined…that he would lose so disastrously!

  He had wanted to let Ninelotus see how powerful he was, and how worthless Ji Ning was! He had wanted to completely dominate and trample this Ji Ning, so as to give vent to his anger. Reality, however, was completely different from what he had anticipated. He hadn’t defeated his enemy; instead, he had been completely crushed.

  “Ji Ning’s innate talent is indeed monstrous,” Holyfire sighed softly. “In the past, when I watched him battle our fellow disciples in the Dao Debates for the first time, I knew that he was monstrously talented…but it seems I still underestimated him. Perhaps our Black-White College is going to produce yet another senior apprentice-brother Sloppy.”

  “Him? As if!” Chen Jin couldn’t help but grit his teeth. The Sloppy Daoist…he was universally acknowledged as the number one figure amongst the third generation disciples of the Black-White College. Although he had trained for many years, the Sloppy Daoist was someone who only became more outstanding as the years went on. Generally speaking, Immortal cultivators would find their rate of improvement lessen as time went on, but the opposite was true for the Sloppy Daoist; he seemed to contain endless, inexhaustible potential, causing him to make one breakthrough after another. His combat power was even more incomparably shocking. Even Fiendgod practitioners like Holyfire and the various reincarnated Immortals were all completely convinced of his superiority.

  In this moment, Holyfire had the feeling that this Ji Ning’s potential was enough to make him the next ‘Sloppy Daoist’.

  “Senior apprentice-brother Sloppy is like a raging wave that continues to surge forward, building up power and becoming increasingly mighty as it moves forward,” Holyfire said. “As for this Ji Ning, he’s like a sharp sword, capable of chopping through all obstacles, allowing him to advance at an inconceivable speed. This sort of astonishing speed…even the reincarnated Immortals in our Black-White College aren’t able to advance at such a rate. He’s simply too monstrous!”

  Chen Jin gritted his teeth. The more Holyfire praised Ning, the more miserable he felt.

  “Now, do you understand?” Holyfire looked athim.

  “Understand?” Chen Jin looked at the distant Ji Ning, but his heart felt extremely miserable. He felt stifled! Enraged! Unrepentant!

  He had wooed Ninelotus for many years, and his jealousy had transformed into rage! He had wanted to viciously pummel Ning and give vent to his rage, then leave in a carefree, relaxed manner. But instead, he had been dominated by Ning, causing his pent-up anger to cause him to feel even more miserable…this sort of agony caused Chen Jin to understand that a shadow had fallen over his heart!

  “I understand.” Chen Jin nodded, staring towards the distant Ning. Holyfire nodded slightly as well.

  “He, Ji Ning, has cast a shadow over my heart. Unless I defeat him, unless I dominate him, or unless he dies…it will be very hard for me to wipe out the anger in my mind.” Chen Jin gritted his teeth. “I’ve never been humiliated like this in my life. I’ve never felt so stifled, so angry before.”

  “You…” Holyfire was astonished. He had thought that thanks to this defeat, Chen Jin would regain his calm clarity of mind, but instead…Chen Jin was sinker deeper and deeper into the morass.

  “This is terrible.” Holyfire instantly understood his mistake. He had thought too highly of Chen Jin. Chen Jin and Ninelotus were of the same age; they were both very young, and were both proud, pampered scions of their clans; thus, they had never suffered much. In addition, Chen Jin himself truly was also an extremely, astonishingly talented individual; this was why, even when Ninelotus had been at the Zifu Disciple stage, he had already become one of the top ten members of the third generation disciples.

  He was extremely talented, and so had always been praised by others! The elders within his clan had also encouraged him to woo Ninelotus and become her Dao-companion; after all, Ninelotus was the next leader of the Dongyan clan, an ancient clan that was even more powerful than the Chen clan and which was spread over three commanderies.

  Because he himself truly did like her, and because of the encouragement of his elders, and because of his self-confidence, Chen Jin had always believed that eventually, he w
ould become Ninelotus’ Dao-companion! For her sake, he even chose to join the Black-White College…he truly believed that he had already sacrificed enough for her.

  But…

  First, Ninelotus had chosen Ning, causing him to feel completely stunned, jealous, and angry. He had planning to release his anger on Ning, but instead was completely crushed…this sort of humiliation was something he had never felt before in his entire life.

  “Ning has cast a shadow over my heart.” Chen Jin understood this point; he was an extremely intelligent person, and upon realizing this, he immediately grew frantic. “I want to become a Primal Daoist, and then become an Immortal. I have to disperse this shadow. I have to!”

  “What should I do? What should I do? Defeat him? Kill him?” Chen Jin couldn’t come up with any ideas. Just now, they had already fought each other; he was no match for Ning. As for causing Ning to die? Ning was a disciple of the Black-White College, and the senior disciple of Immortal Diancai. Who would dare kill him?

  “What should I do?!” Chen Jin shook his head. “No. I must immediately disperse this shadow.” The humiliation and stifled rage which he felt caused him to feel extremely agonized. He knew that these emotions would have an enormous impact on his Immortal cultivation…but he wasn’t able to sever this emotions.

  Knowing the problem was one thing; being able to address it was another.

  “Ji Ning!” Chen Jin suddenly raised his head, staring towards Ning and Ninelotus, who were chatting in midair. A savage light flashed through his eyes, and with a swoosh, he immediately soared into the air once more.

  ……

  Ninelotus was in a dazed state right now. She had no idea that Ning had such tremendous power. Chen Jin was one of the top ten third generation disciples of the Black-White College, but he had been defeated so cleanly by Ning. Didn’t that mean…that in the Black-White College, only the likes of Holyfire and those few who had completely mastered a Dao Path were a match for him?