Desolate Era

by RWX

  A short while later.

  The red-robed elder appeared once more. He walked into the room, then also sat down in the losut position. Snorting coldly, he said, “You only have as much time as needed for a stick of incense to burn down.” He waved his hand, and a glittering jade sphere flew out. There was a woman’s figure within the jade sphere, her form lithe and slender, carrying a hint of sadness within.

  “Little Xia,” Northson immediately said excitedly.

  The woman within the jade globe looked towards him, then immediately said with excitement, “Northson.” The voice of the soul, after exiting the jade sphere, actually reverberated within the room, causing the people present to be able to hear it with their ears.

  The hair-Ning clucked to himself in surprise.

  Generally speaking, souls were unable to speak verbally. It seems that it was the jade sphere that allowed this one to speak…but in turn, Yu Xia’s soul was trapped within it.

  “It seems as though Yu Xia and junior apprentice-brother truly do have deep love for each other,” the hair-Ning observed.

  “Northson, I know you are very tired.” The woman floated within the jade sphere, saying with worry, “Every time I see you, I feel as though you are even older and more tired than the last time. If you really can’t take it any more…then just stop worrying about me.”

  “Hmph.” The nearby red-robed elder snorted coldly. “The two of you really are quite close to each other.”

  Northson just looked at the woman in the jade sphere. He said hurriedly, “Little Xia, one day, I will bring you out of here. Definitely.”

  “Right. Work hard in the service of the general. Within a thousand years, you shall definitely be set free,” the red-robed elder said.

  Northson’s eyes were filled with tears as he looked at the woman within the jade sphere. Suddenly, he used his elemental ki to send a mental message to Ning: “Senior apprentice-brother, kill this Qu Huan and grab the soul.”

  “Fine.”

  A single hair from Northson’s tousled hair suddenly vanished.

  Immediately afterwards, a white-robed man appeared out of nowhere. When the white-robed man appeared, his enormous palm struck out with the full power of the [Starseizing Hand], slamming down on the body of the surprised and terrified red-robed elder.

  BOOM.

  Instantly, the red-robed elder was instantly transformed into dust. The white-robed figure waved his hand, collecting the jade sphere, the storage bracelet, and magic treasures.

  * * *

  Book 15, Chapter 4 - Those Who Bar Me, Die!

  The red-robed elder, Qu Huan, had been instantly slain. The black-robed guard standing at the entrance couldn’t help but feel shocked…but in the next instant, a streak of sword-light instantly slashed past him.

  “No…” The black-robed figure felt despair. He didn’t even have a chance to let out a single cry before the sword-light transformed him into dust.

  “Let’s go.” Ning pulled Mu Northson into his mobile Immortal estate, then immediately used a Greater Teleportation Dao-seal.

  Rumble…

  Ning disappeared into thin air.

  ……

  “What just happened?!”

  “Why was there such a powerful ripple?” The black-robed figures all noticed it. Although Ning had tried to control his power as best he could, he couldn’t completely block it from leaking out; after all, the entire castle was filled with guards who had very acute senses.

  And right at this moment…a spatial ripple appeared!

  “Teleportation.”

  “A Greater Spatial Teleportation!” The black-robed figures and bronze-armored Fiendguards all had changed looks on their faces. Although the defenses here in their castle were extremely tight, there was no way they could block out a Greater Spatial Teleportation. However…outsiders knew nothing of the layout within the castle, and so even if they were to use a Greater Teleportation, it would be hard for them to teleport into the castle.

  Deep within the castle, within that giant, stand-alone region. The many gray-robed figures here were like ants that were crawling throughout the areas close to the enormous Fiendgod Golem, constantly forging new parts to further perfect it.

  Rumble…

  Ripples of a spatial teleportation.

  All of the gray-robed grandmasters present were completely absorbed with their forging; the many years they had spent on this task had rendered them numb. They weren’t on their guard at all.

  “Who are you?” A gray-robed person noticed the white-robed Ning suddenly appear out of nowhere.

  “An invader!”

  “An outsider!”

  The two black-robed figures that were responsible for overseeing this stand-alone region were all shocked. They let out cries of rage, then charged straight towards Ning.

  “Hmph.” Ning let out a cold snort. Waving his hand, he caused the enormous, three thousand meter tall Fiendgod Golem to suddenly vanish into thin air.

  “NO!!” The faces of the two attacking black-robed figures completely changed. The invader had actually come for their Fiendgod-class golem! This was the most important golem in the entire castle; if it truly was to be lost…then the outcome would be disastrous for these two black-robed Fiendserfs who were responsible for guarding this place.

  Streaks of snowy-white sword-light came sweeping towards them, causing the world to instantly be frozen. The two black-robed figures were also completely frozen, then shattered into dust.

  The gray-robed figures in the region all stared in astonishment. Still…all of them were quite uncaring, and so they simply stood there and watched. They were filled with hatred towards the power that controlled this forbidden region; as far as they were concerned, the more black-robed figures died, the better.

  “The white-robed figure is quite formidable. He actually launched an attack within the forbidden region…and by the looks of it, he even knows about the Fiendgod Golem. He took it away right away.”

  “Mm. He is pretty powerful; the black-robed figures are all at the Loose Immortal level, but they were eradicated with one blow.”

  “It’d be nice if all of the black-robed men and the bronze-armored Fiendguards were to die.”

  The gray-robed figures just watched and chatted to the side.

  The bronze-armored Fiendguard outside the entrance to this region noticed the spatial disturbance inside. He came charging inside, but could only watch as the two black-robed figures were instantly killed. There was no chance to save them at all.

  “Do you KNOW where you are? Do you really think this is a place you can just break into?” the Fiendguard let out an angry howl, then produced a longspear in his hands. He threw it viciously towards Ning.

  Swooooosh! The longspear flashed with golden light, carrying an aura of tremendous power as it stabbed towards Ning.

  “A Void-level Fiendgod?” Ning laughed coldly.

  The bronze-armored fiendguards all at least had the power of Loose Immortals who had lived for a million years. This particular bronze-armored Fiendguard was one of the most powerful Fiendguards in this area; he was an ancient Void-level Fiendgod! This was why he had been assigned the duty of watching this region.

  “DIE!!!” Ning swept out with his palm.

  His palm instantly transformed, becoming more than three hundred meters long. After using the [Starseizing Hand], Ning’s palm carried an unearthly level of power. He slapped downwards, swatting the golden longspear aside. Although Ning’s [Starseizing Hand] had merely reached the Third Cycle, it already had the power of a Pure Yang treasure! The reason why Ning rarely used his hands to attack, preferring to use his Immortal swords, was simply because he was afraid that others would find out about him possessing the [Starseizing Hand].

  However, Ning now trained in the [Eight-Nine Arcane Art], causing his entire body to become powerful; thus, he could use his hands to attack without fear of the [Starseizing Hand] being exposed.

  Sword Immortals didn’
t necessarily have to use swords all the time. To a true Sword Immortal, a blade of grass, a stick, a longstaff, a spear, a palm, a leg…all of these could be used to execute swordplay. Ning’s enormous, massive palm…glowed with a blurry golden light, as though it were a giant golden sword.

  “How can this be?” The void-level Fiendgod Fiendguard was shocked. Letting out a growling roar, he used one hand to grab his longspear while using the other to block towards Ning.

  BANG!

  The enormous palm struck him directly on his body.

  The powerful Void-level Fiendgod Fiendguard only had enough time to let out an agonized roar before his body was blasted apart. Just as his shattered body began to attempt to heal, a second, similarly enormous palm came slamming towards him. The two palms merged into a single palm which once more splattered the body of the Fiendguard. Bang! Bang! Bang! The two giant palms struck out repeatedly at a lightning-fast speed, each time shattering the body of the Fiendguard into ever-smaller pieces. More and more of the Fiendguard’s divine power was used up, and after just a few more stricks, all of the divine power within his body had been depleted.

  In just the blink of an eye, the Void-level Fiendguard had been killed!

  “Such power!”

  “But, but…”

  “He’s too incredible.”

  The watching gray-robed figures were all stupefied by what they saw. They knew exactly how powerful that bronze-armored Fiendguard had been. A Void-level Fiendgod! And yet, he had been killed, just like that?

  “This is the true [Starseizing Hand]!” This was the first time Ning had truly unleashed the power of the [Starseizing Hand] as much as he pleased. “After I train in the Fourth Cycle of the [Starseizing Hand]…my hands alone will be comparable to supreme Pure Yang treasures, close to middle-grade Protocosmic treasures. By then…the power of my [Starseizing Hand] shall undoubtedly be even greater.”

  The Fifth Cycle would make his hands comparable to supreme Protocosmic treasures.

  The Sixth Cycle was the level which Daoist Threelives had reached; at this level, he would be able to effortlessly shatter an entire major world with his hands!

  BOOM!!!

  Ning collected the treasures left behind by the Fiendguard, then charged out of the region like a primordial Fiendgod in full flight.

  “Stop him.”

  “Kill him.”

  All the black-robed men and bronze-armored Fiendguards within the castle were quickly gathering together.

  ……

  Within the Eastwoods Sect of the Eastwoods mountain range. A silver-armored youth was fishing in a leisurely manner.

  Suddenly…

  A spatial ripple. It was like a stone had fallen into a lake, causing a ripple to spread in every direction. When it reached the silver-armored youth, his face instantly changed as he turned to look towards the forbidden region. “A Greater Spatial Teleportation? Not good!”

  Bang!

  The silver-armored youth instantly transformed into a streak of light, charging towards the forbidden region. He moved lightning-fast; although the forbidden region was protected by layers of mighty formations, the formations were all under his control! He was able to easily bypass all of them, and he quickly arrived within that massive gorge. He immediately saw that castle up ahead.

  Sounds of explosions could be heard from within the castle. Everything was in a state of the utmost chaos.

  “THOSE WHO BAR ME, DIE!” An icy voice roared out from within the castle. The faces of the black-robed figures outside the castle were all ashen, and terror could be seen in their eyes.

  “It’s only been a few moments, but three of my bronze-armored Fiendguards have died already? Even Bosia died?” When the silver-armored youth sensed what had happened, his face grew even uglier. The Fiendguards were the most powerful warriors under his command; he knew all of them intimately. As he sensed one mighty aura after another be wiped out, he couldn’t help but feel shocked…and realize how terrifying this foe was!

  It had taken him very little time to return to the forbidden region, but three bronze-armored Fiendguards had already perished, to say nothing of the black-robed figures.

  “Someone dares attack on my territory?”

  The next feeling the silver-robed youth had was a feeling of anger and humiliation that he had never felt before. This was a proud man!

  “Die!” The silver-robed youth could sense that the powerful figure within the castle had already charged out to the castle gates. The restrictions within the castle were also under the control of the general, and so he could clearly sense everything going on within it…as well as the fact that the Fiendgod Golem had already vanished.

  A fiery godbow suddenly appeared in the silver-armored youth’s hands, and a similarly fiery arrow appeared as well.

  He pulled the bow!

  He fired the arrow!

  BANG!

  The arrow shot out, instantly transforming into an enormous, divine flaming dragon that surged straight towards the castle gates.

  A terrifying sword-light flew out from the castle gates, transforming into a divine black dragon. The divine black dragon and the divine flaming dragon collided against each other in midair, and in that instant, a white-robed youth walked out from the castle gates. The white-robed youth was surrounded with a teeming mass of Immortal swords, each one possessing an unearthly amount of power. They spread out in every direction, as though escorting their emperor forward.

  The white-robed youth raised his head, looking upwards. He saw the distant silver-armored youth in the distant skies.

  The silver-armored youth lowered his head, looking at the white-robed youth.

  Their gazes met in midair, colliding as though they had mass to them.

  “Nearly two hundred Immortal swords? And all of them seem to be top-grade Immortal-ranked!”

  “A bow? Can it be that he, too, is a master archer?”

  Each had their own thoughts.

  Rumble…

  The terrifying arrow and the light of the [Greater Thousand Swords Formation] collided head-on. The entire world seemed to go dark for a moment. And then…with a rumbling sound, rippling shockwaves spread out in every direction, with the ripples containing hints of sharp light. When the ripples struck some of the nearby black-robed figures, they were instantly turned into dust.

  “Block!”

  “Block it!”

  More than ten Loose Immortals perished before the rest of the black-robed figures were able to escape from that ripple.

  “Fiendserfs, all of you, step back,” the silver-armored youth barked coldly. In a fight on this level…these black-robed Loose Immortals would be nothing more than cannon fodder.

  “Yes.” Instantly, all of the black-robed figures hurriedly fled. They normally liked to flaunt their power, and they could kill Wanxiang Adepts and Primal Adepts as easily as killing chickens, but upon encountering this terrifying figure…it was their turn to become the chickens.

  “Fleeing? I have not permitted it!” The distant white-robed Ning let out an angry roar. Instantly, a hundred of the top-grade Immortal-ranked flying swords around him shot out in every direction, striking towards the fleeing black-robed Loose Immortals. Ning had sworn long ago…that he wouldn’t spare a single one of these figures who had harmed his junior apprentice-brother!

  “You are courting death!” The silver-armored youth was enraged. He waved his hand, and instantly a black cloud that covered the skies appeared, spreaing in every direction.

  * * *

  Book 15, Chapter 5 - Who Will Give Me My Freedom?

  The black cloud was filled with a resilient power that covered the entire region below. The hundred top-grade Immortal-ranked flying swords were unable to penetrate the black cloud, but…Ji Ning’s attack was simply too fast. Prior to the black cloud appearing, he had killed more than twenty of the black-robed Loose Immortals.

  The silver-armored youth’s face grew even grimmer.

  “Break.�
� Ning took back his Immortal swords, then began to condense a streak of sword-light generated from the second stage of the [Greater Thousand Swords Formation]. This blindingly bright sword-light transformed into a divine black dragon which ripped apart the black clouds, soaring forward with arrogant abandon.

  “Hmph.” The silver-armored youth waved his hand, summoning the black cloud back. He glanced downwards, seeing that the black-robed figures had already fled by now.

  Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

  One bronze-armored Fiendguard after another began to arrive, coming to gather in the air behind the bronze-armored youth.

  “Fiendguards, join into formation and launch a combined attack!” The silver-armored youth pointed downwards, then shouted, “You are not to attack separately.”

  “Yes.” Instantly, the Fiendguards began to organize into squads of nine, joining into formations that transformed into Godbeasts that were three hundred meters long. This type of Godbeast appeared to be a tiger, but had even sharper claws and even longer fangs, while its fur was shaggier. Their eyes were filled a cold azure light.

  “A Bi’an Godbeast tiger?” Ning was startled. “Last time, I encountered Bloodcloud Hall’s Ba-Serpent Formation; I didn’t expect to encounter a Bi’an Formation this time. This organization really is quite formidable.” [1. Note; back in Book 2, Chapter 10, Ning encountered and killed a Bi’an Tiger, but that was a ‘normal’ one that was not a Godbeast; it was called an ‘An Beast’, whereas this one is called a ‘Bi’an Godbeast’.]

  Countless ages ago, the Ancestor Dragon was born from the primordial chaos. It was the most ancient of divine dragons, the first to be born from the chaos. It was even older than the Torch-Dragon! As the first dragon, it became known as the Ancestor Dragon.

  The Ancestor Dragon had nine sons. [2. This is based on real Chinese mythology, the ‘nine sons of the dragon’ - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_sons_of_the_dragon.]

  Every single one of the Nine Sons of the Dragon possessed tremendous power…and the Bi’an Tiger was one of them.