Desolate Era

by RWX

  “These are now the most elite Immortals and Fiendgods of the Three Realms,” Ning explained to his parents, then turned and said in a sonorous voice, “Friends, I’m going to accompany my parents and leave for a time. In a few days, I’ll invite you all to a grand feast that I will hold.”

  “You are far too kind, Darknorth.”

  “Haha, this is the first time that Darknorth is hosting an Immortal banquet.”

  “We’ll definitely attend!”

  Ning smiled, said a few words to his master Subhuti, then led his parents away.

  “Father. Mother. Come with me.” An aura of incredible sword-intent covered the three of them, then hurtled them through the void to the home where Autumn Leaf, Brightmoon, Uncle White, Little Qing, and Bluecliff Xiaoyu were residing.

  * * *

  Book 29, Chapter 12 - A Foundation for the Three Realms

  The Three Realms. The Grand Xia world. Swallow Mountain.

  Long ago, Ji Ning had removed the entire Swallow Mountain area from the Grand Xia for the sake of protecting it from the great war. Now that the calamity had come to an end, Ning had established his own major world, the Darknorth world, and had planted the Ji clan into that world.

  As for Swallow Mountain of the Grand Xia? This was where Ning had grown up, and so he had rebuilt it. Autumn Leaf, Uncle White, Little Qing, and Brightmoon normally lived here.

  Serpentwing Lake. Brightheart Island.

  Whoosh.

  Ji Ning, Ji Yichuan, and Yuchi Snow all appeared in the air above Serpentwing Lake.

  “It looks just like it did all those years ago.” Yichuan and his wife Snow stood there in the air, staring at the lake. “Serpentwing Lake hasn’t changed at all.”

  “One thing that did change was that the Serpentwing monster died long ago,” Ning joked by their side.

  “Ning, son, what on earth has happened in recent years?” Snow looked at her son.

  “I’ll tell you later. Mom, Dad, look over there. Your granddaughter is coming.” Ning pointed off into the distance.

  A black-robed maiden was flying towards them from afar, her face covered with joy. Behind her were Autumn Leaf, Uncle White, Little Qing, Bluecliff Xiaoyu, Mu Northson, and Immortal Diancai.

  “Young master.”

  “Senior apprentice-brother.”

  “Master.” They each called out joyfully towards Ning.

  As they flew closer, Autumn Leaf and Uncle White were stunned, especially Uncle White. He stared blankly at the two figures standing by Ning’s side, and his tears suddenly came cascading downwards.

  Yichuan stared back at Uncle White, then revealed a smile. “Little White.”

  “Big brother.” Uncle White stared at Yichuan. The two were like brothers, and they had ventured through life and death by each other’s sides many times. They were extremely close to each other.

  “Big sister Snow.” Uncle White then looked at Snow. “You… you all…”

  “Master.” Autumn Leaf was extremely excited as well, and she hurriedly curtsied.

  “Autumn Leaf?” Snow smiled and nodded. Ning had two attendants by his side when he was young. Spring Grass had died long ago, but Autumn Leaf had been by his side this entire time.

  As for Ning, he stared at the black-robed maiden and barked, “Brightmoon, get over here and pay your respects to your grandmother and grandfather!”

  Brightmoon was rather stunned. She had heard of her grandparents, but had never met them before. Upon hearing Ning’s orders, she immediately fell to her knees and said, “Brightmoon greets you, Grandfather and Grandmother.”

  “Big brother… big sister Snow… this is Brightmoon. She’s the daughter of Ji Ning and Yu Wei,” Uncle White immediately said.

  “Our granddaughter?” Yichuan and Snow were both overjoyed. When they died, Ning had still been quite young. Who would’ve thought that they’d suddenly have a grandchild?

  “Rise, rise!” Snow immediately lifted her granddaughter up. The more she looked at Brightmoon, the happier she felt. Brightmoon’s appearance was similar to that of both Ning and Yu Wei. Although she looked more like Yu Wei, she did have some of Ning’s traits as well.

  “What a beautiful girl. I have such a beautiful granddaughter! Your mother must be a beauty as well. Ning, son, where’s your wife? Didn’t Little White say that your wife’s name is Yu Wei?” Snow smiled.

  Everyone suddenly fell silent.

  Snow and Yuchi didn’t know what was going on, but everyone else knew what had happened. Years ago, Yu Wei had been publicly killed during the wars by the black-robed Godking.

  Ning responded with perfect calm, “She’s gone.”

  Yichu and Snow immediately understood. It seemed as though many things had happened over the years.

  “Grandpa, Grandma, there seems to be many things you aren’t aware of. Let me tell you.” Brightmoon immediately began to warmly narrate the story to Yichuan and Snow. “Shortly after you passed away, but before my father had joined the Black-White College; that’s where I’ll start the story. Haha. The two of you are going to be stunned by this…”

  Seeing this, Ning just stood there and watched with a smile on his face.

  There was no need to hide any of his past history. Yichuan and Snow listened to their daughter, Brightmoon, narrate Ning’s story. Every so often, Uncle White, Little Qing, or Xiaoyu would add in a few words as well. Even Ning’s junior apprentice-brother, Mu Northson, would jump in to explain at some parts, as did Ning’s master Immortal Diancai.

  Yichuan and his wife Snow were completely stunned by this story. This wasn’t a story; it was an absolute legend.

  Although they knew that their son was a genius, how could they have imagined that their talented sword-wielding son of Swallow Mountain would become such a dazzling figure? He not only had reached parity with the highest-level Immortals and Fiendgods of the Three Realms, he had played a decisive role in ending the war! As for his current level of power, it was completely unfathomable.

  They also learned about Yu Wei’s death. Unfortunately, when her soul was destroyed ever her truesoul was torn apart. There was no way to revive her at present.

  ……

  A few days later, Ning held a Three Realms Banquet at Brightheart Island of Swallow Mountain. All of the top-level Immortals and Fiendgods of the Three Realms came to take part.

  Of course, many of Ning’s old friends came as well, such as the other members of Mount Innerheart, including Crazy Ji, Sun Wukong, and Redsnow. Even the likes of Northmont Baiwei and the Sloppy Daoist, who had been their eldest apprentice-brother at the Black-White College, had arrived. This was Ning’s first time hosting such a sumptuous banquet, and at the end he even expounded upon the Dao, bringing great enlightenment to many of the Immortals and Fiendgods of the Three Realms.

  ……

  On the other side of the primordial chaos. Vastheaven Territory. Vastheaven Palace.

  In the blink of an eye, more than a month passed after Ning’s arrival at Vastheaven Palace. This was the day of Ning’s formal welcoming banquet.

  “Ji Ning! JI NING!” Daolord Solesky was hollering towards him from far away.

  “Big brother?” Ning emerged from his estate, Su Youji and Pillsaint by his side. Ning smiled. “I could hear you screaming at me from far away.”

  “I wanted to see you a few days ago, but Pillsaint told me that you were in secluded meditation,” Daolord Solesky said with a laugh.

  “My big brother wished to see me?” Ning turned to glance at Pillsaint. Pillsaint hurriedly explained, “Daolord Solesky said that it was nothing important and told me not to disturb you.”

  Daolord Solesky nodded as well. “There is no rush, but… Ji Ning, you really did me wrong this time. You captured Daolord Blesswing, a Daolord of the Third Step of Clearwind Temple! A Daolord of the Third Step! And you captured him! How could you hide such an incredible feat from me and not tell me? If it hadn’t been for brother Eastherd giving us a detailed narration a while ago
, I would have had no idea whatsoever.”

  Ning was startled. He immediately said, “Alright, that was definitely my fault.”

  To be honest, Ning truly hadn’t considered the capture to be a big deal. In his eyes, Clearwind Temple wasn’t a threat at all. Even if Patriarch Clearwind himself came, he wouldn’t be able to do anything to Vastheaven Palace itself. If things really did go south, Ning could simply use one of the deceased Hegemon’s Dao-seals to just kill the man.

  Ning’s complete lack of concern regarding this matter was why he hadn’t considered it to be relevant. With his mind completely occupied with reviving his parents, he truly had forgotten to tell Vastheaven Palace about this matter.

  “It won’t be much of a problem. With my avatar here, we won’t need to fear Clearwind at all.” Daolord Solesky was rather excited. “But for you to have captured a Daolord of the Third Step… hah! I feel giddy just imagining the look on Clearwind’s face.”

  “I’ve already subdued the Daolord. Big brother Solesky, you are free to deal with him as you see fit,” Ning said.

  “You were the one to capture him. How can I be the one to decide?” Daolord Solesky immediately said.

  “Don’t be so courteous, big brother. If you want to use this situation to squeeze and extort Clearwind Temple, feel entirely free to do so.”

  Daolord Solesky shook his head. “You don’t understand what type of a man Patriarch Clearwind is. He won’t be easy to blackmail. Ah, forget it. There’s no way Clearwind will just ignore something like this. We’ll wait and see.”

  Ning nodded. “Right. Big brother, there’s something I need to ask you to help me out with.”

  “What is it?” Daolord Solesky asked.

  “I want to collect some techniques, secret arts, and divine abilities,” Ning said. “I need all types of techniques.”

  Daolord Solesky looked at Ning. “Are you planning to set up your own school?”

  Ning shook his head. “No, it’s for the sake of my homeland. My homeland doesn’t have any good techniques. I want to procure some good ones for them,” Ning said.

  “Vastheaven Palace has some basic techniques which can be transmitted to others without any issues,” Daolord Solesky said, “But the more powerful ones… we have our own rules about their disposition.”

  Ning said, “We’ll do everything in accordance with the rules! I need all types of divine abilities, techniques, and secret arts below the Daolord level, and I’ll pay as much chaos nectar as the rules require.” Even the Dao Alliance was willing to sell its many secret arts and divine abilities, to say nothing of Vastheaven Palace. Even Daolord Allgod’s [Novessence Water] and other such techniques had ended up being sold to the Brightshore Kingdom.

  Ning only needed techniques that were below the Daolord level; more profound techniques were not necessary for now. Vastheaven Palace didn’t really have that many powerful legacies either.

  “Oh, below the Daolord level? That’ll be easy.” Daolord Solesky nodded. “However… over the course of countless years, Vastheaven Palace has accumulated quite a few techniques. If we were to give you everything we have, it’d cost you three million cubes of chaos nectar! I don’t want to take advantage of you; the rules are the rules. These techniques were accumulated by countless brothers over the course of countless years.”

  “Alright.” Ning nodded. “Three million it is.”

  Vastheaven Palace was an ancient school which dominated the nearby territories and had been around for countless chaos cycles. As a result, it had an ample supply of techniques which were below the Daolord level. This was why this place was considered a holy land for cultivation to many. Now that Ning had purchased all of its techniques, the Three Realms’ foundation had been established. Most of the cultivators in the Three Realms were merely at the Elder God or Ancestral Immortal level, after all. To reach the World level and then become a Daolord was far too difficult.

  In truth, if he couldn’t buy what he needed from Vastheaven Palace, he would’ve done so from the Dao Alliance. Only, that would be more troublesome and likely more expensive as well.

  As for legacies which Daolords could use? Even Vastheaven Palace only had a very few such legacies, and they had either been left behind by its Daolords or had been acquired by them due to luck; they wouldn’t be casually taught to others. They were not casually taught to others. What Ning was planning to do was to create a few legacies of his own and leave them to the Three Realms! For example, his [Brightmoon] sword-art was definitely one of the most supreme of legacies! But of course, not just anyone would be permitted to study it. The interested parties would have to go through many layers of trials before they could learn the Sword Dao which Ning had so painstakingly created.

  “Using Vastheaven Palace’s repository, built up over the course of countless years, to serve as the foundation of the Three Realms shall be enough.” Ning felt a surge of joy in his heart.

  * * *

  Book 29, Chapter 13 - Omega Sword Dao

  “Hah! You were able to agree to three million cubes with such ease.” Daolord Solesky laughed. “As expected for someone capable of capturing a Daolord of the Third Step. Your resources truly are extraordinary, eh?”

  “I just had better luck than most,” Ji Ning said.

  “Big brother Solesky, all of our brothers have arrived and are waiting. Are you done chatting?” The Daolord Brightfish’s laughter could be heard from afar.

  “Patience, my brother Brightfish! We’ll be there shortly.” Daolord Solesky looked at Ning. “Come, come! Let us make haste. The welcoming banquet is about to commence.”

  The formal welcoming ceremony took place. After the ceremony ended, Ning was now considered a formal member of Vastheaven Palace. This caused Daolord Solesky, Daolord Battlemaster, and Daolord Brightfish to all feel slightly relieved. They could tell that Ning was guaranteed to be an extraordinary Daolord. Although he had a talisman of welcome, it was entirely permissible for him to change his mind prior to actually joining Vastheaven Palace.

  Now that he had joined, he truly would be a lifelong friend and brother.

  ……

  Rumble…

  Within the darkness of space. A shrine which was emanating ripples of strange azure power was flying at high speeds. As the energy streams surged and flowed around it, it was able to hurtle through space at astonishing speeds.

  An old man dressed in handsome black robes stood within the shrine, staring silently into space. His eyes were as calm as the depths of the sea. Beneath him stood seven respectful World-level cultivators.

  “He managed to capture Blesswind. This young fellow named Darknorth really is quite daring.” The black-robed elder said calmly, “He’s even more daring than Solesky.”

  One of the World-level disciples said immediately, “Patriarch, Darknorth must’ve acquired some special treasures thanks to a stroke of great luck. Daolord Blesswind said it himself, right? He was beaten by a golem which had the power of an apex Daolord of the Third Step, then captured due to a nasty trick they pulled on him. No matter what, this Darknorth is merely a World-level cultivator. He won’t be able to fight back against you at all, Patriarch.”

  “Can’t be too complacent,” Patriarch Clearwind said calmly. “These strokes of great luck can sometimes involve truly earth-shattering treasures.”

  He was a Daolord of the Fourth Step. Daolords of the Fourth Step were completely different from Daolords of the Third Step. To reach the fourth step meant reaching the Verge of the Daomerge, which meant that you had reached terrifying heights in a certain Dao.

  The reason why he was able to feud against Daolord Solesky for so long was because he was at a similar level of power. Both Patriarch Clearwind and Daolord Solesky were extremely powerful, even amongst other Daolords of the Fourth Step. They had both experienced many dangers as well. They naturally were quite skilled in keeping themselves alive and would never underestimate any opponent.

  When Heartlord Solewind had shattered
that Dao-seal, he had been able to easily slay a Daolord of the Third Step. But if he had encountered Patriarch Clearwind? Forget about a Dao-seal; even if the Palace Lord of the Heart Palace struck out, if he wasn’t careful Patriarch Clearwind would probably be able to escape.

  “Solesky. It’s been quite some time since I’ve sparred with him.” Azure light flickered through Patriarch Clearwind’s eyes.

  Vastheaven Palace had two Daolords of the Fourth Step, while Clearwind Temple merely had one. However, these two organizations were equivalent in power. This was a testament to how formidable Patriarch Clearwind was.

  ……

  The Three Realms. Brightheart Island.

  Within Ning’s study. The study was filled with rolls of jade slips. Ning casually picked up a jade slip, then infused the set of sword-arts he had developed into the jade slip.

  “For Elder Gods and Ancestral Immortals, less abstruse sword-arts are more appropriate.” Ning’s left hand was casually demonstrating one sword-art after another. He had perfectly joined together five Supreme Daos; in terms of creating sword-art techniques for Elder Gods or World Gods, not even the Brightshore Hegemon would necessarily be a match for Ning.

  “3600 low-level techniques, 108 decent techniques, and 5 high-level sword-arts; the Yin-Yang stance, the Soleheart stance, the Blood Drop stance, the Shadowless stance, and the Heavenbreaker stance. The coremost technique shall be the perfect junction of these five types of sword-intent.”

  The sword-arts which Ning had created included all types of sword-arts, including sword-arts that were more suited for women, sword-arts that were meant to be used with just one arm, sword-arts that suited those who were a bit foolish… all types of sword-arts had been created, and the creation process was actually another way for Ning to analyze and better understand the nature of the Dao of the Sword.

  Every so often, he’d raise his head and stare off into the distance. He was able to see to the distant lakeshore, where Ji Yichuan was training in sword-arts himself. Next to him watched Yuchi Snow, while their granddaughter Ji Brightmoon continuously called out words of advice and guidance. Brightmoon had indeed reached a much more impressive level of expertise in the Dao of the Sword than her grandfather Yichuan, and Yichuan actually enjoyed having his granddaughter teach him.