Desolate Era (Book 1 - Book 5)

“Greetings, Patriarch.” The twenty-plus Xiantian lifeforms of the Ji clan quickly recognized their Patriarch, and in unison, they immediately called out.


Ninefire naturally knew that more than twenty Xiantian lifeforms of his clan had gone missing, and he had been utterly frustrated by this affair. Now, seeing these Xiantian lifeforms all reappear, he was both surprised and delighted. He hurriedly said, “When we realized you had gone missing, our entire Ji clan started to serach for you. Are you all well?”

“Our dantians have been destroyed, but we are very lucky to still be alive.” Jadewich said hoarsely.

“Dantians destroyed?” Ninefire stared, wide-eyed.

A nearby youth with long hair called out as well, “Patriarch, it was only thanks to Ji Ning as well as this Adept that we were able to survive this time.”

“Adept?” Ninefire and Yichuan felt a surge of electricity in their hearts.

Adept…

Then that meant this was a Wanxiang Adept! The entire Swallow Mountain area didn’t have a single Wanxiang Adept.

The two both looked at Adept Mu. Actually, when they first saw him, they had the feeling that this was an extraordinary figure. To be able to ride on a magic treasure to come here…they guessed that he was at least a Zifu Disciple, but they didn’t expect that he was actually a Wanxiang Adept. They saw how Ning was standing to the side of this Wanxiang Adept, as though they seemed to be on good terms. In their hearts, they couldn’t help but feel puzzled as to how Ning had managed to end up getting to know this Wanxiang Adept.

“Ji Ninefire (Ji Yichuan) greets you, Adept.” Ninefire and Yichuan both said respectfully.

“Actually, I’m the one who should be thanking Ji Ning.” Adept Mu laughed calmly.

“Ji Ning?” Ninefire and Yichuan looked towards Ning.

A look of worry appeared on Ning’s face, and he immediately said, “I learned that Mother is gravely ill, so I invited Adept Mu to come to our West Prefecture City…”

“Snow is right inside the room.” Yichuan suddenly realized, and he immediately spoke out.

Adept Mu Xiao nodded, then walked towards the nearby room. Ning and Yichuan followed behind, while Ning asked softly while walking, “Father, what happened? How could Mother suddenly have fallen ill?”

“It was that illness left behind in the past.” Yichuan said. “I’ll explain to you in detail later.”

––––––—

After entering the room, they had the maidservants leave. Aside from Snow, who was lying on the bed, only Adept Mu, Ning, Yichuan, and Ninefire were present.

Yuchi Snow opened her eyes, looking at the newcomers. She couldn’t help but reveal a trace of puzzlement in her eyes.

“Snow, this is Adept Mu, whom Ning asked to come.” Yichuan said hurriedly.

Hearing this, Snow immediately used her arms to prop herself up. “Yuchi Snow greets you, Adept.”

“Give me your right hand.” Adept Mu sat down on the stone bench next to the bed.

Snow extended her rather ashen right hand. She saw, now, that standing by the side of Adept Mu was Ning. She looked at her son…and as she did, a look of delight appeared on Snow’s face.

Adept Mu stretched out with a single finger, gently tapping it on Snow’s wrist. Immediately, a spot of green light, filled with life energy, spread out, quickly enveloping Snow’s entire body. Ning and Yichuan, seated nearby and watching, felt restlessness in their hearts. After waiting for a good long while, Adept Mu began to frown. “Strange. Strange.”

Ning, hearing this, felt nervousness in his heart. He hurriedly asked, “Adept, my Mother, she…?”

Still frowning, Adept Mu said, “Although I’m not specialized in medicine, I can tell that your Mother doesn’t have any sickness. Rather, her lifeforce has been almost entirely used up…given how little lifeforce your mother has left in her body, she’ll most likely be able to live just three more months.”

“Her lifeforce has nearly been used up?” Ning’s face changed.

“When my wife was pregnant, she was injured.” The nearby Yichuan said hurriedly. “Afterwards, she then used a secret technique which spent her own vitality to protect the fetus.”

Adept Mu nodded. “Your wife was originally a Xiantian lifeform, and judging from the purity of the remnants of ki in her body, she should have been a peak Xiantian lifeform. Unfortunately…that injury she suffered should have been a severe one. Her dantian was destroyed, and logically speaking, she shouldn’t have been able to preserve the fetus. Your wife used a secret technique to ignite her own lifeforce in order to protect the fetus, but the cost of this secret technique was extremely great. To replenish what the usage of it cost is almost impossible.”

Hearing this, Ning was flabbergasted.

His mother had been a peak Xiantian expert? Her dantian had been destroyed, and she had used a secret technique to ignite her own lifeforce to protect the fetus?

However, from what he had seen from when his mother had taught him footwork, she was indeed an expert. However, that year when he had been in his mother’s womb, what exactly had happened? His parents had always intentionally hidden the truth of what had happened when his mother was pregnant from Ning, refusing to tell him.

“Adept, please save my mother.” Ning said frantically.

“To save her, the only method is to extend her lifespan.” Adept Mu sighed. “There are plenty of spirit pills for curing diseases, and I myself have spirit pills that can be used for Immortal practitioners to extend their lifespan. But unfortunately…to let a mortal have an extended lifespan is thousands of times more difficult than to have an Immortal practitioner extend their lifespans. This sort of medicine is something which I, in the Raindragon Guards, have only heard of. I don’t even know where to find them. Most likely, only Immortals would be able to produce them.”

The nearby Ninefire, hearing this, was shocked. Raindragon Guards?

“Immortals!” Hearing this, Ning felt as though his heart had suddenly turned to ice.





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Book 5, Chapter 8 - Learning Acceptance


Adept Mu Xiao left that very day for Stillwater City. Before leaving, he pulled Ji Ning aside to give him advice in private. “Ji Ning, your talent is extremely high. It is guaranteed that you will walk far on the path of Immortals! Immortal practitioners have very long lifespans. Unless his friends and family are also Immortal practitioners, you will have to watch as all of them die of old age. Actually, this is a form of self-improvement with regards to your mind towards the Dao. Since you have become an Immortal practitioner…you need to be prepared. No matter how much pain you suffer, you must escape from the midst of your grief. Otherwise, it will be very hard for you to overcome the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations.”

…………….

After Adept Mu left, Ji Ninefire also immediatedly headed towards the mountain where Bei Zishan had hidden himself. That place, after all, had Flood Dragon Dao Battle-Armor.

Ning travelled by himself to Serpentwing Lake.

“There’s still hope. My mother still has hope for surviving.” Ning ran through the mountainous, forested wilderness, occasionally using his Windwing Evasion to advance. His running speed was far faster than the travelling speed of those black beasts, and after expending a large majority of his divine power, he managed to arrive at Serpentwing Lake in just two hours.

“That ancient Aquatic Manor has had multiple masters. Immortal Juhua was the third master. Ignoring the other masters, Immortal Juhua himself had lived for millions of years as a Loose Immortal. He definitely had quite a few medicines, and perhaps some of them are able to allow mortals to have extended lifespans.” Ning ran across the surface of the water to the island.

“Young master.”

“Greetings, young master.”