Desolate Era (Book 1 - Book 5)

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Ning’s heart was blazing with worry. Autumn Leaf and Spring Grass, although nominally his servants, were in truth like big sisters to him. He still remembered how when he was young, he would point at the words on the books and stammer out questions. At that time, Spring Grass and Autumn Leaf, despite being ‘tormented’ by their young master, could only obediently reply.

“No way.”

“No way she’s dead.” Ning was extremely worried.

“Young master.” Autumn Leaf asked with concern. “What’s wrong?” She could tell that her young master’s face was exceedingly ugly right now. She rarely saw her young master look so furious.

Ning shouted, “The Blacktooth Tribe suffered an attack by Serpentwing. More than half its tribesmen died.”

“Ah?!” Autumn Leaf was instantly shocked. “Then Spring Grass…”

“We’ll know once we get there.” Ning shouted back coldly.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

The three black beasts moved at high speed. By the time the sun was beginning to set, the three black beasts arrived at a sparsely covered mountain forest. From the distance, they could faintly see a tribe.

“Halt.” Ning shouted.

The three beasts quickly came to a halt.

“Young master?” Autumn Leaf’s face was red with worry as well.

“Go over there.” Ning pointed into the distance. From the distance, dozens of fur-clad men were currently chopping down trees using hatchets. They were most likely collecting firewood.

“They should be the clansmen of the Blacktooth Tribe. If we ask them, we’ll know.” Ning immediately rode his black beast over, with Autumn Leaf and Mowu following from behind.

Soon.

Ning arrived in front of those dozens of fur-clad woodcutters. These men all raised their spears and sabers, carefully watching them approach.

“I have a question for you.” With a flip of his hand, Ning immediately brought out his insignia, which had a single character on it; ‘Ji’.

“Ji clan?”

These tribesmen were all shocked.

“Does your tribe had a person named Spring Grass? She is the daughter of your chief.” Ning barked.

“The chief’s daughter?” A one-eyed man hurriedly said. “Our Blacktooth Tribe doesn’t have anyone known as Spring Grass. Our chief’s daughter is named Miwa!”

Ning was startled, then he hurriedly said, “Right, her name is Miwa. Is she still alive?”

“Dead.”

“Miwa’s dead.” The tribesmen all said.

Ning’s face changed dramatically, and the face of the nearby Autumn Leaf turned utterly white. Her body swayed, and then she collapsed from her black beast. Mowu hurriedly leapt off of his own black beast and caught Autumn Leaf. Autumn Leaf’s face was pale and utterly without color. Her tears had already begun to flow down uncontrollably.

“How did she die?” Ning shouted. “Was it Serpentwing who killed her?”

“Serpentwing killed many of the tribesmen of our tribe. Even one of the chief’s son died.” The one-eyed man said. “Many of our tribesmen died right away, while a few others suffered from shrapnel from exploding rocks which smashed into their body, or were frozen…they didn’t die right away, but they were injured. Afterwards, their wounds festered, while others became extremely ill. All of them held on, but eventually died. Many badly injured tribesmen died like that. Miwa, as well, died of illness afterwards.”

“Spring Grass!” Autumn Leaf wailed.

Ning’s face became all the more terrible, and the mental waves generated by his violent thoughts caused the nearby trees to begin to shake and vibrate.

“Serpentwing!” Ning ground his teeth and howled, “I, Ji Ning, so swear that I will definitely kill you! I will definitely kill you!!!”





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Book 3, Chapter 8 - Spring Grass


The dozens of tribesmen looked at this youth, feeling a sudden terror. They felt as though the entire world around them was shaking.

Kill Serpentwing?

The youth in front of them was going to kill Serpentwing?

“You didn’t lie to me.” Ji Ning swept this group of tribesmen with his gaze. “Miwa truly died?”

“Why would we lie? The entire Blacktooth Tribe knows this.” The group of experts were filled with terror and panic. Whether it was due to this youth’s aura or the ‘Ji’ insignia he held, they were in terror of him.

“Let’s go.”

Ning mounted his black beast and began to head straight into the distant Blacktooth Tribe.

Autumn Leaf and Mowu mounted their own black beasts and followed.

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There were more than ten tribal warriors standing guard on the two archer towers on each side of the fence gate.

“Outsiders, halt.” A warrior immediately shouted angrily.

His face sunken, Ning took out his insignia and shouted back, “Tell Blacktooth to come see me!”

Upon seeing the insignia, the warrior above were terrified and quickly called out, “Please wait, I’ll go inform the chief right away.” As he spoke, the warrior jumped down directly to the ground, then began to fly towards the tribe. In but a few moments, a black fur clad, scarred man ran in their direction, under escort of a number of warriors. It was the chief of the Blacktooth Tribe, Chief Blacktooth.

When he saw the three figures mounted on black beasts, especially the leader, his body suddenly trembled. He immediately howled, “Quick, open the gate and welcome the young master of the Ji clan!”

“Young master of the Ji clan?” The people of a small clan like the Blacktooth Tribe naturally were shocked. They hurriedly began to open the heavy gate.

Blacktooth was the first to fall to his knees. “Blacktooth pays his respect to you, young master.”

The other tribal warriors all knelt down as well.

“To your residence.” Ning remained on his black beast as he gave the instruction.

“Yes.” Blacktooth quickly led the way up ahead.

Ning looked at Blacktooth. He couldn’t help but feel a hint of hatred in his heart! He knew that Spring Grass’ death couldn’t be blamed on Blacktooth, and he believed that Blacktooth was heartbroken as well. But Ning couldn’t help but feel hatred and pain…originally, when he had given Spring Grass into her father’s care, he had never imagined that she would die, just like this. If Spring Grass had remained by his side…

Ning’s left hand couldn’t help but clench into a fist. Even his knuckles were turning white.

“Young master, this is my residence.” Blacktooth arrived at one of larger stone houses of the tribe. There were two women and a young child at the doorway. These two women and the child were clearly cautious and uneasy.

“He is?” Ning looked at the young child. This child looked very similar to Spring Grass…causing a pang in Ning’s heart.

“My son.” Blacktooth said respectfully, while at the same time, barking to his women and his son, “Why haven’t you left yet?”

The two women and the child immediately left.

“Speak inside. Mowu, you stand guard at the doorway. Don’t let anyone in.” Ning immediately dismounted his black beast and led Autumn Leaf into the house. Blacktooth, terrified, followed him in.

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Within the room.

Ning looked at Blacktooth, sitting down on a stone chair and saying coldly, “Blacktooth, when I gave Spring Grass into your care, my hope was that the two of you, father and daughter, would be reunited and live a good life! But why is it that I didn’t see Spring Grass upon entering the tribe?”

Blacktooth hurriedly said, “Young master, right now, Spring Grass isn’t within the tribe!”