Desolate Era (Book 1 - Book 5)

The mind and the heavens become one! One with the world!

The mind gains insights into the Dao, and learns the true meaning of the Dao!

Ning understood that a person who was training in the Dao had to be true to himself. Only with a clear mind and clear conscience could one improve at a faster rate when training.

“If a person is not true to himself, not only will he be frustrated, he will also come to a halt in his training, or perhaps even lose ground.” Ning shook his head. “If I, Ji Ning, want to kill someone, I will only kill him and him alone. I will not harm his wife and children! This is my true self!”

In his past life, his illness had tormented him and caused him to always be alone. Lonely people often would become accustomed to think about many things. Some thought about too many things and would go insane, while others would see through their own heart and mind and become wise. Ning was one of those who had seen through his own heart, which made him all the more broad-minded and calm. If he hadn’t seen through his own heart, how could he have had such resolve to keep training so bitterly in this life?

Autumn Leaf and Mowu glanced at each other.

Be true to themselves?

They didn’t understand!

“Enough.” Ning saw the looks on their faces and shook his head. “Don’t overthink it. Let’s go to Serpentwing Lake.”

“Young master, aren’t you going to the Blacktooth Tribe? Didn’t you say…that you wanted to help take care of the little brother of Spring Grass?”

Autumn Leaf asked.

“No rush.” Ning shook his head. “I’ll make a trip to Serpentwing Lake first and kill Serpentwing, then head to the Blacktooth Tribe…the original cause of this disastrous affair was still Serpentwing. One of Spring Grass’ two little brothers died to Serpentwing as well. I will use Serpentwing’s death to commemorate Spring Grass, and then I’ll take her only brother to the West Prefecture City with me.”

“Let’s go.”

Ning rapped his black beast on its chest slightly, and it instantly began to gallop forward.

Autumn Leaf and Mowu followed him towards Serpentwing Lake as well.

–––––––

They travelled by day and rested at night. Given the rapid pace at which the black beasts travelled through even mountainous terrain, they still spent three full days before arriving at a place near Serpentwing Lake.

“Greetings, young master.”

Ten black armored guards fell down to one knee.

Ning, seated on the black beast, nodded while instructing, “Mowu, Autumn Leaf, the two of you can stay here and rest for a bit. Serpentwing Lake is a few kilometers up ahead. I can’t take you there. I will go to Serpentwing Lake by myself.”

“Yes.” Mowu and Autumn Leaf were both very respectful.

Ning descended from the black beast, and then, moving as agilely as a great bird, charged into the distance. With but two flashing movements, he disappeared from the field of vision of those ten black armored guards, Mowu, and Autumn Leaf. This was the first time the black armored guards had seen Ning displaying his footwork techniques, and they stared in amazement and disbelief.

Serpentwing Lake was currently forbidden territory.

The Ji clan had arranged for dozens of scattered little squads to be spread around the area, each of which had ten black armored guards. They were located in different areas around Serpentwing Lake, so as to keep a close watch on Serpentwing.

––––––—

“Huahuahua….” The hundred-kilometer long Serpentwing Lake was vast. One couldn’t see the other side of the lake. Such an enormous lake would of course have three-foot high waves, even when it wasn’t windy.

Ning stood by the shore, staring at Serpentwing Lake. In a soft voice, he said, “This lake truly is immeasurably deep. Even though I can control water, if I were to enter its depths…my speed would probably still be far inferior to Serpentwing.”

The deeper one went, the greater the water pressure would be, and the harder it would be to control water.

A human who was in water wouldn’t even be able to bring out 10% of his power, but a water monster would be more powerful than usual.

“Right now, although I am powerful, compared to a peak Xiantian Diremonster…most likely, I’m just slightly more powerful.” Ning said to himself. And this was because he trained in the [Windwing Evasion], and had gained a hint of understanding into the true nature of the Dao. After all, just by relying on the four stage of the [Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens] alone, he would only roughly have power comparable to other late-stage Fiendgod practitioners.

Compared to Serpentwing, his power would actually be slightly lower.

Swoosh!

With a series of movements, Ning travelled a kilometer, walking atop the water as though it were land.

“Serpentwing!” Ning let out a loud bellow.

“Serpentwing!” “Serpentwing!” “Serpentwing!” ….

The sound echoed like thunder, spreading everywhere and piercing deep into the depths of the water of the lake.

Moments later….

In the depths of the sea, within a twisting, dark lair, the Diremonster, Serpentwing, was currently slumbering. His enormous scaled wings surrounded him, protecting his body.

“Serpentwing!” A sound pierced through the water, directly arriving to him.

The slumbering Serpentwing suddenly opened his scarlet eyes.

“What’s going on?” Serpentwing let out a low growl. “Investigate immediately.”

“Yes.”

The sound of screams from terrified lesser water monsters could be heard from outside. Although humans usually weren’t able to understand the languages of these lesser monsters, these lesser monsters could all understand each other.

––––––––––

There were two black armored guards hiding within the wild grass fairly close to Serpentwing Lake.

“Serpentwing?”

“Someone is challenging Serpentwing.” The two black armored guards exchanged glances of amazement, then hurriedly turned to look. However, they were dozens of kilometers away from Ning, and thus they couldn’t see him at all.

“I’ll keep watch. You go make the report.”

There were over ten black armored guards on watch at all times around Serpentwing Lake, and right now, the three black armored guards closest to Ji Ning were all able to see him. This group of black armored guards had been dispatched from West Prefecture City. Naturally, they were able to recognize Ning.

“It is young master Ji Ning.”

“Young master Ji Ning has come to challenge Serpentwing? But young master Ji Ning truly is powerful. He is able to stand atop the water as though it was flat ground. Just like Commander Ji Yichuan had been!”

“Stop talking. Hurry and go back to make the report.”

––––––––––––

The amazed black armored guards quickly spread the news to all of the little squads, but given their speed…as one might imagine, it would take them at least a day before they were able to reach West Prefecture City.

Ning continued to walk calmly on the surface of the vast waters of Lake Serpentwing.

Huahua….

The head of a large green snake appeared, along with the head of a large black fish. Breaking through the surface of the water, they stared into the distance.

“A human youth?” The two monsters exchanged glances.

Hua!

They both dove into the deeper water, making haste to the watery lair of the Diremonster, Serpentwing.

“Mighty King, mighty King, there is a human youth in the water above.” The green serpent monster and the black fish monster both growled out frantically.

“A human youth?” Serpentwing’s scaly wings spread out, and his scarlet eyes stared at those two lesser monsters, who were so terrified that they trembled as they nodded.