Desolate Era (Book 11 - Book 15)

Whoosh! Slash! Ning’s six rays of sword-light streaked out before Youngflame Zhan’s voice actually rang out. As soon as he spoke out, Ning immediately came to a halt. This was in accordance with the rules of the duel. Anyone who dared violate them would be killed by the Grand Xia Emperor.

Even though Ning had halted, Youngflame Zhan’s body had already been chopped into several sections. His body quickly began to pull together and reconnect.

“I lost.” Youngflame Zhan rose to his feet, a look of self-mocking in his eyes. “I, Youngflame Zhan, have always felt myself to be an extremely cold and calm person. I didn’t imagine…that this time, I was defeated because I wasn’t calm enough. The allure of becoming a disciple of a Daofather combined with your ability, Ji Ning…they put me under too much pressure. I wanted to win too badly.”

Ning also felt that this battle had been too easily won.

In his previous battle against Saberslave, he had to go all out in order to win. This battle against Youngflame Zhan, however, he had won easily. He had actually been fighting very carefully and conservatively, for fear of the unpredictable movements of the whip.

In truth, amongst the top twelve, all of the Pure Yang Immortals including the Xia Emperor and Lu Dongbin felt the most favor towards the Sloppy Daoist, Ji Ning, Xiamang Zishan, Adept Blackstone, Adept Woodpass, Cangwu Jiu, and Adept Goldcrow. As for Youngflame Zhan…they actually didn’t hold in much favor. Still, any of the top twelve, no matter how weak, shouldn’t have been defeated so calamitously.

If he hadn’t been in a rush to win, and had instead moved to make the blows of his whips more powerful, so as to counter his disadvantage in strength…Ning probably would’ve had to first understand and familiarize himself against the whip technique.

“Useless thing!” Patriarch Arcanum gave Youngflame Zhan a glance, his gaze filled with nothing but ice. “You knew that his attacks were powerful, but still lowered your own strength…you are utterly useless.”

Youngflame Zhan sat down in the lotus position silently.

Patriarch Arcanum felt like his belly was filled with fire…but he had forgotten that all the things he had told Youngflame Zhan earlier had actually also contributed to Youngflame Zhan being insufficiently calm.

“Calm…even in the face of a tremendous stroke of fortune, one still must be calm.”

“This was a tremendous fall for me. Patriarch Arcanum even cursed me as ‘useless’. I imagine that upon my return to the clan, the other high-level clan members will also be filled with endless rage.” Youngflame Zhan came to a decision. “Since I would have to endure the mockery and insults of others within the clan…after this Conclave concludes, I shall leave the clan and go adventuring.”

He had always been an extremely calm person. This rare case of hotheadedness had caused him to lose his chance. This was a tremendous loss to him.

But one learns wisdom from each setback. He became even calmer as he coolly reflected on the path he should take in the future.

……

The Xia Emperor had originally viewed seven favorably. He had been forced to decide on having the Sloppy Daoist and Adept Ninedeaths fight, but then Cangwu Jiu had unexpectedly made a breakthrough. The number of people the Xia Emperor viewed favorably had suddenly risen to eight as a result.

Of the eight, the Sloppy Daoist and Adept Ninedeaths had already fought. But what should his next arrangements be?

……

In the fourth duel, Adept Woodpass battled Adept Primalback! Adept Woodpass was like a human-shaped tree; he was too sturdy and resilient, seemingly even tougher to deal with than the Sloppy Daoist. He, too, was a terrifying foe that was extremely, extremely good on defense. He forced Adept Primalback to use up all of his divine power…and in the end, forced him to admit defeat.

…….

In the fifth duel, Adept Blackstone battled Adept Unicosmo! The bald, bare-footed youth, Adept Blackstone, was indeed extremely powerful. He executed the Fuxi Staff Formation, then relied on it to launch sudden attacks and then vanish. Adept Unicosmo was thoroughly abused until he was finally forced to admit defeat.

……

In the sixth duel, Xiamang Zishan battled Adept Goldcrow!

……

The most vicious, bloody battle was the sixth duel; that between Xiamang Zishan and Adept Goldcrow! Both of them were viewed favorably by the Pure Yang True Immortals. Per the Xia Emperor’s original plans, Xiamang Zishan was going to fight Adept Whitedragon, while Adept Goldcrow was going to fight Cangwu Jiu. But Cangwu Jiu’s sudden breakthrough had transformed him into an extremely formidable figure.

There was nothing for it. The second duel had become Cangwu Jiu against Adept Whitedragon. The sixth one had thus become Xiamang Zishan against Adept Goldcrow.

“That Adept Goldcrow is truly formidable; he will be a test for Zishan. If he cannot even defeat Adept Goldcrow, how can he possibly become Master’s disciple?” The Xia Emperor was quite harsh in dealing with with the disciples of his clan.

And thus, this battle was an exceptionally violent one!

Xiamang Zishan was even more powerful than he had been when battling Ji Ning; his staff techniques were now even more overbearing and dominating than before. As for Adept Goldcrow, his speed and agility were second only to Cangwu Jiu, while his attacks were even more savage vicious and savage.

The two battled until their blood flowed like rivers. It was an incomparably savage sight. In the end, because Adept Goldcrow had been badly injured and had used up almost all of his divine power, he had been forced to admit defeat!

In this battle…Xiamang Zishan had won!

…….

And so, the six finalists of this Conclavef of Immortal Destiny had finally emerged from the crucible.

They were the Sloppy Daoist, Cangwu Jiu, Ji Ning, Adept Woodpass, Adept Blackstone, and Xiamang Zishan!

“Two of the top six are actually of the Black-White College of Stillwater Commandery.”

“But but but…what sort of a place is this Black-White College? Two of these six peerless monsters are actually from them?”

“I hear that the Black-White College is merely a school within Stillwater City that takes up a very small amount of land. They have a total of just a few hundred disciples.”

“What?! They only have a few hundred?! Our school has nearly a million, and is one of the most supreme, large schools of the entire Grand Xia Dynasty, but we didn’t even make it into the top ninety-six. But they actually have two in the top six?!”

Of the top six finalists, two came from major clans; Xiamang Zishan and Cangwu Jiu. Two were unaffiliated wanderers; Adept Blackstone and Adept Woodpass. Two came from a school…and they both actually came from the same school, the Black-White College; Ji Ning and the Sloppy Daoist.

“Ahaha, ahahaha…” Immortal Fivecraze was laughing so hard his jaw was turning crooked. He was utterly beside himself with delight. “Haha, I didn’t expect that an old alcoholic like myself would actually be showered with such glory before dying. Even if I die right now, it would be worth it. Ji Ning, little Sloppy, well done, well done, ahahaha! If that little girl Yu Wei had also entered the top six, things would be even better!”

“Patriarch, you want senior apprentice-sister Yu Wei to make the top six as well? This…is a bit too ambitious, isn’t it?” Upon hearing this, the nearby Mu Northson’s eyes couldn’t help but twitch.

“You think this is ambitious? Nope…in fact, I’m still hoping for little Sloppy and Ji Ning to both make it into the top three. That would be even better. Ahahaha! Two of the top three finalists of this entire Conclave of the Grand Xia Dynasty both belonging to the Black-White College…I’d wake myself up laughing whenever I fell asleep. When I die and go to the Netherworld Kingdom, I’d be able to brag a bit with the Judges of the Dead.” Immortal Fivecraze was indeed absolutely overjoyed.

……