Desolate Era (Book 11 - Book 15)

……

Ning moved forward one step at a time, purposefully taking a circular path around the enormous Fiendgod corpse as he slowly advanced.

Finally…Ning was able to see it clearly. The Fiendgod corpse had ashen gray skin that was stone-like in texture. The corpse had an ordinary, plain face. Its body was covered in wounds, and the black armor it wore had been torn apart in many places. By its side were two fiery arrows, as well as a mighty black greatbow with a shattered bowstring.

“I didn’t expect that you would be able to come to this place. For a weak little early Void-stage fellow to possess such ability…admirable, admirable.” The shrill voice rang out once more.

Ning turned to look towards the source of the sound. From afar, at the corner to the entrance of the gorge, he saw the black-robed youth in a seated position.

“Do you know Empyrean God Silvermoon?” Ning suddenly asked. This black-robed youth was most likely a Celestial Immortal, given that he was able to make it here. Most likely, quite a few of the Celestial Immortals of the Crescent world were disciples of Mount Innerheart. If they were fellow disciples, things would probably proceed more smoothly.”

“Empyrean God Silvermoon? Heh heh, an Empyrean God? Not bad. But I’ve never heard of him.” The black-robed youth sat there, staring at Ning. “Kid…it seems your background is significant, given that you know an Empyrean God. However…here in this treasure region, it doesn’t matter who you know. If you want to acquire the treasures…it’ll all be up to your own abilities.”

Ning quietly came to the conclusion that this black-robed youth was most likely not a member of Mount Innerheart. When Ning had traversed the lightning zone, even the outside Patriarch Limitless had been able to guess that Ning was a member of Mount Innerheart…and yet, this black-robed youth didn’t seem to react to that at all.

“There are still quite a few Celestial Immortals in the Crescent world who have not become disciples of Mount Innerheart…and some don’t even know of it,” Ning mused to himself.

“Kid, you’ve already passed through two of the forbidden zones. This is the last one, but let me warn you…the treasures on that Fiendgod’s corpse aren’t so easily acquired.” The black-robed youth sat there lazily, seemingly waiting to mock Ning when he ‘inevitably failed’.

Ning looked back at the black-robed youth. “I’ve come to take the treasure, but you aren’t going to stop me?”

“How would I do that? Even the lightning zone wasn’t able to damage you at all, you freak. Even if I attacked you, I’d be wasting my energy. If I had trap-type treasures, I might try and trap or bind you…but unfortunately, I don’t.” The black-robed youth spoke in a resigned manner.

Ning knew what the weakness of the [Eight-Nine Arcane Art] was. Training to the Third Cycle of the [Eight-Nine Arcane Art] resulted in an extraordinarily powerful body, but if he encountered restrictive items like magic ropes or monster-sealing pagodas, he might be wrapped up or drawn into the magic treasures. Still…Ning was no fool. He would use his sword to block; to actually trap and bind him would be an extremely difficult matter. And even if he was trapped…he wouldn’t die from that, in and of itself.

“Then I’m going to go take the treasure.” As Ning spoke, he moved closer towards the Fiendgod body.

When Ning reached a distance of roughly three hundred meters from the body, suddenly…

The black greatbow next to the Fiendgod suddenly lit up. The bowstring of the black greatbow was shattered, but an utterly enormous flood of natural energy was gathering around the black greatblow. It actually created a second bowstring that was completely composed of natural energy, as well as a fiery arrow that was similarly composed of natural energy.

Swish! No one was controlling the black greatbow, but it shot the arrow straight out towards Ning.

The arrow shot through the air, moving lightning-fast and almost instantly appearing in front of Ning.

“Block!” Ning waved his arm, allowing the arrow to strike directly on his upper arm.

BOOM. The powerful collisive force sent Ning flying back hundreds of meters, smashing against the distant canyon walls. The canyon walls cracked apart with a rumbling sound as many rocks came crashing down…but with a backflip, Ning emerged from a large crater that had been created in the wall.

“What a treasure.” Ning wasn’t worried; to the contrary, he was delighted.

“You freak, you could even take that?” The distant black-robed youth was amazed.

Ning was incomparably excited. He stared at the black greatbow, surrounded by the natural energy of Heaven and Earth. “For it to be able to gather such natural energy without any elemental ki guiding it…clearly, the spirit of the treasure of this black greatbow has activated it. For it to have such power without even a person controlling it…this is inconceivable.”

Long ago, Xue Hongyi had been able to forcibly subdue the Azuresilk Godfire Lamp. At the Wanxiang level, Ning had been able to use the [Starseizing Hand] to forcibly hold the Thousandbull Sword. And now, Ning’s power was unfathomably greater than it had been before…but he had just been sent flying back by the natural energy gathered by an ownerless treasure!

“The Thousandbull Sword is top-grade amongst top-grade Immortal-ranked artifacts, close to Pure Yang treasures in power. Then this greatbow…it has to at least be a Pure Yang treasure, and if it is, it has to be either a high-grade or even a top-grade Pure Yang treasure. Or it might even be a Protocosmic spirit-treasure!” Ning instantly came to this conclusion.

The magic treasure, without anyone controlling it, already had the offensive power of a Celestial Immortal!

“It makes sense. This Fiendgod must have died countless years ago, but his remnant killing intent is still so terrifyingly strong. Given how powerful he was, how could his bow be poor?” Ning frowned. “However…the bowstring to this black greatbow is broken, and tears have appeared on his armor. I wonder what sort of a battle he must have encountered for even magic treasures on this level to have been damaged. Even the Fiendgod himself perished…and strangest of all, the Fiendgod’s body remained, even after he himself died!”

It must be understood that a Fiendgod’s soul was completely intertwined with his blood and flesh. If so much as a single drop of flesh or blood remained, he could be reborn! Unless…

A supremely mighty power had been able to annihilate every single scrap of the soul that was within the Fiendgod’s flesh and blood! Without any soul left in the body at all, the flesh would be useless.

“How massive a battle was this?” Ning thought back to the great tribulation that had resulted in the destruction of Pangu’s World. That had definitely been an incomparably terrifying battle, one which even Patriarch Subhuti had been afraid to participate in. Daoist Threelives had killed multiple Fiendgod Daofathers in it before even he himself had perished.

“No matter what…although the black greatbow and the armor are both damaged, given how powerful they are without any owner, they must be incredible treasures.”

Ning waved his hand, causing the Thousandbull Sword to appear. Ning then quickly advanced, once more pressing closer.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The black greatblow shot out more fiery arrows towards Ning, both the arrows and the bowstring formed from natural energy.

Ning, however, used his swordplay to block. His sword-light flowed out like water, deflecting the arrows of natural energy to the side. Ning was using one of the sword-arts from the ninth floor of the Divinities Palace known as [Water Filling the Heavens]; this was his most defensively suited sword-art technique.