Desolate Era (Book 11 - Book 15)

In another area.

“Since our last parting in the Southern Seas, it has been more than a century. Now, fellow Daoist, you have come to the imperial capital, hahaha…” The long-haired Youngflame Xiushui laughed with emotion. “When I think about how you will display your divine might in the Conclave of Immortal Destiny, and about how some of the major powers of the Three Realms will discover you and perhaps accept you as disciple… I can’t help but feel jealous of you. I feel as though I should’ve stayed a few more years at the Wanxiang level as well.”

Adept Woodpass looked like a youth; he had a simple, honest appearance. But this simple, honest-looking youth was known throughout the Southern Seas. He had travelled alone, establishing a tremendous reputation, and openly gave lectures on the Dao. He was venerated by countless Immortal cultivators and Diremonsters.

“Fellow Daoist Xiushui, you don’t understand; to stay at the Wanxiang Adept level is incredibly miserable,” Adept Woodpass said with a sigh. “My true body’s foundation is far more powerful than that of my Primaltwin’s; after all, my Primaltwin is only a Ki Refiner, while my true body is primarily a Fiendgod Body Refiner. And yet, I keep on refraining from breaking through. After having done so for so long… it’s actually cast a shadow over my heart. In the recent Calamity, when my Primaltwin was at the peak Primal level, the mental attacks were exceptionally powerful. I almost died due to the blandishments of the mental attacks.”

Youngflame Xiushui nodded. “Others only see your gloriousness and see you shine with power at the Conclave of Immortal Destiny, but they don’t see how you’ve gritted your teeth and endured the passage of the past three centuries. The shadow cast over your heart by three centuries of forcibly repressing your power… how terrifying it must be!”

“Father.” A handsome youth next to them suddenly called out. Youngflame Xiushui looked towards his son.

“Should I wait for three cenutires as well?” The handsome youth asked.

“You? Even if you wait three centuries, you have no hope. Focus on your training. If you are able to become a Void-level Earth Immortal, I’d have to thank the heavens and thank the earth.” Youngflame Xiushui shook his head in resignation. His son, at his level of ability, wanted to participate in the Conclave of Immortal Destiny? In the past, even Xiushui himself had chosen to give up. There were countless monsters who had been suppressing their own power for years, waiting for this chance to soar to the heavens during the Conclave.

The handsome youth pursed his lips. Although he too had participated in the conversation between his father and Adept Woodpass, he was clearly on a lower level… and so, bored, he looked around. Suddenly, his gaze fell upon a distant cloud. Atop the cloud there was a fur-clad youth, a snowy white dog, and an azure-robed maiden. The fur-clad youth was actually holding a book and reading it.

“Is he…?” The handsome youth stared, wide-eyed. “…Ji Ning?”

“Father, Father, quick, look,” the handsome youth immediately called out.

Youngflame Xiushui frowned as he looked at his son. His son had interrupted him while he was speaking; clearly, he was rather displeased.

“Quick, look. Ji Ning. That’s Ji Ning, who killed Youngflame Nong.” The handsome youth pointed towards Ning’s direction.

Youngflame Xiushui and Adept Woodpass both looked in that direction. They immediately saw the distant, fur-clad youth.

“His appearance, his clothes… and he has a Whitewater Hound and an azure-robed maiden by his side. Can that really be Ji Ning?” Youngflame Xiushui frowned. The Youngflame clan had been pursing Ji Ning this entire time… however, they wouldn’t bother Youngflame Xiushui over a matter like this. Still, in his heart, he felt proud of his clan, and naturally wouldn’t permit outsiders to challenge it.

“Can that really be him?” Youngflame Xiushui said softly, “He dares to come to the imperial capital… what is Ji Ning planning? To challenge my Youngflame clan?”

Adept Woodpass looked over as well, then laughed. “I heard that Ji Ning is quite formidable. Can it be that he, too, has come to participate in the Conclave of Immortal Destiny?”





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Book 11, Chapter 15 - Desiring Fame at the Treasure Auction


“Him?” Youngflame Xiushui shook his head. “He’s only trained for thirty short years. To try to shock everyone at the Conclave of Immortal Destiny before he’s truly established his foundation of power? He’d just be dreaming.”

Next to him, his son said while grinding his teeth, “Father, Ji Ning rose to fame by stepping on our Youngflame clan. For the sake of our clan’s reputation alone, we should kill him.”

“That’s none of your concern.” Youngflame Xiushui glanced at his son.

……

As Youngflame Xiushui, Adept Woodpass, Princess Xiyue, and Fairy Azurewillow were all paying attention to Ning, the number of guests at the Fortunes Peaks had continued to steadily grow. These guests had all come here to participate in the Treasure Auction. Amongst them, there was a bald elder. He walked by himself to a cloud, then sat down in the lotus position.

“Ji Ning?” The bald elder gave Ning, seated on a distant cloud around a different mountain, a sidelong glance.

“If I kill Ji Ning, I’ll then reincarnate. If I can’t kill him, then my soul will be shattered.” The bald elder was Immortal Floatcloud, who had been given the mission by Patriarch Arcanum. Although he had been away from the imperial capital for more than ten thousand years, and very few people in the capital were even capable of recognizing him, Immortal Floatcloud had still changed his appearance and pulled in his aura.

Immortal Floatcloud stood there. Although he was drinking wine quite casually, he had chosen the perfect spot; from the corner of his eyes, he could pay clear attention to Ning’s actions.

“The main headquarters of the Heavenly Treasures Mountain. There are layers of protective spells here, and many Immortals on guard. To kill Ji Ning within the Heavenly Treasures Mountain… unlikely!” Immortal Floatcloud pondered on what to do. Actually, he wanted to walk right over to Ning, quickly kill him, then immediately self-detonate and go reincarnate. But he knew quite well…

As soon as he attacked, in the blink of an eye the formations of the Heavenly Treasures Mountain would activate. There was almost no chance he would be able to kill Ji Ning.

“I’ll wait until he leaves the Heavenly Treasures Mountain headquarters. Once he goes out, on the outside streets…” Immortal Floatcloud continued to ponder. “There will be no restrictive formations there. I can make my move then! As for the Imperial Guards, although they will arrive very quickly, it’ll still take them a bit of time.”

“I’ll let you live a little while longer.” Immortal Floatcloud’s Dao-heart was currently filled with the utmost resolve. There were no contradictory thoughts in his mind at all. He had only one thought – to kill Ji Ning, then reincarnate!

……

Ning was carefully reading through the intelligence report which Yu Qi had brought. This report detailed all of the more famous Wanxiang Adepts of the entire imperial capital. Indeed, there were several individuals who were publicly acclaimed as having the highest chances of success in this Conclave of Immortal Destiny. There was Xiamang Zishan of the imperial clan, Cangwu Jiu of the Cangwu clan, Xiangtian Xiao of the Xiangtian clan, Youngflame Xuan of the Youngflame clan, Adept Woodpass of the Southern Seas, Adept Redbamboo of the Eastern Seas…