Desolate Era (Book 16 - Book 18)

“I’m actually panicking right now,” Ning said with a laugh. “My Primaltwin’s tribulation was already as frightening as this…I can’t even imagine what my true body’s tribulation is going to be like.”


“It’s just another tribulation. Nothing is impossible for you, senior apprentice-brother,” Northson said. “When you went to take part in the Conclave of Immortal Destiny, how many people tried to convince you not to go? They all said that you didn’t spend enough time training, that you’d be at a disadvantage. But not only did you go, you even became the champion of the Conclave. Afterwards, you only became more and more incredible. And now, you’ve actually overcome nine nine-sets of thunder tribulation and a three month demonheart tribulation. I’m completely convinced that nothing can possibly stop you.”

“Me too.” Yu Wei took Ning by the hand and smiled at him.

Everyone present had watched as Ning had grown up. In their eyes, Ning was an utterly monstrous talent; he had stunned them time and time again. Thus, they were convinced that Ning could do anything! After all, just now, they had personally watched as Ning had overcome nine nine-sets of thunder tribulation and a ridiculously long demonheart tribulation.

“Disciple.” A voice rang out, and the flow of time around them suddenly changed.

Yu Wei, Immortal Diancai, and the others simply stood there, maintaining their earlier postures and poses. Ning, however, didn’t feel as though anything had happened at all. He watched as an old man in Daoist robes came walking over towards him.

“Master,” Ning said respectfully.

“I have some things to say to you,” the old man said. “Your Primaltwin was successful, but I trust you noticed that your Celestial Tribulation was incredibly powerful.”

“Yes.” Ning nodded.

His Primaltwin, logically speaking, should have it much easier than his true body…and yet, it had still been forced to the brink.

“Your true body’s tribulation will undoubtedly be utterly astonishing. There might be some unexpected variables that will cause it to be many times more deadly than this Celestial Tribulation,” Subhuti said. “Thus…I order you to master the Grand Dao of the Sword, master the art of applying heartforce to your soul, and reach the Sixth Cycle of the [Eight-Nine Arcane Art] before you can attempt it.”

“Your disciple understands,” Ning said respectfully. “Your disciple shall definitely work hard and make plentiful preparations.”

“It is good that you understand.” Subhuti nodded.

“Right…once you master the Grand Dao of the Sword,” Subhuti said, “Because you have already condensed the five types of ki within your chest, you’ll be able to join them together and instantly become a Pure Yang True Immortal.”

Ning nodded.

“Now…the war between your Grand Xia and the Seamless Gate is about to begin. You won’t be able to avoid it. The Seamless Gate will definitely try to come up with another way to kill you,” Subhuti said. “As the saying goes, know thyself and know thy enemy; only then shall you be the victor in every battle. You need to conceal your true power. You absolutely must not let anyone know all of your secrets; once you are exposed, you’ll be in danger.”

“Your disciple understands,” Ning said hurriedly.

“No, you don’t.” Subhuti shook his head. “I am forbidding you from telling anyone in the future about your full power. That includes both myself and your Dao-companion.”

Ning was puzzled. “I can’t even tell you or Yu Wei, Master?”

“You cannot.” Subhuti shook his head. “The intelligence methods the Seamless Gate have available to them are beyond your imagination. If you hide everything in your heart, no one but you will know and the Seamless Gate will not find out either. But if you tell anyone at all…it might be revealed to them. Thus, for the sake of hiding your power, you are not to tell anyone at all about it.”

Ning felt some amazement in his heart.

No wonder…

No wonder the intelligence capabilities of the Seamless Gate were so powerful. So long as he told anyone, there was a chance that it might be leaked to them? This was utterly inconceivable.

“For example…on the day that you become a Pure Yang True Immortal, you are not to tell anyone at all,” Subhuti instructed. “The process of becoming a Pure Yang True Immortal doesn’t cause much of a disturbance; if you don’t tell anyone, no one will know.”

Ning nodded.

It was different from when a Void-level Earth Immortal became a Celestial Immortal; a Celestial Tribulation was involved. There truly wasn’t much of a disturbance caused when a Celestial Immortal became a Pure Yang True Immortal.

“Once I become a Pure Yang True Immortal, I won’t be able to hide my Pure Yang energy,” Ning said.

“I have a magic incantation that you can use to hide your energy signature. So long as you don’t attack someone, they won’t be able to realize your true power.” Subhuti handed over a bamboo scroll.

Ning immediately accepted it.

“The storm has come to the Three Realms.” Subhuti let out a soft sigh. “The more the enemy knows about your capabilities, the faster you will end up dying. Your Grand Xia, for example…it holds multiple individuals who have broken through to become Pure Yang True Immortals, but they’ve been hiding it all along. Some have been hiding it for trillions of years. The abilities of the Seamless Gate…there is far, far too much that you do not know about them.”

Ning felt astonishment in his heart.

So the Grand Xia actually had multiple Pure Yang True Immortals hidden within it? Still, that made sense; on the surface, the Xia Emperor claimed that he was the sole Pure Yang True Immortal present. If that was true, that really was quite pathetically weak.

“I’ve already given you your instructions. Do not forget them. I won’t be able to protect you at all times, during this storm; in fact, not even the seven Empyrean Gods by your side might necessarily be able to emerge from their Starseizer world to rescue you in time.” Subhuti looked at Ning. “If you want to stay alive…you will primarily have to rely on yourself.”

“If my guess is correct…”

Subhuti lifted his head. “Both sides, the Grand Xia and the Seamless Gate, are already secretly preparing to launch the war. I expect that it will explode onto the stage within a month. You have to be careful.”

After finishing his words, Subhuti turned and walked away, departing gracefully.

“Your disciple shall remember your words,” Ning said respectfully.

“What’s wrong, Ji Ning?”

“Junior apprentice-brother?”

Immortal Diancai and the others next to Ning all returned to normal. Just now, the flow of time had been changed for them, and so although Ning and Subhuti had spent some time chatting, Immortal Diancai and the others only felt as though an instant had passed. They didn’t see Patriarch Subhuti at all; naturally, they had no idea as to what had just happened.

“Nothing. My master was helping to protect me; he just left.” Ning laughed. “Let’s go. Let’s go back to Brightheart Island.”

“Right.” They all followed Ning in flying back towards Brightheart Island.

As they flew through the air, they saw the Golden Crow beginning to rise.

“The wind and the rain are coming…” Ning mused silently to himself, “Within one month, eh?”





* * *





Book 18, Chapter 1 - Evacuation


Brightheart Island.

Ji Ning and the others landed onto the ground. Upon seeing him appear, the servants and maids of Brightheart Island all called out in respectful unison, “Young master.”

“Ji Ning, you’ve returned.” A frantic-looking, black-robed Ji Truekeep came walking over.