Desolate Era (Book 19 - Book 21)

In the Endwar, all the Daofathers would use up enormous amounts of energy in battle, and so both sides needed to store up large amounts of Great Firmament pills! Ning was merely an Empyrean God and True Immortal, after all, and so the Seamless Gate didn’t request an excessively exorbitant amount of materials for making them.

“These three treasures are indeed somewhat useful for the Seamless Gate, but even if you gave them these items it wouldn’t have much of an impact on the overall situation.” Subhuti laughed coldly. “Their goal is to force you into Undermoon Lake! The ideal outcome for them is you dying inside that place. Even if you don’t die, you might be trapped there for countless years. Even if you manage to leave, the war would have long since ended, with you having caused no impact on the Endwar at all.”

“Ever since the Primordial Era, the only one who has ever survived to return was Buddha Jueming, but he was trapped there for countless years as well. What a fine plan. What a fine ploy!” Subhuti looked at Ning. “You have to be careful. I know you wish to rescue your wife, but your own life is even more important. Don’t forget that you have a daughter to take care of.”

“Yes,” Ning assented respectfully.

Subhuti just sighed to himself.

Some cultivators would go so far as to kill their own parents or spouse so as to strengthen their Dao-hearts! They would place their own cultivation in a position of paramount importance; everything else could be discarded. In the Three Realms, there were quite a few such figures who were completely focused on the Dao and were willing to sacrifice everything else. However, his disciple Ji Ning was a person who viewed relationships as being tremendously important.

“Houyi, all those years ago, was just like how Ji Ning is. Both of them care deeply about relationships. Can it be that this is necessary in order for one to be accomplished in heartforce?” Subhuti still felt fairly unconcerned, relatively speaking. “The Seamless Gate’s calculations are off. They want to use Undermoon Lake to trap or kill Ji Ning, but they don’t know that he has a total of 18 bodies. Even if one dies within Undermoon Lake, it won’t have much of an impact on him.”

“Hmph. Today, they are using love to manipulate my disciple. In the future…” A murderous intent began to rise within Subhuti’s heart.

……

After his master left, Ning continued to sit there in the lotus position within his Voidboat. He allowed the Godking’s invisible energy to infiltrate his mind, guiding his senses downwards. He remained conscious, but part of his mind had been drawn into the dreamworld.

Within the vast, dark dreamworld.

The Godking, seated atop his towering throne, stared downwards at the newly-appeared Ji Ning.

“Right after our negotiations concluded, your master sought you out. It seems he really does care about you quite a bit.” The Godking looked at Ning, then laughed coldly. “Have you changed your mind? If you’ve changed your mind, we can keep fighting. But of course, your senior apprentice-sister will continue to suffer endless torment within the Infinity Hells…”

To force Ji Ning to enter Undermoon Lake was the best idea the Godking had come up with. Ideally, Ji Ning would die, but even if he didn’t die he would still be trapped there.

His only worry was that Subhuti would dissuade Ning, causing him to change his mind.

“Don’t worry. I’ll go to Undermoon Lake.” Ning looked at the Godking. “Hurry up and release her.”

“Hahaha.” The Godking let out a secret sigh of relief. “Don’t worry. I’ll release Yu Wei right now.”

Whoosh.

Ning suddenly sensed a ripple next to him. Turning his head, he saw that upon a distant meadow the figure of an incredibly beautiful black-robed maiden had appeared. This peerless beauty had a rather glazed look in her eyes; clearly, the torment she had endured in the Infinity Hells had nearly broken her. Fortunately, the Godking had been in control of things; otherwise, her soul would’ve shattered long ago.

But upon seeing her in such a state, Ning still felt pain in his heart.

“This wife of yours has only spent a mere century in the flame hell,” the Godking said calmly. “According to my original plans, I was going to to have her spend a thousand years in each of the hells. Your wife has only gotten a taste of the first hell…but alas, you’ve forced us to compromise with you. I have to say, I feel some admiration for you.”

Ning didn’t respond to the Godking. ‘Flame hell’? He still remembered how, when he made the choice all those years ago during the Realmwar, he had watched as Yu Wei was sent to suffer an agonizing set of torture by fire. So during the past century…she had been continuously suffering that agony.

Yu Wei slowly came back to her senses. After suffering a century within the Infinity Hells, she had already somewhat lost control of her senses. Her soul was simply too weak. Only after her torment had finally halted did she slowly come back to her senses. In front of her, off in the distance, stood a white-robed youth. A white-robed youth who seemed to have unshed tears glimmering in his eyes…

“Junior apprentice-brother.” This was the first time Yu Wei had spoken in a century.

“Senior apprentice-sister.” Ning’s body blurred, then reappeared next to her. He took Yu Wei by the hand.

Their gazes met.

Ning held Yu Wei in his arms. He could sense the warmth, her warmth, emanating from her body. “Senior apprentice-sister. I’m sorry.” It had been his choice that had consigned her into the Infinity Hells.

“It was I who wronged you.” Yu Wei smiled into Ning’s embrace. “When I destroyed Shennong’s medicine, I knew that it would be impossible for me to make up for the harm I caused you. I couldn’t even face you. I thought that perhaps death would be the best outcome.”

“It wasn’t your fault. Wasn’t your fault.” Ning said, “The Godking is the disciple of the Lord of the Demonheart; he’s skilled in mesmerizing the hearts of others. In your past life, you suffered too much and so the demon in your heart became incredibly powerful, giving him a chance to bewilder you…”

Yu Wei nodded gently.

She had become completely clear-minded now. When she had shattered Shennong’s medicine, her soul had been shattered as well. The Godking had hurried after her, dragging her truesoul back, then sending it to be reborn into a new, weak soul. That weak soul, however, no longer had any soul-imprints on it, and the Godking no longer spent any effort in mesmerizing her a second time. After all, there was no point to doing so when she was going to be in the Infinity Hells.

With the soul imprint gone, the century of burning agony she had experienced caused her to see things even more clearly.

“I’m actually quite content. Ordinary mortals only live for a single century. I’ve lived a very, very long life in my previous life and in this life, and I even met you. We even had a daughter together, Brightmoon. It’s enough.” Yu Wei said consolingly, “I did wrong by you, junior apprentice-brother.”

“Hahaha…”

The Godking, seated upon his massive throne, laughed as he stared downwards towards them. “What a fine pair of Immortal lovers. Even I feel a bit moved by you two. Yu Wei, do you know? For your sake, this Dao-companion of yours used his own strength to cause major disturbances to my Seamless Gate’s disposition of forces throughout the entire Three Realms. He forced me, the exalted Godking, to bow my head and to negotiate with him. Haha…from this day forth, Yu Wei, you will no longer need to enter the Infinity Hells. You can live a peaceful, joyful life. Once your Dao-companion, Ji Ning, returns with those three treasures I’ve asked for, you’ll regain your freedom. You will be allowed to reunite with Ji Ning and your daughter.”