Desolate Era (Book 19 - Book 21)

“Demon king.” Ning looked at the demon king.

“The century has concluded.” The demon king rested his long black staff over his shoulders and said lazily, “You’ve really killed quite a few demons.”

“Am I permitted to pass through Demon Icepass? Can I go to the next island?” Ning asked.

The demon king looked at Ning. Chortling, he said, “Although I really would like to play with you a bit longer…you really have killed quite a few demons. Your sword is too fast.”

Ning blinked, then laughed.

His sword was fast? This entire time, he was worried that the number of demons he killed wasn’t enough, and so as he fought he repeatedly told himself, ‘faster, faster, faster!’ The faster his sword was, the more he would be able to kill! And given that Ning was training in the [Five Treasures] sword-art, a sword-art that surpassed the limits of the Heavenly Daos, he had made numerous breakthroughs during the past century of slaughter. He had gained repeated insights, and thus he had gained a deep understanding of the extremely esoteric fourth chapter of the [Five Treasures]. As Ning learned more, his sword became faster and faster.

“You may pass through Demon Icepass and reach the fourth island; Kilostar Island,” the demon king said. “But before you do so, I’ll lead you to a place to choose a treasure.”

Ning nodded. Upon reaching the third, fourth, and fifth islands, there would be a chance to choose a treasure.

“And those Empyrean Gods you are carrying with you; since they are going to give up, have them hand their treasures over to me,” the demon king said calmly. “Empyrean Gods who give up are not qualified to obtain any treasures.”

“Alright.” Ning nodded. He knew this all along, and Feiyou, Oddwitch, and the others had long ago handed their treasures over to Ning, letting him hand it over on their behalf.

A day later.

Kilostar Island was also divided into two islands, a small island and a larger island. The small island was the place where the treasures were placed, while the larger island was the place where the Empyrean Gods lived.

“Go ahead. Your talent and your sword-art are both quite impressive; the only thing standing between you and freedom is the final challenge.” The demon king smiled as he looked at Ning. “It’s been countless years, but Jueming was the only one to leave. I hope you will become the second.”

Ning nodded, then turned and walked onto the floating wooden bridge towards the larger island.

Just now, Ning had chosen three treasures and, thanks to his strenuous negotiating, acquired eight of each! However, these three treasures were not of much use to Ning, at least for now. For example, if Ning hadn’t acquired the [Icefire Jindan Smelting] technique, he wouldn’t have known how to use Iceheart Pith and Ninefire Lava. Right now, he didn’t know any techniques that could make use of these three treasures.

“Kilostar Island.”

Ning walked towards the larger island, unable to hide the excitement he felt. This was already the fourth island; he was very close to reaching the exit! Once he reached the fifth island, he would be able to leave.

“Senior apprentice-sister…wait for me.” Ning felt a deep desire to be reunited with her swell up in his heart.

Ning immediately calmed himself down, then proceeded into the island. He chose a random boulder at the borders of the island, then sat down in the lotus position. He began to go through his memories and insights from the hundred years of battle. During that century, he had been constantly fighting; although he had gained some insights into the [Five Treasures], he hadn’t had a chance to systematically examine these insights in depth.

It must be understood that prior to entering Demon Icepass, Ning had only trained for a total of roughly two hundred years! Prior to the war for the Grand Xia, Ning had actually been focused on establishing a foundation for himself. The Black-White College, Mount Innerheart’s Tristar Crescent Abode…those places had all served to help him lay down a formation by teaching him many techniques.

The Nihilum Zone, the war for the Grand Xia, the Realmwar, roaming the Three Realms and challenging swordsmen…it was only during this period of time that he was truly improving on his foundation.

During this century, Ning had advanced at an incredible pace. Soon after entering Undermoon Lake, his swordforce had reached the fourth stage.

This time, however, he had spent a full century battling in Demon Icepass, and every single moment of that century was spent in nonstop combat. For someone like Ji Ning who was skilled in martial combat to begin with, this was a form of tempering that he had never before encountered. In truth, even the likes of Feiyou and the other Empyrean Gods who had lived for countless years all felt that Demon Icepass was tremendously beneficial to them, to say nothing of Ji Ning.

Ning closed his eyes. The [Five Treasures] sword-art constantly flickered through his mind as many different scattered insights began to join together, allowing him to understand it better and better. The [Brightmoon] sword-art was continuously improving as well.

……

Kilostar Island.

A gray-robed man was walking alone through the island. He murmured to himself, “When shall I be able to leave this prison? Even if I give up and return those treasures, they still won’t let me leave. I have to follow some other Empyrean God, but if that person dies, I’ll die as well. Only if that Empyrean God succeeds will I be able to leave.”

“But after all these years, Jueming remains the only one who has succeeded. And before Jueming made the attempt, who felt completely confident that he would succeed?”

“Ugh…”

“Dawn. The moon is rising.” A powerful desire to leave could be seen in the gray-robed man’s eyes. Suddenly, he blinked and turned to stare off into the distance. Far away, atop a boulder covered with gouges and marks, was a white-robed youth seated in the lotus position.





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Book 20, Chapter 24 - Kilostar Island


The gray-robed figure instantly felt puzzled. “Who is he? I know all the Empyrean Gods on Kilostar Island. Hell, I know most of the Empyrean Gods of the entire Three Realms. But this white-robed youth…” Although quite puzzled, he knew that here in Undermoon Lake, there were only two possible reasons for Empyrean Gods to be here.

The first was they had fought a path through the challenges. The second was that they had followed someone who did.

“He’s new. Does this mean…he just made it through Demon Icepass?” The gray-robed man felt shock in his heart. He watched as Ji Ning sat there meditatively, not daring to disturb him.

He waited for a total of twelve days.

Finally, Ning opened his eyes. All of the scattered insights he had gained over the course of a century had been unified, and his understanding of the sword had risen once more. In fact, Ning was able to vaguely sense a bit of what complete mastery of the [Five Treasures] should look like. However, he always felt as though he was a bit off, as though he was searching for flowers within a great fog. He was unable to truly understand and fully master the entire [Five Treasures].

“I’m still a bit off.” Ning sighed to himself. “If I could advance a bit more and fully understand the [Five Treasures], thus gaining full mastery over a sword-art that surpasses the limits of the Heavenly Daos…I’d probably be able to leave Undermoon Lake.”

The complete [Five Treasures] was something which even True Gods and Daofathers would find desirable. But alas, the price of learning this consummate sword-art was simply too high; learning it meant forgetting all insights into all other Daos. Very, very few major powers were willing to pay such a price…and few of the ones who might be willing had true talent for the Dao of the Sword.