Desolate Era (Book 19 - Book 21)

“I can’t keep studying it. It’s beyond my limits.” Ning was secretly shocked. “I wonder who left behind this sword-art? Was it World God Northrest? No matter who it was, this sword-art…it definitely surpasses any other sword-art of the Three Realms.”


In truth, the only World God the Three Realms had ever seen was Mother Nuwa. She didn’t use the sword, and so there was naturally no way that the Three Realms would have any techniques that could compare to this one.

“Time to go.” Since he could no longer study it, Ning had no choice but to continue to advance upwards through the staircase through the Void. Just a short while later, he encountered yet another stone tablet. This one was also covered with sword-stances, and it also did not have a name to it. However, this sword-art was diametrically different from the previous one…and yet, its power wasn’t one whit weaker.

Ning spent another three months carefully analyzing this technique, resulting his understanding of the sword rising even more.

“As the saying goes, beyond the heavens there is always an even greater Heaven.”

“Anyone who believes the major powers of the Three Realms to be the most powerful figures in the universe is as narrow-sighted as a frog within a well. The endless primordial chaos has far, far too many powerful experts within it.” Ning’s skill in the sword was continuing to grow, but he was beginning to grow increasingly humble. He understood that there were many who were far more powerful than him. The creator of the sword-art on this tablet would be able to slay him with a single blow of the sword.

The staircase through the Void seemed endless.

Ning continued his path through the staircase. He actually encountered a total of ninety-eight stone tablets, each of which possessed a sword-art that was so unfathomable and profound that Ning’s horizons were continually broadened. His skill in the sword had skyrocketed, and Ning had even gained some insights and ideas about reaching the fifth stage of swordforce.

The fifth stage of swordforce, Sword God. Ning had previously believed that it represented an unfathomably dense essence of emotions, and so when one reached this level, one’s sword-art would gain a soul of its own. This was what Ning believed, and it was also what most of the major powers of the Three Realms believed.

But now, after viewing the ninety-eight profound sword-arts left behind by this alien major power, Ning understood the truth.

Having emotions in one’s sword-art was of secondary importance! For example, Ning’s [Brightmoon] sword-art had originally possessed no emotional aura, but Ning had still been able to reach the fourth stage of swordforce, right?

The emotions simply aided the swordsman in becoming further intoxicated by the sword, allowing him to unleash even more of its potential.

In the end, what really mattered the most was understanding the sword and the essence of the sword! Of course strong emotions would be needed to upgrade one’s swordforce from being ‘sentient’ to having an actual ‘soul’, giving it extraordinary power, but that was just a side effect. What really mattered was truly understanding the sword; upgrading one’s understanding was the true foundation that needed to be laid.

“If I completely focused on infusing deep emotions into my sword-arts, I would’ve embarked on a wrong path.” Cold sweat covered Ning’s forehead. Only now, after seeing so many profound sword-arts, did he understand what his own path would be.

It was clear and obvious that the ninety-eight sword-arts atop the stone tablet had surpassed the fifth level of swordforce and reached an even higher and more unfathomable level.

“I’ve finally reached the end.”

After viewing the ninety-eighth stone tablet, Ning saw an end to the stairway through the Void. At the end of the stairway lay an ancient shrine that looked like it had been completely formed from green jade. The shrine emanated an invisible aura of power and majesty.





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Book 20, Chapter 35 - The End of the Road for World God Northrest


Ji Ning understood that the person who left behind this sort of sword-arts was powerful enough to, even in death, have complete control over whether or not Ning would live or die here. Thus, Ning didn’t hesitate. He walked straight towards the jade shrine at the end of the stairways through the Void.

The jade shrine was as beautiful as beautiful could be.

The shrine’s walls were made out of jade, possessing a semi-translucent quality about them. Just drawing near the walls of the jade shrine made Ning feel peaceful at heart.

“This shrine…” Ning swept it with his gaze as he entered. The shrine had almost nothing inside it, much like the last one.

At the very center of the shrine, there hovered a prayer mat that glowed with golden light. Far in front of the prayer mat lay an ancient, unadorned stone dais that had a slender sword atop it. The sword was three feet long but just one inch wide. This sword was completely blood-red in color, and its surface was covered with many cracks and scars. The cracks and scars covered every inch of the surface of the sword, making it look as though the sword might completely shatter at any moment. In fact, there were three particularly noticeable chunks missing from the edge of the sword.

This was a sword that was so badly damaged, it looked as though it was going to fall apart at any moment. But the sword…the sword was the source of the aura that filled the entire shrine! When Ning looked at the sword, he felt even more pressure than he did when he gazed upon Human Sovereign Fuxi. Without any question, this was a sword that vastly surpassed any Protocosmic spirit-treasure.

“A Chaos treasure?” Ning momentarily became quite excited, but moments later he frowned. “Even if it is a Chaos treasure, this sword…it’s been damaged to an incredible extent.”

After inspecting the place for a long time, Ning noticed that the prayer mat of golden light was woven from a Chaos ingredient known as winterheart grass. Similar types of prayer mats existed in the Three Realms, and those who sat upon it would feel their hearts becalmed. But in terms of price, it was merely comparable to a Protocosmic spirit-treasure. To someone like Ning, who had all the treasures of Prisonworld 17 in his hands, it really wasn’t that important.

“This is a mysterious place. It has a long staircase leading through the Void with a shrine at the end of it, and the shrine seems built to house and venerate a sword that’s almost been destroyed.” Ning was secretly puzzled.

The only items in the entire shrine were the prayer mat, the stone dais, and the divine sword. Neither the prayer mat nor the stone dais were particular special. Although the sword had an utterly shocking aura, it was unspeakably damaged.

As Ning was still pondering how to further investigate this shrine with care, a ripple of power suddenly flew out from the sword, landed on the ground, and transformed into a golden-armored female general. The golden armor was covered with many blood-colored patterns.

“Empyrean God Darknorth…Ji Ning?” The golden-armored warlady looked at Ning and spoke out.

“You are…?” Ning instantly understood. Since this person knew his name, she was probably the one who arranged for him to come here.

“I am the sword-spirit of ‘Violetjewel’, the divine sword that was wielded by World God Northrest.” The golden-armored warlady pointed at the tattered-looking sword. “That’s Violetjewel right there. You may address me as ‘sword-spirit’.”

This golden-armored woman was just the spirit of the treasure.

“You should have been sent out of Undermoon Lake, but I arranged for you to be led here instead,” the warlady said.

“What is this place?” Ning asked.

“This is still Undermoon Lake,” the golden-armored warlady said. “However, it is an independent, stand-alone dimension within Undermoon Lake. Before you entered, no one aside from myself knew that it existed.”

Ning was puzzled. “Are you saying that Reverend Jueming wasn’t allowed in here either?”