Desolate Era (Book 19 - Book 21)

“Thankfully, you and your friends came in the nick of time, fellow Daoist Guo Zi. Otherwise, I would’ve been in grave danger.” Ning had already dispersed the Heaven Punisher and allowed his million-plus Immortals to teleport back into the Starseizer world. By his side stood only Redsnow and the rest of the seven.

“I came to rescue you on orders of Human Emperor Suiren. If you want to thank someone, thank the Human Emperor.” Empyrean Goddess Guo Zi smiled and nodded towards Ning, and the ancient Empyrean Gods and True Immortals behind her nodded towards him as well. They all treated Ning in quite a friendly manner, because Ning himself was of the human race. These Empyrean Gods and True Immortals had been born in an era when the human race was still young and weak, and so they placed even more importance on solidarity with their fellow humans.





* * *





Book 19, Chapter 22 - Negotiations


“However…Ji Ning, your actions are far too risky,” Empyrean Goddess Guo Zi said. “Right now, our two sides are only engaging in small-scale skirmishes against each other. Both sides are still holding back, as no one is willing to expand the scale of the war just yet. Both sides are searching for weaknesses and openings, so as to win the war for karmic luck. Not only are we trying to win, we are also trying to ensure that our Empyrean Gods and True Immortals will survive. The Seamless Gate is trying to do the same thing.”

“Even if we win the war for karmic luck, if all of our Empyrean Gods and True Immortals end up dying, along with the majority of our True Gods and Daofathers…what’s the point?” Guo Zi looked towards Ning. “Until the final moment arrives, neither side is willing to launch a frenzied, all-out assault. When that final Endwar comes, it will be a massacre on both sides.”

“There is an invisible line which neither side is willing to cross. But you…you’ve crossed that line.” Guo Zi gazed towards Ning. “But of course, that’s just you, and so the Seamless Gate will only act against you and you alone. The further across that line you dare step, the more effort they will put into getting rid of you.”

Ning nodded.

“Still…don’t worry too much. If they begin to deploy their Empyrean Gods and True Immortals in large numbers, we’ll immediately move to stop them, because any actions involving nearly three hundred such experts is an act of war.” Guo Zi continued to look at Ning. “But if they just send small numbers of their most top-tier Empyrean Gods and True Immortals to kill you, there’s no way we can send an army to stop them.”

“You are very powerful, but the Seamless Gate also has some truly astonishing Empyrean Gods and True Immortals on their side.”

Ning nodded. “Fellow Daoist Guo Zi, I understand these things. But since I’ve already chosen to embark on this path, I naturally am prepared for the consequences.”

Guo Zi no longer tried to dissuade him. She knew that Ning was a powerful Empyrean God and a True Immortal, not a fool. And so she bid farewell and left, along with her forces.

As for Ning, he rode his Voidboat back to Sword Immortal world.

……

Sword Immortal world. The mountain peaks of the Five Treasure Peaks still pierced high into the clouds, and things were as quiet as ever.

Ning and the seven Empyrean Gods landed atop the mountains.

“Ji Ning, you can’t ignore what Guo Zi said just now,” Empyrean God Redsnow said worriedly. “Although you are powerful, our Nuwa Alliance alone has multiple figures who are on your level, such as the various divine archers. If any of them are given Daofruit of primordial chaos, they’ll probably be a bit more powerful than even you with your perfect Heaven Punisher. The Seamless Gate has powerful figure as well, and none of them are easy to deal with.”

“If I encounter an army, there’s nothing I can do, but if I encounter just one person, I can still fight back,” Ning said.

“Don’t disregard what she said. There are those who are more powerful than us when they use Chaos treasures or Daofruit,” Redsnow said. Primelight and the rest of the seven looked towards Ning as well.

Ning understood. In truth, both sides had a tacit understanding with each other.

If you are fighting by yourself, then I’ll send a single person to deal with you. Whoever ends up dying can only blame himself for being too weak.

But now, a madman appeared on your side who is ambushing and murdering my subordinates? He’s going too far. I’m going to send my army after him! If this madman halts his actions, I’ll naturally no longer have an excuse to send out an army; only if you employ an army will we do the same.

This came without any negotiations or public declarations, but this was indeed how both sides acted. This was a rule of their war!

If there were no rules at all, then it would be easy for things to rapidly escalate until a point was reached where the Endwar would begin prematurely. Clearly, neither side wished for the Endwar to begin just yet.

……

Within the thatched cottage. Ning was seated in the lotus position, waiting patiently.

He had risked his life today. Why? To incite the Seamless Gate.

Rumble…suddenly, a thought-strand descended upon Ning.

“Ji Ning.” An icy voice rang out.

“Finally.” Ning allowed the thought-strand to guide him into the dreamworld. This was exactly what he wanted; to negotiate with the Seamless Gate.

Within the dreamworld of darkness. The towering throne was still hovering within the center of this world, and the black-robed Godking sat upon it, staring down at the figure which had just appeared.

“Ji Ning.” The Godking roared with absolute fury, “You actually dare to rely on your personal power to assault some of the bases of my Seamless Gate? You are the first person in the Nuwa Alliance who dares to do such a thing!”

In truth, there were quite a few Empyrean Gods and True Immortals with deep-seated hatred towards the Seamless Gate. However, Ji Ning was the only one who was actually willing to risk his life in such a manner, and who had the power to carry it out! The formations around those bases were generally capable of withstanding the combined attacks of more than twenty Empyrean Gods and True Immortals for a period of time, after all.

“What do you want?” Ning raised his head to look at the Godking.

The Godking paused, then growled out, “Fifteen Empyrean Gods and True Immortals have died by your hand. If you let matters rest, I can let bygones be bygones.”

The Godking, in the end, had chosen to swallow his rage. He had to take into consideration his disposition of forces across the entire Three Realms, and he couldn’t perpetually be on alert against Ji Ning’s ambushes. His only option would be to change his force disposition throughout the entire Three Realms, but that would come at a price. For example, if he withdrew all the Empyrean Gods and True Immortals from the bases and headquarters, there were a number of major worlds that would become impossible to penetrate and infiltrate.

“Let bygones be bygones?” Ning looked at the Godking. “I can let matters rest…but I have a request.”

The Godking was utterly enraged. This child actually dared to make a request? But the Godking still suppressed his anger and said, “Speak!”

“Give senior apprentice-sister Yu Wei back to me,” Ning said.

“Yu Wei?”

The Godking was stunned…and then he began to roar with laughter. His laughter, tinged with fury, shook the entire world of darkness. “So the reason why you’ve gone so crazy is for Yu Wei. It seems that woman is quite important to you, for you to risk your life in such a way.”