Desolate Era (Book 22 - Book 24)

“A breakthrough?”


“A Fiendgod Body Refiner has made a breakthrough. By the looks of it, it is at least a breakthrough to the True God level. In fact, it could very well be a breakthrough to the Elder God level.” Upon sensing how frenzied the primordial chaos had become, the prisoners quickly understood what was happening. However, they were quite puzzled. Generally speaking, those with enough potential to make a breakthrough would’ve done so long ago in the outside world. There was no way to even sense the Daos in this world. In the past three chaos cycles, not a single prisoner had made a large breakthrough like this. Who had just broken through?!

Some prisoners quickly thought of the newly arrived Overseer.

“Could it be the Overseer?” True God Shiyu, who had replanted his flower garden within the gorge, couldn’t help but frown.

The Fiendgod Body Refining techniques of the Three Realms generally drew on the power of outside stars. The [Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens], for example, drew from the energy of the Solar Star and the Lunar Star. The other techniques would draw from the Seven Big Dipper Stars or from other star systems and constellations.

Where did the energy of stars come from?

The primordial chaos gave birth to many stars. The energy given off by stars, ‘stellar energy’, was essentially the energy of primordial chaos that had already been converted. This sort of pre-converted energy was naturally easier to absorb. The [Solitary World God], however, was even more profound; when breaking through, one could draw energy straight from the primordial chaos itself.

However, only in the exact moment of the breakthrough would this be possible. It was much like how the [Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens] allowed for the energy of Lunar Truewater and Solar Truefire to descend upon its practitioners in the moment of breakthrough. During normal cultivation, however, one needed to slowly, steadily draw upon stellar energy.

The [Solitary World God] was able to absorb all types of stellar energy. It could even absorb energy from the frozen star on which Ning was currently located.

If Ning had some insights into the Dao of Primordial Chaos, then even during normal cultivation he would be able to draw energy from the primordial chaos.

……

A grassy area.

Ning was seated in the lotus position, surrounded by an crater. It was as though he was an enormous meteor that had smashed on the ground and created a crater, but in reality it had been created by the enormous flow of chaos energy that had surged here earlier.

“Whew.”

Ning opened his eyes.

“I’ve changed.” Ning could sense how powerful his body had become. Previously, he was a mere Empyrean God, but thanks to the [Taowu Eighteen Fiendgods] and the [One True Body] technique he was equivalent to a half-step True God! Now that he had broken through to become an actual True God, he could be considered half a step into the Elder God realm of power.

“In all the Three Realms…”

“The likes of Daoist Three Purities, Lord Tathagata the Buddha…the likes of Suiren, Shennong, and Fuxi…and even the likes of Daomother Devilhand and Keeper Everwood of the Seamless Gate…they are nothing more than True Gods,” Ning murmured to himself. “I am a True God as well, and I can be considered a half-step Elder God. Finally…I finally have the power I need to change the course of the entire war for the Three Realms.”

The major powers of the three Realms were primarily composed of Daofathers and True Gods.

Three Purities, Tathagata, Suiren, Shennong, Fuxi, Subhuti, Houyi, Daomother Devilhand, Keeper Everwood…all of them were True Gods! True Gods and Daofathers!

The reason why they were able to unleash the overlord level of power and be comparable to Elder Gods in might was primarily because their insights into the Dao were far, far too profound.

Tathagata, for example, had thoroughly mastered all five of the Heavenly Daos of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth. These five Heavenly Daos formed a complementary set known as the Five Elements, joining together to unleash a truly dominating level of force. His insights into the Dao of Primordial Chaos had also reached an inconceivable level! By relying on his insights into the Daos, he was able to unleash a level of power that was comparable to that of Elder Gods.

The same was true for the likes of Fuxi, Shennong, and Suiren; they all had exceedingly high levels of insights into the Daos!

Mastery of the Heavenly Daos of Yin and Yang, mastery of the Heavenly Daos of the Five Elements…all of them had extremely profound levels of insight into the Dao, which was why they were comparable to Elder Gods!

Daofathers could be divided into three levels of power.

Ordinary Daofathers were quite ordinary indeed; they would usually have mastery over one or two of the Heavenly Daos.

Top-tier Daofathers generally held mastery over fifth-stage taiji-force, infiniforce, swordforce, or other types of force.

Overlord-class Daofathers were equivalent to Elder Gods! Firegod Zhurong, Watergod Gonggong, the Ancestor Dragon, the Phoenix, and the other Elder Gods were born with mastery over one Heavenly Dao, and their insights into the Daos were significantly inferior to that of Tathagata and Three Purities. However, thanks to the great power of their divine bodies, they still were overlord-class powers. Alas, some died in the wars for supremacy during the Primordial Era, while others died in the war that ended the Primordial Era.

Nuwa had eventually left.

Fuxi had chosen to reincarnate. He had become a human, but to this very day he had yet to awaken his memories from his past life. He was just a True God and a Daofather, not an Elder God.

A number of the Elder Gods of the Seamless Gate had also died in battle, with the Lord of the Demonheart having fused himself into the Heavenly Daos.

In all the Three Realms…the only true Elder God was the Lord of All Fiends. Him and him alone! The second could be considered Ji Ning…a half-step Elder God!

“My insights into the Dao, compared to the other overlords, are rather lacking. However, my path is the path of swordforce. By relying on my fifth-stage swordforce and my sword-arts which surpass the limits of the Heavenly Daos, as well as my half-step Elder God divine body, I should have the power of an overlord Daofather.” Ning had battled against Daomother Devilhand, and so he knew exactly where he ranked in terms of power.

“Seamless Gate. Godking!” Ning’s eyes were filled with a strong, murderous intent. Now that he had become more powerful, his murderous intent had only strengthened even further.

“I’ve changed.”

“The world…shall change as well.”

Ning murmured these words softly to himself, his voice filled with a thick desire to kill.

In the past, he had to wait. Had to endure.

That was only because back then, he wasn’t strong enough yet. But now…he was!

“I won’t rush things. First, I’ll repair the surface layer of Violetjewel. By then, I’ll be even more powerful.” Ning waved his hand, putting away the stone sword-steles and the jade shrine. He then transformed into a black lightning serpent, disappearing into the horizons with a flash as he flew towards the location of the Five Elements Cauldron.





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Book 22, Chapter 2 - Divine Sword, Violetjewel


Ji Ning descended from the skies, landing next to the Five Elements Cauldron. He turned to look at the ancient stone platform next to it, as well as the the blood-colored sword placed atop it. The sword’s body was still filled with cracks.