Desolate Era (Book 25 - Book 27)

Outside the Fire Palace was a large group of cultivators who wished to take the trials to join the Fire Palace, and two of them were individuals who Ning was quite familiar with. One was Su Youji the Flamefairy while the other was World God Pillsaint. They had tried many times in recent years but were still unable to enter the Palace of Fire.

“Master was acknowledged by the ancient pagodas?” Su Youji was instantly overjoyed to hear this. “Incredible. Master is simply incredible.” All other thoughts flew out of Su Youji’s mind as she immediately turned and ran towards the Fire Palace’s spacetime transfer array. She was going to go back to the Sword Palace. Her master had achieved such a great thing. How could she, his retainer, not be there to congratulate him?

“Is that brother Darknorth?” The chubby World God Pillsaint was stunned. “The Sword Palace? It has to be the Darknorth that I know. He once told me that he is going to join the Sword Palace. The Sword Palace doesn’t have that many World-level cultivators in it. There’s no way someone else will have the same Daoist title as him. Ugh, I’ve been training for years but still am not able to enter the Fire Palace. I might as well join brother Darknorth instead.”

World God Pillsaint quickly made up his mind, then turned and began to hasten towards the spacetime transfer array. Even assuming he didn’t wish to become Ji Ning’s retainer, he still would’ve gone to congratulate Ning on his success. Ning had shown him kindness, after all.

……

Whoosh. A few hours later Su Youji and World God Pillsaint, along with a few other cultivators, rode the spacetime transfer array from the Fire Palace to the Sword Palace.

Su Youji rushed straight into the Sword Palace. As Ji Ning’s retainer, she was permitted to go straight into the Sword Palace.

As for World God Pillsaint, he informed the black-armored Daolord who sought to bar his path, “Senior, I wish to meet with Swordlord Darknorth. I am his good friend.”

“He wishes to meet Swordlord Darknorth?” Su Youji, who had rushed on ahead, couldn’t help but turn back and glance at the chubby World God Pillsaint.

……

A short while later.

Within an Immortal estate located at the peak of a mountain. Ji Ning, Su Youji, and Pillsaint were all seated facing each other.

“Youji, this gentleman is the World God Pillsaint who I mentioned to you before.” Ning laughed. “In the Astral Islands, he was my very first competitor.”

World God Pillsaint looked rather embarrassed. He hurriedly said, “I really didn’t know my own limits. Thankfully, you showed mercy to me, Daoist brother Darknorth. Otherwise, I’d be dead.”

Ning chuckled. “It was a sign that destiny binds the two of us.”

“Right, right. Bound by destiny!” World God Pillsaint grinned at Ning. “Daoist brother Darknorth, I have nowhere to go in the Brightshore Kingdom. I’ve tried a few times to enter the Palace of Fire, but I’ve failed each time. And so, I’m planning to give up and join you instead. Am I lucky enough to be accepted?”

“Follow me?” Ning was startled, but he then said with a laugh, “If you don’t mind joining me, I’d naturally be willing to welcome you. Others would beg for the chance to take such a master alchemist as a retainer.”

“Then it is settled!” World God Pillsaint immediately and straightforwardly swore a lifeblood oath. His oath was one of the fairly common retainer oaths that were sworn in the Endless Territories. Generally speaking, retainer oaths were fairly relaxed. Ning was able to break through to become a Daolord whenever he wished, and would be an extraordinary Daolord at that. Someone like him was definitely qualified to take on World God Pillsaint as a retainer.

“Pillsaint greets you, Master.” World God Pillsaint bowed respectfully.

“Enough, enough. There’s no need for the two of you to go through these pointless courtesies.” Ning smiled. The very first time he saw World God Pillsaint, he had a good feeling about the man. Now, the chubby-cheeked, rosy-faced youth who wore all his feelings on his sleeve had become his retainer. Quite frankly, World-level cultivators who were so genuine and guieleless were quite rare.

“Whew. I finally have a backer now. Life in the Brightshore Kingdom really has pissed me off lately.” World God Pillsaint let out a sigh.

“Flamefairy, we didn’t know each other when we first met, but now we follow and serve the same master.” World God Pillsaint glanced towards the nearby Su Youji as he spoke.

“Uh huh.” The Flamefairy nodded.

“Can’t you be a bit more talkative?” World God Pillsaint felt speechless. The Flamefairy glanced at him and chuckled, but she didn’t say anything else.

As for Ning, he said, “Right. There’s something I need you two to do for me.”

“Please instruct us, Master.” World God Pillsaint and Su Youji both spoke out at the same time. Su Youji felt rather excited. It was quite rare for Ning to assign her any tasks.

“A great opportunity is coming, and I have a small shot at getting it. I have to do everything I can to prepare for it,” Ning said. “I’m planning to sell a treasure known as the Bloodfire Cloudfruit. It’ll be up to you to help me sell it.”

The Bloodfire Cloudfruit was the most valuable treasure he had on him.





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Book 27, Chapter 16 - Treasure Selling


“Bloodfire Cloudfruit?” Su Youji was puzzled.

“Bloodfire Cloudfruit!” World God Pillsaint’s eyes bulged out as he called out in shock.

“You know of it?” Su Youji turned to look at World God Pillsaint.

World God Pillsaint hurriedly nodded, too excited to act smug. “That’s one hell of a treasure. It is a unique fruit which can only be formed under very special conditions. It has marvelous properties, and cultivators who walk the Dao of Fire all dream of possessing something like it. But of course, it wouldn’t work for you. You Ki Refiners are too physically weak; there’s no way your bodies could possibly withstand the enormous amounts of energy the Bloodfire Cloudfruit contains. Only Fiendgod Body Refiners are able to endure its energy, which they can then use to forcibly convert their bodies into fire-attribute bodies. By then, they would be able to easily take control over Chaos fire and ride it to escape. Most likely, even Daolords would not be able to catch up to them.”

“It’s that amazing?” Su Youji was rather shocked. Not even Daolords would be able to catch up?

“If I sold it to Armaments Gorge, I’d be able to sell it for a million cubes of chaos nectar,” Ning said. “However, I’m hoping for a higher price. That’s why I’d like for you to help me spread the news of this treasure to the black-armored Daolords. They’ll definitely discuss it amongst themselves and with many others. Soon, everyone in the Twelve Palcaes will know, and I’m sure there will be some who would be willing to pay a high price for the Bloodfire Cloudfruit.”

“Selling for a high price? Easy! Leave it ot me.” Pillsaint was quite confident.

“Just spread the news as widely as you can. Even if a Daolord wishes to speak to me personally, just have them give you the bid,” Ning said. “A hundred years from now, I will leave the Forest of Sword Pagodas and choose the highest bidder, giving the Bloodfire Cloudfruit to him or her.”

“Alright.”

“Understood.”

Pillsaint and Su Youji were both a bit excited. Although this was a simple task, it was still a task that involved a million cubes of chaos nectar. They couldn’t help but be filled with enthusiasm.

“Alright. I’m heading to the Forest of Sword Pagodas.” Ning rose to his feet.

“Am I now allowed to enter and exit the Sword Palace freely?” Pillsaint was a bit worried about this. Just now, Ning had personally guided him through the palace, which was why the Sword Palace’s defenses had not automatically attacked him.

“Don’t worry. The spirit of the Sword Palace was able to see you becoming my retainer,” Ning said. The rules of the Sword Palace were that each formal disciple was permitted to grant two retainers free entry to and from the Sword Palace. Su Youji and Pillsaint were now both able to enter and leave freely, but Ning wouldn’t be able to grant this permission to a third retainer.