Desolate Era (Book 25 - Book 27)

“Hey…” Just as Ning was about to take a break, he suddenly noticed something within his body. “The azureflower mist energy can convert Immortal energy, divine power, and heartforce.” Ning mused to himself, “Although there’s no way for it to leave my body, it can easily enter the Jindan chaos region inside of me. If Immortal energy can be used to control the lightning, can the azureflower mist energy be used to do the same?”


The azureflower mist energy was far stronger than the Immortal energy!

“I’ll give it a try.” Ning immediately felt a hint of eagerness. Previously, he had dispersed his azureflower mist energy and sent it throughout his body, with a little residing within the Jindan chaos region as well. Now, Ning sent more and more of the azureflower mist energy into the Jindan chaos region, where it began to fly straight towards the nine types of lightning essence that crackled at the margins of the region.

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

The nine streams of azureflower mist energy were like nine roving dragons that burrowed straight into the nine types of lightning essence. Upon the energy entering the lightning essence, Ning was ready to give controlling them a shot.

Instantly, the nine types of chaos lightning began to fly upwards. It was extremely easy, and the chaos lightning flew about in an extremely obedient manner.

“Haha, it actually works. Using the azureflower mist energy to control the lightning is a hundred times easier than using my Immortal energy.” Ning was delighted. If previously it had been as difficult as an ordinary man wielding a gigantic greataxe, Ning now felt like he was an ordinary man who was wielding a pair of chopsticks. It was so easy!

The nine streaks of lightning coiled around in the air, mixing together in a perfect manner and transforming to become something else.

Slowly…

The nine streaks of lightning merged into eight streaks, then seven…

In the end, only one streak of lightning was left. It was a streak of crimson-gold lightning that radiated an aura of power that was so great that Ning trembled in fear. It vastly surpassed any other type of chaos lightning in power, and Ning felt certain that most likely even Dao lightning wouldn’t be much stronger than it.

Boom!

The crimson-gold lightning suddenly slammed downwards, smashing against the ‘mud’ of the formation. Instantly, the formation drew in the power of the crimson-gold lightning. It seemed to come to life as an enormous seal took form atop it.

“The seed of the secret art has taken shape.” Ning let out a sigh of relief.

In the future, the nine types of lightning essence would simply release their power and allow it to be converted by the seed, giving birth to that terrifying crimson-gold lightning.

“The [Novessence Thunder] formed by chaos lightning should be able to kill any master-class World God with a single blast.” After getting a good sense for how powerful the crimson-gold lightning was, he felt even more convinced of Daolord Allgod’s might.

However, given how strong Ning currently was, the [Novessence Thunder] would primarily be used as a ‘domain’ type effect, causing a large amount of lightning to surround and trap his foes. It must be understood that a domain that was capable of easily slaying master-class World Gods would serve as a terrifyingly strong constraint upon others!

When two individuals were on the same general level of power, for one side to be constrained in some manner would have a huge impact on a battle between them.

Daolord Allgod himself had used his nine secret arts at the same time to trap and constrain his foes. As a result, even someone like Emperor Melobo had been forced to flee. Emperor Melobo had damn near died, and in the end he had lost an enormous amount of flesh and blood which Dalord Allgod had refined into that drop of Eternal blood.

Ning was now in a superb mood after having successfully forged the [Novessence Thunder].

Two short months later, Daolord Badlands returned with a million cubes of chaos nectar. Although Ning had mentally prepared himself to receive such a vast fortune, his heart still shook when it actually entered his hands. For such a sum of chaos nectar to actually before him was still quite a stunning sight.

For most Elder Gods and Ancestral Immortals, a mere hundred bottles was already an incredible fortune.

For World-level cultivators, a hundred cubes was a shocking sum.

A million cubes was enough to cause even Samsara Daolords turn green-eyed with envy.

“I really have never seen so much of it before.” Ning was located within a miniature estate-world which held a small pond within it. Ning stared at this elegant-looking small pond, which was merely thirty meters in size. It really was quite small… but Ning’s eyes couldn’t help but shine as he stared at it. This entire pool was formed from chaos nectar!





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Book 26, Chapter 17 - The Trial of the Painting


After feeling stunned for a while, Ji Ning regained his normal composure. In the end, outside sources of power were extraneous. The path of cultivation was a path where one would have to rely on one’s self.

“Time to go test out the Mirrorsnow Paintings,” Ning murmured to himself.

The Mirrorsnow Paintings could only be entered once one reached the World level, and only World-level cultivators were granted entry; Samsara Daolords were unable to go inside.

“I wonder what sort of trials Emperor Mirrorsnow left behind? Time to take a look.” More than two months had passed since he had returned from the Badlands Court. It had only taken him a single day to form the [Novessence Thunder] technique. The rest of his time had been spent ruminating over the Dao of the Sword. Ning had gained quite a few insights since his battle against Arroyo.

Ning had acquired the first Mirrorsnow Painting from the crocodilian bugbeast in the Grove of Monoliths within the Allgod Estate.

Ning was now seated by the sandy shores of that oceanic island, admiring the first painting. The painting was of a beautifully decorated palace, but the artistic quality of it really was rather low.

“In I go.” Ning had bound the first Mirrorsnow Painting long ago. He now filled it with his Immortal energy, and his World-level energy instantly connected to the estate-world located within it.

Swoosh!

Ning entered the world of the painting.

“Eh?” Ning looked at his surroundings. Moments ago, he had been atop a sandy beach. Now, he was located within a towering palace that was carved out of jade. Its pillars glowed with golden light and were filled with carvings of strange beasts.

In front of Ning, far off into the distance up the stairs, there was a golden throne. A figure suddenly appeared before the golden throne. It was a tall, golden-robed man who sat down atop the throne, staring downwards towards Ning like an emperor staring at his subject.

“After so many years, a new World-level cultivator has finally entered.” The golden-robed emperor said, “Junior, the Eternal Emperor ordered me to wait here for you. All you need to do is defeat me. If you can defeat me, you’ll have passed the trial of this estate-world. The four Mirrorsnow Paintings hold a total of four estate-worlds within them. If you can pass all four trials, you shall become a true, personal disciple of the Eternal Emperor.”

“Defeat you?” Ning looked at the golden-robed emperor. “Might I ask, what techniques am I permitted to use in this attempt?”

“You are not permitted to use Immortal energy or divine power. You must rely on nothing more than your own raw physical strength, and I’ll use the same amount of strength as you. The two of us shall compete in swordplay and nothing but swordplay. Neither of us shall use divine abilities, secret arts, or anything else,” the golden-robed emperor said. “If you can defeat me, you will have won.”

Ning now understood. This was a test of his sword-arts. The four paintings represented four major challenges. Daolord Windsource’s disciple had access to the third painting for an extremely long period of time, but he still remained unable to pass its trial. This was a testament to how difficult the trial would be.