Desolate Era (Book 28 - Book 30)

Thanks to this suit of armor, the Sword Hegemon’s body had been completely undamaged!

Ning had chosen to forcibly endure that killing blow precisely because he felt confident in the armor. But of course, even if he didn’t have it he still wouldn’t have been afraid, as he had already trained in the Hegemon’s protective divine ability, the [Sword Dao Body], for over a thousand years. His body was already comparable to a low-grade Eternal weapon. If he wanted to keep training, he’d need to use certain treasures.

To go from being a top-grade Dao weapon to being a low-grade Eternal weapon seemed like a minor improvement, but there was a qualitative difference between Eternal weapons and Dao weapons. For example, Patriarch Clearwind was able to destroy top-grade Dao weapons, but he wasn’t able to cause any damage to low-grade Eternal weapons.

He had the Hegemon’s armor protecting him on the outside, and a mighty protective divine ability on the inside! How could Patriarch Clearwind possibly injure him?

Boom! When the attack landed against him, he couldn’t help but be knocked flying back. It was only thanks to the power of his lightning-water domain of sword-intent that he was able to stabilize himself and come to a halt.

“Pretty strong.” Ning revealed a smile and a praising nod.

“Y-you…” Patriarch Clearwind’s smirk suddenly froze as he stared at Ning in disbelief. “How are you…”

Even if Darknorth didn’t die, he should’ve at least been heavily injured.

“Your killer technique’s not strong enough. You don’t have nearly the power you would need if you want to kill me.” Ning shook his head. Even without the Hegemon’s armor, his divine body’s toughness vastly surpassed that of most Daolords of the Fourth Step. Ning had already paid a steep price to fully master the [Golden Idol] technique, making his body comparable to top-grade Dao weapons. To learn another divine ability that could further upgrade his body and make it comparable to an Eternal weapon, even a low-grade one, was quite difficult. The cost of such an ability would be staggeringly high, making it so that not even the vast majority of Daolords of the Fourth Step would be able to learn any such technique.

Upon mastering the [Sword Dao Body], your body would become comparable to a supreme Eternal weapon!

This was the Hegemon’s own divine ability, after all. The only reason he had been so selfless as to give it to others was because he was dead! Someone still alive like Emperor Mirrorsnow or the almighty Brightshore Hegemon would always keep a few trump cards hidden for their own private usage when transmitting legacies to others.

“I-I… I’m impressed.” Patriarch Clearwind suddenly waved his hand, causing the distant shrine to suddenly fly towards him. He then flew straight into the shrine.

“Eh?” Ning was startled. The battle was over, just like that?

Still, there was nothing Ning could do. He could leave if he wanted, but since Patriarch Clearwind was actually stronger than him, Clearwind was similarly able to leave as he pleased.

“What, you are planning to leave?” The midair Ning asked.

“Not just yet. I think it’s time for us to have a good chat,” Patriarch Clearwind said from within his shrine. He had been thoroughly intimidated by Ning’s absolutely overwhelming speed. If he stayed hidden with his shrine and relied on its formations, there would be nothing Ning could do to him.

“Solesky! Battlemaster!” Patriarch Clearwind called out loudly, his voice echoing within the skies. “We can have a chat now.”

The furious gray storm had long ago vanished. Ning dispelled his lightning-water domain of sword-intent as well, and the skies became calm and sunny once more.

“Haha, you madman! So you are finally willing to talk?” Two streaks of light flew out from Vastheaven Palace. They were Daolord Solesky and Daolord Battlemaster. Daolord Solesky snickered, “Didn’t you say you were going to besiege Vastheaven Palace for one or ten chaos cycles? Why do you want to talk now? What makes you think I want to talk to you? You really are overestimating your own importance.”

“That was all my fault,” Patriarch Clearwind said. “Solesky, my friend, please don’t take offense.”

Daolord Solesky’s eyes bulged out, and Daolord Battlemaster was stunned as well. Even Ning was dazed.

The man was voluntarily admitting fault? He was even addressing Solesky as ‘my friend’?

“Ahaha! It’s rare for you to bow your head to anyone, you madman. But the two of us have been tussling for so long… for you to suddenly address me as ‘my friend’ sends chills up my spine.” Daolord Solesky glanced mockingly at Patriarch Clearwind. “You can’t kill my brother Ji Ning, but he can’t do anything to you either. Are you lowering your head in order to ransom back that Daolord of the Third Step of yours?”

“Ransoming him back is part of it,” Patriarch Clearwind said from within his shrine. “More importantly, I wish for our two sides to reconcile. Let us wipe away all our old grievances with a single handshake and never be enemies again. If you wish to attach any conditions, my friend, you can just go ahead and name them.”

Patriarch Clearwind knew exactly what he was doing.

He didn’t fear Battlemaster. He didn’t fear Solesky. He did, however, fear this Darknorth fellow! Darknorth was already incredibly powerful as a Daolord of the Second Step; there was nothing Clearwind could do to him. Once Darknorth reached the third step or the fourth step… given the feud between the two sides, that would probably be the day when Clearwind Temple would be wiped out. The best decision was for him to immediately resolve this feud, no matter what price had to be paid.





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Book 29, Chapter 21 - Avatar


“Name any conditions we want?” Solesky and Battlemaster exchanged a glance, mirth in their eyes.

“The old madman’s finally bowed his head. We’ve been fighting for tens of thousands of chaos cycles. Now, he’s finally bowed his head.” Solesky couldn’t help but sigh. He had been tussling with Clearwind for many years now, and both were famous, respected figures who were unwilling to concede to the other. Since they were enemies, Vastheaven Palace and Clearwind Temple naturally became mortal enemies as well, and the struggle had gone on for tens of thousands of chaos cycles.

To bow the head represented the loss of face as well as the loss of many treasures.

“It is all because of Darknorth.” Battlemaster glanced at the nearby Ji Ning.

“Solesky, my friend… to tell you the truth, do you think I would ever lower my head to you?” The distant Patriarch Clearwind, still within his shrine, shook his head. “Absolutely impossible. However, your Vastheaven Palace has gained yet another fine brother! Although I’m not worried about this Darknorth at present, he’s still just a Daolord of the Second Step. Soon, he’ll surpass me, and your Vastheaven Palace shall become famous throughout the Endless Territories alongside him.”

Solesky and Battlemaster both laughed. In the future, Vastheaven Palace would be guarded by a truly unearthly Daolord, one who would most likely be able to kill even Eternal Emperors! It was obvious that Ning had that type of potential.

However… Clearwind, Solesky, and Battlemaster had no idea that Ning was actually even more terrifying than they thought him to be. In truth, Ning was nothing more than a Daolord of the First Step!

“You praise me too much,” Ning said.

“Not at all. I’m just telling the truth,” Patriarch Clearwind said, then looked towards Solesky. “Go ahead, Solesky. Tell me what you want.”

“Clearwind, if you want to resolve the enmities between us, I don’t mind,” Solesky said. “But I do have three conditions.”

……