Desolate Era (Book 28 - Book 30)

“If Master knew that I was using his most powerful killing technique, the Void Sword Realm to simply trap a foe… he’d probably be so insulted that he’d wipe me out.” The white-robed man’s figure appeared within the violet-golden canopy. When he used this technique, he completely merged himself into the canopy of light itself.

This was the Void Sword Realm, an extremely terrifying sword technique. It was definitely on par with Emperor Mirrorsnow’s most powerful strike, the Heartseal stance. Alas, the white-robed figure was merely using it with Elder God level power, making it much weaker. It was just barely capable of trapping a genius like Ning, who was comparable to a Daolord of the Second Step! If an Eternal Emperor used this technique, the entire violet-gold canopy would become completely ethereal, and it would be simplicity itself to use this technique to cover an entire territory!

Swish.

Suddenly, an incomparably sharp streak of sword-light pierced out from within the violet-gold canopy.

“What?!” A hint of shock could be heard in the white-robed man’s voice. “How could he be able to pierce through my Void Sword Realm?! Third brother, why does he have such a terrifyingly strong sword-art?” The white-robed man roared.

“Ah?! He does have an extremely strong sword-art that carries tremendous destructive, penetrative power,” the azure-armored man said hurriedly. “Even I have to face that attack head-on in order to block it.”

“Damn!” The white-robed man grew furious and frantic.

The Void Sword Realm created an ethereal world which was unmoved by raw power. It could completely absorb even the most savage of strikes! Although the Shadowless stance of Ning’s [Brightmoon] sword-arts was rather strange, it simply wasn’t strong enough to overcome the world’s defenses. As for the Soleheart stance or the Yin-Yang Sword Domain, they were defensive techniques. But the Blood Drop stance… this was Ning’s most penetrating attack of all.

Even if Ning did come up with a Heavenbreaker sword-intent in the future, his Blood Drop stance would still have the greatest penetrative power.

It was an attack which destroyed everything in its path, which pierced through all things which sought to bar its way!

The Void Sword Realm wasn’t truly perfect and flawless. Perhaps only someone on the level of a Hegemon would be able to make it truly perfect… and its one weakness was to attacks that had tremendous penetrative power.

Whoosh!

After Ning discovered that his Blood Drop stance was the perfect counter to the violet-gold gauze before him, he struck out three times in a row. His stabs blasted a hole through the canopy before him, and he immediately transformed into a streak of light and flew out of that hole.

The enormous violet-gold canopy instantly disappeared, transforming back into that white-robed man. The three swords the man had been using all flew back into the sheaths he was carrying on his back.

The white-robed man stared at Ning, a complicated look in his gaze.

The Blood Drop stance truly was the perfect counter to the Void Sword Realm. But of course, at present Ning’s Blood Drop stance was still rather raw and unpolished; the only reason it had succeeded was because the white-robed man’s level of power was limited to the Elder God level. Still, if Ning ever reached the Eternal Emperor level and was able to upgrade his Blood Drop stance to that level as well, he would be able to use it to defeat the Void Sword Realm as used by the Eternal Emperor who had created it.

“There is a counter and a complement for every sword-art.” The white-robed man sighed. “You were actually able to come up with a sword-art that perfectly countered mine. I truly don’t know if this was a blessing or a curse for you.”

“Darknorth.” The distant azure-armored figure spoke out as well. “Both my second brother and I wish for you to stop here. You truly are quite talented. We really don’t want to see you throwing your life away on the thirty-sixth floor.”

“Throwing my life away?” Ning frowned.

The azure-armored man said, “Just listen to me. My sword-arts and my second brother’s sword-arts all come from our respective masters. Although our masters were Eternal Emperors, they weren’t at the Hegemon level. Master’s sword-arts were never truly perfected, but the Hegemon’s… his sword-arts were truly perfect and without flaw.”

“You are skilled in defense, making it so that I can do nothing against you.

“Your sword-arts possess tremendous penetrative power, allowing you to defeat the Void Sword Realm.

“But if you were to go to the thirty-sixth level, you will realize that your sword-arts are all completely useless.” The azure-armored man shook his head. “You’ll die in despair! Over the course of countless ages, there have been quite a few monstrously talented World-level geniuses who were able to make it past myself and my second brother, but all of them died on the thirty-sixth floor.”

Ning was stunned. What?! There had been multiple individuals who had made it past the azure-armored man and the white-robed man, only to die on the thirty-sixth level?

“I urge you to give up,” the white-robed man said. “If you go back now, you can return to the exit tunnel on the twenty-fourth floor. I’ll give you one of my own master’s treasures as well! I’ll also transmit my master’s sword-arts legacy to you.”





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Book 28, Chapter 32 - The Thirty-Sixth Level of the Abyss of Fiends


The white-robed man also viewed Ji Ning with great favor. Although there had been other geniuses who had been able to make their way deep into the Abyss of Fiends, he could count on one hand the number of geniuses who had been able to force their way path both himself and his third brother.

Both he and his third brother wished for Ji Ning to become honorary disciples of their two masters.

“A treasure? And just ‘honorary’ disciple?” Ning asked.

“Yes.” The white-robed man nodded. “According to master’s instructions… he will accept one personal disciple and six honorary disciples. Although I like you, you aren’t even close to meeting the standard necessary to become Master’s personal disciple.”

Ning felt rather disappointed. Still, he understood that because these three Eternal Emperors were already deceased, they would be extremely careful in selecting their legacy disciples. Emperor Mirrorsnow was still alive; even though he was taking on a total of ten personal disciples, every single disciple would only be given a set of four Daolord golems. These three Eternal Emperors, however, were giving all of their most important treasures to a single personal disciple.

“Can you at least tell me what the thirty-sixth level holds?” Ning asked.

“Our masters once followed and served our Hegemon,” the azure-armored figure growled. “Do you know what the exalted title of ‘Hegemon’ means? It means that they are able to rule over all other things.”

Ning nodded. Of course he knew. The Brightshore Kingdom had a Hegemon. His entire homeland of the Endless Territories only had three Hegemons in total!

“To inherit everything a Hegemon left behind… ahaha! I once encountered someone who was even more talented than you in the Dao of the Sword. He had perfectly merged his offenses and his defenses into a truly perfect whole.” The azure-armored figure sighed. “I was willing to let him become my master’s personal disciple, but he was too proud. He chose to go the thirty-sixth level instead.”

Ning was stunned. Apparently, that genius of the Dao of the Sword was on the same level as Bertulu and Eastcult.

“But he still died on that level.” The azure-armored figure shook his head.

“Give up.” The white-robed man looked at Ning.

……

Ning stood there silently.