Desolate Era (Book 31 - Book 35)

Everyone on this entire planet, from the three great clans to the countless ordinary living creatures, all raised their heads to watch as the awesome heartworld projection descended. A short while later, the image of a white-robed youth who had a sword on his back appeared within the heartworld projection. He was absolutely towering in size, and he stared down upon the great earth, his gaze seeming to fill every inch of it.

“I hear that the Fumo clan, the Juwah clan, and the Nonti clan are the three most powerful great clans of this world and have unified it under their rule! But… no matter how hard I try, I can’t discern anything particularly impressive about these three great clans. I was planning to wipe them out, but their Daolords are so weak that I can’t even be bothered to do so.”

“Listen closely. I can’t be bothered to wipe your three clans out, but from this day forth you should obediently listen to my commands. If you do so, I’ll let you live. Otherwise… hmph!”

“Impudence!”

“He’s courting death.”

“Where did this fool even come from?” Three enraged roars rang out from the three great clans, shaking the entire planet. The leaders of the Fumo, Juwah, and Nonti clans had been thoroughly enraged. They had ruled this planet for countless years. No one dared to challenge them… but this mysterious Heartforce Cultivator was being far too arrogant.

“Haha, you seem rather bold. I, Darknorth, shall be waiting for you at the Cranesoar Mountains. If you insist on coming to your deaths, feel free to come find me here.” The illusory white-robed youth within the heartworld projection peered downwards at the three great clans. “But I really suggest that you not come. You’d simply be throwing your lives away if you did… because all of you really are quite weak. Aha, ahaha, ahahahahaha!” Ning’s laughter echoed throughout every inch of this planet.

The wilderness at the base of the Cranesoar Mountains.

Maji and the other World-level cultivators stared at Ning and Ninedust, completedly dazed. Tianello and the World-level cultivators behind him were dazed as well. All of them had seen that heartworld projection and had heard Ning’s provocations.

“He’s… actually challenging the three great clans?” Tianello’s voice was trembling.

“W-who in the world are they?” Maji and the others were petrified as well.

Ning and Ninedust, however, remained quite calm. “All done.” Ning nodded at Ninedust. “Given the status these three great clans hold, there’s no way they’d just take that lying down. They’ll definitely attack.”

“Agreed.” Ninedust concurred. “That way, this battle is at a time and place of our choosing. That’s of benefit to us.”

Given that these three great clans called themselves the Sithe, Ning and Ninedust were concerned that their headquarters probably wouldn’t be easily destroyed. Thus, they would choose a different place for the battle! Ning’s deliberate provocations were aimed at forcing his enemies to come to the Cranesoar Mountains, as there were no dangerous formations here to worry about.

Although Ning was talking tough, he wasn’t so foolish as to actually charge straight into the headquarters of the three great clans.





* * *





Book 34, Chapter 13 - Emperor Golems


The challenge having been issued, Ji Ning and Ninedust entered the Cranesoar Mountains and awaited the arrival of the three great clans. In truth, Ning was right to be cautious. This planet held many mysteries within it.

Deep within the planet’s core. There was a bubbling lake of lava here, and there were three figures seated next to it. These three figures all had silver skin, and the auras they emanated were different from the auras of normal cultivators. They were quite bizarre and inscrutable.

One of them, a particularly muscular silver man, let out a growl: “He actually dares to challenge all three of our clans simultaneously. My fellow clan leaders of the Juwah clan and Nonti clan, have either of you heard of this ‘Darknorth’ before?”

“Never heard of him.” “I have no idea where he came from.” the two other silver men responded.

“This ‘Darknorth’ is extremely arrogant, and his heartworld projection is incredibly powerful. In heartforce, at least, he’s reached the utter apex.” The muscular silver man said, “I find it very likely that he’s a supreme Daolord.”

“A supreme Daolord? Haha, after so many years, this planet of ours has finally given birth to yet another supreme Daolord,” the skinnier silver man said.

“The birth of every supreme Daolord is rather diverting to our three clans,” the long silver-haired man said. “To our three clans, there is nothing in this planet that can pose a threat to us. That makes life rather boring. The other six clans are only ‘great clans’ because they have some small portion of our bloodlines and lineage, and so we’ve bestowed the title of ‘great clan’ upon them. If it wasn’t for that… hmph.”

“How can those other lowly clans compare with us, the exalted Sithe?” The muscular silver man said coldly, “Since this supreme Daolord has chosen to challenge us and is an extremely strong Heartforce Cultivator… how do the two of you think we should response?”

“I’ll go personally kill him,” the skinny silver man said.

“Both of us have undergone the ‘Ritual Sacrificium’, making us the only true Sithe in this entire planet.” The silver-haired, silver-skinned man shook his head. “For noble Sithe like us to lower ourselves to fight against these lowly races is demeaning. Sending golems is enough.”

“I also feel that sending golems should suffice. My recommendation is that each of our three clans should send out two Emperor-class golems. What do you think?” the muscular silver man asked.

“Fine.”

“Sending two Emperor-class golems is more than enough.” The other two silver men agreed with this proposal. Their clans possessed exalted power. Even a tiny fraction of their full might was enough to completely dominate this entire world.

Over the course of countless years, their world had actually given birth to an Eternal Emperor. However, that Eternal Emperor had been extremely weak. In comparison, there had been far more supreme Daolords in the history of this world. There was usually at least one in every generation! Some of them dared to try and challenge the status of the three great clans… and all of them died!

Nobody could resist them! They were the true, indisputable, unshakeable rulers of this planet. They always had been and they always would be! In truth, the power they had revealed to wipe out those upstart challengers had always been nothing more than a fraction of their full power.

……

Within a dark room in the Fumo clan. There were six pitch-black figures seated with their eyes shut, completely unmoving. Suddenly, two of the pitch-black figures opened their eyes. Their eyes gleamed with green, crystalline light.

“Master.” both golems called out respectfully.

“There’s a Heartforce Cultivator known as Darknorth. He seems to be a supreme Daolord, and he’s chosen to challenge the Sithe. The two of you shall head to the Cranesoar Mountains and kill him.” The muscular silver man’s voice boomed out, echoing throughout the room.

“Understood,” both figures said respectfully. The other four pitch-black figures opened their eyes as well.

“The two of us are going to go out and have some first, brothers. Hahaha…” The two golems laughed quite smugly.

“Hurry up and kill this Daolord Darknorth, then come back and tell us all about it.”

“Yeah, I’m bored senseless.”

“A pity that Master has only sent the two of you.” The other four golems spoke out as well. As golems, they possessed eternal lifespans. This world wasn’t all that large; they knew every inch of it by now! This was why they normally preferred to spend their time in slumber. Only when the clan encountered some fairly troublesome opponents like ‘supreme Daolords’ would they be sent out.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

The two Emperor-class golems immediately left the room and soared into the skies.

……

The Cranesoar Mountains. Tianello, Maji, and the others all watched nervously. Ning and Ninedust, however, simply waited patiently.

“Eh?” Ning’s face tightened slightly as he stared off into the distance.