Desolate Era (Book 36 - Book 40)

The golden-robed Ning was seated at the peak of a mountain. The mountain wind blew past him as he sipped some wine. Su Youji was next to him, seated upon a large boulder and sharing the wine.

Ning’s true body was training within the Azureflower Estate with the help of the Autarch’s stone dais. This allowed him to train at a terrifyingly fast speed. Whether or not Ning’s avatar ‘assisted’ didn’t really matter, as it was of little help in speeding up his cultivation further. As a result, he now had a chance to relax and enjoy life.

The two drank together, exchanging a few casual words in conversation from time to time.

“Master… can you tell me about your Dao-companion?” Wine gourd in hand, Su Youji suddenly asked this question.

Ning smiled. “She was my senior apprentice-sister. When I first joined our sect, she was more powerful than me.”

“More powerful than you?” Su Youji was surprised. In her eyes, Ning had always been a dazzling figure. He was the most powerful Daolord in the history of the Flamedragon Realmverse!

“Yes. Back then, she held a very high status within our sect,” Ning said. “The two of us actually took part in the Conclave of Immortals together. She really was quite talented. Unfortunately… she concealed a great secret within her heart which prevented her from fully and truly devoting herself to cultivation.” Ning let out a sigh. “Come to think of it… she was a truly tragic figure in both her past life and in this life.”

“Her happiest days were most likely when she was pregnant and living together with me in peace.” Ning smiled. He would never forget those days, never forget how he trained in sword-arts while the pregnant Yu Wei watched him, a merry smile on her face as she gently stroked her protruding belly. Those days of peace and bliss, when the war had yet to truly erupt, were the most beautiful memories he had.

“Our daughter is all grown up, and the plotters are all dead. My homeland is at peace… but she is gone.” Ning raised his head to gulp down the wine, then put down his gourd. “I’ve focused on the Dao my entire life. Part of it is because I wish to gain a grander understanding of the universe and see more of its sights… but the other part is because I wish to one day be able to resolve those regrets and have our family of three be reunited once more.”

“You’ll definitely succeed, Master,” Su Youji said.

“In the past, it was just a wild dream… but now, I can feel that I’m closing in on success.” Ning smiled. “This is proof that even the wildest of dreams can be made real.”

“If the three of us can be reunited, everything will have been worth it, haha. So what if I pass the Daomerge? So what if I become a Hegemon or an Autarch? I’ll still just be living a life of solitude.” Ning raised his head up high to drink more wine.

The wind continued to blow, but the night was very calm. Su Youji just watched Ning silently. She could sense that Ning’s innermost heart had already been filled. There was no way at all for another person to enter it.

“Darknorth! Darknorth!” A cry rang out from afar.

“Big brother?” Ning turned, only to see a figure fly towards him from afar. It was Emperor Solesky. “Come, come! You came at just the right time. Let’s drink!”

“I have important news to report!” Emperor Solesky landed on the top of the mountain, a worried look on his face.

“Important news? Tell me about it,” Ning said.

“The Ninedust Sectlord has been trapped within the ‘Jadefire Realm’ of the Terror Starsea! His life could end at any moment,” Emperor Solesky said frantically.

“What?!” Ning turned pale as a solemn look appeared on his face. “The Jadefire Realm of the Terror Starsea?”

The Jadefire Realm was a deathtrap which the Sithe had set up during the Dawn War. Countless Emperors of the cultivator civilizations had died there during that great war! In the end, the Sithe had been defeated and the Jadefire Realm badly damaged… but it remained a place of great danger. Not even Hegemons dared to go too deep within it.

However, Ning wasn’t afraid of it. He had his Shadowless form as well as his Sithe Protector golem, ‘Whitethaw’. Hegemons were able to enter and scout the outer areas safely, which meant that he was strong enough to deal with the dangers as well.

“Yes, the Jadefire Realm.” Emperor Solesky nodded. “This information is absolutely trustworthy. My good friend, Daolord Badlands, sent me the same information a while ago. He said that he engaged in some Numerancy to test it, and found it to be genuine. The Ninedust Sectlord is indeed in great peril. However… Badlands told me to warn you that you are the real target. He was unable to calculate if you will be in danger or not.”

“I’m the real target?” Ning nodded slowly. “Help convey my thanks to brother Badlands.”

“Ninedust didn’t ask me for help. That means he is worried about implicating me in this affair… but somehow, news of it still spread. That means this is likely an enemy plot.” Ning nodded. “If Badlands’ Numerancy says that this is a plot targeting me… the person who holds the greatest grudge against me is Archon Silksnow and the Emperors under his command. Alternately, it could be the Aeonians.”

“Darknorth, the Jadefire Realm is a legendary deathtrap of the Terror Starsea. Not even Hegemons dare to go too deep into it,” Emperor Solesky said worriedly. “Don’t let yourself fall for their schemes.”

Ning nodded: “Don’t worry, big brother.”

……

The Azureflower Estate. The second hall. Ning stood up on the stone dais.

“Hm?” The nearby white-bearded elder opened his eyes. He said with surprise, “You’ve developed the third technique already?”

“Not yet.” Ning shook his head. “Not even close. Right, senior… I need to leave on some business. My Primaltwin can come here and train, right?”

“Of course! I told you, so long as you are still alive, you may come and train whenever you please,” the white-haired elder said with a nod.

“Good.”

A short while later, the black-robed Ning arrived at the estate. He entered it, sat down on the stone dais, then continued the training process. This was an Autarch’s training chambers, after all; it was far more effective than the Stone Censer of Reunion, which Ning had already left in the Three Realms for his master Subhuti, his daughter, and his parents to use. In the future, it would be the supreme treasure of the Three Realms.

As for Ning’s true body? He left the Azureflower Estate by himself, beginning to advance through the Flamedragon Realmverse towards the Terror Starsea.





* * *





Book 37, Chapter 1 - Avatar


As Ji Ning began to head towards the Jadefire Realm of the Terror Starsea, his avatar sent word to Ninedust via the Palace of Ancient Truth.

“Ninedust, you are in the Jadefire Realm? I’m on my way.” This was the simple message which Ning sent.

The Palace of Ancient Truth had branches within all eight of the Sacred Cities of the Dao Alliance, and the mighty Ancients were the power behind it. Ning’s words quickly made its way to the Ancients and thus to Ninedust’s avatar.

“What?!” Ninedust was shocked. He never would’ve imagined that Darknorth would find out that he had entered the Jadefire Realm. In his heart, he couldn’t help but feel gratitude; everyone knew that the place was a deathtrap! Darknorth knew it as well, but he still rushed towards it without hesitating.

“Darknorth, I’ve been chased by Archon Silksnow into the Jadefire Realm but I never made that information public. If you’ve found out… that means it must be Archon Silksnow who spread the news. This is his plot!” Ninedust sent word back to Ning as well. “No matter what, don’t come here. Archon Silksnow is a madman. This is definitely a plot aimed at you.”

His message made it back to Ning’s avatar in Vastheaven Palace… but alas, it was of no use.

“Ugh, Darknorth is so…” Ninedust knew that he wouldn’t be able to dissuade Ning, and so his avatar within the Ancient stronghold immediately headed off to Vastheaven Palace.

……