Desolate Era (Book 6 - Book 10)

The [Lesser Five Elements Sword] was divided into a total of nine chapters: [Metal Element], [Wood Element], [Water Element], [Fire Element], [Earth Element], [Duality], [Tripartite], [Four Symbols], and [Five Elements].

Every single chapter allowed one to start from the basics, then go progressively deeper. The basic parts were even inferior to the “Rain Line” technique he had developed. But at a high level, this was a swordplay suitable for a Celestial Immortal!

Ning was carefully meditating on the [Water Element], [Fire Element], and the wind of the [Wood Element] parts [1. In the classical Chinese Five Elements system, wind is classified under wood.]. These were the three aspects of the Dao which he had the deepest level of understanding about. As for metal and earth…he was lacking considerably in these two aspects. Naturally, he wouldn’t squander his energy in analyzing them.

“Drizzling Rain!” Ning murmured to himself, and the sword-fingers of his right hand shot out. In midair, drops of rain began to appear out of nowhere. These raindrops struck downwards like meteors, slamming against the walls of the still room. A hazy, blurry light appeared on the walls of the room, covered with layers of mysterious runes.

“Success.” A look of joy appeared on Ning’s face. “This skill is even more powerful than my ‘Rain Line’ technique.”

When developing new techniques, one could only develop techniques at the level of one’s own enlightenment. But when learning, one could learn techniques that were at a higher level than one was currently at.

“Fire, water, wind. I’ve learned a total of seven major sword stances from these three parts. They are considerably superior to the sword techniques I developed myself, but the increase in power isn’t that noticeable.” Ning immediately flipped through the book in front of him, straight to the [Duality] part. “Only when these different insights regarding different Daos are merged together and unleashed in a single attack will the power of the attack increase explosively.”

The [Duality] part had a total of eighty nine different sword stances! For example, there were two Duality stances formed from joining the wind and the fire. There were two others formed from joining the earth and the fire. There were yet two more from joining metal and earth.

In short, the sword techniques developed from joining together the profundities of two different Daos were all included within this part, the [Duality] part.

Joining different Daos together truly could allow for the power of a technique to increase explosively. The power could jump to a whole new level! This is what ‘sword arts’ were! There were some Ki Refiners who could rely on exceptionally powerful sword arts and flying sword formations to kill same-level Fiendgod Body Refiners, even if they were in possession of divine abilities.

Sword arts, when trained to an ultimate level, were not at all inferior to divine abilities!

After another hour passed…

“Swish!” Ning’s right hand waved out once more, and a sword-finger shot out. Instantly, a ray of azure fire slashed through the air in the form of a fiery sword, seeming to vaguely shatter space itself. It slammed directly against the stone wall, and the glowing layer of runes atop the wall once more lit up.

“Success. The [Azureflame Duality Sword]!” A look of delight immediately appeared on Ning’s face. The [Azureflame Duality Sword] was a sword technique that contained the fusion of the True Meaning of Water and the True Meaning of Fire.

The power of this technique vastly outstripped Ning’s former supreme attack, [Drizzling Rain]. As for the [Rain Line] technique he had developed at Swallow Mountain? That couldn’t even be mentioned in the same breath. The power of this new technique was formed from joining together two completely different True Meanings of the Dao! But of course, the reason why he was able to develop it so quickly was because Ning had a high level of comprehension regarding the Dao to begin with, and his foundation was very solid. In addition, he had seen the Black-White Diagram, which had been of great help in inspiring him regarding how to join together different Daos. Naturally, he had only needed an hour in order to be successful.

This was a case of making a natural breakthrough after accumulating experience!

………

Ning once again flipped to a new part of the book. The [Tripartite] chapter!

This chapter had a total of ninety two sword stances. There was a [Tripartite] sword attack based on the fusion of earth, metal, and fire; there was also one for the fusion of wind, earth, and metal.

As for Ning, however, without question, he was only capable of learning a very small part of the stances within; the sword technique formed from the fusion of wind, water, and fire. But there were a total of eight stances for this type of [Tripartite] sword attack.

It was dark. Only now did Ning leave the still room, jubilant. “I spent ten-plus years at Swallow Mountain, then comprehended the Dao within the Stellar Hall of the underwater estate…but I’ve never been able to acquire a truly powerful sword art. Now that I have obtained the [Lesser Five Elements Sword], I really am like a tiger who has gained wings.” Ning laughed with delight and glee. He truly felt wonderful. This feeling of learning a truly powerful sword art really was wonderful!

“I have already learned two of the powerful sword techniques of the [Duality] chapter. Of the [Tripartite] chapter, I have learned one sword technique as well.” Ning smiled to himself.

The [Tripartite] chapter represented the fusion of three different True Meanings of the Dao. This sort of multiplicative power resulted in a soaring rise in power! Fortunately, he had previously reached a bottleneck in his understanding of the Waterflame Lotus technique while meditating before the Black-White Diagram. With that as his foundation, he was able to, in four short hours, develop an extremely powerful sword technique from the [Tripartite] chapter – the [Tripartite Lotus Sword]!

The [Tripartite Lotus Sword], compared to Ning’s Waterflame Lotus, was like a different melody that was played with the same level of skill; they were two different approaches that led to the same result. However, it was actually even more profound and sharp! This was because Ning had only developed it after comparing the similarities between the two techniques.

“I imagine it will be very hard for my sword arts to improve significantly in a short period of time.” Ning understood this; after all, he only had some insights into three of the Five Elements, and was at most able to comprehend the [Tripartite] chapter. As for the [Four Symbols] and the [Five Elements] chapters, he was completely unable to understand them.

…….

In a single short day, as a Ki Refiner, he had risen from the early Zifu level to the peak Zifu level. His sword arts had consecutively risen by three complete tiers. After having learned a powerful technique from the [Lesser Five Elements Sword], the [Tripartite Lotus Sword], he had reached a limit. This caused Ning to naturally feel an incomparable joy in his heart.

“Ning, son.” The Whitewater Hound was walking over from far away. He sent mentally, “There is another formal disciple of the Black-White College within your estate who has come to pay you a visit. He has waited for a very long time.”

“A formal disciple? Here to see me?” Ning was surprised. He hurriedly walked towards the door; he couldn’t slight his fellow disciples.

He soon walked out and saw, from afar, an azure-robed man who was standing leisurely with his hands clasped, staring at the crescent moon in the sky. The man seemed to sense Ning’s footsteps, and he immediately turned to look, a smile appearing on his face. “Junior apprentice-brother Darknorth.”

“Might I ask who you are, senior apprentice-brother?” Upon seeing this person, Ning immediately knew that he was a fellow disciple, because he had met this person in the Headmaster’s Palace.