Desolate Era (Book 6 - Book 10)

“The wager is actually this large. A hundred black-white pellets is one thing, but fifty kilograms of liquefied elemental essence! Junior apprentice-brother Bladask is going a bit too far. Hazing the new disciples is one thing, but you can’t do it like this.”


“It is a bit much, I agree.” The fellow disciples were all chatting amongst themselves. Right at this moment, Bladask walked back from the side door, then leapt directly forward by more than three hundred meters before landing atop a stone pillar that was thirty meters tall. He took a seat atop the stone pillar. Swoosh! That golem also leapt up and landed within the battle arena, then quietly waited there.

“He chose the Polaris Golem.”

“Senior apprentice-brother Bladask really is being quite vicious; he actually chose the Polaris Golem which he is the most proficient with.”

“I wonder which golem junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning will choose.”

There were no differences in quality in the golems; the only question was whether or not one was accustomed to using them. If, for example, Ning were to choose a golem that used a giant warhammer, he wouldn’t be able to unleash much of his power.

“He’s coming out.”

“Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning is coming out.” They all looked over. Northson’s eyes were filled with worry. As for Ninelotus, she stared carefully at Ning, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Ning walked out, a golem following him. Swoosh! Swoosh! Ning and the golem, in quick succession, leapt up then landed; Ning landed atop a stone pillar, sitting down, while the golem landed in the battle arena below, causing the arena to shudder slightly.

The two sat on their stone pillars, staring at each other from afar. Ning and Bladask’s gazes crossed. They were roughly three hundred meters away from each other. The golems below them were roughly three hundred meters away from each other as well.

“Begin!” The white-haired old man barked.

Rumble…instantly, a barrier of clear water immediately appeared. It was an enormous, barrier-type grand sealing formation that completely sealed the entire arena. Northson and the others were all outside of it, while Ning and Bladask were within it.

“The Thousandswords Golem!” Bladask, seated in the lotus position on the distant stone pillar, gave it a glance, then snorted coldly. “He doesn’t know his own limits.”

“I’d like to ask you for some guidance, senior apprentice-brother,” Ning called out in a high voice.

“Please.” Bladask shouted back.

The surrounding disciples all watched with bated breath. The newcomer who had been accepted by Immortal Diancai as his disciple, Ji Ning. Senior apprentice-brother Bladask, who had entered the school many years ago. Which of the two was the stronger?





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Book 7, Chapter 31 - Shock and Awe (part 1)


“Win. Win. Win.” Mu Northson stood outside the grand sealing formation, staring towards Ji Ning, who was seated on that distant stone pillar. His eyes were blazing with hope. “You have to win.” Prior to this, he had lost two rounds in a row. In his heart, he viewed himself and Ning as standing on the same side; they were both new disciples.

As for those old disciples, they were simply teaching the new disciples a lesson in accordance with that ‘tradition’. He lost; naturally, he now hoped that Ning would win a round and gain a bit of face for them, the two new students. In addition, this Bloodrinker Bladask had gone too far in making the wagers so large.

“Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning is in for it now.”

“Senior apprentice-brother Bladask really did set a high wager. He showed no mercy at all.”

The old disciples were all chatting amongst themselves. But as for Ninelotus, she stood there, staring carefully at Ning, who was within the grand sealing formation. She said softly, “My fellow disciples, it’s too early to say such things. It’s hard to say who will win; junior apprentice-brother Bladask or junior apprentice-brother Darknorth.”

“Junior apprentice-brother Bladask entered the school many years ago. Can it be that he is inferior to Ji Ning?”

“Senior apprentice-sister Ninelotus, it isn’t very likely that Ji Ning will be able to win.”

All of the disciples present, Northson included, felt surprised at the words of Ninelotus. After all, Ninelotus, logically speaking, should be on the side of the old disciples.

“Just watch.” Ninelotus still had that calm smile on her face.

……….

Bladask sat there atop his stone pillar in the lotus position. He noticed that Ninelotus, standing outside the sealing formation, was paying more attention to Ning. This caused his gaze to grow ever-colder.

“Once the protective surface armor of the golems you two are controlling has been broken, that means that you have lost.” The white-haired elder watched from afar while speaking out. Ning nodded lightly.

The golems were representations of themselves. Breaking through the golem’s armor, in a real battle, was something comparable to truly killing the enemy! Naturally, that represented defeat.

“Since you know the rules, then…begin!” The white-haired elder called out. Within the vast, empty space inside the sealing formation, the two golems simultaneously began to move. Ning controlled the Thousandsword Golem, while Bladask controlled the Polaris Golem.

“Swish!” “Swish!” The two golems retreated at the same time, pulling away from each other. Neither of them wished for their golems to be too close, because once their protective armor was breached, that would mean they had lost.

“Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning! Watch out for this!” Bladask, seated on that distant stone pillar, let out a loud shout. Immediately afterwards, he began to control his Polaris Golem, which had seven flying swords on its back. A savage, baleful aura filled one of the flying swords which instantly shot out, filling the entire area nearby with a dense, bloody light.

“Ursae Majoris Warbreaker!”

“As soon as junior apprentice-brother Bladask attacked, he immediately used the Ursae Majoris Warbreaker. He really is filled with a killing intent right now.” The spectating disciples in the distance were all stunned.

The flying sword slashed through the skies, and as they did so, it was like an iron-blooded army was marching forth. A series of bloody lights flashed, and even the vague sounds of slaughter and warcries could be heard. They struck directly towards Ning’s Thousandswords Golem.

“He really does have quite a bit of a killing intent.” Ning sat there in the lotus position on his stone pillar. Seeing this, he just let out a soft laugh. “Let me extinguish that killing intent of his. Go.”

Clang!

One of the countless tiny swords on the back of the Thousandswords Golem instantly flew out. When it flew out, it was only the size of a sewing needle, but soon it expanded to the size of a palm. The flashing sword flew out…and as it did, the entire area became filled with flowing water, with the flashing sword light submerged within the water.

“Break!” Bladask’s face sank. That flying sword of his, filled with a boundless killing intent, didn’t give way in the slightest. It struck directly towards the flowing water. This Ursae Majoris sword…what it needed was its imposing manner! It couldn’t lose that!

The flying sword struck directly towards the flood of water. Splash! The flowing water was blasted apart, but the water then swirled and reformed around the flying sword, once more entrapping it. As the saying goes, one can swing a blade at water, but the water will still flow; even a blade that had been tempered a hundred times, when faced with this sword light that flowed with endless water, would become as weak as a finger.

The first blow was filled with energy. The second was weaker. By the third, there was nothing left. “Not good.” Bladask’s face changed slightly. He knew that Ning had blocked him with but a single flying sword.

“Formidable.”