Desolate Era (Book 6 - Book 10)

“He wins.” The short elder in the corner of the Dao Debate Palace sighed. “This sword art was born from the [Tripartite Lotus Sword], but is more heavily focused towards the water-element of the Five Elements. However, this power really is quite something! Ji Ning just entered the College, and yet was already able to learn such a powerful technique. He’s definitely not weaker than any ordinary Wanxiang Adept disciples. Sword Immortals…they are famous for their combat abilities. With the heart of a Sword Immortal and a sword art such as this…if he encounters someone at the same level of insight, he will win for sure.”


As the short elder was speaking, the sword light in the form of a lotus flower was clashing repeatedly in midair against the giant, jade-green scorpion. With each clash, a few of the needles would be knocked loose. After six consecutive clashes, the giant, jade-green scorpion completely shattered, transforming back into countless flying needles.

“Slash.” The protective armor of the Godneedles Golem was pierced by that sword light as well.

The entire Dao Debate Palace instantly fell silent. He had lost? The most powerful of the Zifu Disciples, Qinghe, had actually lost? If even he had lost…could it be that one of their senior apprentice-brothers at the Wanxiang Adept level would enter the fray? For the sake of a new disciple, they were going to have a Wanxiang Adept do battle?

“Ji Ning wins.” The white-haired old man spoke out, and his voice echoed within the Dao Debate Palace.





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Book 7, Chapter 37 - Two-Clawed Raindragon Guard


On the distant stone pillar, Qinghe rose to his feet, then clasped his hands. “I lost. I whole-heartedly acknowledge my defeat.”

Ji Ning rose as well, also clasping his hands, and then he swept the entire palace with his gaze, looking towards each of his fellow disciples. In a clear voice, he said, “Are there any other fellow disciples who wish to exchange pointers with me?”

His voice echoed within the entire palace.

“Alas.” Qinghe shook his head, then leapt three hundred meters and landed next to the white-haired elder. He took out two jade bottles, then placed them in front of the elder. This was the wager he had lost. Turning his head, he left.

For a period of time, the Dao Debate Palace was silent. Nobody took up the challenge.

“Even junior apprentice-brother Qinghe lost.”

“The Dao Debates are a competition of one’s comprehension of the Dao, as well as one’s skills. It doesn’t have much to do with one’s elemental ki. Even many of the Wanxiang Adepts amongst us are only on par with junior apprentice-brother Qinghe.”

“I imagine that only those who have comprehended multiple Dao Domains are capable of defeating junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning.”

Of course there were people who could defeat Ning! In addition, there were quite a few. For example, those three reincarnated Immortals who were at the Wanxiang Adept level. Anyone who had comprehended a complete Dao Path could effortless crush Ning. There were also a pile of disciples who had comprehended multiple Dao Domains. But which one of them would stand out?

“Which of my senior fellow disciples wishes to provide me with some guidance?” Ning stood there atop the stone pillar, speaking in a clear voice. “If no one else comes, then I shall retire.”

In this moment, Ning felt filled with a heroic aura. How joyous. He faced a group of supreme geniuses, and he, a newly recruited disciple, was challenging them. This really was a wonderful feeling.

“Since my other fellow disciples aren’t going to participate, then I’ll embarrass myself by volunteering.” A clear, cold voice rang out and a white-robed, white-haired youth strode forward. With a single step, he transformed into a streak of light which entered the side room. Soon, he returned with a golem by his side.

“That’s senior apprentice-brother Bloodshadow!”

“Senior apprentice-brother Bloodshadow is skilled as a Fiendgod Body Refiner and at close combat; he isn’t skilled in a golem-based Dao Debate!”

“I heard that senior apprentice-brother Bloodshadow is already a two-clawed Raindragon Guard. In a real battle, he probably isn’t one whit inferior to an ordinary Primal Daoist. But senior apprentice-brother Bloodshadow’s power primarily stems from his various divine abilities, his Bloodforged weapons, as well as his Fiendgod Body Refining Technique, the [Indestructible Bloodshadow Body]! In terms of controlling golems, though, he’s a bit weaker.”

As the white-robed, white-haired youth appeared, a buzz of conversation swept the entire palace. Ning’s ears twitched. He couldn’t help but feel secretly surprised. What a tremendous background this senior apprentice-brother Bloodshadow had. The Rites of Bloodforging…although the likes of the Ji clan had never heard of it, the Black-White College had. Only, one needed five hundred black-white pellets to trade for the technique.

“And he’s actually a two-clawed Raindragon Guard as well!” Ning was privately shocked. After entering the Raindragon Guard, one would become an ordinary one-clawed Raindragon Guard, and the Black-White College would reward you with a thousand black-white pellets. If you became a two-clawed Raindragon Guard, you would be rewarded with five thousand black-white pellets. Upon becoming a three-clawed Raindragon Guard, the reward would be increased to fifteen thousand black-white pellets…

However, it was very difficult to become a two-clawed Raindragon Guard. Generally speaking, only someone at the Primal Daoist level of power could become one. Only a very few, exceptionally monstrous Wanxiang Adepts were able to reach that level. As for that so-called ‘genius’ of Snowdragon Mountain, Xue Hongyi, by comparison, he was far inferior to this senior apprentice-brother Bloodshadow.

“Swoosh!” The white-haired, white-robed Bloodshadow’s body flickered, and he appeared on the opposite stone pillar. “Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning.” Bloodshadow stared towards Ning. “I’m more used to engaging in close combat. I’m not that skilled in controlling magic treasures to attack. However, I’m still a bit stronger than junior apprentice-brother Qinghe. You must be careful.”

“I await your instructions, senior apprentice-brother,” Ning said solemnly.

This was no joke. A freak capable of becoming a two-clawed Raindragon Guard, even one who was primarily a Fiendgod Body Refiner, definitely wouldn’t be weak when controlling magic treasures. Fortunately, he would be doing so through the golems…and so his divine body and divine abilities would be of no use. Otherwise, there would be no need to compete at all. Ning would simply admit defeat.

“Begin!” The white-haired elder called out in a high voice. Rumble…the grand sealing barrier once more covered the entire arena.

Ning sat down in the lotus position. Bloodshadow did the same. “Junior apprentice-brother, be careful!” Bloodshadow called out in a cold voice. Instantly, the strange flying swords on the back of the Nineswords Golem began to fly out. Nine of the queer flying swords flew through the air, beginning to emit a dense, bloody light. The flying swords were all connected by the bloody light, and they quickly formed into an enormous…

Something. It had enormous cicada wings, a head with three horns, a mouth that was as long and sharp as a blade, and a savage, flashing gaze. In fact, the killing aura coming from this creature was even more terrifying than that of the Direwolf which Bloodeater Bladask had summoned.

“Mosquito?” Ning, staring the beast that had appeared, couldn’t help but feel astonished. This was a titanic mosquito.

Swoosh! That sinister-looking, baleful giant mosquito of blood suddenly charged forward, howling through the air, its blade-mouth formed from one of the flying swords. The power and invisible pressure from this creature caused Ning’s heart to clench.

“[Neo-Tripartite Lotus Sword]!” Ning didn’t hesitate at all, immediately executing his most powerful sword art. Instantly, three flying swords flew out from the back of his Thousandswords Golem. They soon formed an enormous, blooming lotus flower of sword light which stabbed directly towards that baleful, heaven-defying mosquito of blood.

“Bang!” The two attacks were both as fast as lightning, and they instantly crisscrossed in the sky. The blooming lotus flower’s sword-light trembled, beginning to grow unstable.