Desolate Era (Book 6 - Book 10)

Immortal Diancai turned his head, staring at the distant Ji Ning, who was handing over jade bottles to Yu Wei. An eager light appeared in his eyes, and he slowly said, “That is to be expected. He is my disciple, after all!”


…….

“Senior apprentice-sister. A hundred black-white pellets and five kilograms of liquefied elemental essences. Here it is.” Ning handed the two jade bottles to the Rainbowflame Fairy, Yu Wei.

The black-robed Yu Wei glanced at Ning, a hint of amusement on her face. Stretching her arm out, she snatched the bottles away from Ning, then turned and left.





* * *





Book 8, Chapter 1 - Jadesea


The temperament of the black-robed maiden, Yu Wei, was something Ji Ning couldn’t quite get a grasp on. However, when he thought about how many times the white-haired elder had accepted the black-white pellets and liquefied elemental essence on his behalf, Ning felt absolutely delighted. In addition, this series of Dao Debates had also served as a form of baptism. He could sense that he had evolved, somehow.

“Senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning!” A voice rang out in celebration. Ning turned to look, only to see the skinny, small, white-robed Mu Northson charging over with incomparable excitement. He hurriedly howled, “Senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning, you are way too powerful. You consecutively defeated so many Wanxiang Adepts, and even that seemingly powerful Northmont Blackcurrent was defeated by you. Just now, I asked senior apprentice-sister Winterain; that senior apprentice-sister Yu Wei who defeated you is a reincarnated Immortal, and one who has trained for ten years more than we have, and entered the school long before us.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not upset,” Ning laughed. Northson was still incomparably excited. “In short, you are way too powerful. I heard senior apprentice-sister Winterain say that it is extremely rare to see someone like you, and that even in the Black-White College, you can be considered a supreme genius. Perhaps, in a few thousand years or a few tens of thousands of years, the entire Black-White College will have firmly memorized your name.”

Ning shook his head. “You praise me over-much.” Suddenly…he heard voices ring out from the side. “Uncle-Master Headmaster.” “Uncle-Master Headmaster.” A chorus of voices called out.

The group of Primal Daoists, who had arrived soundlessly and without announcement and who had been hiding themselves, all walked over at this point in time.

“All of you can go back now.” Daoist Jadesea, who was walking at the head of the group, said calmly, “Ji Ning, stay behind!”

“Yes.” Quite a few members of the third generation still wanted to converse with Ning, and at least ensure that Ning knew their names. This was because everyone understood something: Given how powerful he had shown himself to be, so shortly after entering the school…so long as he didn’t die, he would definitely be a truly influential figure of Stillwater Commandery. However, since the headmaster had given the order, they all naturally departed.

“Ji Ning?” Senior apprentice-brother Holyfire gave Ning a deep look, memorizing him.

“Intriguing, intriguing. More and more intriguing.” The fat, sloppy-looking youth had a look of delight on his face. He lazily ambled away.

…….

Ning said to the nearby Northson, “Junior apprentice-brother Northson, you go back as well.” Northson nodded. “Alright.” He immediately departed alongside Winterain. Soon, no one was left in the entire Dao Debate Palace aside from the Primal Daoists and Ji Ning, as well as the Immortals who had hidden themselves in the corner.

“Ji Ning.” Daoist Jadesea looked at Ning, and the Primal Daoists next to him looked at Ning as well, their eyes filled with curiosity. “Uncle-Master Headmaster,” Ning acknowledged respectfully.

“Do you know what a Sword Immortal is?” Daoist Jadesea asked. Ning replied, startled, “Sword Immortals? Some Immortals who use flying swords in extremely powerful ways are addressed respectfully by others in this manner, I believe. Can it be that this term has a special meaning?” Even up till now, Ning still wasn’t quite sure as to what the term ‘Sword Immortal’ truly meant.

“Uncle-Master Diancai didn’t tell you?” Daoist Jadesea seemed to have thought of something as he spoke. Ning replied, “Master didn’t discuss Sword Immortals with me in detail. He only provided me with guidance regarding sword arts. He told me to finish mastering the [Neo-Tripartite Lotus Sword] and the first stance of the [Three-Foot Sword], then to seek him out again.”

Daoist Jadesea nodded. “That explains it, then. If one is capable of executing the first stance of the [Three-Foot Sword], then one has already become a Sword Immortal. You should know that this world is filled with many Daos, yes?”

“Yes, I do.” Ning nodded. In his heart, he added…that he also knew that the most supreme figure of the Three Realms, Mother Nuwa, had comprehended eighty four thousand different Daos! But of course, this was according to what he had heard in the past from the Lord of Cui Palace.

“The Daos are numerous beyond counting.” Daoist Jadesea looked at Ning. “In addition, there are different levels of Dao as well.” Ning’s ears twitched. “Different levels of Dao?”

“Right.” Daoist Jadesea nodded. “The Dao is divided into the supreme ‘Heavenly Daos’, the extremely exalted ‘Grand Daos’, and the ordinary ‘Daos’.”

“The Heavenly Daos, the Grand Daos, and Dao?” Ning held his breath. Not even his master had discussed these things with him in detail.

“The Heavenly Daos are the most fundamental of Daos, and they are the underpinning of the functioning of the cosmos. They are incomparably supreme. For example, the Five Elements! After Pangu established the universe, the universe was formed from the most basic of particles, the Five Elements. Normally, when we talk about ‘swearing an oath by the Dao of the Heavens’, or making a ‘Oath of Blood to the Dao of the Heavens’, we are swearing an oath to the Heavenly Daos. The Heavenly Daos uphold the functioning of the universe, and once we violate an oath sworn to them, they will naturally punish us. No one can escape the punishment of the Daos of the Heavens. This is the most supreme of Daos.”

Ning was shocked and stunned.

“According to the legends, so long as one can comprehend a Heavenly Dao, then one will become one of the most incomparably exalted figures of the Three Realms.” Daoist Jadesea’s eyes were filled with a boundless eagerness as well, and the gazes of the Primal Daoists next to him became lost and dreamy as well. To them, the Heavenly Daos were legends and myths.

“But of course, I’ve never even heard of anyone who comprehended a Heavenly Dao.” Daoist Jadesea laughed as he looked at Ning. “Never, not even in any of the legends or stories.”

Ning sighed to himself. Right. Heavenly Daos. When Immortal practitioners swore an oath, they would do so towards the Dao of the Heavens. It was the Daos of the Heavens which upheld the functioning of the entire Three Realms. It was naturally incomparably exalted.

“One level lower than the Heavenly Daos are the Grand Daos!” Daoist Jadesea looked towards Ji Ning. “Every single Grand Dao is also extremely exalted, and it is extremely difficult to even gain an initial insight into them.”

“On a level lower than the Grand Daos are the most numerous, ordinary Daos.” Daoist Jadesea looked at Ji Ning. “Your Dao of Rainwater, and the Daos of Freezing Ice, Mystic Ice, and the like…these are all ordinary Daos.”

Ning nodded. He now understood that Daos were divided into levels as well! Heavenly Daos were the most supreme, the fundamental Daos which underpinned the cosmos!

“The Dao of the Sword, however, is one of the Grand Daos!” Daoist Jadesea looked towards Ning. “Everyone who has embarked upon the Dao of the Sword is known as a Sword Immortal!”