Desolate Era (Book 6 - Book 10)

……..

“Mm…” The silver-haired, black-robed elder looked towards Ning’s reflection in the bronze mirror, then nodded slowly. “You are indeed at the ninth stage. Next.” The silver-haired, black-robed elder looked towards the next person. But, right at this moment…

A voice suddenly echoed in Ning’s mind. “Your name is Ji Ning? The [Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens] has been publicly acclaimed since the Fiendgod Era as the number one technique, and it has quite a few special aspects. Once you join the Raindragon Guard, you’ll learn how to better unleash your battle power as a Fiendgod. You must return from the wild marshes of the Gaol Mountains alive…and actually, it’d be better if you waited until you reached the tenth stage or the eleventh stage before going to the wild marshes. Then, you will definitely be incomparably safe.”

The silver-haired, black-robed elder even gave Ning a sidelong glance. Ning understood…this Immortal of the Raindragon Guard was the one who had mentally sent him this message. Ning smiled towards this Immortal of the Raindragon Guard, but he didn’t hesitate at all. Clearly, his mind was set.

“Special?” Ning pondered this statement. “When I was in the underwater estate, the giant yellow bear also said that my Fiendgod body can be described as ‘perfect’, and capable of learning the [Starseizing Hand] which Daoist Threelives left behind. In addition, even in the Fiendgod Era, the [Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens] was publicly acclaimed as the number one Fiendgod Body Refining Technique. It has spread so far…I imagine that it is quite easy to acquire. Even our Ji clan has a complete copy of the first scroll and the first nine stages of it!”

Ning had the feeling…as though there must be a tremendously powerful force which was propagating the [Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens]. In addition, this technique had been publicly acknowledged long ago. The Xia Dynasty itself had only been established during the later periods of the Fiendgod Era. This technique had existed even before the Xia Dynasty’s founding…and yet, the Xia Dynasty actively propagated it.

“There must be some reason for this,” Ning mused to himself. “However, without question, this technique, as one which even the giant yellow bear praised, shouldn’t have any problems. Since the technique itself has no problems…then for now, a kid like myself has no need to worry about the other reasons.”

“This Immortal of the Raindragon Guard said that there are some special aspects to it, and that after joining the Raindragon Guard, I’ll learn how to truly unleash the combat potential of my divine body?” Ning instantly grew rather eager. The Raindragon Guard was the most powerful military force of the entire Xia Dynasty. It only made sense that it had some special secret arts.

In terms of its roots and its background…the Raindragon Guard was naturally countless times superior to the Black-White College. Not even the Marquis of Stillwater could compare to the entire Raindragon Guard.

“You.” The silver-haired elder pointed to the final Immortal cultivator. This man was dressed in a beautiful golden robe, and he said with respect, “Snowdragon Mountain, Ki Refiner, peak Wanxiang Adept, Dong One!”

Ning’s ears twitched. He turned to look over towards him, and that Immortal cultivator just so happened to be looking at Ning as well. Their gazes intersected.

“He knows me.” Ning instantly realized this, when their gazes cross. The Immortal cultivator named Dong One had a smile on his face, and he even nodded towards Ning. Ning just gave him a calm look, not smiling at all. His parents and uncle, in a way, had all died due to the disciples of Snowdragon Mountain. How could Ning possibly smile when facing a disciple of Snowdragon Mountain?

Ning began to ponder in his heart. “Why has this Wanxiang Adept of Snowdragon Mountain come here? Did he accidentally encounter me, or was he chasing after me deliberately?”

Previously, he had remained in Stillwater City this entire time, and so Snowdragon Mountain didn’t have any chance to take revenge on him. Was Snowdragon Mountain pursuing him as soon as he had emerged?

“Their intelligence networks shouldn’t be this good,” Ning mused. “In addition, I’m a disciple of the Black-White College, and the personal disciple of an Immortal. Snowdragon Mountain shouldn’t be so bold as to act in this way. It’s possible that this is all just a chance meeting.”

……

Each person had finished describing their histories and strengths. The silver-haired, black-robed elder waved his hand. Instantly, streaks of light flew out towards each person. Ning stretched out his hand, clasping it; it was a talisman.

“This is a talisman,” the silver-haired, black-robed elder said. “Bind it. Only then will you be able to enter the inner regions of the Crimson Dragon Mountains. The teleportation array within the inner region leads to the wild marshes of the Gaol Mountains. If you haven’t bound any talismans, the protective formation around the Crimson Dragon Mountains will not permit you to enter.”

Ning and the others didn’t hesitate at all, as they all immediately bound the talismans. “Go.” The silver-haired, black-robed elder’s body suddenly became shrouded by clouds which appeared out of nowhere, and the clouds lifted up and dragged Ning and the others away. However, the spirit-beasts which some Immortal cultivators had brought were all left behind.

“The test for entering the Raindragon Guard is a personal test. These spirit-beasts are not to enter the wild marshes of the Gaol Mountains,” the silver-haired, black-robed elder said. “Have them stay here for now. If you come back alive, you can seek them out.”

Ning stood there atop the clouds. He turned to look downwards towards the Whitewater Hound. “Uncle White, wait for me,” Ning sent mentally. “Be careful,” the Whitewater Hound sent back, looking towards Ning.

And then, the silver-haired, black-robed elder led the group of Immortal cultivators atop his clouds. They quickly flew away, moving deeper into the distant inner regions of the Crimson Dragon Mountains.





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Book 8, Chapter 11 - The Wild Marshes of the Gaol Mountains


When standing atop the clouds and staring downwards, one would be vaguely make out the Immortal residences that lay scattered throughout the winding mouontains. Occasionally, one would also seem some figures flying about on magic treasures; most likely, those were Raindragon Guards.

Just as Ji Ning and Mu Northson were staring with curiosity towards those Immortal cultivators, suddenly…the cloud began to sink downwards.

“That’s…” Ning saw, in the distance, a towering mountain peak, atop which a massive, complicated, tower-shaped formation had been built.

Boom! The cloud landed, and Ning’s group of Immortal cultivators stared towards the tower-shaped formation. This tower-shaped formation up ahead faintly glimmered with gray light, and it was 2400 meters high! The base had a diameter of three hundred meters, and was divided into what appeared to be nine halls. The entire tower-shaped formation’s structure appeared to be made from rare metals, and it was covered with the carvings of many runes. The densely clustered runes covered the entire, 2400 meter high tower-shaped formation.

The entire tower-shaped formation emanated a hazy gray light. Only the tip of the tower shone with a white light. Next to the formation, there were ten old men dressed in plain clothes who were on guard.