Desolate Era (Book 6 - Book 10)

Seeing this, Ning actually felt a strong, warm feeling surge into his heart. It was just like before; Autumn Leaf also treated Bluestone as she would her own little brother.

Ji Ning had returned. The unparalleled genius, the disciple of Black-White College, Ji Ning. He had come back to Swallow Mountain. This news quickly stunned the entire Ji clan, and the members of the clan celebrated and danced for joy.

Soon, the likes of Patriarch Ji Ninefire, Ji Young, Ji Redflower, and the others, including the most outstanding youths the Ji clan had produced in recent years…they all made their way to Brightheart Island of Serpentwing Lake!

“This is a Wanxiang serpent monster?”

“The Whitewater Hound has become a Wanxiang Diremonster as well?”

The Patriarch and the others, upon arriving, were all astonished. They weren’t too surprised by the fact that Ning had become a Wanxiang Adept, as Ji Ning had been able to easily slay the Wanxiang Adept, Xu Li, in the past. In addition, Ji Ning had entered the legendary Black-White College; in their hearts, for a monster like Ji Ning to improve so rapidly was perfectly normal. If he trained as slowly as they did, that would be quite surprising.

“Patriarch,” Ning said, “Recently, I joined the Raindragon Guard.” The nearby Ninefire, Granny Shadow, Ji Truekeep, and Young all revealed looks of surprise on delight on their normally calm faces. They didn’t know that Ning had recently joined the Raindragon Guard; however, they weren’t at all surprised by the fact that he was strong enough to join them.

“After joining the Raindragon Guard, I was granted the authority to designate a region of ten thousand kilometers to be protected by the Raindragon Guard! Even if I were to die in the future, this land would still be protected by the Raindragon Guard for a thousand years. The region I designated has the City of Ten Thousand Swords at the center, and the other four prefectural cities included within it as well.”

“Here’s the talisman.” Ning took out a talisman, then said, “Only Zifu Disciples can bind it. After doing so, hang it above the gates of the Lord Prefect’s residence at the City of Ten Thousand Swords. When you do so, the entire city’s walls will have a vague outline of a Raindragon appear. Others will instantly know that this place is under the protection of the Raindragon Guard, and they won’t dare to invade.”

Ninefire accepted the talisman with incomparable excitement. “This will be the foundation of our clan, the foundation of our clan! With this talisman, our clan’s base will be even more secure, and our Ji clan will definitely flourish and grow!” The nearby Truekeep and others were all filled with anticipation and eagerness as well.

“Ji Ning, how long will you remain, this time?” Ninefire asked. “In the future,” Ning said, “I’ll permanently live here at Serpentwing Lake. I’ll occasionally go out and take on some missions for the Raindragon Guard, and also occasionally pay a visit to my master at the Black-White College of Stillwater City. The rest of the time, I should be here.”

There were some students of the Black-White College who always stayed at the College. This was because the college had the Black-White Diagram, and because they could often discuss the Dao with their fellow disciples. Ning, however, was different. First of all, Immortal Diancai only occasionally provided guidance to him. As for the Black-White Diagram? It wasn’t of too much benefit to Ning, as it would be enough for him to just go view it occasionally. This was because Ning had the underwater estate, which was even better. The Stellar Hall of the underwater estate was far more formidable than the Black-White Diagram.

Whether for the sake of the clan, or because of the underwater estate, or for the sake of the calmness of his own soul, Ning would choose to remain at Serpentwing Lake.

“Good. Good!” Ninefire, overjoyed, said hurriedly, “It won’t affect your training, will it? No matter what, training as an Immortal is of paramount concern.”

“It will not,” Ning shook his head. “Good.” Ninefire nodded repeatedly. “With you here long-term, Ji Ning, and with two Wanxiang Diremonsters…our Ji clan’s power will grow exponentially. With this additional power, our Ji clan will flourish still further, and our territory will grow.”

“Right. Three Wanxiang Adepts, and with Ning possibly being a Primal Daoist in the future! The territory our Ji clan has is too small.” Granny Shadow, Ji Truekeep, and the others all began to grow excited. The larger one’s stomach was, the more food one could eat. In the past, the Ji clan’s power was limited, and so they naturally didn’t dare to desire too much. But now that Ji Ning was so powerful, and now that he had two Wanxiang Diremonsters, and had the support of the Black-White College? Given their power, the Ji clan was naturally going to flourish.

“Do as you see fit.” Ning agreed, because this had been his father’s hope as well. “If you run into any trouble…Little Qing, Uncle White, the two of you need to give them a hand.”

“Leave it to me,” Qingqing said confidently. “Swallow Mountain only has us three Wanxiang Adepts; doesn’t that mean we’ll be able to do whatever the hell we want?”

“Haha…” Ninefire and the others all began to roar with laughter.

Ji Ning’s decision to stay at Serpentwing Lake sent excitement throughout the Ji clan. Ning also gave some guidance to some of the more promising new talents of the Ji clan. However, these so-called talents could only be considered talents in the Swallow Mountain region; none of them truly astonished Ning. Ning soon understood that the fellow disciples he usually interacted with were all members of the Black-White College…how could the ‘geniuses’ of a small clan such as the Ji clan compare with them?

Reuniting with his clan members. Providing guidance to his juniors. After three days, things at Brightheart Island finally calmed down. Only now did Ning enter his private study room.

“The underwater estate.” With but a thought, Ning manifested an enormous phantom of a grizzly bear’s head within his private room. The phantom bear had a hint of a smile on its face. Opening its mouth, it swallowed Ning into it.

Ning disappeared from the private room. He had returned to the ‘underwater estate’, located in a different dimension.





* * *





Book 9, Chapter 16 - Comprehending the Dao in the Stellar Hall


The large, ancient hall was the same as it had been in the past. Those giant prayer mats remained in the same positions as they had for trillions of years.

Ning materialized out of nowhere within this main hall. He instantly saw an old black bull and a giant yellow bear, and he hurriedly said with respect, “Ji Ning greets you two, seniors.”

“Late Wanxiang stage?” The giant yellow bear nodded slightly. “You’ve improved quite quickly as a Ki Refiner, but you have only reached the ninth stage as a Fiendgod. You are a bit slower.”

“Already at the Wanxiang level?” The old black bull was quite surprised. He looked at Ning. “Ji Ning, kiddo, it seems as though you are already much more powerful than our fourth master, Rampart. Rampart died at the Wanxiang level, you know.”

Ning just grinned. As for the giant yellow bear, he nodded. “Ji Ning is naturally much more powerful than Rampart; his talent is comparable to a reincarnated Immortal’s.”