Desolate Era (Book 6 - Book 10)

He was one of the two Sword Immortals of the entire Black-White College! The other, naturally, was his own master, Immortal Diancai.

“Right. Earlier, you demonstrated the third stance of the [Three-Foot Sword], the ‘Sudden Sword Light’,” Ninelotus said softly. “If the Black-White College was to learn of this, the degree of importance they view you with would skyrocket even more. The [Three-Foot Sword] is the most powerful sword art of the Black-White College, and you are a genius of the Dao of the Sword; the Black-White College will definitely spare no expense in training you!”

“The Chen clan is comparable to the Black-White College, but it’s in the Highwater Commandery; the amount of influence it has in Stillwater Commandery is quite low. In addition, Chen Jin’s status in the Chen clan is fairly ordinary…and so you truly don’t have much to worry about.” Ning nodded as he listened.

Both of them were chatting in midair, and standing very close to each other. When Ninelotus spoke, Ning could almost feel her breath. This caused Ning, who had never before had a relationship with a woman, to suddenly have an impetuous feeling…which was only strengthened by the fact that just now, he had defeated his ‘rival in love’, Chen Jin. Ning suddenly stretched his hand out, grasping Ninelotus’ hand.

Ninelotus’ hand was very soft, as though it were made out of water.

“Eh?” Ninelotus was somewhat caught off guard.

“Be my Dao-companion,” Ning said.

For a moment, Ninelotus’ mind was thrown into a state of chaos. She had actually been hesitating this entire time; during the past year, she had slowly grown more certain of herself, but she was, by nature, a cautious person. She had been planning to wait and watch for a few more years, but in the face of Ning’s sudden ‘attack’…she didn’t know what to say or do.

“The path of Immortal cultivation is one filled with pitfalls and traps. But we would at least have a Dao-companion as we traverse this path.” Ning looked at Ninelotus. “Senior apprentice-sister, are you willing to accompany me in traversing this path of Immortal cultivation for a thousand years…for ten thousand years…and for eternity?”

Ninelotus’ eyes suddenly turned red. She nodded gently. “Hahaha….” Ning began to laugh joyfully.

“Remember what you said,” Ninelotus said, looking at Ning. “We shall walk this path of Immortal cultivation together. A thousand years…ten thousand years…an eternity.”

“Right.” Ning nodded.

Their gazes met.

As for Autumn Leaf, who was watching this scene from the distant Brightheart Island, she revealed a hint of a smile as well. “The young master…has finally found his love.”

……

The Black-White College of Stillwater City. Adept Flowcloud, also known as Chen Jin, had returned to his own estate. He sat there by himself, drinking one cup of wine after another.

“Ji Ning.”

“Ji Ning.”

Chen Jin muttered this name repeatedly, a terrifying look in his eyes. The woman he had loved had been taken from him, and he had first been defeated, then been choked and forced to swear an oath to the Dao of the Heavens. All of these things caused Chen Jin to feel a boundless amount of hatred towards Ning, but…there was nothing he could do. Ning had been training for far fewer years than him, but Ning’s rate of advancement caused even Chen Jin to feel tongue-tied and speechless.

“I won’t be able to catch up to him. I won’t be a match for him.” Chen Jin couldn’t even rouse himself to fight back.

“What should I do?”

Agony filled Chen Jin’s heart.

“Right!” Chen Jin’s eyes suddenly let up. “Although Ninelotus won’t be mine, Ji Ning’s clan is far inferior to mine. Although he is a monstrously talented person…to an ancient, massive clan such as the Dongyan clan, they won’t care about that at all. Right…I imagine that the Dongyan clan doesn’t know about Ninelotus and Ji Ning yet. Then…I’ll give Ji Ning ‘a hand’!”

“Once the Dongyan clan learns of this, they will definitely prevent the two from being together. Definitely!”

Chen Jin was a disciple of a major clan as well; he knew very well how major clans carried out their affairs. Everything was done for the sake of the clan! The same was true for the leader of the clan as well. Only someone whose status in the clan was like Ji Ning’s status to the Ji clan, whose personal status and influence completely eclipsed the entire clan itself, was able to surpass the importance of the clan. In those cases, the entire clan would move according to the wishes of that person.

Clearly, Ninelotus, by herself, couldn’t possibly surpass the entirety of the Dongyan clan in importance!

“Let’s do this.” Swoosh. Chen Jin transformed into a streak of light, once more departing from the Black-White College.

…….

The Dongyan clan was an extremely mighty clan; since it stretched over three commanderies, it naturally had a local branch in Stillwater City. That very day, Chen Jin spread news of Ninelotus and Ji Ning to this branch.

The Primal Daoist in charge of running this branch didn’t dare to be negligent at all in handling this affair; this news, after all, involved their next leader, ‘Ninelotus’.

Very soon…the news made its way back to the primary headquarters of the Dongyan clan in Highwater Commandery, in the Dongyan Mountains. This was a mountain range that spanned more than a hundred thousand kilometers, and which was densely packed with countless structures and buildings. The Dongyan clan’s population was calculated in the hundreds of millions, and all of the clansmen lived here. In addition, this mountain range was also filled with countless ancient formations.

This was, after all, an ancient clan that spanned three commanderies, one which had produced multiple Celestial Immortals. But of course, too much time had passed; although Celestial Immortals had infinite lifespans, they might fall or die. No one knew for certain if the Dongyan clan still had any living Celestial Immortals.

In terms of their roots and their foundation, the Dongyan clan definitely surpassed the eight major powers of the Stillwater Commandery; they were actually close to the Northmont clan in power! Perhaps the only major difference between them and the Northmont clan was that they had never been enfeoffed with a marquisdom.

“Little Yun has chosen a Dao-companion?”

“What’s her Dao-companion’s name?”

“Ji Ning?”

This news instantly caused a major upheaval amongst the high-ranking members of the Dongyan clan.





* * *





Book 9, Chapter 28 - Taken Away


“Bring Little Yun back here!” An unfathomably old and reclusive patriarch of the Dongyan clan gave the order personally.

“Yes, Forefather.” A Loose Immortal, ‘Immortal Norshok’, responded with great respect. That very day, he led a group of Loose Immortals in an awe-inspiring display as they left the Dongyan Mountains of the Highwater Commandery.

………..

The warm spring had come, and the flowers had bloomed. A leaf-shaped boat was lazily floating about on the surface of Serpentwing Lake. Atop the boat were only two people; Ji Ning and Ninelotus. In the past, the two had never made their feelings clear to each other, but upon both of them acknowledging each other as Dao-companions, upon acknowledging that they would continue to accompany each other as companions for the rest of their long life on the Immortal path…their hearts only grew closer.

The two sat there, facing each other atop the boat. In front of them was a table, and on the table was some Immortal wine. This Immortal wine had naturally been provided by Ninelotus. Ninelotus had an extraordinary background, and the cups, wine, and various other items she carried with her were all things which Ning had never seen before.