Desolate Era (Book 6 - Book 10)

…….

A long vessel was streaking through the air, moving from the distant Highwater Commandery to Stillwater Commandery’s Swallow Mountain.

Because Ninelotus wasn’t a member of the Raindragon Guard, she was unable to use teleportation arrays. Thus, she had to fly in a straight line.

“Finally, I’m here!” The long vessel came to a halt. A snowy-robed Ninelotus flew out. With a wave of her hand, she collected the vessel, then stared towards the distance. She immediately saw the boat on the surface of Serpentwing Lake, as well as Ji Ning, Mu Northson, Rainbowflame Fairy Yu Wei, and Adept Vastriver, all of whom were drinking and chatting.

“Senior apprentice-sister Yu Wei and senior apprentice-brother Vastriver?” Ninelotus was surprised.

Ning and the other three, on the boat below, could sense the ripples in the air. They all raised their heads to look up.

Upon seeing Ninelotus in midair, Ning revealed a look of surprise and delight. He immediately rose to his feet.

Yu Wei and the others rose up as well. Yu Wei and Ninelotus were extremely close to each other, and she immediately called out in a high voice, “Little Sister Ninelotus.”

Swoosh!

Ninelotus descended from the skies, landing on the ship. First, she exchanged a glance with Ning. A hint of emotion could be seen in both their eyes. And then, Ninelotus turned to look at Yu Wei. She said happily, “Senior apprentice-sister, I didn’t expect to see you here as well. It’s been so long since we’ve met. Oh, and senior apprentice-brother Vastriver and junior apprentice-brother Northson.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you as well. It’s been ten years, right?” Yu Wei felt very happy. “Why did you disappear for ten years?”

“I don’t even want to talk about it.” Ninelotus shook her head helplessly. “I was held by the tribe in the Myriad Lotuses Cave and wasn’t able to leave, up until a few days ago, when I managed to break through the formation around it. I flew all the way from Highwater Commandery to Stillwater Commandery. It took me forever.”

“Given your status, why would the clan hold you in the Myriad Lotuses Cavern?” Yu Wei was surprised. It could be said that she was Ninelotus’ closest friend in the Black-White College; although Luo Qing was someone who had grown up with Ninelotus, Yu Wei and Ninelotus truly shared the same temperament and opinions. Thus, Yu Wei knew a few things about Ninelotus’ background.

Ninelotus gave Ning a resigned glance. “It’s all because of him.”

“Him?” Yu Wei felt as though Ninelotus’ glance was a bit…strange. It didn’t seem like a glance between fellow disciples; rather, it seemed like a glance between Dao-companions, whose emotions and feelings were linked together.

Ning walked over, taking Ninelotus by the hand. He didn’t know what to say. After hesitating for a while, he only said three words: “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine…it was just a bit stuffy there. Still, now that I’m out, in the future, the Dongyan clan won’t interfere in our matters again.” Ninelotus looked at Ning, her eyes filled with delight.

“Won’t interfere?” Ning couldn’t help but reveal a look of delight as well. The Dongyan clan’s interference had always been a source of worry for Ning. Now, everything was fine, and his worries dissipated like smoke in the wind.

“The two of them…?”

Yu Wei looked at Ning and Ninelotus. She couldn’t help but feel stunned.

“I had no idea…that the two of them became Dao-companions!” Adept Vastriver began to roar with laughter.

“Senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning, you actually formed Dao-companions without telling me?!” Northson roared as well.

As for Yu Wei, she just stood there quietly, keeping that calm, faint smile on her face.





* * *





Book 10, Chapter 1 - Youngflame Clan


Just shortly after Ninelotus reached Serpentwing Lake, in the distant Crimson Dragon Mountains of Stillwater Commandery, a large group of people were gathered around the tall, large teleportation array.

All of them had powerful auras. Clearly, none of them were ordinary.

Northmont Fox was standing behind a tall, skinny man. He sent to him, “Father, who did you pull me over here to meet? You didn’t even permit me to ask about this while we were in Stillwater City; you insisted on bringing me to the Raindragon Guard branch before telling me.”

The tall, skinny man was dressed in a black uniform. He wore a crown on his forehead, and his eyes were sunken and deep. However, his pupils seemed to carry a cold light that would bring fear to many.

This man was Northmont Fox’s father… Northmont Yin!

The two most likely candidates to become the next Marquis of Stillwater were Northmont Blacktiger and Northmont Yin. They had completely different temperaments. Northmont Blacktiger was like an enormous, primordial beast who was born with a dominating aura; anyone who looked at him would feel terror. In acting, he was incomparably dominating as well, and so he had many followers.

As for Northmont Yin, he was a truly ambitious and ruthless figure who was particularly skilled at biding his time. Nobody could see through Yin’s thoughts; he was a mystery to all.

“If I told you in Stillwater City, given your temperament, you might have leaked this information, which would be disastrous.” Yin shook his head. “This matter is extremely important, and very few know of it. Look at Immortal Eastrock of the local Raindragon Guard branch; he’s waiting, just like us. Although he’s brought a group of subordinates, I imagine that only he himself knows exactly who it is that we are waiting for.”

Fox instantly felt an itchy feeling in his heart. Someone capable of making even Immortal Eastrock and Yin come in person to wait for him, and to act so secretively as for Yin to not even tell Fox, his own son, who it was?

“Who is it?” Fox was extremely anxious to know.

“This person is Youngflame Nong, of the Youngflame lineage,” Yin sent mentally.

Fox’s face instantly changed. He revealed a look of shock and amazement as he yelped back mentally, “Young master Youngflame Nong? One of the Four Dukelings of the imperial capital? Why has he come to Stillwater Commandery? This, this… how can this be?”

“Now do you understand why I didn’t tell you?” Northmont Yin cast his son a glance.

Northmont Fox hurriedly nodded. He understood. Of course he understood.

Although the Northmont clan of Stillwater held a marquisdom and was incomparably ancient and large, if they were compared to the rest of the Grand Xia Dynasty… there were still powers that were even mightier than the Northmont clan. For example, the almighty imperial clan of the Grand Xia Dynasty, the Xiamang clan, or some of the most powerful clans that had helped the Xiamang clan unify the world.

The Youngflame clan was one of the faithful ministers that served the imperial clan of the Grand Xia Dynasty!

Supposedly, during the Fiendgod era, the Youngflame clan was a clan that was as old and as powerful as the Xiamang clan. In fact, their history stretched to the most ancient of eras of this major world.

In the end, the Youngflame clan had submitted to the Xiamang lineage! They had followed the Xiamang clan in conquering the world, and had been one of the most powerful clans under the Xiamang clan’s control. As for the the Northmont clan and the other clans, they had all slowly begun to join the Xiamang clan later on, and in terms of power, they were vastly inferior to the Youngflame clan.