Desolate Era (Book 6 - Book 10)

“The reason why I was able to break the formation so quickly was because I already pondered on this formation for quite some time, previously.” Nong Zidao said. “As for the other four sub-formations…I imagine I will need a bit more time.”


Adept Xu said, worried, “How much longer?”

Nong Zidao let out a confident laugh. “Now that I have some experience from breaking the Dragonclaw Formation, the other four will be fast. I will need at most an hour for each of the others.”

“Excellent.” Adept Xu was instantly overjoyed.

At most an hour?

The remaining four formations, all combined, would only need four hours or so! As long as the nether fog was destroyed, there would be no place for the Ji clan to hide. They would have to fight head on…

“The Ji clan is doomed!” Adept Xu’s eyes were filled with anticipation. If they truly were to acquire this elemental ore mine, he would have rendered the most merits, and would naturally be granted great rewards.

“Let’s go!”

Adept Xu gave the order. The nine of them, surrounded by the protective snowy white Flood Dragon, entered the Dragonbody Formation.

………

“The nether fog around the Dragonclaw Formation was broken!” Every member of the Ji clan was filled with dread.

It was the nether fog that allowed them to hold an advantage, in that they could fight when they wanted to, and flee when they wanted to! As for the enemy, they could only passively be attacked, and wouldn’t have any place to flee!

“We can’t let this continue.” Ji Ning, watching this, grew anxious. He understood the Netherwyrm Heavenlock Formation quite well, and also had a good grasp of formations in general. He hurriedly said, “The power of the Netherwyrm Heavenlock Formation is extremely great, and it also has an auxiliary nether fog effect. To break the entire Netherwyrm Heavenlock Formation is very hard, but it is comparatively easier to break through the bewildering nether fog formation. Nong Zidao…since he was able to break the Dragonclaw Formation’s fog, he will be able to break the others quite quickly as well, because they are all linked and similar.”

The controller of the formation, Ji Ninefire, nodded as well. “Right. We can’t just watch as they destroy the nether fog. We have to stop them.”

“We have to stop them.”

Frantic looks were on the faces of Granny Shadow and the others as well.

“Ji Ning, you’ll have to be the one to go.” Ninefire looked towards Ji Ning. “You are our only hope for stopping them. If even you are unable to stop them…then, the rest of us will have no choice but to try and delay, to try and hold on as long as possible.”

Ning nodded slightly. “Alright.”

This tribulation…it came in waves! After killing Jadechild, they had thought that they had won for sure, but then Adept Xu had arrived. This caused the Ji clan to once more face a terrifying danger.

“This battle…I must win.” Ning’s heart billowed with a boundless desire for battle.

He had to win!

He was the only one who could stop Snowdragon Mountain!

If even he were to fail, then he would be forced to flee, while his Patriarch, his father, and the others would remain trapped here by the grand sealing formation. They would only be able to rely on using their lives to battle for as long as possible.

“Xu Li, I will make sure you die!”

“All of you will die!”

Ning had only one thought – to kill his enemies. For the sake of survival. For the sake of the Ji clan. For the sake of his family. For the sake of not having to leave, grief-stricken, by himself.

He had to kill the enemy!

“Careful.” Yichuan looked at his son.

“Stopping them is important, but staying alive is more important.” Granny Shadow instructed in her hoarse voice.

All of them looked at Ning.

Ning nodded gently. Before him, a corridor in the black fog appeared. He dashed through it, moving like a blur at high speed towards the enemy.

……..

Moments later.

Ning stood next to an old, gnarled, crooked tree. The area around him was filled with a dense cluster of more than seven hundred flying swords, forty five of which were Mortal-ranked flying swords. After killing Jadechild’s group of Zifu Disciples, Ning’s collection of Mortal-ranked flying swords had increased to forty six, enough to create five formation bases.

“Rumble…” The flying swords around him all began to emit a blurry aura.

Ning frowned, sweat beginning to form on his forehead. He was struggling to control them, and the flying swords around him constantly rose and fell.

“No. I still can’t do it.” Ning shook his head. “Last time, when I fought Jadechild, I had twenty seven Mortal-ranked flying swords…I was only able to just barely use the ninth level of the [Lesser Thousand Swords Formation]. But now, I have forty five Mortal-ranked flying swords…no matter what I try, I’m unable to execute the ninth level of the [Lesser Thousand Swords Formation].”

“Level eight, then!”

Ning gave it a try.

The flying swords around him all rose into the air, flashing with a white light, but it was still quite difficult.

“Arise!” Ning gritted his teeth. His head hurt to the point of splitting, but he was just able to manifest a flying sword, glowing with white light, in front of himself.

“Disperse.” With a thought, Ning collected the flying swords hovering about him.

Ning pondered to himself, “I am, at most, able to execute the eighth level of the [Lesser Thousand Swords Formation], and it is quite difficult. I imagine that executing three sword flashes using the eighth level of the [Lesser Thousand Swords Formation]…that is my limit.”

Although he was only able to activate the eighth level, in terms of power, the strength of his attack was 30%-40% greater than in the past, when he had used the ninth level of the [Lesser Thousand Swords Formation] to kill Jadechild.

“Patriarch, where are they?” Ning said. “I am prepared.”

“Right ahead of you. I will guide you.” Ninefire sent mentally.

“Alright.”

Ning wielded a pair of the Darknorth swords in his hands, his eyes filled with a killing intent. He rapidly advanced forward.

………

The snowy white Flood Dragon roved about, its draconic scales glistening with snowy white light. It was shockingly, breathtakingly beautiful. As for Adept Xu, Nong Zidao, and the others, they were protected and surrounded by the snowy white Flood Dragon. Nong Zidao was focused on analyzing the formation; he had to understand the intricate secrets of the nether fog generated by the Dragonbody Formation.

Suddenly…

“Rustle…”

Within the nether fog, a drizzling rain suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The drizzling rain drifted downwards, cool and comfortable. This was an enjoyable, pleasurable drizzle, but the faces of the nine Immortal practitioners of Snowdragon Mountain all changed.

“Rainwater!”

“Rainwater! Ji Ning’s rainwater!”

“Rainwater Sword Domain. Ji Ning has unleashed his Rainwater Sword Domain. He is about to attack.” The Zifu Disciples were all extremely nervous. Even Nong Zidao temporarily paused his musings, a hint of concern on his face.

The descent of the rainwater was like a call from the Deathgod. The last time it came, Dong Ziqi, Jadechild, and the other Zifu Disciples had all perished. And now, the rain had come again.

“Rainwater Sword Domain?” Adept Xu, dressed in a beautiful black robe, swept the surrounding area with his gaze, his pupils contracting to slits, like that of a venomous viper. He was the calmest of the group, but he was still extremely cautious and wary. After all, he was still some distance away from being able to comprehend a Dao Domain.

“Hmph.” A cold snort rang out.