Desolate Era (Book 6 - Book 10)

“Amongst them is an essence-cleansing pill which I acquired from that Wanxiang Adept. After eating it, one will qualitatively transform and rise in power, making the likelihood of you entering the Xiantian lifeform stage become much higher.” Ning said.

“This…this is too precious.” Autumn Leaf, shocked, hurriedly refused. Ning looked at Autumn Leaf. “The path of Immortal cultivation is a long one. I don’t want to see you die early on, Autumn Leaf. If you become a Xiantian lifeform, you will live longer. Don’t refuse…perhaps in places like Swallow Mountain, essence-cleansing pills are precious, but to formidable figures like Wanxiang Adepts, they aren’t much at all.”

“Live longer.” Autumn Leaf nodded gently, no longer refusing. She looked at Ning. “Young master, will you return?” “Of course.” Ning sighed as he spoke. “I will definitely return. Here within Serpentwing Lake, there are many things which I cannot bear to part from. Once I have reached my goals in training, I will return and live here at Serpentwing Lake permanently.”

“I will wait for you, young master.” Autumn Leaf looked at Ning. Ning laughed. “Don’t just wait pointlessly. If you do meet someone you like, then marry him.” Autumn Leaf shook her head. “I am your handmaiden, young master. I will be your handmaiden for my entire life.”

Ning didn’t say anything further.

…..

The next day. The outside world was covered with a decorative silver layer of snow. The snow was so white, so pure. Ji Young, Ji Redflower, Ji Ninefire, Ji Truekeep, and the other members of the Ji clan had all hurried here.

“These are some secret manuals that I managed to acquire by a stroke of good fortune.” Ning handed them over to Patriarch Ninefire. “Most of them are comparable to the [Melody of Ten Thousand Swords] or the [Raindrop Sutra].”

“This scroll records the insights on formations by a Loose Immortal, known as the [Nine Scrolls on Formations].” Ning handed this to Patriarch Ninefire as well. “The profound mysteries within are unfathomable. However, to study formations requires talent and time. In the future, I hope that it can be entrusted to a suitable clansman.”

Ninefire, Truekeep, and the others were all shocked. The insights of a Loose Immortal regarding formations?

“As for this, this is known as the [Thunderflame Sword Addendum].” Ning took out a fur-clad book. “This was developed based on my hypotheses regarding the fragments of the [Thunderflame Sword] we possess. It includes some of my own insights regarding swordplay. I was able to create four additional sword techniques, and thus this [Thunderflame Sword Addendum] has a total of seven major sword techniques.”

“As for this…over the course of the last half year, I have spent virtually all my energy and effort on creating this.” Ning took out another fur-clad book. It had three characters written on it: ‘Rain’ ‘Water’ ‘Sutra’. “The set of sword techniques recorded within, I named the [Rainwater Sutra]. In the future, if anyone in our Ji clan can reach the level of mastery in the [Raindrop Sutra], they can learn from this [Rainwater Sutra].”

Ning looked at the book within his hands, filled with emotions. Over the past half year, he had pondered nonstop regarding this. He had summarized all of the insights he had gained regarding the ‘Dao of Rainwater’, then written it all down into this [Rainwater Sutra]. The summarization process had caused Ning to make great strides in further understanding the Dao of Rainwater as well.

As the person who had comprehended the Rainwater Sword Domain, the [Rainwater Sutra] he had written contained hundreds of different layers of insight regarding the True Meaning of the Dao. Even his every stroke of the brush had contained sword-intent within.

“This…” Ninefire and the others, upon seeing the three large words imprinted atop the [Rainwater Sutra], could sense the sword-intent pouring from this tome. Their faces all changed. As experts, they could sense how extraordinary this [Rainwater Sutra] was. Even they felt the awe-inspiring presence from it; no wonder Ji Ning required practitioners to master the [Raindrop Sutra] before learning from his [Rainwater Sutra].

“From today onwards, the [Rainwater Sutra] will be the treasure that protects our entire Ji clan.” Ninefire said with incomparable excitement. The other clansmen were all excited as well. For the clan to produce a genius was a matter of luck, but for this book to be left behind would allow them to raise more geniuses in the future. This [Rainwater Sutra] was clearly above the level of the [Melody of Ten Thousand Swords] and other secret manuals.

…..

Ning didn’t ask for others to send him off. He had Ninefire and the others all go back.

Late at night. It was very quiet. Ning, by himself, led the Whitewater Hound to the side of the lake, then knelt down atop the snow. Facing the endless waters of Serpentwing Lake, he kowtowed three times, then said solemnly, “Father, Mother, I, Ji Ning, will execute our enemies within Snowdragon Mountain and take revenge for the two of you. I will also definitely make my name resound within the vast lands of the Grand Xia Dynasty.”

“Please forgive your son for having to depart for a time.” Ning rose to his feet, then looked at the Whitewater Hound by his side. “Uncle White, let’s go.”

“That little girl…” The Whitewater Hound sent to Ning. Ning glanced towards the distance. There stood Autumn Flower, far away in the darkness. Autumn Flower knew that Ning was going to leave, so she hadn’t slept at all. She was waiting quietly. Upon her seeing Ning look towards her, she couldn’t help but cry. Ning grinned towards her.

“Let’s go.” Ning stepped onto the boat that had appeared out of nowhere in front of him, and the Whitewater Hound followed him onto it as well. Whoosh! The boat soared rapidly into the air, piercing through the dark night skies.

“Young master.” Autumn Leaf immediately ran forward a few steps. Raising her head, she stared towards the distance. “I will definitely wait for your return, young master. Definitely.”

……..

The night sky. The flying boat was amidst the clouds. Ning looked down at the vast, endless world. He could see the massive lake below him as well: Serpentwing Lake. He could also see Brightheart Island at the center of it.

Ning gave it a deep, meaningful look. There were too many things here which he couldn’t bear to part from.

“Let’s go!” Ning turned his head, staring towards the vast, endless night sky. Outside Swallow Mountain, there was an even larger, even more exciting world.

Swoosh!

The flying boat had only a youngster and a snowy white dog atop it. It quickly disappeared into the horizons of the world.





* * *





Book 7, Chapter 1 - Mid-Journey


A boat was soaring through the clouds and the mist, heading straight towards Stillwater City. Ji Ning lay there within the boat, leaning against the stern of the boat. From this position, he could stare down at the boundless land beneath him.

“Uncle. Father. Mother. They must be avenged.” Ning pondered to himself. The scroll his father had left him had the name of his enemy. There had been a total of three malefactors; the primary one was named ‘Dong Seven’. This was an extremely strange name, but this Dong Seven’s grandfather was a Primal Daoist.

Ning knew his own power quite well. To be able to kill Adept Xu Li truly didn’t mean anything. After all, there were exceptionally powerful, talented Wanxiang Adepts such as that Xue Hongyi, who Ning didn’t feel confident in being able to defeat. As for those lofty, exalted Primal Daoists…most likely, a single breath of primal flame from them could incinerate Ning and shatter his soul.