Desolate era, p.204
Desolate Era, page 204
Everyone else now completely understood. So this was what it was all about! Warfare between clans… there was no real right or wrong in inter-clan warfare! Since the Youngflame clan had annihilated the Yuchi clan, and the Yuchi clan’s Windwing Evasion technique was now solely possessed by the Youngflame clan… from the Youngflame clan’s standpoint, it was true that all descendants of the Yuchi clan had to be annihilated. After all, between the two clans, there was now a grudge that stemmed from clan genocide.
“Ji Ning.” Ninelotus sent to Ning, saying frantically, “No matter what, don’t admit that you are a descendant of the Yuchi clan. If you admit to it, given that there is hatred that stems from clan genocide between you and the Youngflame clan, the Youngflame clan will definitely not permit you to remain alive. You only need to say that you acquired the original copy of the [Windwing Evasion] manual through happenstance, and that without knowing the full backstory, you learned it. Thus, since you didn’t know it was forbidden to learn it, you cannot be blamed. I will have my Dongyan clan engage in negotiation with the Youngflame clan on your behalf, and this matter will quickly come to an end.”
Ning looked towards Youngflame Nong and Xiangliu Fang. His heart was filled with boundless rage. The Immortals of the Youngflame clan had soul-scoured the souls of many Yuchi clansmen in order to remake a complete Windwing Evasion.
Upon being soul-scoured, one’s soul would generally be dispersed and destroyed.
“Damn. Damn. Damn!” Ning truly wanted to take revenge for his mother’s entire clan.
“Are you the surviving spawn of the Yuchi clan?” Youngflame Nong stared at Ning, his murderous intent billowing to the heavens. Previously, during the banquet, he had just been flirting a bit with Ninelotus; he hadn’t truly felt any desire to kill Ning. After all, he had to protect the Youngflame clan’s face and reputation. However, if Ning truly was a spawn of the Yuchi clan, then even the patriarchs of the Youngflame clan were present, they would still mercilessly kill Ning.
In this moment, he was the representative of the entire Youngflame clan!
“I am not.” Ning stared at Youngflame Nong and Xiangliu Fang. He forcibly repressed his anger and said in a low voice, “Youngflame Nong, if you want to kill me, there’s no need for you to put on such a show to find an excuse.”
“My senior apprentice-brother has already spoken; there is no relationship between himself and the Yuchi clan,” Northson said angrily. “Young master Youngflame, we came here to help you; is this how you are going to treat us?”
“Young master Youngflame, since my junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning has said that he is not a descendant of the Yuchi clan, that means he is not. He most likely acquired this divine ability through a fortuitous encounter. He can negotiate with your Youngflame clan and offer some compensatory gifts, then swear an oath to the Dao of the Heavens that he absolutely will not pass this divine ability out to anyone else,” Adept Vastriver said.
Yu Wei spoke out as well. “Young master Youngflame, for you to claim at a time like this that junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning is a descendant of the Yuchi clan… once word of this spreads, people will think that it is you, Youngflame Nong, who intentionally sought out an excuse to act against him.”
“Youngflame Nong.” Ninelotus stared at Youngflame Nong as well. Filled with wrath, she said, “Ji Ning is my Dao-companion!”
Everyone was standing out, pressuring Youngflame Nong from all sides. But he only laughed.
“Hahaha… don’t worry,” Youngflame Nong said with a laugh. “Since Ji Ning has accompanied me on this trip through the Immortal estate, I’ll give him a chance to live.” As he spoke out, he produced a set of black manacles, covered with ancient golden runes. He tossed the manacles directly towards Ning. Clank. They landed on the ground before him.
“These are godlock chains.” Youngflame Nong looked towards Ning. “Upon being manacled, you’ll be like an ordinary mortal. Even Fiendgods, when locked by these chains, won’t be able to resist. Put these chains on and wait for my orders. I can swear an oath as well; so long as you are not a spawn of the Yuchi clan, I absolutely will not kill you, nor harm your power. I will go out and engage in an investigation. If, however, I can verify that you are a spawn of the Yuchi clan, I will kill you. If you are not? I’ll release you to your freedom.”
Ning furrowed his brows.
Yu Wei spoke out in a high voice, “Young master Youngflame, think about how powerful your Youngflame clan is; is it necessary for you to act in such a petty manner? You can let junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning go free for now, then engage in your investigations; upon verifying the results, you can act against him later. Can it be that in the face of the power of your Youngflame clan, junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning would be able to escape your reach?”
“Ji Ning, do you agree or not?” Youngflame Nong looked at Ning. “I’ve given you your only way out.”
Ning stared at Youngflame Nong. “You want me to chain myself and hand over my life to you? Do you think this is possible?”
Youngflame Nong’s face instantly turned even colder and more sinister.
No matter what, Ning would not voluntarily put the godlock chains around himself. But right at this moment…
“Young master Youngflame!” The nearby Xue Hongyi suddenly laughed coldly as he pointed at Ning. “Don’t listen to his lies. This Ji Ning’s father was known as Ji Yichuan, while his mother was known as Yuchi Snow!”
“You learned the Windwing Evasion, and your mother was Yuchi Snow?” Youngflame Nong instantly revealed a savage look on his face, and his voice became as cold as ice. “So you truly are the spawn of the Yuchi clan! Die! Ji Ning shall die! Anyone who attempts to block the path of the Youngflame clan in doing so will be killed, without reservation!”
* * *
Book 10, Chapter 25 - Grand Dao Domain
Everyone close to Ji Ning, such as Mu Northson and Ninelotus, all knew that Ning’s mother was named Yuchi Snow. However, they all wanted to try and buy him some time; at the very least, they wanted to make sure that could leave this major world alive. Later on, the Dongyan clan and the Black-White College could use some methods at their disposal to ensure that Ning could be sent and escape to other lesser worlds, or perhaps even a different major world.
Unfortunately…
Xue Hongyi had thoroughly investigated Ning long ago, and had even purchased a set of intelligence reports regarding Ning from the Heavenly Treasures Mountain. Naturally, he knew who Ning’s parents were.
“Youngflame Nong!” Ninelotus was enraged.
“Hold!” Yu Wei’s forehead suddenly began to glow with white light. Her aura quickly became terrifying as she, too, roared with fury.
Adept Vastriver and Mu Northson all called out in anger as well.
Whoooosh.
Xiangliu Fang only stretched out a single hand, which instantly expanded to a tremendous size. At the same time, his five fingers transformed into five giant serpents, each more than three hundred meters long. They stretched out towards Ninelotus, Yu Wei, Northson, and Adept Vastriver. Every single serpent emanated a terrifyingly powerful aura, causing the faces of Ninelotus and the others to become unsightly.
“Ninelotus, I won’t kill you.” Youngflame Nong pointed towards Ninelotus. “But those three fellow disciples of yours… Uncle Fang, if they dare interfere, just kill them.”
Although he felt lust towards Yu Wei… women, to Youngflame Nong, were nothing more than playthings. Playthings, in the end, were still playthings; they could be killed at a moment’s notice.
“You…”
“Youngflame Nong…”
Ninelotus, Northson, Yu Wei, and Adept Vastriver all stared towards him with hatred, but they knew exactly how strong Xiangliu Fang was; he was absolutely capable of crushing them. Although they had some protective items on them, those items would at most allow them to stay alive for a short period of time. To completely change the situation… was impossible.
“Senior apprentice-brother, senior apprentice-sister, junior apprentice-brother… Ninelotus.” Ning looked towards Youngflame Nong, seated at the front of the hall, then said calmly, “There’s no need for you to intervene. This is a matter between myself and Youngflame Nong.”
“Ji Ning.” Ninelotus called out frantically towards him.
Ning looked towards Ninelotus. “Don’t worry.”
“YOUNGFLAME NONG!!!” Ninelotus was absolutely livid. “You are provoking my Dongyan clan!”
“If it was the Forefather of the Dongyan clan who said these words to me, then I might truly be forced to reconsider. But you?” Youngflame Nong laughed, then shook his head.
Ninelotus suddenly produced a black lotus petal in her hand, a petal with an aura that inspired terror. The black lotus petal quickly expanded, causing Xiangliu Fang to call out icily, “Are you looking to die!?” His giant python-finger instantly smashed headlong against the black lotus flower, which trembled, then began to crack. This cracked black lotus flower continued to fly straight towards the giant serpent.
BOOM!
The giant serpent quickly froze into a statue of ice, then shattered apart. In fact, Xiangliu Fang’s entire hand became frozen, all the way to his elbow, then began to splinter across. However, Xiangliu Fang’s arm then once more grew out. WHAP. His fingers once more transformed into serpents, striking heavily against Ninelotus and causing her to be knocked flying, vomiting blood from her mouth.
“Not bad. Unfortunately, you were only capable of injuring Uncle Fang.” Youngflame Nong shook his head. “Even I am unable to produce treasures capable of killing Uncle Fang. You?”
Xiangliu Fang was of the ancient Fiendgod ‘Hydraga’ race; his lifeforce was incredibly powerful, and his combat ability was comparable to a peak Loose Immortal’s. To kill Xiangliu Fang? This was an incredibly hard task.
“Xue Hongyi, I’ll give you a chance to render merits for yourself.” Youngflame Nong looked towards Xue Hongyi. “Go and kill Ji Ning.”
“Me? Kill Ji Ning?” Xue Hongyi was stunned.
“Are you going to kill him or not?” Youngflame Nong’s eyes flashed with a cold light.
Xue Hongyi mentally cursed nonstop. He had been flattering Youngflame Nong this entire time, and had even told him that Ning’s mother was named Yuchi Snow. He had done all of this in the hopes of making Youngflame Nong like him… but who would’ve imagined that Youngflame Nong would be this vicious? Youngflame Nong had actually ordered him to go kill Ji Ning… he had no confidence in being able to do so at all!
“Kill, yes, kill.” Xue Hongyi nodded frantically, but in his heart, he thought to himself, “I’m not going to be able to kill Ji Ning, but I should be able to stay alive at least.”
“Ji Ning, prepare to die,” Xue Hongyi called out with anger, then instantly shot out a series of flying needles towards Ning.
Youngflame Nong and Xiangliu Fang stood there at the front of the hall, watching this happen. A look of anticipation was in Youngflame Nong’s eyes. “Xue Hongyi’s strength should be a bit weaker than Ji Ning’s; if Ji Ning really was to go all-out against him, he should be able to kill Xue Hongyi… and after Xue Hongyi dies, his Immortal-ranked magic treasure will be mine.”
“Uncle Fang, after Xue Hongyi dies, you attack and kill Ji Ning,” Youngflame Nong sent. “The Immortal-ranked magic treasure will be mine then.”
“Yes, young master,” Xiangliu Fang said.
……
Upon hearing Youngflame Nong say, the words, “Ji Ning shall die” and “anyone who attempts to block the path of the Youngflame clan in doing so will be killed,” Ning had already made up his mind to kill Youngflame Nong!
Xiangliu Fang was far too powerful; Ning didn’t feel any confidence in his ability to defeat him, but he had no choice now.
“Die.” Xue Hongyi charged forward.
“First you. Then Youngflame Nong.” Ning wielded his Darknorth swords in his hands. At this point, he couldn’t be bothered to use wings to hide his technique.
Whoooooosh!!!
A series of flying needles filled the skies, shooting towards him.
“KILL!” Ning let out an enraged bellow. In this moment, Ning’s sword-heart was more steadfast and firm than it had ever been before.
He understood now.
In this moment, he had embarked on a brand new path. If he didn’t kill Youngflame Nong, then due to being physically located within this Immortal estate, he wouldn’t be able to escape. He would die! But if he did kill Youngflame Nong, someone who had the highest chances to become the next Godplume Duke… the Youngflame clan would definitely pursue him with full power. This was a clan that was even more terrifyingly powerful than the Northmont clan of Stillwater!
Two roads lay ahead of him.
One was the road to death.
The other was the road of being pursued by the Youngflame clan.
After having been pressured to this extent… Ning actually became incomparably resolved.
BOOOM!!!
His soul became completely pure and transparent in this moment, more than it ever had been before. Ning suddenly felt as though time itself slowed down. Something that he had been struggling with this entire time to reach, and yet had never been able to… finally, he truly had reached it, and embarked on a new journey through his Grand Dao. This was… the Grand Dao of the Sword! A vast, awe-inspiring Grand Dao! In this moment, Ning felt as though he had transformed into a sword that was swimming through the entirety of the Grand Dao.
In this moment… Ning had completely reached the Grand Dao Domain level.
Generally speaking, Immortal cultivators who trained in a Dao all had the chance to reach the ‘Dao Domain’ level, but that was generally only true for an ordinary Dao. The Dao of the Sword, however, was one of the Grand Daos; to reach the Grand Dao Domain was far more difficult than even completely mastering an entire Dao-Path. Although Ning had reached the fifth stance of the [Three-Foot Sword] long ago, if he hadn’t been placed under such enormous pressure this time, causing his heart to suddenly and completely comprehend and allow him to pass through the final barriers, it would have remained very difficult for him to reach this new level.
Within his sea of consciousness.
Ning’s soul suddenly transformed into a sword, an incomparably dazzling sword. This was the sword-soul, which only a Sword Immortal who had truly reached the Grand Dao Domain level would possess. This was a fundamental change, an evolution of the soul.
Whoosh.
The sword suddenly transformed into Ji Ning’s appearance… but the spirit-Ning faintly emanated with the light of a sword.
“What is the purpose of a life lived?”
“All I ask for is to be joyful.”
“Kill, kill, kill.”
“Exterminate all injustices!”
“Exterminate all those who deserve killing!”
“Only then will I be exultant.”
“As Loose Immortals, there is no path to immortality.”
“Thus…”
“Better to live passionately for a day, than to live a century while stifled.”
“My sword is the joyous sword, the sword of passion, the sword which exterminates all injustices. The name of this sword technique is the [Three-Foot Sword].”
While battling against Xue Hongyi, Ning suddenly began to laugh. Laugh loudly, and with joy. “Kill, kill, kill; exterminate all injustices, and exterminate all those who need killing! Better to live passionately for a day, than to live a century while stifled.” As Ning laughed loudly, the Darknorth swords in his hands suddenly became incomparably brilliant and incomparably awe-inspiring.
Swish!
An unfathomably terrifying sword-aura instantly filled the entire hall. A dazzling streak of sword-light lashed out, tearing through the flying needles as though they were made of rotting wood, then sliced across Xue Hongyi’s body.
“I, I, I…” Xue Hongyi’s eyes were completely round. He had never imagined that he would end up like this. Filled to the brim with terror, even his soul began to crack and shatter under the terrifying sword-aura filling the hall.
And then… his body fell into two parts on the ground.
The sixth stance of the [Three-Foot Sword]… the Grand Dao Domain!
The [Three-Foot Sword], as the highest level sword art of the Black-White College, had six stances that were available to the public. The final three stances, however, were limited to direct, Epochal Transmission for Sword Immortals.
The first stance – Lustrous Sword-Heart
The second stance – Manifold Thistlethorns
The third stance – Sudden Sword-Light
The fourth stance – Sun in the Sky
The fifth stance – Moonlight Hiding the Sword
The sixth stance – Grand Dao Domain.
These sword stances weren’t completely set in stone; for example, the first stance, Lustrous Sword-Heart, was different for each person, depending on how they comprehended it. The [Three-Foot Sword] primarily served as a guide. It guided Sword Immortals towards techniques that suited them best. Every single practitioner of the [Three-Foot Sword] was capable of executing the [Three-Foot Sword] in a way which suited them the most.
In dire straits, Ning’s heart had completely merged into the Grand Dao, allowing him to reach the Grand Dao Domain level. The power of this sixth stance he had comprehended was truly incomparably frightening.
“Is this a Grand Dao Domain?” Youngflame Nong watched as a terrifying sword-aura washed over the entire hall, causing even his own soul to shudder. Youngflame Nong’s face completely changed from its previous, calm and smug look. He stared at Ji Ning, this young man from a backwater clan, who seemed to have gone berserk and who had just killed Xue Hongyi with one blow. “How old is he? He actually… actually has already reached the Grand Dao Domain level? And in the Dao of the Sword, the most offensive of Daos?!”
Youngflame Nong suddenly felt jealousy in his heart; why couldn’t he be this talented? Why did this sort of talent have to fall onto a rustic youth like this one?
“Grand Dao Domain?”
