The Desolate Era (Web Novel)

“Sword Immortal Darknorth, Ji Ning? Sounds familiar.” The alien Outsider leaned back against his throne, resting his head against his palm and muttering to himself. Moments later, his eyes lit up. “I remember now. I believe he’s one of the fastest-rising stars of the Three Realms, supposedly as talented as Houyi was. If memory serves, the Seamless Gate’s intelligence report stated that his true body was destroyed by them. Only his Primaltwin survives.”

“Primaltwins...I can’t help but feel jealous just thinking about them. Those mortal creatures who slowly rise to power have the chance to form a Primaltwin. We Fiendgods who are born from the primordial chaos don’t even have the chance to do that.” The alien Outsider shook his head and sighed.

“How can those mortal creatures be compared to you, Master?” One of the six golden-armored figures, a red-bearded elder, immediately spoke out in protest.

“Ahaha...” The seated alien Outsider laughed loudly, his laughter echoing within the room.

After he stopped laughing, he looked downwards at the still-kneeling Thearch Darkstill. “Darkstill, you said that he has the power of a True God and Daofather? Isn’t he just a third-tier True Immortal? Low-class True Immortals like him are numerous beyond count in the primordial chaos.”

“Three of my minions were slain by this Ji Ning. One of them, prior to dying, sent the scenes of his death back to our race,” Thearch Darkstill said respectfully.

“The scenes of his death?” The seated alien Outsider was intrigued. “Let me take a look.”

“Yes!” Thearch Darkstill assented respectfully, then pointed towards an empty space nearby. Instantly, moving images began to appear there. The scene displayed the three gray-robed aliens moving forward. Suddenly, a black streak of lightning flashed past them, instantly piercing through their bodies. The black lightning serpent was simply far too fast; although the three of them could sense how dangerous it was and had wanted to flee, they simply weren’t able to escape.

With a single flash, the black lightning serpent slew two of the three gray-robed figures and heavily injured the third. The scene then switched to that of a white-robed youth reaching his out with his hand, intending to soulscour the survivor. However, the gray-robed survivor instantly committed suicide.

“Quite fast.” The seated alien Outsider’s eyes lit up. He laughed merrily, “Those fools of the Seamless Gate...they claimed that Ji Ning’s true body was killed. Just now, he used the [Ninehorn Lightning Serpent] evasion technique, something which only a Fiendgod can use. Clearly, his true body isn’t dead after all. The exalted Seamless Gate...it couldn’t even handle something as simple as this.”

“Right. He’s not dead.” One of the gold-armored figures who had just one arm frowned as he spoke. “And for him to be able to use it while slaying three Empyrean Gods in an instant...and he wasn’t even using a sword. Just now, he used his fingers to execute sword-arts. This set of sword-arts...incredible, simply incredible.”

Thearch Darkstill agreed. “Venerable Saber speaks the truth. In the Three Realms, Ji Ning has been acknowledged as possessing the most profound sword-arts. It is said that he wields fourth-stage swordforce, with the speed of his sword exceeding the limits of the Heavenly Daos.”

The seated alien Outsider had six retainers, but the only one which Thearch Darkstill truly admired was the single-armed man.

“No.” The single-armed man shook his head. “He was able to display his sword-arts so easily while using the [Ninehorn Lightning Serpent]...this level of perfection in the sword isn’t something which someone merely at the fourth stage of swordforce can accomplish. If my guess is correct...he has quite possibly reached the fifth stage of swordforce.”

“What?”

“The fifth stage of swordforce?”

“How is that possible?”

The golden-armored figures next to him all called out in surprise. Even Thearch Darkstill was stunned.

The seated alien Outsider frowned as he looked at the one-armed man. “Saber, are you sure?”

“This is just my conjecture. His sword-arts were too fast, after all, and he used them while executing the [Ninehorn Lightning Serpent]. I wasn’t able to see it too clearly, so I’m just making an educated guess.” After speaking, the one-armed man no longer said a word.

The seated alien Outsider pondered for a moment.

He had collected these six retainers while roaming through the endless primordial chaos. Of the six, ‘Saber’ had voluntarily decided to join him in order to repay a debt of gratitude and voluntarily decided to call him ‘Master’. Saber was also the only retainer who this figure truly respected. As for the other five? He hit them and berated them as he pleased.

Ever since he had arrived at the Primordial Ruinworld, he had easily subjugated and taken control over all of the alien Outsiders here, including the most powerful ones such as Thearch Darkstill.

“Since Saber is willing to make the claim...it probably really is true,” he murmured to himself.

There were some similarities between the usage of a sword and the usage of a saber. Both were weapons meant for attacking.

“If he has fifth-stage swordforce...?” The seated alien Outsider stared into the looping scenes, peering at those three gray-robed figures as they died again and again. “He’s reached such a level despite having trained for less than a thousand years. He really is terrifying. But of course, it’s also possible that Saber’s conjecture is wrong. Still, no matter what, for him to be able to kill those three in such a short period of time means that he definitely has the power of a Daofather.”

“Intriguing.” The seated alien Outsider chuckled.

“Blackheaven.” He sent a mental call directly out to Blackheaven. “Come here.”

Celestial Immortal Blackheaven was relaxing and drinking wine in another part of the castle. This time, he was the one responsible for delivering messages on behalf of the Seamless Gate! This was a golem-body he was using, and so even if it was destroyed he wouldn’t care in the slightest. He naturally was quite relaxed and content.

“Coming.” Blackheaven picked up the jug of wine and headed off. No one barred his path, and a short while later he arrived at the place where the alien Outsiders were located.

“My respectful greetings to you, great Godfiend Witherspike.” Celestial Immortal Blackheaven chortled merrily as he bowed.

“Each time I see you, I feel happy.” The seated alien Outsider smiled merrily back at him. “That idiot, ‘All Things’...whenever I saw him, he used to put on such stupid airs. I would’ve wiped that idiot out out long ago, if he didn’t have so many subordinates or that pack of utterly unbreakable Envoys. I didn’t have the chance to personally see him die, but whenever I see you, his former treasure-spirit, I feel happy all the same.”

Celestial Immortal Blackheaven continued to chortle merrily, seemingly not bothered in the slightest.

He had been enslaved by the Seamless Gate, becoming the personal retainer of the Lord of All Fiends. Why would he be bothered by a bit of jesting from the great Godfiend?

“You used to be the treasure-spirit for the Blackheaven Cauldron. That idiot had to have used the Blackheaven Cauldron to create the cores of those golems, yes? And you ended up learning those techniques...but now, you’ve been enslaved by the Seamless Gate. What’s the point? I think it’d be better for you if you joined me instead,” the alien Outsider said with a laugh.

“You?” Celestial Immortal Blackheaven said in a very uncaring manner, “It doesn’t really matter to me. If you can defeat my master, the Lord of All Fiends, I’d be more than willing to join you.”

“The Lord of All Fiends?” The alien Outsider frowned.

A monster.

The Three Realms really was a place that could give birth to monsters. One of these primitives, Nuwa, had actually been able to force her way into becoming a World God. This was quite a monstrous accomplishment. And the Lord of All Fiends...he had actually been able to flee with a group of experts while being pursued and attacked by a World God. The World God, Nuwa, hadn’t even been able to catch up to him. This was an even more monstrous accomplishment!

It must be understood that World Gods all completely surpassed the limitations of the Heavenly Daos in every way, be it speed or power or other areas. But Nuwa had still been unable to catch up to the Lord of All Fiends! Most likely, the experts of the Three Realms didn’t truly understand what a terrifying accomplishment this was. Mighty Godfiend Witherspike, however, had wandered the endless primordial chaos for many years. He understood quite well.

Advancing to become a World God represented a fundamental change in every single aspect. The difference between an Elder God and a World God was simply unfathomably vast. To make it so that even a World God couldn’t catch up...it meant that the Lord of All Fiend’s insights into the Dao must have reached an even more unfathomable level.

The Three Realms was now divided up into two major alliances.

The Nuwa Alliance...when Mother Nuwa left, she must have left some treasures and techniques behind for them. These things made this alien Outsider quite nervous.

The Seamless Gate...the person who worried him the most was the Lord of All Fiends.

He was wary of both sides, which was why he had never tried to attack the Three Realms. In fact, he had chosen to ally with the Seamless Gate instead.

“Well, enough of that.” The alien Outsider pointed towards the constantly looping images in midair. “See for yourself.”

Only now did Blackheaven turn his head to take a look, and when he did his face completely changed. That flashing black serpent of lightning, that white-robed youth who attempted to perform a soulscour...wasn’t that Ji Ning?

“Ji Ning.” Blackheaven no longer had any trace of a smile on his face. Instead, it was ashen. “The [Ninehorn Lightning Serpent]? His true body isn’t dead?”

“Oh, you noticed?” The alien Outsider chuckled. “Didn’t the Seamless Gate claim that Ji Ning’s true body was destroyed? And if I recall correctly, I think the Lord of All Fiends, Daomother Devilhand, and quite a few others joined forces to ensure it...but now, he’s reappeared in the Darkstill world, seemingly with his true body.”

Celestial Immortal Blackheaven stared at the continuously looping images in the air. He forced down the rage and hatred he felt, then growled out, “Great Godfiend Witherspike, this was indeed our Seamless Gate’s mistake. I’ve already reported this to my superiors...and I trust that Master will soon deliver an order to me.”

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