The Desolate Era (Web Novel)

“Brother Ji Ning, you are willing to risk yourself for me. I truly don’t know what I…” Northmont Baiwei looked at Ning, then said hesitatingly, “You know, let’s just forget it. Although Northmont Fox is going too far, it’s not a big deal if we just endure it for a time. In the future, I’ll just seek out an opportunity to avenge myself.” When he recollected how savage that rhinoceros Diremonster was, Baiwei was worried for Ning.

“No need to say anything further. The liquefied essence will go to me upon winning, right? That’s enough,” Ning said with a laugh. Baiwei opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing came out.

“Don’t worry. I’m completely confident.” Ning cracked his lips into a wide grin. “Excellent!” The nearby Hun Wuji looked at Ning. “Brother Ji Ning, we will wait here for you to drink with us when you return.” Ning nodded, a fierce light flashing through his eyes.

This time…would be the first time he would reveal his power in Stillwater City. Since he had come to Stillwater City, then it was time for him to truly show off what a ‘monstrous talent’ he was.

Since he had already decided to join a school, and since there were so many elite members from many schools present, Ning had come to his decision. He was no longer going to hide himself and conceal his power. He had trained in seclusion in the Swallow Mountain region for ten-plus years; he had concealed enough. In Stillwater City, what he needed was reveal as much of his prowess and talent as he could; he needed for the various schools to view him as a priceless treasure! To make the various powers all view him as someone tremendously important! Only then would he be able to ascend beyond the clouds in the azure sky!

If he was to embark on this path, then he would embark on this path as a genius. The path of a monstrous genius!

“A rhinoceros monster?” Ning looked through the window towards that savage, massive rhinoceros Diremonster. “Nothing more than a stepping stone for me.”

“Attend me.” Baiwei once more summoned the servant, then handed over nine hundred taels. At the same time, he instructed her to take Ning to engage that Monoceros in a duel.

The maid looked in astonishment towards Ning. Within the hallway outside the room, she had seen for herself how savage and mighty that rhinoceros monster was. This delicate, handsome youth in front of her was going to battle against that rhinoceros monster?

“Yes.” The maidservant didn’t dare say anything; she immediately led Ning towards the outside. “Brother Ji Ning, we shall wait here for your victorious return!” Baiwei and Wuji both rose to their feet, watching as Ning left.

“Be careful.” The Whitewater Hound, resting on the ground, rose to his feet as well as he looked at Ning. Still, the Whitewater Hound knew very well…that Ning had killed Adept Xu Li with but a single stroke. Kill this rhinoceros monster? Ning shouldn’t have any problems at all.

Ning turned his head, glancing back towards him, then nodded. And then, Ning departed. Ning headed out through the hallway, following after the maidservant. There were some other attendants in the hallway as well. They all looked towards Ning, a mixture of curiosity, grief, sympathy, and pity in their eyes. As they saw it…this handsome, delicate youth was probably a retainer who was being sent to his certain death.

“Baiwei, are you quivering in fear?” That deep voice once more called out mockingly. “Northmont Fox, have that Diremonster under your command prepare for death!” Another voice, a clear one, rang out from the other room. “In addition, Northmont Fox, let me tell you something. Even if you occasionally acquire a powerful retainer, you should be modest. The more arrogant you are, the more miserable your defeat will be!”

“Bullshit!” Northmont Fox instantly grew enraged. Northmont Baiwei just snickered. “Shortly afterwards, you’ll have to swallow your own pile of crap.” The voices of the two young masters of the Northmont clan echoed in the air.

As for Ning, he had already departed his corridor and arrived within the main hall.

……

“Oh, Northmont Baiwei actually has a subordinate he can send out? Can it be that he feels confident that his subordinate will be able to overcome that rhinoceros monster?” A rainbow-clothed maiden looked downwards from her window.

……

“Someone dares to battle against that rhinoceros monster? Who is it?” A white-robed young master looked downwards as well.

…….

“Hm.” The Boy of Universal Fire, still gnawing on that bone, looked downwards as well. Although he had earlier been focusing on analyzing his new formation, the betting duels was the most lively part of the night, and they didn’t go on for too long. Naturally, he elected to watch them as well.

……

“Who is it? I refuse to believe that he has a subordinate that can kill my rhinoceros monster.” Northmont Fox stared downwards as well. All of them were staring towards that corridor, and soon, they all saw a youth dressed in fur enter the main hall, under the guidance of that maidservant. The youth had a smile on his face, as though this was naught but a game.

“He is Ji Ning.” Zhou Li, next to Fox, spoke out. “That good friend of Northmont Baiwei’s.” “Good friend?” Fox instantly began ro roar with laughter, and his voice filled the entire hall.

“Northmont Baiwei, do you truly have no subordinates left? You actually asked your good friend to personally enter the fray? As I recall, this friend of yours wanted to join the Skysplitter Sword Sect. A young fellow who is just about to enter a sword sect…has actually come out to battle against this rhinoceros Diremonster, who is in possession of a divine ability? He’s throwing his life away. I’m so very sorry, but it seems your 900 taels will be mine, yet again.”

“You laugh quite loudly, but you’ll be crying soon enough,” Baiwei said with a cold laugh of his own, off in the distance.

……

The formidable figures within the private rooms all stared down at Ji Ning. Upon hearing that Ning was Baiwei’s friend, they all mused to themselves that given Baiwei accepted him as a friend, he must certainly have some extraordinary attributes. Although he appeared to be a youth, the younger one appeared to be, the more one needed to be wary of that person.

“Please come.” Miss Ziyi looked at Ning. “This jewel is for testing your divine strength, while this one is for testing your elemental ki. Prior to the betting duel, you must have your basic level of power tested. It is absolutely forbidden for a Wanxiang Adept to battle against a Zifu Disciple, or something similar. If it does happen, then the Carefree Caverns will take the life of the cheater.”

Ning nodded. He immediately filled those two jewels with his Crimsonbright divine power, as well as his elemental ki. The two jewels radiated with light which was far weaker than the previous opponents had generated. The light that emanated from the elemental ki test was particularly dim.

“Eh?” Miss Ziyi looked towards Ning in surprise, then called out in high voice, “The Immortal practitioner who Northmont Baiwei has sent out is a dual refiner, both a Ki Refiner and a Fiendgod Body Refiner. As a Fiendgod Body Refiner, he is at the late Zifu stage. As a Ki Refiner, he is at the early Zifu stage.”

An uproar in the audience! “Elemental ki at the early Zifu stage?” “Only a late stage Fiendgod Body Refiner?” “Not even at the peak of the Zifu stage; is he suicidal? This is insane.” “No wonder he wishes to enter a school; his elemental ki is only at the early Zifu stage. He is indeed a highly suitable candidate.”

The formidable figures seated above, upon hearing Ning’s level of power in these two aspects, all began to shake their head and sigh. Prior to this, they had felt hopeful regarding Ning’s chances of victories, but now, it seemed clear that the youth beneath them was throwing his life away.

……….

“Activate the sealing formation.” Miss Ziyi gave the order. Around them appeared that giant barrier of light. Ning gave the light barrier a glance, then at Northmont Fox, who was watching far away, up above them.

“Kid, you are dead for sure! Even if you have a slightly stronger Fiendgod Body Refining technique, you are only at the late Zifu stage. You actually want to compete against the rhinoceros monster I command? You are committing suicide. You probably won’t even have the chance to beg for mercy!” Fox was incomparably brash right now.

“Just prepare your second opponent for me,” Ning said with a laugh. Northmont Fox was startled momentarily, but then he bellowed with rage, “Such audacity. Monoceros, go and kill this punk!”

The atmosphere instantly grew tense. In the private rooms above them, Wuji and Baiwei were feeling concern for Ning, while Fox was hoping for Ning’s death. Others were all watching this play out with amusement. Still, in their hearts…they felt that Ning’s chances for survival were simply too slim.

“Bang!” The six-meter tall, azure-skinned, horned man instantly transformed into an enormous Monoceros. Immediately afterwards, its entire body began to emit a blurry light as it once more transformed, this time into a sixty meter tall colossus. It had already completely executed its Heavenly Transformation technique to the utmost; its current level of power and speed could be described as incomparably astonishing.

“Prepare to die.” The rhinoceros monster galloped forward, its enormous legs causing the hall to tremble with each step. As for Ning, two Darknorth swords appeared out of nowhere into his hands.

Bang!

The giant rhinoceros monster instantly charged towards Ning, its enormous hooves slamming and crushing down towards Ning, but missing each time. “Whoosh!” The Darknorth swords in Ning’s hands transformed into lines of rainwater, slashing past one of the giant hooves. Instantly, blood splattered out, falling down like the rain. One of the rear hooves of the rhinoceros had been completely severed. It had been charging at high speed forward, and it instantly collapsed to the ground, its momentum carrying it to roll forward and slam directly against the grand sealing formation.

Rumble….

A colossal, mountain-shaking collision. Even the grand sealing formation trembled, a few ripples appear as it blocked the Monoceros monster which had lost a leg. The female attendants outside the grand sealing formation, along with Miss Ziyi, had been badly startled upon seeing the Monoceros charge towards them. They knew, rationally, that it couldn’t touch them, but they still took a few steps back.

The rear hoof of the Monoceros flew straight towards it, once more connecting with the trunk. “Growl….” The Monoceros rose to its feet, staring at Ning, a hint of dread and nervousness in its eyes.

Silence! All of the private rooms above them had fallen silent. Fox’s eyes were wide as he stared downwards. Everyone could easily tell who held the advantage.

Given how massive the Monoceros monster was, its hooves were enormous, yet tremendously quick. It was actually extremely hard to dodge its trampling attacks…but Ning had done so easily. Clearly, Ning’s agility was exceptionally formidable, far above that of the Monoceros. In addition, and more importantly, Ning’s swordplay was particularly powerful as well.

In addition to the magic treasure protecting the body of the Monoceros, after using the Heavenly Transformation technique, the body of the Monoceros was incomparably tough. And yet, its rear hoof had been chopped out with one blow? The power of this sword technique…was absolutely…

What no one realized was that Ning’s divine will was controlling his Darknorth sword. At this point in time, Ning’s divine will was actually a bit more stronger than even that the power of a peak Zifu-stage Fiendgod Body Refiner. When matched with the ‘Dao Domain’ level of swordplay and executed with the Darknorth swords, which were more powerful than ordinary Mortal-ranked magic treasures to begin with, how could the power of the blows not be astonishing?

“Aren’t you going to admit defeat yet?” Ning glanced at the distant, towering figure of the Monoceros. There was a huge difference in size between the two, but at this point in time, the Monoceros’ aura was clearly far feebler.

“Admit defeat? It isn’t so easy to kill a Fiendgod Body Refiner. Even if you chopped me a hundred times, I wouldn’t die.” The Monoceros was entering a berserk state. “Kill him, kill him!” Northmount Fox roared from above, and the Monoceros raised its head, glancing at him. “Don’t worry, Master.” The Monoceros stared straight at Ning, its eyes seeming to emit flames.

“Since this is the case…then I will send you on your way.” Ning held his Darknorth swords in his hands, leisurely strolling forward. “Growl…” The Monoceros bellowed, once more charging towards Ning, its savage aura filling the heavens and seeming to contain the power to topple the mountains. As long as he could step on, strike, or even brush against Ning, Ning’s body would probably explode.

Unfortunately…in terms of technique and comprehension, the difference between the two was simply too great. “Die,” Ning said. His entire body transformed into a line of rainwater and slashed outwards. Whoosh…the thick neck of the Monoceros monster was slashed through. Ning flew upwards past him as blood sprayed wildly everywhere. The body and the head of the Monoceros had been completely cut into two pieces.

“Waterflame Lotuses.” Ning willed it. BOOM!

After having reached a new level of power as a Fiendgod Refiner, the amount of fire and water Ning could control had clearly increased significantly. If he was to reach the Celestial Fiendgod level, then most likely his control over fire and water alone would be enough for him to easily slaughter a Primal Daoist, without him needing to use any other techniques.

One Waterflame Lotus after another appeared out of nowhere in the surrounding area, slowly swiveling. Each one of them were at least thirty meters in diameter. In total, twelve Waterflame Lotuses had bloomed!

As for the Monoceros which had just been decapitated by Ning, its body and its head were still in two locations. Its head fell between two Waterflame Lotuses and was instantly ground down by them. The Waterflame Lotuses continuously swiveled, crushing and destroying its body. The completely defenseless head was completely crushed into smithereens, but even after transforming into dust, it continued to be assaulted.

As for the other ten loti, they surrounded the entire enormous body of the Monoceros. Although there were parts of it that weren’t completely surrounded, there was no way for the remaining parts of it to reform into a whole in this situation.

“Grind!” Ning stood there, within the enormous hall. His twelve giant Waterflame Lotuses bloomed, and the petals of the lotuses swiveled, wildly grinding down the enormous body of the Monoceros, slaughtering it and preventing it from reforming. Naturally, this meant it didn’t have a chance to admit defeat either.

This scene, both bloody and beautiful, caused the entire hall to fall silent. Ning just stood there…and then, he raised his head to look towards Northmont Fox.

“I told you to prepare a second subordinate.” Ning laughed calmly, as casual and as relaxed as he had been when he first entered the hall.