The Desolate Era

“How is it?” Mu Northson stood next to Ji Ning. Ning’s divine sense enveloped the lower area. He was naturally able to see with perfect clarity the little azure snake struggling for her life. The enraged, desperate, despairing look in the eyes of the little azure serpent...upon seeing it, Ning was instantly certain. “That’s the one!”

There were differences in the appearance of every snake, in terms of scale pattern, coloration, eyes...there were minute differences in many areas. It was much like how, although humans all had two eyes, a nose, and a mouth, because of certain micro-differences, every single person was unique and different from others.

“But those formation flags...” Ning’s divine sense sweep discovered that there were formation flags fixed into the ground in an area of a hundred kilometers. Ning could be considered to be quite skilled in formations now. “These are sealing formations; they should be used to lock space.”

“These Wanxiang monsters really set up a watertight scheme; even if the Azure Skysnake escapes their assaults, the formation flags can also form an enormous sealing formation, preventing it from charging out.”

Thoughts were flashing through Ning’s mind at lightning speed. “Junior apprentice-brother,” Ning sent mentally. “Senior apprentice-brother.” Northson looked at Ning. “That Azure Skysnake below us is the one I am looking for. I’m planning to save it. Want to come with me?” Ning asked.

“Need you ask?” Northson laughed. “Then let’s charge down right now,” Ning said. “Let’s charge into that grand sealing formation. Otherwise, once it activates, because of its spacelock function...we won’t even be able to enter with a Lesser Teleportation Dao-seal.”

Northson nodded as well. Swoosh! The dragon-headed warship suddenly shrank, and its coloration changed as well, becoming the same color as the skies. And then, it transformed into a blurry streak of light, shooting directly towards the battle in the wilderness.

“Bang!” A golden metal rod slammed directly onto the Azure Skysnake’s body. The Azure Skysnake rolled away from it, dodging far away, but at the same time it vomited out a mouthful of jade-green blood.

“This time, I’m really going to die here.”

“I really want to go back to Swallow Mountain...” This thought suddenly flashed through the little azure snake’s mind. But then, it transformed into a streak of light, pouncing towards the white-furred fox, sending a mighty surge of dire-ice straight towards the white-furred fox.

“F*ck off!”

A sudden, explosive roar rang out. The Dragonwhale monster, who had only been watching this entire time, without intervening, suddenly stared into the distance and let out a mighty roar. And then, with a thought, the formation flags that had been placed in the four directions all instantly lit up. An enormous glowing barrier appeared out of nowhere, completely covering this region for a hundred kilometers.

However, an extremely small, dragon-headed warship had already charged into the sealed-off region.

“Eh?” The little azure snake glanced sideways as well, seeing the the distant warship fly in, and the grand sealing formation suddenly appear. “Who barged in? For the sake of capturing me alive, this Dragonwhale has truly made meticulous preparations. These formation flags have actually sealed this region in. Even if I throw off these monsters, I still won’t be able to escape.”

“A human Immortal cultivator.”

“A human.”

The Wanxiang monsters all noticed the warship that had charged in. By now, it had disappeared, with two human youths flying out of it. Although they appeared to be young, these monsters didn’t lessen their caution. The younger an Immortal cultivator appeared to be, the more worthy of caution they were.

“Qushan, block them.” The Dragonwhale ordered one of the Wanxiang monsters under his command with the most formidable life-preserving techniques to go out.

“Alright.” Bowing, an ugly man covered in armor strode forward, his steps causing the earth to shake as it charged towards Ning and Northson.

As Ning flew forward, he mentally summoned 720 flying swords out of nowhere, with the core being the nine Earth-ranked flying swords of the ‘Northriver Sword Formation’. At the same time, the sun, moon, and countless stars of the Zifu region within his body began to resonate with the outside world.

Rumble...the surrounding skies suddenly transformed into a sea of glittering stars, with a brilliant sun and a moon within them. This was a Wanxiang Adept’s Manifestation!

In front of Ji Ning’s chest, a jade-white sword of light had already appeared. When Ning had faced the combined attacks of Northriver Zhou and the others, he had dared to use the ninth level of the [Lesser Thousand Swords Formation] to deal with the attacks of two peak Wanxiang Adepts at once. Now that his elemental ki had also reached the early Wanxiang stage, and the core of the [Lesser Thousand Swords Formation] had the ‘Nine Yang Sword Formation’ had been replaced with the ‘Northriver Sword Formation’, it could be said that the sword formation Ning was using today could’ve defeated all six members of Northriver Zhou’s party!

“Hurry up and flee, and I’ll spare your life.” Ning flew forward, as fast as lightning, while calling out in a loud voice.

“Puny human child, you really know how to waggle your tongue.” The hoarse voice of the ugly man rang out as he lifted up two golden metal rods, transforming into a shadow as he charged straight towards Ning.

Ning shook his head. “You sought out your own death! Go!” With but a thought, Ning instantly transformed the jade-white sword of light in front of his chest into an enormous Waterflame Millstone which moved as fast as the wind, spinning towards the ugly man. With the support of his Wanxiang Manifestation...this sword became even more unpredictable.

“Gotta block.” The ugly man was badly frightened. This human kid’s flying sword was incredibly fast! “Double block!” The ugly man twirled his two metal rods, struggling to block, but in terms of skill alone, how could the monster be a match for Ning, who had already embarked on the path of the Sword Immortal? Even the likes of Northriver Zhou would be capable of completely suppressing this ugly monster, much less the current Ji Ning. This ugly monster was only skilled in preserving his life.

Crunch!

The sword-light flashed past the defense of the two golden metal rods, chopping directly onto the body of the ugly man. With a slashing sound, his body was instantly bisected.

The ugly man’s body, upon being chopped in half, instantly dissolved into mist, then reformed into an enormous black-shelled turtle. It hurriedly retreated far away. This sight caused the other Wanxiang monsters to all be shocked. Even the Dragonwhale, who had been standing apart from the battle this entire time, to frown as he looked towards the two human youths.

The Dragonwhale waved his hand and said, “Halt!” The other Wanxiang monsters all immediately halted, moving backwards.

“Big Brother, it seems those two human youths are fairly powerful. That slightly taller one was actually able to chop second brother Qushan in half.”

“What do you mean, chopped in half? That’s because I was in human form, which was why he was able to easily chop me in half. In my true form...how could he be able to chop through?” The giant, black-shelled turtle flew over, snapping irritably.

“You couldn’t even block a single sword. You really are useless,” a tall, skinny monster said with a cold snicker.

“Why don’t you try!” The black-shelled turtle was furious.

“All of you, shut your mouths.” The Dragonwhale swept them with his gaze, and the ten-plus Wanxiang monsters no longer dared to say anything. All of them stared towards the distant Ji Ning and Mu Northson, who were flying towards them.

The Dragonwhale said in a clear voice, “Human, it’s best if you don’t interfere in the matters of us monsters. You had best leave right away. I will release the grand sealing formation and let you leave. If you don’t leave...” The green light in the Dragonwhale monster’s eyes appeared quite insidious.

Ning and Northson just glanced at the monsters, then turned their gazes towards the rather bedraggled little azure serpent. The little azure serpent’s body was torn open, but it was rapidly healing.

She, too, looked towards these two humans who had temporarily rescued her from disaster. As she did...she was instantly dazed.

That fur-clad youth?

His appearance...it was identical to that arrogant youth of the Ji clan who had challenged her to do battle countless times, back in Eastmount Marsh.

“Little snakey-snake!” Ning stared towards that distant, somewhat stupefied azure snake. He began to roar with laughter. “Don’t you recognize me anymore?”

Little snakey-snake?

The little azure snake was stupefied. That nickname...it was so familiar. Back then, that arrogant youth of the Ji clan had addressed her in this manner.

“It really is you!” The little azure snake instantly shouted back in shock, “You are that arrogant kid of the Ji clan?”

Ning laughed. “Listen up! My name is Ji Ning!”

With a flash, the little azure snake moved next towards Ning. It even transformed into human form, into an azure-robed maiden. Her face was rather ashen, but the azure-robed maiden inspected Ning closely, as though she wanted to carefully inspect even the pores on Ning’s face. Completely flabbergasted, she said, “You really are that kid of the Ji clan? You weren’t killed by Ironwood Zhan?”

“I killed Ironwood Zhan,” Ning said with a pursed smile. “I didn’t expect that in human form, you’d assume the form of a woman.”

The azure-robed maiden stared back at him. “I was a female to begin with.”

It had been many years since they had met. One had only been at the Houtian level, while the other was an ordinary Xiantian monster. Back then, they had battled many times, but now, when they saw each other, they felt so very close, very familiar with each other...perhaps this was the effect of running into a familiar face in an unfamiliar place. This naturally made them feel all the closer to each other.

“You two!” The distant Dragonwhale frowned. He naturally could tell that this human youth seemed to be familiar with the Azure Skysnake. He immediately barked, “Stop acting so friendly with each other. This is my turf, and you are currently within the grand formation I am controlling.”

The azure-robed maiden’s earlier joy instantly evaporated. She hurriedly sent mentally to the nearby Ning, “Kid of the Ji clan, it seems as though you are now quite powerful. However, don’t think that just because you were able to overcome the human form of that Wanxiang monster, that you are capable of defeating that group of monsters. There are sixteen Wanxiang monsters present, and when they are in their true forms, their power will increase explosively. And that Dragonwhale...by himself, he’s more powerful than the rest of them joined together. It not only is a Dragonwhale with tremendous talent and incomparably great strength, it also trains as a Fiendgod Body Refiner, and has a divine ability. Its power is tremendous.”

Ning was startled. A Fiendgod Body Refiner, with a divine ability?

“This Dragonwhale monster is the leader of the Mount Demonlotus region,” the azure-robed maiden sent. “He has tens of Wanxiang monsters under his control. This time, to attack me, he only brought fifteen of them. He has long ago reached the peak of the Wanxiang level as a Fiendgod Body Refiner. With his divine ability and his innate talent...you cannot take him on as an enemy. Hurry up and flee. Don’t worry about me.”

The distant Dragonwhale shouted calmly, “I will give you two choices. The first choice is to immediately leave. The two of you will be able to live. The second choice is to die, both of you, right here.”

Northson stood there, grinning, seeming quite relaxed.

Ning was similarly relaxed.

“Kid of the Ji clan, don’t be stupid. Hurry up and leave. If you are willing to do so, in the future, get revenge for me,” the azure-robed maiden sent to him. “For I, Qingqing, to be able to see you before I die is already enough. It can be said that the heavens were not unkind to me.”

Ning glanced towards the distant Dragonwhale and the fifteen other monsters next to him. Their auras were surging towards the heavens. Ning said in a clear voice, “Dragonwhale, I’ll give you two choices as well. The first choice is, I’ll leave with this little snakey-snake, and you can live. The second choice is, I’ll kill all of you, and then I’ll take this little snakey-snake away.”