The Desolate Era

Nong Zidao said hurriedly, “This grand formation is known as the Netherwyrm Heavenlock Formation. This is a legendary formation. Although the Ji clan only has the simplified, Mortal-rank version of the formation, this is definitely one of the most supreme formations at the Mortal-rank. The power of this technique cannot be underestimated; it is no lower than some Earth-rank formations. If, master-uncle Xu, you were to enter it, you would be trapped within. Fortunately, you didn’t enter...”

“It is that amazing?” Adept Xu was startled.

A supreme Mortal-rank formation that was no weaker than some Earth-rank formations? Adept Xu knew very well that the value of such a formation was probably no lower than that magic treasure of his, the giant seal he was holding.

“Senior apprentice-brother Zidao, then what should we do?”

“Just watch as the Ji clan continues to delay?”

The Zifu Disciples all began to ask questions, worried. Nong Zidao said, “If I hadn’t already entered, I wouldn’t know either. However, since I’ve already spent quite some time within the Netherwyrm Heavenlock Formation, I’ve spent a good amount of time analyzing it, and have gained certain insights. Right...let’s not be impatient. Let me first break the black fog formation.”

Nong Zidao immediately walked forward, with Adept Xu right behind him. Adept Xu viewed Nong Zidao as being the most useful of this group of Zifu Disciples. He was a formations expert...naturally, he had to ensure Nong Zidao’s safety.

“The black fog bewildering formation is an ordinary formation.” Nong Zidao laughed. “Prior to this, when I entered it, I was about to break it, but just as I was going to break it, I was trapped by the Netherwyrm Heavenlock Formation.”

“Right.”

Nong Zidao looked carefully at the black fog surrounding the entire Oxhorn Mountain. “If my predictions are correct, one of the formation flags should be three hundred meters in that direction.” As he spoke, a flywhisk appeared in his hands. He swept it out, and its three thousand white strands immediately shot out, swirling towards the distance at high speed.

Swoosh!

Instantly, a formation flag was uprooted, and the black fog that had been covering the entire Oxhorn Mountain dissipated. Sunlight shone down upon Oxhorn Mountain, revealing an enormous black dragon that was currently coiled around it. The enormous body of the black dragon emanated a faint, dark, netherworldly aura, but the area the aura reached out to was far smaller than the area previously covered by the black fog bewildering formation.

........

Atop Oxhorn Mountain.

Ning, Ninefire, and the others all had solemn looks on their faces. As soon as they saw Nong Zidao appear, they knew that the situation had just turned grim! They hadn’t expected that Nong Zidao, who had clearly fled, would appear once more. Nong Zidao had entered the formation and had a great deal of experience with it. And now, he easily defeated their black fog bewildering formation from outside.

“Why has Nong Zidao returned?” Ninefire’s eyes were filled with resentment and disbelief. “Without Nong Zidao present, even though this Adept Xu is powerful, as soon as he entered the Netherwyrm Heavenlock Formation, he would be trapped within and unable to depart.”

“Nong Zidao!”

“How could things have ended up this way!” The members of the Ji clan were all frantic and grief-stricken.

Ning felt hatred in his heart as well. Nong Zidao’s arrival was akin to making Adept Xu a tiger with wings.

.....

Nong Zidao and Adept Xu stared at the Netherwyrm, coiling about atop the distant Oxhorn Mountain.

“That enormous black dragon is the ‘Netherwyrm’ formed by the Netherwyrm Heavenlock Formation.” Nong Zidao said.

“Netherwyrm.” Adept Xu stared at the giant black dragon coiling about Oxhorn Mountain, then nodded slightly.

Nong Zidao continued, “The Netherwyrm Heavenlock Formation also has a secondary, bewildering effect. The ‘nether fog’ that emanates from it is also a type of bewildering formation. To break the entire Netherwyrm Heavenlock Formation...it is too difficult. Even I don’t know how long it would take for me to break it.”

Adept Xu frowned. “Even you are unable to break it?”

“However, simply breaking the nether fog is much simpler. I’m able to do that.” Nong Zidao laughed. “Master-uncle, don’t be impatient. The Netherwyrm and the nether fog are two separate parts. The Netherwyrm is used to attack, while the nether fog is used to trap enemies. Although I’m unable to break the entire Netherwyrm Heavenlock Formation, if you give me a bit of time and assist me, master-uncle, I am able to make the nether fog dissipate.”

Adept Xu said in surprised delight, “Make the nether fog disappear? Without the protection of the bewildering formation, if the Ji clan is to rely on the Netherwyrm to fight head on against me, they will definitely perish.”

How could Adept Xu fear a few Zifu Disciples? The reason he didn’t dare enter earlier was because he wasn’t confident in being able to deal with the formations.

“The Netherwyrm Heavenlock Formation has, in total, five component formations. The bewildering formation also has five components.” Nong Zidao said. “Previously, we entered the Dragonclaw Formation. I have already gained insight into some of the profound intricacies of the Dragonclaw Formation. However, Jadechild wasn’t strong enough...but with your power, master-uncle...as long as you use your Earth-ranked magic treasure, that giant seal, you will be able to disrupt the elemental pulse within the ground and dissipate the nether fog.”

“Haha, excellent.” Adept Xu was overjoyed.

Although he was an amateur, he still understood the principle of how formations relied on activating the power of the heavens and the earth...

If a formations expert had seen through the intricacies of the inner workings of a formation, then just by applying a few techniques to a few areas, the functioning of the entire formation could be disrupted! Nong Zidao wasn’t able to destroy the Netherwyrm, but he was able to disrupt the nether fog.

“Master-uncle.” Nong Zidao laughed. “After I break through the nether fog, the Ji clan will be forced to face us head-on. The Ji clan is very weak; I’m afraid that they will immediately flee! Our ultimate goal is to gain the official writ for the City of Ten Thousand Swords, which they carry. If they are to escape, it will be very troublesome. And so, it is best if we first set down a grand sealing formation around Oxhorn Mountain.”

Adept Xu, hearing this, nodded. “Your thoughts are meticulous.”

“Swoosh!”

Adept Xu immediately transformed into a ray of light, flying about while setting up a grand formation around the entire base of Oxhorn Mountain.

“Rumble...”

A barrier of light, appearing like the ripples of clear water, suddenly sprang into being. The enormous barrier of light covered the entire Oxhorn Mountain, like a giant dome over it! Not just the air; even the ground was sealed off by the barrier of light.

The entire world had been sealed off!

This was a grand sealing formation...

Ning, Ninefire, and the others atop Oxhorn Mountain, upon seeing the giant barrier of light appear out of nowhere, completely separating Oxhorn Mountain away from the outside world, all had exceedingly ugly looks on their faces.

“A grand sealing formation.” Ninefire said hoarsely. “In addition, Adept Xu personally established it. To break through this grand sealing formation....most likely, only someone with power equivalent to Adept Xu is capable of it.”

“Right.” Granny Shadow had a hint of despair in her eyes as well.

“We won’t be able to leave.” Truekeep said softly. “With our power, there is no way for us to break the sealing formation. There’s nowhere to run...so, let’s fight. Let’s have a fight with this Wanxiang Adept!”

Yichuan nodded as well. “Originally, I had thought that we had survived this tribulation. But a Wanxiang Adept has come! Our Ji clan should feel proud; we have forced a Wanxiang Adept to come deal with us.”

“Ji Ning, remember, if you have a bad feeling when fighting with Adept Xu, you must immediately leave.” Ninefire looked at Ning.

“You are the future hope of our Ji clan. Remember this.” Granny Shadow looked at Ning.

Truekeep and Ah Xing also looked towards Ning.

His father, Yichuan, gave him instructions as well. “Don’t do anything foolish.”

At this moment...

Ning could feel the despair his elders felt. When the grand sealing formation had appeared, it represented the fact that there was nowhere for the Ji clan to retreat to. Only he, who had the Traceless Talisman, was able to escape. There was no way for the others to escape.

“Right.” Ning nodded solemnly.

“Xu Li!” Ning looked downwards, staring through the nether fog towards the distant Adept Xu and Nong Zidao, his gaze filled with a killing intent. “A Wanxiang Adept? I want to see exactly how powerful a Wanxiang Adept is.” Ning’s heart was now filled with a desire to kill this Wanxiang Adept, who posed a great threat to the Ji clan!

Kill! Kill! Kill!

...........

At the base of Oxhorn Mountain.

Adept Xu, Nong Zidao, and the others were all within the grand sealing barrier.

“There is another thing I must warn you of, master-uncle.” Nong Zidao said.

“Oh?” Adept Xu looked at him.

Nong Zidao continued, “The Ji clan only has a few Zifu Disciples, most of whom are not worthy of concern. There is only one person we must be careful of! He is the monstrous genius of the Ji clan, ‘Ji Ning’, who is only sixteen years old.”

“Sixteen? We have to be careful of him?” Adept Xu was shocked, and the other Zifu Disciples were incomparably surprised as well.

“Yes.” Nong Zidao said solemnly. “He is power is quite terrifying. Earlier, nineteen of us Zifu Disciples entered, along with two Zifu-level spirit-beasts...actually, by relying on our own formation, we were able to fight against that Netherwyrm. The Ji clan wasn’t able to harm us at all, but in the end, Ji Ning attacked. He was simply too strong.”

“All of our fellow disciples, including senior apprentice-brother Jadechild, died in Ji Ning’s hands.” Nong Zidao said.

“He is only sixteen! He killed Jadechild?” Adept Xu stared.

There was no monster like this in the entirety of Snowdragon Mountain!

The other Zifu Disciples were all dazed as well.

How could such a monstrous talent have appeared in a local clan like this Ji clan?

“You’ll know once you see him.” Nong Zidao said heavily. “Ji Ning dual-trains as a Ki Refiner and as a Fiendgod Body Refiner. In addition, he is exceedingly skilled in swordplay, to the point of even having comprehended a ‘Dao Domain’.”

“Dao Domain!” Adept Xu’s heart clenched, hard.

He, a mighty Wanxiang Adept, had yet to reach the ‘Dao Domain’ level in his insights regarding the Dao. The other Zifu Disciples were completely stupefied. Dao Domain? This was a concept that was too distant for them. Sixteen? A sixteen year old who gained a Dao Domain? This...was this real?

“His Dao Domain is a Rainwater Domain.” Nong Zidao said. “Once the rain begins to fall, you must be careful. It represents that Ji Ning is about to attack at any moment.”

“Right.” Adept Xu nodded.

He felt that as a Wanxiang Adept with an Earth-ranked magic treasure and a high level of insight into the Dao...that he would absolutely be able to overcome this genius. However, the enemy did have a Dao Domain. This made it so that that he would definitely pay careful attention to this foe.

“Also. Prior to this, I had to rely on a Lesser Teleportation Dao-seal in order to flee.” Nong Zidao said. “This Ji Ning of the Ji clan makes me uneasy. If he begins to battle with you, master-uncle...if they use some techniques against me, it will be very dangerous. Thus, master-uncle, I would like to borrow a Lesser Teleportation Dao-seal from you, so as to preserve my own life. Only then would I feel confident in entering the Netherwyrm Heavenlock Formation once more and calmly investigate the nether fog, as well as how to disrupt the flow of elemental ki.”

Adept Xu hesitated for a moment.

Lesser Teleportation Dao-seal?

This sort of Dao-seal was a life-saving item and exceedingly precious. Although he was a Wanxiang Adept, the main sect had only bestowed upon him a single such Dao-seal. Afterwards, by trading some of his own treasures, he acquired two more. Each Lesser Teleportation Dao-seal was exceedingly precious. But of course, if one encountered a particularly dangerous foe or a unique location, the Lesser Teleportation Dao-seal would be of no use either.

However, for battles at the normal Wanxiang Adept level, this Dao-seal was generally enough for one to flee.

“Fine. I will loan you one.” Adept Xu nodded. He understood that if he didn’t loan it to Nong Zidao, then Zidao, who had just avoided calamity, wouldn’t be willing to enter again.

After accepting the Lesser Teleportation Dao-seal, Nong Zidao instantly felt more confident, and he said with assuredness, “Master-uncle, please don’t worry. Ji Ning battled against Jadechild for quite some time, and was only able to kill Jadechild after exhausting his divine power. Master-uncle, when you go in person, you will definitely annihilate the entire Ji clan and acquire the official writ.”

“Excellent.” Adept Xu nodded and laughed.

“Come, let us enter together.” Adept Xu swept the other Zifu Disciples with his gaze.

The other seven Zifu Disciples glanced at each other, afraid to refuse. They all followed Adept Xu and Nong Zidao towards that distant, enormous Netherwyrm, and the nether fog it emanated. Soon, all of them entered the region of nether fog.

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