Desolate Era

They had grown up together, and he had followed her all the way from Highwater Commandery to Stillwater Commandery and entered the Black-White College with her. After having pursued her for so long, how could Chen Jin not be infuriated by what he saw in front of him?

“Flowcloud.” The nearby Holyfire grabbed Chen Jin by the arm, pulling him towards him. Chen Jin had been about to charge out.

“Uncle Fire.” Chen Jin turned to look at him. Holyfire looked back, gaze as calm as ever. “Calm down.”

Chen Jin said, agonized, “How can I possibly calm down. I have to ask and understand exactly what the hell is Ninelotus thinking. Why would she take a fancy to this kid, Ji Ning?” Although they were fellow disciples, Chen Jin was currently filled with boundless disgust and distaste for Ning.

“You’ll only have a chance if you can calm down.” Holyfire looked at him.

Chen Jin wasn’t a fool; he had simply been provoked by the scene before him. He quickly suppressed his rage, then nodded and said, “Uncle Fire, don’t worry. I won’t do anything crazy.”

“Right. No matter what, we are all fellow disciples of the same school. We cannot commit fratricide against each other,” Holyfire instructed. “Come. Let’s go meet with junior apprentice-brother Darknorth and junior apprentice-sister Ninelotus.”

Chen Jin obediently followed by his side as the two flew downwards…

Atop the boat. A surge of power was rippling down towards them from the skies. Ninelotus couldn’t help but look upwards, and the ripple of power caused Ning to awaken from his slumber and open his eyes.

“Is that…?” Ning immediately recognized the bald, handsome, crimson-robed, bare-footed youth who had a divine svastika tattoo in the middle of his forehead. A look of surprise appeared on Ning’s face. “Senior apprentice-brother Holyfire? Why has he suddenly come to my place? There shouldn’t be many people who know that I am here at Serpentwing Lake of Swallow Mountain.”

Holyfire had mastered a complete Dao Path, and whose Fiendgod body had reached the peak of the Wanxiang level long ago. He had even defeated Primal Daoists before. He was one of the true leaders of the third generation disciples of the Black-White College!

“Senior apprentice-brother Holyfire, senior apprentice-brother Flowcloud.” The nearby Ninelotus’ face suddenly changed. “He actually came…it seems Qingqing must’ve told him. This will be troublesome.” As soon as she saw the two, Ninelotus was able to guess at what had happened.

“Ji Ning.” Ninelotus hurriedly sent to him, “Next to senior apprentice-brother Holyfire is senior apprentice-brother Flowcloud! Be careful of him.”

“Be careful of him? He should be one of our fellow disciples, right? Although I’ve never met him, I’ve heard of his name and that he is very powerful. Why should I be careful of him?” Ning was puzzled; he had never met Flowcloud before, and no enmity existed between them.

“Just be careful.” Ninelotus gritted her teeth. Right at this moment, Holyfire and Chen Jin flew down from the skies, landing atop the water. The two strode forward atop the water as easily as if they were walking on flat land.

“Senior apprentice-brothers Holyfire and Flowcloud,” Ning laughed, “Why have the two of you come to my Swallow Mountain?”

Holyfire smiled at him. “We learned that you were here by chance,” Holyfire said. As for Chen Jin, he just let out a cold snort, not speaking. This caused Ning to feel surprised…he had never offended this man before. Why was he treating Ning so coldly? Just now, Ninelotus had also warned him to be wary of Flowcloud…it seemed there really were some strange things going on. Multiple thoughts instantly began to flit through Ning’s mind.

“Since you’ve come to my place, senior fellow disciples, I naturally will show the hospitality of a host. Senior fellow disciples, please come with me,” Ning said warmly.

“No need.” The black-suited Chen Jin gave a cold response.

Ning frowned. No matter how good-tempered he was, he wouldn’t try to ingratiate himself to someone who was treating him icily. “Oh, then why have you come to my place, senior apprentice-brother Flowcloud?

Holyfire gently shook his head, not saying anything. As for Chen Jin, he looked at Ninelotus. He stared directly into her eyes.

Ning couldn’t help but begin to feel anger rise in his heart. After having been together with her for a year, Ning had begun to understand how Ninelotus felt, and the two of them had reached a tacit level of understanding. They hadn’t felt the need to rush into open proclamations, but…Ning naturally felt quite upset for this Chen Jin to stare so fixedly at ‘his’ senior apprentice-sister Ninelotus.

“Senior apprentice-brother Flowcloud,” Ning barked.

“Shut your mouth.” Chen Jin gave him an angry glance.

Ning’s gaze instantly turned sharp. Although he had been angry, he had at least been able to maintain a level of decorum. But this Flowcloud telling him to shut his mouth was a clear sign that he intended to give Ning no face at all. If that was the case, then he had no need to give him any face either. He immediately barked back, “Flowcloud, this is my territory. This isn’t a place for you to throw your weight around. Get the f*ck out of Serpentwing Lake.”

Chen Jin was startled by Ning’s shout, and he immediately said with fury, “You think you are capable of making me leave? You don’t know your own limits.”

As for the nearby Holyfire, he just watched quietly. Ninelotus, however, could no longer hold back. “Chen Jin!” Ninelotus barked angrily. Chen Jin, pain in his eyes, turned to look at her.

“Ninelotus, leave this to me,” Ning said. Although Flowcloud was famous, Ning truly didn’t hold him in any regard. Amongst Wanxiang Disciples, only the truly most top-tier experts such as Holyfire were capable of inspiring caution in Ning.

“Let me handle it.” Ninelotus shook her head, staring at Chen Jin.

Chen Jin, agonized, looked back at her. “Little Yun, you’ve really made up your mind?”

Ninelotus let out a light sigh. She had grown up with Chen Jin, after all. “Chen Jin, stop being so stubborn. Let it go.”

Let it go?

Let it go?

Let it go?

These three words continuously echoed in Chen Jin’s mind, causing the last vestiges of hope thad he had in his mind to instantly be exterminated. His face changed, beginning to redden as he pointed towards Ning and howled, “Because of HIM!?”

“Chen Jin!” Ninelotus immediately barked at him but Chen Jin said, agonized, “Little Yun, we grew up together. When we were young, you always liked to be together with me as well, right? Because of you, I left Highwater Commandery and came to join the Black-White College of Stillwater Commandery! You should know that my departure from Highwater Commandery had a major impact on my status within the tribe, but for your sake, I didn’t hesitate at all. I sacrificed so much, and in all these years, I’ve never wavered in my feelings towards you. You…you…you…this is how you are going to treat me?”

Ning, standing there, finally understood. So the two of them had known each other as children…but so what? Did they necessarily have to become Dao-companions, just because they had grown up together?

“Chen Jin.” Ninelotus shook her head. “I’ve never accepted you, despite the passage of all these years. How can you not understand?”

“Understand what?” Chen Jin let out a cold laugh. “You just grew fickle-hearted!”

Ninelotus was stunned. As for Chen Jin, a cold light flashed through his eyes. His many years of pursuit had resulted in such an ending…his final hopes had been extinguished. The jealousy that he had previously felt was completely transformed into rage! He was enraged…enraged that all of his sacrifices over the years had were like water that flowed east into the sea, never to return. Enraged that Ninelotus had actually taken a fancy to this kid from a minor clan!”

“No need to say anything else.” Chen Jin looked at Ninelotus. “Dongyan Yun, after today, I will never bother you again. However, your judgement truly is terrible for you to have taken a fancy to this kid! We’ve been friends for so many years…today, I’ll help you out and let you know how utterly worthless this kid you’ve taken a fancy to is!”

“Ji Ning!” Chen Jin let out a loud roar.

Rumble…instantly, the air above Serpentwing Lake instantly exploded with noise. At the same time, a large number of clouds began to gather, and the entire world seemed to change color. Around the black-suited Chen Jin, 108 golden disks of light suddenly appeared out of nowhere, all of which immediately flew towards the skies in every which way.

The clouds into the sky also surged at high speed towards those 108 golden disks of light. Soon, the clouds had transformed into a formation of 108 giant clouds, which were shaped like lions, chariots, dragons, and other creatures. These 108 giant clouds circled about the surrounding area.

As for Chen Jin, he stood there in midair, staring towards the distant Ning and shouting, “Ji Ning, if you have even the slightest bit of courage, then come battle with me. I’ll let Ninelotus know…that you will crumple at a single blow. But of course, if you have no courage, if you are afraid, then just hurry up and get the hell away from Ninelotus. You aren’t worthy of her!”

“Chen Jin!” Ninelotus was angry now as well. But the nearby Ning stretched out his arm, stopping her. Ninelotus couldn’t help but turn to look at him.

“Leave it to me.” Ning only said these four words. Ninelotus felt her heart tremble; she could sense Ning’s determination.

The changes to the world near Serpentwing Lake and the sudden appearance of these 108 giant clouds had thrown Brightheart Island into a state of chaos. Many people charged out, and even Patriarch Ninefire, Granny Shadow, and the old servant Ah Xing came out to see what was going on.

“What’s going on?”

“What’s happened? Who is causing trouble here at our Serpentwing Lake?”

All of them were shocked and mystified. Ninefure, Granny Shadow, and Autumn Leaf all looked towards the Whitewater Hound and the Azure Skysnake.

“That red-robed man is named Holyfire; he’s one of the leaders of the third generation disciples of the Black-White College. He’s extremely powerful, and supposedly has even defeated Primal Daoists,” the Whitewater Hound said. “Next to Holyfire is another disciple of the Black-White College; his name is Flowcloud.”

“If they are all disciples of the Black-White College, what’s there to fight about?” Autumn Leaf said, worried, “Is the young master alright?”

“Ning’s already sent a message to me. Don’t worry,” the Whitewater Hound said. But although he said that, he was very worried as well, because he had spent quite a long period of time in the Black-White College and heard of Flowcloud’s reputation. In addition, the grand aura of the technique which Flowcloud had just used was proof that his power was unfathomably greater than the likes of Dong One and Northriver Zhou.

This was a true elite of the Black-White College!

“Ning, son, be careful,” the Whitewater Hound sent mentally to him. Ning’s soul was so powerful that he could engage in a spiritual communication with his spirit-beast as long as they were in range of his divine sense.

Ninelotus looked at Ning, worry in her gaze. Although she knew that Ning was monstrously talented, he had still only been in the Black-White College for five years. Flowcloud, also known as ‘Chen Jin’, was also extremely talented and had been training for many years, and was shockingly strong. She was very worried that the two would truly engage in a wild, murderous battle against each other.

“Hmph.” Chen Jin, in midair, saw the look of worry on her face. He couldn’t help but let out a cold snort. “Ji Ning, dare you or dare you not? If you don’t have the courage to fight, then f*ck off and go back to your little clan.”

“Chen Jin.” Ning strode through the air, one step at a time, moving higher and higher with each step. As he did, he spoke calmly, “It seems that your embarrassment has transformed into anger. Becoming Dao-companions is a personal matter for two individuals; can it be that just because you were stubborn in your pursuit, that Ninelotus has to accept you? You think a bit too highly of yourself. As for you saying that you wish for Ninelotus to know how utterly worthless I am, that I can’t stand up to a single blow…once again, I’m afraid you think a bit too highly yourself.”

“Enough bullshit. Do you dare to fight or not?” Chen Jin stared at the distant Ning.

Ning continued to walk through the air, soon coming to stand at an equal level to Chen Jin. The two stood there in midair, staring at each other. A Darknorth sword suddenly appeared in Ning’s hands. A sword-hum rang out, filling the air above Serpentwing Lake.

“Come, then,” Ning said calmly.

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