The Desolate Era

Book 9, Chapter 38 - The Tricentennial Conclave of Immortal Destiny

The gray-robed man couldn’t be said to be handsome, but he truly did have an extraordinary aura. Actually, as a reincarnated Immortal, and one who had long ago mastered a complete Dao Path, he should have awakened quite a few memories of his former life. Thus, his aura would be affected, naturally making him seem different from the crowd.

“Junior apprentice-brother Darknorth,” Daoist Vastriver said, smiling towards Ning, “I heard of your reputation long ago, but because I’ve always been adventuring, we haven’t had the chance to meet. This time, upon my return, I heard that you defeated Daoist Snowplume...you truly are impressive, quite impressive. Amongst the third generation disciples of our Black-White College, only junior apprentice-sister Yu Wei is a match for you in training speed.”

“I can’t compare to junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning,” Yu Wei said hurriedly.

“You are being modest. Junior apprentice-sister, three years ago, you completely mastered the Dao of the Freeze; compared to the two of you, myself and Vileslayer are truly ashamed,” Adept Vastwave said.

“Senior apprentice-sister Yu Wei, you were able to comprehend a complete Dao Path so quickly! Only junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning is a match for you,” the nearby Bloodshadow said with a laugh as well.

Ning was quite surprised. By the sound of it...quite a few people knew that Yu Wei had mastered a complete Dao Path. Vastriver and Bloodshadow, at least, knew about it.

Formidable! Yu Wei wasn’t actually that old; she was only roughly ten or so years older than Ning himself! And yet, she had already completely comprehended an entire Dao Path, and the Dao of the Freeze, at that! It must be understood that when Yu Wei had defeated Ning during their initial Dao Debate, she had used techniques pertaining to fire.

“Senior apprentice-sister, aren’t you the ‘Rainbowflame Fairy’? Are you actually more talented in ice?” Ning was surprised.

“She’s skilled in both ice and fire,” Adept Vastriver sighed. “Although we are all reincarnated Immortals, there are still differences between us. Some reincarnated Immortals were ordinary Earth Immortals or Loose Immortals, while others were Loose Immortals who had trained for hundreds of thousands of years...in her past life, junior apprentice-sister Yu Wei must have been an incredible Loose Immortal.”

Yu Wei said, resigned, “We’ve come to congratulate junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning; why do you all keep talking about me? Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning, we’ve come to your place...are you going to just have us keep chatting here in midair? Aren’t you even going to offer us a glass of wine?”

“Yes, of course,” Ning immediately led the way.

The awe-inspiring group of Black-White College disciples chatted and laughed amongst themselves as they arrived at Brightheart Island. Autumn Leaf had already arranged for the servants to prepare in advance; how could they dare to be negligent in taking care of so many disciples of the Black-White College?

The entire group stayed here for time; some stayed for just two or three days, then returned on their own. Northson, Yu Wei, Vastriver, and Baiwei continued to spend some more time at the island.

On this day, the sky was completely cloudless, for as far as the eye could see.

Ning’s group was aboard a large ship on Serpentwing Lake. They were seated, drinking Immortal wine, and eating spirit-fruit.

“Junior apprentice-sister Yu Wei,” Adept Vastriver, seated opposite from her, spoke out, “There are three more years before the Conclave of Immortal Destiny. What do you plan to do during these three years?”

“Whatever I feel like.” The black-robed maiden, Yu Wei, sat there while viewing her surroundings. “I’ll stroll about and do what I please. When enough time has passed, I’ll go directly to the imperial capital of the Grand Xia.”

“Then let me congratulate you in advance, Rainbowflame Fairy, for spreading your name throughout the world,” Baiwei said with a laugh.

Northson stared. “Wait, wait. What are you all talking about? What Conclave of Immortal Destiny? What’s this about the imperial capital? And spreading one’s name throughout the world? Hey, senior apprentice-brother...do you know what they are talking about?”

Puzzled, Ning shook his head as well. “What are you all talking about? Why haven’t I heard of this before?”

Baiwei said, “This Conclave of Immortal Destiny is an event which the founding emperor of the Grand Xia Dynasty established. All Immortal cultivators beneath the rank of Primal Daoist are permitted to participate. This is a tournament of the truly supreme geniuses of the world. Our Grand Xia Dynasty has unified this major world, which holds 3600 commanderies and many oceanic territories...I can’t even imagine how many monstrous geniuses and reincarnated Immortals will be attending this event.”

“A tournament of geniuses?” Ning was astonished.

“Right. Although it is called the ‘Conclave of Immortal Destiny’, it should really be called the ‘Tournament of Geniuses’,” Baiwei said with a sigh. “This is because one must be below the Primal Daoist level...thus, almost all the participants are peak Wanxiang Adepts. The peak Wanxiang Adepts who participate are geniuses who come from the various commandery cities and oceanic territories...I can’t help but shudder, just thinking about it. Generally speaking, those who dare participate are, at the very least, comparable to Primal Daoists!”

The look on Ning’s face grew solemn as well. He now understood. If all the geniuses of this entire major world were to gather in one place...it must be understood that the Black-White College of Stillwater Commandery, alone, already had the likes of the Sloppy Daoist, Holyfire, Vastriver, and Yu Wei. Stillwater Commandery had other schools and sects and clans as well, some of whom had brought up their own heaven-defying geniuses.

Every commandery would have tens of such geniuses.

The Grand Xia Dynasty controlled 3600 commanderies, and oceanic territories as well!

In other words...the entire Grand Xia Dynasty most likely had more than a hundred thousand individuals on the level of Holyfire and Vastriver!

“If you don’t have some true ability, going and participating is suicide,” Baiwei said. “The reason you never learned about it is because you weren’t strong enough, and so the Black-White College never notified you. After all, your defeat of Daoist Snowplume is a recent event.”

Ning nodded.

“Can it be that you want to go?” Baiwei looked at Ning.

“I’m not in a rush to,” Ning said.

“I, too, feel that you don’t need to go. After all, you’ve only trained for thirty years. That’s too short a period of time,” Baiwei said. “You might as well just stop at the Wanxiang level and train for another three centuries and wait for the next Conclave of Immortal Destiny. If you go then...you will definitely shock the world. I know quite a few supreme talents who insisted on waiting for three centuries, and in the process mastered multiple complete Dao Paths!”

Ning was secretly speechless. Multiple Dao Paths?

“Given how high a level of comprehension they have, why not become Primal Daoists or Earth Immortals? Why insist on forcing themselves to remain at the Wanxiang level?” Ning asked.

The nearby Northson also said hurriedly, “Right. Why suppress themselves for so long? Is the Conclave of Immortal Destiny truly so enticing?”

“You don’t understand,” the nearby Adept Vastriver spoke out. Baiwei and Yu Wei looked towards Ning and Northson as well. Vastriver continued, “This Conclave of Immortal Destiny ...those who rank in the top three will acquire an Immortal-ranked magic treasure.”

“Immortal-ranked?!” Northson cried out in shock.

“A single Immortal-ranked magic treasure shouldn’t be enticing enough,” Ning said with a frown. Anyone capable of comprehending multiple Dao Paths in three centuries would definitely be a truly monstrous genius; someone like this, upon becoming an Earth Immortal, shouldn’t find it too hard to acquire an Immortal-ranked magic treasure.

“That’s just the nominal prize,” the black-robed Yu Wei said. “Participating in the Conclave of Immortal Destiny is a chance to skyrocket to the heavens in prominence. It’s a chance to allow the entire Grand Xia Dynasty to pay attention to you. If you rank in the top ten...just for the sake of becoming friends with you, some of the major clans might give you five thousand kilograms of liquefied elemental essence, or even more. That might not be too much from a single clan, but if multiple clans were to do the same...your hands would go limp from receiving liquefied elemental essence.”

“But all that is secondary.”

“The most important part of this event lies in the words, ‘Immortal Destiny’.” The black-robed maiden looked at Ning. “If you rank in the top ten of this event, then you’ll be able to apprentice yourself to some truly major powers. Generally speaking, if you do so, you’ll have a much higher chance of becoming a Celestial Immortal.”

“Major power?” Ning hurriedly asked, “Major powers of where?”

Adept Vastriver said in a low voice, “Perhaps some of the truly supreme powers of this major world who have been in seclusion...or perhaps powerful figures from outside this major world. No matter what, they will definitely be more powerful than Celestial Immortals! I’ll tell the two of you one more thing...more than 80% of Celestial Immortals we know of first came to prominence during the Conclave of Immortal Destiny, where they were accepted by major powers as disciples.”

“This is a chance, a chance to show your prowess and let the major figures of the Three Realms to see how talented you are.” Adept Vastriver looked at Ji Ning and Northson. “Understand, now? Understand why so many geniuses are willing to stay at the Wanxiang level for three centuries? It’s all for the sake of being able to show their prowess and blaze brilliantly during the Conclave.”

Yu Wei sighed as well, “Reincarnated Immortals like us are nothing. Earth Immortals? Loose Immortals? We are nothing at all. Only becoming Celestial Immortals will one become truly carefree and unrestrained! But how hard is it to become a Celestial Immortal? The entire Black-White College, in all its history, has only produced a single one. But this Conclave of Immortal Destiny...this is a moment of true destiny. Naturally, one has to grasp it.”

Ning and Northson completely understood.

Becoming a Celestial Immortal was too hard!

If a major power of the Three Realms was willing to give some guidance, it would be much easier. For example, if Daoist Threelives were to personally teach and train Ning, his own Immortal path would naturally be much more quickly traversed.

The Conclave of Immortal Destiny...this was a chance for one to attract attention from major figures of the Three Realms.

“Beyond Celestial Immortals in power?” Northson couldn’t help but ask, “All I know is that Celestial Immortals have surpassed the restrictions of the Three Realms and are able to roam about, carefree. What is above a Celestial Immortal?”

Yu Wei and Vastriver exchanged a glance.

Yu Wei said slowly, “True Immortals! True Immortals of Pure Yang!”

“True Immortals?” Northson murmured these two words to himself.

“One of the prerequisites for becoming a Celestial Immortal is the comprehension of an entire Dao Path,” Yu Wei said. “Mastering an entire Grand Dao Path, however, is the prerequisite for becoming a True Immortal.”

Northson nodded gently. Ning did the same.

The two of them both knew what Grand Daos were. Ning’s Dao of the Sword was a Grand Dao...and Northson’s Dao of Constructs was also a Grand Dao! However, it was even more difficult and rare to completely master and control the Grand Dao of Constructs than it was to completely master the Grand Dao of the Sword. Some Immortals were said to be ‘skilled’ in constructing constructs, but to clain true, complete mastery over the Grand Dao of Constructs? Not even the legends mentioned such a figure.

“And that’s just a prerequisite. To surpass the Celestial Immortal level...how incredible must that be? Any such person would be considered a formidable figure of the Three Realms. Generally speaking, those who are chosen during the Conclave of Immortal Destiny will ‘only’ become honorary disciples...but even being a mere gate-guard for such a major power is more exalted than being a prince of the Grand Xia Dynasty, to say nothing of an honorary disciple,” Adept Vastriver said.

Ning and Northson both nodded in agreement.

Those figures could be considered major powers of the Three Realms.

Ning suddenly thought of the master of the underwater estate – Daoist Threelives. He was a Primordial Fiendgod, who had been born from the primordial chaos with the complete mastery of a Grand Dao. Afterwards, he had mastered many other Grand Daos, and then developed the [Starseizing Hand], ranked as one of the top ten divine abilities out of the innumerable divine abilities that had been created after Pangu had established the universe.

“Master said that only after I become an Empyrean God can I be considered his disciple. I wonder how strong Master is, compared to a True Immortal,” Ning mused to himself.