The Desolate Era

Book 11, Chapter 14 - First Encounter With Woodpass

The Heavenly Treasures Mountain. The clouds hovering around the nine peaks of the Fortunes Peaks. Atop the clouds were formidable figures from various areas around the world; this truly was a place where the fish swam with the dragons.

“Fellow Daoist Ji Ning.” A violet-robed Yu Qi had just arrived at Ning’s place.

“Oh?” Ning gave him a glance. Earlier, he had sold off treasures worth 1.3 million kilograms of liquefied elemental essence to this man. Ning was quite satisfied with this. Smiling, he said, “Fellow Daoist Yu Qi, come, have a few cups of wine with me.”

“No need,” Yu Qi said with a laugh, then whispered, “I’ve come to inform you, fellow Daoist Ji Ning, that the men of the Youngflame clan have arrived.”

“The men of the Youngflame clan have arrived?” Ning’s eyes lit up. “Where?”

“Right? Where?” Little Qing’s eyes were shining as well.

Yu Qi was flabbergasted. When these two had heard the word ‘Youngflame clan’, it was as though they had located their prey.

“Right over there.” Yu Qi gestured with his eyes as he gave a sideways glance to a distant mountain peak. “See them? That group that just flew out from that mountain peak. Including the maid, there are nine in total.”

Ning immediately followed Yu Qi’s gave. Right away, he saw the group of people flying out; the group was led by a middle-aged man with an extraordinary aura and loose, unbound long hair. By his side were two youths. As for the others with him, they were all guards, servants, and maids.

“Youngflame Xiushui?” Ning’s eyes narrowed. After having sold off the magic treasures, Ning had purchased quite a few intelligence reports, such as a detailed one regarding the Youngflame clan and the various other powers of the imperial capital. In short, Ning had already memorized all of the fairly formidable figures of the Youngflame clan that had been mentioned in the intelligence reports.

Youngflame Xiushui was a Void-level Earth Immortal! He was being nurtured by the Youngflame clan, and had a good chance of becoming a Celestial Immortal. In fact, his position was such that he couldn’t even be bothered to become a Godplume Duke. This was because, for one who had a true chance of becoming a Celestial Immortal, there was generally no time to take care of various clan matters.

Becoming the Godplume Duke meant that one would have to carry out many matters and divide one’s attention.

“You recognize him?” Yu Qi laughed softly. “This is Youngflame Xiushui with his son, Youngflame Jun. They’ve invited Adept Woodpass of the Southern Seas to be their guest for dinner.”

“They’ve invited Adept Woodpass?” Ning said, puzzled, “Youngflame Xiushui has an extraordinary status; he’s actually inviting a Wanxiang Adept to dinner, and one from the Southern Seas?”

Yu Qi laughed. “Fellow Daoist Ji Ning, you don’t understand; the Southern Seas are incomparably vast and difficult to govern. Thus, the battles between the cultivators in that area are extremely chaotic and ferocious. However, this chaotic region has given birth to some truly outstanding geniuses. Adept Woodpass can be described as one of the most supreme of Wanxiang Adepts of this place.”

“Most supreme?” Ning was shocked.

The Southern Seas... that was a place of endless water, with many islands and cultivators, that was comparable in size to several commanderies. To describe someone as being one of the most supreme of Wanxiang Adepts in this place was quite the boast.

“Adept Woodpass is one of those who have come to the Conclave of Immortal Destiny in order to fight for first place,” Yu Qi said softly. “Three hundred years ago, Adept Woodpass was already capable of executing a Primal Daoist.”

“He killed a Primal Daoist more than three centuries ago?” Ning was greatly shocked.

“This Woodpass... for the sake of the Conclave of Immortal Destiny, he managed to force himself to remain at the Wanxiang Adept level for three centuries?” The nearby Little Qing called out in shock, “I’ve heard of freaks like him, but I didn’t expect to actually run into one.”

Fortunately, every single cloud was surrounded by formations which blocked out sound.

Ning still felt his heart clench. He had killed Primal Daoists three hundred years ago? Then how powerful must he now be?

“Adept Woodpass is extremely famous,” Yu Qi said hurriedly. “Two hundred years ago, he produced his Primaltwin.”

“Primaltwin...” Ning silently memorized this.

“A few decades ago, his Primaltwin actually trained all the way to the Void level, becoming an Earth Immortal!” Yu Qi said. “He took over an island in the Southern Seas and often expounds on the Dao there, turning away neither monsters nor humans. He often expounds on the Dao, causing his fame to grow greater and greater... and, according to what the outside world knows, more than six Loose Immortals have died to him already!”

Ji Ning, Uncle White, and Little Qing were completely stunned upon hearing this.

“What a madman! His true body is only at the Wanxiang Adept level, but his Primaltwin actually dared to train to the Void level and become an Earth Immortal?” Little Qing called out in shock. “Three hundred years... isn’t he afraid of the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations?”

“To dare to act in such an insane manner... either he’s a madman, or he’s an absolute, peerless monster,” Ning said.

It was actually incredibly dangerous for a Primaltwin to train to the Void level and become an Earth Immortal when the true body was a Wanxiang Adept. This was because once a Calamity or a Tribulation descended, the power of the trial would be linked to one’s own power. How terrifying would a Calamity or a Tribulation meant for an Earth Immortal be? The terrifying trial would simultaneously descend on both the true body and the Primaltwin. The Primaltwin might make it, but if the original body was too weak, it might not be able to do so.

“The Primaltwin of Adept Woodpass broke through to the Earth Immortal level a few decades ago; it’s possible that he had already overcome his Calamity at that time,” Yu Qi said with a laugh. “I refuse to believe that his true Wanxiang-level body is capable of overcoming a trial meant for a Void-level Earth Immortal.”

“Right.” Ning nodded. That made sense.

“However, Adept Woodpass truly is at a high level of comprehension. He dares to publicly expound on the Dao, and the outside world knows of at least six Loose Immortals who died to him... in the imperial capital, he is publicly acknowledged as one of the contenders for the number one position.” Yu Qi sighed, “He’s already so formidable; if his true body becomes apprenticed to one of the major powers of the Three Realms and learns even higher level techniques and divine abilities, it will definitely become far more powerful than even his Primaltwin.”

“Fellow Daoist Yu Qi,” Ning said hurriedly, “Regarding this Conclave of Immortal Destiny... there should be intelligence reports regarding some publicly acknowledged formidable figures, right?”

“Right.” Yu Qi nodded. “However, just some of the more famous ones; after all, the Grand Xia Empire is simply too vast. No one knows about all of the monstrous geniuses that are hidden within it. For example, yourself, fellow Daoist Ji Ning. Before you killed Youngflame Nong, no one in the imperial capital had ever even heard of you.”

“The Grand Xia Empire is a place of crouching tigers and hidden dragons. Adept Woodpass is just one of the most likely contenders, but no one knows if an even more terrifying genius might emerge.” Yu Qi sighed with great emotion.

Ning nodded as well. “I need the intelligence reports regarding this Conclave of Immortal Destiny and some formidable Wanxiang Adepts participating in it.”

“I’ll deliver it shortly,” Yu Qi said with a laugh, then departed.

Still seated atop the cloud, Ji Ning, Uncle White, and Little Qing all felt as though this Conclave of Immortal Destiny wouldn’t be an easy one to win.

“Even his Primaltwin is a Void-level Earth Immortal... and yet he insists on shamelessly keeping his true body at the ‘Wanxiang’ level,” Little Qing grumbled viciously.

“Well, he wants to be apprenticed to a truly formidable figure of the Three Realms,” Ning said with a laugh. “It makes sense.” As the saying went, a teacher could lead you through the door, but training relied on one’s self.

Although training did indeed rely on one’s self, one still needed a teacher to at least lead one through the door. If one had a good teacher, the situation would be completely different. Although Ning had never met Daoist Threelives, given that Daoist Threelives had arranged the ‘Divine Abilities Hall’, ‘Wargod Hall’, and ‘Stellar Hall’ for him, it was as though Daoist Threelives was personally guiding him.

......

In another area.

“Since our last parting in the Southern Seas, it has been more than a century. Now, fellow Daoist, you have come to the imperial capital, hahaha...” The long-haired Youngflame Xiushui laughed with emotion. “When I think about how you will display your divine might in the Conclave of Immortal Destiny, and about how some of the major powers of the Three Realms will discover you and perhaps accept you as disciple... I can’t help but feel jealous of you. I feel as though I should’ve stayed a few more years at the Wanxiang level as well.”

Adept Woodpass looked like a youth; he had a simple, honest appearance. But this simple, honest-looking youth was known throughout the Southern Seas. He had travelled alone, establishing a tremendous reputation, and openly gave lectures on the Dao. He was venerated by countless Immortal cultivators and Diremonsters.

“Fellow Daoist Xiushui, you don’t understand; to stay at the Wanxiang Adept level is incredibly miserable,” Adept Woodpass said with a sigh. “My true body’s foundation is far more powerful than that of my Primaltwin’s; after all, my Primaltwin is only a Ki Refiner, while my true body is primarily a Fiendgod Body Refiner. And yet, I keep on refraining from breaking through. After having done so for so long... it’s actually cast a shadow over my heart. In the recent Calamity, when my Primaltwin was at the peak Primal level, the mental attacks were exceptionally powerful. I almost died due to the blandishments of the mental attacks.”

Youngflame Xiushui nodded. “Others only see your gloriousness and see you shine with power at the Conclave of Immortal Destiny, but they don’t see how you’ve gritted your teeth and endured the passage of the past three centuries. The shadow cast over your heart by three centuries of forcibly repressing your power... how terrifying it must be!”

“Father.” A handsome youth next to them suddenly called out. Youngflame Xiushui looked towards his son.

“Should I wait for three cenutires as well?” The handsome youth asked.

“You? Even if you wait three centuries, you have no hope. Focus on your training. If you are able to become a Void-level Earth Immortal, I’d have to thank the heavens and thank the earth.” Youngflame Xiushui shook his head in resignation. His son, at his level of ability, wanted to participate in the Conclave of Immortal Destiny? In the past, even Xiushui himself had chosen to give up. There were countless monsters who had been suppressing their own power for years, waiting for this chance to soar to the heavens during the Conclave.

The handsome youth pursed his lips. Although he too had participated in the conversation between his father and Adept Woodpass, he was clearly on a lower level... and so, bored, he looked around. Suddenly, his gaze fell upon a distant cloud. Atop the cloud there was a fur-clad youth, a snowy white dog, and an azure-robed maiden. The fur-clad youth was actually holding a book and reading it.

“Is he...?” The handsome youth stared, wide-eyed. “...Ji Ning?”

“Father, Father, quick, look,” the handsome youth immediately called out.

Youngflame Xiushui frowned as he looked at his son. His son had interrupted him while he was speaking; clearly, he was rather displeased.

“Quick, look. Ji Ning. That’s Ji Ning, who killed Youngflame Nong.” The handsome youth pointed towards Ning’s direction.

Youngflame Xiushui and Adept Woodpass both looked in that direction. They immediately saw the distant, fur-clad youth.

“His appearance, his clothes... and he has a Whitewater Hound and an azure-robed maiden by his side. Can that really be Ji Ning?” Youngflame Xiushui frowned. The Youngflame clan had been pursing Ji Ning this entire time... however, they wouldn’t bother Youngflame Xiushui over a matter like this. Still, in his heart, he felt proud of his clan, and naturally wouldn’t permit outsiders to challenge it.

“Can that really be him?” Youngflame Xiushui said softly, “He dares to come to the imperial capital... what is Ji Ning planning? To challenge my Youngflame clan?”

Adept Woodpass looked over as well, then laughed. “I heard that Ji Ning is quite formidable. Can it be that he, too, has come to participate in the Conclave of Immortal Destiny?”