The Desolate Era

Book 19, Chapter 34 - A Surprise for Subhuti

Ji Ning passed through the spatial vortex. A massive, levitating mountain suddenly appeared before his eyes – Mount Innerheart.

“Uncle-master.”

“Uncle-master.”

“Grand uncle-master.”

Ning occasionally exchanged a few words with familiar faces as he walked up Mount Innerheart. Eventually, he reached Subhuti’s Daoist temple. The two novices at the entrance, Clearwater and Whiteriver, didn’t move to stop him. Clearly, they had already received instructions from the Old Patriarch.

Ning entered the Daoist monastery, then saw his master Subhuti seated in the lotus position in the distance.

“Master.” Ning bowed respectfully.

“What is it?” Subhuti looked towards Ning.

“I ambushed the Seamless Gate’s forces multiple times and killed more than ten Empyrean Gods and True Immortals,” Ning said. “I wanted to force the Seamless Gate to release my senior apprentice-sister, but they still refuse to agree. What I didn’t expect...was that I gained a surprising spoil of war.”

Subhuti chuckled. “And why have you come in person to tell me, your master?”

“The treasures of the Empyrean Gods and True Immortals weren’t that special. My greatest spoils came from the death of a Celestial Immortal, ‘Youngflame Freak’,” Ning said. “Amongst Youngflame Freak’s relics, I found a unique item that contained seven great techniques. These seven techniques are all unfathomably profound, and I had to struggle quite hard in order to learn them. After I learned them, the unique item actually shattered apart and dissolved into nothingness.”

Ning had pondered for a long time before deciding on explaining things thusly.

He could choose to keep these seven techniques a secret from his master, but given that both alliances were at war with each other, and that most of these techniques were useless to him, it was better for him to report it to his superiors.

He wasn’t afraid of the Seamless Gate acting against him; rather, he was more afraid of someone from his own alliance acting against him! For example, if a major power who was on par with Subhuti suspected that Ning had acquired formidable treasures from alien Outsiders, then killed Ning, Subhuti might be enraged...but it would be too late for Ning.

“Oh?” Subhuti smiled and nodded. “It may have been a legacy left behind by a major power.”

It was fairly common for a legacy-teaching item to automatically shatter once the legacy was taught. This was done to prevent the legacy leaking and becoming too widespread.

“These are the seven techniques your disciple has memorized.” Ning produced a bamboo scroll. “Your disciple has already copied them down in their entirety. Master, please take a look.”

Subhuti accepted the scroll, then sent his coresense into it to read.

A full hour passed. Subhuti was completely occupied by his reading, while Ning simply stood there to one side, waiting quietly.

“Ji Ning.” Finally, Subhuti raised his head, a look of surprise and delight on his face. “You’ve just done a great deed.”

Ning felt a relaxed feeling in his heart. It would be good if this could help his alliance. His personal power was limited, and of the seven techniques, the only ones that were of benefit to him were the [Taowu Eighteen Fiendgods] and [Armaments of Sin]. [Taowu Eighteen Fiendgods] could only be trained to the second level if one had some extraordinarily precious ‘chaos nectar’. As for the other techniques, for now it was difficult for him to advance in them.

“These seven techniques are definitely techniques left behind by alien Outsiders.” Subhuti let out a shocked sigh. “I didn’t expect that this weak little Celestial Immortal was actually holding techniques like this. It seems that a slain alien Outsider must have left his relics and treasures behind somewhere in the Three Realms, with Youngflame Freak discovering them.”

“I know quite a few alien Outsider techniques, but these seven techniques are definitely top-tier ones. The [Jewel Talisman] is the most useful one of all!” Subhuti’s face was covered with excitement.

“You have quite a few alien Outsider techniques?” Ning looked at his master.

“Of course.” Subhuti laughed. “We’ve killed quite a few alien Outsiders in the years since the Primordial Era. Some were as powerful as Rahu, and the Lord of All Things was particularly powerful. He had a mighty army under his command, but we wiped them out. Naturally, we ended up with the relics they left behind. The seven techniques you gained must have similarly been left behind in the Three Realms by a slain alien Outsider.”

Ning nodded.

“However...while some alien Outsider techniques are very useful, some are...” Subhuti shook his head. “Some require treasures that exist in the worlds where they were from, but don’t exist in the Three Realms at all; those techniques are naturally useless. For example, the [Taowu Eighteen Fiendgods]; an enormous amount of treasures are needed to train to the second level, some of which I’ve never even heard of.”

“We’ve previously acquired two types of ‘clone body’ techniques from the alien Outsiders. These two are the [Twelve Heavens Fiendgod] and the [Thousand Bodies Sutra]. The [Twelve Heavens Fiendgod] technique is very similar to this technique of yours, but it allows for the creation of only twelve bodies, and it’s a bit easier to train as well. There are a few experts amongst the major powers who train in it. As for the [Thousand Bodies Sutra], it’s extremely formidable; when mastered, one can use it to transform into a thousand clones, each of which is as powerful as the original body. Once they merge together, the true body’s power will explosively increase. But alas, just gaining a basic level of skill in the [Thousand Bodies Sutra] requires a treasure known as a ‘Worldheart’. Where are we supposed to find treasures like that?”

“Thousand Bodies Sutra?” Ning was shocked. To be able to transform into a thousand clones? That was too terrifying!

“A ‘Worldhearts’ is created after countless years pass in a chaosworld and the chaosworld begins to grow old. When the chaosworld dies, it’ll transform into an extremely small gemstone which is the source of energy for many new Fiendgods to eventually be born and establish a new chaosworld. This gemstone is known as a ‘Worldheart’.” Subhuti chuckled. “The [Thousand Bodies Sutra] requires a Worldheart. We only have a single chaosworld, the ‘Three Realms’; where are we supposed to find a Worldheart?”

Ning had searched the memories of several Celestial Immortals and Empyrean Gods of the Pangaea chaos-kigndom. He knew of Worldhearts.

Worldhearts were treasures that were even more valuable and rare than chaos nectar!

The Pangaea chaos-kingdom might have acquired some in the past, but without question they were in the hands of the King of Pangaea or the other two World-level experts. The Ancestral Immortals and Elder Gods could forget about acquiring them!

“Of the seven techniques you acquired, the [Jewel Talisman] is the most useful technique of all. [Armaments of Sin] will also be of some use in an era like ours; I trust that it will give birth to some new Protocosmic spirit-treasures,” Subhuti said. “However...to rely on slaughter alone to give birth to Chaos treasures is far too difficult. I can’t even imagine how many people you would have to kill to give birth to one.”

The leaders of Buddhism and Daoism, the Three Sovereigns, the Five Emperors, Subhuti, and many other mighty major powers had access to Chaos treasures. Thus, they wouldn’t care too much about [Armaments of Sin].

“But of course, this [Armaments of Sin] technique will be of use to you.” Subhuti chuckled. “Still...the [Jewel Talisman] technique allows for the creation of Dao-seals. Every single Dao-seal creation technique is tightly guarded. You can create Dao-seals in advance, then use a large number of them in battle to overwhelm and slay your foe.”

“Naturally, that’s only possible if we can find an expert in Dao-seals who can understand the mysteries of this [Jewel Talisman]. In the Three Realms, the most powerful expert in the art of formations and talismans would be Human Sovereign Fuxi,” Subhuti said with a smile. “Even I feel delighted upon having reviewed the [Jewel Talisman], and I’ll be able to produce some new Dao-seals. When Fuxi sees it...he might be able to learn everything within it.”

Ning was speechless.

The [Jewel Talisman] was simply unfathomably profound; when he read it, he felt like he was reading gibberish. To Human Sovereign Fuxi, however, this would indeed be shockingly useful.

“Right. You said that Youngflame Freak was in possession of that item; did he learn these seven techniques?” Subhuti’s face suddenly changed.

Ning hurriedly explained, “Master, I had to use all my power to learn these seven techniques. Given that Youngflame Freak was a Celestial Immortal, I expect that he was probably just barely able to learn the [Taowu Eighteen Fiendgods] and part of the [Nine Bug Solutions]. He wouldn’t have the ability needed to learn the rest.”

“That’s what I hoped to hear.” Subhuti chuckled. “The [Taowu Eighteen Fiendgods] and [Nine Bug Solutions] aren’t that dangerous. In the past, when there was peace between us and the Seamless Gate, many of us were friends with each other. In fact, some of us became lifelong, bosom friends, and we exchanged many techniques. They have many of ours and we have many of theirs. They have the [Twelve Heavens Fiendgod] and the [Thousand Bodies Sutra] as well. As for the [Nine Bug Solutions]...given that a very long period of time is needed to breed these bugs, and that the process is a very expensive one, neither side has the luxury of time and resources that would be needed.”

Ning nodded.

“Still...just to ensure that nothing unexpected happens, Youngflame Freak needs to be gotten rid of,” Subhuti said.

“Right.” Ning nodded.

Ning had first bound the treasures left behind by the Empyrean Gods and True Immortals, then began to work on the many other relics he had acquired. Only at the very end did he discover the stone stele hidden away amongst the miscellaneous items. Binding so many treasures had taken him a full day. If Youngflame Freak was going to reveal it to anyone, he would’ve done so long ago, and so Ning hadn’t been in a rush to kill his final few clones, pulling up grass by the roots.

......

Indeed...

Youngflame Freak was hoping to be lucky enough to survive.

“Of those seven techniques, I was only able to learn the first technique and part of the second technique.” Youngflame Freak was sitting within a palace, drinking wine. “I could tell, however, that these were all inconceivably profound techniques. And the aura that stone stele emanated...it was even more terrifyingly powerful than the Heavenly Daos! If I was to report this loss to the Seamless Gate...in order to ensure that none of the techniques are leaked, they’ll probably kill me to silence me, once they acquire the technique from Ji Ning.”

“Ji Ning will probably hide those seven techniques for his own use. He won’t be willing to tell others about them.”

“Right. It has to be that way.”

Youngflame Freak himself had kept those seven techniques hidden without telling anyone else at all. He believed that Ji Ning would do the same.

In addition, he didn’t even dare to make a report. If he gave such a powerful technique to the Seamless Gate, he might be silenced and killed instead of rewarded. Youngflame Freak knew exactly how the Seamless Gate acted...they were absolutely savage and brutal.

“Uhh...” Youngflame Freak suddenly felt his head turn dizzy.

“W-what’s going...”

......

“Die...”

“I...might as well die...”

Youngflame Freak’s eyes turned dim...and then his soul dispersed and shattered. He died...and the same happened to his other clone.

......

Mount Innerheart.

Subhuti closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. He looked at Ning. “The other two bodies of Youngflame Freak have now died. All eighteen bodies have perished now.”

Ning let out a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, Youngflame Freak didn’t possess a treasure like the Voidboat; he didn’t dare to journey out within the primordial chaos, and so he kept all his clones within the Three Realms. Subhuti was thus able to effortlessly kill him. Much like how Ning would be able to effortlessly hypnotize weaker cultivators, Subhuti was able to effortlessly cause a Celestial Immortal to commit suicide.

Of course, the Seamless Gate would’ve deeply desired to cause Ning to commit suicide in such a manner as well. However, Ning’s heartforce had reached the fourth level, the same level as that of many Daofathers; there was no way the Seamless Gate could force Ning to commit suicide.

“Let’s go. Accompany me on a visit to Human Sovereign Fuxi,” Subhuti said with a laugh. “When he sees this [Jewel Talisman], he’s going to be delirious with joy. A top-tier seal-creation technique like this...this is something he dreams of.”

Whoosh. A spatial vortex appeared before them.

Subhuti took Ning by the arm and led him straight into the spatial vortex.