The Desolate Era

“Kill them all!” The silver-haired, black-robed elder said in a cold voice. “Don’t act in your capacity as Raindragon Guards, but kill all those who oppose you. This matter must be investigated.”

“Yes,” the three-eyed, black-furred hound said respectfully.

“These Marquisates have grown too accustomed to ruling over the territory which has been enfeoffed to them. They all grow restless, and every so often, they need to be given a drubbing,” the silver-haired, black-robed elder said in a cold voice. “It seems yet another group of people shall die in the Northmont clan of Stillwater Commandery. Go!”

“Yes.” The body of the black-furred, three-eyed hound flickered, and then it disappeared without a trace.

Only now did the silver-haired, black-robed elder ride his flying cloud downwards at a leisurely pace. Soon, he arrived at the mountain peak which contained the teleportation array. Atop the peak was Ning, Northson, and the rest of the Immortal practitioners, all of whom had been waiting for quite some time.

Whoosh! The silver-haired, black-robed elder landed. Instantly, the surrounding area fell silent. Those ten plainly dressed elders all looked towards him respectfully as well.

“All of you, listen clearly,” the silver-haired, black-robed elder said. “Those of you who wish to join the Raindragon Guard; your testing grounds shall be the wild marshes of the Gaol Mountains! This place is one of the most famous, most dangerous locations of Stillwater Commandery. What you need to do is to survive in the wild marshes of the Gaol Mountains for three months, and bring back the head of a Wanxiang-level monster.”

“If you survive three months and bring back the head of a Wanxiang-level monster, you will join our Raindragon Guard. If you die in the wild marshes or come back without the corpse or head of a Wanxiang-level monster, then you will have failed. Understood?”

The silver-robed elder swept them with a gaze. The hundred Immortal cultivators all nodded, not hesitating in the slightest. There were many who participated in the Raindragon Guard trials, and this mission they had been assigned could be considered an ordinary one. Since they dared to come…they naturally had some degree of self-confidence.

“Excellent.” The silver-haired, black-robed elder nodded. “Since that’s the case, then all of you can head out now. I hope that in three months time, I’ll be able to see you return with the head of a monster. Remember; don’t underestimate those monsters. You wish to kill them, but they also wish to kill you. The hatred that has built up between us over countless years means that they won’t show you any mercy at all.

The hundred Immortal cultivators all agreed. Even the youngest amongst them, Mu Northson, had a look of resolve in his eyes.

“All of you, come in. Don’t go beyond the limits of the teleportation base.”

The ten plainly dressed elders began to make the arrangements. Ning’s group all moved into the teleportation array. The entire teleportation array was enormous, capable of transporting thousands of individuals.

“Senior apprentice-brother Ji Ning, my master instructed me…that after we go to the wild marshes of the Gaol Mountains, we must be wary of not only the monsters, but also of other Immortal cultivators,” Northson sent mentally.

“They all know that we are disciples of the Black-White College. The disciples of the Black-White College are incomparably few in number, and each of us carry priceless treasures on us. Thus, sometimes there will be group attacks launched against us disciples of the Black-White College. We are not yet Raindragon Guards…there are no laws against fighting amongst potential recruits.”

Laughing, Ning glanced at Northson. Indeed, human hearts were hard to fathom. In his previous life, he had lived during the era of the information explosion…Ning had definitely learned far more things than most of the people who lived in this comparatively closed, barbarian world.

Despite that, Ning still said, “I know. Junior apprentice-brother, you must be careful as well.”

“Right. If we two disciples join forces, hmph…if one comes, we’ll kill one. If ten come, we’ll kill ten!” Northson sent back.

Suddenly…

The entire surrounding teleportation formation lit up. The blurry gray light on the surface of the tower began to brighten, covering the entire teleportation formation. Someone looking in from the outside would no longer be able to see Ning and the other hundred Immortal cultivators within.

Swish!