Desolate Era Book 9, Chapter 8 - The Mysterious Adept Mooncrescent

The highest hall on Mount Mooncrescent.
“My daughter, Wei?” The sinister old man’s face changed. His daughter had shattered the talisman he had given her, and he could clearly sense that the talisman had been shattered in Yu Dong’s nearby estate.
“What’s going on? With Yu Dong protecting her, what sort of problems could Wei have encountered, that she would suddenly break the talisman? This is Mount Mooncrescent.” Adept Mooncresent couldn’t believe that in his own territory, his daughter would encounter any danger.
Swoosh!
Adept Mooncrescent instantly transformed into a streak of black light, departing from his hall and charging towards the skies, flying towards Yu Dong’s estate.
Given how fast peak Wanxiang Adepts moved at, as soon as Ji Ning emerged from his dragon-headed warship, Adept Mooncrescent appeared before him.
“This is…?” Adept Mooncresscent, upon seeing the distant dragon-headed warship in the skies, and upon seeing Ji Ning and Mu Northson, couldn’t help but secretly feel alarmed. Given his experience and judgement, he could immediately tell, just through that distant glance, that these were definitely no ordinary cultivators. No wonder his daughter had instantly shattered the talisman.
“I wonder which Daoist friends have come to visit my Mount Mooncrescent,” Adept Mooncrescent said with a loud laugh. “Why haven’t you come to visit me, and have instead come to my disciple’s place?”
His voice reverberated in the air, and as it did, Adept Mooncrescent landed in the courtyard, standing in front of Yu Dong and Yue Wei, who respectfully moved backwards.
“Who are they?” Adept Mooncrescent sent to them.
“Daddy, I’ve never met them before,” Yue Wei hurriedly sent.
“Master, I’ve never met them either,” Yu Dong said.
“Hmph, if you don’t know them, why would they suddenly come to my place, but not come visit me, and instead visit you?” Adept Mooncrescent barked mentally at them, and Yu Dong didn’t dare to say a single word in response.
However, Adept Mooncrescent still had a smile on his face. He looked towards Ning and the others in midair. “Fellow Daoists, it seems as though my disciple doesn’t know you; why, then, do you say that you are old friends?”
“Adept Mooncrescent.” Ning took a single step forward, descending from the skies to the estate below. Northson and the Whitewater Hound followed behind him. Ning said, “I have something to discuss with your disciple, Yu Dong. I’d like to ask you, Adept Mooncrescent, and your daughter to temporarily withdraw.”
Yu Dong’s face changed, and Adept Mooncrescent couldn’t help but feel shocked as well. Previously, he had only spoken mentally with his daughter, but this fur-clad youth actually knew that they were father and daughter…clearly, he had come prepared.
“Withdraw?” Yue Wei grew frantic. Her loyalty had long since been given to Yu Dong, and she couldn’t help but mentally send, “Daddy, we have no idea who these people are. You can’t let senior apprentice-brother face them on his own.”
“Daughters always favor outsiders.” Adept Mooncrescent frowned as he looked at his daughter. At the same time, Yu Dong sent frantically, “Master, it seems to me that these people must have come with a plot in mind.”
“Leave it to your master,” Adept Mooncrescent snapped back, then laughed loudly. “You wish to speak in private with my disciple, but I don’t even know who you are…isn’t this a bit too impolite?”
Ning’s divine sense covered the entire mountain. Thus, although Adept Mooncrescent had arrived quite quickly, Ning could’ve killed Yu Dong even more quickly. Still, the hatred he felt towards the murderer of his parents had caused Ning’s heart to become filled with rage. To kill his enemy so quickly? That would be letting him off so easily.
What Ning wanted was for this man to die in regret, agony, and despair! Only thus would he be able to give vent to the hatred in his heart!
“Adept Mooncrescent.” Ning’s face sank. “I respected you, which is why I asked you to leave. To tell you the truth, the reason I wish to speak in private with your disciple, Yu Dong, is because I suspect that he is colluding with a criminal I am pursuing.”
“Colluding with a criminal?” Adept Mooncrescent was startled.
“Colluding?”
Yue Wei and Yu Dong were both greatly shocked as well. Ning waved his hand, and a medallion appeared within it, atop which was the image of a Raindragon.
“The Raindragon Guard!” Adept Mooncrescent’s face turned solemn. He knew that trouble had truly arrived today; anyone capable of becoming a Raindragon Guard was a true elite, and even he didn’t feel confident in being able to defeat this youth in front of him.
Yue Wei felt nervous as well; to her, a Zifu Disciple, any Raindragon Guard was an incomparably powerful individual.
As for Yu Dong, he was absolutely panicking. “I’ve never offended the Raindragon Guard, and I’ve never met these three. What on earth is going on?” He quickly went through a mental list of those he had killed, but no matter what, he couldn’t find any flaws in his plots; he had no idea what these people had come for.
“I’ve come to Mount Mooncrescent for the purpose of seeking out Yu Dong and chatting with him,” Ning said coldly. “Adept Mooncrescent, are you going to interfere in the Raindragon Guards carrying out their cases?”
Adept Mooncrescent’s face clenched. He definitely wouldn’t be able to handle the repercussions of such an act. But at this time, Yu Dong spoke out. He said respectfully, “I don’t know what you wish of me, milord Raindragon Guard; if you are asking questions pertaining to a case, why must you avoid my master? If you have any questions, ask away; I, Yu Dong, will definitely be fully honest and speak no word which is not true.”
Having clawed to his current position over many years, Yu Dong was an incomparably intelligent man. Since this ‘Raindragon Guard’ insisted on separating him from his master, he definitely wouldn’t let his master leave. Once his master left, he would probably be at the complete mercy of this man, without any protection at all.
“Right. If you have any questions, ask them here,” Adept Mooncrescent said hastily. “I definitely won’t interfere in the Raindragon Guards carrying out a case.”
Ning’s face sank. This Adept Mooncrescent had reached the peak of the Wanxiang level more than two centuries ago, and was close to the end of his life. Because of this, Ning didn’t dare to underestimate him at all. Although his talent was inferior to the likes of Dong One, he had trained for very long and must have had many fortuitous encounters; an old fellow like him would surely have many tricks up his sleeve.
To take away Yu Dong while he was present would be quite difficult. As for Northson, he pointed towards Adept Mooncrescent and cursed angrily, “Mooncrescent, we Raindragon Guards are carrying out a case, but you are here causing trouble. I urge you to immediately depart! Otherwise…don’t blame us two brothers for being merciless!”
“Two sirs,” Adept Mooncrescent said, a smile still on his face, “This is the talisman of the Northmont clan of Stillwater.” As he spoke, a blood-red medallion appeared in his hands, with the characters ‘North’ and ‘Mont’ atop it. “You can refuse to give face to Snowdragon Mountain, but you should still give face to the Northmont clan of Stillwater, yes? If you have any questions, ask them right now. If you have no questions, hurry up and leave.”
“A medallion of the Northmont clan?” Ning was startled. This wasn’t something an ordinary person could produce. The medallion which Baiwei had given him was merely the medallion of his father, Northmont Blacktiger, not the true medallion of the Northmont clan.
As good friends of Baiwei, he had learned quite a few things. Someone capable of producing the ‘blood medallion of the Northmont clan’ was definitely someone who had a deep connection to the Northmont clan of Stillwater.
“It’s been so many years, and this is only the second time I’ve ever taken out this medallion.” Adept Mooncrescent looked towards Ning’s group. “I haven’t much longer to live, and I really don’t want to trouble the Northmont clan to help me.”
Although his words were casual, the threat behind them was real. This caused looks of delight to appear on the faces of Yue Wei and Yu Dong.
“Senior apprentice-brother, what should we do?” Northson sent mentally. “This old fellow was actually able to take out a medallion of the Northmont clan; I imagine he has an impressive background. How about we step back for now…then find another chance later?”
“Adept Mooncrescent.” A hint of anger was in Ning’s gaze. “You have truly decided to stand up for him?”
Adept Mooncrescent smiled, then nodded. He could tell that this Raindragon Guard appeared fierce but was actually nervous; he trusted that this person would soon leave.
“You can protect him for now, but I refuse to believe you can protect him forever!” Ning turned and said, “Junior apprentice-brother, let’s go.”
“Hmph.” Northson let out an angry snort as well, also turning and leaving.
But right at this moment…a savage look flashed through the eyes of Ning, who had just turned his back on Adept Mooncrescent. This was savagery born from long-suppressed hatred. However, since Adept Mooncrescent and Yu Dong couldn’t see Ning’s face...they were feeling quite smug, and a smile was actually on Adept Mooncrescent’s own face.
“Rumble…”
Ning’s powerful divine will suddenly swept outwards like a raging river, crushing directly towards Adept Mooncrescent. BOOM! It viciously collided against his soul. [Soulshaker Art]!
Adept Mooncrescent was close to the end of his life, and he now only cared for enjoying himself; as a result, his Dao-heart had actually weakened considerably. Still, since Adept Mooncrescent would never encounter the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations, he hadn’t cared too much about the weakening of his Dao-heart. At this moment, however, as Ning’s divine will came crushing downwards, Adept Mooncrescent instantly felt his soul shudder.
“Not good! A divine will art!” He had many years of experience, and he had risked his life many times in the past for the Northmont clan. His Dao-heart was consequently still quite firm, and he was instantly shocked. “Wake up! Wake up!” Adept Mooncrescent’s soul was struggling fiercely, and a hint of clarity appeared in his eyes. “Saber formation!”
Just as he was about to activate the supreme technique which he had used to dominate the region, the ‘Mooncrescent Saber Formation’, a mesmerizingly beautiful and seemingly slow sword-light flashed.
The sword-light was absolutely breathtaking! Just as ten black sabers appeared in the surrounding area and were about to join together to block, the sword-light slashed past one of the black sabers…and chopped directly onto the body of Adept Mooncresent. The two scimitars in Adept Mooncrescent’s hands moved to block, but were knocked flying away.
Slash! His body was rent in half, and blood splattered everywhere. Ning appeared directly behind Adept Mooncrescent, Darknorth sword in hand.
In that instant…he had used the [Soulshaker Art], the [Starseizing Hand], the Windwing Evasion, and also the Manifold Thistlethorns of the [Three-Foot Sword]!
In that instant, Ning had completely exploded forth with his most powerful attacks! This was an old fellow who had lived for very long, and who had an unfathomable background…Ning didn’t want to waste too much time with him. If he did, who knew what might happen? Ning’s subconscious had been warning him…that this old fellow would be extremely hard to deal with! He had to instantly execute the old man as he was feeling smug and overconfident.
“You…you killed…” Yu Dong came to his senses. Staring at Adept Mooncrescent’s bisected body, his face completely changed.
Darknorth sword in hand, Ning stared coldly at him. The icy look in his eyes caused Yu Dong’s heart to shudder. Ning said in a growling, cold voice, “Forget about a damn medallion…even if members of the Northmont clan were present, I would still kill him!”