Grasping the Evil
Chapter 1178: Zhao Jian Reappears!
The Chu Family is in trouble!
At this moment, a red-clothed elder full of pride, is single-handedly attacking the Chu Family’s True Flame Star.
The elder, known as the Chiyan (Crimson Fire) Immortal Monarch, is a renowned figure from Northern Heaven, possessing the high cultivation of the Triple Calamity Immortal King. His mastery of the Fire Dao is peerless, and as the battle reverberates, even the void in the starry sky is ablaze.
The Chu Family cannot contend with a Triple Calamity Immortal King, even if they possess the cultivation of the Immortal Venerable, the result remains unchanged.
"Hmph! Chu Daoist, cease your futile resistance; you are no match for me. Even if you combine forces with all the cultivators of your Chu Family, you would still not withstand a single strike from me! You should discern that I have been merciful to your Chu Family, for I have yet to destroy a single person among you. But if you continue to reject my terms, do not blame me for being ruthless! Quickly hand over Bei Shi!"
Chiyan Immortal Monarch’s tone was laced with impatience, and with each flick of his hand, hundreds of Chu Family cultivators were sent flying, scorched by his flames.
Chu Daoist secretly lamented, fully aware he could not defeat Chiyan Immortal Monarch. Yet, as the strongest of the Chu Family and its sole Eternal Immortal Venerable, he had to brace himself for direct confrontation.
Bei Shi is a honored guest of the Chu Family; under no circumstances would she be handed over to Chiyan Immortal Monarch!
"Chiyan, you have fallen! Bei Shi is the heir of the Lost World Palace, and you dare to seek accolades from the Realm Beast Tribe by trading her life! You disgraceful man!" Chu Daoist cursed.
"Disgraceful, am I? Hmph! The foundation of the Realm Beast Tribe is no less than that of the secret clans. If sacrificing Bei Shi could foster relations with the Realm Beast Tribe and invite them to aid the Boundary River, it would greatly benefit Northern Heaven! It’s rare that the young clan chief of the Realm Tribe favors this girl, desiring to take her as a Cauldron Furnace, heh, this is Bei Shi’s fortune and her duty as the heir of the Lost World Palace, how could she shirk it!" Chiyan Immortal Sovereign coldly laughed.
"Duty? Hehe! Do you really think I don’t know about the power struggles within the Lost World Palace from my time in the Heaven Evading Coffin! Chiyan! I don’t care what benefits the Great Elder of the Lost World Palace gave you to suppress Yuanyao Palace Master and her daughter; I am concerned with one thing only! That is, my Chu Family never allows outsiders to bully our honored guests! Nor do we permit internal strife at crucial times of a world’s survival!"
"Hmph! A mere First Calamity Immortal Sovereign dares to boast in front of me, a Triple Calamity Immortal King, truly delusional! Do you have the ability to stop me!" Chiyan disdainfully retorted.
"Whether I have the ability or not, Chu will try to stop you! Explosive Flame Sword, unseal!"
Chu Daoist slapped his storage pouch, taking out an ancient copper sword, tearing off all the seals on it. Instantly, the sword previously in a sealed state gradually revived its aura, reaching the scorching Sword Qi of the Twelve Nirvana, sweeping across the starry sky!
"Twelve Nirvana Post-Heaven Immortal Sword, interesting, yet unfortunately your cultivation is too weak. Trying to use a Twelve Nirvana Immortal Sword to surpass two levels and defeat me is akin to a fanciful dream! I will say this one last time, hand over Bei Shi, or else don’t blame me for severely injuring you!" Chiyan Immortal Monarch declared in a deep voice.
"Pot-Breaking Style!!" The sword slashed out, Chu Daoist’s final answer.
At this moment, imposing Sword Intent erupted from Chu Daoist, embodying a do-or-die spirit! Its name speaks of a desperate resolve, with an intent decisive enough to break the cauldron and sink the ships, sparing no cost!
The power of this slash even moved the loftily proud Chiyan Immortal Monarch. For its might is shockingly close to a full-force attack from a Triple Calamity Immortal King! Could this be a strike a First Calamity Immortal Sovereign could unleash?
"What a pity, even if you possess Second Calamity Immortal Sovereign cultivation, I still wouldn’t dare take this strike head-on, but alas, you are merely a First Calamity Immortal Sovereign? Today, I will demonstrate for you the vast difference between a Triple Calamity and a First Calamity!"
Four Seas Immortal Technique, [Descent of the Fire God]!
A spell chanted, Chiyan Immortal Monarch activated Four Seas Sect’s unique Eternal True Body—Descent of the Fire God!
His figure transformed into a towering flame giant, a massive palm wielding intense power, flames condensed within, carrying the force to overturn the starry sky. One strike shattered Chu Daoist’s full-power slash.
Another strike snapped Chu Daoist’s Twelve Nirvana Explosive Flame Sword in two!
The third strike sent Chu Daoist flying, coughing blood, crashing into several abandoned stars along the way!
Defeated!
Chu Daoist, the strongest of the Chu Family, couldn’t withstand the True Body’s three strikes from Chiyan Immortal Monarch, defeated swiftly!
The Chu Family’s entire cultivators were deeply shaken by this scene, looking at Chiyan Immortal Monarch with intense fear in their eyes.
The Chu Family’s young cultivators, who once viewed Chu Daoist as their deity, lost their lofty faith at this moment, dazed and disoriented.
Chu Family’s young patriarch gazed up at Chiyan Immortal Monarch, crestfallen. Though once hailed as a dashing figure in Northern Heaven, before true power, the so-called youthful prodigy mattered little... The Chu Family, once called Northern Heaven’s peak force, has been rendered powerless by an Immortal King, after today, their reputation will be tarnished...
"Sorry, Lady Bei Shi, it seems my Chu Family cannot protect you..." Chu Daoist, unable to stand from severe injuries, was carried back to True Flame Star by several Chu Family elders, bloodied and despondent.
"No, the one who should apologize is I. If not for protecting me, the Chu Family wouldn’t have suffered so many injuries by Chiyan Immortal Monarch, nor would the senior be gravely wounded. The Chu Family’s grace of rescue today, Bei Shi shall never forget, also rest assured, senior, Bei Shi will never allow any more of the Chu Family to be injured because of this..."
With remorse, Bei Shi sighed, ascended the starry sky, and flew towards Chiyan Immortal Monarch.
Seeing her finally surface, Chiyan Immortal Monarch relinquished his Eternal True Body, disdainful, "Little wench, finally willing to show yourself! Concealing yourself, you are indeed like your mother, cut from the same cloth!"
Wench, such a piercing appellation... coupled with insulting her mother!
Bei Shi’s beautiful eyes burned with anger, yet she dared not retort, biting her lips to the point of bleeding; she feared further wrath from Chiyan Immortal Monarch, worried it would bring more calamity to the Chu Family.
"I am willing to go with the senior, but please spare the Chu Family!" Bei Shi implored.
"You overthink! No need for your words; I had no intention of slaughtering the Chu Family. If I truly did that, the Heavenly Laws wouldn’t spare me, nor would Four Seas Sect. This isn’t the war-torn Eastern Heaven; no one would dare to massacre and exterminate sect doors here in Northern Heaven, and I am no exception! My target is solely you!" Chiyan Immortal Monarch coldly replied.
"If my mother knew I was plotted against, given to the Realm Tribe, she would undoubtedly avenge me!" Bei Shi gritted her teeth.
"Ha ha! Your mother is merely a little Shedding Void Stage, nominally the palace lord of the Lost World Palace, but practically a puppet with insignificant power. Seeking revenge on a Triple Calamity Immortal King? Don’t be ridiculous!" Chiyan Immortal Monarch laughed heartily.
"..." Bei Shi was silent, knowing that nothing she said could change her destiny.
She would be captured by Chiyan Immortal Monarch and offered as a Cauldron Furnace to the Minor Clan Chief of the Realm Beast Tribe.
It was rumored that women who had been favored by the Minor Clan Chief of the Realm Beast Tribe never lived past three days, and they were almost always drained into dried corpses... Is this her destiny?
Even though the Northern Heaven is facing an invasion from foreign clans, on the brink of life and death, there are still people vying for power without regard for the world’s peril...
Compared to the Northern Heaven warriors fighting on the front lines of the Boundary River, those still busy vying for power are truly shameless...
If Auntie and the sisters knew I was dead, they’d probably be very sad...
"Alright, come with the old man to the Realm Beast Tribe..."
A giant hand of Chiyan Immortal Monarch reached out, intending to seize Bei Shi and leave.
Just at this moment, the starry sky suddenly began to rain, icy raindrops fell on the back of his hand, chilling to the bone, chilling to the heart.
Further, a ghost-faced silver-haired figure suddenly appeared in front of Chiyan Immortal Monarch with the rain, easily protecting Bei Shi behind them, making his grasp miss its target.
"Who are you..."
Of course, Bei Shi didn’t recognize this ghost-faced silver-haired figure.
But for some reason, she felt an uncanny familiarity with his silhouette, as if she had seen him recently somewhere in the past few days.
She could not discern the cultivation level aura of this ghost-faced cultivator.
Chiyan Immortal Monarch couldn’t discern it either.
No one could discern it!
No one knew this ghost-faced silver-haired cultivator’s background, his cultivation level, nor how he could suddenly appear here.
No one could see clearly how he appeared!
"Who might you be! Are you intending to obstruct the Realm Beast Tribe’s affairs!" Facing the ghost-faced immortal cultivator, Chiyan Immortal Monarch couldn’t figure out the other’s identity and habitually brought up the Realm Beast Tribe, hoping to intimidate the stranger.
"Realm Tribe? Which Realm Tribe? One of Northern Heaven’s secret clans?" The ghost-faced figure intentionally made his voice sound old and hoarse, asked.
He heard Northern Heaven had three secret clans, and had learned the names of two, including Zi Clan, Light Clan. The name of the third secret clan had yet to be uncovered...
"Secret Clan? Hmph! Such ignorance; Realm Tribe is not a secret clan, but its power is comparable to theirs, its full name is Realm Beast Tribe!"
"Realm Beast Tribe, it sounds somewhat familiar..." The ghost-faced figure showed a look of remembrance, vaguely recalling that in the lower realms, the Realm Beast seemed to have offended him.
"Anyway, if you withdraw today, the old man will not hold you accountable; if you truly wish to intervene in the Realm Beast Tribe’s affairs, don’t blame the old man for being ruthless!"
As he spoke, Chiyan Immortal Monarch circled around the ghost-faced figure, reaching out again to grab Bei Shi.
Yet this grasp only caught a leftover shadow.
That ghost-faced figure used a speed he couldn’t perceive, instantly taking Bei Shi a hundred zhang* away.
"Such terrifying speed! As a dignified Immortal King, I couldn’t see how he moved! Could this person be a ghost or monster!" Chiyan Immortal Monarch felt his scalp numb, sensing this ghost-faced figure was not to be trifled with.
But he had accepted the favors from the Great Elder of Lost World Palace, intending to kill Bei Shi, so he couldn’t abandon his task halfway.
"If you hand over this girl to me, from today onwards, you shall be my friend, Chiyan Immortal Monarch!" Chiyan Immortal Monarch said solemnly.
"A mere cultivation of Three Calamity, how dare you claim to be my friend, Zhao Jian!"
What!
Chiyan Immortal Monarch felt enormously insulted! His trepidation towards the ghost-faced figure was one thing, being insulted and angry was another!
As for the name Zhao Jian...
Seemed he had heard it somewhere...
If it didn’t stick in memory, it must not be important!
Destroy Zhao Jian!
"Eternal True Body, Descent of the Fire God!"
Faced with the ghost-faced figure, Chiyan Immortal Monarch dared not be careless and directly activated Eternal True Body, allowing his aura to climb all the way to the peak of Three Calamity Immortal King.
```
*Note: A zhang is a Chinese unit of measurement, roughly equivalent to 3.33 meters or 10 feet.
With the opening of the Eternal True Body, the Crimson Fire Immortal Lord seemed to have gained a lot of confidence. When facing the ghost-faced man again, his tone was quite arrogant, "I’ll say it again! Hand over the girl to me, or else I won’t mind roasting you into a dried man!"
The ghost-faced man’s gaze instantly turned cold.
Such threatening words haven’t been heard for a long time. Those who dared to threaten him like this are all dead!
But didn’t the Northern Heaven’s laws dictate that immortals couldn’t kill indiscriminately?
This Crimson Fire Immortal Lord actually wants to roast him into a dried man... Haha, how interesting, so the so-called celestial laws are worthless in the face of true power.
"I hear the Northern Heaven is restrained by the laws of the Four Oceans Sect, normally I wouldn’t want to kill recklessly, but your words have changed my mind... if you don’t leave in three breaths, you die!" said the ghost-faced man heartlessly.
What!
Did he hear wrong!
The Crimson Fire Immortal Lord was stunned, then laughed out loud.
He did not believe the ghost-faced man could kill him.
He also did not believe the ghost-faced man dared to kill him!
"I am a mid-rank Celestial Supervisor of the Four Oceans Sect, what celestial position are you to dare speak so arrogantly to me! You say leave in three breaths or die? I refuse to leave, not only will I not leave, but I will roast you into a dried man!"
Descent of the Fire God, Ten-Handed Strike!
The Crimson Fire Immortal Lord struck! With the giant palm of the Eternal True Body, he launched a ten-palmed attack against the ghost-faced man!
His strength of three strikes could instantly defeat Chu Daoist, and ten strikes would require even a Four Calamity Immortal King to exert effort to block.
His attack was not weak, but he picked the wrong opponent.
The ghost-faced man named Zhao Jian didn’t even bother to look at the Crimson Fire Immortal Lord’s attack, casually released a Calamity Flash, and turned the Crimson Fire Immortal Lord into flying ashes.
Silence!
The entire starry sky fell deathly silent!
The Crimson Fire Immortal Lord, who could instantly kill Chu Daoist in three strikes, was actually killed in one move by a mysterious ghost-faced man!
"This Senior Zhao Jian is incredibly powerful! To be able to kill a Three Calamity Immortal King in one move, even a pinnacle Immortal King couldn’t achieve such a feat! Could he possibly be an Immortal Emperor with a hidden identity?"
"Zhao Jian, such an unfamiliar name, it must be an alias."
"Is this Senior Zhao Jian here to save our Chu Family? He truly is a good person!"
"Or perhaps this Senior Zhao has some connection with the Palace Lord of the Lost World Palace? Has he come specifically to save the Young Miss of the Lost World Palace?"
The entire Chu Family was abuzz with discussions!
But the ghost-faced man seemed disinterested in these; he wasn’t interested in why Bei Shi had provoked the Crimson Fire Immortal Lord.
He was uninterested in the Crimson Fire Immortal Lord himself, and also uninterested in the background of the boundary clan of the Crimson Fire Immortal Lord.
Rescuing was just incidental, not seeking rewards, nor requiring gratitude.
He didn’t need to leave behind his true identity or name.
The ghost-faced man glanced at the Chu Family and noticed many members were severely injured by the Crimson Fire Immortal Lord. Although no one was dead, many had their foundations damaged.
This is bad, very bad!
"Black Star Technique!"
The ghost-faced man clasped his hands together, and numerous black stars appeared in the starry sky, the rolling black star glow shining down on the entire True Flame Star.
A magical scene unfolded!
Under the glow of the black stars, the injuries of the Chu Family members rapidly improved, even the half-dead Chu Daoist turned from severely injured to lightly injured, and from lightly injured to unharmed, jumping around energetically!
"What an astounding star technique! This isn’t ordinary star magic, it’s the Black Star Technique! The top-secret of the ancient Heavenly Court!" the entire Chu family was filled with exclamations.
Shocked, followed by overwhelming voices of gratitude!
If not for the ghost-faced man’s intervention, more than half of the Chu family would be bedridden with serious injuries, how could they not be thankful!
"Who is this person, to heal tens of thousands of wounded in one move! His healing techniques are countless times more powerful than my Ancient God’s Lost Technique!" Bei Shi was so shocked her mouth couldn’t close.
But the ghost-faced man evidently had no time to bother with the stunned Bei Shi, instead, taking a deep look towards the direction of True Flame Star and at the Chu Family.
This time he was not looking at the Chu Family, not at Chu Daoist, but at the minor clan chief of the Chu Family, Chu Youran.
"The minor clan chief is about to break through to the Human Profound Fate Immortal, not bad..."
Shock!
Everyone was stunned!
This Senior Zhao Jian actually spoke, and he actually spoke with the minor clan chief of the Chu Family, praising the progress of the minor clan chief’s cultivation!
Listening to Senior Zhao’s tone, could he perhaps recognize our minor clan chief? Could he perhaps appreciate the minor clan chief a lot!
Chu Youran was completely bewildered!
What a humble status he had, occasionally executing Four Oceans Sect tasks in the nine lower worlds could perhaps count as a local figure, but above Northern Heaven, he was definitely just an ant.
For such an ant to receive praise from a supposed Immortal Emperor, Senior Zhao, what an honor!
Chu Youran was so excited he couldn’t speak for a moment!
"These Dao Fruits were obtained when I occasionally killed someone, you take them, I’m sure you’ll break through to Fate Immortal soon."
The ghost-faced man known as Zhao Jian flicked an elegant ray of light towards Chu Youran’s hand.
It was a storage pouch, a storage pouch filled with Dao Fruits, with the lowest being Fate Immortal Dao Fruits, and even containing Enlightenment Dao Fruits!
"These, so many Dao Fruits, it’s not just enough to break through to Fate Immortal, but even to advance several steps in the Human Profound Realm! Thank you for the gift, Senior!" Chu Youran was overjoyed and wanted to bow towards the ghost-faced man.
But the ghost-faced man wouldn’t possibly allow Chu Youran to do that.
He gave the Dao Fruits just to repay an old debt. The friendship of a gentleman is as light as water; he did not wish to reveal his identity at this moment, nor wanted to mention the old friendship, helping Chu Youran slightly is enough, but kneeling gratitude is too much.
Chu Youran still wanted to bow again, but in the next moment, a voice transmission entered his ears, stunning him completely, shocked even further, and made him suddenly unable to bow down.
"I am an old acquaintance, do not reveal..."
A simple voice transmission, using no fabricated old voice, but the original voice itself.
This voice, Chu Youran found very familiar, yet felt shocked, felt incredible!
It was him, it was actually him!
It was that little cultivator from Rain Immortal World, it was that lower realm disciple of Old Monster Han!
But how could this be possible!
How many years has it been since then!
Has that little cultivator already ascended from Rain Immortal World!
Ascended to Northern Heaven!
Already strong enough to insta-kill a Three Calamity Immortal King!
This is impossible! Impossible! But this voice, this sound...
"Youran Er, what happened, why does your face look so strange..." Chu Youran’s father—the visibly clan chief of the Chu Family asked with concern.
"Nothing, it’s just that I was suddenly praised by this Senior Zhao, a little shaken..." Chu Youran didn’t reveal the ghost-faced man’s identity.
"Haha, this is fate for my son, to be valued by such a powerful senior, is my son’s fortune, and also Chu Family’s fortune. Eh? Where is Senior Zhao?"
Gone...
After performing good deeds, the ghost-faced man departed.
"Doing good without leaving a name, truly the spirit of a noble immortal!" Chu Daoist applauded the ghost-faced man endlessly. Suddenly, he remembered something, his face changed drastically.
Zhao Jian! Zhao Jian!
Isn’t this name listed in the top-secret crimson scroll of Four Oceans Sect!
It’s no wonder ordinary people don’t know this name, because Four Oceans Sect guards such top secret strictly, never leaking.
But Chu Daoist, as an Eternal Immortal Venerable, has heard some secrets!
Zhao Jian! Zhao Jian!
Isn’t this name the name of the great Senior cultivator who saved countless Immortal Emperors of Four Heavens and the demon race during the primitive great calamity!
Could the ghost-faced person who just bestowed grace upon the Chu Family be that great Senior cultivator!
This news is too shocking!
If this person is indeed Zhao Jian the great cultivator, it might greatly aid the precarious situation of North Heaven!
"This matter must be reported to the Four Oceans Sect!" Chu Daoist dared not delay and immediately went to handle this matter.
As for how the Four Oceans Sect may be shocked upon hearing this news, it’s not something Ning Fan needs to worry about.
Indeed, the one who saved Bei Shi and helped the Chu Family, the ghost-faced individual, was Ning Fan.
He had received considerable gratitude from the Chu Family and naturally wouldn’t let the Chu Family be bullied by the insignificant Chiyan (Crimson Fire) Immortal Monarch.
However, considering the complex situation of North Heaven, Ning Fan temporarily doesn’t want the Dark Clan and Demon-Sealing Peak to know that he came from Eastern Heaven to North Heaven.
Nowadays, news from Four Heavens is tightly sealed, ordinary North Heaven cultivators probably don’t know what the words [Slaughter Hall Master, Eastern Heaven Yama] mean, but people from Demon-Sealing Peak and Dark Clan definitely know.
If the enemy finds out he has come to North Heaven, it’s certain that endless pursuits await Ning Fan.
Ning Fan is not arrogant enough to survive being hunted by Quasi-Saint-level figures of the Dark Clan and Demon-Sealing Peak. Thus, acting with another identity from the shadows is evidently more convenient and safer.
Ancient great cultivator, Zhao Jian!
Using this identity has three advantages!
First, it can deceive the eyes and ears of Demon-Sealing Peak and the Dark Clan.
Second, during the primitive great calamity, Ning Fan once saved numerous Immortal Emperors from North Heaven and the Four Oceans Sect as Zhao Jian, granting these people a life-saving grace. This identity can facilitate Ning Fan’s actions in North Heaven, boost North Heaven’s morale, and deter the petty.
Third, should the Eye Orb Monster learn "Zhao Jian" has come to North Heaven, they would immediately know it’s Ning Fan.
"If I kill the Chiyan Immortal Monarch as Ning Fan, it would definitely violate the heavenly rules of North Heaven and cause a lot of trouble, but if Zhao Jian does the killing, I dare wager that the Immortal Emperors of the Four Oceans Sect wouldn’t meddle in, nor would they punish me."
In a deserted starry sky, Ning Fan removed the ghost-faced silver-haired disguise, returning to his true appearance.
Saving Bei Shi and helping the Chu Family are merely trifling matters in Ning Fan’s eyes.
What concerns him greatly is the situation of North Heaven, the safety of his woman and friends in North Heaven.
What should the next step be...
Should I directly rush to the Northern Boundary River to join the battle and support the North Heaven cultivators?
Ning Fan shook his head, dismissing the idea.
What is the greatest danger in North Heaven now? It’s not the battle at the Boundary River, but the issue of beast tide invasions.
Without a doubt, the foreign clans of the Boundary River are being restricted within its limits by people like the Eye Orb Monster, unable to invade North Heaven with large armies, otherwise the foreign clans wouldn’t resort to borrowing the power of the Ancient Demon Cavity to release beast tides into North Heaven.
This is a form of invasion, yet also a form of weakness, indicating that foreign clans do not have the upper hand at the Boundary River, which is why they resort to minor tricks behind North Heaven.
These minor tactics are quite lethal. Most of the strong cultivators of North Heaven have gone to fight at the Boundary River.
The rear cultivators are mostly the old, weak, sick, and disabled. Such a rear, invaded again and again by beast tides, suffers substantial losses.
Within the star domains controlled by the Chu Family alone, more than ten beast tide invasions have occurred, destroying more than ten cultivation stars by the foreign clans. Looking at the entire range of North Heaven, at least thousands of cultivation stars have been destroyed, and countless North Heaven cultivators have perished.
"If I can solve the problem of beast tide invasions in the rear, it will undoubtedly offer immense assistance to the frontline. However, how could this issue be resolved..."
"Cultivating the Against-Fate Thunder Technique can improve the ability to divine and predict. If my cultivation in the Dao of divination can advance further, I would be able to predict when and where beast tide invasions would happen in North Heaven and take precautions... This is one way, but it would be dealing with the symptoms rather than the root cause..."
"The foreign clans require the Ancient Demon Cavity to release beast tides... there must be a fixed group of powerful Ancient Demon Masters capable of using the Demon Cavity who aid the foreign clans in releasing beast tides. If I could kill these Ancient Demons, it would undoubtedly solve the problem of beast tide descents from the root cause. But these Ancient Demons possibly hide deep within the Northern Boundary River, protected by the foreign clans’ Quasi-Saint figures. Moreover, those capable of using the Demon Cavity are top-tier Ancient Demon experts... killing them is as challenging as fighting the foreign clans’ Quasi-Saints directly..."
"My strength is still insufficient, evidently, I need to further enhance my power to better solve the current problems..."
Ning Fan fell silent briefly, then suddenly took out the Treasure-searching Compass, carefully searching for something.
Afterwards, he felt greatly disappointed.
He once stole a large amount of Gloomy Wood at the Eastern Boundary River, refined numerous Immeasurable Pills and his strength soared. This time arriving at North Heaven, he initially planned to repeat the trick.
But after searching, Ning Fan found regretfully that there weren’t many light points of Gloomy Wood in the direction of the Northern Boundary River.
North Heaven is different from Eastern Heaven!
The foreign clans of Eastern Heaven don’t value the Immeasurable Pill itself. They won’t use Gloomy Wood for pill refinement, only absorbing the Wood Qi for cultivation, which is why Gloomy Wood can be preserved.
Yet the enemies in North Heaven are not only the foreign clans but also Demon-Sealing Peak and the Dark Clan! The foreign clans don’t need Immeasurable Pills, but Demon-Sealing Peak and Dark Clan need them! The reserves of Gloomy Wood in the Northern Boundary River seems to have already been emptied in advance...
"I was a step too late; it all fell into the enemy’s pocket, huh..." Ning Fan frowned.
Without reserves of Gloomy Wood from the Northern Boundary River, Ning Fan would need to find another way to rapidly enhance his power.
Forget it, let’s go see how old acquaintances are faring in North Heaven.
It’s quite rare to come to North Heaven; Ning Fan is still very concerned about Bei Xiao Man and others’ situation.
Not forgetting the Black Demon Sect.
And Old Monster’s iron buddy, Wei Xuan.
Speaking of which, the He Luo Wei Family seems to be in the next traversed star domain...
Ning Fan took out the star diagram, his eyes showing remembrance. In his youth, he received Wei Xuan’s grace of guidance and it could be said that his talent in the Dao of formations was sparked under Wei Xuan’s mentorship.
In a sense, Wei Xuan can be considered half a mentor to Ning Fan.
Wei Xuan is also a life-and-death friend of Old Monster, who once fell from the Fate Immortal Realm to ruin his foundation permanently, becoming a late-stage Void Fragmentation cultivator.
Old Monster can’t return to North Heaven for the time being, unable to repay Wei Xuan’s kindness. All of this needs Ning Fan to repay on behalf of his teacher.
"Let’s then make a detour to Wei’s family, and perhaps heal Senior Wei. With my current means, helping Senior Wei to restore his foundation and reclaim the position of Fate Immortal would not be difficult!"
...
Ning Fan has been gone for quite a while, but Bei Shi still hasn’t snapped back to reality.
With the ghost face concealing, she cannot see Ning Fan’s appearance nor sense Ning Fan’s aura.
But she truly finds Ning Fan’s silhouette strangely familiar.
Zhao Jian? No, no...
No, no...
For some reason, Bei Shi’s mind recalls one peculiar scene after another.
Under the setting sun, a graceful young man talks to moss—a picturesque scene...
In the morning light, that young man goes to chat with mushrooms—an awe-inspiring scene...
"Illusion, it must be an illusion! That Mushroom Lord is merely Void Fragmentation cultivation, how could he possibly instantly kill a Triple Calamity Immortal King... I must be fully exhausted, leading to such an illusion..."
Bei Shi does not realize what she thinks is an illusion is actually a form of intuition, a woman’s intuition, and it is correct!
Of course, she doesn’t have much time to ponder over this issue.
After the abduction incident by Chiyan Immortal Monarch, the palace lord of the Lost World Palace, Yuan Yao is furious, sending someone to the Chu Family to bring Bei Shi back to the palace.
She is not assured about her oldest daughter being outside! Especially in such troublesome times!
"The struggle among the three palaces is imminent, the Great Elder wishes harm upon you four sisters, unsuccessful once doesn’t mean they’ll rest, promptly return upon receiving the message..."
Bei Shi, gazing at her mother’s message, is shocked.
The struggle among the three palaces of the Lost World Palace has started again?! In such a time of world peril?!
No wonder, no wonder Chiyan Immortal Monarch would come to harm her, it really is still about power and profit...
I don’t know if this time’s power struggle among the Eastern, Northern, and Western palaces of the Lost World Palace will once again engulf all sects in North Heaven...
...
He Luo Wei Family.
Wei Xuan has been in a bad mood lately because he was dismissed from the position of Four Heavens Deacon in the Four Oceans Sect!
Back in those days, the Wei Family offended many powers within North Heaven including the Pure Yang Sect to protect Old Monster Han, hence why he was dismissed!
Autumn accounting for the past, it’s just this, just this...
"Brother Han, how are you faring in the Rain Immortal World? By my calculations, your disciple Ning Fan should be close to ascension by now. Unfortunately, I have been removed from my position as a Four Heavens Executor and cannot provide much help for his ascension. Alas, I wonder which of the Four Heavens he will ascend to? If it’s the Northern Heaven, I will do my best to watch over your disciple, even if it costs me these old bones..."
Wei Xuan was full of melancholy, watching the falling autumn leaves in the courtyard, sighing continuously.
When people grow old, they love to dwell on memories.
He recalled the reckless days of his youth, roaming the Northern Heaven alongside Old Monster Han.
He also remembered the times he taught Ning Fan the Dao of formations in the Rain Immortal World.
Ah, back in the day, we were vigorous and unstoppable!
But now, the vigor has waned, and even a light wind makes us stumble...
Oh, I’m getting old, really old...
"Master, there’s a guest for you!" Suddenly, a child rushed in hurriedly, interrupting Wei Xuan’s lament.
Seeing the child’s clumsiness, Wei Xuan instinctively wanted to put on a stern face and scold him a bit.
They say comparison is maddening; this child, his disciple, is somewhat clever, but his temperament is too restless, incomparable to the steady nature of Old Han’s disciple.
Yet upon hearing the child’s words, Wei Xuan swallowed back the reprimand and instead asked angrily, "A guest for me? Is it another person from the Pure Yang Sect! Do they intend to trouble the Wei family again! This month alone, they have come three times!"
"No, no, no, this time it’s not someone from the Pure Yang Sect, it’s a Void Fragmentation cultivator looking for Master, claiming to be an old acquaintance." The child explained.
"Void Fragmentation? Old acquaintance?" Wei Xuan was startled, showing confusion, unable to figure out which Void Fragmentation acquaintance had come to see him.
Considering the visitor’s Void Fragmentation cultivation, Wei Xuan dared not neglect them. The Wei family, unlike the Chu family, had no ancestor with Immortal Venerable cultivation; the highest cultivation in the clan was merely a Fate Immortal.
For such a small family, a Void Fragmentation practitioner is indeed a distinguished guest.
"Just wondering which Northern Heaven Void Fragmentation has sought me out..."
Wei Xuan, full of confusion, went out to greet the guest.
Upon seeing the visitor’s appearance, Wei Xuan was first taken aback, then overjoyed.
"Little friend, you have finally ascended to the Northern Heaven? Good, good, good, you have not let your mentor’s teachings go to waste!"
"Ascend?"
Ning Fan was stupefied, then laughed; he was not a newly ascended novice from the lower realm to the upper realm, Senior Wei seemed to have misunderstood something.
He intended to explain a bit to Wei Xuan, but the next moment, Ning Fan noticed the hidden injuries within Wei Xuan’s body, his expression darkening immediately.
These fresh wounds, inflicted within no more than ten years!
In the last decade, someone had twice ruined Wei Xuan’s foundation, reducing his cultivation from Void Fragmentation to Void Refinement!
"Who did this!" Ning Fan’s gaze turned terrifyingly cold.
In his youth, Wei Xuan was willing to sacrifice himself to help him increase his power.
Wei Xuan was Old Monster Han’s brother, and Ning Fan regarded him as half a mentor, now Wei Xuan had been bullied, his cultivation reduced twice, Ning Fan couldn’t help but be furious!
"Ah, it’s a trifling matter, just a minor issue... Let’s go inside, have some water, it’s been a while since we last met, I’m unaware of how you’ve been." Wei Xuan smiled wryly, changing the subject, refraining from explaining further to Ning Fan.
He likely feared that the recently "ascended to Northern Heaven" Ning Fan would be drawn into the revenge of Northern Heaven’s elite forces.
"Who did this!" Ning Fan did not enter to drink water but asked for the second time.
Wei Xuan’s heart warmed, he reached out, patted Ning Fan on the shoulder, and smiled.
"...I’m fine, don’t worry."
Ning Fan refrained from further questioning Wei Xuan; he knew that if Wei Xuan did not want to involve him, no matter how he asked, he would not reveal the truth.
Yet... does he need to worry about such entanglements now!
The powers in the Northern Heaven that could concern him were few and far between, and evidently, those who harmed Wei Xuan were not among them.
Even if they were, it would be of no consequence!
Ning Fan squatted down, picked up a stone, and coldly asked some questions.
Both Wei Xuan and his disciple watched this scene in utter shock, not understanding what Ning Fan was doing.
After a brief moment, Ning Fan got back up and said to Wei Xuan, "Senior, please wait a moment, I’m heading to the Pure Yang Sect."
"What! How do you know it’s the Pure Yang Sect!" Wei Xuan was aghast.
The Pure Yang Sect, such a massive entity, could Ning Fan, a newly ascended novice, truly provoke them!
One should know that even the once arrogant Old Monster Han suffered greatly for offending the Pure Yang Sect.
Today’s Pure Yang Sect is unlike in the past. Unlike the increasingly declining Wei family, the Pure Yang Sect has ancient monsters of the Eternal Level, using the power of the Heaven Evading Coffin to ignore the passage of time, surviving from antiquity to this day!
This is the hallmark of the Northern Heavenly Sects!
It is also the reason he believed that Ning Fan cannot provoke the Pure Yang Sect!
Truly naive and fearless, this boy probably has no idea what an Eternal Old Freak even is!
Such beings are at the pinnacle above the Four Heavens, a mere finger could crush the He Luo Wei family hundreds or thousands of times...
"Ning Fan, hold on! You shouldn’t... what!"
Wei Xuan was about to stop Ning Fan from going to the Pure Yang Sect when his expression dramatically changed.
He saw Ning Fan summon the Ghost Eye Clan in front of him, silver hair disheveled by anger.
Then with a step, he vanished without a trace!
Wei Xuan couldn’t even see Ning Fan’s movement technique! The speed was too fast, beyond Wei Xuan’s imagination, many times faster than the Immortal Venerable old freak he had occasionally seen!
"This boy... he isn’t a Void Fragmentation! What realm has he reached in cultivation! An Immortal Venerable! Or an Immortal King!"
Wei Xuan was no fool. Those who practice the Dao of formations are all exceptionally intelligent.
He deduced many things.
As a result, he was rendered speechless.
"Master, who was that senior... was he the legendary Eternal Immortal Venerable?" His disciple asked, looking at the starry sky and the direction Ning Fan departed in admiration.
"Perhaps... yes." Wei Xuan was full of emotions.
"Is he your friend, Master?" the disciple asked further.
"Not a friendship, he is the disciple of an old friend, by that token, he is your senior. You should call him your elder brother... do not call him senior, given this lad’s temperament, if you call him senior, he might take offense at your formality..." Wei Xuan saw through Ning Fan’s character just like he did with Old Monster Han back in the day.
"You’re joking! He’s my elder brother! He’s of my generation!" Wei Xuan’s disciple was utterly struck.
His impetuousness stem from always believing he was a prodigy of the younger generation.
But now... he had encountered a peer who was an Eternal Immortal Venerable!
What a blow!
He felt as though all the cultivation he had done in his life had been in vain!
When he smugly took pride in being one of the rare Void Refinement cultivators among his peers, Ning Fan, a peer, had already become an Eternal Immortal Venerable...
"No, I was wrong, he’s not an Immortal Venerable..." Wei Xuan suddenly said seriously.
"Phew, that was frightening, luckily he’s not an Immortal Venerable, otherwise I would have no face to proclaim myself a leader among the Northern Heavenly Youths..." The child sighed in relief.
"...He seems to be an Immortal King." Wei Xuan remarked wistfully.
"Master, it’s not fair how you crush my spirit..." The child was near tears; an Immortal King is even more intimidating than an Immortal Venerable!
"You must cultivate diligently in the future, to take this senior brother as a model..." Wei Xuan advised earnestly.
"It’s pointless, I’ll never surpass this senior brother, I’m as insignificant as a shell in comparison, smaller than a worm’s dung..."
Looking at his disheartened disciple, Wei Xuan instead smiled.
The boy was young, it was good for him to experience some setbacks, or he would never understand how high the skies truly are, or how profound the earth actually is.
Still... Old Han did indeed accept a good disciple...