Grasping the Evil-Chapter 927: Kid, You’ve Been Played
"First, let my friend out, then we can discuss other matters," Ning Fan frowned and said.
"...Yeah, hurry and let me out. I don’t want to stay in the cage..." Miaoyan Immortal Honorific’s ears turned slightly red. She didn’t want to be locked in a cage and watched like a monkey, especially not by Ning Fan.
This scene was too humiliating, and she didn’t want Ning Fan to see her in such a state.
Even though this little iron cage had a remarkable healing effect, she couldn’t stand being inside it for even a moment.
She had tried to blast open the iron cage but helplessly discovered that this inconspicuous, rusty cage was indeed an innate treasure. With her Immortal Venerable cultivation of the Eternal First Calamity, she couldn’t break it open.
"Oh dear, you young people are just so fussy. My goodwill was to bring out the innate treasure to help you heal, and you don’t appreciate it. Fine, fine, I’ll let this young lady out now. Come back, [Little Iron Cage]."
The Eye Orb Monster muttered, swept out a ray of gray light, and the cage instantly disappeared without a trace, unknown where it had been taken by the Eye Orb Monster.
Freed from the cage, Miaoyan Immortal Honorific immediately flew to Ning Fan’s side, looking extremely wary of the Eye Orb Monster.
This Eye Orb Monster gave her a very dangerous feeling, even more dangerous than ordinary Immortal Emperors...
"Now what do we do... We’ve been caught here by this Eye Orb Monster, how do we escape..." Miaoyan quietly transmitted to Ning Fan.
Having witnessed Ning Fan’s terrifying power in slaying ancient corpses, she now regarded Ning Fan as her anchor.
Only Ning Fan could possibly defeat this Eye Orb Monster...
"Let’s see what it wants from me first," Ning Fan furrowed his brows deeply and transmitted back.
The power of the Eye Orb Monster before him was unfathomable, and Ning Fan wasn’t a true saint or Immortal Emperor, lacking the certainty to defeat it.
At most, he could burn ancestral blood, explode Origin Qi, break open the palatial void here, and escape with Miaoyan Immortal Honorific. Ning Fan could protect his life in front of this Eye Orb Monster, but the cost of doing so was too high.
Seven drops of ancestral blood, a strand of Origin Qi... If possible, Ning Fan didn’t want to use up all of these trump cards for an Eye Orb Monster.
He wondered if the Life-Slaying Sword had lethal power against the Eye Orb Monster...
This Eye Orb Monster had a large amount of Immortal Qi flowing around it but seemed to possess other forces apart from Immortal Qi...
Previously, Ning Fan shattered the stone door with a sword blow, and that sword strike also hit the Eye Orb Monster inside the door.
The stone door was destroyed, but the Eye Orb Monster was entirely unharmed... It seemed different from ancient corpses and stone doors, not afraid of the Life-Slaying Sword.
Ning Fan’s gaze turned somewhat serious; it was better to probe for the intentions of this Eye Orb Monster before making any decisions.
"Haha, young couples sure have good chemistry, whispering secrets together. Stop that now, come with me over here. Apologies for earlier, let me present a small gift before we talk business. How about that?"
The Eye Orb Monster chuckled lewdly and flew away in a certain direction within the void.
Ning Fan showed no expression, following the Eye Orb Monster closely. He wanted to see exactly what tricks this Eye Orb Monster was playing.
Miaoyan Immortal Honorific felt a bit embarrassed, her face reddened further, and hurriedly followed Ning Fan. She and Ning Fan were not young couples; why did this Eye Orb Monster keep saying misleading things, disturbing her mental state...
The Eye Orb Monster’s destination was unknown. Along the way, various Copper Towers floated past, all ancient towers, their existence unknown for decades, the shortest being three stories high, some taller ones with six or seven floors.
These Copper Towers appeared ancient and decrepit but, at first glance, seemed quite ordinary structures without any special features.
Ning Fan didn’t pay too much attention to these Copper Towers, yet Miaoyan’s beautiful eyes flickered thoughtfully.
"These Copper Towers resemble the Lost World Tower of the Lost World Palace... very similar..." Miaoyan suddenly transmitted to Ning Fan.
"Lost World Tower?" Ning Fan was slightly stunned; he naturally knew of the Lost World Tower, and memories instantly flooded his mind.
Indeed, the Lost World Tower in the Endless Sea of the Rain World had a similar layout to the Copper Towers here, but it was only the layout that was similar. These Copper Towers lacked the power to alter the flow of time.
Although similar to the Lost World Tower, they ultimately were not the Lost World Tower...
He recalled the years of his youth spent cultivating in the Endless Sea, visiting Peng Lai Immortal Island, entering the Lost World Tower, forming the Core Formation and Nascent Soul within the Tower...
After exiting the Tower, he had entanglements with Bei Xiao Man...
"Hm? This Copper Tower has the emblem of the Northern Heavenly Mourning Clan!"
Miaoyan suddenly noticed something and flew toward a nearby Copper Tower.
Ning Fan’s gaze shifted. The Mourning Clan... wasn’t that the family of the Ancestral Emperor of the Northern Heaven? The Grievance Technique passed down by the Ancestral Emperor of Northern Heaven could restrain all puppets; back then, Ning Fan used the Grievance Technique to subdue puppets with powers beyond his realm...
It’s said the Ancestral Emperor of the Northern Heaven founded the Mourning Clan, with puppet arts that dominated the world.
It’s said the puppet arts of the Mourning Clan were too dangerous, and after the Ancestral Emperor’s death, the clan was exterminated by several Northern Heavenly Powers, leaving no survivors.
Following Miaoyan’s direction, Ning Fan saw a tower slightly different from the other Copper Towers.
This Copper Tower had eight floors, with a huge totem engraved above the tower gate.
It was an ancient black crescent totem that Ning Fan didn’t recognize, but Miaoyan had seen it; this black crescent totem was the emblem of the Mourning Clan.
She, as an Immortal Venerable of the Four Oceans Sect, knew the clan emblems of some major families within the Four Heavens immortal world. Although the Mourning Clan had long perished, it was founded by the Ancestral Emperor of the Northern Heaven and had a glorious past. Naturally, she recognized the black crescent emblem of the Mourning Clan.
"’The Grievance Technique, unparalleled in the world; beneath the Black Moon, reversed it results in extinction...’ That’s right, this totem truly is the emblem of the Mourning Clan," Miaoyan Immortal Honorific hovered in front of the Copper Tower, speaking with certainty.
"But to find the emblem of the Mourning Clan here... does this place have any relation to the Northern Heavenly Mourning Clan?" Miaoyan mused.
"Young lady, good eyes! You actually recognized the emblem of the Mourning Clan. Want to know why this emblem is here?" The Eye Orb Monster saw Miaoyan running to the tower, chuckled, and halted his escape light.
"Could it be that someone from the Mourning Clan came here before?" Miaoyan speculated.
"More than just came; all the Copper Towers here were built by a member of the Mourning Clan. Haha, would you like to know which Mourning Clan member made these Copper Towers? Such a big shot indeed!" The Eye Orb Monster opened the conversation, eager to see the two reveal curious expressions and ask questions.
Miaoyan Immortal Honorific felt some curiosity and asked along with the Eye Orb Monster, "Who built these Copper Towers?"
Ning Fan said nothing, his gaze calm and devoid of curiosity, leaving the Eye Orb Monster quite disappointed.
"Hey kid, aren’t you curious which member of the Mourning Clan built these Copper Towers here? This involves many ancient secrets. Aren’t you interested?" The Eye Orb Monster seemed to lament a dull rock, unhappy with interacting with someone so uncurious.
"Not interested, who’s building the towers here has nothing to do with me."
"How could it have nothing to do with you? The favor I ask of you is closely related to this!"
"I haven’t agreed to help you yet..."
"You will agree. You’ve already fallen into that old fellow’s calculation, yet remain unaware. Without my help, you’d be in big trouble. My seeking your help is also meant to lend you aid, though it’s ultimately mutual benefit between us." The Eye Orb Monster spoke with significant meaning.
"You say I’ve fallen into a calculation, what do you mean?" Ning Fan’s gaze finally showed some curiosity.
The Eye Orb Monster saw Ning Fan’s finally revealed curious expression and smiled lewdly, yet turned the topic to the Copper Towers here.
"Kid, ever heard of the Mourning Emperor’s name?" The Eye Orb Monster showed an ’if you don’t know, you’re ignorant’ look.
"Of course, I’ve heard of it." Ning Fan nodded.
The Mourning Emperor was the emperor title of the Ancestral Emperor of the Northern Heaven, famous for founding the Mourning Clan and creating the Grievance Technique—prisoned life technique. It’s common knowledge among the cultivators of the Four Heavens, and Ning Fan, having been in the Eastern Heaven for many years, naturally wouldn’t be ignorant.
Before dominating the Northern Heaven Immortal World, this person used Mourning as an emperor title, after dominating, was called the Ancestral Emperor of the Northern Heaven.
What is called an Ancestral Emperor? Only those who completely dominate one heaven, ruling countless sects and thousands of clans, can be honored as an Ancestral Emperor.
During the same period, the Ancestral Demon of the East completely dominated the Eastern Heaven, honored by the world as the Ancestral Emperor from the Eastern Heaven. The Western Heaven and Southern Heaven also each had their Ancestral Emperors dominate.
"Kid, if I told you the creator of the Copper Tower here was the mourning clan’s master, the Mourning Emperor, would you believe it! The black crescent emblem was personally left here by him!" The Eye Orb Monster looked with ’I doubt you’ll be surprised’ eyes.
"The Ancestral Emperor of the Northern Heaven actually came here and built towers!" Miaoyan Immortal Honorific was amazed. This secret wasn’t even recorded in the ancient scrolls of the Four Oceans Sect.
Ning Fan was surprised too, though not as visibly. Consequently, the Eye Orb Monster was dissatisfied.
Are you a face stone? Would it kill you to be shocked and scream aloud!
The Eye Orb Monster was angry. He refused to believe it. He was determined to reveal more secrets and see Ning Fan astonished and flustered.
"Have you ever heard of the Yishi Palace?" The Eye Orb Monster asked Ning Fan again.
"I’ve heard of it."
"Do you know who the Founder of the Yishi Palace is?" The Eye Orb Monster displayed an expression of ’if you say no, you’re lying.’
"I know. The Founder of the Yishi Palace is the late Emperor Yinrong..." Ning Fan thought for a moment and answered.
The Emperor Yinrong, Founder of the Yishi Palace, was a legendary female cultivator. In her lifetime, she conquered the Northern Heaven with ten Yinrong Pearls and even participated in the war to exterminate the Mourning Clan. In that battle, Emperor Yinrong single-handedly slaughtered seven Mourning Clan Immortal Emperors, earning an immediate fearsome reputation.
After Emperor Yinrong’s death, her magical treasure, the Yinrong Pearl, was so powerful it was hailed by the world as the ’Heaven Suppressing Treasure of the Northern Heaven Immortal World,’ famed alongside the Heavenly Bell of the Eastern Heaven Immortal World.
"Do you know, the Founder of the Yishi Palace, Emperor Yinrong, is the daughter of the Mourning Emperor? All her divine skills were taught by the Mourning Emperor. The Yinrong Pearls that made her famous were personally forged by the Mourning Emperor. The Yishi Palace she founded was even named by the Mourning Emperor himself. And her extermination of the Mourning Clan was under the orders of the Mourning Emperor!" The Eye Orb Monster began leaking sensational news.
He eagerly awaited Ning Fan’s startled scream, but he was destined to be disappointed.
Ning Fan looked at the Eye Orb Monster with a strange expression, as if to say, ’You know too much. I rather doubt whether what you say is true or false.’
Miaoyan Immortal Venerable had an expression of ’you must be talking nonsense,’ and even she wasn’t surprised because she didn’t believe it.
Emperor Yinrong is the daughter of the Ancestral Emperor of the Northern Heaven? Impossible. This matter is not recorded in the ancient annals of the Four Oceans Sect, so it cannot be true.
"You don’t believe what this old man says? Everything this old man says is true!" The Eye Orb Monster was furious.
"This old man has drunk with the Mourning Emperor; we have a life-and-death friendship!" It became more and more outrageous.
"I’ve seen Yinrong as a little girl wearing open-crotch pants. Her little butt was so tender!" It became more and more shameless.
"Hmph! If you don’t believe it, forget it, you brat, you brat, follow this old man!"
The Eye Orb Monster snorted angrily, transformed into a long rainbow, and disappeared into the sky.
Ning Fan and Miaoyan exchanged a glance, both sensing the speechlessness in each other’s eyes. This Eye Orb Monster was a bit of a joker...
But they couldn’t let their guard down around this Eye Orb Monster.
The two followed the Eye Orb Monster, speeding along, encountering several other copper towers with eight levels along the way.
These copper towers also had the Mourning Clan’s Black Moon emblem. Whether these emblems were truly left by the Ancestral Emperor of the Northern Heaven, as the Eye Orb Monster claimed, was unknown.
Soon, the Eye Orb Monster brought Ning Fan to the end of the void, where hundreds of towering copper towers formed a grove.
The copper towers floating elsewhere were at most eight levels high, but here they reached nine, ten, even eleven or twelve levels.
The copper towers here all radiated a treasure-like glow, accompanied by a sense of time’s ancient passage.
Each copper tower had the Mourning Clan’s Black Moon emblem carved on it!
A flash of azure light appeared in Ning Fan’s eyes as he observed the interwoven Time Dao principles on these copper towers.
"A total of 627 ’Sealing Towers,’ 407 at nine levels, 133 at ten levels, 78 at eleven levels, and 9 at twelve levels. This old man will give you a gift, allowing you to enter one of the nine-level Sealing Towers!" The Eye Orb Monster said grumpily, leading Ning Fan to the front of a nine-level copper tower on the outskirts of the grove.
Of the 627 copper towers in the grove, 606 had sealed tower doors, with seals so strong that even the Eye Orb Monster’s divine skills struggled to break them.
Over the long river of time, he had only managed to break the seals of 21 copper towers here.
The one he brought Ning Fan to had its seal broken.
The door to this copper tower was unsealed, half open, with darkness within, obscuring the scene inside.
Upon closer inspection, the left side of the tower door was inscribed with a line of Divine Seal Script. The characters were upright yet imbued with a divine skill, giving an impression of blurriness that made the line unreadable.
Miaoyan glanced at it, unable to discern the writing on that line, only feeling an overwhelming aura within. Moments later, she felt a slight pain in her eyes, unable to withstand the line’s pressure any longer.
She had to avert her eyes, amazed, "The person who inscribed this line is far more advanced than me in cultivation. Even if they’re not a Saint, they surely have one foot in the third step level of a Quasi-Saint."
"This line was inscribed by the Mourning Emperor, though I know you surely don’t believe it." The Eye Orb Monster said grumpily.
Ning Fan initially couldn’t read the line, but as his eyes flashed azure, he finally read it clearly:
"Within this tower, seals ten years of time."
"Come in." The Eye Orb Monster entered the copper tower first. After a brief hesitation, Ning Fan also stepped in, with Miaoyan closely following.
Inside the tower was a separate space with mountains and waters, a small chiliocosm completely isolated by Time Dao principles.
As the three of them entered, the tower door vanished behind them.
"Young friend will stay here for ten years. Both you and your wife are seriously injured, ten years should be enough to heal. This is a small gift from the old man to you. Hehe, see you in ten years..."
The Eye Orb Monster smirked slyly, found a peak with good spiritual energy among the mountains, established a cave dwelling, and seemed intent on long-term seclusion there.
Ning Fan was initially stunned, then abruptly looked up, blue light shooting from his eyes as he maximized the Unity of Heaven and Man.
At this moment, he seemed to merge with the Heavenly Dao here.
Finally, he realized the extraordinary nature of this copper tower!
From the moment Ning Fan entered the tower, time outside had come to a complete halt for him!
Inside the tower, time still flowed, days and nights, seasons changing, but outside time remained frozen!
No matter how long Ning Fan stayed inside the tower, the external world would still be at the moment he stepped in!
Suddenly, he understood what the inscription on the tower door meant.
This copper tower sealed ten years of time; those who enter could remain inside for ten years, while time outside stands still...
This tower was even more heaven-defying than the Lost World Tower!
The Lost World Tower of Yishi Palace only altered the flow of time. This tower stopped time altogether...
"Time here... is actually stopped!" Miaoyan noticed and was too astonished to speak.
The Eye Orb Monster, having set up his cave dwelling, heard Miaoyan’s exclamation from afar and couldn’t help but feel proud.
But upon seeing Ning Fan’s unemotional face, he was enraged again.
This boy, can’t you be surprised for once? Don’t you know pretending will get you struck by lightning!
"Daoist Zhao, what should we do now..." Miaoyan asked, as Ning Fan was her pillar of support.
"Time is frozen here; perhaps we can stay for ten years. You’re seriously injured, so use this time to heal. Ten years should suffice for full recovery. I have some questions for that Eye Orb."
Ning Fan’s figure flickered, transforming into a golden spear, disappearing and reappearing inside the Eye Orb Monster’s cave dwelling.
Seeing Ning Fan arrive, the Eye Orb Monster slyly grinned.
"Hehe, how is the gift this old man gave you? You’re seriously injured. Why not take this time to heal properly?"
"Healing can wait. I want to know what you need my help with. You can tell me, but I might not agree to assist you." Ning Fan frowned.
The Eye Orb Monster’s intentions had to be clarified.
"I want you to help this old man kill someone! I won’t lie to you; killing this person is extremely dangerous. Even if we join forces, our chances of success are no more than thirty percent. You can refuse to help me, but you have already been calculated against by this person and are caught in a trap without knowing it. Without encountering me, twelve hours from now would be your time of death, believe it or not!" The Eye Orb Monster suddenly became incredibly serious.
At this moment, the Eye Orb Monster no longer carried the casual demeanor from before; instead, an air of overbearing might subtly emanated from him.
"I hope to join forces with you to kill the Ninth Generation Barbarian God, Yin Mo! You carry the residual aura of Yin Mo’s ’Blessing Technique.’ Think carefully, did you accept a ’reward’ from Yin Mo upon entering the Ninefold Celestial Towers? If so, I’m sorry to inform you that Yin Mo has calculated against you. Your death is near. If you don’t believe me, examine your Spirit carefully for any anomalies!" (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to qidian.com to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)
