Chapter 1268: Chapter 1268: Yue Kun Disciple, Lu Bei
The Heart Spirit World changes according to the inner thoughts of its master.
Ning Fan experienced deep winter and wakeful spring during his first exploration into the Demon-Encountering Stele’s inner world.
Upon entering for the second time, all the things Ning Fan saw were in early summer.
In the heart of the Demon-Encountering Stele, there are mountains and seas.
Ning Fan walked along the mountain path, the soil damp and the air fresh, as if a light drizzle had just passed through these hills.
The mountain flowers were blooming splendidly, wild bees stopping and flying amidst the blossoms; a few butterflies land casually on Ning Fan’s shoulder, unafraid, as if they deemed Ning Fan as one of their own.
"I am searching for the master of this land. Do you know where she is?" Ning Fan asked the butterflies.
The butterflies didn’t respond.
But they did fly off from Ning Fan’s shoulder, heading down the other end of the mountain path.
As if leading the way.
"Thank you." Ning Fan.
The butterflies didn’t fly fast, so Ning Fan also proceeded slowly.
The deeper he ventured, the farther he went into the mountains.
Gradually, traces of wildlife began to appear around him.
A young red leopard played in the forest, chasing after the butterflies, yet could not catch them no matter how hard it tried; a black civet lay on a tree, sound asleep, exuding a feeling of laziness.
Ning Fan glanced at both the black civet and the red leopard, thoughtful.
But he did not pause on his way.
He continued forward.
After an unknowable amount of time, a bamboo forest suddenly appeared before him.
The bamboo grove had a path, winding and secluded. On closer inspection, the path seemed to be made from pebbles; upon further scrutiny, Ning Fan realized these stones were not mere pebbles, but... fragments of an avenue.
The fragmented avenue had lost all power, like death, like destruction, like long silence, no longer emitting any radiance, resembling ordinary stones.
Ning Fan squatted down, touching the avenue fragments on the ground.
The cold sensation felt through his fingertips, transcending ages, reaching the heart, like a goodbye without a return date, like the cold light of a vanishing broken sword, like the distant separation between past and future.
Inexplicably, Ning Fan felt an indescribable emotion.
The feeling came quickly and departed just as swiftly.
Before Ning Fan could delve deeper, he sensed a flash of light before him.
When he regained awareness, there was no stone path made of avenue fragments in sight.
The stone path had already vanished...
Like the fleeting bloom of a flower, as if it never existed.
"Does the Demon-Encountering Maiden not wish for me to investigate these avenue fragments? Could these fragments be her inner secrets, thus she forbids anyone from prying..."
"I stepped into her inner world uninvited, audaciously trying to uncover her secrets. This is indeed my fault."
Thinking thus, Ning Fan spoke apologetically toward the depths of the bamboo forest, "Sorry."
He could feel a gaze from the depths of the bamboo forest, looking at him, presumably from the Demon-Encountering Maiden.
These words were meant for that Demon-Encountering Maiden.
Sadly, there was no response.
Only the sound of the wind passed by, making the bamboo leaves in the forest rustle.
"May I enter this bamboo forest?" Ning Fan asked again.
Again, no answer.
Neither invitation nor rejection.
However, based on his understanding of the Demon-Encountering Maiden’s character, her silence was likely tacit approval.
The guide butterflies were nowhere to be seen.
Thus, Ning Fan ventured alone into the bamboo forest.
Within the forest was a spring, a Spiritual Spring nearing exhaustion of spiritual energy: the depletion due to signs of intentional damage at the source of its Spirit Vein.
By the spring stood a house—a clean bamboo house surrounded by sparse bamboo fences: beside the fence, there lay a small Spirit Field, though the field seemed to have been abandoned for many years, with traces of deliberate damage apparent on the field itself.
The house was empty, devoid of almost any furnishings, yet retained a faint scent of a lady which lingered, evidently due to her long residence here.
Outside the house, beside the spring, stood a stone table, upon which lay an empty teapot and two old teacups.
Time had etched mottled marks on the stone table.
Despite their age, the teapot and teacups were meticulously cleaned, spotless and free from dust.
"The Demon-Encountering Maiden was here just moments ago, but upon my arrival, she left."
"Indeed, she remains unwilling to meet me. Or perhaps, she wishes to see no one at all."
"No, that’s not right."
"The stone table here, with two teacups placed deliberately; if she wished to see no one, there would be no need to prepare two teacups, this second teacup is clearly meant for guests..."
Alone amidst the secluded bamboo, never seeing the sky, yet the second teacup always remains on the table, as if awaiting someone’s arrival...
A gentle breeze unknowingly blew across.
Ning Fan’s gaze had yet to leave the teapot and teacups when suddenly, one of the previously empty teacups appeared filled with tea.
The scent wafted forth, from tea leaves Ning Fan had never tasted.
The leaves initially the color of white snow, gradually appearing truly like ice and snow, melting bit by bit into the water.
Hence, the cup contained no trace of tea leaves, leaving only the clarity of the tea water, resembling the recently melted, simmering snow from a mountain.
Ning Fan was slightly startled, then smiled.
This cup of tea seemed to be the Demon-Encountering Maiden’s offering to him.
It appeared to be no ordinary tea leaves...
The scene where the tea leaves, like snow, melted into the water felt reminiscent of certain legendary Spiritual Tea.
"This tea seems rather extraordinary..." Ning Fan seemed to be talking to himself, or perhaps conversing with the concealed Demon-Encountering Maiden.
Yet still no reply.
"Was this tea prepared for me?"
As before, no reply, as if tacit acceptance.
"In that case, thank you, mistress, for the tea."
Ning Fan expressed his thanks, taking a seat and lifting the teacup from the stone stool.
Gently sipping a mouthful.
Whereupon, a hint of surprise colored his previously calm gaze.
With just one sip, Ning Fan’s spirit sense inexplicably advanced by ten thousand years of cultivation!
At this moment, Ning Fan felt enlightened, senses sharpened, mind refreshed, Dao thoughts and understanding poured forth in an unstoppable tide!
Even the recovery challenges that had puzzled him for days about the Duowen Wushuang were unraveling in moments of epiphany!
"This tea is indeed the legendary Enlightenment Tea!" Ning Fan praised.
He had heard of Enlightenment Tea before, yet never had he tasted it.
Today’s encounter was his first fortunate tasting of its flavors.
Legend says top-quality Enlightenment Tea appears golden; mid-quality tea resembles blood jade; low-quality tea mirrors white snow.
The tea leaves he drank, appeared like white snow, presumably were low-grade Enlightenment Tea.
Yet even low-grade Enlightenment Tea, sold within the Tongtian Sect, could fetch dozens of gold per gram; moreover, such items are never retailed to the Dreamland Realm, even should Ning Fan wish to purchase, there’s no official channel for acquisition.
This is a priceless treasure, unattainable even with wealth!
Thus, Ning Fan took no issue with enjoying low-grade Enlightenment Tea, feeling wholly satisfied.
The dissatisfaction lay not within him, but rather the Demon-Encountering Maiden.
The wind blew softly, bearing a sigh, resembling regret, unmet wishes.
Nobody knew, the Demon-Encountering Maiden initially intended to prepare higher quality Enlightenment Tea leaves to serve her guest.
Yet due to unforeseen events, only a scant few low-grade tea leaves remained, left to entertain Ning Fan.
Helpless, yet unavoidable.
...
Though the Demon-Encountering Maiden offered Ning Fan tea, she never showed herself nor spoke a word to him.
Ning Fan did not insist on this.
When Ning Fan drank tea, a breeze surrounded the bamboo grove, as if observed by the gaze of a Demon-Encountering Maiden.
Strangely enough, Ning Fan, who detested being secretly watched, did not seem to mind the observation of this Demon-Encountering Maiden.
Even after finishing his tea, Ning Fan continued to sit there for a long time, from noon to dusk, as if half a day had passed, or as if he had spent a lifetime there.
As dusk deepened, the breeze gradually subsided, and the gaze of the Demon-Encountering Maiden finally vanished.
"She has left..." Ning Fan released his heart spirit but could not detect the woman’s whereabouts in this world.
It was as if she came and went out of thin air, leaving no trace to be found.
After all, this was the inner world of the Demon-Encountering Stele, so perhaps it was possible for her to come and go freely.
So Ning Fan decided not to linger. He stood up and wandered aimlessly through the bamboo grove,
though the Demon-Encountering Maiden intrigued him, Ning Fan did not forget his original purpose.
Initially, the Duowen Fragment led him here, indicating there must be a reason.
It was time to find the answer.
"This place has mountains and seas. Could the answer indicated by the Duowen Fragment be on this mountain?"
Ning Fan continued onward, gradually walking out of the bamboo forest.
As he continued, the mountain path suddenly became rugged.
This rugged mountain path was overgrown with rock orchids and ajuga herbs.
The night deepened, yet fireflies flew among the rock orchids and ajuga herbs.
By the light of the fireflies, Ning Fan traversed the most rugged part of the mountain path, finally reaching the summit.
"It seems there’s nothing here that I’m looking for..."
Ning Fan shook his head but was not in a hurry to leave the summit.
Instead, he sat cross-legged at the edge of the cliff, facing the distant sea, and meditated with closed eyes.
Having drunk the Enlightenment Tea, countless Dao thoughts arose in Ning Fan’s mind, and now he finally had the leisure to sort through these insights.
As Ning Fan’s insights deepened, scenes of apparitions began to manifest atop the mountain.
At times, when Ning Fan’s demonic thoughts spread, they deepened the night’s darkness a thousandfold.
At times, when Ning Fan’s Daoist thoughts scattered, the Northern Dipper appeared in the dim sky, brightening the night significantly.
At times, when wood energy enveloped Ning Fan, all the vegetation in the mountains began to grow wildly.
At times, when Rain Intent surrounded Ning Fan, an unintended night rain arrived, nourishing the entire mountain.
The beasts, birds, and insects in the mountain were all stunned by the apparitions triggered by Ning Fan.
Crickets dared not chirp at night.
Crows dared not caw on the treetops.
No creature in the mountain dared to disturb Ning Fan’s enlightenment, all revering him like a deity.
One night passed.
At the moment of sunrise, Ning Fan finished his meditation, having fully absorbed the insights from the Enlightenment Tea.
Gazing at the distant sea, Ning Fan fell into contemplation.
"If the answer I’m seeking isn’t on the mountain, maybe it’s in the sea."
Ning Fan left the mountain and came to the shore.
Subconsciously searching along the coast, he didn’t encounter mating turtles or sandpiper-clam struggles from before.
Instead, he happened upon the retreat of the tide.
The wreckage of some sunken ships was washed ashore.
Among the wreckage of the sunken ships, Ning Fan found some fragments of magical treasures from ancient cultivators, their spiritual essence lost, rendering them nearly useless.
Besides that, Ning Fan also found a broken letter among the shipwreck debris.
An ordinary letter couldn’t possibly have been soaked in the deep sea for years, much less washed ashore to see the light of day again.
This letter turned out to be left by an ancient Immortal Emperor, hence even after a long time, it hadn’t been completely ruined by the seawater.
Everyone has curiosity, and Ning Fan is no exception.
Moreover, he was seeking the guidance of Duowen Wushuang, and this place, mysteriously producing a letter from an Immortal Emperor, was a major clue that could not be overlooked.
Thus, he opened the letter to read it.
Although the letter was tattered, he could only make out some fragmented sentences.
The sender was an Immortal Emperor named Shi Gui, and the recipient was called Lu Bei.
[Brother Lu Bei, seeing this letter is like seeing you in person... Northern Barbarians Kingdom in crisis... specially invited Brother Dao to come... North Pole Dao Fruit Conference... borrowing the fame of the disciples of Hunkun Holy Sect... to uphold justice... Ziwei Demon Monarch’s calamity... nine days hence... Copper Ship to welcome... Sincerely, Shi Gui.]
North Pole Dao Fruit Conference?
Disciples of the Hunkun Holy Sect?
Ziwei Demon Monarch?
Ning Fan squinted; the letter in his hand seemed to involve some ancient secrets.
Ning Fan was never interested in these ancient secrets. However, if understanding these secrets was a leading from the Duowen Fragment, he wouldn’t mind knowing a bit.
Speaking of which, the name Lu Bei seemed familiar...
If you only mentioned the words Lu Bei, Ning Fan might not recall immediately, for this name was too common in the cultivation world, and any random Cultivation Star could have thousands or tens of thousands named Lu Bei.
But if this name was associated with the Hunkun Holy Sect...
Hunkun Holy Sect... Lu Bei...
Ning Fan closed his eyes, rummaging through old memories, gradually recalling some past events.
[I was once the seventh ancestor of the Fan Family... named Fan Mokong... abandoned by Calamity Spirit... broke through encirclement... captured a Causal Beast...]
[Abandoned Barbarian Cultivation... retrained my original Spirit... became the Fate Wielding Immortal Emperor... schemed against Saint Sect disciple Lu Bei... seized the Fifth Fragment... could fight a Third Order Quasi-Saint with full strength... later mistakenly entered Dreamland Realm... seeking opportunities to take revenge on the Calamity Spirit Clan...]
[This body henceforth is the second Primordial Spirit... temporarily stays in the primeval wasteland... if opportunity arises... seize the Ninth Generation Barbarian God Yin Mo’s cultivation... enter the Ancient Barbarian Tomb... seek the Sixth Fragment...]
Once, when Ning Fan was plotted against by Yin Mo Ancestor, he used the True Dragon Race’s Reverse Spirit Technique to search through the memories of the Fan Family Seventh Ancestor, Fan Mokong. In those fragmented memories, the Saint Sect disciple Lu Bei was mentioned.
"Thanks to the Enlightenment Tea for clearing my mind, I can so clearly recall those long-lost matters." Ning Fan marveled.
"Come to think of it, I think I’ve heard the name Lu Bei elsewhere too..."
[As Martial Uncle saw, both of us are Yuxu Talisman Soldiers, following the decree of the Primordial Master, stationed here to guard the Reverse Ten Absolute Formation. In the Mountain and Sea Realm’s Dao Fruit Conference of the All Races in past years, a disciple of the Hunkun Holy Sect, Lu Bei, suppressed the geniuses of all races to seize the first place. Due to prior agreement, the Primordial Master had to produce an item and present it to Lu Bei afterward. The item given was the Reverse Ten Absolute Diagram. Since then, the control of the array map changed hands...]
This memory was what the Yuxu Talisman Soldiers mentioned when Ning Fan subdued them some time ago.
At that time, Ning Fan wasn’t very interested in hearing these distant ancient secrets.
But now, it was different.
Adding this time he picked up the Immortal Emperor’s letter, it was the third time he heard about the Saint Sect’s Lu Bei. This sparked his curiosity about this cultivator named Lu Bei.
Almost the moment Ning Fan finished reading the letter, on the horizon of the sea, a sail appeared sailing toward him.
With Ning Fan’s eyesight, he could see across the endless distance and clearly saw that what was approaching from afar was a Golden Ancient Ship.
The Golden Ancient Ship sailed slowly.
It took three full days to reach the shore.
Then, a bald youth disembarked from the ship.
The cultivation revealed by the bald youth was only at the Late Stage of Shekong realm, but Ning Fan immediately saw this person’s true cultivation: Immortal King Peak.
The bald youth, unaware that his hidden cultivation had been seen through by Ning Fan, respectfully saluted Ning Fan, saying, "Junior Shi Gandang, following the order of my master, has come here to pick up Predecessor Lu Bei. Please, Predecessor, board the ship."
"Daoist friend, are you speaking to me?" Ning Fan asked thoughtfully.
"You’re kidding, Senior. There’s only you, Predecessor, here. Besides Predecessor, whom else could I be speaking to?" Shi Gandang respectfully said.
"You’ve got the wrong person. I’m not Lu Bei." Ning Fan replied.
"Senior, don’t joke. When my master instructed me to receive you, Predecessor, he specially bestowed an image of you, and the painting holds a trace of your aura..." As he spoke, Shi Gandang took out a painting.
It was a painting of a young man.
The man in the painting was plain-looking and bore no resemblance to Ning Fan.
Yet Shi Gandang insisted that Ning Fan and the man in the painting looked alike.
The aura of the man in the painting was also completely different from Ning Fan’s.
Yet Shi Gandang insisted their auras were identical, that they were the same person.
"Why does this person insists on mistaking me for Lu Bei? Oh, I see..." A flash of azure brilliance crossed Ning Fan’s eyes as if seeing through everything about Shi Gandang.
Then he reached out his hand toward Shi Gandang, and his hand passed directly through Shi Gandang.
An illusion!
This Shi Gandang was not a living person at all, but an illusion conjured up by the inner world of the Demon-Encountering Stele.
No, something’s not right.
"Everything I see at this moment is not merely an illusion, but an ancient memory evolved by this realm."
Ning Fan thought to himself that what he was witnessing might be something that the cultivator named Zhang Dao had personally experienced.
"How is this possible! This person has actually activated the Tianren Eye Technique! He can pierce my ghost body with his bare hands!" Ning Fan’s actions frightened Shi Gandang’s soul so much that he quickly retreated a few steps, not daring to approach Ning Fan.
"Why are you so surprised? You are just an illusion. It’s not difficult for me to pierce through your body with my hand, is it?" Ning Fan said with a faint smile.
"Senior, please don’t make jokes. I am flesh and blood, how can I be just an illusion." Yet Shi Gandang couldn’t realize that he was merely an illusion.
He smiled apologetically, but felt a chill in his heart.
"The intelligence says that the Mixed Kun disciple Zhang Dao is naive, dull, and his cultivation has just barely broken through to the Immortal King Realm. Is this person really just a newly ascended Immortal King?"
"Speaking of which, I just picked up a letter by the sea..." Ning Fan handed the letter from the Immortal Emperor he had just picked up to Shi Gandang, subtly observing the other’s expression and reaction.
Upon seeing the letter, Shi Gandang’s face changed dramatically.
Damn it!
Wasn’t the messenger sent by Shi Gui intercepted and killed by them? How could this person receive a distress letter, and why is the content of this letter different from the one they intercepted?
The intercepted letter stated that a golden ship would be sent in three days to pick up Zhang Dao for the Arctic Dao Fruit assembly.
Yet this letter says that in nine days, a bronze ship will come to welcome him.
"Damn it! We’ve fallen into a trap! The messenger we killed was just a distraction set up by Shi Gui! Since this is the case..."
Realizing all this, Shi Gandang no longer concealed his cultivation, fully unleashing his manifestation, transforming into a hundred-foot tall evil ghost, raising his hand to cover the sky, with the momentum of an Immortal King Peak sweeping the world.
"Zhang Dao! Since you have uncovered my identity, just come with me obediently! Don’t force me to use violence!" The hundred-foot tall evil ghost said coldly.
"I’ll say it one last time, I’m not the Zhang Dao you are looking for. If you insist on provoking me, even if you’re just an illusion, I won’t hold back." Ning Fan said indifferently.
"Hahaha! You’re just a mere newly ascended Immortal King, yet you dare to speak so arrogantly! I want to see how you will show no mercy to someone like me at the Immortal King Peak!"
The hundred-foot tall evil ghost opened its mouth wide, trying to swallow Ning Fan whole.
And then...
Ning Fan also opened his mouth wide, taking a bite and devouring half of the hundred-foot tall evil ghost’s body, eating with a ferocity that was indescribable.
With another bite, the hundred-foot tall evil ghost was devoured completely.
"How... how is this possible..."
The voice of disbelief echoed from the hundred-foot tall evil ghost as it perished.
A mere evil ghost trying to compete with an Ancient Deity in eating is truly ridiculous.
As the hundred-foot tall evil ghost fell, the golden ancient ship it manifested into instantly turned into a pile of mud.
It turned out that this ship was just something conjured by the hundred-foot tall evil ghost’s Divine Skills.
"Hmm? Strange..." After devouring the hundred-foot tall evil ghost, Ning Fan made a soft exclamation.
As an Ancient Deity, everything can serve as food. Even though the other was just an illusion, he was confident he could digest it with two bites.
The problem was, this hundred-foot tall evil ghost was clearly just an illusion, not supposed to have a body of flesh and blood.
But once it reached his stomach, inexplicably, it was refined into enormous energy.
Once Ning Fan completely digested this energy, he was astonished to find that his mana had inexplicably increased by about one tribulation.
Compared to Ning Fan’s vast mana base, one tribulation might not seem much, but it’s important to know that Ning Fan merely causally devoured an illusion of an Immortal King Peak.
"Strange occurrence, devouring illusions from this land actually boosts my cultivation this much..." Ning Fan felt perplexed.
However, he had little interest in exploring this further.
After annihilating the hundred-foot tall evil ghost, Ning Fan didn’t leave the place but continued to wait there.
On the fourth day.
On the fifth day.
On the sixth day.
In no time, it was the ninth day as stated in the letter.
Finally, a bronze ancient ship sailed from afar to receive Ning Fan for his sea crossing.
"Junior Shi Gandang greets Senior Zhang Dao, under the orders of my master, I have come to welcome you for the sea crossing." Yet another person claiming to be Shi Gandang walked off the bronze ancient ship.
This particular Shi Gandang did not hide his cultivation and was genuinely a junior in the Shedding Void Stage.
"I am not Zhang Dao, you have the wrong person." Ning Fan responded as he did previously.
"Uh..." Shi Gandang was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond.
Before setting out, his master had specifically warned him that this Senior Zhang Dao had an extremely peculiar temperament and that he must be carefully served and not be offended.
Now it seems...
What his master said was true! This person’s temperament really is peculiar; a single sentence could leave someone speechless.
"In any case, I am here on my master’s orders, so I kindly ask the senior to quickly board the ship so as not to miss the Dao Fruit assembly." Shi Gandang said respectfully.
"Who is your master?" Ning Fan asked.
"Uh, why does this senior ask the obvious? Having received my master’s invitation letter, how could he not know who my master is..." Shi Gandang felt exasperated internally, but remembering the eccentric nature of this person, he maintained a respectful demeanor and replied, "In response to the senior’s question, my master’s dao name is Stone Ghost True Person, the very one who sent the invitation to you."
"I see." Ning Fan nodded, although he was entirely uninterested in who Stone Ghost True Person was.
"Please, senior, quickly board the ship so as not to miss the Dao Fruit assembly." Shi Gandang cautiously urged.
"Hmm."
Ning Fan nodded and boarded the bronze ancient ship.
Seeing this, Shi Gandang exhaled a sigh of relief, steering the bronze ancient ship to cross the sea.
Initially, the sea was occasionally windy, with the seawater akin to ordinary seawater.
But as the ancient ship sailed deeper, the seawater gradually exuded an indescribable aura of dao law.
The tides began to calm, calming like the eternal silence of the great dao.
The unfathomable sea exuded a heavy sense of oppression.
"The seawater here seems extraordinary..." Ning Fan remarked gravely.
"What the senior said is true, as we have now entered the outer sea of the Nether Dust Sea, where the seawater’s potency is unfathomable. So senior should be extremely careful, lest you accidentally fall into the sea." Shi Gandang advised.
Nether Dust Sea outer sea? Ning Fan was taken aback, pondering thoughtfully.
After a moment, he asked again.
"What would happen if I fell into the sea?"
"Indeed, this senior enjoys asking questions to which he already knows the answer..." Shi Gandang sighed inwardly, but kept a respectful tone, replying, "A single drop of seawater from the Nether Dust Sea is as heavy as a mountain, even an Immortal Venerable could drown if accidentally submerged."
As they were speaking, a breeze suddenly swept over the previously calm sea surface.
This sea breeze contained endless dao law, and with a gentle sweep, it caused Ning Fan’s body to sway slightly, showing its formidable power.
But that was only at the beginning, catching Ning Fan off guard and causing him to sway slightly.
Once Ning Fan activated his mana, the sea breeze could no longer move him.
It was Shi Gandang who faced the trouble!
Unexpectedly, at this moment, the Nether Dust Sea blew a sea breeze, and as soon as it blew, Shi Gandang was swept off the ship, heading towards the sea surface.
Unable to resist!
With his mere Shedding Void cultivation, he couldn’t withstand the Nether Dust Wind!
Seeing himself about to fall into the sea!
"Senior, save me!" In despair, Shi Gandang manage to cry for help to Ning Fan.
Then.
Ning Fan waved his sleeve, braving the Nether Dust Wind, and swept Shi Gandang back onto the ship.
Having narrowly escaped death, Shi Gandang panted heavily, cold sweat pouring from his entire body.
What a close call! Nearly drowned!
Thankfully, Senior Zhang Dao saved him!
"Thank you, senior, for saving my life!" Shi Gandang knelt on the ground, continuously bowing to Ning Fan, deeply grateful.
After expressing his gratitude, it dawned on Shi Gandang that Ning Fan had saved him while braving the Nether Dust Wind.
Inconceivable!
That was the Nether Dust Wind!
Even a mere breeze of the Nether Dust Wind could be vexing to an Immortal Emperor!
In that situation just now, even if his master, Stone Ghost True Person, had personally intervened, he would have needed to exert all his might, and it would not have been possible to act as casually as Ning Fan did—simply a flick of his sleeve to withstand the Nether Dust Wind.
"Is this Zhang Dao Senior truly just a newly ascended Immortal King? With such means, even many Immortal Emperors might not possess them! No wonder the master suddenly invited this person for assistance!" Thinking of this, Shi Gantang’s gaze became even more respectful.
Yet, there were still other things he couldn’t understand.
"It is strange though, usually at this time, the Nether Dust Outer Sea shouldn’t have sea winds blowing. Does Senior know why the weather here has become abnormal?" Shi Gantang asked in confusion.
"This wind isn’t due to abnormal weather; someone deliberately summoned it." Ning Fan gazed meaningfully at a certain part of the sky.
"Senior, don’t joke around. To summon the Nether Dust wind here, it would require at least an Eight Tribulations Wind Control Position Immortal Emperor, and where could such a being exist here? What reason would they have to summon the sea wind against us?" Shi Gantang shook his head, evidently not trusting Ning Fan’s judgment.
Then, Shi Gantang was proven wrong.
Almost at the moment Shi Gantang finished speaking, a hidden old man appeared from nowhere in the sky.
Standing on black clouds, with six ghost banners strapped to his back, surrounding himself with gusts of eerie wind, his cultivation startlingly was at the Nine Tribulations Immortal Emperor Realm!
"Indeed, a disciple of the Holy Sect has some skill, able to see through this old man’s concealment!" The old man sneered.
Shi Gantang, however, turned deathly pale, evidently recognizing the old man’s identity.
"V-Vast Sea Lord! A notorious murderous Demon Lord! Why is he here!" The tone of Shi Gantang suggested that the old man named Vast Sea Lord was a terrifying presence.
"Ignorant child, how dare you casually mention this old man’s name!" Vast Sea Lord’s expression dimmed, spitting out several ghostly figures, which transformed into hundreds upon thousands of ghostly heads, attacking Shi Gantang.
This was a strike from a Nine Tribulations Immortal Emperor, and Shi Gantang stood no chance against it.
"Senior, spare my life!" Shi Gantang was practically scared witless.
Having just narrowly escaped from drowning in Nether Dust Sea, he now faced slaughter by a Nine Tribulations Immortal Emperor.
Why is he so unlucky!
Vast Sea Lord coldly smiled, indifferent to Shi Gantang’s pleas, watching as Shi Gantang was about to perish, devoured by the ghostly heads.
It was then that Ning Fan intervened.
He swept his sleeve, and immense power surged forth, scattering the ghostly heads, sending them flying in all directions, unable to draw near. He then forcefully grabbed one, swallowing it whole, unconcerned with its blood-soaked state.
Witnessing this scene, even the stone-hearted Jin Shi was moved, and Vast Sea Lord was stunned.
"Devouring ghostly heads alive! Such brutality! Isn’t this child a disciple of the Holy Sect? How could a person from the Holy Sect possess such demonic methods!" Vast Sea Lord was secretly alarmed.
Ning Fan, however, felt a bit disappointed.
The disappointment stemmed from the fact that devouring ghostly heads this time did not enhance his cultivation.
Could it be that these ghostly heads were merely manifestations of Vast Sea Lord’s divine skills, and thus lacked nutritional value?
So Ning Fan ceased to devour more ghostly heads, and with a flick of his robe, swept them into his sleeve, and with another flick, released a splash of rainwater from his sleeve.
"Such remarkable Profound Sect techniques! In an instant, he purifies my ghost skills into rainwater!" Vast Sea Lord was increasingly astounded.
In shock, he also felt a surge of envy.
"This child, merely a newly ascended Immortal King, can acquire such formidable skills simply because he is a disciple of the Mixed Kun Holy Sect. Truly enviable!"
"With such a background, even though this child is merely an Immortal King, I dare not kill him. The Holy Sect’s karma, I dare not incur."
"Luckily, my master’s command is merely to prevent Zhang Dao from attending the Arctic’s Dao Fruit conference, which is easy enough."
Vast Sea Lord’s thoughts raced, his expression remaining as sullen as ever, seeing Shi Gantang was not slain with a single blow. He was too lazy to continue attacking.
Ultimately, Shi Gantang was a mere Shedding Void stage junior, unimportant to the overall situation.
The sole purpose of his coming here was Zhang Dao alone.
"Zhang Dao brat, let me ask you! I have sent a ghost servant to find you; where is that ghost servant now!" Vast Sea Lord asked coldly.
"So that’s how it is; the hundred-zhang tall malevolent specter was sent by you." Ning Fan muttered to himself.
Without paying any attention to Vast Sea Lord’s query.
Having been ignored by a mere "newly ascended Immortal King," Vast Sea Lord was instantly furious. Though unable to kill Ning Fan, he intended to teach Ning Fan a lesson.
Hence, he summoned the six ghost banners from behind.
Five ghostly figures emerged from the ghost banners, transforming into five peak Immortal King ghost servants, rushing at Ning Fan.
Due to one ghost servant already being destroyed by Ning Fan, there were only five ghost servants from the six ghost banners.
"Rest assured, today the old man is in a good mood. I won’t kill you, but I must invite you to stay at my cave mansion for a few years. After the Arctic Dao Fruit conference concludes, the old man will release you!"
Then he intended to capture Ning Fan directly.
Vast Sea Lord didn’t feel like wasting more words with Ning Fan.
Ning Fan, however, his eyes suddenly gleamed!
Then, in Vast Sea Lord’s astonished gaze, Ning Fan devoured the five ghost servants one by one.
Digest!
Digest!
Digest!
His mana surged forward five tribulations at least!
"When did such a demonic foe emerge within the Mixed Kun Holy Sect!" Vast Sea Lord was equally shocked and angry.
"Continue." Ning Fan’s expression was cold, his tone icy and ruthless.
Continue?
Continue with what?
Vast Sea Lord didn’t quite understand the meaning of Ning Fan’s words.
Then he realized Ning Fan’s intention.
Ning Fan wanted him to release more ghost servants!
Was this child... still unsatiated!
"Such arrogance! Simply unfathomable arrogance!" Vast Sea Lord, greatly enraged, smiled with a chilling laugh, tapped the seal on his forehead, and immediately an ink-green ghost banner flew out.
The appearance of this banner instantly enlarged into infinity, stirring up countless sinister winds.
"To devour a couple of inferior ghost servants and dare act arrogant before the old man, truly laughable! As for those level of ghost servants, the old man possesses as many as needed! Just worry, about whether you, can stomach them!"
Then, indeed, Vast Sea Lord released more ghost servants.
Afterwards...
Ning Fan’s mana +1 tribulation.
Mana +1 tribulation.
Mana +2.
Mana +1.
Mana +2.
Mana +2.
Mana +3
...
In a series of events, Ning Fan devoured over forty of Vast Sea Lord’s Immortal King ghost servants!
And then Ning Fan’s mana +5.
Mana +5.
Having devoured two Immortal Emperor ghost servants meant to be Vast Sea Lord’s trump cards!
The last bite, Ning Fan’s mana +20.
After all this, Ning Fan devoured Vast Sea Lord himself...
Previously, his mana surged by over a hundred tribulations!
"A mere illusion can significantly advance my cultivation; indeed, this place was not wrongly chosen..." Ning Fan thought to himself.
...
At the same time.
Deepest in the Northern Boundary River.
A catfish monster, giant as the starry sky, with only half of its body remaining, was slumbering at the deepest point of Northern Sea.
The injuries it suffered were too severe, half of its body destroyed by the mythical demon crane hailed as [The Primordial Invincible].
Although this catfish monster wielded heavenly powers, it was impossible to rapidly regenerate its body.
Within its dreams, the catfish monster happily swam in the Yellow River.
Suddenly, an urgent voice woke it from its dream.
"Lord Hebo, wake quickly! A major event has occurred! The Ziwei Star, suppressing Nightmare Qi for the true races, is disappearing one after another, reason... unknown!"
