novelraw Chapter 1023: Reincarnation Feels Like a Stranger
Chapter 1023: Reincarnation Feels Like a Stranger
The Blood Tide is approaching, the air filled with more oppressive resentment, and ghostly wailing echoes from unknown origins.
Ning Fan expanded his protective aura to a radius of one zhang, walking calmly across the frozen sea, impervious to any resentment. He comprehended the grand momentum of the place clearly; he even somewhat predicted the center of the tide’s explosion.
Having determined the center of the tide’s explosion, Ning Fan came to a place in the east of the bloody mist, sat down cross-legged, and awaited the tide’s arrival.
This waiting lasted for three hours.
The bloody mist suddenly began to show signs of melting, with the ocean’s waves resuming their flow beneath the ice layer, resentment spreading like dense fog, shrouding the sea in a hazy glow. In this haze, broken scenes occasionally appeared like mirages amidst the mist.
These were all images from Ancient Flower Celestial Being before her death!
"It’s here, every hour the Blood Tide’s power doubles. Even with our combined efforts, we can only last until the fourth hour, that’s usually when memory related to passing tribulation appears... The Vast Expanse Butterfly wishes to imprint the tribulation memory while sealing its cultivation, it’s next to impossible!"
At the sea’s bottom, the Blood Bee woman’s main demon soul struggled against the rapidly increasing resentment all around, smirking coldly, eager to see Ning Fan struggling under the tide.
Indeed, in the eyes of the Blood Bee main demon soul, Ning Fan may not even be able to sustain for one hour in the tide and would be severely injured.
Unfortunately, this woman is destined to be disappointed, as Ning Fan was protected by the God-Extinguishing Shield, seeing the pervasive resentment as child’s play, not suffering any harm, nor allowing the resentment to approach.
As a blood-colored wave surged from the Endless Sea, the area resounded with the deafening crashes of ocean waves; as it approached, it was indeed a giant wave, a hundred zhang high, roaring down towards Ning Fan’s seated location.
This hundred zhang high wave contained terrifying resentment, comparable to slaughtering thousands of Cultivation Star mortals to amass such an amount of resentment, enough to shock some newly ascended Immortal Venerables. Yet Ning Fan responded calmly, casually waving his hand, and instantly sent hundreds of golden streaks towards the wave, dispersing its momentum, causing it to halt in mid-air, extremely eerily.
"This child actually disrupted the wave’s forward momentum and descent, causing it to remain in the air! What high-level comprehension of the grand momentum is needed to achieve this!" At the sea’s bottom, both Blood Bee main demon soul and Second Demon Soul were collectively shocked.
Even the Baihua Great Emperor, far away in the inner hall, raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised.
Ning Fan looked thoughtfully at the static giant wave.
"Ancient Flower Celestial Being’s passing tribulation memory, due to heavy resentment, remains, covered in resentment even as the years pass unwithered. These memories are too fragmented, like a complete book torn into countless pages, even each page shredded into innumerable pieces... Imprinting these fragmented memories is too troublesome, and even if imprinted, can only glimpse disjointed scenes. It might be better to directly collect this resentment to slowly research the various memories later, perhaps then able to see complete... These resentments can be considered treasures within the treasury, after all, Baihua Emperor has made a promise, if I were to take them, she should have no objections!"
With a decision made in his heart, Ning Fan actually rolled his sleeve, directly collecting the static giant wave into his sleeve!
"This child actually collected the resentment-formed giant wave!" The two women at the sea’s bottom were shocked beyond compare.
Their comprehension of the grand momentum fell far short of being able to stop such waves in mid-air for collection, typically only avoiding their onslaught.
Yet Ning Fan accomplished this, his abilities surpassed the two women’s imagination, clearly not something that ordinary Eternal Immortal Venerables could emulate!
A mere foreign cultivator with such methods!
"Eastern Heaven’s Secret Art of Power... No, this child perhaps even mastered the Secret Art of Prestige, otherwise, facing my pressure back then, he could not have been so composed... Indeed underestimated him, this child might not need to consume Reprieve Cold Dew, perhaps he has a slight opportunity to seize some South Sea Spring Water, thus there’s no need to completely abandon hope..." Since Ning Fan entered the treasury, the Baihua Great Emperor finally smiled satisfactorily for the first time, removing a shadow from her face.
Then she seemed to think of something, a calculating gleam appeared in her eyes.
Imprisoning Blood Bee for years without confirming anything, perhaps these last memories of Ancient Flower in Ning Fan’s hands might unravel some secrets...
Wave after wave of incoming tidal waves were dispersed by Ning Fan with the Secret Art of Power, collecting them one by one. This ease lasted for three hours, finally beginning to show strain.
At this point, the intensity of the resentment had multiplied several times over, still escalating with time. From the fourth hour onwards, Ning Fan had no choice but to maximize his protective aura.
Until the ninth hour, Ning Fan’s protective aura was slightly sunken by the surrounding resentment, if he withdrew the protective aura now, he was confident he would be directly turned to blood by the resentment, fortunately, the tide was nearing its conclusion, else Ning Fan had no faith he could withstand several more hours with sealed cultivation.
But this was enough to astonish the two women at the sea’s bottom.
As the last wave of the tide passed, Ning Fan dissolved his protective aura and left calmly, having gained a palm-sized blood-red crystal in his sleeve, which emitted ghostly wails and crashing wave sounds near the ear.
It was condensed from the resentment collected from the Blood Tide!
Chanting spells, formation light suddenly appeared in the air, rolled Ning Fan, and transported him out of the treasury.
Outside the treasury, the crowd had grown impatient, discussing fervently when Ning Fan suddenly emerged, silencing everyone instantly.
Each harboring private thoughts.
"He finally came out, able to linger in the treasury so long, his divine skills mustn’t be underestimated, if I encounter him in the second round, I must not provoke excessively..." Many were apprehensive.
"This person actually lingered so long in the treasury, who knows what benefits he gained..." Naturally, there were also those greedy types, yet with Ning Fan’s strength in mind, they restrained their ambitions.
Once Ning Fan emerged, the meat-winged youths guiding the crowd finally led everyone back to the guest rooms.
Those cultivators who gained benefits in the treasury quickly busied themselves upon returning, Ning Fan was no exception.
From this treasury visit, he obtained quite a number of good items, like the drop of poison that could kill Immortal Venerables of the Three Wasteland Poison Immortal, which Ning Fan didn’t plan to use for murder, but considered consuming once his strength allowed to enhance poison immunity.
Also, there was an entire river of Sixth Grade Dao Spring, and an abundant collection of Dabei Pill Recipe pills, and a vast orchard of million-year spiritual fruits... These benefits were considerable gains.
Then there was the drop of Reprieve Cold Dew... though Ning Fan didn’t intend to consume it, he still took it, ultimately not returning it...
Naturally, there were also the fragmented memories of the Ancient Flower Celestial Being’s failed tribulation. Ning Fan didn’t bring out imprinted copies, but rather the complete Imperial Death Resentment, almost draining the entire blood sea of resentment.
Holding the entirely blood-red resentment crystal, Ning Fan attempted to probe his spirit sense into it, immediately feeling the stabbing pain of resentment from the spirit sense.
Simultaneously, fragmented memories of Ancient Flower Celestial Being’s failed tribulation poured into Ning Fan’s mind.
Still too fragmented, unable to clearly witness the entire process of Ancient Flower Celestial Being’s passage through the Eternal Seventh Calamity, only able to see disjointed scenes.
Scene one, Guhua (Ancient Flower) Celestial Being stood above a sea of blue lightning, using the power of an Innate Treasure Sword to withstand the thunderous attacks within the sea of lightning.
Scene two suddenly shifted to the moment of Guhua Celestial Being’s demise, turning to ashes, still roaring words like ’I don’t believe’ before death.
Scene three jumped back to the meticulous preparations before the True Immortal Tribulation.
Scene four was once again the moment when Guhua Celestial Being battled the blue sea of lightning.
Scene five showed Guhua Celestial Being, before the tribulation, watching the Wuyou Orchid at the Baihua Main Peak.
Scene six is...
Ning Fan suddenly paused, slightly rewinding his spirit sense, and rewatched a fragment of broken memory:
As the sun set in the west, the evening breeze turned a bit chilly. Guhua Celestial Being seemed to sense that this time the tribulation would not be smooth, dismissed the child attendants, stayed alone by the cliff, and gazed at those Wuyou Orchids, looking solemn.
"For this Seventh Calamity, I am less than thirty percent confident of success. In theory, I should continue to suppress the tribulation, keep accumulating strength, and wait for a better opportunity. But no longer can I wait; I want to gamble on this tribulation to verify a conjecture... Perhaps the answer would drive me to despair, make me insane, but I refuse to believe this conjecture is true! Even if it is, I’ll use this tribulation as bait to plot against that figure behind the scenes, for a... reverse snatch!"
"Sadly, I once found a Twelve-grade Flower Sovereign as a protective vessel, but now I’ve only retrieved an Eleven-grade one. The reverse snatch may be less likely to succeed than expected... The one originally planted in the Dreamland Realm first lost its life’s golden qi, then withered away. Had it not, accomplishing the Twelve-grade Flower Sovereign Soul Fusion, I would have at least fifty percent chance to succeed... Yet, if the flower hadn’t withered, I might not have had this understanding, as such, it’s hard to say what is gained or lost. Alas, it was the one I hoped for the most, as it gained spirit awareness and emotions due to a butterfly, only to die longing for its mate, gone with the Heavenly Court, what a pity, what a pity...
Guhua Celestial Being slightly extended his divine skills, twelve spheres of light flew from around him, each holding a flower exuding an imperial aura.
Gradually, from each flower in the twelve spheres of light emerged a thumb-sized woman, each asleep in their respective flower core, transformed from the flower’s spirit soul, all of breathtaking beauty.
The largest and most ethereal flower held a sleeping spirit soul with a face so familiar to Ning Fan.
Xu Qiuling...
"Only missing you..." Guhua Celestial Being sighed slightly at the Wuyou Orchids as pale as sick beauties, that twelfth-grade illusory flower, resembling Xu Qiuling’s, faded and vanished, leaving only the other eleven.
Up to here, the scene ended.
Ning Fan paused his breathing, replaying the scene over and over. Within his soul, a tremor seemed to shiver, incessantly colliding...
The Flower Sovereign, losing its life-golden qi, disappeared with the Heavenly Court, the butterfly, and the flower spirit soul so indistinguishable from Xu Qiuling...
That face, so potent in stirring his soul... Could that flower be... Ling Er’s past life...
And the butterfly related to the Heavenly Court in the story, is it pointing to him...
Did he once cross paths with Ling Er in a past life...
Was Ling Er longing for her mate to death in a past life, longing for him...
Ning Fan’s expression dimmed, unable to articulate the feeling.
In a past life, there was life and death shared, in this life, hands held in unity, but at the first unexpected encounter amid a sea of people, they did not recognize, did not know...
Reincarnation feels like a stranger... reincarnation... feels like a stranger...
Suddenly, Ning Fan understood something.
No wonder he cared so much for Wuyou Orchids on Baihua Peak, always feeling an unshakable gaze, undoubtedly because Ling Er’s past life’s flower sovereign species was this Wuyou Orchid.
Only the flower transformed from Ling Er is worthy of another look.
Wuyou Orchid, Longing Orchid...
Ning Fan’s gaze deepened, continuing to probe the resentment crystal. Within were hundreds, thousands of broken scenes, skipping all related to the tribulation, yet difficult to find more related to Xu Qiuling.
Probably at Guhua Celestial Being’s last moment, the Wuyou Orchid Flower Sovereign that Xu Qiuling represented was only slightly recalled, not significantly important, hence it did not frequently appear in the memories.
However, at this moment, Ning Fan would rather discard those memories about the tribulation, and have this crystal contain just the bits and pieces about Xu Qiuling.
The desire to understand, to know about the past life...
But unfortunately, nothing more remained.
After a long while, Ning Fan put away the memory crystal, his expression unreadable, thoughts unknown.
Over the following days, Ning Fan still appeared by the cliff, but no longer to comprehend the Ancient Demon Divine Skill, rather to look, to see those clusters of pale Wuyou Orchids, as if gazing across time, across past and future, at that smiling face eager for her mate’s return.
Involuntarily, he took out the qin he hadn’t played for a long time, playing the Song of Yue Boatman taught by Xu Qiuling.
The melody couldn’t compare to the beauty created by Qin Art Grandmasters, yet it contained emotions soaked into the bones, bit by bit, deeply embedded in the qin’s sound.
Moreover, an extremely ethereal Dao rhythm gradually appeared on Ning Fan, increasing bit by bit with the qin’s tune.
That was the scent of reincarnation!
Reincarnation feels like a stranger... Ning Fan gazed out upon Baihua Peak, in the present, saw into the past through his acquaintance with Xu Qiuling, and perceived a past life.
If the first meeting in the past life was the start, and this life’s reunion the end, then this moment was Ning Fan moving from the start towards the end, and back to the start once more.
Though not a completion of cultivation, merely an emotional journey of return, it deeply affected Ning Fan, even giving him his first genuine, personal understanding of the term reincarnation.
Reincarnation feels like a stranger...
When Ning Fan was still in the first step, he grasped a trace of the Power of Reincarnation. However, that trace was too little and was not realized by himself but was learned by mimicking the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign. Thus, it could be used to some extent in the first step of cultivation, but reached a limit in the second step.
Now, things are different.
Ning Fan couldn’t articulate his emotions, yet beneath the melody of the zither, there was a scent of reincarnation, growing ever more intense and unfathomable.
He didn’t deliberately amplify the sound of the zither, but its ethereal quality seemed capable of penetrating all barriers of space-time, reaching the ears of every cultivator in the Hundred Flowers Territory.
Throughout, the zither’s melody continued.
Throughout, the zither’s melody became deeper and deeper, instilling a sense of unfathomable awe!
It seemed as if a seed of reincarnation truly sprouted on Ning Fan’s spirit sense, known to few, yet not unknown entirely.
Even the True Person Bailu was stunned these past few days, shocked by the uncanny divine skills of Ning Fan’s zither music, but unable to comprehend the true essence of the music.
However, it did not escape the notice of the two powerful beings present here!
Burying Moon naturally recognized the budding comprehension of reincarnation within the zither melody. Though just a budding, it was an encounter even Immortal Emperors and Quasi-Saints find unattainable!
Ning Fan accomplished it!
The other person shocked was undoubtedly the Baihua Great Emperor.
As an Immortal Emperor, it was impossible to know nothing of the Power of Reincarnation, and the penetrating force within Ning Fan’s zither melody was clearly... reincarnation!
Genuine reincarnation, belonging solely to Ning Fan, neither an imitation nor borrowed!
Perhaps at the moment, the Power of Reincarnation within Ning Fan was not formidable, but as long as he continued to cultivate, one day this power would become a force no second-step cultivator could withstand.
A power unique to a third-step.
"Someone, write down the music you heard!"
The Baihua Great Emperor calmly summoned the maids to notate the zither music.
However, when these maids took up their pens, they discovered the melody in their minds was unfamiliar, continually forgotten, unable to be recorded.
The Baihua Great Emperor couldn’t help but grow serious.
She also couldn’t remember any note, the strange melody slipping from memory as soon as it entered the ear...
This confirmed her belief that Ning Fan’s zither music was infused with an extremely profound power of reincarnation, filling her with both awe and unprecedented confidence in Ning Fan participating in the second round of the grave-pilfering affair.
"Reporting to Your Majesty! The Sea Witch Sect Witch has replied, expressing willingness to assist in the second round of the grave-pilfering, but she demands double the reward!"
A maid suddenly entered the inner hall and reported.
The Baihua Great Emperor’s eyes slightly darkened, then eased, and she mockingly replied to the informant, "Tell her the reward can be doubled, but if she fails to acquire the South Sea Spring Water, she cannot blame the palace for being ruthless."
"Yes!" The maid respectfully withdrew.
The Baihua Great Emperor shook her head indifferently.
For the second round of the grave-pilfering, having Ning Fan should suffice. As for the Sea Witch Sect Witch, she will be the backup strategy...
With a slight raise of her hand, the Baihua Great Emperor gently flicked her finger, and a message-transmitting flying sword suddenly shot out, disappearing.
At the same time, on a secluded cliff of the Baihua Main Peak, a message-transmitting flying sword suddenly appeared beside Ning Fan.
"If you obtain the South Sea Spring Water and nurture sufficient Divine Origin Pills, the information you seek will be delivered to you without fail. As for previous grievances, please understand a bit, and there will be additional compensation after the task is completed."
Showing some signs of wanting to ease the relationship between the two.
Ning Fan paused his zither playing, appearing hesitant for a moment, then let out a soft sigh.
He and the Baihua Great Emperor had many disagreements, but it wasn’t an irreconcilable life-and-death feud. Now that the other seemed willing to compromise, he decided not to pursue the matter further.
After all, the matter of the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor was more pressing.
After a brief silence, Ning Fan turned his hand and sent back a message-transmitting flying sword, "If the Offering Vessel of Ancient Demons information is obtained, past grievances will be resolved."
As long as he could get the information about the Offering Vessel, saving the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor, he could overlook minor plots.
Receiving the response, the Baihua Great Emperor felt a slight relief. She was overbearing and domineering by nature but did not wish to provoke an adversary who had begun to comprehend reincarnation.
This young man’s current status is manageable, but his future achievements... the Baihua Great Emperor dared not think thoroughly; feared he could be at least a Quasi-Saint. Provoking such an individual was unwise!
A few more days passed, and a series of Spirit Beast Carriages began heading towards Zhongzhou Liuli City.
Ning Fan intended to set off as well, but unfortunately, Burying Moon and Ouyang Nuan could not accompany him.
So far, with the help of Ouyang Nuan’s Five-Color Medicine Soul, the Ninth Revolution Golden Pill Pill Masters of the Baihua Peak had refined over sixty Divine Origin Pills, yet this number still fell short of the Baihua Great Emperor’s requirements. It seemed that Ouyang Nuan had to remain here a while longer.
Burying Moon naturally stayed behind to protect Ouyang Nuan; she brought her along and naturally had to ensure her safety.
As for Wu Laoba, he shamelessly insisted on accompanying Ning Fan to Middle State to represent the Tamu Clan and the Southern Frontier Steppe in the second round of the Tomb-Seizing Battle!
"Master, take Little Ba along! Since obtaining the new magical treasure, my powers have greatly improved. If I participate in the Middle State competition, I’m sure I can sweep away the enemies for the master!" Wu Laoba was brimming with confidence!
Even with his cultivation sealed, he was self-assured that his greatly improved Black Fortune powers were enough to face a direct confrontation with an Eternal Immortal Venerable.
If his cultivation was unsealed... hehe, even in the face of an Immortal King experiencing the Calamity of Eternal Aeons, he was confident he could fight and potentially kill an enemy several levels higher!
With the Imperial Jade Fortune Crown, his strength soared, and he was no longer the same Wu Xiaoba of the past in Wu’s hometown!
"According to the rules as I understand them, you did not participate in the first round of the Tomb-Seizing, so you do not seem to be qualified to represent Tamu in the second round. I think you should stay here and not accompany me..." Ning Fan gave Wu Laoba a meaningful look.
"What! I’m not qualified for the second round! Well, even if I can’t participate in the second round of the Tomb-Seizing, Little Ba wants to follow the master, to make a trip to Liuli City. My lifelong wish is to follow the master, not for the master’s reward, but to see the master’s handsome face every day upon opening my eyes, to smell the master’s fragrance with every breath..."
Ning Fan frowned, feeling a shiver of disgust. He suspected that Wu Laoba might have a fondness for his own gender, and instinctively moved a few feet away from him.
Of course, he also suspected that Wu Laoba’s eagerness to go to Liuli City might have ulterior motives...
Lately, Wu Laoba had been using the Treasure-Seeking Turtle countless times daily to search the western side of Middle State.
Liuli City was in the west of Middle State, no? Might there be something in this place that Wu Laoba urgently desires...
It must be said, Ning Fan knew Wu Laoba all too well. Based on the feedback from the Treasure-Seeking Turtle, indeed, there was something in the direction of Liuli City in Middle State that made Wu Laoba drool, leading to his eagerness to accompany Ning Fan to Liuli City.
As for assisting Ning Fan in the second round of the Tomb-Seizing... does it really matter if he can participate? Wu Xiaoba is not the kind of person to go out of his way to help the Tamu Clan in the second round of the Tomb-Seizing.
Given the time, he’d prefer tricking the natives of Middle State—the Dabei Clan has so many fools, he could easily deceive and scare them to gain numerous benefits...
But compared to that thing, ordinary benefits appeared lackluster.
"All right, let’s take you along on this journey." Ning Fan smiled meaningfully.
Wu Laoba shivered suddenly—did the star of misfortune see through something? Last time the Water-Flooding Realm Bottle had that same smile, this time...
"Let’s set off."
A Spirit Beast Carriage carried Ning Fan, Duolan, and Wu Laoba as it departed for the far west of Middle State.
Unlike the trip there, this time, it was Wu Laoba driving while Ning Fan and Duolan stayed inside the carriage.
Throughout the several days of travel, Ning Fan did not waste any time, continually organizing his insights into the Ancient Chaos understanding, alongside his previous insights into reincarnation.
What is reincarnation? Ning Fan presently had no concept. He only vaguely felt that, following the matter with Xu Qiuling, a seed seemed to have been planted within, making the sensation of using the Power of Reincarnation feel somehow different.
Purple-gold smoke-like power twined around his fingertips, like a well-behaved snake.
This was once the reincarnation understanding of the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign.
But now, it seemed different, seemingly turning into an understanding unique to Ning Fan...
"Compared to before at Baihua Peak, I seem significantly different..."
Nevertheless, whenever he tried to calmly perceive that reincarnation Dao rhythm, he was interrupted by Wu Laoba’s spontaneous singing along the way.
The dreadful singing, incredibly joyful singing, and somewhat offensively loud singing.
Even with Ning Fan’s firm spirit sense, this singing made him frown.
"Senior, your subordinate’s singing voice is indeed... unique," Duolan smiled wryly, trying to be as tactful as possible.
"It is indeed unique... It’s a waste that this guy doesn’t practice sonic magic skills; his singing is naturally taunting." Ning Fan shook his head, equally helpless.
He didn’t stop Wu Laoba from singing, though.
Bad as it was, it served as a form of mental cultivation.
Yet unexpectedly, Wu Laoba overheard everything spoken inside the carriage and secretly remembered Ning Fan’s words.
"My master once said I had a talent in sonic magic, saying I was a tone-deaf genius one in a hundred thousand... I always thought it was sarcasm from my master, but now the star of misfortune says the same—could this really be my talent?"
So he decided to develop a magical roar technique infused with Black Fortune powers!
Thus, between his singing, Wu Laoba sometimes paused, seemingly pondering the changes in melody, gradually incorporating magical skills...
In this atmosphere, Liuli City drew closer and finally appeared before them.
"Are you participants in the second round, or spectators?"
The Spirit Beast Carriage had barely stopped when a group of inspecting Masters approached, led by a burly Yellow Turban Warrior with red hair and red eyes.
"No need for inspection, it’s me."
Duolan assumed an icy demeanor as he stepped out of the carriage.
Instantly, the red-haired warrior’s expression changed, and he immediately knelt to the ground.
"Criminal Luo Shixx of Chulie pays respects to the young master! I did not expect the young master to come to Liuli City to watch the second round of the Tomb-Seizing. Luo Shixx thought you would directly participate in the third round... But it’s just as well, there is a matter in Liuli City requiring the young master’s decision. Please make the call for us, for Chulie!"