Grasping the Evil

Chapter 554: Fifth Grade Rain Intent

With just a single look from the black-robed young man, the rain intent rushed toward Ning Fan endlessly, carrying an overwhelming aura force which nearly pressed him to the ground.

Ning Fan’s bones gave out a creaking sound. With gritted teeth, he refused to yield even though his internal organs were hurt by the aura force.

As for the black-robed young man’s question, he gave no reply.

The black-robed young man looked slightly stunned. He put down the jug of liquor in his hand and dismissed his aura force. Then, he studied Ning Fan once again.

After quite some time, he uttered two words, "Not bad!"

Even though he had already dispelled his aura force, the rainstorm was still falling down heavily.

Ning Fan secretly activated the power of his natal black stars which immediately healed his internal injuries. Staying calm and collected, he sat down on the seat opposite to the young man and asked with an indifferent tone.

"Who are you?"

"I am whoever you think I am... Life is like rain. Passers-by are like clouds. The path of cultivation is like void but it feels real when one is immersed in it..."

The young man in black robes resumed drinking on his own and no longer looked at Ning Fan.

The liquor smell around them gradually became thicker while the rain also began to grow fiercer.

The black-robed young man put down the half-empty liquor jug and flicked his sleeve in the air. All of a sudden, the raindrops in the sky flew into his wine jug as if they had a mind of their own.

At the next moment, the rain in heaven and earth stopped. The young man had kept every last raindrop away. As for the liquor jug in front of him, the alcohol inside it did not seem to have increased as it was still half-empty...

"What I’m drinking isn’t wine but rain." The young man muttered to himself and raised his head once again. Then, he asked Ning Fan once more.

"What is void?!"

Ning Fan did not tell him the answer he realized in the past. He also did not try to answer the young man’s question in a rush. In fact, he did not care about him at all.

Something seemed to have dawned on him but there was a veil preventing him from seeing it clearly.

His comprehension of the ’void’ had already reached the Void Inquiry Stage and he was merely half a step away from attaining the Void Pierce Stage.

At the Void Inquiry Stage, one sees the void as not the void.

At the Void Pierce Stage, however, one would still see the void as the void.

Ning Fan suddenly raised his hand and pointed at the sky outside the liquor shop just like the young man in black robes. Instantly, rain started to fall around the shop.

"Eighth Grade Rain Intent, huh...?" The young man in black robes continued to calmly drink alone.

Ning Fan did not continue his conversation with the young man. He waved his open palm and then rainwater condensed into an empty crystal clear wine jug.

Then, when he pointed at the sky, the fine raindrops in the sky went into his wine jug. The rain stopped once again.

Ning Fan remained silent without uttering a single word. He raised his wine jug and started drinking while sitting opposite to the young man in black robes.

The black-robed young man’s eyes flashed with a hint of amazement. A brief moment later, he smiled in approval and said, "Not bad!"

It was his second time complimenting Ning Fan. The first time he complimented him was because of his firm and unyielding spirit. The second time was because of his aptitude.

"However, I wonder how many days you will be able to calmly sit here and how much rain you can drink."

Ning Fan’s heart was as tranquil as still water. Holding his wine jug, he drank the rainwater on his own.

The rainwater was bland and tasteless. However, it contained an endless amount of rain intent.

One day, two days, three days...

One year, two years, three years...

Ning Fan was still drinking by himself, just like the young man in black robes.

Meanwhile, as another year passed, Ning Fan’s rain intent would increase by a bit.

For every year that would pass, his complexion would age a little while his life force would drain away rapidly.

...

A single year in the illusory realm was equivalent to a single day in the outside world.

Inside the illusory realm, Ning Fan had remained on his seat for sixty years. In the outside world, however, only sixty days had gone by.

In the Temple of Rain, every Void Refinement Realm expert was greatly shocked.

The liquor qi in the illusory realm of the Heaven Stage was extremely thick. Even Void Pierce Stage experts would be unable to stay inside the illusory realm for more than one day.

Even old monsters at the Absolute Void Stage could usually only linger inside for around three days at the very most...

"White-Robed Marquis has actually stayed inside the illusory realm for sixty days. This is too unbelievable!"

"Ever since the creation of the Rain World, there has never been a Void Refinement Realm expert who could stay inside the Heaven Stage for sixty days!"

Revered Sage’s expression turned grim. All this time, he had been waiting for Ning Fan to use his sovereign qi to protect himself from the liquor qi.

However, from the beginning up until now, Ning Fan did not use the slightest trace of sovereign qi. It left him with no idea of what to do next.

"How’s the situation?" The Rain Sovereign asked Revered Sage using telepathy.

"There isn’t any abnormal phenomenon inside the Heaven Stage. But..." Revered Sage hesitated.

"But what?" The Rain Sovereign’s eyelid twitched.

"But this subordinate can’t see through him. I don’t understand what exactly he’s doing within the Heaven Stage."

No one in the outside world could comprehend what Ning Fan was actually doing.

Those who could understand it were only the young man in black robes and Ning Fan himself.

He had sat in the liquor store for sixty consecutive years.

In the thirteenth year, the power of his Eighth Grade Rain Intent had reached the Seventh Grade but his complexion became paler and paler.

In the forty-first year, his Seventh Grade Rain Intent advanced to the Sixth Grade but his qi became fainter and weaker.

In the sixtieth year, his Sixth Grade Rain Intent was on the verge of advancing to the Fifth Grade. However, there seemed to be a barrier preventing his breakthrough.

At this moment, Ning Fan’s qi was already similar to gossamer. His breathing was so weak that it was as if he was going to die any minute.

"You’ve reached your limit..." The young man in black robes put down the jug of wine in his hand and said, pity evident in his voice.

"With your current cultivation base, I’m already amazed that you could stay within this realm for sixty years. You can now leave."

As soon as he finished speaking, the young man lifted his finger and pointed at the place behind Ning Fan. Immediately, a light rain portal appeared.

Perhaps that was the exit of the illusory realm...

However, Ning Fan acted like he had not heard what the young man said. He seemed to have forgotten everything in this world and did not notice the rain portal behind him.

In his heart, there was just that tiny wine jug which contained all the rain within this world.

The sixty-first year, sixty-second year, sixty-third year... Ning Fan was still drinking by himself in the liquor store.

The illusory realm around him gradually grew fainter and slowly evaporated like smoke. All the intoxicated scholars and beautiful women also gradually faded away from the illusory realm.

The ocean of bamboo, the rivers, the brightly-painted boats, the sound of the reed pipes... Everything disappeared...

In the end, only Ning Fan was left in the world, holding the wine jug in his hand while drinking it by himself.

Only the young man in black robes remained in front of him. For the third time, he complimented him.

"Not bad!"

It was already the one hundredth year in the illusory realm!

In this year, Ning Fan’s rain intent realm was only a hair’s breadth away from breaking through to the Fifth Grade!

In this year, Ning Fan made the entire Heaven Stage collapse, except for the black-robed young man in front of him!

The reason he drank the rainwater was to imitate the black-robed young man and enhance his rain intent.

The reason he kept quiet throughout the years was to understand the essence of the Void Pierce Stage.

At the Void Pierce Stage, the void that one sees is still the void... That is an insight that one obtains after completely seeing through the secrets of the void.

He did not continue the conversation with the black-robed young man because everything in his eyes was merely an illusion while he was the only one that truly existed.

The deeper his Dao comprehension, the fainter the illusion around him. After one hundred years of Dao comprehension, he eventually made all illusion vanish like smoke!

The exit of the illusion was not the door to overcoming the void...

What Ning Fan wanted to understand was making illusion into void.

If illusion turns into void, it would be the same as him not entering the illusion in the first place.. Since he had never been there, why should he try to get out?

That was why he ignored the black-robed young man when he pointed to the exit. That exit was not the correct path...

"Marvelous! After you, the Heaven Stage will no longer exist in the Rain World. This stage is already destroyed! Haha. It’s beyond my expectations that there would be someone like you in the later generations. The young generation... sure is amazing!"

"I came from rain and thus I go with the rain. Now, I will help you achieve the Fifth Grade rain intent and grant you another drop of rain!"

*Peng*

While the black-robed young man was laughing loudly, his body suddenly dispersed, turning into silver raindrops which entered Ning Fan’s body.

Suddenly, the Heaven Stage collapsed in its entirety!

Suddenly, the heavenly dwelling space crumbled and both Ning Fan and Chu Chang An simultaneously appeared within the Temple of Rain!

Suddenly, a wave of aura force belonging to the Fifth Grade rain intent rose around Ning Fan’s body and spread across the entire temple!

"The Heaven Stage has collapsed!? What exactly did White-Robed Marquis do inside that actually destroyed the entire Heaven Stage!"

"The four stages of Heaven and Earth were left behind by the Rain Ancestor. Before his death, he has once said that only the one who truly sees through the secrets of the four stages will cause the destruction of the stages ... Could it be that White-Robed Marquis has discovered the correct method to clear the Heaven Stage?"

"Fifth Grade rain intent! White-Robed Marquis’ rain intent has achieved the Fifth Grade. This is truly unthinkable! Even the Rain Sovereign’s rain intent is only at the Fourth Grade... If White-Robed Marquis’ comprehension of his rain intent improves a bit more, won’t he be at the same level as the Rain Sovereign?!"

"What about the Rain Ancestor? Did White-Robed Marquis manage to find the Rain Ancestor’s lingering presence in the illusory realm?!"

Everyone in the temple was astonished. Even the Rain Sovereign was deeply shocked.

Revered Sage’s face was overwhelmed with surprise. He was the only person who witnessed how Ning Fan broke the illusory state throughout the entire time!

He did not understand at all what Ning Fan did back in the illusory realm. He could not figure it out. He could not comprehend it...

The thing that he could not understand the most was that the Rain Ancestor’s lingering presence would actually decide to destroy himself to help Ning Fan break through the bottleneck of his rain intent...

"So that man turns out to be the Rain Ancestor... Thank you..."

Ning Fan muttered to himself. Even though he never paid attention to the Rain Ancestor throughout the one hundred years he was there, it was all thanks to his help that his rain intent managed to advance to the Fifth Grade.

By clearing the Heaven Stage, his rain intent which was originally at the Eighth Grade was raised to the Fifth Grade in one go.

Based on his estimate, if he could improve his rain intent to the First Grade, he would then be able to display the Rain Ancestor’s technique – Heaven Prying Rain!

"Hehe. Congratulations to White-Robed Marquis on your success in clearing the Heaven Stage!"

"White-Robed Marquis has great capabilities and deep Dao comprehension. All of us are ashamed for being not as good as you!"

Compliments filled the surroundings. Ning Fan merely nodded his head gently, showing no interest in responding to them.

He patted his storage pouch and took out his Scarlet Heaven Palace Lord Token.

The palace lord token shone brightly and the merit points that were displayed on the token was literally increased by ten billion points!

"Ten billion merit points! White-Robed Marquis has actually been awarded ten billion merit points after clearing the Heaven Stage!"

"Among all cultivators below the Void Fragmentation Realm in the Rain Palace, no one has more merit points than White-Robed Marquis..."

"Look! What is that white light?!"

"It’s the reward of clearing the Heaven Stage!"

"T-That is... impossible!"

A mass of silver light appeared in front of Ning Fan and started radiating brightly. In the next moment, a raindrop emerged from the mass of light.

It was just a single drop of rain but it contained a terrifying amount of bloodline power. It was emanating an ancient and boundless aura force which caused everyone’s blood to boil with excitement!

Even the Rain Sovereign could not retain his composure upon seeing the drop of rain!

"It’s the Rain Ancestor’s natal blood rain! Why...? Why can this kid who is a lowly devil cultivator obtain such a gift... I don’t understand!"

Within seconds, that drop of rain entered Ning Fan’s body, dissolving into his bloodline.

Ning Fan examined his body internally and his eyes suddenly widened with shock.

It was a drop of rain, a drop of the Rain Ancestor’s natal blood rain!

If Ning Fan could improve his rain intent realm to a satisfactory level in the future, he would be able to gradually assimilate this drop of rain and eventually turn it into a drop of ancestral divine blood!

At that time, Ning Fan’s divine bloodline would attain the highest level in one go and become Ancestral Divine Blood!

Of course, if Ning Fan’s rain intent was not strong enough, he would not be able to refine this raindrop. Without being able to assimilate the raindrop, he would not be able to receive any benefit from it...

"This kid has the Rain Ancestor’s natal blood rain. Others can’t seize it from him by force... If he manages to assimilate this gift in the future, he will possess Ancestral Divine Blood..."

"How can a devil cultivator possess Ancestral Divine Blood...? How can this be possible?!"

The Rain Sovereign could not conceal his jealousy for Ning Fan. His divine bloodline was only at the level of True Divine Blood. It was not even at the level of Royal Divine Blood...

However, there was nothing he could do no matter how much he envied Ning Fan. It was impossible to seize the Rain Ancestor’s gift from him because it was an opportunity that belonged solely to Ning Fan, not him...

Due to his concern over the Black Devil Sect that was Ning Fan’s backer, the Rain Sovereign made a dry cough to cease the discussions in the temple and forced a smile before talking to Ning Fan.

"Hehe. The time White-Robed Marquis has spent on clearing the first stage is quite long. Even though a hundred days is just a single session of meditation to cultivators like us, it’s better for you to start the second test as early as possible!"

Just as the Rain Sovereign finished speaking, Yun Daoku who was standing among the Four Great Void Fragmentation Realm experts, moved out from the line. He was going to preside over the Earth Stage for Ning Fan.

"According to rumors, White-Robed Marquis killed King Chi Yao whom Spiritual Master Daoku has personally supported and trained... Is Spiritual Master Daoku going to make things difficult for White-Robed Marquis?"

"Spiritual Master Daoku is someone who will seek revenge even for the smallest grievance. Without a doubt, he is going to make things hard for White-Robed Marquis during the Earth Stage..."

Some old monsters in the temple guessed secretly while animatedly discussing among themselves.

As he had become the crowd’s topic of conversion, he snorted coldly with displeasure and released his Void Fragmentation Realm aura force. Immediately, all the Void Refinement Realm old monsters in the temple went quiet without having the guts to continue their discussions.

Yun Daoku’s expression looked extremely cold and vicious. His eyes were so intimidating it was as if it could devour someone. None of the Void Refinement Refinement cultivators there dared to mess with him.

When his cold piercing eyes shifted toward Ning Fan, he saw Ning Fan smiling meaningfully at him.

All of a sudden, the grim expression on his face receded and he actually put on a forced smile. When he waved his hand, a portal to a heavenly dwelling space appeared. Then, he smiled apologetically at Ning Fan and said, "*Chuckle*... Since our lasting meeting in the Endless Sea, White-Robed Marquis’ demeanor has remained as elegant as before. Erm... I’ll be presiding over the Earth Stage and it tests cultivators in the firmness of their Dao Heart. I hope White-Robed Marquis can cooperate with me in this test and refrain from casually using powerful abilities. It’ll be too dangerous..."

Countless old monsters who had a fair understanding of Yun Daoku’s personality were so shocked that their jaws nearly dropped.

To think that Yun Daoku, who was arrogant and self-important, would be so polite to Ning Fan. Didn’t he have a personal grudge against him?

Besides, Yun Daoku even asked Ning Fan not to use his powerful abilities due to safety reasons... Was he afraid of Ning Fan? Why?

Why would a Void Fragmentation Realm old monster be afraid of a Void Inquiry Stage junior?

These old monsters would never understand how much Yun Daoku was afraid of Ning Fan after getting burned by the latter’s Void Ignition Technique.

Only those who had experienced it would comprehend that kind of fear.

Ning Fan nodded his head and followed Yun Daoku into the light portal to enter the heavenly dwelling space where the Earth Stage would be held.

Apparently, Yun Daoku had learned to behave himself and would not mess with him in this test.

Yun Daoku was different from Chu Chang An. He had nothing to say to Ning Fan. Moreover, he did not dare to be alone with Ning Fan for too long.

As soon as they entered the heavenly dwelling space, Yun Daoku was smiling wryly while summoning shen clouds as quickly as he could to produce the second illusory realm.

The scenery before his eyes quickly changed. After a flash, Ning Fan appeared at the foot of a gigantic mountain.

It was unknown how tall the mountain was as its peak could not be seen.

There was only one path leading to the summit of the mountain which was paved with jade stairs.

There was also flight restriction in the entire illusory stage. Ning Fan might be strong enough to destroy the flight restriction but once he destroys it, he would immediately fail his second test.

The essence of this stage was that one needed to ascend to the summit of the mountain at all costs.

No matter how dangerous the path would become, how difficult it would be to climb the mountain or how many temptations they would meet along the journey, one must not back away or bypass them by flying.

Even if the gigantic mountain has no summit, even if the mountain path has no end, one must not stop...

Only those who had such determination could clear this stage with their firm Dao Hearts!

If one’s Dao Heart is not firm, how would they be able to pursue the Great Dao that is as ethereal as smoke?

"This is the ’Dao Mountain’ that the Rain Ancestor personally built. Those jade stairs are called ’Dao Stairs’. Every step you make, you will age a little. There will be a lot of dangers in your journey. You must be cautious, White-Robed Marquis."

Unexpectedly, Yun Daoku warned Ning Fan via telepathy. Was he trying to fix their relationship?

A corner of Ning Fan’s mouth curved upward and he climbed the first step of the Dao Stairs. Instantly, a bit of his life force was drained away.

One day of his lifespan was now gone!

Translated by Tommy, edited by Roel