Grasping the Evil

Chapter 574: Teng Xianrou

Ning Fan’s expression was first stirred, then gradually calmed, as if it had never wavered.

The Fusang Old Demon, with his sharp eyes, naturally noticed the subtle change in Ning Fan’s expression, shaking his head and sighing,

"Does the Daoist not wish to be the Eighth Elder of the Bamboo Hall? Why not?"

"May I ask, Senior Fusang, why are you so persistent in wanting this junior to take the position of the Eighth Elder of the Bamboo Hall?" Ning Fan countered with a question instead of answering.

The Fusang Old Demon sighed as he explained,

"You should know, Daoist, that I am the Eighth Elder of the Bamboo Hall, and in another decade, my lifespan will run out, and this Eighth Elder position naturally needs to be replaced... According to the rules of the Bamboo Hall, elders’ successors need to be recommended by each elder, with three candidates each. Afterward, a selection test is held among these candidates to choose one successor."

"To be honest with you, Daoist, in addition to recommending you for the Eighth Elder position, I also recommended two others. These two are both at the Return to Origin Grand Void Realm and have old ties with my Fusang Clan... I did not recommend Tang Xiong, even though he is a Void Refinement Realm expert! Because ordinary Void Refinement Realm experts simply cannot compete for the position of Eighth Elder."

"I heard your Evil Qi shakes the heavens, and I guessed that your divine skills couldn’t be weak. When I later heard that you single-handedly slew two Return to Origin Grand Void Realm experts and completed a Five-Star Mission, I immediately decided to give the last recommendation spot to you! Five-Star Missions generally can only be completed by Void Fragmentation cultivators! Your ability to complete a Five-Star Mission alone and slay Return to Origin Grand Void cultivators leaves no doubt about your strength!"

"Do you know the great benefits of becoming the Eighth Elder? When I succeeded as the Eighth Elder, I was only a Return to Origin Grand Void Realm expert. Afterward, I received the full support of the Bamboo Hall in my cultivation. A thousand years later, I successfully broke through to the Void Fragmentation! With your talent, if you become the Eighth Elder, you will undoubtedly receive the full support of the Bamboo Sovereign, and within a few thousand years, you will surely become another Void Fragmentation expert!"

"With such benefits, why do you not wish to become the Eighth Elder?"

Ning Fan said nothing, just shook his head with a light smile.

Fusang Old Demon was puzzled, and after a moment, Ning Fan suddenly put away his smile and solemnly said, "The reason Senior wants me to succeed as Eighth Elder is precisely the reason I don’t want to become Eighth Elder!"

The Fusang Old Demon was taken aback upon hearing this, then smiled bitterly.

"Among the elder candidates recommended this time, there is someone just one step away from breaking through to the Void Fragmentation, known as the ’First Under the Void Fragmentation’ in the Eastern Tree Ocean. This person has the highest chance of taking the position of Eighth Elder... He is the Chief of the Baili Clan, and our Fusang Clan and the Baili Clan are mortal enemies..."

The Fusang Old Demon stopped speaking at this point.

Clearly, the reason the Fusang Old Demon wanted Ning Fan to take the position of Eighth Elder was to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Chief of the Baili Clan.

If the Chief of the Baili Clan becomes the new Eighth Elder of the Bamboo Hall, one day he will surely succeed in Void Fragmentation,

And when the Baili Clan produces a Void Fragmentation expert, it will be the time of the Fusang Clan’s decline, with the two families being mortal enemies, they will inevitably spare no effort to suppress the Fusang Clan...

The Fusang Old Demon was close to death, and he didn’t care about his life and death, only hoping that his family wouldn’t decline after his death.

If the recommended elder candidate fails to secure the elder position, so be it, but if they succeed, it would surely offend the Baili Clan.

Offending the Baili Clan is one thing, for now, the Baili Clan has no Void Fragmentation experts.

But be aware that the elder who recommended the Chief of the Baili Clan must have close ties with the Baili Clan.

Offending the Baili Clan also means offending an unknown cultivation level Void Fragmentation Elder.

Ning Fan did not want to involve himself in the Fusang Clan’s matters simply because he didn’t want to stir up trouble.

The position of Eighth Elder did not tempt him because he didn’t plan to stay in the Tree World for long, and the dedicated support of the Bamboo Hall had no allure for him.

As for one of the perks of becoming the Eighth Elder... the Tree Ancestor Fruit!

Since this fruit is given by the Bamboo Hall to the new Eighth Elder, it means it originally belonged to the Bamboo Hall.

There must be quite a few Tree Ancestor Fruits in the Bamboo Hall.

With Ning Fan’s means, there’s always a way to trade with the Bamboo Hall to get some Tree Ancestor Fruits without inviting more trouble by becoming the Eighth Elder.

Ning Fan didn’t make it clear, but the Fusang Old Demon had already guessed Ning Fan’s thoughts.

"Forget it, since the Daoist is unwilling to get involved in this trouble, consider this to be something I never mentioned, and I will give the third recommendation to Tang Xiong to let him fight for the Eighth Elder position... As for the result, it is up to fate and cannot be forced."

The Fusang Old Demon sighed repeatedly, for someone of his status, to make such a request to Ning Fan was already very rare.

If Ning Fan insisted on refusing, he wouldn’t force him, nor would he entangle. After all, he was a dignified old monster of the Void Fragmentation realm, with his dignity.

The Fusang Old Demon moved his lips without making a sound, conveying a message to the distance.

After more than ten breaths, Tang Xiong came out of the treasury, holding a storage pouch, apparently having received the message and knowing the two had finished talking before he dared to come out.

"Here are ten Min Luo puppets and 20 billion immortal jade, which are your mission rewards, Daoist. Feel free to check if there’s any shortage. The storage pouch also contains a jade scroll, the World Path Jade Slip of the Tang Gu Realm Gate, which can open the realm gate for passage with the jade scroll."

Ning Fan received the storage pouch from Tang Xiong, scanned it with his spirit sense, confirmed it was correct, and clasped his hands to the Fusang Tree Demon and Tang Xiong,

"Farewell!"

Ning Fan turned to leave but was called back by the Fusang Old Demon.

"Daoist, please stay."

"What is it?"

"I have something here I wish to give you, to foster a good relationship, and these things should be of some help to you."

The Fusang Old Demon handed Ning Fan a storage pouch, which Ning Fan scanned with his spirit sense. Inside were 10 billion immortal jade, a thousand Tree Spirit Fruits, and maps of the Eastern, Southern, and Western Tree Oceans.

In addition, the storage pouch contained many rare spirit ores and spirit wood, all used for making puppets and repairing them.

Ning Fan pondered, realizing the Fusang Old Demon had researched him, deducing from the items he purchased in Yu Yi City that he wanted to repair puppets.

Indeed, the items the Fusang Old Demon provided were exactly what Ning Fan needed.

Ning Fan also knew what accepting this storage pouch implied.

"Very well, I will accept these things. Should the Fusang Clan face difficulties in the future, I will lend a hand where I can."

Having said this, Ning Fan put away the storage pouch and clasped his hands in farewell.

Accepting this storage pouch means accepting the goodwill of the Fusang Old Demon.

With Ning Fan’s character, he would not accept favors without reason. If the Fusang Clan faces difficulties, he will inevitably lend a hand one way or another.

The Fusang Old Demon has a precise understanding of Ning Fan’s character.

Seeing that Ning Fan discerned his intentions and made a promise, the Fusang Old Demon showed a look of comfort but sighed deeply after Ning Fan left.

"Why does the ancestor sigh?" Tang Xiong asked in confusion.

"What a pity... this Lu Bei conceals himself deeply. If this child accepted my recommendation and my assistance, he would have a great chance of securing the position of the Eighth Elder... Although he didn’t show any Evil Qi from the beginning to the end, I still sensed an extremely dangerous feeling from him... In front of him, I had an absurd illusion... If a disagreement occurred just now, and we made enemies, he could instantly kill me! This feeling is so absurd, yet so real..."

"What! This Lu Bei can actually instantly kill the ancestor?! This, this..." Tang Xiong knew the ancestor never spoke falsely; perhaps Ning Fan truly had the means to instantly kill the Fusang Old Demon.

If it is indeed true, Ning Fan is too terrifying...

...

Ning Fan returned to the Spirit King Palace, waved his sleeve, and performed the void teleportation technique, disappearing with Qingdai from Yu Yi City.

He traveled eastward, passing through Tang Gu, heading towards the boundary of Ju Mang Country—the Tang Gu Realm Gate.

Refusing the proposal of the Fusang Old Demon, Ning Fan did not regret it, for he had his own matters to attend to and could not get too involved in other people’s troubles.

Being able to help the Fusang Clan in times of difficulty is already his limit.

As he flew, an incense stick of time later, Ning Fan halted his escaping light and descended outside the Tang Gu Realm Gate.

This was the junction between the Northern Forest Sea and the Eastern Tree Ocean. A dark purple light wall divided the two tree oceans in between.

From the underworld below to the peak of the sky, the light wall left no gaps for one to pass through.

That dark purple light was the Territorial Light of Separation, even Immortals who mistakenly entered would meet their demise.

Above the light wall stood a gigantic door thousands of feet high, with many restrictive formations. Though the formations themselves were not powerful, they were closely connected to the Territorial Light of Separation.

If someone forcefully entered the Realm Gate, they would be attacked by the formations guiding the Territorial Light of Separation, leading to certain death if not immortal!

Ning Fan took out the storage pouch awarded from the mission, extracted the World Path Rain Immortal World, and transferred 20 billion immortal jade into his waist storage pouch.

Only 10 Min Luo puppets with Void Glimpse Stage cultivation remained in this pouch, crafted from the corpses of ten Void Refinement realm ancestors of the Ming Luo Tree Clan ten thousand years ago.

Ning Fan handed the storage pouch to Qingdai without saying much.

Qingdai accepted the pouch and, after taking one look, revealed a look of pleasant surprise, gratefully saying to Ning Fan, "Thank you..."

"No need to be polite. If I need your help someday, just don’t refuse me." Ning Fan replied with a smile.

"Mm..." Qingdai nodded in agreement.

"Let’s go."

Ning Fan pressed the World Path Jade Slip into fragments, and a purple light shot out from within, merging into the gigantic door.

The door shook violently, opening a crack, causing the ground to tremble fiercely and raising a cloud of dust.

As the crack appeared on the door, Ning Fan waved his sleeve, and with Qingdai, transformed into a stream of teleportation smoke, drifting into the Realm Gate.

Their escape light was retracted, and the two descended upon a dark purple light path, which was the pathway to the Eastern Tree Ocean.

After they entered, the gigantic door slowly closed.

"Follow this path straight, and at the end, there’s a Teleportation Formation that leads to the domain of the Eastern Tree Ocean." Qingdai had traversed the World Path before.

"Mm, you go first, I have something to handle..." Ning Fan suddenly halted his steps, furrowing his brows as he stood upon the World Path.

"Something to handle? Then make haste, I’ll wait for you in the Eastern Tree Ocean." Qingdai was startled, not knowing what Ning Fan meant.

With a puzzled look, she continued forward, entering the Teleportation Formation at the end of the World Path and transported to the Eastern Tree Ocean.

After Qingdai left, Ning Fan suddenly turned around, his eyes scanning backward like cold lightning.

"Aren’t you coming out yet... Do all of Vine Emperor’s men love hiding so much?"

After Ning Fan spoke, from the seemingly empty void, came a disdainful and charming laugh.

"Hiding? With your mere Void Inquiry Stage, do you think this palace needs to hide or use underhanded means? I just didn’t want to kill you here on the World Path!"

With the charming laugh, a woman with long hair reaching her waist, dressed in pink, appeared gracefully on the World Path. Her beautiful eyes were undeniably stunning but carried a cold killing intent.

She had a pink sword pouch tied to her waist and exuded strands of Sword Intent, intertwining like vines, full of vitality, demonstrating pure vine and wood Sword Intent!

Her aura was imposing, causing the void to tremble slightly where she stood.

She was a Sword Cultivator, a Sword Cultivator at the First Heavenly Layer of the Void Fragmentation Realm!

"I’m the Purple Vine Palace Master under the Vine Emperor... Teng Xianrou! I have come today only to kill you, Lu Bei, prepare to die!"

"A Sword Cultivator... and a woman?" Ning Fan’s lips curled into a mocking smile.

He had anticipated that the Vine Emperor’s followers wouldn’t let things rest, possibly ambushing him at one of the six Main Gates.

But he didn’t expect to encounter an ambush from a female Sword Cultivator of the Void Fragmentation realm.

This was no ambush; it was evidently a grand gift... a Shattered Void Cauldron delivered to his doorstep!

(Fourth Update) (To be continued. If you like this work, please go to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)