Grasping the Evil

Chapter 629: Repaid in Blood, Void Fragmentation! (Part 1)

The title has been set: Ning Fan and the Pill Emperor jointly command the Rain Immortal World—a fact that’s indisputable and not open for anyone’s opinions.

Li Cangtian will no longer be called Pill Emperor, but Sovereign Li. His real name is Li Cangtian, and this title of Sovereign Li originally belonged to his master and has now been inherited by him.

Ning Fan claims the title ’Nieli,’ a term that signifies introspection and self-questioning of one’s heart.

Once Ning Fan and Li Cangtian finalize matters of reigning, the old monsters adept at the political winds eagerly bow to offer congratulations.

Ning Fan simply waves his hand, indicating there’s no need to rush congratulations.

"Among you, there are still those loyal to the Rain Sovereign whom I do not trust. I ask the four princes to identify these individuals and let Sovereign Li impose restrictions upon them."

"As for the leaders of the nine great divisions, some of them need replacement."

"I will retreat to Yue Country for seclusion; Senior Li will handle all affairs."

Ning Fan offers Li Cangtian a cordial smile and quietly transmits a message to Yun Bushu. Then, stepping upon the Nieli, he promptly returns to Yue Country, leaving all the mess for Li Cangtian to deal with.

The cultivators of Rain Immortal World fell into speechlessness, for a Divine Emperor like Ning Fan seemed so inattentive to his duties—a rarity throughout history.

Naturally, no one dares to openly criticize Ning Fan.

Li Cangtian freezes momentarily, then deeply gazes in the direction of Ning Fan’s departure.

Li Cangtian realizes that Ning Fan’s urgency to return to Yue Country likely has much to do with finding his mother.

Perhaps Ning Fan has already found his mother and is eager to return due to some situation concerning her...

Yun Bushu’s eyes quivered, still hearing Ning Fan’s transmitted words echoing in his ears.

"I have a request for Third Uncle. If my father returns to Rain Palace, assure him that the person he’s been searching for has been found by me and is currently safe."

Yun Bushu never expected Ning Fan to call him Third Uncle and to refer to Heaven Separation Sect as his father. This unexpected familiarity astonished him.

He also never expected that Ning Fan would actually find the person whom Heaven Separation Sect had been endlessly searching for.

Ning Qian!

"Could Ning Qian really be trapped in the forbidden territory? Did Ning Fan storm the forbidden lands purely to rescue his mother!"

Within Yun Bushu’s eyes, there was joy, excitement, lament, and anger.

The joy and excitement were due to Ning Qian being found, safe, and not deceased, which is truly good news for his elder brother of Heaven Separation Sect.

The lamentation was due to Heaven Separation Sect’s lost memories and emotions, his persistent search for someone without even knowing who he was looking for.

The anger stemmed from the fact that Ning Qian was trapped in the Rain Sovereign’s forbidden land. Could this be Rain Sovereign’s doing?

For a moment, the last trace of regret Yun Bushu felt about the Rain Sovereign’s death gradually dissipated.

Rain Sovereign reaped what he sowed!

Yun Qingge watched Ning Fan’s departure, wanting to speak but hesitating.

She had a question to ask Ning Fan...

She wanted to ask Ning Fan where the Rain Sovereign Command came from.

The Rain Sovereign Command should have vanished with her father, so why was it in Ning Fan’s hands?

If one knew from where Ning Fan retrieved the Rain Sovereign Command, perhaps her father’s remains could also be discovered.

Yun Qingge wasn’t aware that her father was still alive, trapped within the Lost World Tower.

She resolved that if an opportunity arose, she would seek out Ning Fan and ask him about the doubts in her heart.

Now isn’t the right moment to ask; Yun Qingge sees that Ning Fan is eager to return to Yue Country for an urgent matter.

Her doubts will have to wait for another day.

The four princes discerned the Rain Sovereign’s loyalists amongst the crowd, handing them over to Li Cangtian for restriction, granting Li Cangtian the power over life and death.

The new sovereign was inaugurated; all the major and minor affairs were handed over to Li Cangtian to handle.

The announcement of the Rain Sovereign’s death, embellishment, and the message of the new sovereign’s succession also require proper management.

Although everyone knows clearly that the Rain Sovereign was slain by Ning Fan, it cannot be stated publicly.

"Let’s say the Rain Sovereign accidentally entered the forbidden land and was killed by a Corpse Beast," some Rain Immortal World cultivators suggested.

If publicly stated that Ning Fan killed the Rain Sovereign to take the throne, it would undoubtedly cause unrest amongst Rain Immortal World’s cultivators.

Some matters are best left unsaid when everyone understands...

After the Rain Sovereign’s death, one might expect chaos within Rain Immortal World, but Ning Fan’s sudden rise as sovereign quelled any thoughts of rebellion almost instantly.

This Rain Immortal World is now Ning Fan’s.

Those who seek to peep into the Rain Immortal World are excused as enemies of Ning Fan—none dares to do so.

Some old monsters harbored hope: one weak and envious Rain Sovereign has died, replaced by a sharp and promising new sovereign. Perhaps this is good news for Rain Immortal World.

With Ning Fan’s rapid ascent, his future is naturally immeasurable. Rain Immortal World may shake off its humiliating position as the weakest among the nine worlds.

Amidst the varied personal thoughts, Yu Chong’er harbored simpler feelings.

Joy, along with a slight sense of loss.

Joyful for Ning Fan’s safety, for that alone is good.

Lost in the fact that Ning Fan has become the new Rain Emperor, his esteemed status makes her feel he’s out of reach.

Gradually, she became somewhat inferior... yet she did not notice this inferiority.

She felt she must be ill; otherwise, why would she feel unhappy seeing Ning Fan become an emperor?

It was clearly a good thing, so why feel unhappy, why...

...

Ning Fan rode on Nieli, leaving behind Tianyun and Middle State.

He quietly returned to Yue Country, and with Nieli’s speed, he returned within a day.

Under Li Cangtian’s blockade, the news of the Rain Emperor’s fall and the succession of the new emperor had not yet spread in the Rain Immortal World.

When Ning Fan returned to Yue Country riding on Nieli, the cultivators there naturally did not know that Ning Fan was the new Rain Emperor.

But seeing the Nieli under Ning Fan’s feet, everyone was shocked.

Nieli’s aura was so overwhelming that one could not look directly at it.

While ordinary Masters knew Nieli was powerful, they could only guess it was above the Divine Transformation Realm, unable to ascertain its specific realm.

However, Bright Sparrow, Su Yan, Meichen, and others all understood Nieli’s terror.

"Is this the Nieli that Ning Fan subdued..." Mu Luo, who was drinking with Youhuang at the bottom of the Dark Sparrow’s Grave, suddenly flashed his eyes, then sighed.

Ning Fan could subdue such a powerful demonic mount with Guiyuan Cultivation; he was indeed incomparable to others...

"Hmm? The Nieli that killed the Vine Emperor... interesting, Little Fan Fan is openly riding Nieli in broad daylight, not afraid of the Rain Emperor finding out..."

"The thoughts of the inheritor of Ancient Chaotic Grand Emperor truly cannot be fathomed... getting entangled with this person for a lifetime would surely be intriguing."

In the Godly Void Pavilion, the little demoness leisurely sipped fragrant tea, suddenly breaking into a mischievous smile.

"Where did this big bird come from! It’s amazing!" When Ning Fan returned with Nieli to Seven Apricot, Bright Sparrow was the first to come out, exclaiming in amazement.

But seeing Ning Fan’s serious injuries, Bright Sparrow asked worriedly, "What’s wrong with these severe injuries?"

"Caw!" Nieli, when called a big bird, appeared somewhat displeased. Moreover, she could sense that Bright Sparrow had a strong True Spirit Bloodline within her, which she disliked even more.

All existing True Spirits were enemies of the Fu Li race.

"This Immemorial Evil Vein is my friend, do not act against her." Ning Fan crouched down, stroking Nieli’s neck to comfort her.

"Caw..." Nieli responded with a low caw, agreeing.

Although she disliked True Spirit race members, if Bright Sparrow was Ning Fan’s friend, she would regard her differently.

Ning Fan stood up, patting Bright Sparrow’s little head, and said, "It’s just a minor injury, no need to worry... This Purple Eye Peacock, named Zili, is my demon mount, one of our own. I need to go into seclusion, inform the others about Zili, so they won’t panic."

After speaking, Ning Fan received Nieli into the Cauldron Ring, then his figure flickered as he headed back to Si Fan Palace.

"Your mother..." Hearing Ning Fan’s relaxed tone, Bright Sparrow felt reassured, no longer worrying about Ning Fan’s injuries, and instead, a mischievous smile formed on her lips as she looked at Ning Fan’s back with a peculiar gaze.

For a long while, she exclaimed, "Cookie Brother’s taste is really... bold..."

Well, she had misunderstood.

Ning Fan didn’t deliberately hide Nieli’s existence.

Stabilizing the Rain Immortal World required Nieli’s deterrence.

Few in the Rain Immortal World knew what Nieli was; most Masters thought it was a giant Purple Eye Black Feather Peacock, knowing only that this peacock was extraordinarily powerful.

Even if someone knew it was Nieli, Ning Fan did not care.

Even if someone guessed from Nieli that Ning Fan was the Lu Bei who killed the Vine Emperor, he did not care.

The charge of killing the Vine Emperor had long been wiped clean by Wei Xuan and others.

Even if the matter spread, there was no need to fear, it would only add to his fearsome reputation.

No longer needed to hide or disguise anything.

He was already the Yu Realm’s Emperor!

Upon returning to Si Fan Palace, Ning Fan immediately retreated into the Yuan Yao World.

At this moment, his heart was set on one thing, rescuing his mother from calamity.

He stepped into the apothecary, gazing at the Feathered Demon Stone Statue beside the green jade coffin, smiling.

This was Ning Fan’s mother, he had brought her back safely.

Slowly approaching the stone statue, touching the cold stone skin of the Feathered Demon, Ning Fan felt a slight pain in his heart.

"I’ve heard of many demonic secret arts, capable of extracting the blood of living beings, causing their bodies to petrify, with their souls sealed in stone..."

"Years ago, my mother exhausted her last drop of blood to save me. She should have died, yet someone sealed her in stone, preserving her life... Who turned her to stone, and who placed her in the third forbidden zone..."

Ning Fan searched the Rain Emperor’s memories, discovering that in the third forbidden zone there were 90 million stone statues, all sacrifices the Rain Emperor once offered to the cloud lions.

Ninety million mortals, Masters, and demon mounts were all sacrifices by the Rain Emperor, each retaining their memory... except for Ning Qian!

Ning Qian was not a life offering by the Rain Emperor to the cloud lions!

Was Ning Qian captured and turned into a stone statue by the cloud lions?

Or was it someone else, like that mysterious old man with the seven colors?

Old Ancestor Dong Xu once divined for Ning Fan, saying Ning Qian’s fate was altered by someone with immense Divine Skills... could it be that mysterious old man with the seven colors. Only a person at the Immortal Emperor level would have the means to alter someone’s fate.

Could it be him.

"I can’t figure it out... But in any case, my mother managed to survive thanks to petrification, so her souls haven’t scattered... This is a good thing."

"A thousand years ago, my mother sacrificed all of her Demon Bloodline to save me. Today, I shall repay with my blood to help her break free from petrification."

Ning Fan patted his storage pouch, took out a crimson pill bottle, and swallowed all the expensive pills inside.

The pill is called "Blood Sun Pill," an intermediate-grade level six pill, which can fill the cultivator with vital energy and increase power by thirty percent within a day.

Of course, this thirty percent is calculated based on the Second Level of the Golden Body Realm. If the pill is taken by someone of a higher Body Refinement realm, the enhancement effect would be significantly reduced.

At this moment, Ning Fan took the Blood Sun Pill not to increase his power.

He just wanted to fill himself with vital energy.

He was using his own blood to bring his mother back to life.

After taking the Blood Sun Pill, Ning Fan’s face flushed red. With a flick of his sleeve, a breeze arose as he wrapped up the Feathered Demon Stone Statue and swiftly flew to a secluded pine forest in the Yuan Yao World.

There was a pond in the forest, just enough to accommodate the statue.

Ning Fan placed the statue into the pond and then took out countless immortal jades and spirit ores, measuring the formation’s eye along the pool to set up a large formation.

This formation was quite similar to the Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Formation in the Third Forbidden Area but was set up in reverse.

The Great Formation in the Third Forbidden Area drew life essence from living beings and was called the Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Formation.

This formation was laid against the spirit and was called the ’Reverse Spirit Blood Formation,’ with an opposite function; it turned mana into blood and returned it to the person within the formation.

This formation, like the Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Formation, is a formation of Immortal Void peak level. There are ninety thousand formation’s eyes.

As soon as the large formation was set up, a blood-red hexagram pattern appeared on the ground.

The pattern’s light, however, operated in reverse.

"Where there is a positive, there must be a negative. Where there is borrowing, there must be returning. The blood owed must be repaid!"

Ning Fan stepped into the blood formation, walking towards the pond, his face as pale as paper.

He was going to disperse his blood to repay his mother.

During the trip to Middle State, Ning Fan was severely injured, yet there was no time to heal as he was eager to save his mother.

Having suppressed his injuries with pills, setting up an Immortal Void peak-level formation took a considerable toll on his mind, further aggravating his injuries.

At this time, he was not fit for bloodletting.

But Ning Fan was unwilling to wait any longer!

He reached the pond’s edge, bit his fingertip, transforming the blood at the fingertips into threads, wrapping the statue tighter and tighter till it formed a massive blood cocoon with the statue at the center.

This is the demon race’s cocoon technique, capable of isolating Rebellion of Heaven’s predictions and preserving remnant souls.

After making the blood cocoon, Ning Fan sat cross-legged by the pond, pointed at his forehead, and took out the long-unused Separation Slayer.

All along, he had been neglecting the cultivation of magical treasures, and this treasure was long since unsuitable for battles of the Void Fragmentation level.

But it was sufficient for bloodletting.

Swish!

Ning Fan rolled up his sleeves and made a cut on his right arm with the sword; scarlet blood dripped down his arm into the pool, diffusing into circles of red.

Drip, drip, drip...

Ning Fan watched as the pond gradually turned red, feeling gradually at peace.

As the blood drained drop by drop, the medicinal power from the Blood Sun Pill rapidly regenerated more blood within Ning Fan, replenishing the loss swiftly.

One day, two days, three days... Ten days passed, the water in the pond already turned a dark red.

Ning Fan ceased his bloodletting, a tiny thread of black starlight wrapped around his left index finger, and with a swipe across his right arm, the wound healed immediately.

The blood was sufficient.

Yet, it would take countless years for the statue within the cocoon to absorb this blood and gradually lift the petrification.

Ning Fan awoke after staying in the cocoon for a thousand years.

How long Ning Qian would remain in the cocoon, nobody knows... Ten years, a hundred years, or a thousand years.

Ning Fan drew out countless heavenly and earthly treasures for soul retention and life preservation, throwing them all into the pond.

With him around, his mother would never die, regardless.

One day, his mother would revive and awaken.

"Blood is easy to repay, yet favor is hard to repay... But at this moment, my heart is finally at ease."

Saving his mother, setting up a pool of blood, wrapping her in a cocoon to preserve her life, Ning Fan finally repaid the apathy in his heart.

At this moment, his mind was unprecedentedly clear.

His power had long been enough to break through to the Void Fragmentation; the unresolved matter of the heart was the only reason he hadn’t.

At this moment, Ning Fan’s heart was at peace, sufficient to fragment the void!

"Fragmentation is ultimately not about breaking the void, but about shattering the illusions in a cultivator’s heart. Understanding the false and true, realizing life and death, thus becoming immortal. The first step of cultivation is still about cultivating spirit sense."

"What is void?"

Ning Fan’s eyes shone with brilliance as his figure flickered and returned to Si Fan Palace.

He drew a line with his fingers in front of him, slowly tearing open a void, revealing the darkness beneath.

Ning Fan then stepped into the void without a word, entering deeper step by step.

"One step is void, one step is reality... void and reality, it’s all between a single thought."

"Right here, I will fragment the void!"

Ning Fan, severely injured, didn’t even use an Array Plate to block the tribulation, yet he feared no form of Heavenly Tribulation. At critical times, he could call upon the powers of Nieli or rogue devil, what fear is there of tribulation!

He didn’t refine any pills to enhance his chances of successfully fragmenting the void, with virtually no preparations.

But he had absolute confidence he could fragment the void, as his comprehension of the Void Realm had matured to a point where he could distinguish between false and true in a single thought!

Throughout the journey, he regarded longevity as false, fame, and fortune as false.

He considered his obsessions as true, and his loved ones as true.

This was the void and reality to Ning Fan!

To discern void and reality, was to discover his own path!

Ning Fan understood, his path was merely to hold onto his convictions. That’s all.

The path of the Great Dao of Yin and Yang, significant or insignificant, existent or nonexistent.

The Xianlu Emperor’s Seat, not something he desired, disposable like old shoes.

"The road I’ve walked is my path. The people in my heart are my reality!"

"I shall fragment the void!"

Standing tall in the void, Ning Fan’s momentum spread like a fierce wind, surging ever higher.

His mana seemed to transform into an invisible hand, gradually tearing at the bottleneck of the Void Fragmentation Realm.

This excruciating but enlightening process pulled at his injuries, bringing clarity to Ning Fan’s mind.

No joy, no sorrow; a mind calm as still water — the optimal state to break through realms.

Rumble!

All around, the void suddenly sounded with loud cracking noises, shattering with countless golden fissures.

At this moment, Ning Fan’s aura naturally flowed, breaking through the bottleneck.

His cultivation reached the First Heavenly Layer of the Void Fragmentation Realm!

Still, Ning Fan showed no sign of joy. For him, fragmenting the void wasn’t challenging; mana enhancement was also expected.

His gaze was fixed on those golden fissures, sensing an impending danger emanating from that place.

A familiar aura... the presence of the Heavenly Dao’s aura from the lower realms.

"Still her tribulation imposed upon me..." Ning Fan’s expression gradually grew serious. If the threat of this tribulation surpassed what his realm could withstand, he would resort to Nieli’s and rogue devil’s power.

But soon, Ning Fan’s expression relaxed.

The sense of danger from the fissures felt similar to the previous tribulation when breaking through the Great Void.

Apparently, this time, the Heavenly Dao had not increased the severity of the Emperor Lightning Tribulation.

Hence, he would not need Nieli’s power to survive this tribulation.

Rumble!

Countless golden fissures in the void suddenly struck out with billions of strands of golden lightning.

Amidst it appeared a half-black, half-white ring, suddenly emerging above the void.

Within the ring’s shadow, a displeased female voice hums,

"Tch, here we go again with your tribulation... A normal level of Emperor Lightning won’t kill you, humph!"

After just one sentence, she uttered no more words.

The sky-encompassing golden bolts transformed into looming golden dragons, hovering in the skies, their roars echoing thunderously.

"A regular level of Emperor Lightning Tribulation..." Ning Fan steadied himself.

For a cultivator breaking through the Void Fragmentation, three tribulations must be overcome.

Within the Emperor Lightning Tribulation, some cultivators with fortune could condense a sovereign qi.

The Tribulation of Yin Wind is mandatory; to fail is death.

As for the third tribulation, it varies from person to person, often laced with fortunate opportunities, a reward from the Heavenly Dao.

Ning Fan’s relationship with the Heavenly Dao was strained, so overcoming a tribulation borne would not be expected.

As long as he didn’t increase the difficulty of the heavenly tribulation, it was already beneficial.

In this way, without relying on Nieli’s power, he could surpass the heavenly tribulation.

Roar!

A thunderclap, and billions of dragon-shaped golden bolts simultaneously struck down towards Ning Fan... (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to give us your support. Like it? Support us on Qidian with votes and monthly tickets. Your support is our greatest motivation. Mobile users please head to m.qidian.com to read.)