novelraw Chapter 658: Swirling Void Annihilation, Evil Qi Shakes the Heavens
Chapter 658: Swirling Void Annihilation, Evil Qi Shakes the Heavens
Five Void Fragmentation experts from the Mountain World descended upon Yue Country, enveloping the entire Seven Apricot City in a murderous atmosphere.
Yue Lingkong, Su Yan, and the other women did not have the Void Fragmentation cultivation necessary to confront the formidable enemies from the Mountain World.
In such a situation, only those with Void Fragmentation qualifications could stand in the open sky.
Mu Luo was at the Fifth Heavenly Layer of the Void Fragmentation Realm, Meichen at the Third, while Bright Sparrow, Teng Xianrou, and the Heavenly Calamity Quintuple Puppets were at the First Layer.
With nine Void Fragmentation cultivators stationed at Seven Apricot, the enemy had only five, seemingly giving Seven Apricot a numerical advantage.
However, among the five Mountain World foes, three were at the Fifth Heavenly Layer of the Void Fragmentation Realm, one at the Fourth, and one at the Third, thus pressuring the Seven Apricot’s Void Fragmentation cultivators in terms of realm strength.
Leading the Mountain World Void Fragmentation experts was a fat old man in a yellow robe, possessing upper Fifth Heavenly Layer strength, named Zhao Banzhi, a Loose Cultivator.
This was the one who had previously shouted for Ning Fan to come out.
The saying goes, ’Those skilled in defense hide beneath the Nine Earths; those skilled in attack move above the Nine Heavens.’
Mountain World cultivators are mostly skilled in defense rather than attack, and Zhao Banzhi was extremely proficient in defensive divine skills, reportedly once withstanding an attack from a Sixth Heavenly Level practitioner without a scratch.
Zhao Banzhi also cultivated a strand of sovereign qi; though not a Mountain Emperor, he was renowned in the Mountain World and even received attention from a Seventh Heavenly Layer old monster.
Zhao Banzhi squinted his eyes, scanning Mu Luo, Meichen, Bright Sparrow, Teng Xianrou, and then the Heavenly Calamity Quintuple Puppets, feeling somewhat surprised.
He knew that Rain World’s Void Fragmentation experts were pitifully few, and during Yun Zongxuan’s reign, these individuals were not among Rain World’s Void Fragmentation cultivators.
And in Seven Apricot City, there was even a heavenly tribulation puppet...
Zhao Banzhi speculated secretly that the heavenly tribulation puppet might have been captured by the new Rain Emperor Ning Fan.
What an arrogant young lad—does he not fear offending the Heavenly Dao of the lower realms by capturing a heavenly tribulation puppet?
Despite being surprised by the many Void Fragmentation forces in Seven Apricot City, he did not regard them too highly.
Aside from Mu Luo with his Fifth Heavenly Level cultivation, no one was worth a second glance from him.
The Rain World, after all, was the weakest of the nine worlds, hardly worth mentioning!
There were two versions of the external rumors regarding Yun Zongxuan’s death. One version stated it was accidental, while another claimed the Calamitous Emperor of the Rain Realm Ning Fan killed Yun Zongxuan and seized the throne.
Zhao Banzhi did not believe that a mere First Heavenly Layer cultivator like Ning Fan could kill Yun Zongxuan; he was more inclined to believe Yun Zongxuan died by accident.
In his mind, Zhao Banzhi did not take Ning Fan, at the First Heavenly Layer, seriously.
"Where is the Calamitous Emperor of the Rain Realm? Have him come out and speak with this old man quickly!" Zhao Banzhi impatiently demanded in a cold voice.
His voice carried a weight as heavy as a mountain, and cultivators beneath the Void Fragmentation level in Seven Apricot City were unable to resist it, their breaths thrown into chaos.
The four Mountain World old monsters behind Zhao Banzhi also appeared impatient.
Among the four, two were Fifth Heavenly Layer cultivators: one in black robes holding a magical treasure in the shape of a seal, and an ancestor from Taiyuan Valley in the Mountain World; the other, in red robes, rode an Avoid-Water Beast of the Absolute Void Stage, wielding a magical jade bowl with a notch, an ancestor from the Juyue Sect in the Mountain World.
The remaining two old monsters, at the Third and Fourth Heaven’s Layer, were respectively the Sect Masters of the Red Sand Sect and the Xumi Sect in the Mountain World.
As cultivators from the Middle Mountain World, these individuals naturally carried an air of arrogance when facing the weakest cultivators of the Rain World among the nine worlds.
Currently, the Mountain World was at war with the Earth Immortal World, and were it not for the intention to profit from the Rain World, the five wouldn’t bother coming to the weakest of the nine worlds.
"Hmph, what arrogance, Daoist! To invade the Rain World as Mountain World cultivators is one thing, but to demand the Rain Emperor meet you? Do you think the Rain World is so easily bullied?"
Mu Luo’s gaze turned cold. If his true form could leave the Dark Sparrow’s Grave, why would he, with his rogue devil cultivation, fear a few Mountain World youngsters?
At this moment, only his fragment of the Fifth Heavenly Layer could leave the Dark Sparrow’s Grave; facing three Fifth Heavenly Layer old monsters alone, victory was unlikely.
"Heh, whether the Rain World is easy to bully, this old man does not know. However, the former Rain Emperor Yun Zongxuan was an old friend of mine. I heard rumors that Fellow Daoist Yun died by the hands of the Calamitous Emperor of the Rain Realm. We have come to seek an explanation! I have spoken kindly, and yet the Calamitous Emperor will not grace me with his presence. If that’s the case, I will show no mercy. Elder Taiyuan, how about you spar a few moves with this Daoist?"
Zhao Banzhi smiled slightly, casting a disdainful glance at Mu Luo, and turned to the Elder Taiyuan nearby.
"Very well, since the Calamitous Emperor does not appear, we need not wait. Daoist, please instruct!"
Elder Taiyuan stepped into the sky, walking toward Mu Luo.
Zhao Banzhi and the others retreated ten thousand zhang, clearing the battleground for Taiyuan and Mu Luo.
Mu Luo’s eyes gleamed with cold light. He instructed Meichen, Bright Sparrow, and others, "Leave the Fifth Heavenly Layer battle to me. You need not risk yourselves, retreat ten thousand zhang."
Meichen, Bright Sparrow, and Teng Xianrou exchanged glances; though indignant toward the Mountain World cultivators, they resignedly withdrew with the Heavenly Calamity Quintuple Puppets.
With their cultivation, unless they fought to the death, it would be hard to injure a Fifth Heavenly Layer cultivator.
"How should I address you, Daoist?" Elder Taiyuan revealed a somewhat insidious smile.
"Mu Luo!" Mu Luo replied sternly.
"So you’re Daoist Mu Luo, huh... Mu Luo, Fall from the Clouds!"
Elder Taiyuan’s eyes suddenly emitted two yellow beams.
In that instant, he struck the earth’s topography, affecting millions of miles.
With the change in topography, Mu Luo’s figure wavered, almost falling off the cloud.
This was the ’Call Name to Fall from Clouds’ technique—a secret art unique to Taiyuan Valley in the Mountain World, requiring the earth’s topography to cast.
Mu Luo’s gaze flickered, and he stomped the sky, shattering vast terrains to stabilize himself.
"Oh? Daoist Mu Luo actually withstood the old man’s secret technique without falling from the cloud?" Elder Taiyuan appeared somewhat surprised.
"Hmph, just an insignificant trick! Throw all your skills at me!" Mu Luo coldly declared.
"An insignificant trick? Hmph! Then let me show you my methods—the Mountain and River Seal, smash it for me!"
Elder Taiyuan fiercely brandished his magical seal. The seal soared into the sky, emitting sounds of collapsing mountains and rivers.
Suddenly, the seal flashed with yellow light and transformed into millions of towering mountains, crashing down towards Mu Luo.
If Mu Luo didn’t resist, these millions of mountains would flatten the terrain within millions of miles!
Mu Luo’s gaze tightened, and without saying a word, he began to form seals with his fingers.
High above, the void abruptly shattered into fragments.
Under the shadowy void, countless black demon vines emerged and intertwined, forming enormous black fists.
These fists coiled together, punching the sky and shattering the mountains into rubble, scattering them across the horizon!
The millions of mountains were destroyed, forcing the Mountain and River Seal out of its treasures form, with several cracks appearing on its surface, as it flew back to Elder Taiyuan’s hand.
Elder Taiyuan’s eyes shook; the Mu Luo before him was no ordinary Fifth Layer Cultivator. He couldn’t defeat him alone!
"Taiyuan Daoist, return quickly; you are no match for him!" Elder Juyue shouted.
Without Elder Juyue’s reminder, Elder Taiyuan had already activated his escape light and was retreating.
"Trying to escape?"
Mu Luo snorted coldly, changing his hand seals, and countless demonic vine fists blasted towards Elder Taiyuan from afar.
Elder Taiyuan’s expression changed, and he quickly summoned his ’Divine Mountain Armor’ to protect himself.
Many Mountain Realm cultivators practiced this technique, devouring earth veins, refining it into their life-bound Divine Mountain Armor, with unparalleled defense.
Elder Taiyuan’s Divine Mountain Armor could withstand the attacks from slightly stronger old monsters of the Fifth Heavenly Layer.
However, when struck by Mu Luo’s demonic vine fists, this Divine Mountain Armor trembled, showing numerous cracks, nearly shattering.
He himself felt intense chest pain from the slight impact of the fist aura, retreating ten thousand feet in the sky before barely stabilizing his figure, glaring at Mu Luo with venomous eyes.
"Juyue Daoist, lend me a hand!"
"Alright!"
Upon hearing Elder Taiyuan’s request, Elder Juyue stepped forward without hesitation, riding the Avoid-Water Beast.
He exchanged a glance with Elder Taiyuan, and the two transformed into two streams of flowing light, attacking Mu Luo from two directions.
"Two against one, how despicable!" Some young cultivators in Seven Apricot City voiced their displeasure.
However, some old monsters sighed.
On the cultivation road, those who win are kings, and those who lose are villains; there’s no talk of dignity.
It’s clear to anyone that Mu Luo was much stronger than Elder Taiyuan.
But facing both Taiyuan and Juyue, Mu Luo’s chances of victory were slim.
"Hmph, come at me together; I fear nothing! Void Technique, Senluo Myriad Phases!"
Mu Luo changed his hand seals, and suddenly, a five-thousand-foot tall dryad phantom appeared behind him.
The dryad wielded a massive black wooden sword, swinging it at both Taiyuan and Juyue.
Their expressions changed, each halting their escape light and resorting to various means to barely block the sword aura.
Before they could catch their breath, the dryad phantom swung its sword aura again, leaving them overwhelmed.
While the dryad phantom couldn’t defeat both Taiyuan and Juyue, it allowed Mu Luo to remain undefeated.
"What is Mu Luo’s background, to hold his ground against two opponents of the same level!"
Zhao Banzhi took a deep breath. He had never known about such a powerful figure in the Rain Realm.
Ten thousand years ago, the Rain Realm had Thunder Emperor Bu Zhou, whose notorious name spread far and wide. During his time, the Rain Realm almost shook off its status as the weakest among the nine worlds.
Unfortunately, Thunder Emperor Bu Zhou mysteriously perished later, leaving the Rain Realm without a hero.
A thousand years later, the Rain Realm saw a Sword God in white robes, inheriting the Sword Demon’s legacy, almost invincible among his level.
Unfortunately, it was said this person offended Yun Zongxuan, who placed a Sinful Mark on him, sealing his cultivations for years; otherwise, he might have broken through to the fifth layer by now. If that were the case, people like Zhao Banzhi wouldn’t dare to act arrogantly in the Rain Realm.
Apart from these two, the Rain Realm hasn’t produced any remarkable figures over thousands of years.
What is Mu Luo’s origin, being able to hold his ground against two opponents, surely not an unknown individual!
"Looks like I’ll need to lend a hand..."
A hint of sinister light flashed in Zhao Banzhi’s eyes as he secretly took out a golden treasure bead from his sleeve, casting it towards Mu Luo.
This bead is called the Earth Bead; when used for a sneak attack, it can severely injure ordinary Fifth Layer Cultivators.
Although Zhao Banzhi’s action was discrete, many saw his stealthy assault.
Many immediately shouted aloud, "Senior Mu Luo, watch out!"
Yue Lingkong’s lovely face turned red, like blossoming peach flowers.
Shameful! The people of the Mountain Realm are truly shameful. Not only did they team up against one, but they even had a third person attack from the side.
Situations this shameless are rare even in the cultivation world!
The paper crane, Little Stammer, Mu Xiaoliang, and Feng Xueyan, the freeloading quartet, were all enraged.
They didn’t care for cultivation and despised Zhao Banzhi’s despicable ambush even more.
These people are truly detestable, intruding into the Rain Realm to cause trouble for Big Brother Fan, and when they couldn’t find him, they attacked others.
A bunch of shameless old scoundrels!
"An ambush..." Mu Luo’s gaze darkened slightly.
At this moment, he was fully exerting the power of the giant dryad shadow to attack Taiyuan and Juyue, making it difficult to spare any effort to block the sneak attack of the Earth Bead.
While he was contemplating how to defuse this bead, a slightly illusory golden vortex suddenly appeared in front of the advancing Earth Bead.
The Earth Bead was directly absorbed into the vortex, and then there was no sound, vanishing into thin air.
"Who dares to seize this old man’s magical treasure!" Zhao Banzhi flared up in rage, his gaze as sharp as lightning, scanning the surroundings.
It was then he noticed, without knowing when, a white-robed youth had appeared outside Seven Apricot City.
The young man was exceedingly youthful, his bone age only just over a thousand years, yet his aura was that of Void Fragmentation!
The young man had refined the Flowing Light Ring, making his aura seem both real and illusory, elusive and hard to grasp.
For a moment, Zhao Banzhi could not discern which layer of cultivation this youth had reached.
However, he recognized the youth’s appearance; he had intelligence at hand, knowing this young man was merely at the First Heavenly Layer of Void Fragmentation.
"Calamitous Emperor of the Rain Realm, Ning Fan!" Zhao Banzhi’s anger turned into bitter laughter.
Unexpectedly, his Earth Bead was taken by Ning Fan, who was only at the Fracture First Realm cultivation, truly embarrassing.
A Fifth Layer old monster being relieved of a treasure by a First Realm cultivator... If this matter were known to the old monsters of the Mountain Realm, he, Zhao Banzhi, would surely become a laughingstock.
"Big Brother Fan! Quick, go deal with these shameless old folks!" The paper crane waved its pink fists, angrily addressing Ning Fan.
"Little cucumber, go chop them up! They’re an eyesore!" Yue Lingkong’s beautiful eyes were frostily cold as well.
"Big brother, you’re here..." Xu Qiuling instantly felt relieved.
In her impression, with Ning Fan’s intervention, nothing was unachievable.
Su Yan, Gu Shiniang, Fen Chi, and other Devil Concubines, Bai Su, Ya Lan, Su Yao, and other women also dispelled all their tension the moment Ning Fan appeared.
Because in Seven Apricot, he was here...
"Rest assured, with me here, nothing will happen."
Ning Fan’s figure flickered and disappeared without a trace, the next moment appearing in the sky.
A casual sentence, yet it carried a peculiar kind of magic, making all the cultivators in Seven Apricot City believe that with Ning Fan here, nothing would happen to Seven Apricot City.
Ning Fan walked step by step towards Zhao Banzhi and others, passing by Bright Sparrow and other women, bypassing Mu Luo.
As soon as he appeared, Taiyuan and Juyue, the two elders, immediately ceased their actions and retreated, their gazes slightly tensed.
Mu Luo also dispelled the dryad’s shadow, saying to Ning Fan, "The enemy is somewhat tricky."
"No problem!"
Ning Fan halted his steps, a flash of cold light in his eyes.
Everyone only knew the Rain Realm as the weakest, yet they didn’t realize that the one who slew the Vine Emperor and startled the Demon World was Ning Fan!
If it were the old Ning Fan, perhaps he would have feared these five Mountain Realm old monsters.
But having walked this far, the number of Void Fragmentation lives he had taken numbered in the dozens, even in the Demon World, he never feared them, why would he fear the Mountain Realm!
Ning Fan bore an emperor’s aura so overwhelming, it stirred the hearts of all around!
His sovereignty was equivalent to twenty of anyone else’s!
His imperial pressure was twenty times that of Zhao Banzhi’s!
As he and Zhao Banzhi were only several tens of thousands of feet apart, the sovereign qi inside Zhao Banzhi was actually trembling!
His face changed, incredulously looking at Ning Fan.
"How much sovereign qi does this boy possess to make this old man’s sovereign qi cower in fear!"
"But this boy is so arrogant, judging by his expression, it seems he doesn’t regard us at all." Zhao Banzhi coldly chuckled, speaking aloud, "I, Zhao Banzhi, have come to the Rain Realm today to seek an explanation from Fellow Daoist Ning. It’s widely rumored that Fellow Daoist Ning slew the former Rain Emperor, is this true!"
Zhao Banzhi firmly believed that Ning Fan was just putting on airs, in reality, he was deeply afraid of him and the other Mountain Realm experts.
He firmly believed that Ning Fan had no strength to kill Yun Zongxuan, nor had he ever killed Yun Zongxuan.
He firmly believed that Ning Fan would only lower his head and admit his mistake when faced with his interrogation.
If Ning Fan was sensible and offered up the Rain Palace’s accumulations, he would let it go and not teach Ning Fan any lesson.
If Ning Fan was not sensible, even if Zhao Banzhi dared not openly slay the Rain Emperor and risk the investigation of the Four Deacons, he would surely injure Ning Fan severely and wreak havoc in Seven Apricot City, teaching Ning Fan a harsh lesson!
Rain Realm, after all, was the weakest among the nine worlds, and the weak were naturally meant to be bullied by the strong!
Ning Fan did not answer Zhao Banzhi’s inquiry, instead, his gaze swept toward the crowd below and pointed at someone among them, saying, "You, come up."
"Yes!"
The cultivator pointed at by Ning Fan immediately flew into the sky and respectfully saluted Ning Fan.
This was a Revered Elder of the Rain Palace, at the Mid Divine Transformation Realm.
Since Ning Fan became the Rain Realm’s Divine Emperor, Li Cangtian had dispatched many Revered Elders from the Rain Palace to await Ning Fan’s commands.
Now Ning Fan was the esteemed Rain Emperor, so this Revered Elder dared not show any disrespect.
"I, the Emperor, ask you, according to the Nine Worlds’ agreement, can outsiders enter our Rain Realm without the consent of our realm’s Divine Emperor?" Ning Fan calmly asked.
"According to the regulations, it is not allowed, but generally if the intruding cultivators bear no ill intent, no one pursues the matter." The Revered Elder respectfully answered.
"If cultivators from another realm invade my Rain Realm and die here, how should we deal with it?" Ning Fan asked again.
"Their death is well-deserved, and no further pursuit is necessary. However, generally, those who can intrude into other realms are the old monsters of the Void Fragmentation realm, and no one would want to drive them to death." The revered elder replied again.
"Alright, you may go now."
Ning Fan gave a light command, and the revered elder immediately descended back to the ground.
Ning Fan raised his head, his gaze suddenly sweeping towards Zhao Banzhi and the five other Mountain Realm old monsters.
"You all heard it, if you die in the Rain Realm, the Mountain Realm cannot pursue the matter."
"For cultivators entering my Rain Realm without malicious intent, I am not necessarily compelled to kill. However, since you attack my Rain Realm cultivators without a word, it seems your malicious intent is significant... In that case, die in the Rain Realm!"
"I want to show the realms whether my Rain Realm truly is the weakest, easily bullied among the nine worlds!"
"Senior Mu Luo, you deal with Zhao Banzhi, and leave the others to me!"
Mu Luo was stunned, even he couldn’t have imagined that Ning Fan had already harbored killing intent towards these five Mountain Realm cultivators.
Zhao Banzhi and his companions were all stunned, then they burst into laughter.
"Just a kid with a bone age of a thousand years, speaking such big words! Initially, I entered the Rain Realm just to get some benefits, but since you don’t appreciate the kindness, I won’t say much. Daoist Hongsha, you handle this kid. Daoist Taiyuan, Daoist Juyue, you two hold off Mu Luo. Daoist Xumi, come with me to slaughter this city!"
After Zhao Banzhi’s words, the Red Sand Sect Master, with the cultivation at the third stage of Void Fragmentation, immediately laughed heartily, holding a blood-red banner, charging straight at Ning Fan.
"Calamitous Emperor of the Rain Realm, teach me!"
The Red Sand Sect Master sneered repeatedly, not taking Ning Fan seriously at all.
He waved the blood-red banner, and countless blood-colored ghost shadows immediately surrounded Ning Fan.
These ghost shadows had vacant eyes, and should a cultivator be touched by these ghosts, their vitality would greatly deplete. If touched too much, they would die under the attack of the ghost shadows.
This treasure could almost instantly kill a Broken First Layer Cultivator, and even ordinary Second Realm Cultivators couldn’t withstand the attack of the ghost shadows.
"Destroy!"
Ning Fan’s aura of the Second Heavenly Layer of Void Fragmentation suddenly spread to the sky. With a flash of sword light, dark sword sense spread throughout the sky, and any ghost shadow struck by the sword sense instantly died!
"Second Heavenly Layer of Void Fragmentation! Didn’t the information say he was at the First Layer?" All five Mountain Realm old monsters were stunned, and then they all became indifferent.
"So what if it’s the Second Layer? It’s just a little stronger than the First, insignificant to the five of us."
"Open the Red Sand Formation!"
The Red Sand Sect Master shook the blood banner again, and a massive blood-colored formation diagram suddenly appeared in the sky.
This formation, known as the Red Sand Formation, could instantly kill a Second Realm Cultivator!
Ning Fan did not speak much, just took one step forward and transformed into a figure in black clothes, his eyes cold as ice, indifferent, and ruthless.
At the moment of forming a clone, his cultivation power instantly soared to the invincible realm of the third stage!
He drew upon the Souls of Earth and Void, swallowing them down.
Ning Fan’s momentum surged, reaching the Fourth Heavenly Layer of Void Fragmentation in a moment!
He stomped his foot, and the Red Sand Formation shattered into countless blood-red points of light.
He pointed a finger, and a gigantic golden vortex suddenly appeared beneath the feet of the Red Sand Sect Master!
Outside the golden vortex, another larger golden vortex appeared!
The two vortices spun fiercely in opposite directions, forming two completely opposite forces of tearing.
"Swirling Void Annihilation..."
The Red Sand Sect Master’s face changed drastically, enveloped by the two opposing forces, with his lower body rotating clockwise and his upper body counterclockwise around his waist.
This bizarre occurrence he had never seen before!
It was as if a giant invisible hand twisted his body like a wet towel!
Before he could react, his body was torn into two by the swirling void forces!
His physical body was destroyed!
His Spirit fled from the remains and frantically escaped in the direction of Zhao Banzhi and the others.
He was terrified, he was afraid!
How could he have thought that Ning Fan was not the weak First Layer as the information described, but a Second Realm Cultivator who could instantly elevate to the Fourth Heavenly Layer of Void Fragmentation!
He was outclassed by Ning Fan by one realm, utterly not Ning Fan’s match!
"Daoist Hongsha, be careful!" Zhao Banzhi and others shouted with drastically changed expressions.
But before their eyes, right in front of Hongsha’s Spirit’s escape path, another gigantic golden vortex suddenly appeared.
Hongsha fled too quickly to avoid it, plunging directly into the vortex.
Thereafter, a sorrowful scream emanated from within the vortex.
Hongsha, dead!
"Senior Mu Luo, you go deal with Zhao Banzhi, I have three opponents left."
Ning Fan casually collected Hongsha’s storage pouch, his eyes flashed with blood light, and evil qi turned the sky red!
Upon sensing Ning Fan’s terrifying, hair-raising malevolence and ferocity, Zhao Banzhi and his companions’ faces went pale with fear.
"He...he...he has killed Loose Immortals! He’s killed Loose Immortals!!!" (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly ballots. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)