Grasping the Evil

Chapter 663: The First Trial of the Five Elements

"Is this the Primordial Abyss..."

Ning Fan scanned the Primordial Abyss with his spirit sense, the Yin energy below was exceedingly heavy, who knows how many resentful spirits were born there.

Among them, there were faintly no less than a hundred Shattered Void Wraiths...

Among those auras, there were even wraiths at the Fragmentation Realm Eight...

This place resembled a nest of resentful spirits, typically no one would dare intrude here.

The opportunity to discover one of the Primordial Five Passes here was extremely slim.

Those who knew that the Immemorial Fisherman’s Raincoat Painting was hidden within the Primordial Five Passes were even fewer.

The Immemorial Fisherman’s Raincoat Painting is the first of the four ancient paintings, containing the Dao Path of Life and Death, it can assist a Void Fragmentation cultivator to comprehend the Dao and become immortal.

The Golden Sky Black Earth Painting is the second of the four ancient paintings, containing the Yin-Yang Dao Path, it assists a True Immortal to break through Yin and Yang, achieving the position of an Immortal Emperor.

By comparison, the value of the second painting far surpasses the first.

Above the Four Heavens, Fate Immortals are not rare, but Immortal Emperors are...

There are naturally fewer people who value the first painting.

He Shixiu and the others gradually put away their shock, looking deeply at Ning Fan, and remained silent.

Ning Fan, who assumed the pseudonym Baimu, exterminated the Huanglong Clan’s dragons using the Dragon Suppression Treasure, which surprised He Shixiu but did not yet deter him.

However, Ning Fan’s destruction of the Mount Extinction Realm Fragmented Five was achieved through his own strength, which truly made He Shixiu wary.

After all, He Shixiu himself was only at Fragmented Five...

He remained silent for a moment, then said to the little demoness, "Miss Xiao, everyone we expect has arrived, shall we storm the Wraith nest and breakthrough to the position of the first Primordial Pass?"

"Yes, let’s advance together, do not get separated. If we encounter powerful wraiths, try not to engage in battle, avoid them if possible."

With that, the little demoness and the woman in a red long dress transformed into escape light and flew into the Primordial Abyss first.

He Shixiu and the others quickly followed suit into the Earth Abyss, but Yun Youmu saluted Ning Fan before leaving.

Ning Fan was the Rain Emperor and also his master, so he could not neglect his etiquette.

After everyone left, Ning Fan summoned a black cauldron furnace and brought out Nieli, riding on Nieli into the Earth Abyss.

The Earth Abyss was bottomless and right after everyone flew in, seven or eight Shattered Void Wraiths and hundreds of Refined Void Resentful Spirits rushed forward howling.

Beyond this batch of wraiths, there were countless more...

He Shixiu took out an iron fan magical treasure, fanned towards the many wraiths, and instantly countless wraiths turned to flying ash.

This fan could emit the Yin wind of the Second Heavenly Layer wind tribulation!

"Sword Demon" Gongyang Zi summoned a ghostly green flying sword, with hairs growing from the hilt and eyeballs, extremely eerie.

The flying sword multiplied into tens of thousands, immediately causing countless wraiths to perish under the sword light.

Ancestor Xuanhuo breathed out a yellow mist from his nose, which spread across the entrance of the Primordial Abyss, and any wraith that touched it had their spirits set ablaze and died.

Yun Youmu entwined lines of the Dao Path of Life and Death with his hands, occasionally killing wraiths with these dao lines.

With his cultivation, he could only instantly kill the wraiths below the Shattered Void Realm, and couldn’t instantly kill Shattered Void Wraiths.

The highest cultivation among these seven or eight Shattered Void Wraiths was only the Second Heavenly Layer of Void Fragmentation, and the four of them swiftly slew this batch of wraiths.

But as they continued to fly downward, more wraiths attacked, this time there were more than a dozen wraiths, with the highest cultivation reaching Fragmentation Realm Five!

Such wraiths, even He Shixiu could not kill, let alone Gongyang Zi, Xuanhuo, or Yun Youmu.

"Husband, it’s our turn now," the little demoness giggled at Ning Fan, then raised her soft palm towards one of the Fragmented Five Wraiths.

A strange black hole rose from her palm, producing boundless suction, and countless wraiths were sucked into the black hole, dying with shrieks.

Even a Fragmented Five Wraith was instantly killed by her.

In the blink of an eye, the little demoness exterminated over half of this batch of wraiths.

This technique was called the Art of Oblivion, a divine power recorded in the Void Scripture.

Ning Fan watched the little demoness’s hand, his eyes flickering, but he said nothing.

He stood atop the black cauldron furnace, forming seals with his ten fingers, and innumerable golden vortices appeared below, drawing countless wraiths into the Swirling Void Realm.

The wraiths below the Shattered Void Realm were rendered into blood and pus upon entering the Swirling Void Realm.

The blood was absorbed by the realm, gradually enhancing its power.

The last Fragmented Five Wraith was also drawn into the Swirling Void Realm and would perish after two hours.

As Ning Fan took in the Fragmented Five Wraith, He Shixiu, Gongyang Zi, and Xuanhuo were all shaken.

They realized Ning Fan’s Swirling Void Technique was terrifying. They could not withstand this divine power!

"Zili, you handle the rest."

At Ning Fan’s command, Nieli immediately flapped its wings, and countless purple-black wind blades annihilated all the Shattered Void Wraiths.

Nieli’s ferocity once again astounded He Shixiu and the others.

They too could not withstand these wind blades...

The red long-dress woman slightly raised her eyebrows.

When Ning Fan left the Endless Sea, he was only at the Void Glimpse stage, but now he had reached this realm.

Even she had to admire Ning Fan’s demonic speed of cultivation.

"Hehe, my Little Fan Fan is truly impressive. Hm? Be careful, we have reached the depths of the Wraith nest, there are Fragmentation Realm Eights coming, do not linger in battle! Breakthrough!"

At the bottom of the Earth Abyss, there was a passage leading directly underground.

Outside the passage, there were over eighty Shattered Void Wraiths and thousands of Refined Void Resentful Spirits.

Among them, there were two Fragmentation Realm Eight Wraiths, one rushed directly at Ning Fan, the other charged towards He Shixiu and the others.

"Fragmentation Realm Eight Wraiths..." Ning Fan’s gaze turned extremely serious.

Such a wraith, its power comparable to the Tri-Realm Sect Master, was beyond his ability to defeat.

While pondering how to evade the wraith’s attack, a red-dress silhouette suddenly blocked his path, elegantly lifting a hand and whipping a Lightning Whip at the Fragmentation Realm Eight Wraith.

The red long-dress woman was the Thunder Emperor, incredibly powerful. Though she was at the peak of Fragmentation Realm Seven, ordinary Fragmentation Realm Eights might not be her match.

The wraith before her was slightly weaker than the red-dress woman.

But the red-dress woman was not confident of killing this wraith.

This single whip downed, extinguishing myriad thunder and lightning, but merely repelled the Fragmentation Realm Eight Wraith a little.

That was enough.

Seizing the moment while the Fragmentation Realm Eight Wraith was repelled, the little demoness, the red-dress woman, and Ning Fan quickly broke through the encirclement of numerous wraiths and surged into the passage.

Once they entered the passage, no more wraiths pursued them.

Ning Fan then withdrew his black cauldron furnace again.

"Ning Fan is truly fortunate to have someone blocking his tribulation..." He Shixiu’s eyes darkened.

Both he and Ning Fan were targeted by Fragmentation Realm Eight Wraiths, Ning Fan had help, but he did not.

He Shixiu was far from being a match for the Fragmentation Realm Eight Wraith, watching the wraith with its blood-red mouth wide open rushing at him, he gritted his teeth, took out a jade talisman, and directed it at the wraith.

This jade talisman, he only had one, was a life-saving item given by the Qiongdao Sect.

This jade talisman could unleash an Immortal’s strike, and each talisman only worked once.

Once the jade talisman was released, it immediately turned into a catastrophic jade-colored sword light, cutting the Fragmentation Realm Eight Wraith into two pieces.

But He Shixiu felt no joy, only heartache.

Before even entering the Primordial Five Passes, he had already used up his life-saving item, making this journey perilous...

After annihilating the Fragmentation Realm Eight Wraith, He Shixiu and his group seized the opportunity to breakthrough, rushing into the underground passage.

The passage’s sides were of bronze walls, and beneath their feet were blue stone steps, extending all the way downward.

The wraiths dared not enter the passage, likely sensing the passage was extremely perilous.

Reaching here, He Shixiu finally took a sigh of relief.

Everyone descended along the steps, unaware of how long they walked, until they finally reached the end.

At the end was a bronze palace, and at the other end of the palace, there was a gigantic door.

Besides the gigantic door, there were five smaller light gates, each shining a different color. From left to right, they were gold, cyan, blue, red, and yellow.

"This is the first pass of the Primordial Realm, named ’Five Element Pass.’ The five light gates beside the gigantic door are the Five Elements Passageway. If someone successfully traverses any of the pathways, the gigantic door will open briefly."

"If you’re not proficient in the techniques of the five elements, recklessly breaking into the Five Elements Passageway will lead to nine deaths and one life. This pass should be breached by someone skilled in the techniques of the five elements. Red Long Dress, why don’t you try going through the Golden Pathway?"

The little demoness smiled sweetly at Red Long Dress.

Red Long Dress is proficient in the divine powers of lightning. Lightning belongs to the metal element, making her break the Golden Pass most fitting.

As long as Red Long Dress can break the Golden Pass, the gigantic door will open, and others can safely pass through this pass.

"Alright."

Without saying much, Red Long Dress stepped forward, transformed into a crimson lightning bolt, and flew into the Golden Pathway.

"He Daozi? Who are you sending to break the pass over there?" The little demoness’s gaze fell on Ancestor Xuanhuo, thinking that Hex Shixiu would nine out of ten send this person to take action.

"Daoist Xuanhuo, you are proficient in fire techniques, so please try going through the Fire Pathway."

As the little demoness expected, Hex Shixiu indeed sent Xuanhuo.

"Haha, Daozi, rest assured. Though my cultivation may not be the highest in the Flame World, my understanding of the Dao of Fire is deeper than some fire sovereigns. Breaking through the Fire Pathway is not difficult!"

Ancestor Xuanhuo laughed heartily, his figure flickered, transformed into a blaze and flew into the Fire Pathway.

The little demoness playfully looked at Ning Fan, smiling, "Is my husband flirting with me here, or is he going to try breaking through the Fire Pathway?"

The little demoness knew that the Ancients Chaos Grand Emperor has a treasure named Stele of Sun and Moon, which is a bane for fire and is in the Xuan Yin Treasure.

Ning Fan had obtained the ancient Chaos inheritance and naturally possessed this treasure, making entry into the Fire Pathway almost risk-free.

His chance of breaking through the Fire Pathway definitely surpassed Ancestor Xuanhuo’s.

"Miss Xiao doesn’t trust any helpers someone sends, does she? Daoist Xuanhuo has entered the Fire Pathway. Why have Ning Daoist enter it as well?" Hex Shixiu’s face twitched.

"Not at all, the more people, the more strength, isn’t it?"

"Miss Xiao’s words are indeed true. In that case, please, Ning Daoist, enter the Fire Pathway."

Hex Shixiu laughed dryly a few times but felt somewhat displeased inside.

Ning Fan also paid no mind to Hex Shixiu, he walked step by step toward a certain light gate, which wasn’t the fire light gate.

What he wanted to enter was not the Fire Pathway but the Water Pathway.

"Oh? Little Fan Fan’s actions always surprise me. Is he trying to break through the Water Pathway? Well, with chaotic ancient Yin-Yang, practicing both fire and ice, his resistance to water isn’t small..." the little demoness pondered.

"The Water Pathway? Is he walking to his death! Those not proficient in water techniques will face nine deaths and one life upon entering the Water Pathway!"

Hex Shixiu’s eyes shook, unable to fathom why Ning Fan wanted to enter the Water Pathway.

He heard that Ning Fan has a magical ability of black fire, only knowing Ning Fan is proficient in fire techniques but never heard of Ning Fan being proficient in water techniques.

Naturally, he did not know Ning Fan entered the Water Pathway not to break the pass but to cultivate the water element physique of the Minor Five Elements Constitution.

From the Five Elements Pathway, Ning Fan felt very strong five-element power.

He wanted to try if he could perfect his Minor Five Elements Constitution within the passageway.

"Such cold rain..."

Ning Fan flew into the Water Pathway, greeted by a vast snowy field, from the sky above which light rain fell.

Below his feet were snow, above his head was rain...

This place is exceedingly cold, yet the raindrops didn’t freeze, because this rain contained rain intent.

The rain had an invisible lethality, which would heavily injure those not proficient in rain techniques.

Ning Fan had refined a lot of chill and has the Minor Five Elements Constitution. Although the water physique was not perfect, it provided some defense against water.

He walked step by step in the snowfield, his spirit sense extending far and wide.

On this snowfield, countless snow beasts resided.

On sensing Ning Fan’s intrusion into this realm, numerable snow beasts immediately attacked.

These snow beasts varied in strength, with the weakest being Divinity Transformation, and the strongest reaching the Void Fragmentation Realm.

Ning Fan spread his sword sense, causing numerous low-level snow beasts to perish beneath the sword sense, reverting to white snow.

Inside each snow beast, there is a water crystal, which falls onto the snow when the snow beast perishes.

Those water crystals were collected by Ning Fan one by one.

The Void Fragmentation Realm snow beasts were collected by Ning Fan into the Swirling Void Realm.

Two hours had long passed, and the Fragmented Five Wraith had turned into a mess of blood.

The Void Fragmentation Realm snow beasts were sucked into the Swirling Void Realm but didn’t turn into blood water; they turned into snow water.

This snow water was merely ordinary water, but the water crystals within snow beasts were unusual.

The crystals were extracted by Ning Fan from the Swirling Void Realm and examined carefully.

These water crystals contained extremely strong water element power.

Water can transform into mist, rain, snow, ice, rivers, seas...

The highest goodness is like water, which benefits all things without competing; hence it is close to the Dao...

Ning Fan sat cross-legged on the snow, refining piece by piece of water crystal.

With each crystal, the perfection progress of his water element physique steadily increased, reaching four percent after refining all crystals.

Ning Fan stood up, continuing forward. Whenever encountering snow beasts, he killed them, collecting and refining the water crystals.

The progression of his water element physique gradually increased, five percent, six percent, seven percent...

Ten days later, his water element physique improved to a hundred percent, achieving total perfection.

The perfection of the water element physique significantly enhanced his physical defense.

Despite the water element being perfected, the Ancient Demon Bloodline cultivation hadn’t yet broken through the devil lord bottleneck.

Ning Fan walked halfway along the Water Pathway, then halted his footsteps.

Further ahead were snow beasts with the Fracture Sixth Rank cultivation, which needed to be defeated to break the Water Pass.

Ning Fan shook his head, trusting Red Long Dress to break through the Golden Pass, not considering risking fighting Fracture Sixth Rank snow beasts.

Not just one Fracture Sixth Rank, even unleashing Nieli couldn’t guarantee no harm to it, not worth it.

Step by step, he walked back, occasionally looking at the rain above, occasionally at the snow beneath.

Ice is formed by water and colder than water... Yet under the Great Divine Power, water can be colder than ice.

Mist, rain, snow, ice - their differences lie in the intent.

Rivers, lakes, seas - their differences lie in the momentum.

The Dao of Water cultivates both intent and momentum...

With insights blossoming, Ning Fan walked out of the Water Pathway.

Then, he entered the Earth Pathway.

The little demoness was surprised, but then understood, smiling sweetly at Ning Fan’s back, "I thought my husband entered the Water Pathway to break through, yet I guessed wrong again."

Hex Shixiu, however, looked perplexedly at Ning Fan’s back, "He first entered the Water Pathway, then the Earth Pathway... What is he doing?"

Inside the Earth Pathway, what entered the sight was an endless desert.

Yellow wind blowing at the body, could heavily injure those lacking mastery in earth techniques.

The desert also housed innumerable earth beasts, within which were earth crystals.

These earth beasts did not actively attack Ning Fan, but instead, turned into stone, piling into mountains.

As a group of earth beasts transformed into mountains, an unimaginable force of the land pressed down on Ning Fan’s head.

Suddenly, Ning Fan’s knees sank deeply into the desert, his expression extremely solemn.

"Earth transforms to extreme as mountain. The Dao of Earth, unlike water, emphasizes momentum instead of intent... Earth element cultivators excel in momentum defense and large-scale momentum attacks..."

"Break!"

Ning Fan’s right eye overflowed with Demonic Qi, and suddenly, a gigantic devil mountain rose beneath his feet, with him standing at the peak!

Standing atop the devil mountain, controlling its force, the mere force of the earth beasts crumbled!

"Extinguish!"

Sword sense swept across, causing masses of earth beasts to fall back to dirt, leaving behind earth crystals...