novelraw Chapter 694: Severing Mortal Ties (Part 3)
Chapter 694: Severing Mortal Ties (Part 3)
Two months later, dressed in red again went into seclusion, and Ning Fan was ’sent’ away.
Ning Fan used the Black Demon Escape Technique, returning directly to Yue Country. That night, he rested in his room, recovering his mana.
The night was deep, and faintly, the sound of a zither playing came from Si Fan Palace.
Ning Fan, who had some understanding of music, vaguely detected a faint homesickness in the zither’s melody.
As the moonlight entered his room, he pushed the door open and went out, following the sound of the zither.
In a side courtyard’s Snow Pavilion, Xu Qiuling sat quietly, dressed in simple attire, playing the zither silently with her eyes closed.
Noticing Ning Fan’s arrival, Xu Qiuling subconsciously opened her bright eyes, stopped playing, and smiled softly, "Big Brother, why have you come..."
"I came to see you. Are you homesick..." Ning Fan sighed gently.
Back then, due to his lack of strength, he worried for the safety of Xu Qiuling and the others at the Endless Sea, fearing they might be harmed by the Rain World’s Emperor, so he brought them all back to Yue Country.
As years passed, the Rain Immortal World had calmed down, and Xu Qiuling most likely missed her family at the Endless Sea...
And Feng Xueyan probably missed the Giant Devil Sect as well...
What about Su Yao, does she also miss the Outer Sea? What about Ya Lan, does she miss Yishi Palace? What about Bai Su, does she miss Gu Su...
"Yes, a little homesick, but..." Xu Qiuling didn’t finish, as Ning Fan gently embraced her.
"If you miss home, you can go back. Now, in the Rain Immortal World, wherever you wish to go, there’ll be no danger. Of course, this Sound Transmission Jade Gui, you must carry with you."
Ning Fan shamelessly regarded Sovereign Xia as his personal bodyguard, handing over a Sound Transmission Jade Gui to Xu Qiuling.
Then, he explained the significance of the jade tablet to her.
Xu Qiuling lowered her head, her hair covering her eyes, making her expression unreadable.
Suddenly, a tear fell onto Ning Fan’s arm.
"Why are you crying?" Ning Fan’s breath hitched, holding Xu Qiuling tightly.
"Why are you crying..." he asked tenderly.
Xu Qiuling said nothing more, only extending her arms, tightly wrapping them around Ning Fan’s neck, unwilling to let go.
Unwilling, unwilling, unwilling...
No need to say much, Ning Fan already knew Xu Qiuling’s unwillingness, unwilling to see Ning Fan ascend, unwilling for a parting that might last millennia.
No, it’s not the mere thousand-year wait she fears, but that Ning Fan might never return once he leaves.
Will he die, will he die... Is she afraid he might die in the Four Heavens, his bones buried in a foreign land?
And she, so weak, even unable to go to the Four Heavens to search for her beloved’s remains, is that it...
"I won’t die!" Ning Fan said, a single sentence, but with determination.
This was a promise!
Though Xu Qiuling remained silent, he understood all of Xu Qiuling’s worries.
Some people need no words, their hearts resonate in unison.
"If you die, I will hate you for a lifetime! No, for lifetimes on end!"
"Alright. Don’t cry, tomorrow I’ll take you back to the Outer Sea, back to Gu Su, and bring Su Yao and the others along, and Xueyan too..." Ning Fan wiped away Xu Qiuling’s tears, his actions exceptionally gentle.
"No need for Xueyan, in your absence, the Giant Devil Clan Leader has come to Yue Country to see her, wishing to invite her back, but she no longer wants to return... She only wishes to stay with the paper cranes and the others..."
"This little girl."
Ning Fan was speechless. Feng Xueyan and her little group, not cultivating, not working, just eating, drinking, playing, engaging in grass fighting, pot throwing, and kite flying every day, truly lacking the awareness of being cultivators.
But isn’t this precisely what Ning Fan wished for, for them to live without staining their hands with blood, like carefree mortal women.
If the women he loved could live as such, without worries, how wonderful it would be.
A world without strife...
"Teach me to play the zither," Ning Fan suddenly smiled and said, "When I miss home, I will play a tune above the Four Heavens, listening to the sounds of home."
"Alright."
Xu Qiuling gently broke free from Ning Fan’s embrace, sat down again, closed her eyes, calmed her emotions, and played a melody on the zither.
She played the "Song of Yue Boatman," the hometown tune of Yue Country.
Accompanied by the melodious zither sounds, her singing voice was as clear as the celestial harmonies.
In this life, she sang only for Ning Fan.
"What night, this night is, rowing a boat midstream."
"What day, today is, rowing the boat with the Prince."
"Shamed by favor, no reproach nor disgrace."
"My heart unrestful yet unending, to know the Prince."
"The mountain has trees, trees have branches, my heart delights in you, yet you do not know."
The mountain has trees, trees have branches, my heart delights in you, yet you do not know...
Thankfully, he understood her intentions, her feelings were clear to him.
Thankfully, in this lifetime, she finally encountered him again.
In a past life, she was a flower, he was a butterfly.
Butterflies will not linger for the flowers, yet flowers will wait for the butterflies.
In this lifetime, he is the husband, she is the wife.
May your heart be like mine, never letting go of our shared longing...
May you soar a thousand miles; may no enemy invade you; may we reunite once more in the Rain Immortal World...
...
Xu Qiuling returned to Gu Su, which is by the side of the Pleasure Devil Sea, allowing her to see her father and family at any time.
Decades have passed since she left Gu Su; a new generation has replaced the old. Only some elderly folks still remember the bloody mist that Gu Su once endured.
Young children do not know who Ning Fan is.
The old residences are still preserved.
Bi Yao Immortal Island was moved back to the Endless Sea by Ning Fan, relocated next to Gu Su.
Su Yao and the women of Bi Yao Immortal Island could live in Gu Su from then on.
Ya Lan, now at the Early Nascent Soul realm, did not return to Yishi Palace and remained in Gu Su.
Bai Su, on the other hand, always prepared food and wine for Ning Fan, never crossing any lines, their understanding spoken in silence.
Ning Fan stayed in Gu Su for three months, practicing the zither daily. He had mastered the essence of the Song of Yue Boatman.
Every day, Xu Qiuling and Ning Fan played harmonious music together, a peaceful life she longed for.
"By the way, brother, how is little stone doing..." Xu Qiuling asked with a smile.
Bai Su always brought food and wine, just like in the old days.
She wanted to speak to Ning Fan but always stopped short, ultimately only talking about unrelated matters.
With her keen intuition, Xu Qiuling knew Bai Su wanted to ask about her child.
"Little stone is doing well, and it seems he’s about to get married..." Ning Fan replied with a smile.
"W-What! The child is getting married!" Bai Su showed a look of longing.
"Brother, you should take Sister Bai Su to see little stone. How can a child get married without their parents present?" Xu Qiuling said with a playful wink.
Bai Su’s face instantly turned red.
Parents... She was naturally little stone’s mother, but Ning Fan, was he considered little stone’s father?
Ning Fan looked at Xu Qiuling with a wry smile, understanding her meaning.
He had no children of his own, and now he suddenly gained a son...
But then...
Ning Fan glanced at Bai Su beside him and sighed gently.
He taught little stone Sword Dao, acting as little stone’s master. A master is like a father, and a disciple like a son. Since little stone was marrying, he should be there.
"Um... Young Master Ning, if you don’t want to go, perhaps you could just tell me where little stone is, and I can go by myself," Bai Su suggested, now a peak Gold Core powerhouse with some ability to protect herself in the world.
"No need. I also want to see how that child has grown."
Without giving Bai Su a chance to object, Ning Fan wrapped an arm around Bai Su’s slender waist, and with a flicker, they vanished.
Along the coastal countries of the Endless Sea, Zhongshan Country.
Zhongshan Country is a low ranked cultivation kingdom, mostly dominated by sword cultivators, and is governed by two major sword sects.
One is the Golden Light Sword Sect, the other the Sorrow Cloud Sword Sect, each having a late stage Gold Core patriarch overseeing them.
The Green Sword Sect in Zhongshan Country is a lesser-known sword sect, with a Sect Master who is merely a Late Harmonious Spirit cultivator.
Today, a grand wedding feast is being held within the Green Sword Sect.
The Sect Master’s daughter was to marry the sect’s most talented disciple, Shi Ming.
Everyone in Green Sword Sect praised Shi Ming, feeling great respect and awe.
This man, originally a swordsman from a mortal country, defied all odds by single-handedly defeating countless mortal swordsmen and even managing to best several Vein Opening sword cultivators while still a mortal.
Once invincible in the mortal realm, he entered Zhongshan Country to challenge cultivators.
As a mortal, with a single sword, he remained undefeated by anyone below the Harmonious Spirit realm, stunning the entire Zhongshan Country!
Numerous sword sects extended invitations, yet he chose to join the Green Sword Sect.
The reason... naturally, was because he fell for the Sect Master’s daughter of the Green Sword Sect, Feng Qing’er.
Feng Qing’er, a gifted swordswoman in Zhongshan Country, was equally enamored with Shi Ming.
The two were a perfect match, and the Sect Master of Green Sword Sect saw no reason to obstruct this heavenly union.
Moreover, Shi Ming’s cultivation speed was astonishingly fast, having achieved Harmonious Spirit within just ten years of joining the sect.
At the Early-stage Harmonious Spirit realm, he was invincible in Zhongshan Country below the Gold Core level.
"Qing’er has found a wonderful husband, and I have a fine son-in-law. Haha, after I’m gone, the Green Sword Sect will be in safe hands,"
The Sect Master of the Green Sword Sect sat at the head of the wedding hall, feeling gratified as he observed the harmonious couple below.
Many of the guests were fellow Daoists from various lesser sword sects. Seeing Shi Ming and Feng Qing’er, a pair of talented and beautiful people, they all offered their congratulations.
Yet, it was at this moment that several discordant voices suddenly echoed across the night sky of Green Sword Mountain.
"Hmph! Three months ago, Shi Ming killed our Sect Elder. You must give me an explanation!"
"Heh heh, this Feng Qing’er makes quite a nice cauldron furnace. Shi Ming is for your Golden Light Sword Sect, and Feng Qing’er shall be for us Sorrow Cloud Sword Sect!"
The pressure from several Old Monster Han of the Golden Core realm descended sharply, causing the entire Green Sword Mountain to erupt in exclamations!
"What! That’s Ancestor of Golden Light and Ancestor of Sorrow Cloud! They come with ill intentions, they come with ill intentions!"
"I heard Shi Ming killed a Golden Core early-stage elder of the Golden Light Sword Sect three months ago, I can’t believe it’s true!"
"Calamity, calamity! Both great ancestors of Zhongshan Country have appeared at once; today, our Green Sword Sect is facing great disaster!"
The Green Sword Sect Master’s face turned ashen as he walked out of the wedding hall.
The events of three months ago were crystal clear to him; an early-stage Golden Core elder of the Golden Light Sword Sect attempted to abduct his daughter for dual cultivation, but was slain by Shi Ming after a desperate, blood-soaked battle.
It was evident to the Green Sword Sect Master that Shi Ming harbored deep affection for his daughter, prompting him to agree to their marriage.
The Golden Light Sword Sect was powerful; even though his daughter was nearly disgraced, the Green Sword Sect Master dared not seek an explanation from them.
Unexpectedly, the party obviously in the wrong dared to demand an explanation from the Green Sword Sect, so audacious!
But the Green Sword Sect Master also understood, the cultivation world was such; reason didn’t matter; with bigger fists, they were justified.
Grinding his teeth, the Green Sword Sect Master clasped his hands towards the floating elders.
"Today is my daughter’s big day; I hope you all will grant this old man some face..."
Before he finished speaking, the Ancestor of Golden Light snorted coldly, and a vast wave of mana struck the Green Sword Sect Master in the chest, making him cough blood as he staggered back.
"Face? With your mere Late Harmonious Spirit cultivation, you dare ask me for face! Hand over Shi Ming immediately, or I will slaughter the Green Sword Sect today!" the Ancestor of Golden Light sneered coldly.
"Haha! Feng Qing’er is an exquisite cauldron furnace; you must not slaughter her too. She is mine!" the Ancestor of Sorrow Cloud laughed chillingly.
"Naturally, Fellow Daoist Sorrow Cloud, fear not. Once matters are settled here, I will have her cleaned up and sent to your residence." The Ancestor of Golden Light said with a carefree tone.
"Father!"
Feng Qing’er lifted the red veil, ran out of the wedding hall, supported her father, and stared angrily at the elders standing in the sky.
Shi Ming quietly stepped out of the wedding hall, without sparing the Green Sword Sect Master a glance, his expression cold and terrifying.
Nobody knew how closely Shi Ming’s icy demeanor resembled that of Zhou Ming, the infamous devil of the Endless Sea in the past.
He was indeed the ’little stone,’ with Shi as his surname and Ming as his name.
The ’Ming’ in his name came from Zhou Ming.
That was the person he admired most, admired by his mother, the one who taught him the Sword Dao.
Teacher for a day, father for life!
The day blood stained Gu Su, Zhou Ming showed Shi Ming what true strength was!
It was unrelated to cultivation or Sword Dao, merely a conviction, an obsession, which cannot be erased by a hundred deaths!
Perhaps he was no match for the Ancestor of Golden Light and others, but if they wanted to annihilate his sect and steal his wife, it was absolutely impossible!
"Shi Ming is here; those who wish to take my life, come and fight!"
Shi Ming took a step forward, suddenly surrounded by a faint Sword Intent!
Though weak, the Sword Intent shocked everyone present!
A Master at the Early-stage Harmonious Spirit realm comprehending a Sword Intent that should only be understood by cultivators at the Divinity Transformation realm!
Facing Shi Ming’s cold and fierce gaze, the Ancestor of Golden Light suddenly felt uneasy.
"This child must not be spared!"
Previously, the intent to kill Shi Ming was due to the death of a Golden Core Master, but now it was merely to eliminate a future threat!
Shi Ming’s talent terrified him!
"By my command, the Ancestor of Golden Light, the Green Sword Sect will perish today, and Shi Ming will die! All who aid the Green Sword Sect shall be enemies of the Golden Light Sword Sect! Come, massacre the sect!"
At the order of the Ancestor of Golden Light, thousands of Sword Cultivators hidden in the night emerged, looking down coldly at the Green Sword Sect below.
The guests, pale with terror, fled the wedding hall, unwilling to be associated with the Green Sword Sect in any way.
Tonight, the Golden Light Sword Sect will annihilate the Green Sword Sect, and likely no one can stop it...
Tonight, Shi Ming, hailed as Zhongshan Country’s top young talent, is destined to fall...
"Uncle Zhou... Mother..." Shi Ming closed his eyes and sighed lightly.
He wasn’t afraid to die, only regretted not seeing Ning Fan and his mother one last time before dying.
In the next instant, Shi Ming’s eyes widened in disbelief, gazing at two figures who appeared out of nowhere in the night sky.
A young man in white embraced a beautiful woman in white, appearing above in the night sky.
No one saw how these two arrived!
"Uncle Zhou!"
Shi Ming’s typically icy eyes suddenly burned with intense passion.
The next moment, Ning Fan and Bai Su descended outside the wedding hall.
Ning Fan extended his hand, patting Shi Ming’s head, smiling, "Little Stone has grown up..."
"Little Stone!" Bai Su had already begun to weep with emotion.
The Ancestor of Golden Light was taken aback, not expecting the Green Sword Sect to have outside help, and this help being Shi Ming’s seniors.
He glanced at Ning Fan, unable to discern his cultivation, but when he looked at Bai Su, his heart sank immediately.
Peak Gold Core...
This is troublesome. I didn’t expect Shi Ming to have a peak Gold Core elder. Today might be a tough battle.
However, it seems Bai Su’s aura is weak, probably not someone who fights often, so her combat power should not be high.
"Daoist Sorrow Cloud, how about we join forces to capture this woman?" Grandfather Golden Light sneered.
"Alright! But once it’s done, she becomes my Cauldron Furnace!" Old Ancestor Sorrow Cloud licked his lips. A peak Gold Core Cauldron Furnace is rare and hard to come by.
As soon as their words fell, they suddenly met Ning Fan’s icy gaze!
What a cold stare, devoid of any emotion, filled only with a chilling intent to kill!
"He is my disciple!"
Ning Fan’s cold voice was like countless lightning strikes, directly exploding in the divine senses of Grandfather Golden Light and thousands of others!
Grandfather Golden Light and Old Ancestor Sorrow Cloud’s faces changed dramatically, as did everyone’s expressions at the scene!
"Na...Nascent Soul cultivator! This man’s voice alone can intimidate us, he must be a Nascent Soul cultivator!"
"Hu...husband, the Uncle Zhou you frequently mentioned turns out to be a Nascent Soul cultivator!" Feng Qing’er was so shocked she couldn’t close her mouth.
"No, Uncle Zhou is not a Nascent Soul cultivator, he is..." Shi Ming wanted to say Ning Fan is a Spirit Severing cultivator, but the next moment, he was shocked himself.
Ning Fan is not a Spirit Severing cultivator! How could he merely possess the cultivation of a Spirit Severing cultivator!
A vast aura spread from Ning Fan’s body, causing the entire Zhongshan Country to tremble!
The mountains quaked, rivers flowed backward, the earth convulsed, and the sky cracked open, disrupting the void completely!
"Void...Void Fragmentation! The legendary Void Fragmentation cultivator!"
Grandfather Golden Light was almost scared out of his wits.
These heavenly phenomena can only be triggered by a Void Fragmentation cultivator!
Void Fragmentation, Void Fragmentation...it’s a realm he dared not even imagine!
A Void Fragmentation powerhouse, with just one spell, could slaughter an entire lower-ranked cultivation kingdom, how dare he offend such a person!
"Se...Senior, this is a misunderstanding, please listen to my explanation!" Grandfather Golden Light shivered all over, pleading.
Ning Fan’s expression remained indifferent as he slowly raised his hand, reaching towards the heavens.
He didn’t need any explanations; he only wanted all who opposed Shi Ming to die here!
With just a grasp, a force of unimaginable collapse swept across the sky, turning thousands of Golden Light Sect cultivators into bloody mist!
The thick scent of blood permeated the air, leaving every guest present in fearful silence!
Moreover, a guest who had once been to Middle State, trembling with his hands, took out a portrait from his storage pouch.
It was the portrait of the Nieyun Rain Emperor!
No mistake, no mistake!
"He, he is the Nieyun Rain Emperor! He is the Rain Emperor!"
One sentence left everyone at the scene scared to death!
This man is not only an old monster of the Void Fragmentation realm, but also the most powerful Nieyun Rain Emperor of the nine worlds!
"Pa...paying respects to the Rain Emperor!"
Numerous cultivators knelt on Green Sword Mountain, bowing their heads to Ning Fan.
Ning Fan frowned slightly and with a wave of his sleeve, everyone was instantly lifted up.
He turned to look at Shi Ming, whose face was full of doubt, and smiled as he gently patted Shi Ming’s head, just like in the past, close and affectionate.
"Uncle Zhou, you..." Shi Ming had a suspicion in his heart, suspecting that his Uncle Zhou was none other than the esteemed Divine Emperor of the Rain World.
But the suspicion was too shocking to entertain.
"Silly child...I will always be your Uncle Zhou. Today, on the occasion of your wedding, I brought your mother to see you."
Ning Fan waved his sleeve, and slowly, a Golden Core Dao Fruit floated in from the night sky, left behind after Grandfather Golden Light’s death.
After some consideration, he also took out a whole box of Golden Core Dao Fruits from his storage pouch, yes, a whole box.
"These are a token of my and your mother’s goodwill, take them."
Bai Su blushed. Are they really that close, for him to say such things?
The Sect Master of Green Sword was already stunned.
He completely didn’t know that his son-in-law had such terrifying background.
Nieyun Rain Emperor! Nieyun Rain Emperor!
For their strength into an alliance through marriage with the Nieyun Rain Emperor made him feel like he was in a dream.
Feng Qing’er was quite obedient. Once in the wedding hall, she pulled Shi Ming along to serve Ning Fan and Bai Su tea.
"Please have some tea, Father-in-law. Please have some tea, Mother-in-law..."
"No, it’s not what you think..." Bai Su wanted to explain her relationship with Ning Fan but didn’t know what to say, so she bowed her head, blushing.
Ning Fan took the teacup, gave Bai Su a meaningful look, sipped the spiritual tea, and nodded in satisfaction.
This trip was certainly not in vain... (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read it on m.qidian.com.)