Grasping the Evil

Chapter 711: Eternal Jade

"Where is Sect Master Baiyao?" Ning Fan, back in his white robe, asked indifferently.

His voice was not loud, yet it carried an icy chill.

After all, he had just wiped out the entire army of seventy thousand Green Scarf Bandits with a wave of his hand!

"Junior is here, not knowing what command the Senior has?" Sect Master Baiyao stepped forward nervously, bowing and cupping his hands.

"Refine the flesh and blood essence of seventy thousand Green Scarf Bandits, organize all the spoils of war and hand them over to me."

"Yes!"

"I want to enter the Ziwei Pool, and I prefer not to be disturbed by anyone."

"Yes!"

Ning Fan had no interest in personally overseeing battlefield cleanup.

His figure descended beside the Ziwei Pool, walking step by step toward the thatched hut.

Outside the thatched hut, Ning Fan paused his steps without pushing the door open.

He could sense that his arrival had caused quite a stir within the hut.

"May I come in?"

"No!" Ouyang Nuan bit her lip and said.

"Is that so... What truly happened that day, could I have miscalculated something, why did you become like this..."

Ning Fan sighed softly and still pushed the door open to enter.

Inside the hut, a girl in green sat with her back facing the door.

Feeling Ning Fan’s entry, her delicate shoulders trembled slightly.

Her once dark hair had a few strands that turned pale.

Her once smooth, satin-like skin was now marked with wrinkles here and there.

She didn’t dare turn around to look at Ning Fan; the death aura around her was heavily dense...

This was a sign of nearing the end of life. At this moment, Ouyang Nuan was at the edge of death, feeble like an aged woman in her twilight years.

"Don’t look..." Ouyang Nuan weakly pleaded.

Ning Fan did not speak much, merely walked quietly behind Ouyang Nuan, placing his palm on her delicate shoulder.

No expected softness, only a touch of dry thinness... aged like an old woman...

"Wei Qi is not here, is he..." Ning Fan murmured.

"..." Ouyang Nuan remained silent, her eyes filled with indelible pain.

"He betrayed us, right..."

"No, no! He was controlled by the Heartbreak Pill from Medicine Sect, he wasn’t intentional!" Ouyang Nuan nervously recovered, looking seriously at Ning Fan, explaining.

Turning around at this moment, she immediately became aware that her hideous appearance was laid bare before Ning Fan, hurriedly covered her face with both hands.

"Ten breaths, I managed to hold on for ten breaths, yet no strong reinforcement came, only surrounded, is that so... He broke open the seal of demonic thoughts in my body, did he... Tell me, what exactly happened that day, Miss Nuan."

Ning Fan gently crouched down, looked at Ouyang Nuan’s aged face without a hint of disgust, always with a tender smile.

Ouyang Nuan, feeling ashamed, wanted to avoid Ning Fan’s gaze, wanted to get up and leave, but Ning Fan grasped her arm and gently pressed her back into the chair.

"Sit firmly and hold this ugly thing, tell me about what happened that day!"

Ning Fan domineeringly instructed, with a casual move, a Maoqiu was held in his hand and tossed into Ouyang Nuan’s embrace.

Ouyang Nuan gave Ning Fan a slight glare, discontented, "It’s not ugly, it’s your little girl, Ning Xiaoqiu."

"I’ve heard this little guy calling you ’Mother Nuan’. I am the father, and you’re the mother? Is that what you’re trying to express?" Ning Fan teased.

"No, no, that’s not it! It calls wrongly! I’ve never taught it to call like that!" Ouyang Nuan angrily patted Maoqiu’s little butt, she really hadn’t taught Maoqiu to call that, it realized by itself.

True Blood Spirit Select, so clever, with a man and a woman together, if the man is the father, wouldn’t the woman be the mother, right?

Maoqiu let out a low howl, indicating the hit was unfair.

With Ning Fan and this little guy’s mess, Ouyang Nuan couldn’t help but feel uplifted, momentarily forgetting her appearance concerns.

"What truly happened on that day? Your life span is lacking, what’s happening, is there anything I can assist with?"

"You can’t help me, truly... Don’t worry, don’t blame yourself, I naturally only had two thousand years of lifespan, due to saving you, now only twenty years. Actually, for me, whether two thousand years or twenty, really makes no difference, ultimately it’s inevitable death, isn’t it..."

Ouyang Nuan quietly watched Ning Fan, her eyes held a warm smile like the newborn morning sun.

"Have you heard of the natural medicine body... Someone with a natural medicine body is born with the Medicine Soul descended, destined to be a Fifth Revolution Dan Master. This isn’t fortunate but a curse... No person with a natural medicine body can live past ten thousand years, ten thousand years is the lifespan limit for all those with natural medicine bodies. No one with a natural medicine body can become an immortal, nor have the possibility of eternal life. Master knew I wouldn’t live long, so though stingy, he always gave me lots of money, hoping I lived happily during my lifetime..."

"Master gifted me many protective treasures, but I never wore them. Do you know why? Because I want to die, to die in the hands of unknown Demons and bandits, that way, Master wouldn’t have to risk his life repeatedly entering True Immortal Forbidden Lands searching for ways to save me... Several times, Master nearly died in those True Immortal Forbidden Lands, did you know how guilty I felt... He gave me the Ninth Revolution Pursue-Death Pill, planted commands within me, forbade me from ending myself, forbade anyone from killing me, he definitely wants to save me, I’m deeply grateful, yet more is the guilt..."

"For some people, living one more day means dragging family down a bit more... I really don’t want to live anymore, still, I met you. You let me know that living can really be interesting... Yet ultimately I harmed you, if not for seeking your help to save someone, you wouldn’t have been sneak attacked by Uncle Qi, wouldn’t have demonic thoughts invading your body, wouldn’t have nearly died... Living, means harming others and oneself..."

"I separated the Medicine Soul origin within me, helped you seal the gap of demonic thoughts, because that gap was caused by me... This eight thousand years, I lived very tired and tired, have lived enough, remaining twenty years, I want to pass quietly, don’t want to harm anybody anymore, don’t want to feel guilty, remorseful... I, owe no one..."

Though meant to tell Ning Fan the truth of the day, Ouyang Nuan couldn’t help but share many years of heartfelt matters unguardedly with Ning Fan.

She was the disciple of the Medicine Sect’s master, becoming immortal was easy, yet she couldn’t become immortal, couldn’t live eternally.

She was the holder of the Five-Color Medicine Soul from ancient legends, an extraordinary talent in Alchemy, yet had no fate with the pinnacle of the Alchemy Dao in this life.

"Remember that IOU? It wasn’t a loan but a wager... When I was very young, your master and my master met at a gambling house on some Cultivation Star, they bet, the stake was ten billion Dao Crystals. Your master said, one day he would have a disciple, who could heal me... I didn’t want you troubled for my body, so I wanted to retrieve the IOU, yet you misunderstood and tore it... At that time I thought, your master surely hadn’t told you the true meaning of the IOU. Yet you tore it to prevent me from the trouble anyway, I was really touched, really touched...

"No one can save me, nor do I need anyone to save me, I am just so tired, so tired..."

Ouyang Nuan tiredly fell asleep, her body slightly swaying, leaning into Ning Fan’s embrace, emitting soft breath sounds.

She still hadn’t told Ning Fan the truth of the day, but from her fragmented words, Ning Fan understood the reason for his seven-year coma.

The reason was Wei Qi’s ’betrayal’.

Wei Qi was captured; initially, Ning Fan speculated that a Medicine Sect traitor tricked Wei Qi away from Shaoze Star.

He never thought Wei Qi was controlled by the Heartbreak Pill of Medicine Sect, leaving Shaoze Star himself...

The Heartbreak Pill’s effect was a seamless control of a person, unbeknownst to the person involved.

The effect of the Heartbreak Pill lasted a lifetime...

Perhaps even Wei Qi didn’t know he was given the Heartbreak Pill...

When Ning Fan used the Dismantling Technique to block the tall Fate Immortal for ten breaths, what awaited him was Wei Qi’s treacherous attack...

Truly, he miscalculated...

Even if he had activated the formation pattern at the beginning and killed the two Fourth Revolution Dan Refinement Masters Fate Immortals, he would have most likely been ambushed by ’Wei Qi’.

He miscalculated by not considering Wei Qi...

The person he wanted to save turned out to be the most dangerous enemy...

But how did Ning Fan survive the joint attack of Wei Qi and the tall Fate Immortal?

And how did Ouyang Nuan manage to bring him to the Ancient Chen Star Domain?

Why was he specifically brought to Youhai Star...

There are still questions without answers, yet Ning Fan was not prepared to wake up Ouyang Nuan to inquire.

He gently placed Ouyang Nuan on the bed, sat beside her, and quietly watched her aged face with a slight frown.

"Is there really no way to extend her life..."

Maoqiu snuggled contentedly in Ouyang Nuan’s bed, completely oblivious to the fact that its warm mother did not have much time left...

Swoosh!

A streak of escape light gently landed outside the Ziwei Pool.

Ning Fan’s gaze sharpened as he walked out of the cottage, only to see that the old man named Qian had already returned.

"Weren’t you traveling far, Senior?" Ning Fan cupped his fists in a salute.

"Yes, I traveled afar, intending to kill a few people, but I couldn’t trust your character, so I thought I should come back to take a look... Did you meet the warm girl?" the old man asked with a strange tone.

"Yes."

"Hmph! That girl wouldn’t even see me after losing her appearance, yet she would see you! Indeed, a girl can’t be kept when she grows up!" The old man spoke with a sour tone and, recalling Ouyang Nuan’s current miserable condition, fell silent.

"Does Senior know how to extend the life of an Innate Spiritual Medicine body?" Ning Fan suddenly asked.

"Oh? You want to save the warm girl? Do you think, with your limited cultivation, you can obtain that thing?" The old man snorted disdainfully.

"That thing? What is it? Is there truly a way to extend Ouyang Nuan’s life?" Ning Fan’s eyes glinted brightly.

"Yes, in ancient times there was an Immortal Emperor named the Eternal Emperor, who crafted three pieces of Eternal Jade in his lifetime. Any creature that refines this jade into their body can achieve immortality. Remember, any creature! Whether a mortal or a plant, as long as they obtain this Eternal Jade, the Innate Spiritual Medicine body can also live endlessly! Of these three pieces of Eternal Jade, one was destroyed in an ancient war, another was lost in a certain True Immortal Forbidden Land, its whereabouts unknown, and the third is in the hands of the Slaughter Emperor from the Slaughter Hall. Do you think you can find any of them!"

"The master of the warm girl hasn’t found the whereabouts of that lost piece despite searching countless ancient forbidden lands for many years in the Four Heavens. Do you think you can find it? You can’t even enter the periphery of those forbidden lands, and any random Fate Immortal or True Immortal beast could swallow you in one bite!"

The old man looked at Ning Fan with disdain and snorted coldly.

Ever since Ouyang Nuan brought the half-dead Ning Fan, kneeling and begging him to save him, the old man had not looked favorably upon Ning Fan.

"The Eternal Jade? Isn’t one piece in the hands of the Slaughter Emperor? Why not ask the Slaughter Hall for it? Can’t the Medicine Sect produce something valuable to exchange for a piece of Eternal Jade?" Ning Fan questioned in confusion.

"Ask the Slaughter Emperor for something? Cough, cough, cough... Young friend, your courage is truly admirable. I feel ashamed. If you dare to go to the Slaughter Hall and ask the Slaughter Emperor for something, no matter what condition the Slaughter Emperor offers for the jade, the old man, no, the Medicine Sect, will agree without hesitation..."

The old man looked at Ning Fan with the eyes of a fool.

Clearly, Ning Fan was a novice to the starry sky, unaware of the terrifying nature of the Slaughter Emperor.

Requesting something from the Slaughter Emperor... this kid thinks the Sect Master of the Medicine Sect hasn’t tried!

On that day, the Sect Master of the Medicine Sect barely survived being besieged by Slaughter Hall experts after expressing the desire to meet the Slaughter Emperor to request the Eternal Jade...

Millions of years ago, an Immortal Emperor once coveted an Innate Spiritual Medicine in the hands of the Slaughter Emperor. He was severely injured by a single finger from the Slaughter Emperor and left the Slaughter Hall in disgrace.

The Slaughter Emperor would surely obtain anything he set his sights on.

Anything he desired could not be coveted by anyone!

Acquiring the Eternal Jade from the Slaughter Emperor is harder than ascending to heavens.

If Ning Fan were to seek the Eternal Jade from the Slaughter Emperor, his fate would certainly be tragic...

No, with his cultivation, he lacks even the qualification to enter the Slaughter Blood Realm, let alone the qualification to meet the Slaughter Emperor.

"Would requesting something from the Slaughter Emperor end terribly?" Ning Fan asked, lost in his thoughts while looking at the old man.

"Naturally! You would die without a doubt!" The old man sneered endlessly.

"Has no one ever managed to obtain what they wanted from the Slaughter Emperor?"

"It’s not that no one has succeeded. If someone within the Slaughter Hall has exceptional merit, they might be able to request a reward from the Slaughter Emperor. If the Slaughter Emperor is in a good mood, he might grant the request. But if he’s in a bad mood, he might just crush the person to pulp with a single finger..."

"If one achieves extraordinary merit, they can request a reward from the Slaughter Emperor?" Ning Fan’s eyes flashed with insight.

Would presenting the long-lost elder order count as such an extraordinary merit?

If he wished to offer the order, he must first become a disciple of the Slaughter Hall, then find a way to enter the Slaughter Blood Realm and present the order directly to the Slaughter Emperor...

If the elder order were revealed before he even met the Slaughter Emperor, he would likely be killed and the order taken by countless powerful figures in the Slaughter Hall...

Offering the elder order as an extraordinary merit required verification.

If possible, how to meet the Slaughter Emperor needed careful planning...

Ning Fan furrowed his brows deeply. Ouyang Nuan’s matter had intrigued him.

Wei Qi’s ’betrayal’, saving him because of Ouyang Nuan, had cleared one debt but incurred another lifesaving debt.

Ultimately, it has to be repaid...

"I’m in a bad mood and need to kill a few people. You better take good care of the warm girl. If you dare to do anything beastly to her, I will dismember you into eight pieces! Hmph!"

The old man’s eyes flashed with murderous intent and, with a step, merged into the heavens and earth, instantly vanishing across a starfield’s distance.

"Shrinking the ground below his foot into an inch!" Ning Fan’s gaze was shaken. This old man named Qian was incredibly formidable, having even successfully comprehended the Shrinking the Ground into an Inch.

Once the old man departed, Ning Fan fell into silent contemplation.

He had come to the Ancient Chen Star Domain for the Immortal Soul Grass. From today, he would begin to inquire about the whereabouts of the Immortal Soul Grass.

Meanwhile, he also needed to gather intelligence on the Slaughter Hall...

If there was even the slightest possibility, he would help Ouyang Nuan obtain the Eternal Jade!

The debts owed must be repaid!

(2/3) (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations, and monthly tickets, your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)