novelraw Chapter 718: The First Badge
Chapter 718: The First Badge
Within this Hot Spring Palace, there are hundreds of Hot Spring Pavilions.
Each Hot Spring Pavilion is equipped with a Sense Barrier Formation, making it impossible for an ordinary Void Fragmentation cultivator to freely peek at others bathing.
The Heaven No.1 Hot Spring Pavilion’s Sense Barrier Formation is especially powerful, even those at the Early Human Profound Life Immortal stage cannot spy inside.
The maid leading the way intentionally swayed her soft waist in front of Ning Fan, occasionally glancing back at him with eyes full of seductive charm.
She wasn’t a virgin, just an Early-stage Harmonious Spirit female cultivator. If she could win Ning Fan’s favor, a night of pleasure would bring immense benefits.
Should Ning Fan casually grant her some expensive pills, it would be enough for her for a lifetime.
Unfortunately, Ning Fan didn’t glance at her even once from beginning to end, his eyes always held a hint of understanding as he looked at Ouyang Nuan beside him.
"You’re very nervous, why?" Ning Fan teased.
"No reason... No! I’m not nervous!" Ouyang Nuan’s mind gradually went blank, her thoughts sluggish.
"The thing you worry about, I think it’s unlikely to happen. I don’t take advantage of others." Ning Fan smiled once more.
"Then promise!" Ouyang Nuan looked at Ning Fan, somewhat breathless.
"I don’t promise."
"You pervert! If you dare take advantage of me... I’ll let Maoqiu bite you!"
"Fine. If you let Maoqiu bite me, I’ll take advantage of you."
It was only at this moment that Ouyang Nuan didn’t seem as calm as usual, showing a hint of the shy demeanor of a young woman.
Ning Fan found it greatly amusing, occasionally teasing Ouyang Nuan a bit.
The leading maid felt deeply disappointed; she didn’t understand what was so good about the ’ugly woman’ beside Ning Fan that he would go to such lengths to please her.
Indeed, in the eyes of others, wasn’t Ouyang Nuan just an old and unattractive woman?
And now, Ouyang Nuan’s aura was too weak, she felt like an Early-stage Harmonious Spirit cultivator.
How could a mere Harmonious Spirit maid perceive that Ouyang Nuan was a Fourth Heavenly Layer of the Void Fragmentation Realm expert?
At the Heaven No.1 Hot Spring Pavilion, the maid looked at Ning Fan with a deeply affectionate expression, thinking that her cultivation and beauty surpassed Ouyang Nuan’s.
She believed that if even Ouyang Nuan had a chance to get close to Ning Fan, she definitely had a better chance.
"Doesn’t Senior need a beauty to serve him..." She said with a mix of three parts seduction and seven parts softness, precisely the type many men liked.
Ouyang Nuan frowned; she didn’t like such wanton women who volunteered to serve.
"No need, you may leave! Inform your shopkeeper that I don’t need any other women to serve; having her is enough! While I’m in the Hot Spring Pavilion, any intruder will be killed without mercy!"
Ning Fan’s voice was cold and devoid of warmth.
The Harmonious Spirit maid felt as if she were in an ice-cold abyss, her whole body trembling uncontrollably!
She had forgotten that the person before her was a powerful demon, an esteemed guest, not someone she could casually seduce!
Without much hesitation, the Harmonious Spirit maid quickly exited.
Those beautiful female cultivators who had planned to try climbing into Ning Fan’s bed, all turned pale, no longer daring to enter the pavilion to serve Ning Fan.
Didn’t you hear what Ning Fan said? Any trespasser will be killed without mercy!
Ning Fan and Ouyang Nuan entered the Hot Spring Pavilion, which was more of a small palace than a pavilion.
The first level of the pavilion had a large hot spring with a stone path leading to a serene area, rich with origin fire.
The second level had a Refinement Room, a refinement room, a cultivation room, and naturally, a place for rolling in bed.
Unfortunately, Ning Fan didn’t come here to roll in bed with Ouyang Nuan; otherwise, it could have been a place to create some good memories.
"Maoqiu’s father, aren’t you a cultivator of the Yin Yang Transformation? Why not take those Cauldron Furnaces that came offering themselves?" Ouyang Nuan asked with a smile.
She didn’t like those kinds of women, and with Ning Fan driving those disreputable women away, she naturally felt quite pleased.
"Aren’t you the ready-made Cauldron Furnace? Why would I need them?"
After saying this, Ning Fan spent several billion Dao Crystals to set up an Immortal Array in the Hot Spring Pavilion, just to be cautious.
He was here to help Ouyang Nuan refine the Soul Jade, and naturally didn’t want any accidents to occur.
After setting up the formation, Ning Fan took out a jade box containing the Soul Jade and placed it by the hot spring, removed his storage pouch, and absorbed the Cauldron Ring into his body, starting to undress by himself.
"What... what are you doing!" Ouyang Nuan turned around in shame and anger.
As she turned, she distinctly saw, Ning Fan skillfully stripping himself naked.
"Taking off my clothes to soak in the hot spring."
Ning Fan picked up the Soul Jade box and stepped into the hot spring pool, sitting down as the water slightly covered his chest.
With the faintly reddish water covering him, it was hard to see what lay beneath.
Sensing the extraordinarily dense origin fire in the water, Ning Fan nodded in satisfaction.
"The origin fire here is very concentrated; you should come down and soak while holding the Soul Jade for refinement, turn your back to me, and I’ll assist you in refining this jade."
"In Purple Flame Star, no fire vein is weak; why choose here..." Ouyang Nuan was blushing furiously, still feeling that Ning Fan intended to take advantage of her.
Approaching the edge of the hot spring, she suddenly looked down, seeing her reflection in the pool, and laughed at herself.
She had forgotten, she really had forgotten...
She had forgotten that she was no longer the most beautiful woman in Medicine Sect, just an ugly old woman...
Because Ning Fan had always treated her like before, she had even forgotten about her becoming ugly.
It was ridiculous that she worried Ning Fan would take advantage of her; if he truly wanted to, there were plenty of beauties outside. Would he need to take advantage of an ugly woman like her?
"Alright, I’ll come down right away, wait a moment." Ouyang Nuan sighed softly.
Maoqiu in her arms looked at the steaming hot spring, recoiling slightly, unwilling to enter.
Lingze liked the cold and feared the heat, disliking soaking in such warm water.
Ouyang Nuan tossed Maoqiu onto the poolside, took a small pill bottle from her sleeve, and poured out a few expensive pills for it to eat.
Then she gritted her teeth slightly, turned her back to Ning Fan, gently removed her veil, and started unbuttoning her clothes one by one...
"Anyway, there’s nothing much to see of me now, if you want to look, just look."
One thin veil after another gently fell to the ground. Ouyang Nuan, calm as water, stepped into the hot spring, walking step by step toward Ning Fan.
Ning Fan looked at Ouyang Nuan with interest, a slight smile on his face, "Nuan’er, why are you taking off your clothes? There’s no rule that you must undress to refine the Soul Jade, you know?"
"Uh... Didn’t you take yours off? You, you... If you didn’t have to, why didn’t you say so earlier!"
"I just like to take off my clothes to bathe... I’m doing it for myself, there’s really no need for you to follow my lead," Ning Fan teased.
Splash!
Initially calm, Ouyang Nuan’s face flushed instantly when Ning Fan’s gaze met hers. She suddenly sat down in the water, arms covering her chest, causing the water to splash around.
How annoying! Watching Ning Fan take off his clothes, she subconsciously assumed she should too!
It really was a reflex; she wasn’t here for a bath, but to refine the Soul Jade. Whether she undressed or not shouldn’t have mattered—she must have been out of her mind to follow Ning Fan’s lead!
"Who would’ve thought that a clever girl like Nuan’er could have such silly moments... Hold the Soul Jade, turn your back to me, and I’ll help you refine it. Don’t worry, I won’t peek at you."
"..." Ouyang Nuan’s neck turned a shade of red, thinking, ’You’ve already seen it all, haven’t you?’ though she believed there wasn’t much worth seeing...
The instant she held the Soul Jade, Ouyang Nuan’s hand began to freeze at a slow pace.
If not for being in a place dense with origin fire right now, with her cultivation, she might be entirely frozen by the Soul Jade in an instant.
Did Ning Fan choose this place for refining the Soul Jade simply because of its strong origin fire...
Her eyelids lowered slightly, she couldn’t tell if she was feeling disappointed or relieved.
She turned around, sitting with her back to Ning Fan, exposing her entire back to him.
She didn’t believe her withered skin could arouse Ning Fan’s interest.
Thin strands of ice spread from her hands, gradually creeping up her arms.
Ouyang Nuan clenched her silver teeth, trying to use her strength to refine the Soul Jade, to break the ice, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t.
Suddenly, her delicate body tensed because a warm hand was roaming across her uneven back.
Ning Fan’s hand was intimately caressing her body...
The strands of demonic fire’s heat flowed from her back throughout her body, gradually melting all the frost on Ouyang Nuan.
What felt even hotter wasn’t the demonic fire, but her cheeks burning like flames.
Thankfully, she looked ugly at the moment. Otherwise, she might die of embarrassment in this hot spring...
"Don’t let your mind wander, focus on refining the Soul Jade." Ning Fan’s tone was calm, indeed devoid of any desire.
Knowing this, Ouyang Nuan felt a slight sense of disappointment in her heart.
How pitiful it is when a woman can’t entice her object of affection, even when bare-skinned and exposed...
Wait, affection? When did she start to like Ning Fan!
She suddenly felt afraid of her own thoughts. On reflection, if she didn’t like Ning Fan, why else would she have half-heartedly followed him to such an intimate place...
"Ah... Ning Fan, you, you, you pervert!"
Ouyang Nuan suddenly felt a hand touch her behind, turning to glare at Ning Fan in humiliation, holding the Soul Jade in one hand and covering her chest with the other.
"How was I being a pervert?" Ning Fan helplessly rubbed his forehead.
He was merely helping Ouyang Nuan refine a Soul Jade, so why were there so many indecent thoughts in her head?
"Awoo..." The culprit admitted guilt, splashing about in the water, playfully sticking out a small tongue to lick its master, Nuan’er.
"So it was you... you pesky Maoqiu!"
Feeling wronged, Ouyang Nuan grabbed Maoqiu and tossed it back onto the poolside.
She had thought it was Ning Fan who did it; turns out it was just little Maoqiu up to mischief...
Besides, with how unattractive she looked now, Ning Fan would only bother if he were extremely bored...
"Are you very disappointed?" Ning Fan seemed to grasp something, gazing at Ouyang Nuan with a teasing smile.
"Why would I be disappointed! Just help me continue refining the Soul Jade..."
"Alright."
Ouyang Nuan had just turned her back when she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist, pulling her back into an embrace.
The next moment, she felt her icy back pressed against Ning Fan’s warm chest.
Honestly, Ouyang Nuan didn’t look unattractive now, she just wasn’t considered the Medicine Sect’s top beauty.
Although her hair was white like snow and her skin slightly wrinkled, the lively beauty in her eyes remained undeniable.
Moreover, after absorbing some of the Soul Jade’s power, Ouyang Nuan’s skin regained a touch of its former softness...
The Soul Jade couldn’t extend her life, but it could restore some of her previous beauty...
Losing her looks had made Ouyang Nuan too insecure, making her feel unattractive.
It should be said that Ning Fan’s composure was just too strong—anyone cultivating dual cultivation techniques without strong self-control would fall victim to a backlash from the techniques.
"What are you doing, let me go!" Ouyang Nuan felt her heart racing, her body limp and unable to move as she leaned in Ning Fan’s arms.
"Let’s refine the Soul Jade like this, let me take a little advantage, alright?" Ning Fan teased.
"..." Ouyang Nuan was speechless, thinking to herself, ’You’ve already taken advantage, I’m already limp, how can I resist!’
Ning Fan’s left hand reached out, holding Ouyang Nuan’s as she held the Soul Jade, assisting her in refining it.
While his right hand gently caressed her abdomen, neither moving up nor down, truly taking just a little advantage, not too much.
For some reason, Ouyang Nuan’s face grew increasingly hot, but her heart became increasingly calm.
A cooling sensation seeped from her palms into her body, feeling incredibly soothing and comfortable.
To her surprise, Ouyang Nuan fell into a deep sleep...
She slept for ten days!
Once Ouyang Nuan fell asleep, Ning Fan stopped teasing her, sighed softly, closed his eyes, and focused on helping her refine the Soul Jade.
Like parched land revived by rain, after ten days, Ouyang Nuan’s skin had returned to its former supple beauty.
Her beauty was as it was before, exquisite.
Her graceful curves, so alluring, occasionally took Ning Fan’s breath away.
However, her white hair remained conspicuous, heralding the reality of her limited lifespan.
Little Maoqiu, after satisfying its hunger, slept by the poolside for several days.
With the soft body in his arms, all of Ning Fan’s fleeting thoughts transformed into tender affection upon seeing her white hair.
As he gently caressed Ouyang Nuan’s incredibly soft snow-colored hair, Ning Fan’s eyes gradually filled with determination.
The Eternal Jade must be obtained, no matter what!
"Hmm? I seem to have slept for a long time...still a bit sleepy..."
The woman in his arms softly murmured, rubbing her eyes, seemingly half-awake.
Turning over gently against Ning Fan’s chest, Ouyang Nuan instinctively wrapped her tender white arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest.
The two soft mounds pressed gently against Ning Fan, adding a pleasing touch.
Suddenly, suddenly, suddenly...
Ouyang Nuan suddenly awoke!
She opened her eyes in disbelief, finding herself nestled in Ning Fan’s arms in such a suggestive manner; for a moment, she wished she could die!
"I...you...we..." She pushed Ning Fan away abruptly, nervously stumbling over her words.
"Nothing happened between us, but the Soul Jade has been fully refined. Now, you are quite alluring..."
Ning Fan deliberately let his gaze linger on her.
Only then did Ouyang Nuan notice her skin, so fair and smooth as before.
She hurriedly stood up from the hot spring pool, examining her fair skin, perfect legs, and slender feet, feeling incredulous.
In that moment, she failed to realize that her actions presented Ning Fan with an incredibly beautiful scene.
"I feel like I can’t hold back anymore..." Ning Fan’s soft laughter suddenly reached Ouyang Nuan’s ears, causing her to freeze and then blush furiously.
Ning Fan sat just before her legs, while she slightly parted them, presenting the most delightful view to Ning Fan...
Anyone else might have thought she was seducing Ning Fan.
When Ning Fan said he couldn’t hold back, of course, it meant he couldn’t hold back that...
"Shameless!"
Ouyang Nuan hurriedly ran out of the pool, quickly picked up her clothes from the ground, grabbed the sleeping little Maoqiu, and dashed up to the second level, hastily dressing with her heart still pounding wildly.
Ning Fan watched Ouyang Nuan’s flustered escape and nodded with satisfaction.
Following the bet that day, Ouyang Nuan rekindled her belief in continuing to live.
This moment of intimacy further untangled the knot of self-doubt in Ouyang Nuan’s heart.
Once the Eternal Jade is found to permanently resolve her lifespan issue, she can return to the joyful, peaceful life she once knew.
"Eternal Jade..."
Ning Fan’s expression abruptly turned cold, his face shrouded in frost.
Upon leaving this Hot Spring Palace, countless battles would be waiting for him to face.
Joining the Slaughter Hall as an external cultivator was exceedingly difficult!
Nonetheless, he must join the Slaughter Hall, as it is the first step in obtaining the Eternal Jade!
Only the first step!
There was much more to be done!
"Caw—"
A joyous low cry suddenly transmitted from the Cauldron Ring, reaching Ning Fan’s heart.
Upon hearing this cry, Ning Fan’s eyes lit up with joy!
Nieli has emerged from the demon cocoon, and this time after breaking through, he has advanced to the Early Human Profound Life Immortal realm!
With Nieli’s assistance, the path ahead would likely be much safer!
Satisfied, Ning Fan nodded and took out the jade scroll of Three Flowers Gathering at the Top, scrutinizing it carefully.
Three flowers: Heaven Flower, Earth Flower, Human Flower.
Human Flower is lead-colored, Earth Flower is silver-colored, Heaven Flower is gold-colored.
The jade scroll records that if this divine ability of Immemorial Gods is cultivated to its peak, one can endure endless tribulations and remain unscathed!
This jade scroll is incomplete and only records the cultivation of the first flower, the Human Flower.
Ning Fan possesses king-blood level divine blood, which is an extraordinary grade of Immemorial Gods’ blood, qualifying him to cultivate this technique.
Cultivating this technique requires consuming vast amounts of one-million-year-old spiritual herbs, and in the Eastern Heaven, a single one-million-year-old spiritual herb can fetch billions of Dao Crystals.
He has 14 one-million-year-old spiritual herbs, seemingly just enough to achieve the lowest realm of this technique...
The first lead-colored lotus flower possesses twelve petals.
one-million-year-old spiritual herbs are roughly enough to transform the first illusory petal into lead color...
Seven days later!
Ning Fan in white robes, Ouyang Nuan in green attire, the two arrived outside the Slaughter Pavilion in Purple Fire City.
"I request the Pavilion Master to come out for a duel!" Ning Fan declared loudly.
At this moment, countless old monsters’ spirit senses in Purple Fire City swept towards Ning Fan’s location!
"Are you here for the Silver Badge?
"Indeed!"
"If that is the case, even if you are a friend of Pavilion Master Wu, I won’t hold back!"
"No worries!"
"Alright, I accept this battle!"
A silver-robed elder with blood-red eyes flashed into blood light, appearing in the sky, standing upon it!
As the Pavilion Master of the Slaughter Pavilion, during the disciple recruitment ceremony of the Main Hall, he is obliged to accept the challenge of any Void Fragmentation cultivator under thirty thousand years of age!
Of course, life and death are their own responsibility!
"It’s Pavilion Master Chang Yuanzi! Rumor has it that Chang Yuanzi has already reached the half-step Life Immortal Realm. I wonder if the Thousand Autumns Old Demon can defeat Chang Yuanzi..."
"The odds for Thousand Autumns Old Demon are probably very slim. What you don’t know is that Chang Yuanzi has even killed the Devil King with a bounty of a billion, while Thousand Autumns Old Demon’s bounty is only thirty million. It seems... he must surely lose!"
"Not necessarily. The bounty only represents the level of resentment from their enemies; it doesn’t accurately measure a master’s strength! I think even if the Thousand Autumns Old Demon doesn’t win, he won’t lose... Perhaps, it’ll be a draw!"
While everyone was in discussion, two Fate Immortal Old Monsters had already broken through the sky, standing tensely as they watched Ning Fan.
Chang Yuanzi always keeps his word. When he says he won’t hold back against Ning Fan, he truly won’t.
But Ning Fan is the honored guest that Wu Chen specifically instructed to take good care of!
If the two of them really let Ning Fan die at Chang Yuanzi’s hands, Wu Chen would absolutely not let them off!
"Once Qiānqiū Xiaoyou is in danger, we will immediately take action..."
The Fate Immortal elder and Fate Immortal old woman exchanged a glance, both prepared to strike at any moment.
Chang Yuanzi’s aura grew stronger and stronger, suddenly shouting, "Make your move!"
"As you wish!"
Whoosh!
Before Ning Fan’s calm voice could fully spread, his figure had already appeared in the sky, separated from Chang Yuanzi by ten thousand zhang!
A fierce light flashed in Chang Yuanzi’s eyes, as he suddenly waved his sleeve, countless black lights shooting out from it, appearing to be some kind of poisonous insects.
This Chang Yuanzi is indeed an insect cultivator!
The spirit insects he raises are extremely formidable, even an early Human Profound Life Immortal could get bitten if caught off guard!
Ning Fan looked at the swarming poison insects blanketing the sky, his gaze as calm as water.
Yet he suddenly lifted a finger, pointing towards the clouds, and countless illusory lotus shadows immediately filled the sky; in an instant, there were a million lotus shadows!
Within the lotus shadows seemed to be an immense protective force.
The million lotus shadows were like a wall, blocking in front of the insect swarm. Not a single spirit insect could break through the lotus shadow barrier!
Each illusory lotus had a petal that was leaden-colored!
"This is... the divine ability of Immemorial Gods, Three Flowers Gathering at the Top!" The two Fate Immortals both had a change in complexion!
This technique is extremely rare, and also reportedly very difficult to master. Unexpectedly, Ning Fan had found it and even had a rudimentary success in mastering it!
Even with their full power attack, it would be difficult for the two of them to break through the heavy lotus shadow barrier!
Chang Yuanzi, after all, is not a Life Immortal, much less able to break through!
Whoosh!
A streak of blood light flashed, and Ning Fan vanished without a trace.
The next moment, besides the two Fate Immortals, no one could clearly see how he attacked. Yet, Chang Yuanzi showed an incredulous expression, a horrifying sword mark on his chest, coughing blood as he fell from the sky!
Chang Yuanzi, who is supposed to be a half-step Life Immortal, was defeated by Ning Fan in just a single move!
"That is... that is!" The two Fate Immortals looked at each other in shock!
At the moment Ning Fan attacked, a demonic thought possessed him, transforming into a Blood Devil. With just one hit, he critically injured Chang Yuanzi!
That moment with Ning Fan even gave the two Fate Immortals a sense they were unlikely to defeat him, feeling extremely dangerous!
"This young one has not yet become an Immortal, but the two of us may not be his match!" The two Fate Immortals exclaimed in awe to themselves.
Chang Yuanzi heavily crashed onto the ground, staring at Ning Fan unwillingly, but ultimately broke into a bitter smile.
He didn’t hold back; Ning Fan was the one who was merciful.
If Ning Fan wanted, he would already be a dead man.
"Thank you, Daoist, for showing mercy! This is the Pavilion’s Silver Badge, please take it!"
Chang Yuanzi struggled to stand, retrieving a Silver Badge from his storage pouch, flicking it towards Ning Fan with a finger.
Ning Fan caught the Silver Badge, noticing that it had the number ’875’ engraved on it, likely the badge number from the Pavilion.
The first badge, acquired!
Putting away the badge, Ning Fan landed on the ground, embracing the charmingly smiling Ouyang Nuan, departing on his sword.
He, after all, would not stay long on this star!
Having obtained this badge, he would head to other Mid-Level Star Domains on his journey to continue seizing badges!
Hiss!
"Chang Yuanzi, the Pavilion Master, was no match for Thousand Autumns Old Demon in just one encounter!" Only after Ning Fan had left did countless cultivators realize, gasping in shock.
What they saw today was truly astonishing!
And an even more shocking event occurred a month later!
A month later, a heavenly bounty order was issued in the Slaughter Hall!
Thousand Autumns Old Demon, bounty of a hundred billion Dao Crystals, dead or alive!
Within just a day, the entire Eastern Heaven was in an uproar!
Countless cultivators wanted to know why the mere Void Fragmentation realm Ning Fan could be warranting a hundred billion Dao Crystals!
Even countless Fate Immortals and even a few True Immortals were eagerly agitated!
They searched everywhere for this first big fat sheep of Eastern Heaven, frantically seeking out the whereabouts of the fat sheep!
The valuable Ning Big Fat Sheep worth a hundred billion Dao Crystals! (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read from m.qidian.com.)