novelraw Chapter 742: Vowing to Claim the Jade
Chapter 742: Vowing to Claim the Jade
"Fei He..."
The two Immortal King Puppets scrutinized Fei He, seemingly having some impression of this person.
Glancing past Fei He and landing on Ning Fan, murderous intent flared up in the eyes of the two puppets!
"Not a descendant of the Big Dipper, kill!"
In the instant that the two puppets stirred their killing intent, a feeling of inevitable death suddenly rose in Ning Fan’s heart!
Without any hesitation, Ning Fan waved his hand, intending to summon the Ghost Mask to vanish and flee!
Immortal Kings of the Fourth Calamity of Eternals were not foes he could contend with! All he could do was run!
Just as he was preparing to summon the Ghost Mask, an ancient yet authoritative voice descended from the sky.
"Stop!"
With just one word, it instantly transformed into two blood-red shackles, restraining the two black and white kings, preventing them from attacking Ning Fan.
This was a Divine Skill known as Spirit Speech!
Upon hearing this voice, Fei He immediately wore a face full of awe and cupped his fists toward the Pojun Star Palace, saying, "Subordinate Fei He, pays respects to the Great Emperor!"
Ning Fan also dared not be negligent, cupping his fists and saying, "Disciple Ning Fan, pays respects to the Great Emperor!"
"You may rise."
Again came a voice full of majesty, tinged with a mysterious Divine Power, causing Fei He and Ning Fan to unclasp their folded hands spontaneously.
It was still the Spirit Speech...
"Fei He, why did you bring this child into the Blood Realm?"
"This child is the first in the grand competition of this term, his talent surpasses his peers. He has a request and wishes to meet the Great Emperor to state it in person," Fei He answered respectfully.
He then transmitted a message to Ning Fan, saying, "You have to go meet the Slaughter Emperor yourself and ask for the Corpse Dissolution Pill’s alchemical formula, don’t make a mistake!"
Toward Ning Fan, Fei He need not be courteous, his tone carried a hint of threat.
One step of his plan required the Corpse Dissolution Pill, but since the formula was in the hands of the Slaughter Emperor, Fei He would not be foolish enough to ask for it himself.
Asking for the Slaughter Emperor’s boon, there are only success or failure.
Success brings reward, failure incurs the Slaughter Emperor’s wrath, leading to inevitable death.
Fei He didn’t have the courage to take such a risk, so he let Ning Fan face the Slaughter Emperor to obtain the formula.
If this matter angered the Slaughter Emperor, it would be Ning Fan who suffered, not Fei He.
And since Ning Fan held the Death-Exemption Token, even if he couldn’t get the alchemical formula for the Corpse Dissolution Pill, he wouldn’t die.
With Ning Fan present, unless Fei He had a mental lapse, he absolutely wouldn’t personally seek the Slaughter Emperor’s favor.
"Oh? This child wants to meet me?" the Slaughter Emperor’s voice carried neither joy nor anger.
Following those words, a long silence ensued.
After a long while, it said, "Ning Fan, was it? You may come into the palace alone."
"Yes!"
Ning Fan clenched his fists, feeling slightly nervous inside.
At last, he could meet the Slaughter Emperor!
Fei He looked at Ning Fan with profound meaning, transmitting a message to remind Ning Fan to remember to ask for the reward of the Corpse Dissolution Pill’s formula.
Ning Fan naturally would not forget to seek this reward.
But what he wanted was not the alchemical formula for the Corpse Dissolution Pill, but the Eternal Jade!
His figure blurred, and Ning Fan transformed into a beam of escape light, flying down the white lotus, bypassing the two black and white kings, heading toward the Pojun Star Palace.
Once inside the Star Palace, an ancient, ever-present forbidden force fiercely pressed down on Ning Fan, erasing his escape light.
Ning Fan landed on the ground and had to walk, stepping onto the floor of the Star Palace, a bone-chilling cold spread from his soles throughout his body, almost freezing Ning Fan.
"This is the cold of Evil Qi!"
Ning Fan gritted his teeth, a blood-red light flashed in his eyes, barely resisting the cold of the Evil Qi beneath his feet.
Along with the chill of the Evil Qi, a Lock Realm’s force surged, sealing off the Cauldron Ring, the Yuan Yao World entirely!
Even Ouyang Nuan could no longer perceive the outside world, whereas the Xuan Yin Treasure, being a Void Realm, was not sealed!
"Lock Realm!" Ning Fan’s gaze became even more grave.
After roughly walking for two hours, Ning Fan finally reached the outer hall, stepping on the heavenly staircase, heading toward the inner hall.
Several hours later, he finally arrived at the inner hall.
Outside the inner hall stood fourteen puppets as guards, the lowest cultivation level among them being of the Eternal First Calamity’s Immortal Venerable Realm, while the highest even reached the Eternal Fifth Calamity’s Immortal King!
Along with the two Immortal King Puppets outside the Star Palace, this little Star Palace had a total of sixteen Immortal King Puppets guarding it!
The fourteen puppets outside the inner hall stared blankly at Ning Fan, not causing him any trouble.
Ning Fan passed them and entered the inner hall.
The inner hall was very desolate, with forty-nine Violet Flame Palace lamps burning.
On the throne sat a blood-colored figure, enveloped in seven-colored light.
Ning Fan could not glimpse its true form!
Ning Fan could only roughly discern that the figure appeared to be a blood-robed, white-haired old man.
This person exuded a fierce, icy aura, and Ning Fan couldn’t approach within ten thousand feet of this person.
"Disciple Ning Fan, pays respects to the Great Emperor!" Ning Fan cupped his fists again in salute.
In an instant, a Divine Sense filled with the scent of blood swept toward Ning Fan.
When it detected a power within Ning Fan resisting its perception, the blood-robed old man nodded with satisfaction.
"Ming Hai didn’t lie to me, you have indeed gained the altar’s recognition and inherited this Innate Ghost Mask. By inheriting this Ghost Mask, you are the Young Emperor of the Slaughter Hall’s Eighth Generation."
The words remained authoritative, but they lacked the previous coldness and carried a touch of kindness.
Seeing the seven-colored light dissipate, the blood-robed old man surprisingly revealed his true face and smiled at Ning Fan,
"No need to be so constrained. Since you have obtained the altar’s recognition, even I will treat you with some courtesy. I have heard from Ming Hai about your deeds. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it, that someone just at the first step of cultivation could cultivate the Fu Li ancestor blood and refine the Young Emperor Ghost Mask during Void Fragmentation... Fu Li, there were once many demon ancestors and demon saints of the Big Dipper Immortal Domain who were posthumously titled as Fu Li... those who possess Fu Li ancestor blood are certainly no mediocrities."
"The inheritor of the Ghost Mask is the Eighth Generation Young Emperor!"
Ning Fan’s eyes widened in shock, looking at the Slaughter Emperor with some disbelief.
Although he didn’t know what the Young Emperor referred to, he knew that the identity of the Young Emperor held an extraordinary position in the Slaughter Hall.
He had already imagined countless verbal battles with the Slaughter Emperor but had never imagined that the Slaughter Emperor would speak to him so kindly.
Was this white-haired old man before him really the Slaughter Emperor?
Young Emperor Ghost Mask, Fu Li ancestor blood, Big Dipper Immortal Domain...
The Slaughter Emperor’s words contained more information than Ning Fan could comprehend at the moment.
"I heard you’ve mastered the initial form of the Heaven Seizing Seal?" the Slaughter Emperor asked with a smile.
"Yes!"
"Summon the Ghost Mask and demonstrate the Heaven Seizing Seal for me."
"Yes!"
With the Slaughter Emperor’s command, Ning Fan dared not delay.
Although displaying the Heaven Seizing Seal would exhaust his Mana, what difference did it make whether his Mana was exhausted before the Slaughter Emperor?
He placed his palm over his face, and the Silver Ghost Mask instantly appeared. In the blink of an eye, Ning Fan’s black hair turned to silver threads, fluttering without wind.
His finger seals changed rapidly, completing in an instant, with seven layers of golden palm prints merging into one in his palm.
He didn’t release the palm print. Ning Fan had some reservations and knew that the Pojun Star Palace wasn’t a place where he could act recklessly.
Within the Star Palace, he wouldn’t display the full palm print, lest he damage the tables and chairs, provoking the Slaughter Emperor’s wrath.
"Innate Ghost Mask, Heaven Seizing Seal... haha, old me has finally awaited another Young Emperor."
The Slaughter Emperor nodded with satisfaction, instructing Ning Fan to disperse the palm print and retract the Ghost Mask, then asked, "According to Fei He, you came to see me to request something. I know what Fei He always wanted, and given your cultivation in Corpse Dao is indeed not weak, the alchemical formula for the Corpse Dissolution Pill would benefit you considerably, and I can reward it to you. However, whether it brings fortune or disaster, you must bear it yourself."
After saying this, the Slaughter Emperor waved his hand, a strand of blood light suddenly condensing into a jade scroll, gently falling into his palm.
The jade scroll contained the alchemical formula for the Corpse Dissolution Pill.
Ning Fan raised his head and didn’t even glance at the jade scroll, taking a deep breath.
That formula was what Fei He longed for, but not what he desired.
From the very beginning, there has been only one thing he wanted.
Only this item could sustain Ouyang Nuan’s life.
If not for this item, why would he risk life and death to make it here?
"The disciple’s request is not for the Corpse Dissolution Pill’s formula, but for the Eternal Jade!"
With Ning Fan’s words, the smile in the Slaughter Emperor’s eyes turned sharply into icy menace!
"You said you want the Eternal Jade!" The tone was cold as ice!
A sensation of impending death instantly surged in Ning Fan’s heart!
Ning Fan realized he had successfully angered the Slaughter Emperor!
He just didn’t understand why the Slaughter Emperor, who had been so amiable, turned cold the moment he asked for the Eternal Jade!
"Are you sure you want the Eternal Jade?" the Slaughter Emperor asked coldly.
"...Yes! Please grant me the Jade, Great Emperor!" Ning Fan lowered his head, gritting his teeth as he cupped his fists.
"This jade is impossible to bestow upon you! Choose another reward, no matter what you want, I will grant it to you in consideration of your status as the Young Emperor!"
Like the collapse of heaven itself, the pressure descended upon Ning Fan!
It was the pressure of the Slaughter Emperor’s fury, something he was completely unable to withstand!
Bones and muscles across his body were crushed bit by bit, soon, Ning Fan’s white robe was once again stained red with blood.
It felt as though ten thousand sharp blades were slicing through his body, the pain unimaginable.
It seemed as though with just the slightest hint of the Slaughter Emperor’s killing intent, Ning Fan would be crushed into a bloody pulp by that pressure!
Ning Fan’s body was already finding it difficult to endure the heavy pressure, nearing collapse.
Yet his gaze remained as resolute as it was at the beginning.
"Disciple only desires the Eternal Jade! Willing to trade the merit of offering for this jade!"
A stab of pain in his chest, Ning Fan coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood, yet gritted his teeth fiercely, raised his hand in a beckoning gesture, and took out Fu Linglong’s elder token from the Xuan Yin Treasure.
Simultaneously, he slapped his storage pouch, drew out the Death-Exemption Token, held it in his hand, and lifted his gaze, looking steadily at the Slaughter Emperor without humility or arrogance.
"The Wu Clan’s Death-Exemption Token, and... Fu Linglong’s elder token!"
The Slaughter Emperor’s gaze suddenly changed, he closed his eyes, raised a hand, and dispersed the pressure oppressing Ning Fan.
Then with a finger pointing down, a flash of blood light entered Ning Fan’s body, healing all his internal injuries in an instant.
What followed was a long silence.
Ning Fan’s heart was incredibly tense, he did not know, whether taking out the elder token could earn him the Eternal Jade.
Uncertainty, ten thousand uncertainties.
Ning Fan could not imagine what might happen if he failed to obtain the Eternal Jade.
Without the Eternal Jade, ten years later, it would be Ouyang Nuan’s time...
Waiting, waiting, waiting...
He awaited the Slaughter Emperor’s answer, knowing that the Slaughter Emperor was pondering, hesitating, and considering whether to bestow the jade.
A single answer from the Slaughter Emperor concerned Ouyang Nuan’s life, Ning Fan could not help but be nervous, could not help but be serious!
"The Eternal Jade still cannot be bestowed to you..." Finally, the Slaughter Emperor opened his eyes, let out a long sigh, and gave his answer.
A feeling of unprecedented helplessness enveloped Ning Fan’s heart.
He had used his last bargaining chip, yet still the Slaughter Emperor could not bestow the jade.
At this moment, Ning Fan had only one thought in his mind, and that was Ouyang Nuan would die!
At this moment, he almost forgot the staggering difference in cultivation between himself and the Slaughter Emperor, his eyes wild, he took a stride forward, cupping his hands,
"I beg Your Majesty to bestow the jade!"
"The Eternal Jade cannot be bestowed... for your merit of offering, I shall grant you an opportunity, to aid you in reaching the Shattered Thought Realm in ten thousand years..."
"Disciple seeks not the Shattered Thought, only the Eternal Jade!"
"Since you do not seek cultivation advancement, then I shall grant you ten trillion Dao Crystals, enough for all your cultivation expenses from eons past..."
"Disciple seeks not Dao Crystals, only the Eternal Jade!"
The Slaughter Emperor sighed deeply, "The Medicine Sect’s first disciple, Ouyang Nuan, she possesses an Innate Medicine Body, with a lifespan of no more than ten thousand years, having exhausted her remaining lifespan to save you. You seek the jade to save her, correct?"
"Yes!" Ning Fan gritted his teeth and said.
"The Eternal Jade is a secret creation of the Eternal Emperor, originally only three pieces existed, one has been destroyed, the remaining two are both in my possession. Ouyang Nuan’s master searched throughout Eastern Heaven but could never hope to find an Eternal Jade."
"What! Two pieces of Eternal Jade!"
Ning Fan’s gaze was startled, he could never have imagined that the two remaining pieces of Eternal Jade were both in the Slaughter Emperor’s possession!
How could he not be shocked!
If the Slaughter Emperor had only one piece of Eternal Jade, it could be explained that this jade held some significance to him, therefore he was reluctant to give it to others.
If the Slaughter Emperor simultaneously possessed two pieces of Eternal Jade, it must have been painstakingly acquired with great effort.
This jade, for the Slaughter Emperor, surely had immense use!
So, no matter how Ning Fan pleaded, the Slaughter Emperor was unwilling to give the jade!
"As you guessed, this Eternal Jade has tremendous use for me. The Eternal Jade is my life-saving treasure." The Slaughter Emperor sighed.
"What!"
Ning Fan’s gaze fiercely jolted, a pain in his heart.
If the Eternal Jade is the Slaughter Emperor’s life-saving treasure, even if he has unrivaled merit, the Slaughter Emperor will not bestow this jade...
With the world’s remaining two pieces of Eternal Jade in the Slaughter Emperor’s possession, and the Slaughter Emperor refusing to grant the jade, wouldn’t Ouyang Nuan inevitably face death...
"The Eternal Jade is the secret-crafted ancient jade of the Eternal Emperor, refining one jade can ensure the immortality of first step cultivators. Refining two jades can ensure second step cultivators do not lose their weakened paths. Refining three jades can ensure saints are not extinguished through reincarnation... The third jade has been destroyed, I possess two jades, my weakened path has not faded..."
". In fact, six million years ago, a strong enemy invaded the Blood Realm, and I, the Great Emperor, was gravely wounded and would have perished. At that time, the Young Emperor Fu Linglong was eager to break through to the Eternity Realm, intending to fill the position of the Slaughter Emperor, but failed due to impatience. Therefore, I sought the Eternal Jade to prolong my existence, awaiting the arrival of the next Young Emperor... But even with the Eternal Jade, I am nearing my end. If you hadn’t appeared, in another ten thousand years, I would die, and the Slaughter Hall would seal itself with the Blood Realm, living and perishing together with the Big Dipper Descendants... If I give you one jade, I will certainly perish within two thousand years..."
After speaking, the Slaughter Emperor closed his eyes with exhaustion, and when he reopened them, there was once again that gentle smile from before.
"Young one, if you agree to one request of mine, I’ll give you an Eternal Jade, what do you say?"
"What request!" Ning Fan’s heart, which was nearly in despair, suddenly tightened.
"You must promise me that after I perish, you will help guard the Blood Realm’s descendants and not allow anyone to invade the Blood Realm! Any enemy that dares intrude shall be killed without mercy! Can you do this!"
The smile disappeared from the Slaughter Emperor’s face, replaced by unprecedented seriousness.
This was his final concession!
Giving Ning Fan one jade would cause his demise to advance by eight thousand years!
He did not fear death, as he should have died six million years ago; he only lingered to this day to protect the Blood Realm!
Be it two thousand years or ten thousand, before his demise, it’s unlikely another Young Emperor will appear.
He waited six million years for the coming of Ning Fan. If he doesn’t give Ning Fan the Eternal Jade, it would be difficult to bind Ning Fan to protect the Blood Realm.
"If the Great Emperor loses a jade, his demise will surely come within two thousand years. In those two thousand years, I don’t know how far I can cultivate, nor whether I’ll have the ability to guard the Blood Realm. However, if the Great Emperor truly bestows the Eternal Jade upon me, I, Ning Fan, can swear here that when the Great Emperor perishes two thousand years from now, I am willing to protect the Blood Realm to the death! If the Blood Realm meets calamity, Ning Fan will surely die before the Blood Realm’s descendants!"
Ning Fan’s expression was extremely solemn.
In two thousand years, perhaps he could cultivate to a stage even stronger than the Slaughter Emperor and become the Eighth Generation Slaughter Emperor, guarding the Blood Realm against destruction.
In two thousand years, maybe he could only cultivate to Enlightenment, or the Shedding Void Stage, or perhaps not even reach Enlightenment.
He could not guarantee he would certainly be able to protect the Slaughter Blood Realm.
The only thing he could do was to accept the Slaughter Emperor’s request, exchanging his life for Ouyang Nuan’s life!
In his eyes, there was resolve, a determination to never look back.
On him, there was a kind of Dao resonance that would not repent no matter how many deaths, condensing steadily!
Vaguely, Ning Fan somewhat understood what his Dao truly was.
His Dao had only one word, and that was Persistence!
Because of persistence, he was impulsive. Because of persistence, he was resolute.
Because he could not bear to lose, he wished to grip everything he cared for tightly in his palm, deeply within his heart.
Solely to guard the warmth behind him, he could conform to the heavens, defy the heavens, and even steal the heavens.
Solely for a touch of persistence in his heart, he could become a god, become a demon, become a monster!
As long as Ouyang Nuan could escape this tribulation, he was willing to take her place, to block this disaster!
The Slaughter Emperor watched Ning Fan’s determined gaze, his expression solemn.
Then, he suddenly punched his chest violently, spitting out a beam of blood light.
The blood light slowly transformed into a piece of glistening, warm white jade, floating steadily in front of Ning Fan.
The Slaughter Emperor himself, at the moment of relinquishing this jade, appeared even older, his aura beginning to turn lifeless.
"The Eternal Jade, you may take it. Remember your vow today. The jade has been bestowed upon you; I shall not grant you any other rewards. This is the rule of my Slaughter Hall, and rules cannot be broken. I can give you the formula for the Corpse Dissolution Pill; its value is not high, and considering your status as the Young Emperor of our Slaughter Hall, it’s not excessive to gift it to you."
After gifting the Eternal Jade, the Slaughter Emperor raised his hand and presented the jade scroll of the Corpse Dissolution Pill formula to Ning Fan.
Ning Fan casually stowed away the Corpse Dissolution Pill formula, but he collected the Eternal Jade with a moved expression.
By taking this jade, the Slaughter Emperor’s demise advanced by eight thousand years.
Demise was unrelated to age, unrelated to the lightning tribulation; without a Saint, no one could stop the demise of a second-step cultivator.
Even two Eternal Jades would merely delay the demise.
With the cost of advancing his demise, the Slaughter Emperor gained Ning Fan’s oath.
Ning Fan, at the cost of living and perishing with the Blood Realm, obtained the Eternal Jade.
Regarding the Slaughter Emperor, Ning Fan bore no ill feelings, instead a bit of fondness.
A person willing to sever their life to protect others; even if they were a villain, how truly evil could they be?
"May I ask, Great Emperor, what is the status of the Young Emperor within the Slaughter Hall? What connections does the Slaughter Hall have with the Big Dipper Immortal Domain and the Big Dipper Immortal Emperor? Who was the intruder six million years ago that invaded the Slaughter Blood Realm?"
Ning Fan posed several questions from the depths of his heart.
With the Eternal Jade in hand, his heart slightly calmed. Some questions needed to be clarified.
Since he decided to guard the Slaughter Blood Realm, he needed to understand its origins and enemies.
He must also understand what the Young Emperor is; he needs to know the benefits and the troubles that come with this identity.
The Young Emperor of the Slaughter Hall is likely akin to the crown prince of a mortal kingdom’s Eastern Palace, illustrious on the surface, yet with countless people secretly wishing for his downfall...
(2/2) There’s no more update, go wash up and sleep. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets at Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)