Grasping the Evil

Chapter 745: Northern Dipper’s Inquiry (Part 1)

After that ** Blood Pool baptism, Yao Qingyun indeed kept his promise and did not bother Ning Fan again.

Ning Fan rested in the disciple quarters for three days, then visited the Twelve Pavilions, where he spent a million Dao Crystals at the Transmission Pavilion, sending a message towards the Medicine Sect.

Afterwards, he found a desolate mountain on Blood Sea Star and opened up a cave dwelling.

Ouyang Nuan and Maoqiu no longer stayed in the Yuan Yao World; instead, they accompanied Ning Fan and resided within the cave dwelling.

In at most another month, Ouyang Nuan could completely refine the Eternal Jade.

At that moment, her white hair had turned back into glossy black, and she remained as cheerful as ever, warm like the morning sun, living up to her reputation as the first beauty of the Medicine Sect.

For an entire month, Ning Fan stayed in the cave dwelling, accompanying Ouyang Nuan in refining the Eternal Jade.

A month later, Ouyang Nuan completely refined the Eternal Jade, completely solving the lifespan issue of her innate medicine body.

A few days later, an old man with a lecherous appearance arrived on Blood Sea Star, extremely nervous.

Seeing that Ouyang Nuan had truly refined the Eternal Jade, his eyeballs nearly dropped out of shock, and then, he was overjoyed!

"You actually managed to obtain the Eternal Jade from the Slaughter Emperor! Incredible, truly incredible!" Wei Wuzhi exclaimed, too excited to speak properly.

Ning Fan, having obtained the Eternal Jade for Ouyang Nuan, now appeared pleasing to Wei Wuzhi in every way.

He knew that Ning Fan needed a large amount of one-million-year-old spiritual herbs for the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top cultivation. In his excitement, he directly gifted Ning Fan one thousand one hundred one-million-year-old spiritual herbs and forty Fate Immortal Dao Fruits.

One thousand one hundred one-million-year-old spiritual herbs, worth nearly two trillion Dao Crystals.

Forty Fate Immortal Dao Fruits, also valued at seven to eight hundred billion Dao Crystals.

This was almost one-third of the Medicine Sect’s entire storage.

Wei Wuzhi wanted to take Ouyang Nuan back to the Medicine Sect, but Ouyang Nuan disagreed.

"Ning Fan is about to ascend to immortality; I want to accompany him to immortality before returning to the Medicine Sect."

Having just regained a new lease on life, how could Ouyang Nuan bear to part with Ning Fan at this time and moment?

With the power of the Seven-Star Boat, Ning Fan opened a passage, crossed the Blood River, and returned to the Slaughter Blood Realm.

The baptism was perfectly completed, Ouyang Nuan’s physical issue was resolved, and the seeds of the Immortal Soul Grass were already in hand.

At this moment, Ning Fan could finally focus on ascending to immortality.

With the Slaughter Emperor’s guardianship in the Blood Realm, it was the most suitable place for Ning Fan to achieve immortality.

Ning Fan and Ouyang Nuan entered the Blood Realm, while Wei Wuzhi temporarily stayed on Blood Sea Star, waiting to take Ouyang Nuan back to the Sect after Ning Fan’s ascension.

It wasn’t out of malice or a desire to separate Ning Fan and Ouyang Nuan; rather, Ouyang Nuan’s body had been weak for too long and needed the foundations of the Medicine Sect to recuperate properly.

Furthermore, the Supreme Pill Sacred Domain would be opening in eighty years. Now that Ouyang Nuan had acquired the Eternal Jade, giving her the qualifications to defy destiny and ascend to immortality, and compete for the pinnacle of the Alchemy Dao, the Sacred Domain presented a tremendous opportunity for her that should not be missed.

As Ouyang Nuan’s teacher, Wei Wuzhi also wanted to bring her back to the Sect early to prepare adequately for the journey to the Supreme Pill Sacred Domain.

On Blood Sea Star, in a hidden cave dwelling, Wei Wuzhi sighed emotionally.

"I shall wait here on Blood Sea Star. That Ning Fan is likely to achieve immortality within eighty years; once Little Nuan has had enough of being with him, I will take her back to the Medicine Sect."

"Ah, Old Han, Old Han, who would have thought that after a lifetime of bad luck and misfortune, you would actually find such a remarkable disciple in the lower realm. We once bet on whether you could find a disciple who could cure Little Nuan; it seems you have won... The ancients said: even a fool must have at least one success among a thousand failures. Even the unluckiest person has their stroke of luck."

Achoo!

The old demon, joyfully planting little Dao Fruits in the lower realm, suddenly sneezed.

"Little Mei once said that sneezing means someone is thinking about me. Hehe, I wonder who is missing me! Hmm? Could it be Little Brat Ning?"

"Come to think of it, it’s been decades since Little Brat Ning left the lower realm. By now, he should be about to achieve immortality..."

...

The Slaughter Blood Realm is a Void Realm, vast and expansive, encompassing over ten thousand kingdoms.

There are mortal countries and cultivation kingdoms.

The inhabitants of the Blood Realm, whether cultivators or mortals, are all Big Dipper Descendants.

They do not know of their identity as Big Dipper Descendants, nor do they know that beyond this Slaughter Blood Realm lies another world called the Eastern Heaven Immortal World.

Only cultivators who have reached the Void Fragmentation realm have a chance to learn of the Eastern Heaven Immortal World’s existence, leave the Blood Realm, and join the Slaughter Hall as assassins.

Among the ten thousand kingdoms, only forty thousand are cultivation kingdoms, and the rest are mortal countries.

Out of the forty thousand cultivation kingdoms, only two thousand have a Void Refinement expert, and less than a hundred have a Void Fragmentation expert.

There are only three cultivation kingdoms with Fate Immortal experts.

Among the ten thousand kingdoms, there are only seven Fate Immortals and one Ghost Profound.

These Fate Immortals are all Slaughter Hall cultivators, stationed in the Blood Realm to mediate conflicts among the kingdoms and maintain order in the Blood Realm.

The Slaughter Emperor protects the entire Blood Realm, rather than any particular country or city.

He naturally disdains to interfere with disputes among cultivation kingdoms.

Spirit Martial Country is a low-ranked cultivation kingdom located in the northern part of the Blood Realm.

The strongest sect within Spirit Martial Country is the Spirit Martial Sect, whose Sect Master is a late-stage Golden Core realm cultivator.

Spirit Martial Country is an ocean-side cultivation kingdom, with a cultivation city called Plant Willow City, right next to the Jade Sea.

Plant Willow City is picturesque with a view like a painting; its nights are always alight with festivities.

The Slaughter Blood Realm has no daytime; time is calculated based on the brightness of the Big Dipper Stars.

This city, being by the sea, has fertile soil suitable for spiritual plants. The cultivators residing here often create their personal medicine gardens, cultivating spiritual medicine that turns out to be high quality.

The name Plant Willow City has its origins in a legend. It’s said that countless years ago, a youth who called himself Jumen secluded himself in this city to meditate on the Dao.

He planted a willow seed in the city and meditated before it, lost in a dream of a million years.

When he swept away the confusion in his heart and opened his eyes, he found that the willow seed he planted had grown into a massive tree that covered the sky, towering like an umbrella.

And he was no longer a youth; when he awoke, he was a white-haired old man.

"If even wood can endure such changes, how can people bear it!"

With a long sigh, this person ascended to the skies, leaving no known traces of where he went.

When he ascended and left, the revealed level of his cultivation shocked all cultivators across the ten thousand kingdoms. No one knew how powerful this cultivator named Jumen truly was.

"Jumen... Could it be that the one who planted the willow in this city was the second generation Slaughter Emperor — Slaughter Emperor Jumen?"

Outside Plant Willow City, a white-robed youth gazed at the picturesque cultivation city, his eyes resting on the towering giant willow within the city, feeling a sense of nostalgia and admiration for heroic legends.

Beside the white-robed youth stood a green-robed woman with a peerless beauty, a warm smile always playing at her lips.

In front of the youth and woman were two adorable young girls, red-lipped and white toothed.

One of the young girls had a pure and innocent face, bright and clear eyes, shiny black hair, and wore a pink little jacket. She appeared to be six or seven years old, exuding an aura of undeniable authority.

Though she seemingly possessed no cultivation, her every gesture held the brute force to tear apart Void Fragmentation cultivators.

The other girl was around eight or nine years old, wearing an old-fashioned and peculiar black dress, the traditional attire of a female priestess from the ancient demon race.

Her black hair was long and straight, reaching her waist, her eyes were purple, and a mysterious purple-black rune mark rested on her brow, small as a fingernail, sealing her divine sense.

This group, a man and three women, were none other than Ning Fan and his companions, returning to the Blood Realm!

The white-robed youth was of course Ning Fan, the green-robed woman was Ouyang Nuan, the girl with the brute force was Mu Weiliang, and the young priestess with the black eyes and violet pupils?

She was Zili. This form was how Zili appeared after her transformation!

Ning Fan initially didn’t know that Zili, upon reaching the early stage of the Ghost Profound realm, had gained the ability to transform.

Only after entering the Blood Realm and freeing Mu Weiliang did Ning Fan discover that Zili had already gained the ability to transform.

At that time, Mu Weiliang, holding Zili’s small hand, had suddenly appeared before Ning Fan, stunning him on the spot.

When Zili timidly whispered ’Master,’ it was then that Ning Fan realized this little girl was indeed Zili.

The rune mark on Zili’s forehead was the Sinful Mark of the Fu Li race.

This Sinful Mark had sealing powers, including a speech restriction.

It sealed any information about the Fu Li race, preventing Zili from divulging any details!

The human form of Zili could speak and communicate with Ning Fan.

But as long as Ning Fan asked about the matters regarding the Fu Li race, the Sinful Mark between Zili’s brows would light up, preventing her from revealing any Fu Li secrets.

Though Ning Fan possessed Fu Li ancestor blood, he had no way to lift the curse mark, nor could he help Zili remove it, thus he was unable to obtain any information about the Fu Li race from her.

All information was sealed by the Sinful Mark!

Zili’s personality was like a blank piece of paper, without any common sense for living, only knowing how to fight and kill. This made Ning Fan very curious about what great mistake this little girl had committed in the past that she was stripped of her Fu Li bloodline and demoted to a Nieli.

Mu Weiliang, reborn with emptied memories, possessed a pure character like a blank piece of paper.

Consequently, when Zili completed her transformation in the Cauldron Ring world and happened to encounter Mu Weiliang, the two instantly became friends.

Thus, when Mu Weiliang was summoned out of the Cauldron Ring world by Ning Fan, Zili happily tagged along.

"Let’s enlighten ourselves and become immortal in this Plant Willow City..."

After saying this, Ning Fan led the three girls into Plant Willow City.

And so, on this day, a small courtyard in the southern part of the city, which had been abandoned for a long time, was purchased by a cultivator with the surname Ning for a price of one hundred immortal jade.

Ning Fan, along with Ouyang Nuan, Mu Weiliang, and Zili, officially moved into Plant Willow City.

Ouyang Nuan took the two little girls out to explore the city, while Ning Fan spent the entire morning in the backyard, busy opening up a medicine garden.

With the powers of Ouyang Nuan, Mu Weiliang, and Zili, they could roam freely through a hundred thousand kingdoms with no danger; Ning Fan had no need to worry about the safety of the three girls.

He opened up the medicine garden solely to plant the Immortal Soul Grass here, using the grass to nourish Mu Weiliang’s soul.

This was his initial goal when he arrived in Eastern Heaven; he had not forgotten it.

After establishing the first medicine garden, Ning Fan used the secret technique recorded in the Spirit Plant Scripture to plant the Immortal Soul Grass.

Then, he casually opened up another large nursery beside the medicine garden.

With a mere thought, he scattered handfuls of grains into the nursery.

Planting grains from the mortal world was merely for the purpose of brewing wine.

Ning Fan liked wine, especially mortal wine, and he even more loved the wine he brewed himself.

Spiritual Wine can enhance cultivation power, whereas mortal wine cannot.

However, comparatively, Ning Fan felt mortal wine was closer to the Dao.

Knock knock knock!

A knocking faintly infused with mana spread throughout the courtyard.

Ning Fan, crouching to pull weeds from the nursery, heard the knocking and looked up with slight surprise.

On opening the door, he found seventeen or eighteen young boys standing outside.

Most of these boys were around eleven or twelve, led by a fifteen-year-old boy clad in black.

These youths were all Big Dipper descendants, their eyes bright and starry.

Even the weakest among them had the cultivation of the first or second level of Vein Opening, with the leader in black having the highest cultivation at the ninth level of Vein Opening.

"What’s the matter?" Ning Fan asked indifferently.

"Brother, is it your first day in Plant Willow City? Don’t know who we are? Don’t know why we’ve come knocking!" The boy in black, though young, spoke fiercely, with a tone resembling that of a street hooligan.

"I don’t know. If there’s nothing else, you can be on your way." Ning Fan continued in a calm tone.

"Leaving? Think you can just let us leave without paying a protection fee!" the boy in black sneered, drawing his waist knife.

With a swish, the rest of the boys drew their waist knives in unison, as if they would attack Ning Fan over a disagreement.

Ning Fan shook his head. Though these waist knives are magical treasures, their rank was so low that even if he stood still for them to chop, they wouldn’t harm him in the slightest.

"Brother, though you may be older than me, your cultivation doesn’t seem higher. If a fight breaks out, you might suffer. I advise you to hand over the immortal jade, part with your wealth to save your life, or else..."

The boy in black was organizing a threatening speech when suddenly Ning Fan’s gaze turned cold.

He did not exert any pressure, not even using any Evil Qi!

Just one glance, and the boy in black, seasoned on the streets, felt something was wrong! As if facing not a human, but a fierce beast from the Primordial Era!

The boy in black could not discern Ning Fan’s cultivation, initially presuming someone who bought such a rundown courtyard was likely just at Vein Opening.

Who would have thought Ning Fan had such a terrifying gaze? Ning Fan’s true strength was definitely more fearsome than anticipated!

"Everyone, run! I’ll stay to hold him off!" Though filled with dread, the boy in black grit his teeth and suppressed his fear, waving his hand to signal his underlings to retreat.

He then stepped forward boldly, feigning composure, double-handedly wielding his sword, as he stared at Ning Fan, "I’m the one who offended you, let them go!"

He realized he had tried to collect protection fees from the wrong person, and that today’s incident would likely end badly.

The only thing he could do was offer his own life in exchange for the escape of his little brothers.

Ning Fan’s eyes flashed with something as he saw a shadow of his younger self in this boy in black.

That year, as an elder brother, he too stood in front of Ning Gu time and time again, shielding him from danger, allowing him to escape...

He found it somewhat amusing, how he, a celebrity among the demons of Eastern Heaven, was being asked for protection fees by a group of kids who hadn’t even grown all their hair yet.

Back when he was pillaging, who knows where these kids were.

"You all may go, but just this once, not again."

Slam!

Ning Fan shut the door, not having any interest in dealing with this group of juniors.

After Ning Fan closed the door, the legs of the boy in black suddenly gave way, and he fell to the ground, quivering, "That person’s gaze is terrifying! Even beasts from the Jade Sea aren’t as frightening!"

The group of followers was loyal, not leaving the boy in black behind to escape alone.

Seeing their big brother fallen, they hurriedly rushed to support him, each wearing a look of lingering fear.

"Brother, what cultivation does that person have, why is his gaze so sharp..." asked one of the underlings.

"At least Harmonious Spirit! No, at least Golden Core!" the boy in black asserted confidently.

"Wh-what! An Old Monster Han! Could it be this person is the legendary Old Monster Han! Heaven help us! We actually tried to collect protection fees from an Old Monster Han, we’re courting death!" The group of youths turned pale with horror.

Ultimately, the group of youths scampered off dejectedly.

As night fell, Ouyang Nuan returned with the two little girls.

Mu Weiliang and Zili looked full and satisfied.

According to Ouyang Nuan, after tiring of playing in the city, the two little girls ran off into the depths of the Jade Sea and managed to hunt down quite a few demon beasts, devouring them raw.

"Sister Nuan, I’m sleepy!" Mu Weiliang muttered, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"Mistress, sleepy!" Zili, after playing until exhausted, could barely keep her eyes open.

Ouyang Nuan helplessly shook her head, cradling the little Maoqiu as she soothed the two girls to sleep.

The three girls had all retired to bed, and Ning Fan sat alone in the courtyard, alone on the grass in the courtyard.

Gazing at the eternally dark Blood Realm, at the Northern Dipper stars in the night sky, at the full yard of reeds, Ning Fan felt a peace he had never known before.

For the next few decades, he would be spending his time in this realm of night.

"My comprehension of the Dao of Life and Death is not yet complete; life and death is not something that can be comprehended in a single day."

Ning Fan, with a single thought, suddenly plucked some reeds from the ground, recalling the grass rings weaved by the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign during his life and death tribulation, he began to slowly weave...

Perhaps from these grass rings, he could gain insight into the great Dao.

The first grass ring, just as it was about to be completed, suddenly self-immolated into ashes.

The second grass ring, similarly, burned itself out just before completion.

The third grass ring, the fourth grass ring, the fifth grass ring...

Before he knew it, half the night was over, and Ning Fan had plucked all the reeds in the courtyard, attempting countless times, yet not once successfully weaving a grass ring.

All that was left was a ground full of ashes...

"There seems to be something missing from these grass rings, hence they cannot be completed..."

As the night wore on, Ning Fan gradually drifted into long contemplation...(to be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)