novelraw Chapter 759: The Array Activates, Stars Gather!
Chapter 759: The Array Activates, Stars Gather!
Star Cold Jade is an extremely precious treasure for healing injuries, birthed from celestial star power, possessing unmatched healing effects.
Generally speaking, only powerful factions above the Void Fragmentation level can acquire some to make magical treasures and spirit equipment.
Even wanting to collect enough Cold Jade to make a jade bed would be difficult for Broken Thought Powers.
However, the Six Desires Sect has succeeded!
The reason the Six Desires Sect possesses such a precious Cold Jade Bed naturally comes down to the sect’s ancestor—the Six Desires Immortal King.
This Cold Jade Bed is the treasure passed down through the generations of the Six Desires Sect, only known to each generation’s sect leader and only they have the right to use it for healing.
The secret of this bed’s existence has never been leaked, otherwise countless old monsters would have already come to seize it.
Yuanzong is this generation’s Sect Master of the Six Desires Sect, at the Initial Stage of Crossing Truth.
He is almost the last talent of the Six Desires Sect, aside from him, there are no others at the Crossing Truth stage, only three Fate Immortals, and all are at the Human Profound Initial and Intermediate Stages...
If, Yuanzong asks himself, he were to fall unfortunately, the Six Desires Sect would be destined for complete decline.
Fate Immortal cultivators face minor lightning tribulations every three hundred years, major ones every three thousand years.
True Immortal cultivators face minor lightning tribulations every six hundred years, major ones every six thousand years.
Eternal Cultivators face minor lightning tribulations every nine hundred years, major ones every nine thousand years.
Yuanzong’s next major lightning tribulation is just a thousand years away...
He lacks substantial confidence to overcome such tribulations, most likely leading to his death...
Therefore, he must find a path for the Six Desires Sect during his lifetime!
And the path he seeks lies in Ning Fan!
His vision has always been accurate, with one glance he could tell Ning Fan has limitless potential and is someone with clear distinctions between obligation and animosity.
If someone offends Ning Fan, he would retaliate vehemently!
If someone does kindness to Ning Fan, he would repay them generously!
Seeing through Ning Fan’s nature and knowing Ning Fan has the special identity of a Slaughter Hall disciple, Yuanzong naturally is eager to make good relations with Ning Fan, even if it means revealing the secret of the Star Cold Jade Bed to him and using it to help Ning Fan heal, he’s willing to do so!
As long as he can cement good connections with Ning Fan, Yuanzong deeply believes that a thousand years later, even if he falls under the major tribulation, Ning Fan, remembering today’s goodwill, would mostly look after the Six Desires Sect in the future!
He straightforwardly admits the purpose of befriending Ning Fan, his gaze honest.
This honesty makes Ning Fan greatly appreciate it.
He vaguely perceives that Yuanzong’s major lightning tribulation is imminent, his face exhibits some signs of impending doom, seemingly difficult to avoid this calamity.
His spirit sense sweeps over the Six Desires Sect, discovering the sect only has three Fate Immortals, all at Human Profound Initial and Intermediate Stages.
Thus, Ning Fan harbors a guess that Yuanzong’s humility in befriending him is likely for the sake of the Six Desires Sect...
"What does Daoist think of my proposal? Would you like to stay at my Six Desires Sect for a while, using the Cold Jade Bed to heal your injuries?" Yuanzong strokes his white beard, smilingly asks.
"Very well, my injuries are indeed somewhat troublesome; if I can gain the aid of the Star Cold Jade Bed, I can certainly shorten the healing period significantly. The Star Cold Jade Bed is a treasure, for a senior to lend it to me for healing, I owe the Six Desires Sect a favor."
Ning Fan’s words are concise.
He did not say he owed Yuanzong a favor, instead he said he owed the Six Desires Sect a favor, which brought a satisfying smile to Yuanzong.
Yuanzong does not care for Ning Fan owing him personally; he only has a thousand years left, and although Ning Fan possesses great talent, his cultivation is still low, unable to offer substantial help within a thousand years.
The Six Desires Sect, however, needs Ning Fan’s favor.
Ning Fan is a Slaughter Hall cultivator with astonishing talent and limitless prospects; having him look after the Six Desires Sect, even if Yuanzong dies, he can rest in peace.
"Heh heh, with those words from Daoist, even if I die at this moment, I would have no regrets. The Star Cold Jade Bed is sealed within the Immortal King Hall, and the Immortal King Hall is located within the Sect Master’s Forbidden Domain of our Six Desires Sect, where non-Shekong cultivators are barred entry without the Sect Leader’s Command Token. Come, Daoist, follow me, and I will lead you to the Immortal King Hall to use the Cold Jade Bed."
Yuanzong smiles and welcomes Ning Fan into the Six Desires Sect.
The mountain gate of the Six Desires Sect is large, the disciples numerous, with a hundred thousand members, two hundred Void Fragmentation Masters, and three Fate Immortals.
Without Yuanzong presiding, such a force could still rule over a Mid-Level Star Domain.
However, to rule over an Upper Starfield is far from sufficient.
Seeing the sect leader personally exit the sect to welcome Ning Fan inside astonishes quite a few disciples.
Ordinary disciples do not know who Ning Fan is, nor do they know his strength.
They are curious to know who this esteemed person, personally welcomed by their sect leader, actually is.
On that day, Ning Fan wiped out the Jun Family and Weichen Sword Sect cultivators; the details of this battle were obscured by Fei He and other Shekong cultivators, leaving outsiders unaware of Ning Fan’s impressive achievements.
Since Ning Fan joined the Slaughter Hall, the billion bounty order was canceled, and over the decades, most Eastern Heaven cultivators have forgotten Ning Fan.
Within the entire Six Desires Sect, aside from Yuanzong, no one knows Ning Fan’s identity.
Three Fate Immortals stand guard outside the Sect Master’s Forbidden Domain of the Six Desires Sect; upon seeing Yuanzong arrive, they immediately salute respectfully, "Greetings, Sect Master... uh, this person is..."
The three Fate Immortals fix their gaze on Ning Fan, with an inquisitive essence.
Ning Fan subtly releases a hint of Human Profound Peak-stage aura, and the trio’s expressions change, showing deep wariness.
"This Daoist is an old friend of mine, wishing to take a look inside the Immortal King Hall." Yuanzong smiles as he speaks, treating sect members always with kindness.
"But..." The trio show expressions of difficulty.
The Immortal King Hall is the Sect Master’s Forbidden Domain where only the sect leader may enter, such is the inviolable law of the Six Desires Sect, unchangeable.
The three were responsible for guarding the Sect Master’s Forbidden Domain, steadfastly adhering to the sect rules, and dared not let even the friends of the Sect Master into the Immortal King Hall.
"Hehe, rules are dead, but people are alive. This point, you must bear in mind. Remember this, even if I fall, you can still support the Six Desires Sect and survive in the Six Desires Star Domain. Of course, principles cannot be discarded, this, too, you must remember! Without principles in your heart, the Dao is no longer worth cultivating. However, the rules of the Immortal King Hall do not concern principles, and breaking them once is no harm. Let him in. Perhaps the future of our Six Desires Sect rests upon him..." Yuanzong sighed, earnestly educating them.
Seeing the Sect Master speak to this extent, the three men, not being foolish or stubborn, respectfully stepped aside to clear the path.
Ning Fan’s gaze swept over the three Fate Immortals and finally rested on Yuanzong, his eyes filled with slight surprise.
The strong of this sect enforce the law impartially, and the sect master is kind to subordinates. The Six Desires Sect is indeed a good sect.
Yuanzong took out an Array Plate, cast a spell upon it, and a passage slowly appeared on the formation light outside the forbidden area.
"Fellow Daoist, please enter on your own to heal. I will stay outside the forbidden area to guard it for you, young friend."
"Rest assured, young friend, the formation light of this forbidden area will only defend against external enemies and won’t attack the cultivators inside. Cultivators inside can leave the forbidden area at any time without any obstruction. There is also no danger within the forbidden area, and the Immortal King Hall is located in its depths."
Yuanzong explained patiently, seemingly afraid that Ning Fan would worry there might be dangers hidden within the forbidden area.
Ning Fan nodded; with his Dao of formations cultivation, he could naturally see that this forbidden area array posed no danger.
Even if it was dangerous, with his divine skills, he wasn’t afraid to venture into this forbidden area.
He appreciated Yuanzong but still retained some caution.
The spirit senses of the Jun Family cultivators and Weichen Sword Cultivators had been refined by Ning Fan using Secret Technique, ready to be used to perform Blast God Technique.
With a gentle hand placed on the Soul Bag, Ning Fan took a step into the passage of formation light.
If Yuanzong truly had ill intentions, he only needed to unleash the Blast God Technique to wipe out the entire Six Desires Star in one move, leaving no one behind!
After Ning Fan entered the forbidden area, the passage of formation light disappeared.
Yuanzong closed his eyes, sighed in self-reproach.
He blamed himself for breaking the rules of the Six Desires Sect by allowing an outsider into the Immortal King Hall.
Yet, he did not regret it. For the future of the Six Desires Sect, he did not mind violating the rules once.
"Where is the Law Enforcement Elder!" Yuanzong opened his eyes, speaking solemnly.
"Here I am!" Three Fate Immortals responded clearly.
"As the sect master, allowing an outsider into the Immortal King Hall, what should be the punishment!"
"To receive five hundred lashes from the Lightning Whip..." The three sighed.
"Hmm, carry out the sentence. Do not let the other disciples know about this."
Yuanzong sighed, closed his eyes, and stood with his hands behind his back.
And the three Fate Immortals each took out a Lightning Whip for punishment, gritted their teeth, and lashed it upon Yuanzong’s body, one by one.
Though he was the sect master, the sect rules could not be discarded!
...
The layout of the forbidden area was similar, with a large circle enveloping a smaller circle, quite similar to the Dongfu Realm.
The outer region was built with numerous pavilions and towers, mostly consisting of Refinement rooms and refinement rooms.
The inner region contained a gigantic silver palace, with a plaque inscribed with three characters.
Immortal King Hall!
This hall was left by the Six Desires Immortal King, once used for seclusion and healing by him.
Since the fall of the Six Desires, successive sect masters have retreated here for healing.
The Immortal King Hall was splendid, with star light shimmering on the palace walls and flowing star power.
As Ning Fan walked to the front of the Immortal King Hall, the Natal Black Star within him began to tremble slightly.
That tremor was excitement!
Within this palace lay an invaluable treasure to enhance star power!
"Star Cold Jade..."
Ning Fan sighed and stepped into the Immortal King Hall.
He was clear about gratitude and grievances; if someone respected him a foot, he would return that respect by ten feet.
Though he knew the Star Cold Jade in the Immortal King Hall could boost his star power cultivation, Ning Fan did not intend to take the Cold Jade Bed.
Yuanzong’s kindness lent him the Cold Jade Bed for healing; if Ning Fan took away the Cold Jade Bed, his star power might greatly advance, but his spirit sense would certainly be greatly damaged.
Stepping into the Immortal King Hall, Ning Fan’s gaze swept all around.
The Immortal King Hall had no surplus furnishings, with a perpetual palace lamp in each of its four corners, and a Cold Jade Bed measuring three zhang long and one zhang wide in the center, exuding a chilling aura.
Above the Cold Jade Bed, vast and white star power flowed gently.
Any Master who lay on this bed could heal naturally!
This bed was refined from a whole piece of Star Cold Jade, such a massive Cold Jade is something even Eternal Cultivators would struggle to find.
Ning Fan estimated that if he absorbed all the star power within this Cold Jade Bed, his Natal Star would increase by at least five thousand stars.
Five thousand Natal Stars, not a small number.
Ning Fan cultivated the Cold Star Secret Tome, capable of absorbing Yin energy from extremely Yin areas to condense Natal Stars.
On every Cultivation Star, more or less, there would be some regions belonging to the scope of extremely Yin areas.
During the eight years of evading pursuit along with Ouyang Nuan, while heading to the Slaughter Hall, Ning Fan once stopped by a Lower-Level Cultivation Star rich in Yin energy, hiding there for half a month.
He spent half a month draining the Yin energy of an entire Lower-Level Cultivation Star, and only managed to congeal one Natal Star.
Seeing how difficult it was to cultivate a Natal Star, he had no choice but to temporarily give up on cultivating the Star Technique.
A Star Cold Jade Bed can help Ning Fan congeal five thousand Natal Stars, saving him over 200 years of arduous cultivation!
If Yuanzong were not a friend but a foe, Ning Fan would definitely have seized the Cold Jade Bed to cultivate the Star Technique.
Regretful, truly regretful...
"Ning Fan’s actions do not concern themselves with good or evil, merits or demerits, only with having a clear conscience. If today I were to be ungrateful and snatch this bed, I would surely regret it in the future!"
With a sigh, Ning Fan turned over and sat on the Star Cold Jade Bed, consuming a Nine Revolutions Elixir and activating the Black Star Technique.
Using the star power from the Star Cold Jade Bed, he operated his Universal Mana Suspension step by step, starting to heal.
A black light and a white light interwove around Ning Fan, faintly carrying an inherent Dao rhythm, aligning with Ning Fan’s Dao!
The black starlight is the Black Star Technique. For the Black Star Technique, he harbored thoughts of acquiring treasures.
The white starlight is the light from the Jade Bed. To maintain gratitude and righteousness, he gave up the thought of acquiring treasures.
This process of acquiring and relinquishing is precisely the struggle between Dao and demon.
This black and white starlight seemed to interpret Ning Fan’s Dao.
In the end, he relinquished the demon to uphold the Dao, and his spirit sense remained intact.
One day, two days, three days... in the blink of an eye, a month passed.
Ning Fan had consumed a second Nine Revolutions Elixir, and his injuries were sixty percent healed.
After another month, Ning Fan’s injuries were finally completely healed.
Ning Fan had forcibly used the Heaven Sealing Technique to pin down the Thousand-Eyed Old Monster, suffering terrifying retaliatory injuries.
Without the Cold Jade Bed, Ning Fan would have had to go into seclusion in the Mysterious Yin World for years to heal.
By leveraging the power of the Cold Jade Bed, Ning Fan healed in two months outside, an astonishing speed indeed.
Amazed at the powerful healing abilities of the Star Cold Jade Bed, Ning Fan’s eyes show only admiration, lacking any greed.
Feeling the black and white starlight spiraling around him, a certain inherent Dao rhythm seemed to emerge, and Ning Fan’s eyes flashed a thoughtful glint; after a long time, he raised his hand, attempting to merge the two kinds of starlight into one.
His palm seemed to hold the path of the Dao!
Under that path, the two diametrically opposed star powers showed a tendency to merge!
Just by merging a trace, the healing ability of the Black Star Technique immediately increased severalfold!
But before the black and white starlight completely fused, a sudden pain struck Ning Fan’s chest, causing him to cough up blood.
And the two star lights that had just begun to merge separated, dispersing in different directions...
"Unable to merge, but... it is a pleasant surprise!" Ning Fan casually wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled with satisfaction.
He seemed to have almost created a star healing technique stronger than the Black Star Technique...
One black, one white, one demon, one Dao... those belong to Ning Fan’s own star technique, stronger than the Black Star Technique.
In the eyes of the world, the Heavenly Emperor was a master who cultivated the Star Technique to perfection, his Black Star Technique acclaimed through the ages, the top star technique.
But Ning Fan understands that there is no eternal strongest, nor is there an eternal first.
The Black Star Technique is merely temporarily unsurpassed; perhaps one day, Ning Fan can create a Star Technique that surpasses it.
Unfortunately, the Black Star Technique’s level is too high, and Ning Fan’s current realm is far below that of the Heavenly Emperor’s past, insufficient to improve this Star Technique.
"To create a Star Technique stronger than the Black Star Technique, at least reaching the Immortal Emperor Realm is required..." Ning Fan murmured to himself.
Clearing all distracting thoughts, Ning Fan healed on the Star Cold Jade Bed for another day, fully curing the injuries from the Star Technique’s backlash.
Once his injuries healed, Ning Fan got up to leave the Jade Bed, suddenly furrowing his brows, looking puzzled at the Cold Jade Bed beneath him.
Sitting back on the Cold Jade Bed, Ning Fan calmed his mind, closed his eyes, seemingly sensing something.
He did not heal, nor did he do anything.
After a long time, he opened his eyes, revealing a peculiar look in his gaze, muttering to himself, "Luckily, I was not swayed by greed and did not take the star power from this Cold Jade Bed. Who would have thought this Cold Jade Bed still held such great potential! If my momentary greed had destroyed this bed, I would have surely missed a tremendous opportunity..."
"Is this an opportunity left by the Six Desires Immortal King? Without being a cultivator with the Six Desires Bone, it would be impossible to know such an opportunity was hidden under this bed!"
"Before entering the Immortal King Hall, my Natal Black Star involuntarily displayed excitement. At the time, I thought it was excited due to the Star Cold Jade Bed, but the truth was revealed to be such!"
"Six Desires Senior, you really have given the junior a heaven-altering opportunity..."
Beneath this Cold Jade Bed, buried a million feet underground, lies an ancient formation!
The formation was laid with the power of desire, laid by the Six Desires Immortal King personally—it’s impossible to sense its presence here unless one has a desire bone!
The eye of the formation was set in the crust of the Six Desires Star.
There are two conditions for activating the formation.
First, the person activating the formation must possess a desire bone; second, the Star Cold Jade Bed must remain intact.
It is a grand formation that draws upon the power of the stars, capable of directly extracting the power of all Cultivation Stars in the Six Desires Star Domain, assisting the formation’s activator in condensing their Natal Star!
Compared to the Cold Star Secret Tome, this method of cultivating Star Techniques is faster, more domineering!
Ning Fan possesses the Six Desires Bone and has not destroyed the Cold Jade Bed; he is qualified to activate this grand formation!
If I activate this formation, my cultivation in star techniques will definitely soar!
"The Star Cold Jade Bed, I neither seize nor take. However, this grand formation, I must activate. Cultivators with the Six Desires Bone are exceedingly rare. If I don’t seize this opportunity today, there won’t be another cultivator with the Six Desires Bone entering the Immortal King Hall to take this opportunity, it would simply go to waste, what a pity."
Ning Fan is not a pretentious person; this formation is his opportunity. Without the Six Desires Bone, no one else can obtain this chance, and he doesn’t need to give it to the cultivators of the Six Desires Sect.
If he doesn’t take it, then no one can, so why waste it.
The Six Desires Bone within him emitted a faint glow, one by one.
Sitting cross-legged on the Cold Jade Bed, Ning Fan’s fingers flickered with shadows as he formed the formation gestures, activating the grand formation!
With a silent, invisible power of desire formation, centered on the Six Desires Star, it instantly expanded to the entire Six Desires Star Domain!
In the Six Desires Star Domain, seventy-four thousand cultivation stars were covered by the formation’s power, yet no one noticed it.
As the formation turned for the sixth time, an ancient, desolate aura of desire suddenly descended upon Ning Fan, spreading wildly across the entire Six Desires Star Domain!
This ancient, desolate aura was unhidden, and all the cultivators in the Six Desires Star Domain, at this moment, raised their heads in disbelief!
Numerous renowned old monsters, their gazes changed dramatically, fleeing from their cultivation stars, looked at the vast, empty starry sky with incredulity and reverence!
"It’s the aura of the Fourth Calamity of Eternity! There’s an Immortal King of the Fourth Calamity of Eternity who entered the Six Desires Star Domain, spreading his aura across the domain!"
"Why would such a supreme powerhouse come to our Six Desires Star Domain? Could it be to explore the Dongfu Realm entrance that disappeared months ago?"
The entire Six Desires Star’s cultivators also changed their expressions dramatically, looking at the starry sky in disbelief!
They too sensed the aura of the Fourth Calamity Immortal King, and felt as though that Immortal King seemed very close to them, within the range of the Six Desires Star!
"Has an unparalleled Immortal King infiltrated our Six Desires Star? Where is that unparalleled Immortal King now?!" Some cultivators exclaimed in shock.
"How dare you speak like that! Would such a dignified Immortal King need to sneak into the Six Desires Star? Such a world-shaking figure comes and goes as he pleases, why would he need to hide? We can’t detect his presence only because our own cultivation is too weak, not because that senior is deliberately hiding!"
At this moment, the entire Six Desires Star Domain erupted!
At this moment, outside the Six Desires Sect Master’s Forbidden Domain, Yuanzong and the three law-enforcing Fate Immortals looked in disbelief toward the direction of the forbidden area.
Being the closest to the forbidden area, they were the only ones who could sense that the Immortal King’s aura was emanating from this forbidden area toward the entire Six Desires Star Domain!
"Could it be that an unparalleled Immortal King has infiltrated our Six Desires Sect’s forbidden area — the Immortal King Hall?!" The three law-enforcing Fate Immortals’ faces all changed dramatically.
"No, it’s not. This aura is emitted by the founder of our Six Desires Sect — the Six Desires Immortal King!" Yuanzong steadied his thoughts and said solemnly.
"Sect Master! This is impossible! Wasn’t the founder long since fallen, how could he emit such a powerful aura after his death!" The three Fate Immortals expressed disbelief.
"You do not know. Before the founder fell, he left behind a certain opportunity on the Six Desires Star, and a final command that if anyone acquired this opportunity, it would trigger a phenomenon, causing his last aura left on the Six Desires Star to reappear among the stars. On that day, the descendants of the Six Desires may possibly pledge allegiance to this person, which would surely lead to the great revitalization of the Six Desires Sect in the Eastern Heaven. This matter is the highest secret of our sect, known only to successive Sect Masters..."
Upon saying that, Yuanzong fell silent for a moment.
He recalled the earnest instructions from the former Sect Master.
When the Six Desires Immortal King fell, he had already foreseen no outstanding figures among future generations, predicting a day when the Six Desires Sect would surely decline.
Thus, he exhausted his lifelong savings to leave behind a great opportunity, waiting for a destined individual to acquire it, instructing the descendants to associate with this individual to ensure the prosperity of the Six Desires Sect.
This Desire Grand Array, it can only be used once!
This was the supreme grand formation left by the Six Desires Immortal King, exhausting his lifelong savings!
In the view of the Six Desires Immortal King, the one who acquires the opportunity would surely be a cultivator with the Six Desires Bone.
If it is a cultivator with the Six Desires Bone, they naturally have the ability to revive the Six Desires Sect.
In the unseen workings of fate, the great opportunity left by the Six Desires Immortal King was obtained by none other than Ning Fan.
Yuanzong gazed towards the forbidden area, eyes struggling, seemingly on the verge of making a decision.
After a long while, his eyes resolved.
He knew the one who triggered the Immortal King’s aura was Ning Fan, thus he decided to follow the ancestral command, leading the entire Six Desires Sect to pledge allegiance to Ning Fan!
Not just forming a good relationship, but pledging their allegiance to him as their master!
The ancestral command cannot be defied!
...
The Immortal King’s aura swept across the starry sky, transforming into numerous invisible giant hands, reaching towards one cultivation star after another!
Except for the Six Desires Star, the star power of the numerous cultivation stars was forcibly drawn out, resulting in severe depletion of star power.
The extracted star power, aided by the desire grand array that spread across the entire star domain, continuously flowed into Ning Fan’s body.
One Natal Star after another rapidly condensed at a shocking speed!
The star power of seventy-four thousand cultivation stars allowed Ning Fan to condense seventy-four thousand Natal Stars!
The number of Natal Black Stars, eighty-three thousand!
At this moment, the self-healing power of the Black Star Technique was such that it could instantly heal injuries even from a direct hit by a Ghost Profound Peak Stage cultivator!
"This formation, it’s so powerful!"
Watching within himself, Ning Fan was astounded upon sensing the number of Natal Stars within his body!
What kind of grand formation could, in just one incense stick’s time, increase the number of Natal Stars by seventy-four thousand!
This formation diagram, he must acquire it, for it is indeed a supreme formation!
(1/2) (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to vote with recommendations and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com), your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read at m.qidian.com.)