Grasping Evil - Chapter 343

Chapter 343: Chapter 343 Returning To The External Sea

These twenty-four words appeared only for a brief time enough for a glimpse and it slowly disappeared from the white paper, leaving the white paper blank again.

Ning Fan was lost in his thoughts while his mouth was silently reciting the five line poem.

“People die like lights, extinguished… One extinguishes while the other rekindles. There must be a principle of Samsara hidden in it, but I can’t figure it out.”

Perhaps this poem contained Zi Dou’s comprehension towards Samsara which he had accumulated in his entire lifetime.

However, with Ning Fan’s current cultivation base and experience, it was far from enough to understand it.

It was as if he was standing right on the coast, overlooking the seascape and could vaguely see an immortal island which was shrouded by the sea’s mist at the horizon but that scenery was too indistinct and unreal, making him unable to see it clearly.

He then kept the Characterless Heavenly Scripture and set aside his feelings. Looking again at the enormous hall within the Cloud Palace which was now empty, Ning Fan let out a soft sigh as if he accomplished an important mission.

“Master Lu, I have done what I’ve promised you!”

He was clearly talking to himself, but at the same time at the Luo Yun Tribe in the Second World, an old man who stood at the Luo Yun County Mansion while gazing into the vast sky was silently weeping.

“Cloud General, why are you weeping?!” The servants who were beside him were at a loss.

“You may all be excused… This old man wants to be alone.”

Just a moment ago, the last trace of the Power of Bestowal in Lu Daochen’s left eye… vanished!

That power was bestowed by Marshal Lu to him. Even though Lu Daochen had depleted his own Bestowal Star while desperately fighting the Blood Wolves in the Star Palace, he eventually managed to retain a trace of the remnant power after taking a Sixth Revolution Pill given by Ning Fan.

This power, however, had just vanished for no reason …

After losing this power, Lu Daochen did not feel any sense of loss at all but extreme joy instead. This was because he already figured out that the reason why this power would suddenly vanish was because Lu Wu had returned to Samsara and took back his Power of Bestowal!

His tears were of great joy but also of great sadness.

He knew that just a moment ago, Ning Fan had fulfilled his promise which was to break the evil seal on Lu Wu!

“Lu Bei, thank you so much for saving Marshal Lu!”

An evening breeze blew. Lu Daochen looked towards the sky with his teary eyes and made two deep bows!

One bow was for Lu Wu’s guidance and support in the past!

The second bow was for Ning Fan’s help and favour!

After standing in the Cloud Palace for a long time, Ning Fan finally walked out of that place.

At the moment he exited the palace, a shrill echoed throughout the sky as if the palace was crying and the gigantic palace suddenly crumbled down.

The women waiting outside the palace were all somewhat worried as they did not know what had happened inside the Cloud Palace which caused Ning Fan to stay within for a hundred days.

As soon as they saw Ning Fan in one piece, their worries faded away.

Besides, after feeling Ning Fan’s aura which had become even greater and stronger, Xi Ran was the first one to exclaim.

“Brother Lu Bei, your aura is so strong now. Did your cultivation base increase again? Could it be that you have broken through to the Late Divine Transformation Realm?!”

Xi Ran was just a Late Divine Transformation Realm expert. However, in terms of the intensity of magic power, the current Ning Fan was not any weaker than Xi Ran at all. There was no way Xi Ran would not be surprised by it.

“No. I haven’t attained the Late Divine Transformation Realm. I’m still at the middle stage of Divine Transformation Realm. However, my power has indeed improved a lot…”

After giving an explanation, Ning Fan stopped talking and remained silent for a moment.

He seemed to have noticed something. Xi Ran’s smile faded, Wu Yan lowered her lovely face while Yuan Yao gently bit her lips. Awkward silence suddenly fell in the atmosphere.

“I’m leaving the Star Palace…” Ning Fan’s tone was calm, but these simple parting words had made the three women feel slightly sour in their hearts.

In the end, they still have to part ways. Everyone had their own responsibilities on their shoulders. Ning Fan’s responsibility is to become stronger and protect his loved ones. Yuan Yao needed to return to the Northern Heaven, while Wu Yan and Xi Ran also had their own great families and they both needed to return to the Spirit King Palace after all.

The trip in the Star Palace was full of danger. However, it was because of all the difficulties they had gone through that made these women feel it difficult to forget each other.

Wu Yan was trying hard to stay calm but her fragrant shoulders were trembling. She could not forget the day when she was being pursued by the old bear. If Ning Fan had not arrived on time, she would have been killed.

She could not forget that in order to help her avoid the ten thousand years of imprisonment, Ning Fan decided to abduct Imperial Concubine Zi and the other ten demon concubines following her without caring about being pursued by the Spirit King Palace at all…

Wu Yan just could not bear the parting…

Xi Ran felt a lump coming into her throat as teardrops began to fall down from her face. She had promised Ning Fan to be stronger and become an independent grandmaster of pill refinement and alchemy who never cries anymore.

However, Xi Ran never knew that it would be so heartbreaking to part with Ning Fan. She could not hold her tears, like how she could not forget the warmth of Ning Fan’s embrace.

That day, Ning Fan held her in his arms and washed the Star Sea with the blood of the sea beasts.

That day, she was sneak-attacked by the enemy’s general with the Evil Cold Gu. At the very moment of despair, only Ning Fan went out of his way to block in front of her.

Xi Ran was also unwilling to leave…

Yuan Yao gently closed her phoenix eyes. Her cultivation base was too profound and she had already attained the Venerated Indifference Realm. Her facial expression could remain calm and indifferent, but her heart could not forget the crazy but warm experience she had on this trip in the end.

With her cultivation base, she never needed protection from others. However, when she was at her weakest with life-threatening injuries, Ning Fan sheltered her from wind and rain.

This would probably be her first and last time hiding behind a man in her entire life.

However, because of cruel reality, Yuan Yao did not even dare to tell Ning Fan her actual name.

Yuan Yao was also reluctant to leave…

*Piack* *Piack* *Piack*

Three crispy sounds of a slap suddenly resounded in the air.

Immediately, Xi Ran yelped, Wu Yan was flustered while Yuan Yao’s phoenix eyes were filled with embarrassment and anger.

At the same time, the three women covered their hips and turned around in rage. They only saw Ning Fan waving his palm and gave them a harmless and innocent smile.

The three sounds were of course coming from Ning Fan’s devil palms that slapped on the three women’s butts.

To him, it felt kind of good…

“Brother Lu Bei, y-you’re shameless!” Xi Ran angrily swung her fists.

“You bad little thief!” Wu Yan blushed. She was probably the only woman there who had never performed dual cultivation with Ning Fan. To her, this slap was particularly exciting.

“Y-You are really…” Yuan Yao really did not know what to say about Ning Fan.

However, after Ning Fan’s mischievous act, the sad and depressing atmosphere had instantly turned into a pleasant and cheerful one.

“Little Cucumber, you’ve got skills!” Yue Lingkong looked at Ning Fan with approval.

There was no pervert who could be as honest and righteous as Ning Fan. He had really surpassed all the others of his kind past and present.

The female corpse’s mind was completely blank and her eyes flashed with confusion. Her mouth mumbled, “Piack… Piack… Piack?”

She was trying to ask Ning Fan why he slapped the three women’s butts as none of them behaved badly.

Ning Fan smiled and shook his head.

The heavy atmosphere has eased up. It’s almost time… to go!

“Yao Er…” Ning Fan called with a teasing tone.

“…” Yuan Yao was speechless and countless complaints filled her heart.

This Lu Bei really is defiant and bold. Does he think that he can climb all over me after the two indecent trysts with me?

Yao Er… Is “Yao Er” something he can use to address me?!

When we were in a crisis earlier, I didn’t mind letting him call me like this. Now, even though my strength has recovered, he still dared to arbitrarily call me like that…

Fine. Since we are going to part ways in a little while and most probably we won’t be meeting each other anymore, I will let him take advantage of me.

“I’ve promised to share a trace of the power of the black star with you. Now, I will give it to you.”

Ning Fan put away his smile and stretched his five fingers into a clawing gesture. Traces of black starlight began to seep through his fingers and condensed into a palm-sized dark crystal which was exuding faint star glows.

“Is this enough?”

“It’s so much! Y-You have successfully comprehended the Black Star Technique of the Celestial Emperor?!”

Yuan Yao’s eyes widened with shock.

This palm-sized dark crystal contains at least one thousand traces of black star power.

The fact that Ning Fan could easily gather such amount of star power clearly meant that he had successfully condensed his Natal Star and comprehended the initial stage of the Black Star Technique!

That secret technique was a good thing that could even tempt the likes of Yuan Yao. Now, however, it was comprehended by Ning Fan by chance.

“So you don’t want it? It’s fine then.” Ning Fan deliberately asked.

“I want it…”

Yuan Yao reached out her hand and took the dark crystal away from him. Apparently, she had no idea that when she said “I want it”, she had actually been taken advantage of by Ning Fan verbally.

After taking the crystal, her wrist was also touched by Ning Fan on purpose.

Yuan Yao darted a look at Ning Fan without uttering any words. She could faintly feel that if she stays another half a month more with Ning Fan, she might really be pushed down by this young man and completely lose control of herself.

However, when she thought of the crystal that could help Bei Xiaoman sever her scarlet dragon, as a mother, she felt rather joyful.

“Thank you… If you ascend to the Northern Heaven in the future, I will secretly repay you for your help.” Yuan Yao spoke seriously.

“How would you repay me?” Ning Fan’s eyes flashed.

“…We’ll talk about it in the future.” Yuan Yao avoided that topic. Then, she seemed to have recalled something and thickened her face to ask after hesitating for a while.

“Are you really not considering giving up your Yin Yang Devil Vein? I can give you a better cultivation method of a fiendgod…”

“You have asked this question a lot of times already.” Ning Fan shook his head.

“Really? You are someone of the Rain World. If you want to ascend to the Immortal World, there are only two ways. Firstly, keep cultivating until the peak stage of Void Fragmentation Realm and crush the Void Realm to ascend to the Northern Heaven. Secondly, cultivate to the Divine Transformation Realm and with an Ascension Spot of the Nine World given by the ‘four great forces’, one could choose to ascend immediately at that cultivation base. Of course, it doesn’t mean that the earlier you ascend the better. However, once you have the privilege, ascension will no longer be risky…”

“So you want to give me an ascension spot?” Ning Fan’s eyelid twitched.

“No. Not me… But my dau… no, sister. Her name is Bei Xiaoman. She’s staying in one of the palaces of the Lost World Palace’s branch in the Rain World. It seems to be a place called the Endless Sea. When I return to the Northern Heaven, I will try to urge her. If you want to ascend to the heavens in the future, you just need to find her and tell her you’re Lu Bei. Then she will help you in preparing the passage and Realm Gates to aid you in ascending to the Upper World.”

“I think I would need to further consider this offer.”

Ning Fan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at this moment. Secretly, he said this in his heart.

With the grudges between me and Bei Xiaoman, that little girl would very likely meddle in my ascension such as collapsing the World Passage or the Realm Gate while I am passing through to kill me during teleportation…

Therefore, Ning Fan would not dare to accept that ascension spot even if Bei Yao was willing to give it to him.

Besides that, Ning Fan had not really considered ascending to the heavens while he was still at the Divine Transformation Realm. At the very least, he would not consider this at all before succeeding in slaying Emperor Moksha of the Devil World.

“Mm, even though we won’t meet again in the future, I still sincerely wish you… to have an infinitely bright future…”

Yuan Yao gently tore off the seal on her forehead. All of a sudden, her aura force returned to the Shedding Void Realm.

In the end, she still had to leave. Ning Fan and her were after all just like star-crossed lovers who were not fated to be with each other forever. What she could feel was the helplessness of meeting the right person at the wrong time.

“Sister Bei Yao, are you leaving now?”

“Bei Yao!”

All women there turned to look at Yuan Yao. Their gazes made Yuan Yao suddenly forget her tired and irritated feelings. She looked up to them, smiling through tears.

These are really interesting memories…

I, as an immortal expert at the Shedding Void Realm, can actually be sisters with a group of Divine Transformation Realm juniors. Moreover, some of them are even from different races.

“If there is a chance, perhaps we will all meet again…” Yuan Yao sighed inwardly. Even though she had clearly arrived at the stage where she forgot what love is, she still had an emotional response.

As she performed a hand seal, a massive magic power surged. A huge Realm Gate suddenly appeared between heaven and earth. Yuan Yao gritted her teeth and made a step forward, disappearing from their eyes.

The emotions she experienced throughout the journey had surprisingly loosened the bottleneck of Yuan Yao’s cultivation base.

The Venerated Indifference Realm was not about being heartless… In the past, she was heartless. In the Star Palace, however, her emotions were roused. Perhaps this encounter would cause her power to increase quite a lot.

Of course, that was something that would only happen in the future.

Wu Yan and Yue Lingkong sighed with emotion while Xi Ran felt her nose swell again.

“Sister Bei Yao is gone…”

“Silly girl! Everything or everyone that meets will part eventually. There is nothing you can blame as meeting and parting aren’t for us to control…” Wu Yan didn’t know what to say about Xi Ran.

She slightly raised her head and looked at Ning Fan feeling speechless for a moment.

After a long while, only then did she muster up her courage and said lightly.

“Lu Bei, we need to go back to the Second World first to hand over something to Lu Daochen. Then, we will return to the Spirit King Palace. After that, the Spirit King will probably give an order to move the entire Second World to the Land of Demons in the Upper World using a secret technique… After all, the demons in the Second World were originally members of the ancient demon race of the Land of Slumber. There is nothing wrong for them to ascend to the Immortal Demon World again…”

“Is that so? Then I would need to trouble you to take care of Wan Er and the Luo Yun tribe in the future.”

“Aren’t you going back to the Second World with us? Sister Wan Er would probably want to see you too.” It seems that Xi Ran treated almost everyone as her elder sister. Perhaps she likes being a younger sister to other people ever since she was born.

“No. Even if I go back, I will also leave immediately and it will only make Wan Er feel sad parting with me once again. Maybe someday in the future when I no longer need to stain my hands with blood in this cultivation world and there is no longer any enemy chasing after me, I might then be able to put down everything and find you all to live a bland but warm mortal life. What Wan Er looks forward to seeing must be my future self that has already let go of all my burdens. She is waiting and I am also waiting for that day to come…”

Ning Fan’s eyes shined with hope. Mortal people’s lives were dull and peaceful. Thus, they often long for a passionate and exciting life like the ones in their legends.

A cultivator’s life, however, was centered on fighting. Fighting with the heavens, fighting with other cultivators, and even fighting with their own destiny. In the end, they often find themselves exhausted and eager to have an ordinary life.

While their hearts do feel tired, they would not stop moving forward. If they stop, they will then be trampled upon by others and treated like corpses and bones that pave their paths!

It was a journey with no return.

“Yan Er, Ran Er, I have nothing good to give you both but there are two sword crystals here. Take it with you. Once the single Void Refinement Realm attack within the crystal is activated, even a Peak Divine Transformation Realm expert will certainly die after being struck by it! As for Half-Step Void Refinement Realm experts, they will also run away after finding out about these crystals…”

Ning Fan took out two sword crystals. These were of course seized from Zi Chuan.

“Isn’t it a little too costly…” Even with Wu Yan’s identity as a demon imperial concubine, she was unable to get even one of those sword crystals. Her talent was not bad, but she just was not valued highly within her race.

“Is this a gift …” Xi Ran eyes suddenly twinkled like stars and a smile bloomed across her face. Since she was the little princess of her own race, she had no shortage of items for self-defense. However, she still regarded this piece of sword crystal as a precious treasure because it was given by Ning Fan.

“This gift can almost offset 50 million immortal jades … Brother Lu Bei, you still owe me 900 million immortal jades. The next time I see you, I will definitely ask from you… Oh yes!”

She still had not forgotten her one billion immortal jades that Ning Fan took away from her.

But she suddenly recalled something which caused her, someone who always says whatever she had in mind, to be a little uneasy.

“Sister Wu Yan, I want to give Brother Lu Bei something in secret. Can you pretend not to see it and don’t tell the others?” Xi Ran pleaded with Wu Yan.

“Okay. But are you giving him a gift? What is so mysterious about it?” Ning Fan found the tense expression on Xi Ran’s face rather funny.

“It’s a jade slip, just a jade slip… ”

Xi Ran took out a delicately-packaged jade slip from her storage pouch and handed it to Ning Fan. Immediately, her small face turned red and hot.

“This is?”

Ning Fan unpacked the package without any care and touched the jade slip with his finger. At the next moment, a soft voice echoed in the air.

“Brother Lu Bei, Xi Ran likes you very much. I just especially like you! You are Xi Ran’s biggest hero! This is the jade slip that I secretly imprinted. Recorded in here is the secret technique of pill refinement of our Profound Medicine Race – “San Qing Remnants Volume”. You have to study it hard and become a great pill refinement master in the future. Then, my dad will definitely not object to our marriage…”

*Pak*

Xi Ran’s face was as red as a tomato. Feeling angry and embarrassed, she pointed at the jade slip and shut off her recorded voice. Then, she angrily stared at Ning Fan.

“Idiot! This can’t be opened in front of other people!”

Xi Ran just wanted to find a hole and hide in it.

This is a jade slip that she secretly made along the way. She had also secretly imprinted all the secret pill refining techniques of her Profound Medicine Race into it.

Of course, these things were not a big deal. However, there were still a lot of sentimental words recorded in it. Those were the words that Xi Ran always wanted to tell Ning Fan but she did not dare to do it in person.

“Idiot! Big idiot!” Xin Ran was so ashamed that she stamped her feet on the ground. On the other side, after hearing Xi Ran’s words from the jade slip, Yue Lingkong laughed so hard that she bent herself over. After that, she imitated Xi Ran’s tone on purpose and said.

“Brother Lu Bei, Xi Ran likes you very much. I especially like you! You are Xi Ran’s biggest hero!”

“Don’t imitate me!”

While the two of them began to argue with each other, Wu Yan’s eyes were filled with surprise. Meanwhile, the same look also appeared on Ning Fan’s face.

“This is the record of the secret pill refining techniques of the Profound Medicine Race? You are giving this record to Lu Bei? If this matter is spread, with the domineering attitude of your Profound Medicine Race, they will definitely send a number of True Immortals to hunt Lu Bei down! You are just getting him into trouble!” Wu Yan said nervously.

“If I, you, Brother Lu Bei and Sister Yue Er doesn’t spread it and I know Weiliang certainly won’t spread it, who else would know?” Xi Ran denied her statement. She didn’t think there was anything wrong with her gift.

“You are really… What should I say about you… ” Wu Yan sighed softly. She could feel Xi Ran’s feelings. If she were to have the lofty status of a princess in her race like Xi Ran and got some kind profound secret technique of her clan which could help Ning Fan, she would also definitely be very willing to take risks to give it to him…

“Brother Lu Bei, if you don’t want it, then give it back to me!” Xi Ran reached out her hand and tried to take it back. However, Ning Fan suddenly pulled her hand and got her into his arms.

“Of course I want it. Why would I reject? This is a good thing.”

It was indeed good stuff. The Dao of Formations was divided into nine factions but there were only two in the Dao of Alchemy. Firstly, it was the “Nine Revolutions of the Rivers” inherited from the Ancient Chaos Emperor. Much of the inheritance was lost. As for the ‘San Qing[1] Pill Condensation Method’ given by Xi Ran, even though it was also incomplete, it was more advanced than the pill refining techniques that Ning Fan currently had.

After having these techniques and with Ning Fan’s talent, he undoubtedly would be successful in the Dao of Alchemy as long as he makes painstaking efforts in learning and practicing them.

There was a saying which goes, “If one has the help of his good wife, he can overcome millions of powerful armies…” Now, Ning Fan really felt the meaning of this saying from the mortal world.

Of course, in order to win the hearts of one’s good wives, life-and-death crises were inevitable.

The process was difficult, but as long as the results were fruitful, that was enough.

“Then, Brother Lu Bei, Sister Wu Yan and I will leave now. You must not forget to miss me!”

“Mm. After you get back, remember to be careful in everything you do.” Ning Fan reminded her.

Wu Yan and Xi Ran both gave Ning Fan a deep look. After a long while, each of them took out their own formation disks and activated the formation light. A moment later, their figures gradually faded and they returned to the Second World.

“Lu Bei… goodbye…”

Ning Fan raised his head, looking at the sky where the two of them left and sighed with emotion.

“Light… go… home?” The female corpse gently pulled Ning Fan’s sleeve. She could tell that Ning Fan was feeling a little dejected.

“Mm, let’s go home. After leaving the External Endless Sea for more than twenty years Xu Qiuling’s injuries probably flared up again. We shall heal her first.

“Little Cucumber, you have so many young beauties with you. Won’t you feel tired?” Yue Lingkong asked as if she was teasing him.

“Being tired is much better than being lonely.”

Ning Fan’s words silenced Yue Lingkong for a moment. Ning Fan’s path in cultivation might be bumpy and challenging, but he was not alone. As for Yue Lingkong, she might used to be a female tyrant in the Internal Endless Sea, but she never had a bosom friend. Besides, she was devoured by her second primordial spirit and even betrayed by her own apprentices in the end.

“When are we going to the Divine Space Island…?” Yue Lingkong recalled some unhappy past and asked with a frown.

“We will go… soon. ”

Ning Fan took out a formation disk. However, that disk was not for returning to the Second World, but to the External Endless Sea.

The Secret Realm of the Broken World, the Second World, the Star Palace… Before entering the Broken World, he was still at the Nascent Soul Realm. However, he was now a Divine Transformation Realm expert already by the time he returned to the External Endless Sea. Additionally, he was already so close to reaching the pinnacle of the Divine Transformation Realm.

There were a lot of hardships and challenges along the way. There were also some losses such as his Golden Flame Chariot which was half-destroyed and his two Mid Divine Transformation Realm puppets which were injured and then killed. However, what he had gained was much more than his losses!

Formation techniques, pill refining techniques, Inlaid Star Compass, Black Star Technique, Fu Li Ancient Blood, the initial stage of Emperor’s Shadow, two Void Refinement Realm puppets, an Immortal Painting Treasure…

As the saying goes, when there are losses, there will be gains. No matter what, Ning Fan did not get the short end of the stick throughout this journey.

Whatever he had been through during these twenty plus years was just like a dream!

“Let’s go…”

Ning Fan activated the formation disk and their figures gradually disappeared outside the Cloud Palace.

At the moment they left, the Cloud Palace vanished along with the Star Seas. No one knew where they had gone.

After twenty years, the External Endless Sea was still full of danger and opportunities. There would be a number of cultivators coming from afar every year. They came here either to temper themselves in the External Endless Sea or to train and cultivate in the Lost World Palace.

In the past two decades, many forces in the External Endless Sea were eliminated and many others were established. Among them, the largest killer organization had been formed on the Ying State Immortal Island and its name was… Alliance of Ming Assassins!

After twenty years, the Secret Realm of the Broken World was destroyed. As for the entrance to the Broken World beneath the sea domain of the Pleasure Devil Sea, it had long been broken. The only thing left there was the Stele of Slaughter which was once carved with Ning Fan’s name. The number one position of the stele was engraved with an intimidating name that emanated an immensely terrifying Baleful Qi.

Zhou Ming!

Originally, one could only enter the Secret Realm of the Broken World and stay within it for six months. Ning Fan, however, had gone inside for more than twenty years.

Most of the experts of the Endless Sea who waited for his return outside the entrance had lost their interest and patience to continue waiting and left. Frankly speaking, no one would be willing to wait there for twenty years just to spectate Ning Fan’s return.

However, only a lady named Xu Qiuling would consistently show up at that place everyday to wait for him. Unfortunately, her injuries began to worsen in the last three years. Her condition deprived her of her strength and energy, causing her to be unable to show up for him beneath the sea domain.

That place had already become deserted. Even the formation that prevented the seawater from flooding into that area had also lost its spirituality. Occasionally, only cultivators who were training themselves or hunting for treasures in the Pleasure Devil Sea would pass by that place.

Deep beneath the sea, an old expert and a young cultivator were gathering spiritual minerals in that sea domain. The Pleasure Devil Sea was rich in spiritual minerals. The deeper the seabed, the more precious the spiritual minerals.

Minerals were good stuff. They could be used for different purposes such as casting magic treasures and weapons, forging spiritual armors and spiritual irons, establishing formations and creating puppets. Moreover, a piece of precious spiritual mineral was equivalent to the total expenses that a Gold Core Realm old monster would spend for an entire century in his cultivation!

Therefore, these two cultivators came to look for spiritual minerals in the deep sea.

The old man in red robes had a horrifying Late Gold Core Realm cultivation base and he seemed to be a rogue cultivator.

As for the younger one, he was a young boy with a handsome appearance. His talent seemed to be somewhat decent and he looked like he had just broken through to the Harmonious Spirit Realm as his cultivation base was not stable yet.

These two people were a pair of master and apprentice.

Perhaps the reason why the old man took the boy into the sea was not only for searching for minerals, but also to take advantage of the opportunity to let the young boy have some experience and use that experience to stabilize his cultivation.

“Master, my cultivation base is still weak as I have just reached the Harmonious Spirit Realm. Isn’t it a little early for me to train under the deep sea… ” The young boy was a little afraid. His words immediately stirred up the anger within the old man.

“Humph! How are you going to go far in the journey of cultivation with your cowardly heart! So what if you are just a Harmonious Spirit Realm cultivator? Twenty years ago, the Endless Sea once had an incredible individual. Despite being just a Harmonious Spirit Realm cultivator, he entered the External Endless Sea and faced thousands of human sharks alone. This deed of his had even caused him to be hunted down by the members of the Demon Sealing Sect. But he survived and entered into a secluded meditation in the Lost World Palace on Peng Lai Immortal Island. Ten years later, he broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm and killed the Eagle Crane Elder of the Demon Sealing Sect on his own! After that, with his Nascent Soul Realm cultivation, he stirred up a great conflict in the situation of the External Endless Sea and he even dared to confront a Divine Transformation Realm old ancestor face to face! This man killed the geniuses of the Ten Sects and Three Islands like child’s play. Even so, none of the ancestors of the top ten sects dared to be angry at him!”

“This man then entered the Secret Realm of the Broken World. Once he went inside, he did not return for more than twenty years. However, his name on the Stele of Slaughter grew more red by the day. It’s enough to prove that he has not died yet but went somewhere else instead and committed countless more slaughters… Even though this person has left for twenty years, the older generation of experts would still tremble in fear when they hear his name… He is the best example for one who has made his way up to the pinnacle of power from the Harmonious Spirit Realm!”

The old man’s reprimand made the teenager’s face turn red in embarrassment. But he still talked back to his master with a lower tone.

“Master must be telling crazy nonsense. I don’t believe that anyone would be able to dominate the External Endless Sea while being just at the Harmonious Spirit Realm… Who is this person? Can Master say his name out loud?”

“His name? He is the devil lord whom you admire the most. The man whose reputation is so great that countless forces in the External Endless Sea secretly formed an alliance to assassinate him! He is Zhou Ming!”

“What!? Master is referring to ‘Ancestor Revered Ming’!? Ancestor Revered Ming was actually able to sweep the experts of the External Endless Sea when he was just a Harmonious Spirit Realm cultivator!?” The young man originally didn’t believe anyone could behave so wildly and freely in the External Endless Sea at the Harmonious Spirit Realm. But when he heard the name – Zhou Ming, he was completely convinced. Besides, his eyes burned with passion and admiration.

The person whom he admired the most was Zhou Ming!

“But Master, how do you know that Revered Ming was just a Harmonious Spirit Realm cultivator when he escaped from the Demon Sealing Sect? I heard some rumors claiming that when he entered the sea, he was already at the Nascent Soul Realm?” The boy asked with confusion.

“Why would I not know? During that day when he entered the sea, I was sitting on the same ship with Revered Ming! During our journey, the ship which I was sitting on received distress signals from other ships. Revered Ming was standing right next to me at the moment. Because of the disturbance in his mind, he exposed a trace of his cultivation base. I sensed it and I knew it, he definitely was just a Harmonious Spirit Realm cultivator at that time… I suppose I’m the only one who discovered it. Other than me, no one else knew that Revered Ming could fight a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator with just a Harmonious Spirit Realm cultivation base! *Cough* Cough* These events had already passed. Let’s not mention them anymore.…”

When the old man remembered the past, he could not help but feel ashamed of himself.

When he was sitting on the same boat with Ning Fan to enter the External Endless Sea, he was a Mid Gold Core Realm expert while Ning Fan was just a Harmonious Spirit Realm cultivator at that time.

A few decades later, the old man had finally broken through to the Late Gold Core Realm with difficulty, while Ning Fan was already a Nascent Soul Realm ancestor, an expert who could make Divine Transformation Realm old monsters afraid of him. Currently, he even became the person whom the Alliance of Ming Assassins wanted to kill the most!

Compared to Ning Fan, the old man felt that he had been spinning his wheels in his whole life of cultivation.

“Master, master… ” The young man suddenly paused and called for his master, interrupting the old man’s thoughts. With a joyful look on his face, he pointed in one direction.

“What’s the matter? Didn’t you see that I am recalling the past!” The old man was displeased. But when he looked at the direction where the young man’s finger was pointing, he was immediately shocked and his face was filled with delight at the next moment.

There was a dark red Fire Crystal Mineral next to the reef pile on the seabed in front of them. It was at least the size of a palm!

“It’s a Fire Crystal Mineral! And, it is so huge. Master, this Fire Crystal Mineral can sell for at least 100,000 immortal jades!” The young man exclaimed with excitement. One hundred thousand immortal jades to him and his master was a huge amount of money!

He immediately leapt, trying to dive to the ocean floor and dug out the mineral. However, the old man suddenly pulled him back.

“Wait a second! Something is wrong! The location of this Fire Crystal Mineral is too obvious. Even so, it wasn’t spotted and taken away by anyone. It seems like it’s waiting for us to take it… It is illogical. I’m afraid there’s some danger lurking around here…”

The old man squinted his eyes and studied the place. The life and death experiences he had told him that something was hiding around the place.

When he glanced over a huge reef, he was suddenly shocked as if he had seen something that was beyond his belief. He immediately pulled his disciple by his collar and escaped as if his life depended on it.

“Hurry up and run! That isn’t a reef. That is … a reef beast!”

At the moment the old man retreated, all the reefs within the vicinity of six hundred zhang* (3.33 m) began to tremble!

Suddenly, the entire ground rose up and a six hundred zhang* (3.33 m per zhang) huge beast was lying secretly beneath the sand! All the reefs around them and even the Fire Crystal Mineral grew on his back.

*Roar*

The beast let out an ear-splitting roar, emanating a Mid Nascent Soul Realm aura. Under this aura force, the old man was totally terrified. He felt a sharp pain on his chest and was rendered motionless by the ferocious roar of the beast. As for the young boy, he was almost scared to death.

“A Nascent Soul Realm fierce beast! Aside from that, it’s at the Mid Nascent Soul Realm! It’s over. We are going to die!”

At the moment the two of them were in despair, a ray of starlight suddenly flashed past in the deep ocean and formed a huge vortex of black stars which was ten thousand zhang* tall (3.33 m per zhang) in the sea!

Inside the whirlpool, booming thunderclaps echoed from time to time and a young man dressed in white robes draped with a black cloak stepped out from within. Without any sign, a violent tsunami was stirred up within the sea domain of one hundred thousand li* (500 m per li) and countless fierce beasts which stayed hidden in that area immediately prostrated on the ocean bed while shivering in fear.

As for the reef beast who emerged in a vigorous and arrogant manner just now, its eyes became wide and round and its body started to tremble when he saw the young man.

Terrifying. It’s too terrifying…

The beast felt an unconquerable aura from the youth!

*Roar*

The reef beast made another roar. But this time, it sounded as if it was surrendering to him and it quickly ran away, disappearing into the distance!

The elderly expert as well as his young disciple were stupefied.

Both of them were wondering who was the young man that appeared out of nowhere and what his cultivation base was!

With just a trace of his aura, he could make a Mid Nascent Soul Realm beast run for its life!

“G-Greetings to senior!”

The elderly man did not dare to hesitate and immediately cupped his fist to greet the young man.

No matter who this young man was, he was not someone that the elderly man could offend. Besides, the elderly man did not even dare to take a second look at the young man’s appearance as he was afraid that he might accidentally touch the latter’s bottom line.

In his entire life, he had never met such a powerful expert before!

Translated by Tommy, edited by Roel.

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