Chapter 1327: The Fourth Dao Weapon, Thousand People Dao Fruit!
Chapter 1327: Chapter 1327: The Fourth Dao Weapon, Thousand People Dao Fruit!
"What! Even with Fourth Bro’s medical skills, he can’t unravel these flower seeds!"
Seeing that Qin Yue Saint could do nothing against the flower seeds within him, both Shi Jing and Gai Nian Saints were taken aback.
Fourth Bro is one of the top physicians in the Real Realms, if even he can’t do anything, who among the Saints can resolve this? Do we need to ask the Reverse Saint to intervene?
"Hmm? Why have you two suddenly returned... I see, you both have also fallen victim to that person’s methods..."
Qin Yue Saint’s eyes flashed with Tianren Green Light, he unfolded the "Heavenly Human Inquiry Skill" and instantly saw through the hidden dangers within his two younger brothers: both of their bodies were parasitized by mysterious flower seeds, and their symptoms were far more severe than his own...
"We intended to return for Fourth Bro’s help, but seeing Fourth Bro’s state, we didn’t want to trouble you..."
Shi Jing and Gai Nian chuckled bitterly.
Fourth Bro can’t even heal himself, how could he help others? This trip was likely in vain...
"You all seem to misunderstand something... Healing myself may be difficult, but healing you two will be much easier. This is dictated by destiny, there’s nothing I can do..."
Qin Yue Saint sighed.
The reason why he was helpless against the flower seeds within him was partly because these seeds were indeed formidable, and partly due to destiny.
[Physician cannot heal themselves]!
Physicians often save many lives, yet cannot save themselves; many face poor outcomes...
This is the destiny of physicians, unchangeable! Minor diseases might be exceptions, but when life and death are at stake, it’s under Si Ming’s domain, there’s nothing more to be done...
Though Qin Yue Saint had ways to defy destiny, he dared not use them, at least not for such a small matter...
Though the enemy had seized part of his Medicine Soul, it was not to the extent of threatening life and death, not to the point of defying destiny and fighting life...
Qin Yue Saint: "Fine, let me first treat your illnesses, to prevent you both from underestimating me."
Shi Jing and Gai Nian quickly said: "We wouldn’t dare underestimate Fourth Bro! It’s just concern about troubling you..."
Qin Yue Saint: "We’re all brothers here, spare me the pleasantries! Speaking of which, do you two know who made the move? I observe this person using flower seeds in a manner that aligns with medical Dao, fearing that this person, like me, is also a Medical Saint. If it is true, having enmity with them might be disastrous in the future..."
Qin Yue Saint unfolded the power of his Medicine Soul, diagnosing the two Saints while asking questions.
Observation, inquiry, and detection, none can be neglected. Although everyone has been affected by Ning Fan’s flower seeds, the details vary. Even if the symptoms are similar, the pathology aligns, the treatment approach cannot be the same. Without differential diagnosis, the effects might be counterproductive...
He worried: the enemy’s means of ambush align with the medical Dao. If this person is truly a Medical Saint, they must be like me, with allies throughout the three realms, commanding instant response... not easily dealt with.
The command power of a Medical Saint is extraordinarily strong; provoking such a figure is truly problematic...
Shi Jing: "As for who made the move, I’m also at a loss..."
Gai Nian Saint: "I have some guesses; this person might be the one causing trouble for Mount Wansheng..."
Shi Jing: "What!"
Qin Yue Saint: "It’s actually him!"
All communications were through transmitted thoughts, due to the gravity of the situation.
Shi Jing was truly shocked to find out it was Ning Fan they were up against.
Qin Yue Saint’s hand trembled as he was diagnosing, his expression turned grim: the enemy was actually the Demon Venerable Nifan? Rather than being a Medical Saint as he speculated...
This was worse than facing a Medical Saint! Why did we inadvertently provoke such a demon...
We haven’t even been to Mount Wansheng, how did we inexplicably incur this enmity...
Is someone trying to divert blame onto us, dragging the entire Thought Sect down...
Or is it as Elder Bro said, fate is predetermined, no escape possible, only facing it head-on is the way...
Shi Jing: "Perhaps someone is scheming against us behind this matter!"
Gai Nian: "If the schemer targets just us, it’s fine; I fear their true intent is to hinder Elder Bro from becoming a Desolate Saint..."
Qin Yue Saint: "Let me see who dares! If anyone hinders Elder Bro’s path to Dao, I’ll fight them! Enough, let’s discuss the truth later; let me first treat your illnesses, this cannot be delayed any longer! These flower seeds are extremely dangerous, the longer it drags, the more troublesome it becomes."
The diagnosis ended swiftly.
Then, Qin Yue Saint revealed the Saint Ring: he never used it when healing himself due to old injuries that hadn’t recovered, unwilling to make use of it lightly; but when healing his two younger brothers, he couldn’t afford to hold back!
Then transformed his body to a height of eighteen feet, upright and steady; round light like the sun, illuminating the netherworld!
Taking it seriously!
The blazing Saint Light illuminated the Sea of Years, startling all spirits to prostrate on the ground, bewildered why this Saint was angry, even willing to use the damaged Saint Ring.
At this moment, Qin Yue Saint’s dao practice over the cycles of a hundred ages was operating at full capacity, his Holy Power weighed heavier than the heavens! Thus, wind dared not blow, water dared not flow, all Heavenly Dao and earthly terrain must comply with the Saint’s decree, not daring to operate on their own!
"If the ailment lies in the surface, baths and ironings can reach! I use mountains and seas as thermal baths, to relieve the sufferings of all beings!"
Qin Yue Saint transformed shadows of two mountains and one sea, burning mountains and boiling seas, ironing Shi Jing Saint’s body.
This method, complemented with the Medical Dao’s teachings, could resolve ancient, incurable toxic ailments. Within just a few dozen breaths, he eradicated the flower seeds within Shi Jing Saint’s body.
As expected, treating others is evidently much easier than treating oneself.
Saint Shi Jing: "Thank you, Fourth Brother!"
Saint Qin Yue: "Haha, we’re brothers, no need for formalities."
After healing Saint Shi Jing, Saint Qin Yue managed to save some face, so he continued to treat Saint Gu Nian, but did not use the previous treatment method again.
Saint Qin Yue: "Your symptoms are far more severe than those of Fifth Brother, and the pathology is completely different. I will administer acupuncture on you next, the process will be somewhat painful, and you must endure it a little."
Saint Gu Nian: "Fourth Brother, please, proceed boldly with the treatment! Though I’m not good at many things, I’m extremely skilled in endurance."
Saint Qin Yue: "I hope so."
According to Saint Qin Yue’s diagnosis, the flower seeds in the body of the sixth brother have taken root for the longest time, with the disease entrenched the deepest, having developed six major pathological areas within the body. These six areas are linked by a certain Inverse Saint Dao Skill (Chiwei Daoism), causing the flower seeds within to display the wondrous phenomena of "Chiwei Six Paths, Circulating Unceasingly", an endless cycle, difficult to eradicate, and without decisive action, it’s really hard to cure completely.
Chiwei Daoism is considered a worldly taboo, and Saint Qin Yue couldn’t fully recognize the origin of this method, but could feel its terrifying nature, daring not to take it lightly.
Once anything in this world involves the Fourth Step, it should not be underestimated, this is common knowledge.
To break an Inverse Saint Dao Skill of such magnitude requires using methods of a similar level.
So he took out a Purple Gold Medicine Gourd, which was shining with Hongjun Dao Patterns and exuding an extremely potent aura of an Innate Treasure.
The gourd further contains a treasure, with endless wonderful uses, obtained by Saint Qin Yue after accumulating much merit and taking many routes from the Hongjun Holy Sect. However, this treasure has limited uses, and Saint Qin Yue would not easily use it except for his younger brother.
"When the ailment is on the skin and muscles, needles and stones can reach it! I use the Tao Spirit as needles, 81 Difficult Dao Spirit Needles, appear!"
Saint Qin Yue pressed a spell onto the gourd, and instantly, 81 yellow dragons flew out from within the gourd, each transforming into golden needles, piercing into the body of Saint Gu Nian at various acupoints.
All at once, sharp pain surged through, causing Saint Gu Nian to widen his eyes in alarm, nearly breaking his enduring skill trained through three eras of reincarnation.
It was indeed painful!
Yet it wasn’t physical pain.
At this moment, Saint Gu Nian only felt that every thread of cultivation he had mastered in this life was being pierced and torn by the Tao Spirit Needles. The Daoist achievements amassed over three eras seemed like paper, easily pierced through by these needles. Such intense pain, as if the pain accumulated over three reincarnation cycles suddenly erupted at once...
Fortunately, his endurance skill was extremely strong, and in the end, he didn’t truly break the skill.
Moreover, after experiencing the initial intense pain, he even adapted to it, his expression gradually becoming calm, this endurance skill was indeed rare in the world.
And he felt a bit touched.
These were Tao Spirit Needles! The protective treasure of the Hongjun Holy Sect! Fourth Brother had spent years accumulating merits and sold many favors to exchange for this treasure!
Usually, when brothers wanted to see this needle, Fourth Brother wouldn’t recklessly bring it out to display, turning a joke among the brothers, accusing him of being stingy like "Qin One Hair", joking about him being tight-fisted.
Yet surprisingly, faced with something significant, Fourth Brother directly used this needle with no hesitation...
Saint Gu Nian: "Fourth Brother... you truly are a good person, I misunderstood you previously."
Saint Qin Yue: "A so-called good person! After this matter, you must repay the merit used, not a single penny less!"
Saint Gu Nian: "I will, I must repay! Fourth Brother was willing to use a Heaven-Opening Artifact for me, how could I take advantage of him for nothing?"
Saint Qin Yue: "Nonsense about Heaven-Opening... What I exchanged for was just the usage rights of some child needles, it’s not that precious... you don’t have to take it to heart!"
Only the full set of Tao Spirit Needles counts as a Heaven-Opening Artifact.
The full set includes nine mother needles and three thousand child needles: all mother needles are sub Heaven-Opening grade, while all child needles are Innate Treasures, when combined, they form Heaven-Opening!
The merit Saint Qin Yue used to exchange for, was merely the usage rights of 81 needles out of the three thousand child needles, not even the child needles themselves, just Shadow Needles projected from the main body.
The genuine product is not something an outsider can obtain, he’s not a direct disciple of Ancestor Hongjun, he doesn’t have the qualifications for that.
Still...
Saint Qin Yue looked at the Tao Spirit Needles which dimmed with each use, feeling deeply pained yet not showing it.
The brilliance of the Hongjun Dao Skill, coursed through each golden needle, lighting up the ancient script engraved upon it. Every activation of such ancient script, consumed some power.
The ancient script’s content was drawn from certain Chapters of the Hongjun Dao Scripture. This being the Inverse Saint Dao Scripture, guarded by the unspeakable, its characters obscure and hard to understand, even the Initial Saint can only feel it intuitively, unable to directly comprehend it.
Through this golden needle, it took Saint Qin Yue not much time to cure Saint Gu Nian.
As a result, Ning Fan could no longer project his vision onto Saints Gu Nian and Shi Jing, yet he could still observe Saint Qin Yue anytime, anywhere.
An healer cannot heal himself.
Saint Qin Yue could treat others effectively, but couldn’t heal himself.
[Is this the strength of a Hundred-Era Primordial Saint? Indeed formidable... Were it not for the limitations of my destiny, I fear this Chiwei Flower Seed would not have harmed him...]
[This is merely the fourth-ranked Saint of the Thought Sect, yet so capable, overseeing him are still the Nirvana Saint, Half-Step Desolate Saint, confronting those characters, I’m afraid I wouldn’t gain the slightest advantage...]
[Ultimately, I’m still in the Second Step realm, the mana of ten thousand tribulations is enough to deal with low-era primordial saints, but not quite enough against high-era primordial saints, provoking the Nirvana Desolate Saint would be seeking my own doom...]
[I can only wonder if I were to unleash the entirety of the cultivation from the Thousand People Dao Fruit, whether I could contend evenly with a Hundred-Era Primordial Saint... which I suspect would still be challenging...]
This was a clash spanning time and space, after the brief confrontation, Ning Fan gained some insight into the power levels of Saints Qin Yue, Shi Jing, and Gu Nian.
The Ancient Thought Saint from the Three Eras is relatively easy to handle; if faced head-on, he should be able to win decisively.
The Stone Realm Saint of the Fifteen Eras is somewhat tricky; he excels in the Dao of formations, yet the depth of his mastery is unknown... If confronted directly, he would need to exert all his means to stand a chance of victory, but it’s not guaranteed to be foolproof.
As for the Qin Yue Saint of the Hundred Generations, he is likely still beyond his reach, but self-preservation is not difficult...
Ning Fan secretly analyzed the strengths of the three saints.
The three saints were also analyzing Ning Fan’s strength.
Qin Yue Saint: "What do you all think of the capabilities of this Demon Lord Nifan..."
Ancient Thought Saint: "Extremely formidable! If I encounter him head-on, I’m likely not his match... It is said that this person is still at the Second Step cultivation; I cannot imagine what his power would be if he attains sainthood..."
Qin Yue Saint: "That’s all you can discern... Fifth Elder, what do you think? Have you seen anything in this man’s methods..."
Stone Realm Saint: "This child’s methods are varied yet orderly. If I’m not mistaken, the flower seeds he used contain more than one kind of Reversed Saintly Path, the specifics I cannot decipher..."
Ancient Thought Saint: "What! As a dignified saint, even learning one kind of Reversed Saintly Path is arduous, yet this child has mastered more than one..."
Qin Yue Saint: "I do not know exactly how many types of Reversed Saintly Paths this child has learned, but in this confrontation, he used no less than three."
"The first is the Purple Star Dao Skill: Though we sent our Daoist thoughts to assist Fan Mokong, making it seem as if we can intervene at will, we were actually restricted from the start by the ’Purple Star Sheltering Skill.’ The realm we are in is enveloped by Purple Star’s circle of light, which obscures the coordinates of the realm, preventing intrusion by outsiders. We can only successfully intervene if the other side consents, and if the opponent wishes to hide, even the Reversed Saints cannot find the location of this realm... This sheltering skill is powerful enough to hinder the Reversed Saints, not something possible to cultivate at the mere Second Step, yet for some reason, this child can use this power at will (the reason is that Ning Fan seized the authority of the Purple Star Illusion Realm)..."
"The second is the Reversed Thunder Dao Skill, but it is incomplete, as if this child only grasped a superficial understanding (referring to the Against-Fate Thunder Technique), yet it’s remarkable. It is Venerable Hui’s (referring to Immortal Emperor Hui Shi) technique, but with Venerable Hui’s passing, this Dao Skill has long been lost, yet somehow this child learned some of it... This child managed to transmit parasitic flower seeds across time and space to us through this technique, using cause and effect connections..."
"The third is a certain Reversed Saintly Path I haven’t seen before (referring to the Chiwei Daoism). These flower seeds are constructed through this Dao skill... Different from the previous two Reversed Saintly Paths, Nifan has fully mastered this third one, allowing the flower seeds to exhibit the cycle of the Six Paths, suggesting he has complete inheritance. Do you understand the implication of this..."
Stone and Ancient Thought Saints: "Could it be that behind this child stands an unseen Reversed Saint! This child already has the talent for reversing Saints, having even killed a young Immortal Emperor before. If there’s a Reversed Saint backing him, he mustn’t be antagonized..."
Qin Yue Saint: "I am unsure whether this child is backed by a Reversed Saint or not, but that’s not the main point I’m addressing... If I perceive correctly, this child’s parasitic flower seeds entailed not just three Reversed Saintly Paths but also utilized a Dao Weapon not recorded in the Heaven-opening List..."
Ning Fan: [Oh? Just from these few flower seeds, he managed to perceive my use of a Dao Weapon...]
Ancient Thought Saint: "A Dao Weapon that isn’t even recorded in the Heaven-opening List, could it be self-created by this child?"
Qin Yue Saint: "It must be self-created without a doubt! This Dao Weapon has an exceptionally high compatibility with the host, close to one hundred percent. If it weren’t self-created, such a level of compatibility wouldn’t be possible."
Stone Realm Saint: "To create a Dao Weapon that doesn’t exist in the world, this child is truly exceptional. But to warrant such high regard from the fourth elder, does this Dao Weapon have more significance..."
Qin Yue Saint: "If my senses are correct, what he’s using should be a Dao Weapon crafted using the power of a Dao Fruit as raw material. His third Reversed Saintly Path is associated with flowers, and flowers have a high compatibility with fruit; this Dao Weapon is specifically made to complement that kind of Reversed Saintly Path..."
Ning Fan: [Impressive...]
This Qin Yue Saint’s vision is truly sharp; in just a brief encounter, he discerned the original material of his [Thousand People Dao Fruit] and even recognized that it is specifically designed to complement the Chiwei Daoism.
Currently, Ning Fan has secretly cultivated four kinds of Dao Weapons, with the Thousand People Dao Fruit being his fourth Dao Weapon.
Fourth Dao Weapon: [Thousand People Dao Fruit]!
Dao Weapon Introduction: Ning Fan used the power of a Dao Fruit that exceeds the cultivation limit as material, basing it on the Chiwei Daoism and referencing the Taiyi Wheel, Ziwei Four Sacred Artifacts, and other treasures to self-create this Dao Weapon, which can be used as an external cultivation container.
Dao Weapon Energy Level: 12. (Currently capable of storing external cultivation equivalent to 12 Eras of reincarnation, allowing Ning Fan’s cultivation to surge twelve Eras in a short time, requiring recharging after energy is depleted for reuse)
Basic Authority: External cultivation container.
Additional Authority One: Wide-Eye Boundless (Completed).
Those living beings devoured by the Thousand People Dao Fruit will have their true selves parasitized by the Chiwei Flower Seed, and the seeded subject can be observed across time and space.
Additional Authority Two: Infinite Growth (Completed).
Through devouring external objects, the Dao Weapon level of the Thousand People Dao Fruit can be infinitely elevated.
Additional Authority Three: Path Protection (Completed).
As a Path Protection instrument, it can significantly increase the chance of attaining sainthood.
Additional Authority Four: Eternal Turquoise Shine (Incomplete).
Due to insufficient understanding of the Chiwei Daoism, this authority is still in the development stage.
The above is intelligence on Ning Fan’s fourth Dao Weapon.
Seeing Qin Yue Saint’s extraordinarily sharp insight, Ning Fan became somewhat curious about how much this saint had discerned about the Thousand People Dao Fruit...
Qin Yue Saint: "Not only that! If my senses are accurate, this Dao Weapon is very likely an external cultivation container. Once it releases its stored energy, this child could instantly possess a Saint level of power, far beyond the Second Step..."
Ning Fan: [Truly formidable...]
Stone Realm Saint: "Gasp! When I was seeded with this child’s flower seeds, I did not sense him harnessing external power or his cultivation surging, which means he even faced me without employing his full might, and I still suffered?"
Ancient Thought Saint: "If he releases all stored external cultivation, to what extent can he rise?"
Qin Yue Saint: "That I do not know; this matter has already reached the limit of my perception... Perhaps he can temporarily acquire the cultivation of several generations of Primordial Saints with this Dao Weapon, or he could acquire the cultivation equivalent to hundreds or even a thousand Eras of reincarnation... Such a heaven-defying self-created Dao Weapon seems not to be his only possession; can you believe it? Never underestimate the beings with the talent for reversing Saints; their methods often defy common sense..."
Ning Fan possesses four such extraordinary Dao Weapons like the Thousand People Dao Fruit in total! Qin Yue Saint has vaguely discerned this as well, highlighting his extraordinary vision.
Now that Qin Yue Saint has learned Ning Fan’s identity and speculated on many of Ning Fan’s methods, he no longer wishes to entangle with Ning Fan in cause and effect. He repeatedly emphasized Ning Fan’s might, worried that the two younger brothers would resent Ning Fan, fearing they might offend him and lose their lives...
Some of the Pianque Medicine Soul can be forfeited and cultivated anew, but the harm from entangling with Ning Fan’s cause and effect would be greater than this slight loss.
Currently, the most important matter for the Thought Sect is just one: The Big Brother, Desolate Great Saint, is at the critical juncture of breaking through to Desolate Saint. Everything must step aside for this matter, and no unexpected events should arise!
Even if we want to settle accounts with Ning Fan, we must wait until Big Brother breaks through to Desolate Saint. By then, if the brothers are of one mind, we can collectively retrieve the cause and effect. This way, it will be stable. No matter what, now is not the time...
Saint Qin Yue said, "Three times is the rule in our Sect. We’ve already intervened three times to save that Fan Mokong, which can be considered as breaking the rule. At this point, all causal connections should be considered settled; there is no need to save this person further. The cause and effect with Nifan is no small matter and should not be entangled with lightly. If it affects Big Brother’s path, then we couldn’t atone even with a thousand deaths..."
Saint Shi Jing said, "But what if... Fan Mokong, who asked us for help, really is the descendant of Taichang’s virtuous nephew? If we don’t save him, wouldn’t we be ashamed before Second Brother..."
Saint Qin Yue replied, "That person cannot be a descendant of Taichang... You don’t know, but due to a certain incident, Taichang’s soul root was damaged, and he had no descendants for this life... I once treated him but was unable to restore him... Only Taichang and I know about this. That young lad didn’t want me to spread it, fearing it would be embarrassing, but more likely, he feared that Second Brother would be heartbroken... He’s a good kid, never embarrassed our Thought Sect. He’s just too stubborn; even at death’s door, he wouldn’t come home, very much like Second Brother..."
Saint Ancient Thought said, "Enough about Taichang! Fourth Brother, you’re only talking and seem to forget you only cured the flower seeds of me and Fifth Brother, but your own is still untreated! You’ve been saying how formidable Nifan is, claiming it infected you with flower seeds, yet you act unaffected, rambling endlessly!"
Saint Qin Yue chuckled, "Don’t worry. Although I cannot cure my own flower seeds, I can suppress them, preventing further deterioration. Each major event requires calmness, and the more critical the timing, the more one should act calmly... Do you think I said so much just for you to hear? Haha, certain things must be clarified first – this is called diplomacy before force, to let the other side understand. Though our Thought Sect doesn’t like to cause trouble, we’ve never been afraid of it. At worst, it would mean death, which in this Sea of Years is nothing surprising, so what is there to fear? I only worry about misunderstandings among us, thus speaking clearly beforehand... As for my flower seeds, I plan to seek treatment from Yuanhua Saint when I have time. His medical skill is no weaker than mine, and I’m confident he can cure it. Though a doctor cannot treat himself, he can request help from others. This is not urgent, now that we know the enemy is Nifan. I even consider keeping the flower seeds within me might prove beneficial for me and our Thought Sect. I have my own reasoning..."
Ning Fan thought, "So that’s how it is. This saint knew I was secretly observing, and he deliberately said those words for me to hear..."
As they spoke, Saint Qin Yue operated the needles with such speed that it was like lightning, sealing the rotational force of the path within his body’s flower seeds.
After all, the energy of the Tao Spirit Needle was nearly depleted, so it didn’t matter to use it on himself.
Origin of the Lungs: Taiyuan!
Origin of the Heart: Daling!
Origin of the Liver: Taichong!
Origin of the Spleen: Taibai!
Origin of the Kidneys: Taixi!
Origin of the Lesser Yin: Yuangu!
Origin of the Gallbladder: Qiuxu!
Origin of the Stomach: Chongyang!
Origin of the Triple Heater: Yangchi!
Origin of the Bladder: Jinggu!
Origin of the Large Intestine: Hegu!
Origin of the Small Intestine: Wangu!
All twelve meridians use Shu as the origin.
This self-sealing of all twelve meridians is enough to temporarily seal the flower seeds within his body.
Seeing Fourth Brother had his own plan, Saint Ancient Thought finally relaxed and joined in the reminiscences of past events.
The recollections were of the Great Emperor Taichang’s past.
Taichang had been known by the Three Saints since his youth, leaving some sentiments there.
Thus, the Three Saints talked about the past events of the Immortal Emperor Tai Chang, each sighing: some lamented that time could not turn back, some regretted Taichang had no descendants, while others mourned that Taichang was eternally lost to non-return...
That child had fallen to non-return, unable even to return his soul to the Sea of Mountains and Rivers of the Thought Sect, how pitiful...
As for Fan Mokong, who sought their help... unknown! That person dared to provoke Nifan, clearly having the courage of a bear or the heart of a leopard, better to fend for himself...
...
Saint Qin Yue faintly sensed an intentional restraint in Ning Fan’s actions, suspecting a certain cause and effect between Ning Fan and Taichang, which led him to voluntarily explain the past connection between the Thought Sect and Taichang to dissipate Ning Fan’s doubts.
After secretly learning these inside stories, Ning Fan’s attitude towards the saints of the Thought Sect slightly changed.
He originally feared that the saints of the Thought Sect might be allies of Fate Wielding, but now having learned the truth, he felt somewhat ashamed.
He had cultivated the Divine Art Chant of the Great Emperor Tai Chang and benefited from him, and now he had, instead, beaten up this elder’s peers, bullying the old, and being unvirtous, which felt a bit like repaying kindness with betrayal...
Accidentally injuring an ally is quite embarrassing.
Then again...
The Thought Sect may not truly be allies, but for the sake of the Great Emperor Tai Chang’s face, Ning Fan didn’t wish to become enemies with them.
The confrontation with the Thought Sect ended perfectly.
Saint Qin Yue, knowing the enemy was Ning Fan, deliberately kept the flower seeds within himself. Ning Fan could surmise some of his intentions.
After this incident, he had forged a negative bond with the three saints of the Thought Sect. These negative bonds weren’t severe, but having them might be a blessing for the Thought Sect.
At the end of the day, what kind of person is Ning Fan? A target of True Saints and Rebels alike! For the Thought Sect to forge a negative bond with him is certainly a good thing, isn’t it? Forming a positive bond, on the contrary, would truly pose endless trouble, and might lead to being punished by the Rebels...
"Or maybe the ones plotting against the Thought Sect originally intended for them to form a positive bond with me, and not a negative bond... I clearly don’t have the power to directly threaten the lives of the Thought Sect’s six saints, but if I were to form a positive bond with them, it could implicate the Thought Sect, bringing them to judgment..."
Thinking a bit too far ahead.
And so he let the thought go.
In consideration of the cause and effect with the Immortal Emperor Tai Chang, Ning Fan held some goodwill towards the Thought Sect, though not much.
Even though he speculated on the potential schemes against the Thought Sect, he didn’t intend to proactively make amends to remind them... Making amends would end up harming. Roughing them up is a good deed. And if he could see these things, how could Saint Qin Yue not understand? No need for him to remind.
When did it ever become the concern of mere Second Steps for the grand saints of the Thought Sect?
Is it not just worrying needlessly over trivial matters...
It’s better to focus on slaying the Fate Wielding through pleasure, becoming a diabolical figure who grows stronger by doing so. Why not?
"Seal!"
Ning Fan used the Master of Dream Realm’s authority to seal the borders of the Zidou Illusion Realm, then returned his gaze to the Daoist Thought Battle, again directing it towards the Green Palm Fate.
Since Sage Qin Yue has made things clear, Ning Fan thought it inappropriate to continue bullying the old man. After Sage Qin Yue, he decided not to let other saints from the Thought Sect come to fish for... well, to rescue the Fate Wielding any longer.
He had already executed the fishing enforcement three times; to continue further might not be bearable.
Among the Six Saints of Thought Sect, Qin Yue, Shi Jing, and Ancient Thought are Initial Saints, whereas Desolate, Inconstant, and Fu Duan are Nirvana Saints!
Especially the top-ranking Desolate Great Saint, who is nearing the realm of Desolate Saint! If such figures were to come rescue Fate Wielding, Ning Fan truly feared that even before being slain by them, the Illusion Realm would be obliterated by the aftermath of the duel...
Realizing that Ning Fan’s murderous intent had locked onto him, Green Palm Fate was scared to death, desperately attempting to seek aid from even stronger saints of the Thought Sect.
But no more aid came, no matter how the Divine Erosion Thought was released, contact with the saints of the Thought Sect was impossible!
"Why! Why don’t the saints of the Thought Sect respond to me anymore! You all clearly made a vow, yet after only three unsuccessful rescues, you intend to abandon me?"
"Every single one of you! The Three Immortals of the Demon Realm, and now the Six Saints of the Thought Sect too! You are playing with vows; you’ll surely regret it someday!"
"Saints, hahaha, a load of nonsense, just nonsense! What nonsense saints, can’t even fight a mere Butterfly, you are not even as good as me, not even as good as me..."
Repeated mental shocks left Green Palm Fate significantly rattled; his mind was disoriented, and he blabbered nonsense, his expressions manic.
It’s understandable! To the Fate Wielding, witnessing Ning Fan consecutively killing Three Saints (Three Saints’ Dao Thought) was far too overwhelming. They are Saint Lords after all, the very Third Step realms that Fate Wielding yearned for in his dreams!
And the outcome?
Everything he idealized, everything he prided himself on, in front of Ning Fan, was nothing but rubble and dust!
He revered the Saint Lords, but the Saint Lords feared the Butterfly!
He felt an unparalleled fear, followed by helplessness, his past flashing through his divine sense like a lantern carousel, yet he felt unfamiliar... questioning life, doubting the world, and sinking into self-doubt!
Who am I...
Who is the Butterfly...
What is the Immortal Emperor...
What is the Butterfly...
What are the Saints...
Is this all a dream...
If it’s a nightmare, why doesn’t it awaken?
If it’s real, then what is the meaning of everything I’ve cultivated in my life!
False! Everything is false!
The vows are lies!
The foundations are lies!
The saints are lies!
Vast Real Realms, nothing is true, all that I’ve cultivated is nothing but waste paper...
Green Palm Fate was just raving mad when suddenly he spewed blood and was blasted away by Ning Fan’s Heaven Sword Annihilates Fate.
The sword hit crucial points; he couldn’t evade successfully!
As the pain spread, Green Palm Fate regained some sanity, his face filled with shock and disbelief.
He was shocked at how Ning Fan’s attack had actually hit his crucial point...
"How... can it be..."
"You actually... hit my crucial point..."
Just barely regaining clarity, Green Palm Fate started doubting life once more.
This Green Fate holds a secret treasure with the power to call upon miracles, transforming unfavorable to favorable, directly altering reality! Normally, as long as he possessed strong fate, he could never be hit by any attack; all things in the world could serve as a medium to evade attacks, aiding him to reach an untouched truth.
If not for Ning Fan using Fu Li Black Luck to pollute his fortune, causing a defect in strong fate, Ning Fan’s attack wouldn’t even have hit him. Even so, after escaping numerous attacks from Ning Fan, none had struck his crucial point until now...
He clearly had a protective secret treasure, yet why did it happen!
"Could it be..."
Green Palm Fate seemed to suspect something, patting his Tian Ling from which flew out a dark green lotus lamp.
The lotus lamp hung in the sky, within the range of seven layers of green light, twisting the world bizarrely.
"Ink green! How can it be ink green!" Green Fate Wielder saw the color of the lotus lamp and was immediately startled.
This lamp was clearly supposed to be light green, how could the color change... Damn it! This lamp has been corrupted by Fu Li Black Luck!
"You actually knew I had this lamp as my trump card, even secretly acted to contaminate it!"
"But how is this possible, this is..."
This is one of the Seven Treasure Lotus Lamps, and one of the treasures I seized when I attacked and killed the disciple of Kun Sect, Lu Bei! Its value is second only to the Fragment of Divine Annihilation Shield that was taken from Lu Bei!
This lamp is an innate treasure, and even better than ordinary innate treasures, with protection from Mixed Kun Dao Skill. How could it be tainted by external power!
You, a mere butterfly, cannot possibly break the Mixed Kun Dao Skill! Who do you think you are!
Green Fate Wielder swallowed half of his words forcibly without finishing.
Due to unstable emotions, he nearly misspoke, almost revealing the lamp’s true name and its secret background, which would be a fatal mistake in a duel...
He had no training in handling public information or strengthening himself, and carelessly leaking information would further reduce his chances of escaping...
Fortunately, his remaining rationality controlled his mouth and kept him from saying it all.
"This is one of the Seven Treasure Lotus Lamps, how could it possibly be tainted by external power... right?"
Ning Fan suddenly spoke, exposing what Green Fate Wielder was thinking.
He disliked speaking nonsense, but spoke now to further traumatize Green Fate Wielder, revealing flaws in his spirit and crushing his will.
Green Fate Wielder’s heart shook as his thoughts were exposed, and before he could understand how Ning Fan saw through him, he had a strange sense of spatial displacement. In the next moment, a sharp pain came from his chest, pierced by sword light from behind—a heart-piercing sword!
Ning Fan was clearly standing in front of him, yet the sword light struck from behind, not through remote control, but with Ning Fan truly holding a sword and attacking from behind. Green Fate Wielder could feel the pleasure, anger, breath, and heartbeat of the person behind him. The aura was undeniably the true Ning Fan, not a clone or double!
Green Fate Wielder turned around but couldn’t detect any attacker behind him, not hidden or obscured—simply impossible to perceive.
What is happening!
The Ning Fan in front was certainly the true self, showing no signs of being a clone or double.
The Ning Fan who attacked from behind should also be the true self, yet he was directly unobservable, only vaguely sensed as truly existing...
Can a person have two true selves?
Or... can one true self appear in two places at once? He couldn’t understand! This sword felt as if Ning Fan had a method that allowed him to strike from another completely different dimension using the same self, a sword that couldn’t be observed or understood by ordinary people...
Unable to understand, unable to observe, how can one dodge!
It takes a miracle!
"Purifying Calamity!"
The Seven Treasure Lotus Lamps consist of seven lamps. The green lotus lamp that Green Fate Wielder seized was called the "Purifying Calamity Lotus Lamp," and as long as one possesses strong fortune, it can transform disadvantage into advantage, altering reality!
At this moment, Green Fate Wielder suffered from the heart-piercing sword, bearing the full brunt of the damage. Though not dead, he was greatly injured.
Yet as the Purifying Calamity Lotus Lamp emitted green light... the ink-green light, reality instantly modified!
What was modified was the reality where Green Fate Wielder was pierced through the heart by the sword!
It was modified, but due to the lamp’s contamination, the modification was incomplete, only partly altered!
The final outcome was Green Fate Wielder still pierced through the body by a sword, but it wasn’t the heart that was pierced, but the kidney, though still a critical injury, was better than a heart-piercing.
"Indeed... you secretly contaminated this lamp, that’s why it interfered with its powers..."
Green Fate Wielder glared at Ning Fan, angry and fearful.
But what can anger achieve?
This boy is no longer the weak and easily bullied butterfly; Ning Fan now is someone he can’t beat, only venting impotent rage!
The gap between their worlds is too vast! He can’t even understand or observe Ning Fan’s attack, and despite this... he will never surrender!
The question is Ning Fan doesn’t give him the chance to surrender, only to fight to the end!
No retreat, only forward!
Fortune is like the tide, rising and falling according to the will of heaven!
If heaven’s will doesn’t align with human will, this body and this fortune can be abandoned!
"The trump card is damaged, today it seems impossible to escape... but I possess not only green fortune, even if this body falls, I still have a chance! A mere butterfly, don’t think you can completely annihilate me!"
"Butterfly! Butterfly! Butterfly!!"
"All saints fear you, but I do not! A cultivator must not fear, or they will forever lose their true self. Only by facing directly can one ascend!"
Green Fate Wielder knew escape was impossible. Driven by madness within, he finally decided to confront Ning Fan, unleashing the Divine Erosion Thought Technique and charging towards Ning Fan!
Fight! Fight! Fight!
I am Fate Wielding Emperor, what harm in fighting! What fear...
His fighting spirit kept rising, but unfortunately, before reaching the peak, he was struck again, knocked back flying, the Thousand Layers of Thought Sea couldn’t block Ning Fan’s casually wielded Heaven Sword Annihilates Fate.
One sword, ten swords, a hundred swords!
Ning Fan’s sword light surged like a tide, each strike landing on the vital spots of Green Palm Fate.
Green Palm Fate was continually getting beaten, unable to fight back. Fortunately, the Purifying Calamity Lotus Lamp kept twisting reality; otherwise, he would have already perished.
Although the Purifying Calamity Lotus Lamp could alter reality, each twist came at the cost of deepening the corrosion of Fu Li Black Luck, weakening its ability to alter reality with every turn...
Gradually, Green Palm Fate lost an arm, unable to regenerate it.
Soon after, he lost a leg, also beyond recovery.
Realizing he was at a dead end, Green Palm Fate completely abandoned any thoughts of survival.
"You want to kill me, right? Then as you wish! But this head is not yours to win; it’s mine to give!"
"Divine Erosion Thought, Divine Headless Technique... Divine Burst!"
Knowing he was powerless to turn the tide, Green Palm Fate decided to decapitate himself, offering up his head, using a secret talisman to perform the self-destruct Forbidden Technique of Divine Erosion Thought.
But in his heart, he thought he must retaliate against Ning Fan no matter what. As the high and mighty Emperor of Fate, he could not show weakness to a mere Butterfly!
Thus...
His retaliation proved futile...
As Ning Fan pointed with a finger, Green Palm Fate’s head froze in place, failing to self-destruct.
At that moment, the Purifying Calamity Lotus Lamp had been completely corroded by Fu Li Black Luck, allowing Ning Fan to lock his attacks on Green Palm Fate easily, immobilizing him effortlessly.
Then, with a single sword strike, he cleaved the head in two...
Green Palm Fate’s eyes reflected disbelief as he fell.
Though he was constantly beaten, considering he lasted unlike those ancient great cultivators and Saint Daoist Thoughts killed by Ning Fan, he had proven quite resilient.
"The fourth one..." Ning Fan muttered to himself, his mind becoming increasingly clear.
Following the red, blue, and yellow incarnations, the green fate incarnate of Fate Wielding once again fell.
This intense battle left Yi Wangxian, who was watching from the sidelines, utterly astonished.
He witnessed the scenes of Ning Fan killing three Saint Daoist Thoughts consecutively and defeating Green Palm Fate, completely convinced by Ning Fan’s displayed strength.
What commanded his respect even more was Ning Fan’s exhibited character!
He was plotted against by Fate Wielding and almost met his doom. If not for Ning Fan’s rescue, his fate would have been dire...
I’ve grown old...
The generations have changed, for the better...
Immortal Emperor, do you see? To this day, heirs still emerge in the Zi Dou Immortal Domain, but this rising wave is too overwhelming, and compared to it, we forefront waves seem to have become obsolete...
Now that Green Palm Fate is dead, the Dao Thought battle between Yi Wangxian and Ning Fan naturally concluded.
Whatever happened during the Dao Thought battle was unknown to outsiders. When it ended, Changliu Immortal and Donglin Immortal both inquired about the results, expressing their confusion.
Weren’t you supposed to decide Green Palm Fate’s fate based on the outcome of the Dao Thought battle? Why did he die before it ended? This seems irregular...
Even if you wanted to act him into death, shouldn’t the act have looked more realistic? How can you stop mid-act and have the actor killed... When earthly emperors executed prisoners, they’d wait until the autumn execution; doing things in such haste, be careful that ancient oaths don’t come back to hold us accountable...
"Rest assured, I didn’t break any vows. Fate Wielding wasn’t killed with my help... rather, I couldn’t offer any aid. If not for Daoist Ning’s rescue, I would have been victim to Fate Wielding, facing many perils..." Yi Wangxian exclaimed wistfully.
Whereas previously, he somewhat considered himself a senior, now when addressing Ning Fan, even calling him Daoist seemed presumptuous...
As a mere Fallen Saint, how could he claim equality with the Master of Dream Realm!
In his heart, he had long accepted Ning Fan as the rightful master of the Illusion Realm.
It wasn’t just Ning Fan’s strength that he acknowledged, but also his integrity.
However, etiquette cannot be ignored!
Although Ning Fan seized the territorial authority of the Illusion Realm, it wasn’t exactly a legitimate action, and without proper status or blessing. Even if he accepted him, he couldn’t outright call him "Dream Master" or "Dream Venerable."
Nevertheless, a ceremony has to be held!
To legitimize his position indeed.
Yes.
At this moment, Yi Wangxian recognized Ning Fan as the master of the Dream Realm and, out of gratitude, wished to host a grand enthronement ceremony for Ning Fan, allowing him to rightfully ascend and reign amidst the worship of billions of Zidou descendants.
"What! Just Fate Wielding, and he nearly harmed you..." Changliu and Donglin were shocked upon hearing this, eager to inquire further about the situation.
"No rush, that trivial matter can be discussed later. But there’s a significant issue at hand that requires our deliberation..." Yi Wangxian aimed to discuss the idea of holding an enthronement ceremony, yet noticed Ning Fan about to leave, becoming anxious all of a sudden.
He intended to hold a ceremony for Ning Fan’s enthronement, and now the person of honor was leaving; this couldn’t be allowed!
Yi Wangxian: "Daoist Ning, please stay! I have a matter which requires your opinion..."
Ning Fan: "Let’s discuss it later. I have other urgent matters and cannot stay long."
Yi Wang Immortal: "What could be more important than the succession ceremony! You are the Dream Master, you must prioritize this event, prioritize the world..."
Ning Fan: "To kill the Fate Wielder."
Yi Wang Immortal: "Haven’t you finished killing yet? Then it’s fine, it’s not too late to hold the ceremony after you finish killing that scoundrel... Do you need any help, Daoist Friend? Although my strength isn’t half that of yours, I can still handle some dirty and tiring tasks..."
Ning Fan: "How could I trouble Senior, this is a personal vendetta, I must personally avenge it."
Yi Wang Immortal: "Please don’t call me Senior, it’s already a compliment if you call me Daoist Friend!"
Ning Fan: "..."
Donglin, Chang Liu: "What on earth is happening! How did it suddenly fast forward to the succession ceremony! Yi Wang, oh Yi Wang, you must explain this to us clearly..."
That day, a piece of news spread throughout the demon race, shocking all the races!
The succession ceremony of the new Master of the Dream Realm is being prepared, and the Illusion Realm is about to welcome a new master, approved by the Three Immortals of the Demon Realm!
Some are joyous, some are surprised, some are afraid.
Among the fearful, without a doubt, was the Spirit King of the Spirit King Palace!
The Spirit King didn’t even understand what was happening, yet felt an unprecedented sense of impending death and disaster, unspeakably terrified!
Spirit King: "I sense a mortal calamity approaching, quickly awaken the ancestral spirits..."
Spirit King Palace fell into chaos!
...
The story of the Sea of Years is not yet over.
An old man sails on the sea under the eternal night, unable to see the stars or moon, surrounded only by mist, with ghostly lights twinkling with a dim and eerie green hue.
The ghostly lights cast upon the sea surface reflect countless discontented faces, all drifting souls who died unjustly.
The old man cannot see the vengeful spirits in the sea: his eye sockets are hollow, devoid of eyes; his divine sense is already dry, with not a drop of water to be found.
Unable to see, but he hears ever more clearly.
So he grasps a handful of petals from the other shore, scattering them on the sea, causing countless vengeful spirits to scramble for the food.
The victorious return to the other shore, satisfied and leaving, while the defeated disperse into vain bubbles, merging once more with the deep sea.
This deep sea is called the Sea of Years, sinking with remnants of countless ancient civilizations, gathering souls of mysterious origins.
This sea was once part of the Sea of Reincarnation, yet due to certain reasons, it was cut off from reincarnation, diverging from the order of the Three Realms, becoming an Undead Domain and a Cursed Land.
The old man travels by boat, feeding vengeful spirits along the way, having done so for countless years.
There is no specific destination to reach, nor is it out of sympathy that he feeds them, it is merely out of habit, repeating certain experiences from [his previous life].
There are countless unjust dead in the Sea of Years, and he was once just a tiny insignificant one among them. In life, he had never seen brightness, in death, still wandering in darkness, unable to find release.
"The ’Infinite Life Scripture’ states that the wisdom eye can see the truth and cross to the other shore, but why, after all my cultivation, can I still not find what I’m looking for... Yun Ye, Yun Zhao, are you brothers still resenting me, refusing to let me find your remains..." the old man touches his hollow eye sockets, sighing.
"Guest, you are being attached. Though I don’t know who you are looking for, it’s best to let go of what’s already lost. For us creatures of the Sea of Years, being obsessed with something is the most dangerous. Obsession leads to grudges, and once it happens, even living beings will turn into dead spirits, truly not worth it. Remember, the joy of the world lies in giving and receiving, once you reach my age, you’ll understand... In this life, nothing is worth holding onto, nothing is more significant than life and death! While others see the Sea of Years as a land of suffering, I see it as a pure land, why not think of it this way? Those living on the Cultivation Star are merely undergoing tribulations in a cage named stars; those living in the universe are merely undergoing tribulations in a cage named universe. Life is a cage, death is a cage, where isn’t a cage. Some people are dissatisfied with their present situation, merely complaining about the cage’s narrowness, not the fact that they are in a cage. I am different, I don’t intend to complain about anything. A wren’s nest in the forest, just a branch; a stoat drinks in the river, just a stomachful, I have the rivers and seas to spend my life with, and that’s enough. If the heart has a cage, where isn’t suffering? If the heart doesn’t cling, where isn’t the other shore." The boatman kindly consoled the guest while rowing.
Yet the boatman did not realize that his physical body had long since turned into a desolate skeleton, transforming from a living being into a dead spirit. He is the one who truly cannot let go, cannot let go of the oar, cannot let go of the boat, cannot let go of the joy of entrusting his life to the rivers and seas, cannot let go of his pursuit of having no desires, unable to die, and not even aware of it.
"What you say indeed has some truth, but once you grasp something in the world, you can never let it go, like you, like me, like all beings, like all the dead... Those who pursue perfection will invariably develop an attachment to perfection, those who pursue non-attachment will invariably develop an attachment to non-attachment. If the heart holds the thought of letting go, then so-called letting go is merely another form of grasping... I cannot let go; and you, cannot let go either... Sorry, it seems some mundane affairs have disturbed me again, let’s leave this journey at that for now, Ghost Qi Nether Pupil Technique, return!" The old man suddenly had a flash of insight, sensing something, and thus made a spirit seal.
In the next moment, the boatman’s entire being began to turn illusory, transforming into a streak of light, returning to the old man’s left eye socket, manifesting as a prosthetic eye.
This boatman, surprisingly, was only the old man’s left prosthetic eye!
And the true identity of this prosthetic-eyed old man is impressively the second-ranked Saint of the Thought Sect—Inconstant Great Saint!
"In the unseen, I seem to have sensed the karma of Yun Zhao... This direction, surprisingly corresponds within the sect, what on earth is this..."
"It’s been how many years since I last returned to the Thought Sect? I can’t remember... It’s time to go back and have a look."
Inconstant Great Saint intoned true words, his hands forming the All Things are Impermanent Seal, his entire body exuding the saintly majestic light, and the scenery on the sea was instantly rewritten!
The scenery of the Sea of Years can be twisted by the will of the observer, the same area can simultaneously present multiple superimposed scenes, those who master special seals can switch between different superimposed states.
As the old man cast the seal, the sea scenery was replaced with something else, and instead, a grand Immortal Gate suddenly appeared on the sea!
Thought Sect!
He returned once again to this sad place...
Qin Yue and the other two Saints were chatting leisurely when suddenly they sensed the return of their second brother, all were taken aback.
With the second brother’s personality, unless the sect was facing the calamity of its destruction, he would never wish to return, his return this time, could it be that our sect is indeed facing a great disaster!
Or could it be... the second brother has sensed the karma of Tai Chang’s descendants, thus he returns...
If that’s the case, the second brother is probably going to be disappointed, for Tai Chang has no heirs, the one seeking help is not a descendant of Tai Chang at all, it’s just a misunderstanding...
"Second brother..."