Chapter 1126: Chapter 1126: Ancient Demon Cultivation, Eternity’s First Tribulation!

For any different race, the Gloomy Wood mineral vein beneath the river is an absolute forbidden zone, a crucial resource for a clan’s prosperity.

Although the Tiancong Fish Clan is a small clan on the eleventh path, according to Ning Fan’s assessment, they possess no less than a hundred pounds of Eight Hundred Million Years Gloomy Wood reserves.

This hundred pounds refers only to the Eight Hundred Million Years Gloomy Wood; there are countless Gloomy Woods of lesser years scattered underground, astonishingly abundant.

Gloomy Woods aged five to seven hundred million years amount to tens of thousands of pounds!

Gloomy Woods aged one to four billion years amount to millions of pounds!

Gloomy Woods less than a billion years old form countless crisscrossed dragon veins, distributed underground beneath the Gouyu City, covering an area of hundreds of miles.

For an Eternal Cultivator, only Gloomy Wood over eight hundred million years old can be used to refine the Immeasurable Pill. The older the wood, the higher the quality. Eight hundred million years is merely a benchmark; the best Immeasurable Pill materials should be sourced from wood over ten trillion years, greatly increasing the success rate of alchemy.

At this moment, Ning Fan is in a cell inside the underground mineral vein. The cell walls are filled with formidable formations of Wooden Elemental Force. Due to the high concentration, the wooden elemental force has materialized in the air, transforming into thumb-thick dark green Wood Dragons, swirling within the confined space of the cell.

The Wood Dragons are small in size but exceptionally fierce in gaze. Occasionally, a Wood Dragon would suddenly lash out at Ning Fan. Despite Ning Fan’s strong physical defense, without activating his Body-protecting Golden Light, they could even break his skin. Ning Fan’s spirit sense sweeps over, realizing these Wood Dragons are actually condensed by the wooden elemental force spanning several billion years, making him relieved. That a Wood Dragon, nurtured by billions of years of wood energy, should be powerful is only natural.

After biting a prisoner, the Wood Dragons would refine the essence of the prisoner’s flesh and Divine Skills. After depositing for thousands of years, the prisoner’s cultivation and Divine Skills could eventually be shared with others.

This is the Wood Dragon Punishment mentioned by those Tiancong Fish Immortals.

This kind of punishment is not unique to the Tiancong Fish Clan; almost every clan employs such punishment. Naturally, to enable access to the underground mineral vein and punish prisoners, prior approval from the Quasi-Saint serving under the Grand Divine Minister is required; otherwise, the mineral passageway cannot be opened.

"I didn’t expect I would encounter such an opportunity, being directly imprisoned in the underground mineral vein of the Gouyu City. The Gloomy Wood reserves here are extremely vast, with those over eight hundred million years old suitable for refining the Immeasurable Pill, while lower aged ones are not very useful; as for the Wood Dragons here, they’re condensed by the wooden elemental force spanning several billion years, devouring them would greatly benefit my Wood Yin-Yang cultivation..."

"The only trouble is, if I take away the Eight Hundred Million Years Gloomy Wood here or swallow the Wood Dragons, I might be sensed by other Quasi-Saints of the waterways..."

"Devouring the Wood Dragons is doable; since they don’t bear the prohibitions planted by the Quasi-Saints of Boundary River, being naturally formed. It will be fine as long as I slightly conceal the event afterward. However, the Eight Hundred Million Years Gloomy Wood is situated at the pivotal point in this mineral vein’s grand scheme. Attempting to take it by brute force will disrupt the earth vein structure, leading to significant changes, which certainly could not escape the attention of the Quasi-Saints of Boundary River..."

Ning Fan repeatedly muses, and suddenly, he recalls a very common puzzle game in the world of mortals—Huarong Dao.

It is a game where one moves pieces to let the general escape the pursuit of knights, and the thought model it contains makes Ning Fan’s eyes brighten.

Ning Fan pushes the Tianren Eye Technique to its utmost and simultaneously pushes the Momentum Character Secret to its pinnacle, seeing the grand setup of the mineral veins transforming into differently directed and sized chess pieces in front of him...

Inability to apply brute force to remove the Eight Hundred Million Years Gloomy Wood at the core of the setup means he must stealthily adjust the setup to gradually edge the Eight Hundred Million Years Gloomy Wood away from the center...

Such a meticulous manipulation of the setup of heaven and earth is something difficult even for a Quasi-Saint to accomplish perfectly. A slight misstep could destroy the setup.

However, Ning Fan is different; he is one of the few Master of Second Realm of Tianren in the Era of Decline and has mastered the supreme art, Momentum Character Secret. Although challenging, it is not impossible for him to achieve.

One day passes, two days pass, three days pass...

Ning Fan secretly alters the grand setup of the underground beneath Gouyu City like a chess game without anyone noticing.

On the fifth day, he moves out the first chunk of Eight Hundred Million Years Gloomy Wood, a massive piece weighing five pounds.

On the seventh day, Ning Fan moves out another four pounds of Eight Hundred Million Years Gloomy Wood.

Ninth day, eleventh day, thirteenth day...

A month passes, and Ning Fan has stealthily extracted all of the Eight Hundred Million Years Gloomy Wood beneath Gouyu City, totaling 134 pounds!

With the Eight Hundred Million Years Gloomy Wood in hand, Ning Fan has already gathered a massive amount of other materials for refining the Immeasurable Pill. He just needs to find a Ninth Revolution Golden Elixir Alchemist to produce a large batch of Immeasurable Pills...

In fact, Ning Fan has captured many such alchemists, all imprisoned within the Realm of Incense Offering. In the Supreme Pill Sacred Domain, which Immortal Emperor didn’t have a few Golden Core-level Alchemists under their command? That day, Ning Fan wantonly captured the Immortal Emperor’s disciples in the Supreme Pill Sacred Domain to serve as Incense Slaves, including some who are Golden Core Alchemists.

As for Emperor Elixir-level Alchemists, he hasn’t captured any...

Thus, Ning Fan, at this moment, actually does not lack anyone to refine pills. Nonetheless, he still hopes to refine the Immeasurable Pill himself if possible, rather than relying on others.

Now, he is already a Ninth Revolution Silver Elixir Alchemist; with just one more step, he will qualify to refine the Immeasurable Pill...

"Speaking of which, I have yet to use the Heavenly Peach Branch, Peach Blossom, and Peach Fruit seized from Elder Yuan Dan. Those things could greatly enhance an alchemist’s medicinal soul..."

Ning Fan lightly ponders, makes a decision and then glances around at the hundreds of Wood Dragons flickering within the cell, unleashing his skills to capture all these Wood Dragons.

Considering the abrupt capture of these Wood Dragons, the Gloomy Wood’s mineral vein’s wooden essence would decrease significantly. Ning Fan sets up a small-scale Spiritual Formation within the cell to multiply the wooden essence of the mineral vein dozens of times. On the surface, the concentration of wood essence in Gouyu City seems unchanged. However, this surge has a time limit. Despite expending many rare Immortal Materials, Ning Fan can only maintain the Spiritual Formation for one or two hundred years. After the Spiritual Formation fails, the occurrence in this earth vein will inevitably be discovered by the Quasi-Saints of Boundary River, but it is one or two hundred years from now, so there is no immediate concern.

After all this, Ning Fan flashes into the Xuan Yin Treasure, spending over half a month to refine all the hundreds of Wood Dragons.

Although the cultivation level has not increased, the Dao Principle of Wood in Wood Yin-Yang has become much stronger than before, gradually approaching the true Control Position.

Seeing this, Ning Fan was naturally overjoyed.

It must be noted that the Magic Yin-Yang of Spirit, Demon, and Monster which he cultivated, although possessing a certain degree of Control Position Power, was far from the true power that Control Position should possess, and even further from having the so-called Palatial Void.

Practicing the Magic Yin-Yang of Spirit, Demon, and Monster is just the first step. Next, he needs to cultivate each Yin-Yang to the Control Position realm. Only then can the power of the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor’s Twenty-Seven Yin-Yang truly be revealed, making surpassing levels a breeze.

Achieving Control Position, how difficult it is! Naturally, Ning Fan cannot achieve it just by devouring hundreds of Wood Dragons here. Although the Wood Yin-Yang is approaching true Control Position, the distance remains extremely far...

Those Immortal Venerable Tiancong Fish Clan probably never dreamed that the Wood Dragon they used to punish Ning Fan would be devoured by him...

After devouring the Wood Dragon, Ning Fan began refining the Heavenly Peach Branch, Peach Blossom, and Peach Fruit of Emperor Yuan Dan.

Nearly a month passed like this, and Ning Fan’s Medicinal Soul level underwent a significant change! The Medicinal Soul, originally of the Ninth Revolution Silver, surprisingly broke through to the Ninth Revolution Gold, and even advanced far towards the Emperor Grade Medicinal Soul.

These Peach Branches, Peach Blossoms, and Peach Fruits were the result of Emperor Yuan Dan’s lifetime efforts to cultivate the Heavenly Earth Peach Tree. He himself couldn’t bear to consume them, always saving them for significant use, yet unexpectedly, his life’s work ultimately benefitted Ning Fan...

Ning Fan was initially surprised by the rapid improvement of his Medicinal Soul, but considering it was thanks to Emperor Yuan Dan’s lifetime efforts, it seemed only natural.

The Medicinal Soul of the Five-Colored Butterfly, filled with spirituality, danced gracefully within the Xuan Yin Treasure.

Ning Fan slightly smiled, knowing it was time to refine the Immeasurable Pill to enhance his cultivation. His Ninth Revolution Gold Medicinal Soul, having just broken through, was still very unstable, but if consolidated through alchemy, he believed the Medicinal Soul would solidify quickly.

...

In the blink of an eye, three months passed.

Ning Fan stepped out from the Xuan Yin Treasure and returned to the prison cell.

After using all Eight Hundred Million Years of Yin Chen Wood, he refined a total of twenty furnaces of expensive pills, each with three hundred pills.

Due to the instability of his Medicinal Soul and it being his first time refining the Immeasurable Pill, Ning Fan’s success rate was hard to guarantee, with only three or four furnaces succeeding out of ten.

He eventually harvested over two thousand Immeasurable Pills.

Just from the Immortal Venerable power of the Tiancong Fish Clan, he gained two thousand free Immeasurable Pills. Ning Fan speculated inwardly that if it were an Immortal King or Immortal Emperor’s power, he could probably obtain tens of thousands of Immeasurable Pills...

For an ordinary newly ascended Immortal Venerable, two Immeasurable Pills are needed to enhance one Tribulation Law Power.

For an ordinary First Calamity Immortal Sovereign, four Immeasurable Pills are required to enhance one Tribulation Law Power.

The same quantity of Immeasurable Pills used to enhance an Ancient God Cultivation, at Eternity’s First Tribulation, naturally doesn’t compare to using them for ancient demons or ancient demons’ cultivation.

But due to Ning Fan’s Divine Spirit Wasted Body being too domineering, which would seize the Immeasurable Pill’s effectiveness, despite consuming over two thousand Immeasurable Pills, Ning Fan’s cultivation only increased by over sixty Tribulations of law power.

The ancient demon cultivation is still far from breaking through Eternity’s First Tribulation.

However, if Ning Fan seizes more, breaking through Eternity’s First Tribulation in ancient demon or ancient demon cultivation is only a matter of time.

The Eight Hundred Million Years Yin Chen Wood here has already been taken by Ning Fan, leaving no reason for him to stay any longer.

The stone door of the mine’s prison is sealed by a Quasi-Saint restriction. To leave the prison, there are only two ways: either break the restriction and go out directly or have someone outside offer incense and prayers, requesting the Quasi-Saint of the Boundary River to cross the domain and open the restriction.

Of course, Ning Fan wouldn’t be foolish enough to break the local Quasi-Saint restriction to leave.

If he wants to leave, there will naturally be someone to request the Quasi-Saint to open the prison gate for him.

On the day he was imprisoned in the mine’s prison by three Immortal Venerables of the Tiancong Fish Clan, he secretly cast an Illusory Art on them.

The Illusory Art will not activate immediately and will trigger only when Ning Fan needs it.

"Alright, three illusion servants, it’s time for your show. Open the prison gate for me!"

Ning Fan’s left eye flickered with Demon Light, activating the Illusory Art across the domain.

In an instant, the three Immortal Venerables of the Tiancong Fish Clan, who were originally in seclusion in their respective cave dwellings, all experienced a sharp pain in their divine senses, followed by a dazed expression, murmuring,

"Must help the master open the prison gate, must help the master open the prison gate..."

Shortly after, an incomprehensible scene occurred among all the Tiancong Fish Clan people.

Ning Fan, who was previously locked underground by the three Immortal Venerables, has been released again...

Moreover, not only was he released, but the three Immortal Venerables also imparted the contents of the fourth, fifth, and sixth volumes of the Tiancong Scrolls to Ning Fan.

After that, they gave Ning Fan a secret mission, instructing him to hide his identity and leave Gouyu City to secretly complete the mission.

The so-called secret mission was, of course, just a deceptive trick, merely a legitimate reason for Ning Fan to leave Gouyu City.

Under the astonished gazes of all the Tiancong Fish Clan members, the three Immortal Venerables took countless treasures from the clan’s treasury and handed them to Ning Fan.

The reason given was that the mission was too perilous and required providing Ning Fan with more resources to ensure success...

Until Ning Fan departed openly from Gouyu City, taking the majority of the Tiancong Fish Clan’s precious resources, no one knew what the secret mission talked about by the three Immortal Venerables really was.

As for the three Immortal Venerables of the Tiancong Fish who were under the influence of an illusion, they were not at all aware they were tricked. Ning Fan’s illusion only twisted their perception concerning him, without altering their perception of other matters in any way.

Thus, after releasing Ning Fan, the three Immortal Venerables of the Tiancong Fish continued their leisurely lives as before, without feeling anything was amiss.

Illusions can indeed be very useful at times.

...

Deep within the sixth waterway, in the different race’s lair.

This is a waterway guarded heavily by the different race, accessed through the Northern Heavens. Unknown to many, the Grand Divine Minister, worshipped by countless different races of the Eastern Boundary River, was present in the sixth waterway at this moment.

He was an elder with a long beard wielding a crescent blade, crowned with gray snake-like hair, with purple double pupils in his eyes. He exuded the immense pressure of a Second-Grade Quasi-Saint, under whom sat five First Order Quasi-Saints—renowned figures among the different race. Unlike ordinary different races, these Quasi-Saints had all cultivated into human forms, each radiating a boundless aura.

In front of the Grand Divine Minister and the five Quasi-Saints, an ordinary Immortal Emperor was not even qualified to sit, only allowed to stand for discussions.

Every half month, the Grand Divine Minister would appear once to handle affairs. Currently, small-scale wars were breaking out on all twelve waterways of the Boundary River, with intermittent reports waiting for the Grand Divine Minister’s decision.

"Report! The Zilin Pass on the fifth waterway was breached three days ago! The Sea Dragon Pass of the eighth water was breached four days ago, and..."

"No matter, the loss of the passes is a minor issue. Everything is still within the plan. I have limited time; there’s no need to report such information." The Grand Divine Minister replied indifferently.

"Report! The Great Crown Prince Long An of the Dragon-Horse Clan has recently arrived from the eleventh path, wishing to borrow the Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle from the Grand Divine Minister and has been waiting outside the temple for seven days."

"Borrow treasure again?" The Grand Divine Minister frowned slightly, displeased, and said, "Did he not just borrow my Sword of Severing Bonds and Curse Gourd some time ago, and is now asking for the Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle again?"

"To answer the Grand Divine Minister, the White-Clad Yama causing chaos on the eleven waterways is said to be extremely troublesome, using an Innate Mid-grade water attribute treasure to break through the ambush set by Long An and a dozen Immortal Emperors. Thus, Long An comes again to borrow the Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle to contend with the opponent’s water attribute treasure. Even Aflo has been captured by the White-Clad Yama and is now missing."

"Oh? A mere Eternal Immortal Venerable holds an Innate Mid-grade treasure and has even captured the Half-Step Quasi-Saint Aflo?" The Grand Divine Minister was visibly taken aback.

"It is said he used a bewitching technique..." the subordinate explained.

"Ah, it was a bewitching technique, then there’s nothing much to worry about. But this White-Clad Yama is indeed audacious, first smashing my River Diagram Mirror used for the sea sacrifice, delaying my plans, then capturing Aflo, one of the sacrificial members. Fortunately, Aflo, who practices the Merfolk True Spirit, cannot be killed by a mere Immortal Venerable’s cultivation. The sacrificial members must not be lost. Since Long An desires to borrow the Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle, lend it to him then. Tell Long An that I am interested in that fellow’s water attribute treasure, and it can be considered as the interest on borrowing the treasure twice."

"Yes, subordinate will immediately convey the Grand Divine Minister’s decree to Long An."

"Report! The Tiancong Fish Clan from the eleventh waterway requests the release of prisoners from the mine prison, saying the opposition has already yielded..."

"What’s all this! The Tiancong Fish Clan locks people up at will, then talks of release without any regard. Is my law to be treated as a farce?" The Grand Divine Minister was noticeably agitated but after pondering briefly, still said,

"In the future, do not report such trivial matters to me! Deal with it yourselves! I am already drained with battling the seal of the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign each day, I have no leisure to attend to such trifles! Announce to all twelve waterways, I have unlocked the subterranean Formation seals of the waterways. Each clan leader may open or close the prison ban at their own discretion! Enough! If there’s nothing else, I need to rest now!"

The new command from the Grand Divine Minister rapidly spread throughout the Eastern Boundary River.

When Ning Fan disguised himself as a Jiangchen Fish and sneaked into the Jiangchen Clan using the same method, he happened to overhear Jiangchen Fish nearby discussing this command.

"From now on, the opening of mine prisons in each clan doesn’t need reporting to the Quasi-Saint of Boundary River?"

Ning Fan was surprised, feeling both joy and worry.

The joy was that if this matter didn’t need reporting to the Quasi-Saint of Boundary River, it would undoubtedly make his actions more convenient.

The worry was that the underlying implication of this order indicated that the higher-ups of the different race had no spare time to handle the affairs of various clans.

It’s likely that the different race’s plan to invade the Eastern Heaven had reached a critical stage, hence they were too busy to attend to the trivial matters of the clans.

No matter, I should first steal the Yin Chen Wood of the Jiangchen Fish Clan and consider other matters later.

The Jiangchen Fish Clan is also an Immortal Venerable power, but here, the reserve of eight hundred million years of Gloomy Wood weighs over two hundred pounds, far more than the Tiancong Fish Clan.

Ning Fan has infiltrated the Jiangchen Fish Clan for several days. This day, the clan leader of the Jiangchen Fish Clan was patrolling Water Street when Ning Fan suddenly blocked the leader’s path, his eyes flashing with Demon Light.

The Jiangchen Fish Clan leader merely had an Immortal Venerable cultivation level, unable to resist Ning Fan’s Illusory Art. After a moment of confusion, he suddenly became angry and said to Ning Fan,

"Where did this little fish come from, to dare block the path of this clan leader? Do you not want to live! Someone, take my clan leader token, open the gate to the mine prison, and lock this lunatic inside, using Wood Dragon Punishment to kill him!"

"Yes!"

Several rigid, upright Jiangchen Fish emerged immediately and arrested Ning Fan, placing him in the clan’s mine prison.

Surrounding Jiangchen Fish watched the spectacle, either mocking or lamenting, all feeling that Ning Fan being locked in the mine prison was a dead end.

Little did they know, this outcome was what Ning Fan had actively sought.

Two months later, Ning Fan had plundered all of Jiangchen Fish Clan’s Gloomy Wood without anyone noticing; he had also plundered hundreds of Wood Dragons formed by the Wood Elemental Force that had accumulated for hundreds of millions of years underground.

When Ning Fan was released once again, the Jiangchen Fish Clan leader and the Tiancong Fish Clan Immortal Venerables likewise gave Ning Fan many clan resources before sending him away from the Jiangchen Fish Clan.

Months passed, and Ning Fan emptied the Essence Destruction Fish Clan. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Months later, the Mount Tai Fish Clan followed in the footsteps of the previous clans.

Ning Fan’s Wood Yin-Yang grew increasingly powerful, yet true mastery remained far off.

Ning Fan’s refining of the Immeasurable Pill grew increasingly skilled; from ten furnaces, six to seven were successful.

Ning Fan’s Ancient Demon cultivation level increasingly advanced, and upon leaving the Mount Tai Fish Clan’s prison, he had consumed over twenty thousand Immeasurable Pills, finally breaking through to Eternity’s First Tribulation with his Ancient Demon cultivation!

The Tribulation of Measure remained terrifying, yet Ning Fan calmly weathered it.

Overall, everything proceeded smoothly; the only setback was probably the cultivation of the Sky-hook Jade.

Reaching the fourth scroll of Sky-hook Jade, the difficulty of cultivation was over tenfold that of the third scroll. Consequently, even with the aid of Merfolk Tears, Ning Fan found it challenging to complete the fourth scroll in a short time, deciding to temporarily put aside the cultivation of Sky-hook Jade.

This day, having raided the Mount Tai Fish Clan, Ning Fan was preparing to leave on some pretense, when suddenly, the sound of a skyward dragon’s roar and horse’s neigh descended from above the waters, resonating throughout the Mount Tai Fish Clan.

The Mount Tai Fish Clan leader, with the cultivation level of the Five Tribulations Immortal King, immediately led the clan members to greet the visitor with tense solemnity. If he sensed correctly, the visitor should be a prominent figure from the Dragon-Horse Clan, something the humble Mount Tai Fish Clan could not afford to offend.

Ning Fan hid among the Mount Tai Fish Clan’s welcoming party, his eyes narrowing slightly.

If his sense was correct, the visitor was likely a Dragon-Horse Immortal Emperor.

Sure enough, the visitor was the Twelfth Prince of the Sixteen Princes of the Dragon-Horse Clan, here in the Mount Tai Fish Clan for conscription!

"Our Dragon-Horse Clan plans to emerge en masse, bloodily cleanse Lingyun Pass, and kill the White-Clad Yama. You Mount Tai Fish Clan have historically been affiliated with our Dragon-Horse Clan; for this battle, you must send a million elite soldiers to fight, without fail!"

"Yes, yes, we will certainly dedicate our clan’s elite forces to assist in capturing the White-Clad Yama, and avenge him!" the Mount Tai Fish Clan leader nervously replied.

Currently, among the Eleven Waterways, who does not know of the enmity between the Dragon-Horse Clan and Ning Fan? Seven of the sixteen Dragon-Horse Princes had been captured by Ning Fan. This hatred was irreconcilable. In the eyes of the Mount Tai Fish Clan leader, the Dragon-Horse Princes might have borrowed some powerful magical treasures to deal with Ning Fan this time.

No one knew that Ning Fan, whom the Dragon-Horse Princes harbored deep resentment against, was leisurely swimming right under their noses.

The Twelfth Prince of the Dragon-Horse Clan was merely a Sixth Calamity Immortal Emperor, unable to see through Ning Fan’s concealment. He followed his eldest brother’s orders to relay conscription commands to over ten medium-sized affiliated clans, of which the Mount Tai Fish Clan was just one. Having delivered the command here, he did not intend to linger and immediately left, heading to the next affiliated clan.

Once the Twelfth Prince of the Dragon-Horse Clan had been gone for some time, the strong members of the Mount Tai Fish Clan dared to sigh and complain.

Everyone knew how terrifying the White-Clad Yama was; participating as an affiliated clan was akin to being cannon fodder. So many Immortal Emperors couldn’t do anything to Ning Fan, and their Immortal King-level clan sending a million elite soldiers would be of no use.

For a time, the Mount Tai Fish Clan was shrouded in a cloud of gloom.

Ning Fan’s gaze flickered repeatedly, planning something unknown.

Speaking of which, the Twelfth Prince of the Dragon-Horse Clan who came to deliver the conscription command seemed to be alone...

Ning Fan smirked coldly, silently swimming out of the Mount Tai Fish Clan, sneaking in the direction the Twelfth Prince of the Dragon-Horse Clan had gone.

The Dragon-Horse Princes were gathering forces to contend with him, likely borrowing the legendary Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle. If war were to break out again, Ning Fan wasn’t confident he could leisurely defeat over ten Different Race Immortal Emperors once more.

To strike first is to gain the upper hand; he decided to hunt a few lone emissaries of the Dragon-Horse Immortal Emperors before the war began to reduce the enemy’s numbers. This move might expose his underwater identity, but the benefits were also quite apparent. Those Dragon-Horse Immortal Emperors were likely off guard, unaware even in their dreams that Ning Fan figured he might dare to stir things up underwater.