Grasping the Evil-Chapter 765: Spirit Wheel Phantom, Heart of the Ancients
The Ghost Profound Fierce Beast was shattered by a punch from Ning Fan, the wave of its physical explosion comparable to the self-destruction of a Cultivation Star!
An immense wave instantly surged through the galaxies.
Over five hundred Demon Cores and six Dao Fruits slowly emerged above the galaxies.
The sky was filled with the remnants of fierce beasts...
Hiss!
Including Xuekongzi, seven rescued Fate Immortals gasped in astonishment, utterly stunned by Ning Fan’s overwhelming combat strength.
It took the six Fate Immortals a long time to gather themselves, finally putting on slightly ingratiating smiles, and walked toward Ning Fan.
They intended to curry favor with Ning Fan, forming good relations with a powerful figure like him could bring significant benefits.
Xuekongzi’s eyes flickered slightly, and a True Spirit Blood Goose blocked everyone’s path, shaking his head.
"Daoist Ning seems to be pondering something; for now, let’s not disturb him," Xuekongzi said.
At that moment, Ning Fan, with his back to the Fate Immortals, was quietly gazing at the beast corpses scattered across the starry sky, silent for a long time.
His eyes revealed a trace of respect.
On his body, there was a sense of desolation.
The five hundred fierce beasts were brave, despite fearing Ning Fan and knowing their certain death, they dared to fight.
Xuekongzi and the others were also brave; knowing they could not escape death, they resolutely turned to face it, seven of them together to fight five hundred fierce beasts.
This was war, difficult to say who is right or wrong, merely different stances.
And the outcome is often just the difference between victory and defeat, between kings and bandits, just one winning and one losing.
Ning Fan had past ties with Xuekongzi, so once involved in this conflict, he was destined to stand on Xuekongzi’s side.
All of this was also unrelated to right or wrong.
Facing these fierce beasts who dared not retreat, though weak yet unyielding, Ning Fan felt respect and hence offered them a chance to live.
Unfortunately, these fierce beasts were too committed to completing their mission and resolved to kill Xuekongzi and the others, unwilling to change their minds even if it meant death.
Thus, Ning Fan would not hold back anymore. Once enemies, one cannot go easy.
But after all, he had developed some respect for these fierce beasts who could not speak.
How many in this world can still refuse to yield when the enemy’s army is at the gates, and the situation is dire?
Integrity is not something spoken; it is exchanged with life.
"The master likes them. Why not seal them as Fu... those demons who die honorably all have the right to become Fu... as long as enough... is bestowed, it can form... our Fu... race’s... wheel, different from other demon races’ ways of condensation... Ouch, it hurts, it hurts a lot! Can’t say more! Wuwuwu..."
A lively voice came from a demon cocoon within the Cauldron Furnace Realm. The speaker was Zili, who was cocooning.
She seemed to want to tell Ning Fan some information, but hampered by the Sinful Mark, she would be forcibly interrupted before getting to the key point.
After just a few words, Zili was tortured to the brink of breaking her divine sense by the Sinful Mark, in unbearable pain, her usually cold and strong personality forced to sob softly by the pain.
"Don’t mention the secrets of the Fu Li race anymore. Once I find a way to remove the Sinful Mark, I’ll release you from it, and you can tell me the Fu Li race’s secrets. This Sinful Mark is truly dangerous!"
Ning Fan’s gaze softened, showing concern.
Zili was a silly girl, currently at a critical point of seclusion, no need to reveal Fu Li secrets.
Zili didn’t know the way to remove the Sinful Mark, and neither did Ning Fan. Despite having Fu Li ancestor blood, he couldn’t break Zili’s Sinful Mark.
If the Sinful Mark isn’t removed, she cannot mention any Fu Li secrets, not even think about it.
If she forcefully revealed Fu Li secrets, she would be killed by the Sinful Mark...
Zili was at least a girl Ning Fan had cultivated step by step, how could Ning Fan bear to let this little girl die from the backlash of the Sinful Mark.
Before breaking Zili’s Sinful Mark, Ning Fan will not, for personal gain, force Zili to reveal any Fu Li secret.
If he can obtain the method to break the Fu Li race’s Sinful Mark, Ning Fan will spare no effort to help Zili break the Sinful Mark.
"The servant just wants to help the master condense... Ouch, it hurts, I dare not say..." Zili said aggrievedly.
"Hmm, I know little Li Er has good intentions, though your words are intermittent, I understood some of it, little Li Er wants me to confer them as Fu Li, right... You don’t have to answer, don’t need to think about my question, don’t let the Sinful Mark activate."
Ning Fan comforted Zili for a while and coaxed her into obediently cocooning for cultivation.
In his heart, Zili’s words echoed over and over.
The two words "Fu Li", Zili couldn’t fully express. The two words "Spirit Wheel", equally unable to be fully expressed by Zili.
As for the method of condensing the Fu Li Spirit Wheel, even less could be mentioned.
The Spirit Wheel of the Immemorial Dark Sparrow Tribe, called the Nether Wheel. The Spirit Wheel of the Fu Li race is called the Departure Wheel.
From Zili’s scattered words, Ning Fan vaguely understood that the method of condensing the Departure Wheel has two ways.
One way is likely to find Fu Li ancestral items to obtain the Departure Wheel through a method of worship.
The other way was what Zili just attempted to secretly convey to Ning Fan.
Sealing and bestowing dying but unyielding demon races as Fu Li to gain the power of the Departure Wheel...
Ning Fan vaguely guessed Zili’s meaning but had no idea how to seal demons, to seal those fallen as Fu Li.
Just like he didn’t know how to imprint a Sinful Seed of Crime on Fu Li, demoting them to Nieli.
Similarly, he didn’t know how to untangle Nieli’s Sinful Mark.
To seal demons, sow sin, and resolve sin, these might all be extremely advanced secret techniques of the Fu Li race.
Gazing at the sky full of beast corpses, Ning Fan’s eyes flickered.
He didn’t really know how to seal a demon, but he could guess the purpose of sealing demons.
There was originally no Fu Li in the world; Purple Dou pacified the troubled times, the slaughter was too heavy, especially during the extermination of the two Immemorial Jade demon races, encountered fearless resistance from the group of demons.
In that battle, the demons who refused to yield to death were all conferred as Fu Li by Purple Dou.
Fu Li is a type of honor, a commendation, and even more a redemption.
The Immortal’s long life means long death after death, no more reincarnation.
Fu Li is a kind of reincarnation by another name, intercepting the souls of fallen demons, allowing them to be reborn in the world.
Fierce beasts whose cultivation hasn’t reached the Second Step can re-enter reincarnation after death, their souls not extinguished by Ning Fan, they don’t need salvation from Ning Fan.
Therefore, if sealing them as Fu Li, it must be the demons above the Second Step?
Sealing demons is actually to save the souls of Second Step demon cultivators?
With contemplation, Ning Fan looked at the demon cores, beast corpses, and Dao Fruits floating in the starry sky.
With a wave of his hand, he collected six Dao Fruits, along with all the demon cores and beast corpses of the Loose Immortal fierce beasts, into the Cauldron Furnace Realm.
Only leaving behind the 22 Fate Immortal fierce beasts’ demon cores and beast corpses, letting them continue to float in the starry sky.
With a thought, Ning Fan’s left eye’s purple star flashed briefly, secretly invoking the power of the Fu Li ancestor blood.
At this moment, Ning Fan seemed to see that where the 22 Fate Immortal fierce beasts fell, starlight was disappearing...
Those were fragments of the residual souls of the 22 fallen fierce beasts!
The souls of the remaining Loose Immortal fierce beasts would return to reincarnation after death, but the souls of Second Step fierce beasts could not return to reincarnation, only disappearing.
This is the end of life!
The scene of the disappearing soul fragments, it is said only a few extremely rare divine eyes can see, yet Ning Fan saw it!
He vaguely guessed that the reason he could see the soul fragments was due to the unique divine skill of the Fu Li’s eye.
"Seal demons... redemptively..."
Ning Fan’s mind repeatedly echoed the words ’seal demons’ and ’redemption’.
As he watched the soul fragments of the 22 fierce beasts gradually dissipate, Ning Fan no longer hesitated, raised his hand toward those souls and casually grasped, speaking a single word,
"Condense!"
Xuekongzi and others were all taken aback by Ning Fan’s action.
They did not possess Fu Li ancestor blood, nor any of those extremely rare divine eyes, and naturally couldn’t see the scene of Ning Fan gathering the soul fragments.
They couldn’t see that those about-to-disappear soul fragments, after being grasped by Ning Fan, actually condensed into an illusory violet-black ring shadow.
On that violet-black ring shadow, 22 bright lights floated!
Those 22 bright lights were the undispersed souls of the 22 Fate Immortal fierce beasts, intercepted by Ning Fan within the illusory ring shadow!
This divine skill, within the Fu Li race, was known as ’Demon Sealing and Wheel Condensation’, a Great Divine Power that only ancestral-level Fu Li could wield, capable of intercepting the fallen demon race’s soul and keeping these demon souls from being lost to reincarnation’s abandonment!
This is the strongest innate talent of the Fu Li race!
It is said that once this talent is comprehended to the extreme, it cannot only intercept demon souls but also god, demon souls, and even intercept the souls of all things in heaven and earth.
Departure Wheel, it seems to construct a reincarnation, sheltering those abandoned by reincarnation.
If the Departure Wheel is strong enough, it might even revive the residual soul sheltered within it!
If the Divine Skills of the Departure Wheel were imbued upon oneself, Fu Li can bathe in blood and be reborn, surviving even a hundred deaths...
Ning Fan was unaware of these secrets.
Xuekongzi and others couldn’t see the process of Ning Fan condensing the spirit wheel’s shadow, but the True Spirit Blood Goose vaguely sensed something, trembling all over, instinctively fearing Ning Fan.
At this moment, Ning Fan’s Demon Bloodline pressure was extremely restrained, not leaking a bit.
Yet the True Spirit Blood Goose could feel the terrifying pressure hidden within Ning Fan, the strength of which was unknown, but enough to make it quake.
Ning Fan looked at the phantom shadow of the spirit wheel in his palm, at the 22 light spots upon the phantom, seeming to have realized something, yet not quite enlightened.
This is a shadow of the spirit wheel, not a true spirit wheel.
It cannot exert any Divine Skills, and even a touch might shatter it... too fragile!
This spirit wheel’s shadow is not yet worthy of being called the true Fu Li Spirit Wheel—the Departure Wheel.
However, there’s one thing Ning Fan understood.
As long as he persistently uses the power of Fu Li ancestor blood to contain the Second Step demon race’s unyielding residual souls, this illusory shadow can gradually solidify.
Eventually, turning this illusory shadow into a true Fu Li Spirit Wheel.
"Hiss! False Spirit Wheel!" Xuekongzi and seven Fate Immortals’ gazes were shocked.
How could they have thought that Ning Fan could be so formidable as to comprehend the cultivation method of the false spirit wheel from a pile of dead beast corpses.
The Four Heavens have pseudo-ancient gods, pseudo-ancient demons, and the Land of Demons also has pseudo-ancient demons.
The demon race lost their spirit, never able to cultivate a true spirit wheel.
Xuekongzi and others looked at the phantom shadow of the spirit wheel in Ning Fan’s palm, mistaking it as the demon race’s false spirit wheel.
After all, this spirit wheel shadow clearly shows no Divine Skills, who would mistake it for the legendary Great Divine Power—the Ancient Demon Spirit Wheel?
Upon hearing the exclamations from behind, Ning Fan’s thoughts moved, and he absorbed the spirit wheel’s shadow into his body.
He glanced at the Demon Core and beast corpses of the 22 Fate Immortal fierce beasts, apparently realizing that to accommodate these fierce beasts’ residual souls, he didn’t need these Demon Cores or beast corpses.
If so, Ning Fan simply gathered the remaining Demon Cores and beast corpses into the Cauldron Ring, sending them to Zili.
He could shelter these fallen fierce beasts’ residual souls, which counted as an extra favor, not possible to generously abandon their Demon Cores and residual corpses.
Someday, if he truly masters the Demon Sealing skills of the Fu Li race, he will bestow the residual souls in the spirit wheel a new identity.
Fu Li!
Until then, those residual souls can only temporarily reside in the spirit wheel’s shadow.
"Ning Daoist’s talent is truly terrifying; to condense a demon race’s false spirit wheel as a human, formidable, formidable!" Very soon, several Fate Immortals flattered him.
Even though a thousand flattering words may pierce, flattery remains unscathed.
"Just lucky."
Ning Fan didn’t dwell on the topic, several Old Monsters saw Ning Fan’s unwillingness to elaborate and wisely shifted the subject.
Soon, the topic switched to the upheaval in the Flowing Sand Star Domain.
Xuekongzi and others informed Ning Fan of the events happening in the Flowing Sand Star Domain and the prior ambush.
When discussing being ambushed by beasts, several Old Monsters’ eyes turned cold, resentfully saying, "This time, we were 19 Fate Immortals under the command of Xuekongzi, following him on a secret mission, originally aiming to destroy a beast’s base, but unexpectedly, not long after leaving the Flowing Sand Clan, we were ambushed by beasts. With just one strike, 13 died, 7 injured... Hmph! Just after leaving the Flowing Sand Clan, ambushed by the demon race, I reckon there must be a demon race spy within the Flowing Sand Clan! Revealed our movements!"
"As far as I know, out of the ten teams executing secret missions for the Flowing Sand Clan, four have been ambushed by beasts. Previously, I heard rumors of demon race spies in the Flowing Sand Clan, believed it was the ’Thirteen Demon Kings’ spreading falsehoods to unsettle us. Hmph, now I realize, the spy issue is likely real! Without a spy, how could our secret movements so coincidentally encounter an ambush upon leaving the Flowing Sand Clan!" Another Old Monster supplemented.
"Blood Leader thinks, within the Flowing Sand Clan, who is most likely the demon race spy?"
"Blood believes that the half-demon Heavenly Dog Daoist is somewhat suspicious... He possesses the Human Profound Peak cultivation, responsible for task assignment, if there is a spy, this person’s suspicion is not small!"
"I suspect that the Old Monster Dian, who loves raising demon pets, is somewhat suspicious..."
"Hmm, the Old Demon Heishan, who always cloaks himself in spirit equipment and never shows his face, is also suspicious..."
The seven Fate Immortals, after experiencing life and death, hated the ’spy’ with bitterness, eager to find and dismember them.
Ning Fan remained silent, not involving himself in these discussions.
Whether the Flowing Sand Clan truly has a demon race spy, he didn’t know and didn’t care.
He came to the Flowing Sand Star Domain with two goals: one, to infiltrate the Flowing Sand Clan and acquire the incense of the Flowing Sand Daoist.
Two, to enter the Flowing Sand Star Sea and find the secret place that Lux Xiner had accidentally discovered, and enter the Ancient God’s Temporal Cave.
Unfortunately, according to the intelligence provided by Xuekongzi and others, due to the chaos in the Flowing Sand Star Domain, the Flowing Sand Clan has moved all important forbidden grounds such as the temple of his clan and the treasure vault into a residual realm amongst thousands known as the Flowing Sand Realm.
Even the headquarters of the Exterminate Demon Alliance has moved from the Flowing Sand Star into the Flowing Sand Realm.
The Flowing Sand Realm has now become the headquarters for demon-exterminating cultivators, and only the clan members of the Flowing Sand Clan or cultivators from the Exterminate Demon Alliance are allowed to enter.
For Ning Fan to steal the incense, the pressing matter is to find a way to sneak into the Flowing Sand Realm...
Only then can he achieve the first goal.
The Flowing Sand Secret Realm is located within the Flowing Sand Star Sea, which is situated in the north of the Flowing Sand Star Domain, now a nest for the demon beast army.
It is said that there are thirteen demon cultivators of the Crossing Truth Realm stationed in the nest.
In the entire demon tide army, only these thirteen have transformed into human form, while the rest remain in beast form.
These thirteen, self-styled as the Thirteen Demon Kings, have the lowest cultivation at the initial stage of the Crossing Truth Realm, and the highest at the peak.
When the Thirteen Demon Kings join forces, not even the Shedding Void Stage could avoid retreating slightly...
Even with the Ancient Demon Puppet in his possession, Ning Fan dared not rashly storm into the star sea demon nest, as it is extremely dangerous.
What if he stealthily infiltrated...
Ning Fan does not know the exact location of the Ancient God’s Temporal Cave, only a general direction, and it requires a considerable amount of time to search.
Unfortunately, the surroundings of the Flowing Sand Star Sea are enveloped in a toxic fog that dissipates only for two hours once a month. The toxic fog is exceptionally potent, and not even the Shedding Void Stage would dare breach the fog to enter the sea.
Stealth duration is limited to two hours, and can only be activated once every ten days.
To thoroughly investigate the whereabouts of the Ancient God’s Temporal Cave in the Flowing Sand Star Sea, there are too many restrictions and risks that need careful planning...
"Daoist Ning, are you passing through the Flowing Sand Star Domain or..." Xuekongzi suddenly asked.
"I have certain goals that can only be achieved in the Flowing Sand Star Domain, unfortunately, it has encountered such upheaval." Ning Fan feigned a sigh of regret.
Upon hearing that Ning Fan had matters to attend to in the Flowing Sand Star Domain, Xuekongzi’s eyes lit up.
"Daoist Ning, are you interested in joining our Exterminate Demon Alliance, to reside temporarily in the Flowing Sand Realm with us, and strategize on how to eradicate the demon race from the Flowing Sand Secret Realm? With Daoist Ning’s strength, at the very least, he could serve as a Vice Alliance Hierarch!"
The Exterminate Demon Alliance has four Alliance Hierarchs, including the Flowing Sand Clan Leader among four True Immortals.
Currently, there are twelve Vice Hierarchs, all of whom are seasoned cultivators above the Ghost Profound Late Stage!
In Xuekongzi’s view, with Ning Fan’s strength, being a Vice Hierarch would be more than adequate.
If Ning Fan were to join, the strength of the Exterminate Demon Alliance would be bolstered further, increasing the hope of extinguishing the demon tide, why not seize the opportunity.
"Join the Exterminate Demon Alliance? I’m accustomed to traveling alone and don’t like restrictions..." Ning Fan pretended to consider.
"Daoist Ning, you must have heard about the ’remote ancient heartbeat,’ which is why you are reluctant to leave the Flowing Sand Star Domain, isn’t it?" Xuekongzi suddenly transmitted his voice.
"Remote ancient heartbeat?" Ning Fan’s heart trembled, yet his expression remained serene.
"Oh? Daoist Ning was unaware of this matter? Just before the demon tide appeared, there was a heartbeat that resonated throughout the entire Flowing Sand Star Domain! I heard it clearly, and it unmistakably originated from the direction of the Flowing Sand Star Sea! It carried an incomparably ancient aura and contained boundless Dao essence. Many Flowing Sand Immortal cultivators heard it too! The reason why I and these Daoist friends are unwilling to leave the Flowing Sand Star Domain, risking our lives to assist the Flowing Sand Clan in eradicating the demon race, is so that we can explore the Flowing Sand Star Sea after the extermination! If I am not mistaken, that remote ancient heartbeat is a tremendous opportunity!"
Xuekongzi looked at Ning Fan in surprise, seeing that Ning Fan seemed completely unaware of the remote ancient heartbeat.
"Daoist friend, aren’t you staying in the Flowing Sand Star Domain to investigate that heartbeat?"
"Hmm, I remain in the Flowing Sand Star Domain for other matters."
"I see. No matter what plans Daoist friend has, you should first join the Exterminate Demon Alliance and stay in the Flowing Sand Realm. As long as the demon tide is not completely exterminated, the Flowing Sand Star Domain will remain uneasy, and venturing out will be nerve-wracking. If young friend is willing to join the Exterminate Demon Alliance, I am willing to recommend you." Xuekongzi said with a lingering fear.
"...Alright, in that case, I will heed Daoist friend’s advice and temporarily join the Exterminate Demon Alliance and stay in the Flowing Sand Realm."
Ning Fan’s eyes flickered; there are too many uncertain factors on the Flowing Sand Star Sea side, and it’s better to sneak into the Flowing Sand Realm first to steal the incense of the Flowing Sand Daoist.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Just as Ning Fan agreed to Xuekongzi’s proposal, a heartbeat sound, as if from remote ancient times, suddenly resonated throughout the entire Flowing Sand Star Domain!
At this moment, countless cultivators who heard this heartbeat sound displayed expressions of shock and joy!
Upon hearing this heartbeat sound, Ning Fan’s heart involuntarily began to pulsate, and the Ancient God Blood seemingly wanted to boil!
"This is... the heartbeat of an ancient god! What kind of formidable ancient god could make the heartbeat resound throughout an entire Upper Starfield!"
(1/2) (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
