Grasping the Evil-Chapter 801: West Wind Like the Dao, Cultivation Falls Like Leaves
In the end, Luo Xiao left with the cultivators from the Punishment Pavilion, heading to the next Cultivation Star to complete the task of appointing a Star Lord.
As for Ning Fan, he became the lord of the Spiritual Platform Star, wielding the power of life and death over the cultivators of this star.
The reason he became the Star Lord of this star was at Ning Fan’s request.
The reason behind this was known only to him, and outsiders were unaware.
Liux Zhou and the other cultivators of the Spiritual Platform Star looked at Ning Fan with shock. They never expected that Ning Fan, the powerful backer of the Demon Clan, would become the Spiritual Platform Star’s Star Lord.
In their view, Luo Xiao’s reappointment of the Star Lord meant he had completely abandoned their lives, ignoring the Spiritual Platform Xuan cultivators.
Behind Ke Long, many demons in the Void Fragmentation realm revealed excited smiles, their gazes towards Liux Zhou and the others were both bloodthirsty and cold.
For the demons, now that Luo Xiao and the others had left, it was the perfect time for an autumnal reckoning with Liux Zhou and the others!
"Hmph, what does it mean for the wheel of fortune to turn? This is it! Liux Zhou, your backer is gone, and before he left, he even appointed our Senior Ning as the Spiritual Platform Star Lord. What does this mean? It means he wants the Demon Clan to grow stronger on the Spiritual Platform Star! It means he wants you Xuan cultivators to wash your necks and wait to die!" One large demon man laughed wildly, his expression arrogant and triumphant.
Another elder of the Demon Clan clenched his fists until they cracked, his eyes glowing a ghostly blue, speaking sinisterly to Liux Zhou and the others,
"Just now, you Xuan cultivators bullied others, relying on Luo Xiao’s divine general status, forcing us to end our own lives. Now, hehe... if I don’t tear you Xuan cultivators to pieces and feed you to the dogs, I would have lived in vain as a demon!"
Several demons in the Void Fragmentation realm flashed their figures, already surrounding Liux Zhou and the five Xuan cultivators at the center.
Liux Zhou and the others each sighed deeply, all showing despair, each holding magical treasures in hand, intending to fight to the death.
A deadly battle was about to break out.
Ning Fan frowned slightly, suddenly speaking coldly,
"Everyone stop!"
His voice was not loud, but the coldness within it caused all the Void Fragmentation cultivators present to shiver.
No demon dared to attack Liux Zhou and the others after Ning Fan ordered them to stop.
Hope suddenly flickered in Liux Zhou’s eyes again. He vividly remembered that day when he was surrounded by demons, it was Ning Fan who spoke up to drive away the demons and saved him.
Putting away his magical treasure, Liux Zhou’s gaze wavered for a moment, then seemed to make a decision, ignoring the ferocious expressions of the demons, stepping forward and bowing respectfully to Ning Fan,
"Xuan cultivator Liux Zhou has a request, I hope the Star Lord can grant it!"
"What request?" Ning Fan’s gaze shifted slightly, inquiring.
"The enmity between the Xuan cultivators of the Spiritual Platform and the Demon Clan is deep and difficult to resolve, as deep as the sea. We Xuan cultivators are no match for the demons, if we are killed, we have no resentment. We only beg the Star Lord for mercy, that after we Spiritual Platform Xuan cultivators die in battle, you spare the low-level Xuan cultivators on this star, allowing them to migrate to other Cultivation Stars. If you can do this, even if we five die here, we can die without regrets!"
Liux Zhou’s old eyes were wide open, his gaze resolute, bowing deeply without speaking further.
His unafraid demeanor secretly earned the admiration of several demons in the Void Fragmentation realm.
Many demons, led by Ke Long, showed signs of being moved.
Previously, when Luo Xiao and the others intended to exterminate demons, they too had no plans to kill low-level demons.
If Ke Long and the other demons were to become enemies with the Xuan cultivators, it seemed unnecessary to completely eradicate all the Spiritual Platform Star Xuan cultivators...
Of course, there were naturally a few bloodthirsty and cold-blooded demons unwilling to allow the low-level Xuan cultivators to migrate and escape.
Several demons remained silent, merely sneering at Liux Zhou, their attitude being that under any circumstances, they would not let the low-level Xuan cultivators of the Spiritual Platform Star go.
After killing Liux Zhou and the others, they would start a mad slaughter on the Spiritual Platform Star, swearing to vent their former humiliation.
Previously, the former Star Lord of the Spiritual Platform Star, relying on his superior cultivation, had slaughtered demons wantonly.
Blood debts must be paid with blood; there could be no compromise!
"Senior Ning, Star Lord Ning, however you decide to deal with the Spiritual Platform Star’s Xuan cultivators, we will abide by your decision!" A few demons, adept at flattering, immediately began to curry favor with Ning Fan.
The rest of the demons, upon hearing this, felt a chill in their hearts, only now realizing that on the Spiritual Platform Star, Ning Fan was the Star Lord.
Whether to kill Liux Zhou and the others was not up to them, the demons, to decide...
If Ning Fan did not agree to the killing of Liux Zhou and the others, insisting on it would be courting death...
Among the demons, seven had been part of the group that besieged Liux Zhou, witnessing Ning Fan saving him firsthand.
The mere thought of Ning Fan having such a connection with Liux Zhou made many Demon Beasts break into a cold sweat!
At this moment, whether it was the Xuan cultivators led by Liux Zhou or the other demons in the Void Fragmentation realm, they were all sweating with their palms, extreme tension visible as they watched Ning Fan.
They were all deeply concerned about Ning Fan’s stance on the conflict between the Xuan cultivators and demons on the Spiritual Platform Star, which side his allegiance lay with...
Just as the demons were feeling anxious, two childish voices, unaware of the gravity of the situation, giggled childishly.
These two little tots, not yet three years old, found it amusing to see all the Xuan cultivators and demons treating Ning Fan with such awe and fear, unwittingly laughing out loud.
"You two little kids still have the mood to laugh. Earlier, your faces turned white with fear when I was killing."
Ning Fan ignored the concerns of the battling cultivators, he simply walked slowly to the two little children, squatted down, smiled lightly, and pinched their noses gently.
When Ning Fan mentioned the act of killing again, the two little kids’ faces quickly turned pale with fear, their pitiful expressions making tears roll around in their eyes.
The scene of Ning Fan killing the Fracture Eighth Elder with a single finger was deeply imprinted in the minds of the two little ones.
"Yunyun is scared, Yunyun shivers at the sight of the dead! Waah-waah... Big brother’s killing was so terrifying, Yunyun was scared to death! Nasty brother! Deliberately scaring Yunyun!" One little child began to wail uncontrollably.
The other little one choked on words, trying hard not to let the tears fall, in a childish voice, "Actually, Qinqin knows that Big Brother killed that bad Grandpa to avenge us, but Qinqin doesn’t like Big Brother killing. Because Big Brother looked really scary when he killed..."
Except for Ke Long, the hearts of all the demons were stuck in their throats.
Did they really hear what they thought they heard?
Yunyun, the little child, actually called Ning Fan a "nasty brother"?
Qinqin, the little child, actually said Ning Fan looked scary?
If such words angered Ning Fan, the consequences would be unimaginable!
Ke Long, however, did not worry. During these several months of getting along, he personally witnessed countless times his own little ones upset Ning Fan with their naive and unrestrained words, and Ning Fan never took offense...
Sure enough, Ning Fan was not enraged by the children’s words, instead, he gently apologized,
"I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have killed in front of you..."
At this moment, apart from Ke Long, all the Xuan cultivators and demons were completely dumbfounded.
They could never have imagined that Ning Fan, who kills without blinking, would actually apologize to two little children...
"You two, tell me. Should the low-level Xuan cultivators on Spiritual Platform Star be killed or not?"
Ning Fan suddenly smiled, asking the two little ones.
This time, even Ke Long was shocked along with everyone else.
Was Ning Fan really seeking the opinions of these two little children?
"Low-level Xuan cultivators on Spiritual Platform Star?" The two little ones wiped their tears, tilting their heads in confusion, not understanding what low-level Xuan cultivators were.
Ning Fan pointed to Ke Long and the demons behind him, saying to the two children with a smile, "Let me ask you this way. Your grandpas, uncles, and elders want to kill all the living on the Spiritual Platform Star outside of the demons, do you think those people should be killed? You should know, your parents were also killed by those people."
"No... don’t kill... killing is bad, really bad..." The two little children unexpectedly agreed on this point.
"What about these few? Kill them or not? Their hands are stained with the lives of countless demons." Ning Fan pointed at Liu Zhou and others, asking the two babies.
"He is a bad grandpa; he’s the one who extracted mother’s Spirit!" Yunyun suddenly pointed at one of the five Spiritual Platform Void Fragmentation, choking up with emotion.
Just choking up, she wiped her tears and said sadly, "He is a bad guy, but I don’t want big brother to kill him... Mom always said, killing is wrong..."
Qinqin wiped her sister’s tears, looking truly saddened, clearly reminiscing their deceased parents, yet held the same opinion as Yunyun.
At this moment, all Void Fragmentations, whether from the demon clan or Xuan cultivators, were shocked by the words of the two little babies.
Ning Fan lightly patted the heads of the two little babies, sighing,
"You’re right, but the rules of this world are wrong..."
Standing up, Ning Fan spoke calmly yet decisively to everyone,
"The grievances between demons and Xuan cultivators are not something I wish to resolve. It matters not if demons kill humans or humans slay demons, that’s your grievance, not mine. Yet, as the Star Lord of this star, you are all under my command. I disdain my subordinates killing each other the most. If you dare bear the consequences, I’ll not stop you from slaughtering sects on Spiritual Platform Star or exterminating demons!"
After speaking, Ning Fan again patted the heads of the two little babies, his form flickered and returned to the inner Oblique Moon Mountain. Leaving Liu Zhou, Ke Long, and others with various expressions.
Ning Fan’s meaning was clear, if you wish to kill, do it, he won’t stop you.
But if he happens to disapprove of someone’s killing, they’ll have to bear the consequences themselves...
He favors no one because, to him, everyone is equally guilty, including himself. Except for the two little ones and many innocents like these children.
The former cave mansion was destroyed by the fluctuations of magic.
Ning Fan opened a new cave mansion on Flying Peak and secluded himself there.
In front of him, the smiling faces of the two little babies replayed.
There was innocence, kindness, expressions that don’t fit the cultivation world.
"I finally slightly understand the sentiments of Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign slaying all realms and subduing all beings... I merely lack the strength to pacify a domain or realm. Even on this little Spiritual Platform Star, I cannot quell the strife..."
"Someday, I will use my cultivation, exchanging so that all beings need not cultivate, need not kill, need not fear, need not wander without home."
"The reason I do this isn’t compassion, but because among those beings are too many people I care about. I don’t want them to, like me, shake off the shadow of swords and blades behind, or see endless blood rivers ahead..."
Ning Fan stayed in the cave mansion, secluded for a day and a night.
During this seclusion, he thought a lot and calmed significantly.
His motive for cultivation slowly shifted from revenge to something else.
His heart never felt so quiet before, as if it were a pure, untainted space.
Suddenly, Ning Fan recalled the old monster’s advice...
The old monster once told him to spend more time in the sun to help dispel the Heart Demon.
"I finally understand the teacher’s intent. He wasn’t asking me to bask in the sun but was telling me that even treading on bloody moors, I must clear the shadows within, or I’ll truly become a dark, bloodthirsty demon, losing all trace of humanity or any joy..."
Ning Fan walked out of the cave mansion, step by step toward the peak of Flying Peak.
It was the time when night faded, and the morning sun approached. As far as the eye could see, yin and yang alternated, purple gas blossomed in the east.
Basking in the sun, perhaps the morning sun would do...
If the heart is clear, how could the morning sun not be worth basking in?
Ning Fan stood on the peak of Flying Peak, where tall phoenix trees were sparsely planted, spaced several tens of steps.
The season was late autumn, with morning chill. As the morning wind blew, a few cold dew-laden phoenix leaves fell immediately.
The ground was thick with fallen leaves, clearly having scattered in the previous night wind.
Those fallen leaves, desolate, lonely. Yet within this loneliness, there lay a special rhyme of the path.
Looking at each fallen leaf, Ning Fan’s gaze gradually grew distant.
At this moment, seeing those fallen leaves, they seemed akin to cultivators in the cultivation world.
When the end comes, leaves must fall, must die.
With the spring morning, countless fallen leaves will embark upon this path.
So it is with cultivators.
"Leaves fall with autumn, cultivators die by the path... The path commands cultivators’ death, they cannot escape. Autumn ends leaves’ life; they cannot escape ending... We cultivators live like summer’s flowers, die like autumn’s leaves... A fallen leaf’s life mirrors a cultivator’s life... A cultivator’s life is like last night’s west wind ravaging a green tree..."
"My lifelong wish is to sweep away all autumn leaves, henceforth no more cultivation... Alone atop the high tower, gazing into the horizon..."
A mysterious, indescribable rhyme gradually rose around Ning Fan.
He closed his eyes, as though his spirit roamed the void of the entire Dongming Star Domain.
His heart grew ever quieter, shedding all cultivation’s impurities.
His body seemed to transform like the path itself.
At this moment, he seemed to sense the path’s breath coming from the direction of all 180,000 cultivation stars in Dongming Star Domain!
The rhyme from every mortal, every cultivator flowed from extreme distances towards Ning Fan...
At this moment, the Shenhao Twin Emperors who were healing their wounds suddenly broke their confinement, gazing at the sky in disbelief.
In Heavenly Prison, several ancient monsters above eons rushed out of their caves, gazing at the sky in astonishment!
"This is... the first realm of ’Unity of Heaven and Man’!"
On Shenkong Star, outside the Divine Tomb, the blind elderly Nascent Soul disciple sweeping the long steps in the morning suddenly showed a change in expression!
Without hesitation, he released a vast spirit sense, attempting to capture the one causing the flow of path breath, but could not precisely catch it...
The path’s flow is only known to exist, never revealing traces.
After a long time, the elder withdrew his spirit sense, musing,
"Unexpectedly, besides me, Dongming Region has another who can enter the realm of Unity of Heaven and Man... This aura is so unfamiliar, definitely not a powerful figure from Godly Void Pavilion. And this aura is excessively young... Who could this person be..."
...
At this moment, Ning Fan stood on the thick fallen leaves on Flying Peak, eyes tightly shut, heart pure and clear.
At this moment, he felt merely sharp-minded, problems unclear before, now easily answered with slight thought.
He was in a strange state, familiar from several experiences!
This was the mysterious realm of Unity of Heaven and Man!
Ning Fan suddenly opened his eyes, expression deeply moved.
This time’s Unity of Heaven and Man was entirely different from before!
He opened his eyes, seemingly able to see within the boundless void, filled with countless intersecting lines...
Those lines were all rules of the path!
(2/2) (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
