Grasping the Evil-Chapter 809: Xiang Mingzi
At the summit of the First Peak, no one could bypass the Isolation Formation to witness the scene inside Ning Fan’s cave abode.
If they could see, they would be astounded, astounded that Ning Fan, on his first attempt to form a War Crystal, avoided all the mistakes that beginners might make in technique.
Judging by technique alone, Ning Fan had achieved near perfection, not inferior to those cultivators in the Luo Family who had been forming War Crystals for many years.
This was naturally because Ning Fan had unlocked the First Heavenly Gate.
Although it was his first attempt to form a War Crystal, there was no problem with his technique.
However, this attempt still ended in failure.
As the Dao Power of War continuously poured into the Dao Crystal, reaching a limit, the Dao Crystal in Ning Fan’s hand suddenly trembled violently, then burst open, turning to dust...
Gazing at the crushed Dao Crystal in his hand, Ning Fan’s eyes flickered with Azure Spike, pondering,
"My technique was almost flawless; the reason for failing to create a War Crystal isn’t due to my technique but because of my own cultivation in the War God Art..."
Ning Fan waved his sleeve and took a War Crystal from a small mountain of War Crystals, examining it carefully in his hand.
Ultimately, a War Crystal is made from a Dao Crystal.
Ordinary Dao Crystals are mostly translucent, but once turned into War Crystals, their surface becomes fiery red.
On the surface of these War Crystals, there is a layer of reddish power that acts like a seal, binding the Dao Power of War within the Dao Crystal according to certain rules.
This reddish power is recorded in the War God Art as the ’Power of Battle Fire.’
Battle Fire, also known as the Battle Intent Flame, is what practitioners of the War God Art ultimately strive to cultivate within themselves.
Cultivating the Battle Fire requires the continuous consumption of War Crystals.
The power of Battle Fire can also be used to form War Crystals.
"I lack the power of Battle Fire within me, hence I’m unable to form War Crystals... This cultivation of War God Transformation, in essence, is a step-by-step, interconnected process..."
Ning Fan recalled the cultivation method of the First Transformation of the War God Art in his mind, gradually contemplating without speaking.
To cultivate the First Transformation, one needs at least nine clusters of Life-bound Battle Fire to attempt a breakthrough.
The process of condensing Battle Fire involves forming War Crystals, consuming War Crystals, cultivating Battle Fire, and then forming War Crystals again, a continuous cycle.
Naturally, if one cannot condense War Crystals, one can still cultivate the first cluster of Life-bound Battle Fire through the technique alone, but that method greatly tests one’s comprehension and is extremely slow.
Ning Fan did not continue attempting to create War Crystals; instead, he closed his eyes and silently sensed the immortal battle intent on the First Peak of Broken Halberd.
The battle intent on this Broken Spear Peak is not a frenzied desire for battle but a necessity to fight.
This is the persistent battle intent left behind when the Shenxu Progenitor was encircled by several Demon Emperors of equal standing, fighting to the death with a resolved heart!
On that day, the Shenxu Progenitor must have been on the brink of despair...
On that day, the Shenxu Progenitor fought with his back against the wall, sacrificing everything, and his battle intent has remained to this day...
Ning Fan’s Heart Spirit seemed to follow the battle intent on this Broken Spear Peak back to a time long, long ago.
In front of him, it seemed as though an endless and boundless Barbaric Wilderness Battlefield appeared.
On this battlefield, billions of Masters and members of the demon race slaughtered each other, fighting fiercely for their respective tribes!
His heart seemed to return to ancient times.
His Dao gradually aligned with the First Peak of Broken Halberd.
The Dao Power of War from the First Peak was once again triggered by Ning Fan, converging towards his body, forming a whirlpool of battle intent within him.
Within that whirlpool, a spark gradually emerged, small and weak, yet undoubtedly a spark of Battle Intent Flame!
But this spark was so small that it was nearly invisible to the naked eye.
One night quietly passed, and Ning Fan’s cultivation overnight only caused the spark to grow a few times larger, remaining in the realm of invisibility.
At this rate of cultivation, perhaps cultivating for thirty to fifty thousand years, Ning Fan would be able to cultivate the first cluster of Life-bound Battle Fire.
This speed is far too slow! At this rate, it might take Ning Fan three to five hundred thousand years to fully cultivate the First Transformation of the War Mantra... 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮
"Without War Crystals, cultivating this technique is far too time-consuming..."
Ning Fan’s gaze flickered slightly as he took a low-grade War Crystal and swallowed it in one gulp.
As he focused his mind, the War Crystal quickly dissolved within him, and all the sealed battle intent within it erupted instantly.
In an instant, Ning Fan’s eyes turned blood-red, and his expression became frenzied and battle-hungry, a reaction every cultivator experiences upon consuming a War Crystal.
But as Ning Fan activated the War God Art technique, the frantically burgeoning battle intent within him was immediately suppressed and absorbed by the spark of battle intent within him.
After refining the 1st low-grade War Crystal, Ning Fan continued with the second, third, fourth...
When refining the 11th War Crystal, Ning Fan’s complexion began to flush red.
When refining the 39th War Crystal, blood suddenly oozed from under his skin, staining his white robe red.
By the time he had refined the 106th War Crystal, Ning Fan had almost become a man of blood, and the spark of battle intent within him showed signs of instability.
Without any hesitation, Ning Fan opened his crimson eyes and forcibly halted the cultivation of the War God Art.
"106 low-grade War Crystals... this is my limit for consuming them..." Ning Fan said with a hint of regret in his expression.
The spark of battle intent within him had grown into a small flame of Battle Fire but showed signs of instability due to excessive consumption.
His body had suffered considerable backlash due to overconsumption.
War Crystals certainly assist in cultivating the War God Art, but they also have significant drawbacks.
Every practitioner of the War God Art has their limit for consuming War Crystals; exceeding this limit causes Battle Fire instability and physical backlash.
Ordinary cultivators who consume more than 10 low-grade War Crystals consecutively reach their limit and must undergo long-term cultivation to temper their Battle Heart before continuing with crystal consumption and cultivation.
Practitioners with one of the five War Body physiques can consume hundreds of low-grade War Crystals consecutively before reaching their crystal consumption limit.
Ning Fan’s limit is 106 low-grade War Crystals.
Theoretically, after consuming this number of War Crystals, he must spend considerable time in seclusion, cultivating diligently to stabilize his Battle Fire realm before continuing with crystal consumption and cultivation.
"In terms of physical talent, my aptitude for cultivating the War God Art doesn’t compare to those with War Body physiques; this is an undeniable fact. But I have other methods that allow my cultivation speed to be on par with those War Body practitioners!"
Ning Fan changed out of his bloodstained clothes and donned another white robe, sitting cross-legged as he used the black-colored star power within him to heal.
Once his wounds were healed, Ning Fan activated his internal Evil Qi, which gradually ignited a flame of Evil Qi below him.
The ferocious might of this Evil Qi was deliberately controlled by Ning Fan, confined within the cave abode, with no leakage outside.
After releasing all his Evil Qi, the unstable Battle Fire within him gradually calmed down.
"Although I am not a War Body practitioner, the battles I have experienced are beyond ordinary War Body practitioners! All my indomitable battle intent in this life was birthed amidst this slaughter!"
The calm Battle Fire meant that after releasing all his Evil Qi, the crystal consumption limit had changed.
He continued consuming War Crystals, and this time, he consumed nearly a thousand low-grade War Crystals before reaching his crystal consumption limit again.
Seeing this, Ning Fan nodded in satisfaction, wiped his face with a wave, transforming into his ghostly silver-haired form.
Upon summoning his ghostly form, his expression instantly turned as cold as ice, and the Battle Fire within him became peaceful, with no signs of instability.
He continued consuming War Crystals, and this time, consumed ten thousand low-grade War Crystals and another one thousand five hundred middle-grade War Crystals before reaching his crystal consumption limit!
If the Luo Family knew of this, they would undoubtedly be astonished because even the former War King Luo Hou could not consecutively consume so many War Crystals at once!
"Refine!"
Ning Fan coldly uttered a single word, his blood-red eyes under the Silver Ghost Mask were chilling and merciless.
Having refined all the power of the Battle Crystals, Ning Fan’s heart and spirit resonated with the Broken Spear Peaks within the cave. He continually tempered the battle fire within him.
This seclusion lasted three months.
Three months later, Ning Fan suddenly stood up, with hands clasped behind his back, standing within the cave.
There were three fist-sized clusters of red flames swirling around his body!
These red flames were precisely the Battle Intent Flame required to cultivate the War God Art.
The First Transformation of the War God Art requires cultivating nine clusters of battle fire to be considered truly mastered, which can exponentially boost the physical realm using the power of battle fire.
Within the Luo Family, those who have developed three clusters of battle fire aren’t sparse, but most take decades or even hundreds of years to reach this step.
Ning Fan, however, only took three months!
With a flicker of thought, he withdrew the three clusters of battle fire.
Ning Fan stored away the remaining five hundred middle-ranked Battle Crystals, shook his form, and flew out of the cave, heading toward Purple Luo City.
As he flew out of the cave, Guest Elder Mengxx Xiu happened to step out of his cave as well.
Looking at Ning Fan’s figure in the sky, Mengxx Xiu scoffed disdainfully, and coldly laughed, "This person spends three months in seclusion, yet I’m unsure if he’s managed to develop even a star and a half’s worth of battle fire..."
As soon as he finished speaking, disbelief crossed his face, and he slapped his storage pouch sharply, taking out a Flame Compass.
This compass, named the Battle Fire Compass, was a magical treasure Mengxx Xiu had crafted himself, and throughout the Luo Family, only he possessed it. It could measure the quantity of one’s battle fire and also observe others’.
At this moment, the Battle Fire Compass pointed in Ning Fan’s direction, and suddenly, three strands of Battle Intent Flame rose up from it!
"Three clusters of battle fire! How is this possible! This person has only been a Guest Elder of the Luo Family for three months, how could he develop three clusters of battle fire?!!! Once upon a time, it took me a whole six thousand years just to progress from the second battle fire to the third!"
...
Ning Fan journeyed to Purple Luo City, simply to inquire something of Luo Xiao. After displaying the Guest Elder’s Command of the Luo Family, he found almost no hindrance within the city.
He had now reached the limit of consuming crystals, and wished to consume crystals again, for which there were two methods. One was to retreat into arduous cultivation, honing the battle heart. The other was to engage in a fierce battle to completely calm the instability of the internal battle fire, thereby solidifying the foundation.
Luo Xiao was one of the Four Commanders of the Luo Family, and his residence was the Four Commanders’ Mansion in Purple Luo City.
When Ning Fan arrived outside the mansion, Luo Xiao immediately sensed it and personally came out to greet him.
"Haha, Daoist Ning’s visit graces my humble abode, may I ask the purpose of this visit?" Luo Xiao asked with a smile.
"I came here to ask the Daoist one thing; is there a place within this Dongming Star Domain where I can engage in a full-strength battle to solidify the battle fire?"
"Solidify the battle fire? Could it be that Daoist has reached the limit of consuming Battle Crystals?"
Luo Xiao paused slightly before smiling and replying, "The most suitable place for us cultivators of the War Mantra within the Dongming Star Domain is none other than the Divine Tomb!"
"The Divine Tomb... I’ll have to go there sooner or later, so it’s fine to take a look now."
Ning Fan nodded, his body ascended into the sky, and he flew toward Tianhai Star.
As Ning Fan ascended into the sky, Luo Xiao suddenly sensed something after the fact and looked at Ning Fan’s back with great shock!
"It’s the aura of the battle fire! Only three months have passed, and Daoist Ning has already developed the first cluster of life-bound battle fire?"
"This person’s aptitude for cultivating the War God Art is truly high! My foresight was indeed correct in recognizing him!"
Luo Xiao, however, did not realize that Ning Fan had developed not one, but three clusters of battle fire.
If he knew that, he would be even more shocked at Ning Fan’s cultivation speed.
The Divine Tomb is located above Shenkong Star, one of the three main stars in the Dongming Star Domain, not far from Tianhai Star.
Under Ning Fan’s full-speed flight, it took only half a day to reach the space range of the three main stars.
On the day of the Eastern Heaven turmoil, he had come here before, yet now his mood was different.
There were many masters coming and going, yet very few True Immortals could be seen above now.
Numerous powerful beings from Godly Void Pavilion were currently striving to repair the Heaven Suppressing Bell with the help of the powerful figures from Four Oceans Sect.
This repair is said to be difficult to complete without several thousand years, and the Bell Sacrifice had to be delayed repeatedly.
"I wonder if Aci has completed her retreat..."
Ning Fan glanced towards the Eastmare Star Domain, remained silent for a while, and then his form landed on Shenkong Star.
During the chaos in Eastern Heaven, the Shenhao Twin Emperors were heavily wounded by Senluo, and now both were in retreat undergoing healing.
Most of Shenkong the Great Emperor’s three hundred disciples were busy repairing the Heaven Suppressing Bell.
Even on Shenkong Star, True Immortals were scarce; occasionally seeing a Crossing Truth Realm master was considered very rare.
But Ning Fan knew that Shenkong Star was not to be underestimated, because the moment he set foot on Shenkong Star, he sensed through his Unity of Heaven and Man perception that a hidden master with formidable cultivation was concealed on this star.
If Ning Fan’s perception was right, the hidden old monster on Shenkong Star was the one who delivered the Skull of Sen Luo and repelled the Zi Clan Quasi-Saint!
Unfortunately, Ning Fan’s cultivation was insufficient to accurately sense where that old monster was on Shenkong Star.
"The Divine Void Quasi-Saint is here on Shenkong Star now..." Ning Fan murmured.
As Ning Fan murmured, the blind elder sweeping the heavenly ladder leading to the Divine Tomb showed a remarkable expression.
"Such a promising young junior! Could this child be the one who opened the First Heavenly Gate?"
"Intermediate Ghost Profound, yet opened the Gate of Heaven... Truly outstanding, truly outstanding... This child’s talent must be higher than Rao’s... Rao opened the First Heavenly Gate during his mumbling moments..."
The blind elder suddenly became desolate, remembering a certain foolish disciple.
The masters coming and going on Shenkong Star were mostly headed for the Divine Tomb.
There was a heavenly ladder on Shenkong Star that ascended to the sky, at the end of which was a purple elliptical light gate leading directly to the Middle Thousand Tomb Realm where the Divine Tomb is located.
Ning Fan ascended the heavenly ladder step by step, walking toward the light gate above.
The Guest Disciples along the way felt the aura of his Second Step, his presence was met with utmost reverence.
Only the blind elder consistently maintained an airy demeanor.
His revealed cultivation at this place was merely Early Nascent Soul.
His Dao title was Xiang Mingzi, and other Guest Disciples referred to him as Senior Xiang.
As Ning Fan climbed the heavenly ladder, passing by Xiang Mingzi, Xiang Mingzi suddenly smiled faintly and called to Ning Fan’s back,
"Young friend, such profound Dao Enlightenment, opening the First Heavenly Gate during Intermediate Ghost Profound. Would you care to pause for a moment for an exchange on the insights of Unity of Heaven and Man with this old man?"
Instantly, Ning Fan’s gaze shook, turning sharply, he looked incredulously at the blind elder named Xiang Mingzi.
Could this person be the Divine Void Quasi-Saint hidden on Shenkong Star?!
Why is this person stopping him!
Meanwhile, some Nascent Soul disciples beside Xiang Mingzi felt very nervous.
What had they witnessed? Senior Xiang, merely a Nascent Soul cultivator, boldly addressing Ning Fan, an exalted Second Step Immortal, as young friend?
"Senior, please do not be angry. Senior Xiang was just speaking carelessly, please do not take it to heart. You are a great master, do not be offended by our junior ways!"
Some Nascent Soul disciples well-acquainted with Senior Xiang promptly offered apologetic words to Ning Fan.
These Nascent Soul disciples did not understand the concept of Unity of Heaven and Man.
They only knew that Ning Fan’s cultivation was exceedingly formidable; he was an esteemed Second Step Immortal, an existence far above themselves and Senior Xiang, whom they, as Nascent Soul juniors, would never dare to offend...(to be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)
