Grasping the Evil-Chapter 822: Heavenly Dao Purple Qi
Lv Wen stood on an abandoned star at this moment. This abandoned star was extremely far from the Yin Moon Star, but with his powerful spirit sense, he could naturally see everything happening on the Yin Moon Star from such a distance.
Although Ning Fan had hidden the Poison King Token in the Xuan Yin Treasure, there was one thing Ning Fan did not know.
Even if the Gu Command was hidden in the Void Realm, it could still be sensed, provided that the other party also had the token.
Lv Wen cursed Qin Gui sharply, then slightly calmed his furious expression, looked at the Pestilence Command in his hand, and sighed uncontrollably.
On that Pestilence Command, there was a crack that could not be mended, representing that he was a Southern Clan abandoned cultivator...
"That Seven Sha Sect Master was one of the Plague Cauldrons I painstakingly sought, which could help me slightly recover my cultivation. Unfortunately, he died... If someone else killed him, I definitely wouldn’t let it go, but if it’s Zhao Jian Daoyou, I wouldn’t dare to pursue it at all..."
"It was beyond my imagination that the Zhao Jian Daoyou I met that day was merely at the peak of the Ghost Immortal Realm... But it’s also possible that this Ghost Profound level was disguised by borrowing Innate Spirit Armor... This point, I still cannot completely see through..."
"Regardless of his true cultivation, just being a member of the Southern Clan alone is something I absolutely cannot afford to provoke... Among the ten great secret clans, the Southern Clan is the most protective. If their own members slaughter each other, no one would intervene, but if outsiders attack and injure a member of the Southern Clan, they would definitely face the full revenge of the Southern Clan. Across the Eastern Heaven Immortal World, there is probably no force that can withstand the wrath of the Southern Clan’s four divisions... Not even the Godly Void Pavilion, the Slaughter Hall, or even the Four Oceans Sect can afford to provoke them..."
At the thought of the terrifying nature of the Southern Clan, Lv Wen couldn’t help but shudder again.
Furthermore, if it hadn’t been for his timely transmission of sound, stopping the foolish actions of the Ghost Soldier Ancestral Master, it’s likely that the Ghost Soldier Ancestral Master might have already made a move against Ning Fan...
Once he acted against Ning Fan, it would provoke the Southern Clan’s revenge, with all four Great Emperors coming forth, and the consequences would be unimaginable to Lv Wen...
Thinking of this, Lv Wen’s anger flared up again, and he transmitted another scolding to the Ghost Soldier Ancestral Master,
"Qin Gui, Qin Gui, I warn you! If you cannot calm this person’s anger and insist on offending this person, you won’t need to wait for the people behind him to kill you; I will be the first to act and kill you!"
Lv Wen’s enraged words, each word extremely clear, were all transmitted into the ears of the Ghost Soldier Ancestral Master.
At this moment, the Ghost Soldier Ancestral Master was utterly dazed, and the look he gave to Ning Fan was filled with extreme shock.
The Ghost Soldier Ancestral Master could not imagine what kind of background Ning Fan had, that even the notorious ’Plague King’ Lv Wen was so afraid of him.
"This individual, merely at the Ghost Profound stage, even if the East Heaven Immortal Emperor stands behind him, absolutely cannot let the dignified Plague King show such fear... Lv Wen is a notorious figure known for his ferocity, who has not refrained from killing offspring of Immortal Emperors before. When he goes all out, even the disciples of the Godly Void Pavilion have been slain by him..."
"If this person can make Lv Wen fear him like a tiger, there is only one possibility! The influence behind this person is more frightening than all the Eastern Heavenly Emperors! Even stronger than the Godly Void Pavilion! Is it possible that the influence behind this person is... a secret clan?!"
At the thought of this possibility, the Ghost Soldier Ancestral Master’s face turned deathly pale, and he lost any semblance of a senior expert’s demeanor.
If Ning Fan is indeed a member of a secret clan, not even the Ghost Soldier Ancestral Master would dare to touch him, nor would Lv Wen, and even the Eastern Heavenly Emperors would have to weigh carefully...
In the Four Heavens immortal world, almost no cultivator would dare to touch a member of a secret clan.
Only someone as mad as Senluo would dare to charge into the Dark Clan and kill their Immortal Emperor... No one else would have such courage. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
However, even Senluo had faced a besiegement from a behemoth like the Dark Clan, nearly facing extinction.
That year, when the Dark Clan Immortal Emperor was killed by Senluo, troops were sent to the Godly Void Pavilion, and in those days, even Xiang Mingzi could only compromise, making huge sacrifices to finally quell the Dark Clan’s anger and save Senluo’s life...
These secrets, the Ghost Soldier Ancestral Master did not know, but it did not prevent him from having a deep respect for the secret clans.
"It can’t be wrong! The Plague King’s words clearly imply that this child is a member of a secret clan! This person is not someone a mere Shedding Void Stage like me can provoke!"
His ugly face, originally sinister, now completely lost its viciousness, and instead, he forced out an ugly smile towards Ning Fan.
The gaze he gave to Ning Fan was no longer as menacing as before, but was instead amiable, as if he were looking at a long-lost close friend. With hands clasped in respect, he said very politely,
"Young friend, you have great courage, I admire you. The things I said before were merely to test your bravery, not to truly harm you. I hope there is no misunderstanding about this point."
The Ghost Soldier Ancestral Master, by nature solitary and arrogant, was notorious for being vicious and cruel. In the eyes of the Eastern Heaven world, there were usually only the Eternal Old Freaks whom he would treat with respect.
Given his personality, he would never possibly treat a mere Ghost Profound junior with respect, let alone that this Ghost Profound junior was the one who killed the Fourteen Generals.
The cultivators present, whether they came seeking treasure or were from the Ghost Soldier Sect, all found this scene incredible.
Even Ning Fan’s gaze deepened, as he looked at the Ghost Soldier Ancestral Master, holding a few more penetrating looks.
"This person’s words are deceitful... His previous intent to kill me was not a mere test; he truly wanted to kill me! But his current friendliness doesn’t seem to be a facade... it’s as if something changed his decision in an instant..."
"Is it because he sensed my Shekong Puppet presence, or did something unknown happen to him..."
Ning Fan’s thoughts raced, his brows tightly furrowed.
Suddenly, his gaze shifted as he sensed something from within the Xuan Yin Treasure.
The sensation came from the Poison King Token!
With his spirit sense, he could not perceive Lv Wen who was very far from the Yin Moon Star.
Yet, at this moment, the Gu Command faintly sensed the presence of the Pestilence Command on Lv Wen!
"It’s Lv Wen! Could it be..."
Instantly, numerous guesses emerged in Ning Fan’s mind, and the few previous uncertainties seemed to have found answers.
What he did not expect, however, was that even by placing the Gu Command into the Xuan Yin Treasure, he couldn’t shield the connection between the tokens.
In that case, his real identity had most likely been exposed to Lv Wen, which could be quite troublesome...
"What are you all still doing at my Ghost Immortal Realm! All my disciples are dead, there are no more Fourteen Generals here, no one to refine magical treasures for you; you can all get lost!"
The Guibing Ancestral Master suddenly cast a fierce glance at the seven observing cultivators in the second step and shouted coldly.
Then, he unleashed a powerful Shedding Void pressure that immediately caused five Fate Immortals to cough up blood and retreat, even the two Enlightenment Stage cultivators blushed, their blood energy reversed, their expressions full of panic.
Terrified, these seven dared not stay any longer and swiftly fled from the Yin Moon Star.
Upon seeing this, the Guibing Ancestral Master snorted coldly again and released pressure, causing the mountain-guarding disciples to vomit blood in terror.
"Everyone is to go back and cultivate, do not step out of your caves for three months! Today’s events are not to be mentioned again!"
"Yes!" All the disciples hurried towards their respective caves, not daring to linger there.
The Guibing Ancestral Master wasn’t a nice person to start with, he was never polite to the juniors, and he acted without scruples. Ning Fan was just an exception.
If Lv Wen hadn’t arrived, the Guibing Ancestral Master might have already attacked Ning Fan...
"Senior chasing everyone away, do you wish to say something to this junior?" Ning Fan spoke in a calm manner.
"Hehe, I chased away others merely to clear up a few misunderstandings with you. The Fourteen Generals, are nominally my disciples, but secretly, they are merely vessels for nurturing magical treasures. Their lives would eventually be devoured by the magical treasures, so I have no complaints about you exterminating them. The vessels can be replaced, can’t they? However, regarding those fourteen ’Blood Gu Pearls’, might you..."
As he spoke, the Guibing Ancestral Master suddenly showed an expectant expression, as if hoping Ning Fan would return the fourteen beads.
Indeed, as he said, he didn’t value the lives of the fourteen disciples, even if Ning Fan hadn’t acted, those people would eventually be killed by the Guibing Ancestral Master himself to refine the beads.
Ning Fan understood this from the first moment he discovered the secret within the Fourteen Generals, how cold and ruthless the Guibing Ancestral Master was toward his disciples.
This was precisely why Ning Fan despised the Guibing Ancestral Master so much, for failing in his duties as a master...
As for those Blood Gu Pearls, Ning Fan didn’t care much. To him, those beads were no magical treasure but were clearly life-devouring gus.
The host of the Blood Gu Pearls could use their power to slightly enhance his cultivation, but it required sacrificing blood and spirit to the beads.
After the host perished, the beads would find another host, continuing to absorb others’ flesh and essence...
Swallowing such pearls meant stepping towards death bit by bit, such a greatly flawed treasure Ning Fan naturally wouldn’t use.
But to return the Blood Gu Pearls wouldn’t be so easy.
Before arriving at the Guibing Sect, Ning Fan had some respect for Luo Family’s relationship with the Guibing Ancestral Master, showing a bit of courtesy toward the Guibing Sect.
By now, he held no goodwill at all toward the Guibing Sect.
"Luo Shix once subtly told me that behind the Guibing Sect stands an Immortal King. Now it seems that Immortal King is likely Lv Wen..."
"Before I killed the Seven Sha Sect Master, this person seemed to be cultivating a technique. At that time, I didn’t pay attention to it, but now it seems that technique might have been the Plague Technique..."
"This Seven Sha Sect Master has low cultivation, yet receives excessive attention from the Guibing Sect, likely because of some relationship with Lv Wen. The drastic change in attitude of the Guibing Ancestral Master towards me is probably due to Lv Wen..."
"Lv Wen perceived me as a Southern Clan cultivator and hence feared me like a tiger. I didn’t want to disguise myself as a Southern Clan cultivator before, fearing it would cause trouble and be not worth the gain. But now, my true identity has been uncovered by Lv Wen, and I’ve been mistaken as a Southern Clan cultivator, so I must continue playing this role. If Lv Wen finds out I’m not from the Southern Clan, he might be the first to settle old scores with me..."
Ning Fan’s thoughts raced, and he finally made a decision.
"Hehe, I wonder if my young friend could return that Blood Gu Pearl to this old man?" Guibing Ancestral Master’s expression was extremely respectful, without a trace of the dignity of a Shekong Ancestor.
"Wanting the Blood Gu Pearl back, shouldn’t you pay some price for it..."
Ning Fan’s tone was extremely faint, but to the ears of Guixuan Ancestral Master, it seemed to carry a tone of dissatisfaction.
The eyes of the Guibing Ancestral Master immediately showed a terrified expression, thinking that his fourteen foolish vessel siblings really offended Ning Fan.
Ning Fan seems to be on track to extort him! A cultivation of Guixuan, daring to extort him at the Shekong level, only a secret clan cultivator would have such courage!
Frankly, whether or not to retrieve the Blood Gu Pearl, Guibing Ancestral Master didn’t care.
But he noticed Ning Fan’s inner anger. If he didn’t appease it, not just Ning Fan’s backing from the Southern Clan, even Lv Wen wouldn’t let him go...
"Hehe, it’s only natural for my Guibing Sect to pay a price for offending my young friend first. What does my young friend desire?" Guibing Ancestral Master asked with a compensatory smile.
"That depends on your sincerity." Ning Fan smiled meaningfully.
"Sincerity, ah, that can be arranged... Take this item, my young friend, and consider it seen as my sincerity!" Guibing Ancestral Master hesitated slightly, made a decision, and straightforwardly untied the storage pouch at his waist, generously handing it to Ning Fan.
Ning Fan’s spirit sense swept over the storage pouch, revealing a trillion Dao Crystals within, along with numerous high-tier finished magical treasures.
The lowest of these magical treasures were Immortal Treasures, with a few being Acquired Immortal Treasures.
Among them were even several Acquired Immortal Treasures, whose grade reached the Five-Nirvana level. Five-Nirvana Acquired Immortal Treasures are commonly used by Initiate Realm Shekong cultivators...
"Is this sincerity enough?" Ning Fan smiled slightly and asked.
This smile instantly triggered fear in the eyes of Guibing Ancestral Master.
This wasn’t a smile; it was dissatisfaction.
"Not enough... Indeed, secret clan cultivators each have their eyes on the horizon... Never mind the Dao Crystals; the magical treasures in the storage pouch are enough to move even a Shekong old monster, yet this person doesn’t seem interested... Are all secret clan cultivators like this..."
Guibing Ancestral Master gritted his teeth slightly, thought about it, and then suddenly pointed at his forehead, immediately causing a purple cloud mist to emerge.
With a flick of the finger, that purple cloud mist floated towards Ning Fan.
"Young friend, do you recognize this item?" Guibing Ancestral Master hid the pain on his face and forced a smile.
"’Heavenly Dao Purple Qi’? Naturally recognized..."
Ning Fan grabbed the purple mist with a calm expression, though his heart was greatly moved.
The Heavenly Dao Purple Qi—Ning Fan had only heard of it before—only today did he get to see it firsthand.
Each time the Heavenly Dao evolves over tens of thousands of years, a strand of purple qi is born, its source determining its extreme rarity.
This item is often used by cultivators beyond Shekong to nurture Dao Weapons, greatly enhancing their power. A single purple qi can sell for around three trillion Dao Crystals, generally having a price without market.
Ordinary Shekong using two or three strands of purple qi can, by the might of Dao Weapons alone, achieve invincibility at the same level, without needing Divine Skills!
Guibing Ancestral Master, as a renowned master of refining artifacts, possessing a strand of purple qi is not surprising.
"Hehe, what does my young friend think? Can this Heavenly Dao purple qi show my sincerity?" Seeing Ning Fan recognize this item, Guibing Ancestral Master finally breathed a sigh of relief.
This Heavenly Dao purple qi is extremely precious, even he is reluctant to use it casually.
Giving it as compensation, he felt the pain intensely, but if it could amend past mistakes and smooth his relationship with Ning Fan, then a mere strand of Heavenly Dao purple qi was nothing at all.
"Anyway, the old man has three more strands of purple qi on him... These are the entire savings from a lifetime of refining artifacts for others, so what’s inside the storage pouch is irrelevant!" Guibing Ancestral Master thought.
"The value of this item is naturally far beyond those fourteen acquired treasure beads. Since Senior gives me this, I am certainly willing to return the Blood Gu Pearl..."
Hearing Ning Fan say this, with a trend of clearing their grievances, Guibing Ancestral Master was immediately overjoyed.
But before he had a moment to relish the joy, Ning Fan’s next words instantly stopped his smile...
"...However, is Senior only planning to give this junior one strand of purple qi?" Ning Fan asked with a smile.
An azure spike briefly flickered in his eyes, unnoticed by anyone.
With a glance, he saw three additional Heavenly Dao purple qi within Guibing Ancestral Master’s body...
"Hehe, young friend jests, Heavenly Dao purple qi is a precious item, having one is already rare, absolutely no second strand..."
Guibing Ancestral Master’s words weren’t finished before Ning Fan interrupted.
"Wrong, there are three strands of purple qi within you!"
Ning Fan’s gaze suddenly sharpened, an azure spike briefly flashed, and immediately a formless grand Dao might intimidated Guibing Ancestral Master.
At this moment, Guibing Ancestral Master felt no discomfort, only a sensation of being completely seen through by Ning Fan.
A dignified Shekong old monster being seen through by a mere Guixuan cultivator should be utterly absurd.
But the event occurred, and Guibing Ancestral Master had to believe it was all fact!
Ning Fan pointed out the number of purple qi within him, surely it was fact!
And at this moment, Ning Fan possessed a transcendent void aura akin to the Dao.
Guibing Ancestral Master felt as if the person standing before him wasn’t a mere man, but the myriad paths of the heavens!
"Hand over the remaining three strands of purple qi entirely to me, and the grievances between me and your Guibing Sect can be written off, otherwise..."
"Fine! Here, all three strands of purple qi are yours!"
Without any need for further threats from Ning Fan, Guibing Ancestral Master, extremely perceptive, pointed at his forehead, extracted the additional three strands of purple qi, and handed them to Ning Fan.
His respect for the ten great secret clans further heightened!
"Such a mere Guixuan, just for being from a secret clan, possesses such Divine Skills. These ten great secret clans truly are not to be trifled with by common people."
Far away, on the abandoned star, at the moment when Ning Fan’s azure spike flickered in his eyes, Lv Wen suddenly showed an incredulous expression.
"Unity of Heaven and Man! That azure spike can’t be wrong, it must be Unity of Heaven and Man!"
"Could it be that the anomaly in the Dongming Star Domain was caused by Daoist Zhao Jian!"
"This indicates that he absolutely cannot be some Guixuan, he must be old as eons, and of the Southern Clan, that rare kind of ancient cultivator! His Guixuan cultivation is undoubtedly fake! Because even within my Southern Clan, ancient cultivators who can comprehend Unity of Heaven and Man are one in ten, and Guixuan simply cannot!"
"He concealed his cultivation and infiltrated Dongming; his plot must be significant! Ingenious, truly ingenious! Daoist Zhao Jian’s cultivation disguise is so real, not even us old ones, perhaps even the Shenhao Twin Emperors can distinguish its authenticity!"
"I wonder what Daoist Zhao plans to plot in Dongming, hmm, it must be a top-secret mission assigned by the clan... If I could aid him during his task, he might recall my minor contribution, and when he returns to the Southern Clan, he’s bound to speak kindly of me before the Emperors!"
"Sure enough, my divination wasn’t wrong; Zhao Jian truly is my destined benefactor!"
(1/2) (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it with recommendations or monthly tickets on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read at m.qidian.com.)
