Grasping the Evil-Chapter 824: The Rise of the Demon Name Across Thousands of Years
Only two years remain until the tomb competition begins.
At the end of the market on the first layer of the Divine Tomb, all rankings on the hundred-zhang high Tomb Merit Monument have been updated eight years ago with the names of this generation’s Tomb Guardians.
This generation’s tomb competition has 4,175 Tomb Guardians. Over the past eight years, many Tomb Guardians have secured a significant amount of Tomb Merit Value inside the Divine Tomb.
Occasionally, Masters gather under the Tomb Merit Stele to watch the changes in rankings.
For each Tomb Guardian, the numerous Tomb Palaces from the fourth to the sixth layer are excellent places for cultivation.
Each time a Tomb Guardian overcomes a Tomb Palace, they receive rewards such as Cultivation Techniques, crystals, and relics, as well as a certain amount of Tomb Merit Value, which is recorded in the Tomb Guardian Token.
The only use of Tomb Merit Value is to slightly measure the strength of each Tomb Guardian.
A white-robed youth silently appeared among the crowd under the Tomb Merit Monument, quietly watching the rankings on the stele.
His presence was quiet and unobtrusive, with few Masters noticing his arrival.
The first-ranked person is still Jun Changdong, and this generation’s Tomb Merit Value has reached 4.7 million.
The second-ranked person also has 3.3 million Tomb Merit Value. Even those ranked in the hundreds have at least tens of thousands of Tomb Merit Value.
However, his Tomb Merit Value is still zero.
This is all because he had been in closed cultivation for eight years and hadn’t yet arrived at the Divine Tomb.
This white-robed youth is none other than Ning Fan, who has just arrived at the Divine Tomb.
Beside Ning Fan, several Masters are discussing this generation’s tomb competition.
"Since the winner of the last tomb competition has exceeded the age limit, they can’t compete this time. I wonder who will clinch the first place this time. In my opinion, it’s most likely to fall to the Binding Shadow Sect." Among the crowd, an old Fate Immortal said to the Master next to him.
"Binding Shadow Sect? Are you referring to the Immortal Monarch of Shadow, Qin Kong? Qin Kong indeed has a good chance to win. After all, he has already broken through to the Mid Stage Enlightenment, and in the last tomb competition, he was among the top three..."
"I think the first place in this competition is most likely to go to Xu Dao of the Ancestral Pavilion. He has been at the Mid Stage Enlightenment for ten thousand years, and he fully inherited the teachings of the Shenkong the Great Emperor. His talent places him in the top three among the three hundred disciples of the Shenkong Emperor. That ’Dao’ character was a name personally given by the Shenkong Emperor in recognition of his talent..."
"I believe the ’Bone Immortal Lord’ has the greatest chance of winning. The setback in the last tomb competition was just an accident..."
"What about the Void Sect Disciple, Celestial Maiden Yuehan? Her Blowing Snow Technique has been cultivated to the ninth level now..."
The discussions reached Ning Fan’s ears. Gradually, a resolute determination flashed through Ning Fan’s eyes.
He wouldn’t let anyone take the first place in this tomb competition!
"Only two years!"
He leaped up, transforming into an Escape Rainbow, heading straight for the lower layers of the Divine Tomb.
His only objective for coming to the Divine Tomb this time was to use the Void Command to head to the last three layers of the Divine Tomb in search of the Ancient Chaos inheritance.
Of the first three layers, he didn’t linger at all, heading directly to the fourth layer.
The Elliptical Light Gate leading to the fourth layer carries a trace of the spirit sense of the Shenkong Emperor, making it inaccessible to non-Divine Void Cultivators.
But when Ning Fan took out his Tomb Guardian Token and cast a spell on it, the Elliptical Light Gate in front of him trembled slightly.
Then, with a single step, he used the Light Gate to enter the fourth layer of the Divine Tomb.
The fourth layer was vast, several times larger than the third layer, but it only contained about three thousand Tomb Palaces.
Among them, there were two hundred Heavenly Tombs, eight hundred Earth Tombs, and the rest were Human Tombs for Masters to conduct closed-door cultivation.
Upon entering this layer, Ning Fan immediately released his spirit sense, finding that nearly all the Heavenly Tombs in this layer were in a dormant state.
Outside the Earth Tombs, there were occasionally Divine Void disciples or Tomb Guardians paying sect contributions or Dao Crystals to enter the palaces for trials.
Without intending to stay long on this layer, Ning Fan retrieved his spirit sense and flew towards the teleportation gate to the fifth layer.
To his surprise, no matter how he activated his Tomb Guardian Token, the teleportation gate merely rumbled without sending him to the fifth layer...
Hovering outside the teleportation gate was a massive cloud of red, on top of which sat a red-faced old man in the Initial Stage of Crossing Truth.
Hearing the constant rumbling from the teleportation gate beside him, the red-faced old man squinted his eyes, frowning as he asked Ning Fan,
"Are you one of this generation’s Tomb Guardians?"
"Yes." Ning Fan looked deeply at the old man and replied.
"You don’t have a Divine Void disciple token?" the old man asked again.
"I do not."
"How much is your Tomb Merit Value?"
"I have no Tomb Merit Value..."
"If you possess only a Tomb Guardian Token, then with less than 100,000 Tomb Merit Value, you aren’t qualified to enter the fifth layer! Didn’t anyone tell you that! You should step back! Stay in the first four layers to accumulate enough Tomb Merit Value, then come to open the teleportation gate!"
The old man closed his eyes in dissatisfaction, his attitude arrogant, no longer paying any attention to Ning Fan.
He is one of the 480 outer elders of the Godly Void Pavilion, and although his elder ranking is low, he still holds a significant position, having a Truth-Transcending Cultivation Level himself.
Currently, he is the guarding elder of this place.
In his eyes, Ning Fan is just a junior at the Ghost Profound Peak-Stage, not worth wasting words on.
Ignoring the old man’s attitude, Ning Fan looked at the Tomb Guardian Token in his hand, frowning slightly.
Upon casting a spell, his name and Tomb Merit Value appeared on the back of the token.
The Tomb Merit Value was still zero... According to the red-faced old man, without 100,000 Tomb Merit Value, entry to the fifth layer was impossible...
"This is truly troublesome... So I must accumulate enough Tomb Merit Value on this fourth layer before moving to the next..."
Ning Fan’s figure flickered, transforming into a stream of light, flying directly towards a Heavenly Tomb in the fourth layer.
According to Ning Fan’s knowledge, passing through an Earth Tomb on the fourth layer could earn about a hundred Tomb Merit Value, while a Heavenly Tomb could provide ten thousand or even tens of thousands of Tomb Merit Value...
Since he needed 100,000 Tomb Merit Value, it was better to directly conquer a few Heavenly Tombs.
Noticing Ning Fan’s direction of flight, the red-faced old man opened his eyes in surprise, then sneered disdainfully,
"He dares to challenge a Heavenly Tomb? With his Ghost Profound Peak-Stage cultivation? Has madness overcome his desire for Tomb Merit Value? Even I have suffered defeat at the hands of the tomb master’s illusion... How can he possibly succeed in conquering the tomb!"
...
Divine Tomb fourth layer, Purple Thunder Celestial Tomb!
In the fourth layer, there were originally two hundred Heavenly Tombs, most of which are now in a dormant state, with only the last few still active and available for conquest.
These remaining Heavenly Tombs are also among the most challenging in this layer, or they wouldn’t still be unconquered until now.
To challenge the Purple Thunder Celestial Tomb, each person must pay One Million Dao Crystals, with the cultivation limit being the Initial Stage of Crossing Truth.
Outside the Purple Thunder Tomb Palace, about one hundred and seventy to eighty Masters are gathered, divided into four groups, each occupying a spot, all sitting cross-legged.
These four groups of Masters are busy either recovering their mana or healing wounds.
Most of these Masters are Tomb Guardians, while some are not, belonging instead to the Godly Void Pavilion.
Four groups of Masters, each consisting of forty to fifty Fate Immortals, challenged the Purple Thunder Tomb Palace one after another.
In four attempts, all four groups failed! Half the Masters were injured during the challenge, and some Fate Immortals who retreated too slowly perished inside the tomb...
"Damn it! Fifth, tell me, how did the Purple Thunder Celestial Tomb become so terrifying! Even if the tomb master’s illusion has the Initial Stage of Crossing Truth cultivation, it’s ultimately a spiritless entity. How could it be so powerful! We had a total of 32 Harmonious Spirit Masters and 18 Ghost Immortals, and yet we couldn’t manage to defeat it, losing a Daoist friend instead..." The leader of one group, a bare-chested man with Ghost Profound Peak-Stage cultivation, complained.
"If it weren’t difficult, how would this tomb palace remain unconquered until now..." The leader of another group, a scar-faced old man, sighed as he replied. His group suffered even more as two Harmonious Spirit Masters were lost inside the tomb...
As the crowd of Masters lamented, Ning Fan’s escape light descended from the sky, landing directly at the entrance of the Purple Thunder Tomb Palace.
After scanning the tomb’s information with his spirit sense, Ning Fan pondered briefly before immediately offering up One Million Dao Crystals, opening the tomb’s gate and stepping inside.
"Another one courting death... Just a Ghost Profound Peak-Stage, and yet he dares to challenge this tomb alone..." the bare-chested man sneered disdainfully.
Among the cultivators here, countless people shook their heads endlessly, with no one believing that Ning Fan could single-handedly break through the Purple Thunder Celestial Tomb.
Only one person here recognized Ning Fan!
It was an elderly man in a yellow robe, who possessed a cultivation at the Ghost Profound Peak-Stage; it was Huang Xuanzi, who had once briefly encountered Ning Fan on the third layer of the Divine Tomb.
"This person might not be unable to break through the Purple Thunder Tomb Palace!" Huang Xuanzi stood up with a start, looking towards the direction of the tomb gate, his eyes revealing his emotions.
"Him, with a Ghost Profound Peak cultivation?" The burly man with a bare torso was about to sneer at Huang Xuanzi, but the next moment, his expression changed with astonishment!
Ning Fan had only stepped into the tomb gate for three breaths, yet suddenly, the miserable cries of the tomb master’s projection echoed from within the tomb palace.
By the fifth breath, the cries began to fade.
By the seventh breath, the cries ceased entirely.
By the tenth breath, the tomb gate opened, and Ning Fan emerged, holding the Purple Thunder relic, returning to the outside world!
The Purple Thunder Tomb Palace gradually fell into silence...
Silence, meaning it had been conquered...
In this instant, all the cultivators present were filled with shock, as if witnessing an unbelievable fact!
Even in this moment, Huang Xuanzi, who already had great confidence in Ning Fan, was left with his jaw dropped, unable to believe the scene before his eyes!
In the same moment, the red-faced elderly man seated above the red clouds exclaimed in shock,
"Only ten breaths! Impossible! This child killed the tomb master with Truth-Transcending Cultivation in just ten breaths! This, this!"
A wave of intense shock filled the heart of the red-faced elder, and his previous disdain for Ning Fan was not only swept away but turned into deep reverence.
The red-faced elder questioned himself: even if he exerted all his strength, he could not be a match for the Purple Thunder Tomb Master. Yet Ning Fan destroyed the tomb master in ten breaths, a prowess far beyond his reach!
Just as all eyes were focused on Ning Fan, he suddenly leaped and flew towards another untouched Celestial Tomb not far away.
Again, it took only ten breaths, and Ning Fan broke through the second Celestial Tomb, then proceeded to the third, fourth, and fifth.
After conquering nine Celestial Tombs in succession, Ning Fan leapt towards the teleportation gate leading to the fifth layer.
The two hundred Celestial Tombs on the fourth layer were all in a state of silence.
Breaking through nine Celestial Tombs earned him a total of 170,000 Tomb Merit Values, enough to activate the teleportation gate and enter the fifth layer.
As for the nine four-star relics rewarded by the nine Celestial Tombs, they were of little concern to Ning Fan.
Upon returning to the teleportation gate, the red-faced elder dared not neglect Ning Fan, immediately standing up and cupping his fists in greeting, saying kindly,
"Daoist Friend, you look unfamiliar. May I ask your esteemed name? Which faction’s Tomb Guardian might you be?"
"Tianhai Star, Ning Fan."
With just a faint reply, Ning Fan took a step and vanished into the teleportation gate.
Upon hearing, the red-faced elder’s expression changed once more.
"Tianhai Star! He’s the Tomb Guardian of the War King Luo Family! This time, with the War King Luo Family sending this person, they are sure to achieve an excellent position. With his strength, it shouldn’t be difficult to enter the top twenty!"
"Ning Fan, Ning Fan, the name sounds familiar. Yes, it’s him! ’Millennium Demon Monarch’ Ning Fan, the one who repelled the ’blood slave’ Yuan Kuang with a single sword eight years ago! The one who mastered the Divine Blast Technique and massacred hundreds of immortals in the Yao Sect Star Region! It’s him! With the Divine Blast Technique, entering the top five in this Tomb Competition is surely no challenge! Even obtaining first place is very possible!"
...
The fifth layer of the Divine Mausoleum consists of a thousand Human Tombs, five hundred Earth Tombs, and a hundred Celestial Tombs.
Upon entering the fifth layer, Ning Fan moved wordlessly towards the teleportation gate leading to the sixth layer.
At the teleportation gate on this layer stood another elder guardian. This person was an elderly Sword Cultivator with a Mid Stage Enlightenment cultivation.
Ning Fan tried briefly to use the Tomb Guardian Token with 170,000 Tomb Merit to teleport to the sixth layer.
"With less than 500,000 Tomb Merit Values, you cannot enter the sixth layer..." the Sword Cultivator elder suddenly said indifferently.
Although not as arrogant as the red-faced elder, he also did not pay much attention to Ning Fan, closing his eyes to continue cultivating after speaking.
"Is it 500,000..."
Ning Fan swept his spirit sense over the tomb palace and immediately flew toward one of the still-unconquered Celestial Tombs.
In this fifth layer world, there were still 17 unconquered Celestial Tombs.
Outside each Celestial Tomb, numerous Fate Immortal cultivators were gathering, preparing to muster enough people to challenge each tomb.
The fifth layer of the Divine Tomb, Snow Demon Celestial Tomb!
Outside the Celestial Tomb, a team of cultivators was preparing to storm the tomb. The leader of the team was a cultivator who had half-stepped into the Crossing Truth Realm.
"Good, we have fifty Daoist friends here, so we can finally begin attacking this Snow Demon Celestial Tomb. Now, let this old man introduce the tomb master’s divine skills."
"The phantom Snow Demon in this tomb has an Initial Stage of Crossing Truth realm, skilled at using the Blowing Snow Technique. Without a treasure to guard against ice, it would be difficult to withstand its attacks..."
The leader hadn’t finished his words when he suddenly saw Ning Fan descending with an escape rainbow, directly opening the tomb gate as if intending to seize the lead in breaking the tomb.
In an instant, the leader’s face darkened, and he sneered,
"Where does this Ghost Profound come from, so ignorant of the rules, daring to attempt the tomb alone, does he not wish to live?"
Having said that, he no longer looked at the tomb palace behind him, believing Ning Fan’s success in attempting the tomb alone to be virtually impossible.
But before three breaths had passed, the tomb palace immediately echoed with the shrill cries of the Snow Demon.
By the seventh breath, the cries ceased entirely.
By the tenth breath, Ning Fan emerged with the Snow Demon relic in hand, revealing himself before the crowd.
"A five-star relic, still useless... The tomb masters in this fifth layer’s Celestial Tomb are slightly tougher than those in the fourth layer, but only marginally so..."
"Celestial Tomb masters, in the end, are phantoms, still dead objects, much weaker than true Crossing Truth realms..."
With that, amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, Ning Fan leaped with escape light towards the second Celestial Tomb.
Ten breaths, ten breaths, ten breaths...
Each Celestial Tomb here could only hold Ning Fan for ten breaths!
After Ning Fan conquered all 17 Celestial Tombs, his Tomb Merit Values amounted to 630,000.
"Who is this person! When had this Tomb Competition produced such a Tomb Guardian! Breaking through Celestial Tombs in just ten breaths!" The gaze of each Fate Immortal Old Monster fell upon the Tomb Guardian Token in Ning Fan’s hand, all deeply shocked.
Especially the team leader of the cultivators, whose eyes almost popped out in shock.
"This child is very strong!" The Sword Cultivator elder guarding the teleportation gate immediately flashed his eyes with brilliance.
As Ning Fan once again approached the teleportation gate, the elder immediately rose, slightly cupping his fist to Ning Fan, though he said nothing more.
Ning Fan also slightly cupped his hands to the elder, then took a step forward and teleported to the sixth layer of the Divine Tomb.
...
In the sixth layer of the Divine Tomb, there stood a giant stele, identical to the one on the first layer.
Under the giant stele stood many robust Second Step cultivators, all gazing at the stele, speechless with shock.
Just now, a name on this stele suddenly surged from beyond four-thousandth place to 52nd place.
"Ning Fan... is he the one who, eight years ago, astonished Yuan Kuang with a sword... the inheritor of the Divine Blast Technique... ’Millennium Demon Monarch’, Ning Fan!"
The moment Ning Fan entered the sixth layer, numerous spirit senses immediately swept over him.
Even some Fate Immortals, holding an old wanted order, pointed at the airborne Ning Fan and exclaimed,
"It’s him! He is the Millennium Demon Monarch!"
(1/2) (To be continued. If you like this work, please go to qidian.com to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)
