Grasping the Evil-Chapter 829: Calamity Thought Red Glow, Proving the Dao by Killing Kin
"The seventh Immortal Emperor under the Immortal Emperor’s command—Great Emperor Mo Zhong, perished at the hands of the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor?!"
Ning Fan’s gaze suddenly shifted; such an ancient secret was unheard of by him, and few in the world would know it.
He recalled during the time at the Demon-Sealing Peak, the young form of Great Emperor Mo Zhong, upon recognizing Ning Fan’s status as the inheritor of Ancient Chaos, gifted him an extra drop of ancestral blood...
Ancient Chaos regarded Mo Zhong as a brother, yet he slew his own brother.
In his eyes, however, there was an inerasable sorrow...
Why did he choose to slay Great Emperor Mo Zhong, whom he saw as a brother...
This question lingered in Ning Fan’s mind, but naturally, there was no way to find any answers.
The Chaotic Ancient Phantom had no intention of enlightening Ning Fan, moving slowly toward the second bronze statue.
Upon gazing at this second statue, the sadness in Ancient Chaos’s eyes deepened...
The second bronze statue depicted a benevolent-looking old Taoist, with a bronze ring behind him...
That bronze ring closely resembled the ring shadow behind a full-strength activation of Senluo’s Power of Reincarnation...
"The Ring of the Initial Saint! This statue depicts a Third Step Saint!" Ning Fan’s gaze was again shaken.
"Indeed, this second statue is of an Initial Saint... In the Purple Dou Immortal Domain, there are a billion Immortal Emperors, and four hundred people have reached the Third Step, thus becoming Saints, who follow commands but not orders... He was one of them... He was my teacher, and though his guidance was not as plentiful as the Immortal Emperor’s, without him, there would be no me either..."
The expression of the Chaotic Ancient Phantom softened for a moment, turning contemplative.
That year, he was merely the son of a low-status kingdom’s ruler in the ancient immortal domain, only four years old, naive and ignorant.
That year, the kingdom was invaded, leaving the country destroyed and family gone, he merely wept beside his parents’ corpses, until it was his master who saved him from the chaos...
’Why cry! A real man only knows to weep! If the country is destroyed, rebuild it! If your family is gone, avenge them!’
’...Hmph! The more you cry, the more you anger me! Keep crying, and your foes won’t need to kill you, I’ll be the first to lay you down!’
’...Fine, fine, I concede to you, come, come, no more crying, no more tears, look! This is a sugar figurine! Hehe, not crying now, are you...’
’Meeting is fate, little boy, be my disciple and I’ll give you the taoist name ’Ancient Chaos’... What! You don’t like the name?! You don’t want to be my disciple?! Don’t you know in this Ziwei Xianyu, many powerful figures would fight to be my disciple!’
Memories surfaced vividly, the Chaotic Ancient Phantom couldn’t help but smile knowingly.
But soon after, the killing intent surrounding him grew denser, his eyes more bloodshot, and the sorrow in his gaze grew deeper...
He clearly stood there, yet his desolate silhouette evoked a profound sadness...
"Saint Luyuan, ranked three hundred forty-fourth among the four hundred Saints of the Purple Dou Immortal Domain... He was my teacher, more like my father... In the battle of the North Pole Realm, he died by my hands! He is the First Yin-Yang of my Nine Gods Yin-Yang... Fierce Origin Yin-Yang..."
Ning Fan’s eyes widened in shock!
Amazed that the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor held the power to kill Saints, could it be that he himself was a Saint!
Stunned that the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor not only slew his own brother but also his own mentor!
"An Immortal Emperor does not necessarily equate to being weaker than a Saint... Both the old man and Mo Zhong possessed the power to slay ordinary Initial Saints..."
The Chaotic Ancient Phantom muttered lightly, as if seeing through Ning Fan’s thoughts, answering his inner questions.
His murky eyes seemed moist as he walked step by step towards the third bronze statue, continuing to introduce them to Ning Fan.
"Extreme Brightness Demon Emperor, ranked forty-ninth among the Immortal Emperors under the Purple Dou Immortal Emperor. He once stood with me on the battlefield, entrusting life and death... He was one of my few friends... In the war of the Falling Flame Realm, he died by my hands! My First Yin-Yang of the Nine Demons Yin-Yang was achieved because of him..."
"Colorful Weaver Celestial Lord, ranked three hundred ninety-seventh among the four hundred Saints of the Purple Rose Immortal Domain... This woman had feelings for me... In the Rebellion of the Daoist Territory, she perished by my hand..."
"Emperor Tianyan, ranked ninety-sixth among the Immortal Emperors under the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign, he had shown me grace... In the collapse of the Calamity Realm, he perished by my hand..."
"Luxx Nansheng, this person once lent me the Heavenly Strategy for a read; I still owe him an unfulfilled promise... In the Great Calamity of the Demon Realm, this person died by my hand..."
The Chaotic Ancient Phantom introduced all twenty-six bronze statues along the way.
With each introduction, the sorrow in his eyes deepened, and so did the killing intent.
Ning Fan’s heart gradually felt a chilling horror.
These twenty-six individuals, during their lifetimes, were renowned figures of peerless talent in the Purple Dou Immortal Domain, and each shared a certain affinity with Ancient Chaos, yet all were slain by him...
Why would the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor slay so many of his mentors and friends...
Why did each person he killed complete another of the so-called Twenty-Seven Yin-Yang...
What exactly were the Twenty-Seven Yin-Yang, Ning Fan did not know...
Yet suddenly, a terrifying thought arose in his mind.
"Could it be that the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor, for the sake of cultivating the technique known as ’Twenty-Seven Yin-Yang’, eradicated all his mentors and friends?! Was the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor truly such a cold-blooded individual?!"
This was something Ning Fan could not confirm.
The feats of slaying these powerful figures seemed truthful; the sorrow in his eyes likewise did not seem false...
Finally, the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor stood before the last bronze statue.
It depicted a smiling female cultivator, seated under a Bodhi Tree, gazing yearningly towards the sky...
As he gazed at this woman, the shoulders of the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor began to tremble uncontrollably, and the sorrow in his eyes transformed into old tears, streaming down his face...
It seemed as if a gentle voice still echoed in his ears.
It was for this voice he turned away countless affections from female cultivators, like the Colorful Weaver Celestial Lord, and even from the Shenxu Progenitor...
’Ancient Chaos... I will wait under the Bodhi Tree for a lifetime... You, must return alive... If you die, I will follow you...’
I will follow you...
I will follow you...
He finally returned to the Bodhi Tree but, shockingly had to kill her with his own hands!
"Hexx Yao..."
The Chaotic Ancient Phantom trembled as he reached out to touch the bronze statue’s face of the woman.
His heart was bleeding... Slaying his mentors, his comrades, all those benefactors, he was undoubtedly unwilling, full of grief, guilt, and helplessness...
But to kill this woman with his own hands was to lose the entire world in an instant; there in this world, from this point onward, remained no attachment worth a second glance...
His silhouette stood so isolated, so repentant... The sorrow spread out, as if the entire sky and earth would melt in its sentiment...
"Hexx Yao, ranked beyond ten thousand under the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign... She was my Dao companion... She was my everything... She did not wait for my return in the Bodhi Realm... In the downfall of the Heaven’s Desolation War, she was slain by my own hands... Died by... my hands... She completed my Twenty-Seven Yin-Yang..."
The sorrow in the eyes of the Chaotic Ancient Phantom peaked at this moment.
His eyes grew gradually cold and heartless, blood-red as if a Doomsday Demon Lord! His killing intent threatened to annihilate all life!
In this moment, the image of Ancient Chaos suddenly spun around, glaring at Ning Fan with an icy, emotionless expression, and a cold, fierce voice asked.
"Do you wish to attain my Ancient Chaos Inheritance! Do you wish to acquire the ’Number One Assault of Ten Billion Great Emperors’ Chaos Ring Technique!"
Without taking a step, just one gaze appeared to cast the might of the whole heavens towards Ning Fan, pressing down with great force.
In this instant, Ning Fan seemed transformed into a lone boat adrift on a tempestuous sea—unable to move an inch against the overwhelming momentum!
"Do you want to learn the Chaos Ring Technique? By mastering this art, you can cultivate the Yin-Yang Demon Body! The Yin-Yang Demon Body is composed of Twenty-Seven layers of Yin-Yang; even mastering the first Yin-Yang allows you to become invincible at the Late Stage Enlightenment by the Ghost Immortal Realm! If you cultivate all Twenty-Seven Yin-Yangs, not stepping into the Third Step, you’ll rival ordinary Initial Saints!"
"By cultivating the Chaos Ring Technique, when your cultivation is sufficient, you can integrate the Yin-Yang, spontaneously cultivating the ’Primordial Qi’, greatly increasing the chance of stepping into the Third Step!"
"By cultivating the Chaos Ring Technique, no cultivator of the same level could ever rival you again!"
"Are you willing to become the greatest cultivator in the Heavenly Combat Arts! Are you willing to become the only Saint in the Four Heavens and Nine Worlds of this era of decline!"
The voice of the Chaotic Ancient Phantom seemed like a Heart Demon, its roots growing wildly in Ning Fan’s heart.
Though his spirit sense was firm amongst his peers, it was not impervious to cracks.
Ning Fan’s biggest Heart Demon stemmed from the yearning to enhance his strength, to shield those behind him.
He had never cut away this Heart Demon, and in this moment, it wildly burgeoned within him!
For a brief instant, his gaze fell into greed and desire.
He wanted to obtain the Chaos Ring Technique of the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor, to gain the opportunity to step into the third realm, to become the number one strongman in the four heavens and nine worlds...
Because if he became the first in heaven and earth, he would no longer need to kill or evade, whoever he wanted to protect, he could easily...
"I want it! I want the Chaos Ring Technique!" Ning Fan was like he was possessed, his heart wildly shaken.
The Chaotic Ancient Phantom only let out a cold laugh, suddenly, his eyes filled with killing intent like a stormy ocean, and immediately two rays of red light shot out, pouring into Ning Fan’s eyes.
"Want the Chaos Ring Technique! It’s easy!"
"Kill your parents, your master, friends, and your Dao companion! Then you could cultivate the twenty-seven Yin-Yang and be eligible to receive my inheritance!"
"Would you be willing to become an evil one who kills their kin for the Dao, and inherit all my Taoist tradition!"
"Would you be willing!"
At the moment when the two red rays shot into Ning Fan, his heart tormented by the Heart Demon, he suddenly gained a moment of clarity.
In this moment of clarity, he felt a horror!
Inside him, two rays of red light were wildly rampaging, with a magic power as if seducing people’s hearts, in an instant, covering his eyes, his cultivation, his Spirit, everything!
His body seemed no longer to be his own body.
His cultivation was no longer at his command in the slightest.
In his Heart Spirit World, the red glow like thunder spread boundlessly, seizing all of his heart and spirit!
In that endless world of red glow, only one place remained half black and half white, it held his Dao, fighting fiercely against the red glow’s invasion.
In this world of red glow, were countless red shadows, looking identical to Ning Fan, sneering continously, already possessed.
These red shadows either had greedy eyes or fierce eyes or bloodthirsty sneers.
Only in that small area of black and white, was there a Ning Fan in white like snow, steadfastly guarding his undying heart.
Ning Fan looked at the red shadows filling the Heart Spirit World, his face full of shock, full of anger!
In his ears, seemingly countless seductive voices, tempting him to follow the Ancient Chaos Phantom’s orders, practice the Chaos Ring Technique, kill kin to prove the Dao!
His body, already succumbed to the rule of the red glow, walking step by step towards the Ancient Chaos Phantom, as if to accept its inheritance, next step, to kill his kin!
Unable to control the body, completely uncontrollable!
At the moment the red glow entered, his body was no longer his to control!
Furthermore, Ning Fan had a feeling, if the last piece of black-and-white land in his Heart Spirit World fell, he would be completely controlled by the red glow, unless dead, would never escape the red glow’s manipulation in this life!
"What on earth is this red glow! This power feels very much like the Power of Reincarnation, but its nature is utterly opposite to the Power of Reincarnation!"
"Can’t resist it! The erosion of this red glow is too terrifying, it’s simply not something I can withstand!"
The last piece of black and white world was being eroded little by little by the red glow, turning into decay.
The last Ning Fan in white, finally also turned into a blood shadow bit by bit...
Countless blood shadow Ning Fans finally cheered in this Heart Spirit World.
They were to practice the Chaos Ring Technique, they were to follow the Ancient Chaos Phantom’s commands, kill kin to prove the Dao!
In the Tomb Palace, Ning Fan’s eyes had turned completely blood-red, the corner of his mouth lifted into a sinister smile, he greedily looked at the Ancient Chaos, smiling coldly.
He was Ning Fan completely controlled by the red glow, he, as long as he obtained the Chaos Ring Technique, once out of this Tomb Palace, he would execute slaughter in all directions, first to strike his dearest!
His father, Heaven Separation Sect, kill!
His mother, Ning Qian, kill!
His brother Ning Fan, reincarnated in the mortal world, kill!
His master, Han Yuanji, kill!
And all those beauties, one by one, they all must... kill, kill, kill!
He wanted to kill everything, to become the only Saint in the four heavens and nine worlds, to control everything in this world, he wanted, to kill, kill, kill!
But after killing everything, what would he have left...
What would he have left...
What would he have left...
A trace of confusion gradually flowed within Ning Fan’s eyes.
Ning Fan with blood red eyes suddenly lifted his hand fiercely, smashed a heavy punch into his own chest!
In this punch, he did not preserve any strength!
With this punch, he would rather destroy his own body in this Tomb Palace, than allow himself to harm his dearest relatives!
After hitting his body with this punch, his body immediately ignited in half-black, half-white flames!
The flames were transformed from his Path of Obsession!
This red glow can strip away his cultivation, his body, everything, but, it cannot strip away his Dao!
This obsession, is immortal in reincarnation, preserved for generations in his heart.
This obsession, nothing can extinguish!
"This one, actually wants to self-destruct here!" The Ancient Chaos Phantom’s cold gaze held a trace of emotion.
Yet Ning Fan suddenly took a step forward, his whole body burning, but his gaze shedding the red glow, restored to cold awe!
He looked coldly at the Ancient Chaos Phantom, fearless, only filled with rage!
He feared not this phantom, feared not!
He is Ghost Immortal, this phantom is more terrifying than Xiang Mingzi yet so what!
He originally came for another portion of the Ancient Chaos inheritance, but if this inheritance required sacrificing all his dearest, he would rather not have it!
He would rather self-destruct here, than to let those behind him suffer!
And the Ancient Chaos Phantom that led him to this, no matter what, he would make it pay a price!
"Ancient Chaos! Without your inheritance, there’d be no me today! I think of your grace, respect you like a master! So, I decided to search for another half of your inheritance! But this doesn’t mean you can plant Divine Skills in me at will, seize my body, my cultivation, take everything from me!"
"I further will not allow you to use my body to destroy those behind me!"
"You can strip away everything, except for my Dao, you, cannot take it!"
In this moment, in the eyes of the Ancient Chaos Phantom, it was not Ghost Immortal walking step by step towards him, but a butterfly!
A butterfly that would rather burn to ashes, than smash against him!
A butterfly that dares to face an overwhelming opponent with its tiny body!
On this butterfly, there was an undeniable Dao, growing stronger along with his self-immolation...
"Although what I planted in him was only a ten-thousandth of a Calamity Thought, I didn’t expect he could suppress it with his own Dao..."
"Though this child’s killing intent is heavy, I still worried about his nature, now it seems, this child would rather self-destruct than harm his family, indeed not a heartless person..."
"This test, he has indeed passed it... Over the years, among Masters entering this palace, only this child alone has passed the test..."
The coldness in the eyes of the Ancient Chaos Phantom gradually receded.
Looking at Ning Fan walking up step by step, he suddenly nodded with satisfaction, his hand moved as fast as lightning, and with a wave wiped away the red glow in Ning Fan’s body.
Even the flames intending self-destruction in Ning Fan were extinguished one by one.
Before Ning Fan could react to all this, he already raised his hand to conjure a jade scroll, tossed it to Ning Fan, and said apologetically,
"Some of my previous words were true and some false, including that red glow, it was all a test for you, my friend. You’ll understand everything once you look at the jade scroll. This jade scroll records another Cultivation Technique I created besides the Yin Yang Transformation... the Chaos Ring Technique!"
(1/2) (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian.com and cast your recommendation votes, and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
