Grasping the Evil-Chapter 930: The Path to the Fourth Step

"Good Corpse Mourning, appear!"

As the Eye Orb Monster finished speaking, the colossal statue on the far left began shedding stone debris. Its form, once indistinct, gradually became clear.

If Miaoyan were here, she’d be shocked yet again, for the appearance of this statue is identical to the likeness of the Ancestral Emperor of the Northern Heaven in the secret rosters of the Four Oceans Sect!

It’s a statue of a middle-aged man. On the right side of his face is a black moon totem—the emblem of the Lamenting Deceased Clan. His hands are entwined with countless Puppet Threads, and his gaze is compassionate, yet within that compassion lies an irremovable sadness. This sorrow is highly infectious, quickly spreading through the entire valley.

Even Ning Fan at the lake’s bottom was touched by this sadness, stirring up the most sorrowful memories in his heart.

He remembered his mother, her pale face, sacrificing all her Demon Bloodline, transforming into a statue just to save her child’s life.

He remembered his father, in despair and hopelessness under the Fate Wielding Immortal Emperor’s schemes, gradually losing the memory of his cherished love.

He remembered the old monster, that year atop Seven Apricot City, when the Moksha Emperor personally destroyed his cultivation, revealing an aged, sorrowful expression for the first time, like an old man in his twilight...

Ning Fan suddenly shuddered, discovering he had unknowingly shed tears.

He had been absorbed by the sorrowful aura of the ancient Mourning statue. This somber atmosphere carries an empathetic divine skill!

"Whose statue is this, with such powerful sadness that draws me in, unable to break free!"

Ning Fan’s spirit sense emerged from the lake’s surface, gazing at the Mourning statue continuously emanating melancholic intent, his gaze moved.

"Heh heh, this is the statue of the Mourning Emperor, young one. Admire the grandeur of the Ancestral Emperor of the Northern Heaven. To break the Blessing Technique, his power is indispensable."

The Eye Orb Monster chuckled, replying. Yet, secretly, he mused.

"Mourning, oh Mourning, we’ve been friends before. Today, I borrow your power; you shouldn’t mind. Ah, you are already dead, how could you mind? Even your daughter is gone—it truly is lonely with so few familiar faces in this world today..."

He continued to channel divine skills, uttering incantations. The pressure of the Mourning statue intensified, encapsulating the entire valley beneath its weight.

The pressure felt like an invisible hand suddenly striking, tearing towards the lake’s direction. Ning Fan at the lake’s bottom immediately felt a ripping pain as if his path was forcefully torn open by this unseen hand!

Blood instantly seeped out from the skin on the right side of his body, staining his white clothes red, merging into the lake water.

Soon, even his flesh and blood began dissolving into the lake water, leaving only stark white bones beneath the skin.

Deprived of flesh and blood, Ning Fan’s right side appeared shriveled, with clothes clinging to the bones and an empty feeling.

With the right side of his body dissolving, the Blessing Power restraining Ning Fan’s Spirit weakened by a fraction.

At this moment, a massive surge of Immortal Qi flowed fiercely towards Ning Fan’s right-side body from within the lake.

This Immortal Power seemed incompatible with the Yin Yang Evil Vein, akin to naturally opposing forces that could not coexist.

Even so, the Immortal Power continued nourishing Ning Fan’s severely damaged physical body. Thus, an eerie scene emerged at the lake bottom.

Ning Fan’s right side was left only with bones, devoid of flesh, while the left side remained intact under the nourishment of Immortal Qi.

Gradually, Immortal Power wrapped around Ning Fan’s skeletal structure, showing a scene of flesh reconstruction on the bare bone.

In mere breaths, Ning Fan’s right side body was reformed at the lake bottom, identical to its previous state without the slightest difference!

"Still not enough! Evil Corpse Yin Mo, appear!"

The Eye Orb Monster’s gaze shifted to the second statue, grunting, "Yin Mo, oh Yin Mo, you are my body, I am your eyes, we are one entity. Using your power is not excessive, right?"

The Eye Orb Monster mumbled incantations, and the second statue gradually came into clarity.

It’s a statue of an elderly man bare-chested, clad in a beast-hide skirt, his hair bound into numerous small braids.

His appearance distinctly matches that of the ancient statue elder from the Ninth Layer of Tianque!

This is the statue of Yin Mo Ancestor! Ning Fan’s gaze barely shifted. First the Mourning statue, then the Yin Mo statue—is there a connection between the two...

The Mourning statue carried irremovable sorrow.

While the Yin Mo statue held near-mad killing intent.

A storm-like fierce killing intent suddenly erupted from the Yin Mo statue, pressing heavily upon the entire valley.

This killing intent was not much weaker than the Mourning Emperor’s sorrowful aura, similarly enshrouding Ning Fan.

Ning Fan’s gaze turned blood-red, violent killing intent began to breed.

It was a near-six-kin-ignorant killing intent—every living being appearing before him must be slain, slain, slain!

"This killing intent feels very similar to the eroding power of the Calamity Thought. With my Blood Lightning refined to a small extent, such killing intent disrupts neither my sanity!"

Ning Fan’s surroundings flashed with Calamity Thought Red Glow, forcibly dispelling this killing intent.

He allows himself to be moved by sorrow but does not permit the erosion of his rationality by killing intent.

As the second ancient statue descended with killing intent, the tearing force upon Ning Fan doubled instantly!

This time, even Ning Fan’s left side began to dissolve. With the supplement of Immortal Power, the dissolved parts promptly reformed.

"Still not enough. Must I use the power of my primordial corpse...? Alas, let’s do it, Immortal Elder Brother, younger brother borrows your power for a while, forgive my offense..." The Eye Orb Monster glanced at the third statue, seeming cautious, apparently fearing this third statue.

"My Corpse of True Self is undying, appear!"

Rumble!

As soon as the Eye Orb Monster’s voice fell, countless black calamity clouds immediately appeared above the valley. Those clouds were astonishingly all transformed from Immortal Qi!

Streaks of black thunder descended from the sky, amidst the roaring of ten thousand thunders, the appearance of the third giant statue gradually became clear.

It was a middle-aged man in a black Taoist robe, with long hair draped down, ordinary in appearance, but with eyes so brilliant that one dared not look directly.

There was no way to describe such brilliant eyes, as if they encompassed an entire starry sky.

Within that gaze, there was an indelible longing, a longing for the starry sky of the homeland...

This longing was silent yet profound, instantly enveloping Ning Fan, evoking his homesickness.

Ning Fan seemed to resonate with the third ancient statue, as if he could feel the emotions passed down through the ages by the person of the ancient statue.

Homesick... very much so... but home, is no longer there... that was the emotion of the person of the ancient statue, not Ning Fan’s emotion.

Suddenly, two lines of bloody tears flowed from the eyes of the third ancient statue. His home, long gone, long... gone...

"This is the statue of the Immortal Emperor... brat, take a good look, this person is the first-ranked Emperor under the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign! Even the Desolate Saint would have to show him some respect!" The Eye Orb Monster’s expression was filled with awe.

In the next moment, an unprecedentedly terrifying aura from the undying ancient statue suddenly pressed downward!

That aura was several times stronger than the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor’s aura!

It was the aura of the First Immortal Emperor under the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign!

At this moment, ancient voices echoed between heaven and earth, echoes buried in the reincarnation of the Heavenly Dao!

It was the unwilling roar of the Immortal Emperor from years ago!

"We, Purple Dou Immortal Cultivators, are born against calamities, laying our bones without regret, living and dying all for Purple Dou Immortal!"

"If the realm is there, then I am there; if the realm perishes, then I perish! I swear here and now, in this life and world, I vow to kill all foreign enemy cultivators and return to the homeland!"

"...I severed the Evil Corpse, yet it betrayed the Purple Dou Immortal Domain and joined the Calamity Master, becoming the Ninth Generation Savage God, this is my lifelong regret..."

"The Good Corpse... carrying my life’s sorrow, shall stay in the Dreamland Realm... here is the last sanctuary for Purple Dou Immortal Cultivators... Immortal Void, is left for your self-preservation..."

"Good Corpse... I will come to take you home after I kill all foreign cultivators..."

One voice after another rang above the valley, echoes left by the Immortal Emperor in the reincarnation of the Heavenly Dao, spanning eons, passed down to this day.

Hearing this voice again, the eyes of the Eye Orb Monster suddenly became somewhat moist, and tears even flowed down.

But he quickly wiped away the tears, focusing solely on controlling the Formation.

He must help Ning Fan break the Blessing Technique! And then, kill Yin Mo!

Because... this is the lifelong regret of the Immortal Emperor, he must help the Immortal Emperor avenge the snow of old grievances!

"The Art of Immortality, mastering the way of destiny... the fates of all heavens, listen to my command! Immortal Star, appear!"

The Eye Orb Monster suddenly activated the Divine Skills, as dots of blood mist from within the lake water flew towards the sky.

Above the valley, in an instant, transformed into a descending night. In that endless night, a star appeared particularly dazzling, descending slowly, formed from the blood mist.

It was a purple star, containing extremely terrifying Immortal Qi!

Its name, Immortal Star! Within the right eye of the Immortal Emperor, there were nine star points cultivated, of which the Immortal Star was one.

But on this purple star, for some reason, was covered with cracks...

"The Immortal Emperor once fought against foreign cultivators, besieged by twelve Saints, and the fourth devil star point in the right eye was shattered. The shattered star point turned into a drop of black blood... that drop of black blood contained half a life’s memories and longing of the Immortal Emperor, with a hint of inheritance left within... this inheritance can only be obtained by cultivators with the Immortal Physique. Others, cannot obtain it...

"Unfortunately, since ancient times, besides the Immortal Emperor, there has been no second cultivator of the Immortal Physique born, this blood’s inheritance might be unclaimable by anyone..." The Eye Orb Monster did not know that the world already had a second Immortal cultivator born, named Si Ming, who hadn’t grown up before being slashed to death by Ning Fan’s chaotic swords.

"To help this brat break the Blessing Technique, I even used the inheritance blood. I’ve put everything on the line this time, hoping this brat won’t disappoint me... must, kill Yin Mo!"

The Eye Orb Monster suddenly shouted, the purple star above the valley instantly turned into a purple beam, shooting fiercely into the lake water.

At the lake’s bottom, Ning Fan’s gaze suddenly changed, watching helplessly as a purple beam shot towards his body.

He intended to evade, but the voice of the Eye Orb Monster entered this moment, dispelling his intention to evade.

"This is the Immortal Star, the fourth divine star point of the nine in the right eye of the Immortal Emperor, the key to breaking the Blessing Technique. Accept it!

Next, your physical defense will collapse and reform a thousand times, without its power, you will surely fall amidst a thousand collapses!" The Eye Orb Monster suddenly reminded.

As soon as this reminder echoed, Ning Fan’s physical defense began its first collapse, a frantic collapse!

This time, not only the flesh but even the bones began to collapse, starting from the right hand, and then the entire right side, followed by the whole body.

In just an instant, Ning Fan’s robes shattered, his entire body disintegrated into blood mist, leaving only the Spirit, solitary at the lake bottom.

Even with the collapse of the physical body, the Spirit still bore the extremely powerful Blessing Power, preventing Ning Fan’s Spirit from flying more than ten zhang away from where the physical body collapsed!

At this moment, the purple starlight flew into Ning Fan’s Spirit, as Ning Fan’s small Spirit hesitated slightly, ultimately not resisting this power.

He chose to trust the Eye Orb Monster once, after all, not trusting the monster also led to a dead end, and he had no other choice.

As soon as the purple starlight shot in, Ning Fan’s Spirit was immediately enveloped in a faint purple glow.

The physical body, initially collapsed into a mist of blood, was reformed in an instant, but then collapsed again.

Reforming, collapsing, reforming, collapsing... the alternating collapse and reforming was a torment on the level of will.

It was as if a tiny blade was slicing every inch of flesh from your body.

It was as if an iron chisel was slowly piercing through your bones.

It was as if iron pincers were removing your nails piece by piece, crushing your finger bones one by one.

Then followed an itchy rebirth, only to be immediately replaced by the next wave of intense pain.

With the support of the Formation power, such pain was amplified countless times. Yet Ning Fan remained indifferent.

His will had been tempered through countless trials, he had tasted this kind of pain too many times, and had long since become numb.

However, the repeated collapse of the physical body eventually caused significant harm to Ning Fan’s Spirit, which he could not ignore.

After ten collapses, Ning Fan’s Spirit’s face had already turned paper white.

After twenty collapses, Ning Fan’s Spirit already seemed somewhat ethereal.

Thirty times, forty times... Ning Fan’s Spirit finally neared dispersal, consciousness gradually lost. If his Spirit dispersed, he would die, just as many others had died on the path of cultivation, silently and without a trace.

Is he willing?

Willing to die so insignificantly?

Willing to be manipulated by Yin Mo Ancestor and die this way? 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

No, not willing!

"It cannot disperse!" Ning Fan’s Spirit, suddenly exhibiting a stubborn demeanor like a demon. He did not wish to disperse, so even the heavens could not make him disperse!

The lost consciousness, forcibly summoned back by him!

The nearing dispersal of the Spirit, forcibly stabilized by him using Fellow Daoist’s power!

His stubbornness seemed to have responded with that purple starlight. That purple starlight began to transmit a feeling of gentle warmth, causing his Spirit to become increasingly solid, and his consciousness increasingly clear.

His mental focus was unprecedented, as if a voice suddenly sounded in Ning Fan’s mind, its origin unknown, elusive.

"Homesick... so homesick..."

"...this drop of blood holds half a lifetime of memories and nostalgia for my hometown..."

Who, who is speaking?

A great force struck, Ning Fan only felt a pain in his divine sense, his consciousness instantly plunged into layers of hallucinations.

No, those were not hallucinations, but scattered, chaotic memories.

In those memories, there was a young Barbarian boy wrapped in animal hide, frantically fleeing across the grasslands.

He was just an ordinary Barbarian, without any cultivation, and behind him, several Opening Vein cultivators were chasing him on flying swords, toying with him.

Run, must run!

In the distant tribe, the blood had long been sky-high, Father was dead, Mother was dead, his home was invaded by the Zi Wei Immortal Domain. His relatives were slaughtered by those lofty Zi Wei cultivators...

Home, gone...

"Played enough, don’t chase anymore, kill this brat, and return with the trophy." A Fifth-Level Vein Opening Realm cultivator was bored, summoned his flying sword, and with one strike, killed the Barbarian boy desperately fleeing ahead.

The Barbarian boy only felt a wave of pain, his vision turned increasingly dark, and he toppled to the ground.

Is he dead...is this death...

Dead, would he be able to see Father and Mother again, dead...would he be able to return home...

Facing death, the Barbarian boy showed a warm smile, perhaps death was better than living.

The Barbarian’s corpse fell to the ground, those several Opening Vein cultivators descended, preparing to sever the Barbarian’s head and return for a reward.

At this moment, the entire grassland’s sky suddenly transformed into vast stretches of purple.

And furthermore, a man surrounded by purple light, slightly narrowed his eyes, walking towards the Barbarian’s corpse.

That man, dressed in purple, was exceptionally elegant, his figure emitted no trace of cultivation aura, yet gave an impression of untouchable power.

The several Opening Vein cultivators were suddenly stunned, how could they not recognize the man before them, he was a monster renown in both Ziwei and Northern Dipper Immortal Domains!

"It’s...him! That arrogant cultivator, self-proclaimed as Purple Dou!"

"This person, months ago, single-handedly killed three thousand death warriors of the Zi Wei Immortal Sovereign. In that battle, sixteen Saints died at his hands! The entire Ziwei Immortal Domain is now hunting for him!"

"It’s rumored that after this person left, he encountered the Big Dipper Immortal Emperor and retreated unscathed after a fierce battle. This person had the strength to contend with a Fourth Step cultivator even before reaching the Fourth Step himself. Should he reach the Fourth Step, who among the Immortal Emperors could rival him!"

"Will...will we die? It’s rumored that this person kills mercilessly, utterly ruthless. If we encounter him, how would we have any chance of survival..."

A few Fifth-Level Vein Opening Realm cultivators trembled uncontrollably, their faces ashen with fear.

The young man in purple did not even glance at the juniors, merely flicked his fingers, and they immediately exploded into clouds of blood mist, dying with screams.

What does bullying the weak matter? These Vein Opening cultivators had each killed many Stone Warriors, their hands stained with karma.

Dare to kill, then be prepared to be killed.

"Have the Ziwei Xianyu and the Northern Dipper completely submitted to the Taicang Dust Realm? Respectable Immortal Emperors now bow to the Dust Realm’s command, besieging the Ancient Barbarian Realm... Have Ziwei and Northern Dipper fallen to such a degree..."

"With the joint forces of Ancient Chaos, Zi Wei, and Northern Dipper... plus the powerful ones from the Dust Realm, the Ancient Barbarian Realm will likely be swiftly breached... Another realm will fall prey to Taicang Calamity Spirit’s enslaved realms..."

The young man in purple closed his eyes slightly, struggling even to protect himself amidst this era, powerless to change the situation.

Not yet reaching the Fourth Step, he remains an ant, only a step away from the Fourth Step, yet still far...

He has yet to see his own path.

"What is my path ultimately..."

The young man in purple gazed at the blazing Ancient Barbarian Realm, suddenly feeling restless in his heart.

He detests this cultivation world ravaged by flames of war, with countless mortals and weaklings dying daily amidst the turmoil.

Just like the Barbarian Clan youth before him, used as a tool for amusement by cultivators, only to be ruthlessly killed after the amusement...

"Hmm? Not dead?" the young man in purple suddenly uttered softly.

The Barbarian Clan youth lying in a pool of blood groaned in pain, then unexpectedly crawled up from the ground.

This youth was indeed a mere mortal without any cultivation.

The youth’s heart was shredded by flying swords, yet inexplicably, he still lived...

Could this youth possess some special physique... a type seemingly unheard of in the cultivation world.

"How could this be... Why am I not dead!"

The Barbarian Clan youth suddenly burst into tears.

His father and mother were both dead, only he remained alive...

What is this supposed to be!

"Why must the weak be bullied and slaughtered by the strong? Who set this rule!"

The Barbarian Clan youth did not notice that a young man in purple still stood beside him, engrossed in his own weeping.

The young man in purple, however, was enlightened by the youth’s words, finally recognizing the solution to a puzzle that had confounded him for years.

"Rules... That’s right, what was missing on the path to the Fourth Step. I have yet to establish my own rule!"

The young man in purple cast a deep glance at the Barbarian Clan youth and asked, "What is your name?"

The Barbarian Clan youth was startled, realizing there was another beside him. Upon recognizing him, he was so frightened he forgot to cry.

The bounty for the young man in purple had already been spread across various Immortal Domains. Even mortals recognized him, considering him a demon who could kill without a blink.

"I... I am called Yin Mo..." the Barbarian Clan youth replied weakly.

...

Ning Fan was slightly shocked, momentarily awakening from the memory.

He had actually connected with memories of the Immortal Emperor!

Yet, why were the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign and Yin Mo Ancestor present in the Immortal Emperor’s memory!

Immortal, Yin Mo, Mourning - these three seem connected in some inexplicable, intricate way...

Especially surprising for Ning Fan was witnessing the moment Purple Dou Immortal King questioned the Fourth Step in this memory!

The person in the memory obviously had not yet stepped into the Fourth Step, becoming an Immortal Emperor.

But he was close to the Fourth Step, uttering insights one after another.

’What is my path ultimately...’

’Rules... That’s right, what’s missing on the path to the Fourth Step. I have yet to establish my own rule!’

Ning Fan, a mere Second Step True Immortal, had the opportunity to hear Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign’s understanding of the Fourth Step. Though simple, those words were profound enough to shock him.

Does this count as seeing the path to the Fourth Step ahead?

Many Saints spend their lives unable to uncover how to break through the Fourth Step, yet he saw it so plainly, from the memory of the Immortal Emperor...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for it with recommendation tickets or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)