Grasping the Evil-Chapter 938: Heaven-Opening Artifact
What should I choose?
Ning Fan’s gaze lingered on each copper box, unable to make a decision. As for Dao Man Mountain, after introducing all the relics, he stood silently to the side, his eyes closed, not interfering with Ning Fan’s choice.
There are a total of four hundred copper boxes here, containing four hundred relics. Among them, there are seventy-four artifacts, each of innate rank.
There are one hundred sixty-six relics of expensive pills and Spiritual Medicine, with none other than Nine-Turn Emperor Elixir and Innate Spiritual Medicine.
There are also many jade scrolls and scrolls of Cultivation Technique and Divine Skills, any of which could become a trump card skill of Immortal Emperor-level powerhouses.
There are more than ten puppets, the highest rank of which is a puppet of the Eighth Calamity of the Eternals—the likes of which are hard to find within the four heavens and nine worlds...
Besides these, the relics include various miscellaneous items, such as a treasure map of a Holy Sect’s Secret Ground, and a chariot once sat in by a Saint, a wine bottle used by them...
What left Ning Fan speechless was the fact that among these miscellaneous items, there was also a bellyband that belonged to a Female Saint... It wasn’t that Dao Man Mountain was being lecherous in collecting such an item. In fact, even this seemingly inconspicuous bellyband is an Innate Treasure, named "Forty-two Realms’ Sky-Blending Silken Veil"...
It is certain that taking out any relic from a Saint here would be a rare treasure,
Of course, among the miscellaneous items, there’s also that extremely inconspicuous shield fragment. This is the only fragment whose value Ning Fan is unable to ascertain...
Dao Man Mountain did not introduce that shield fragment in detail. On its surface, this piece looks ordinary, yet if one stares at it for a long time, a buzzing sound begins to echo in one’s ears, growing clearer with continued attention. It’s an ancient hiss, neither human nor beast, instilling a sense of fear...
Though there are indeed many powerful magical treasures here, only this shield fragment gives Ning Fan a terrifying feeling.
This chilling sensation is somewhat akin to the Ancient Kingdom’s Battle Sky Shield, yet hundreds of times more fearsome.
What secrets does this fragment hold!
Unfathomable!
After a long time, Ning Fan finally withdrew his gaze from the shield fragment and began to ponder. He could only take one relic from this place, so his decision had to be careful, ideally choosing something most useful.
This shield fragment might possess some extraordinary qualities, but it might not be practical. Not being a complete magical treasure, it holds no defensive capabilities—what use would it have?
Well... speaking of which, the material of this fragment is somewhat uncommon, a type of Spirit Ores Ning Fan had not encountered before. If he could refine this fragment and mix in some other materials, perhaps he could forge a rather good shield...
However, this would be a futile effort, as Ning Fan is not confident in using just this small fragment to forge an Innate-level magical treasure. Are Innate Treasures so easily made? Perhaps a shield could be forged, but its rank would likely not be high. Therefore, he would be better off directly choosing an Innate-level defensive magical treasure rather than crafting a shield himself?
Then what is the significance of choosing this shield fragment...
Shaking his head, Ning Fan moved his gaze away to look at other items. Though Dao Man Mountain had not opened his eyes, he was fully aware of everything happening here.
"This child... does he not intend to choose this item..." Dao Man Mountain sighed inwardly, yet said no more.
No matter what Ning Fan chooses, he would not interfere, but he had waited many years for a successor, hence felt somewhat regretful.
Such a pity, such a pity... This child is the fourth person to have the opportunity to gain Dao Man’s approval, yet he will also miss the Saint’s relic fragment...
Just like the previous three successors, lacking the courage to choose the Saint’s relic fragment...
The Fourth Generation Barbarian God was initially quite tense, but upon discovering Ning Fan did not pay much importance to the relic fragment, he felt a huge relief.
"It seems like this child doesn’t regard the relic fragment too highly. My concerns may have been excessive; the relic of our Tao Man Lineage will not fall into this child’s hands..."
Thus, all is well...
Ning Fan’s gaze wandered among the many relics here, and ultimately, only four items caught his keen interest.
Among the magical treasures, what he most desires is not the most powerful Heaven Shaking Bead, but the Female Saint’s bellyband—"Forty-two Realms’ Sky-Blending Silken Veil."
Choosing this item is definitely not due to any peculiar preference from Ning Fan, but because of the item’s special utility.
This silken veil is an Innate-level magical treasure with very considerable defense. In terms of potency, it may not be the strongest among the Innate Treasures present, but according to Dao Man Mountain, this treasure can guard the wielder’s Heart Spirit during an Immeasurable Catastrophe, increasing the wielder’s chance of reaching sainthood by thirty percent.
According to Dao Man Mountain, the Immeasurable Catastrophe is a calamitous event one must go through to attain sainthood, extremely perilous and rare.
Only by conjuring an Immeasurable Catastrophe can a Quasi-Saint have the opportunity to enter the Third Step. Yet in Primeval times, out of a thousand Quasi-Saints, at most only one or two could cultivate perfectly to invoke the Immeasurable Catastrophe.
And among those who successfully invoked the Immeasurable Catastrophe, only one-tenth survived it; ninety percent of the Quasi-Saints died during the Catastrophe, demonstrating its peril...
Not considering the innate rank of the silken veil itself, just that thirty percent chance to overcome the Immeasurable Catastrophe is enough to make Ning Fan tempted.
Choosing the silken veil would certainly ease the path to sainthood in the future... Moreover, the silken veil itself is an exceptionally great Innate-level magical treasure, especially for defense. If a Female Saint adopted it as a bellyband, wearing it close, could its defense be any less substantial?
Defense is extremely crucial; though Ning Fan possesses myriad attack methods, he lacks defensive measures.
The Three Flowers Gathering at the Top defensive skills are long inadequate, and Ning Fan’s Ancient Demon Corpse defense too falls short for battles above the Shedding Void Stage.
He finally obtained a Twelve Nirvana Rank defensive magical treasure—Seven-Star Lamp, only for it to be detonated by Ning Fan.
The Illusory Life Pill used for lifesaving was also expended...
At present, Ning Fan urgently needs more defensive means for personal protection, thus the Forty-two Realms’ Sky-Blending Silken Veil stands as a worthy choice—its strength lies in practicality.
With the silken veil for close defense, Ning Fan feels confident about withstanding an attack from an Immortal Venerable without perishing, and even against assaults from Immortal Kings and Immortal Emperors, he could have some means of self-preservation.
In contrast, the Heaven Shaking Bead is far inferior.
Among the many magical treasures here, the Heaven Shaking Bead is without doubt the strongest. Capable of injuring Saints, how could it not be mighty? Below Saints, this treasure can definitely be invincible, slaughtering Immortal Emperors like dogs.
However, there’s a precondition. To unleash the bead’s greatest power, it requires a sacrificial ritual with Saint’s Blood, which is rather troublesome; Ning Fan admits he cannot obtain Saint’s Blood... Where could he find it? Do Saints still exist in this world, or has any Saint Blood survived...
Without Saint’s Blood, the bead’s maximum output is merely one-tenth of its potency, it’s just slightly stronger than other Innate Treasures, not excessively overwhelming.
With Ning Fan’s cultivation level, holding the Heaven Shaking Bead, at most, he could surpass one or two ranks and contend with high-order Immortal Honorables.
This seems entirely trivial... An offensive treasure incapable of dealing a lethal blow to an enemy cannot compare in utility to a life-preserving defensive magical treasure.
Besides the silken veil, Ning Fan is also greatly tempted by the Heaven-Opening Ganoderma.
Artifacts are ultimately mere externals, far less substantial than directly enhancing one’s cultivation. Were it not for the ability to increase the probability of reaching sainthood, the silken veil would certainly not surpass the practical use of the Heaven-Opening Ganoderma.
This ganoderma, upon consumption, either grants the status of undying or directly endows one with Quasi-Saint cultivation level. With Quasi-Saint cultivation, Ning Fan need not choose Innate Treasures at all. Cultivation is the foundational aspect; one wielding Innate Treasures will never triumph over a barehanded Quasi-Saint.
Should he choose this Heaven-Opening Ganoderma...
It would be deceitful to say he is not tempted, yet Ning Fan hasn’t immediately opted for the Ganoderma, his demeanor exceedingly cautious.
This object can grant one the cultivation level of a Quasi-Saint in a single step, which is truly heaven-defying. However, the Heavenly Dao cycles, and extremes will always reverse. There are gains and losses; the more heaven-defying an item is, the more likely it is to have defects.
Just like the undying body of the Immortal Emperor, even the Desolate Saint cannot kill him, yet it’s very difficult for him to become a Saint himself...
Consuming the Heaven-Opening Ganoderma can directly grant one the cultivation level of a Quasi-Saint, but there is a condition to all this, which is that one must consume it without dying...
A mortal consuming an alchemical elixir, if not dying from a burst body, also has the opportunity to become immortal in one step. But in this world, there are very few cultivators who become immortal in one step. Almost all of those who attempted to become immortal in one step have died...
Ning Fan cast his eyes with an azure spike, observing the Heaven-Opening Ganoderma, the more he looked, the deeper his frown became.
After a long time, he withdrew his gaze and sighed softly, looking at the Heaven-Opening Ganoderma again, the fiery gaze in his eyes cooled considerably.
Indeed, the defects of this Heaven-Opening Ganoderma are significant.
The potency of this Heaven-Opening Ganoderma is extremely domineering, yet due to the limitations of rules, it cannot be divided for consumption, and the whole must be taken, otherwise the potency will decrease greatly, less than one-tenth. Out of ten thousand people consuming the Heaven-Opening Ganoderma, it’s feared that 9999 will not withstand its potency and will die from a burst body. To withstand its potency without dying, at least a Saint-level strong physical defense is required... isn’t this a joke!
How many people throughout history have had the third step’s physical defense at the second step of cultivation?
And how many second-step cultivators have the qualification to consume the Heaven-Opening Ganoderma without dying...
It’s yet another highly impractical thing... wait for Ning Fan to cultivate his physical defense to the third step, and with the sheer physical defense alone, he will be able to contend with a Saint.
By then, would he still covet the mana of a Quasi-Saint level?
By then, would he still need to consume the Heaven-Opening Ganoderma?
If he chooses the Heaven-Opening Ganoderma, Ning Fan won’t foolishly wait until his physical defense is at the third step before consuming it; he will divide the Heaven-Opening Ganoderma into dozens of parts and consume it bit by bit.
Thus, the potency of the Ganoderma would be less than one-tenth, insufficient to allow Ning Fan to breakthrough to Quasi-Saint, and might not even let Ning Fan cross from Enlightenment into Shedding Void Stage...
This item can enhance Ning Fan’s cultivation, but the extent of improvement won’t be too heaven-defying.
"Heaven-Opening Ganoderma..." Ning Fan gazed intently at the Heaven-Opening Ganoderma for a long time before finally shifting his gaze to the Eight Tribulations Puppet.
This object equally captivated him. If he chose this puppet, Ning Fan would immediately have an unwaveringly loyal Immortal Emperor-level fighter by his side!
To the Dao Barbarian Mountain of exceedingly high standards, the Eight Tribulations Puppet was at best a keeper of caves without much use.
But Ning Fan was different, living in the four heavens and nine worlds, where Quasi-Saints are supreme and Immortal Emperors could dominate the world.
The entire Eastern Heaven Immortal World openly only has sixteen Immortal Emperors, a few of whom died in the chaos of Senluo. Among them, those whose cultivation reached the Eight Tribulations are even scarcer...
The cultivation level of the Eighth Calamity of the Eternals is absolutely top-notch battle power in the Four Heavens Immortal World!
If he chooses this puppet, within the four heavens, those who could kill Ning Fan... are rare!
This puppet moves Ning Fan’s heart, but it also has significant flaws. The flaw is that the puppet is simply too ancient and worn out. In short, its durability is insufficient, and it will completely break down after only a few more uses...
Practical, yet not durable...
The fourth item that piqued Ning Fan’s interest is a scroll with a blood lotus drawn on it, and on the blood lotus sits a child in a red long dress, performing hand seals, lifelike as if about to step out of the painting.
Upon closer look, the child in the painting bears some resemblance to the Dao Barbarian Mountain.
’Within this scroll lies my life’s strongest cultivation technique —[Blood Lotus Scripture]. This is a physique refinement cultivation technique inherited from an ancient Immortal Emperor who proved the Dao through the body. Unfortunately, I only obtained a fragmented scroll, incomplete. This cultivation technique can be cultivated starting from the cultivation level of an Immortal Venerable, to temper the physical defense step by step; if the realms on the fragmented scroll can all be cultivated, one can even cultivate the third step’s physical defense at the second step...’
High-level cultivation techniques, Ning Fan doesn’t lack, but it is the first time he has encountered a physique refinement technique capable of cultivating the third step’s physical defense.
Immortal Emperor is a title unique to fourth step cultivators. This is a cultivation technique left behind by a certain fourth step physique refinement cultivator, definitely more profound than Yin Yang Transformation or Chaos Ring Formula!
Pity, it is merely a fragmented scroll...
Moreover, cultivation techniques do not provide immediate utility, requiring extensive time of cultivation to manifest benefits.
Practical, yet cannot be immediately used; wanting to cultivate the third step’s physical defense with this cultivation technique, who knows how many years it would take...
Sky-Blending Silken Veil, Heaven-Opening Ganoderma, Eight Tribulations Puppet, Blood Lotus Scripture... which one to choose...
Ning Fan was pondering when suddenly his gaze sharpened, sensing something.
At this moment, an anomaly occurred in the outer lake water!
The ink-black lake water began to boil, rolling with scorching bubbles, steam rising.
No, to be precise, it wasn’t the lake water boiling, but the blood dissolved in the lake water — the black blood left by the fourth demon star of the Immortal Emperor that shattered!
The previously dead-silent black blood seemed to sense something and became excited.
By the lake, the Eye Orb Monster watched the boiling lake water, somewhat puzzled, not understanding why the lake water would have such an anomaly.
"Curious... why did the outside world’s Immortal Demon Blood suddenly boil... Hmm? This fragment..."
In Ning Fan’s eyes suddenly flashed a sharp light, turning toward the Shield Treasure Shard.
Not only did the Immortal Demon Blood experience an alteration, but at this moment, the Shield Treasure Shard also underwent a change.
The dark red shard was now emitting a fiery red light, as if tempered by a raging fire. Moreover, an extremely similar to the Immortal Dao Principle aura continuously emanated from the shard.
No, not similar!
The force contained within the shard was undeniably immortal power, the same origin as the Immortal Emperor!
"This shard..."
Ning Fan intended to examine further when the Shield Treasure Shard suddenly flew out by itself, transforming into a fiery red stream of light, directly heading towards Ning Fan.
When it approached within three yards of Ning Fan, the shard suddenly slowed down, gently landing in Ning Fan’s palm, extremely obedient and accommodating.
What’s going on... he hadn’t chosen the Saint’s relic yet, how did the shard come flying over on its own... was it coming over willingly...
In the moment the shard entered Ning Fan’s hand, whether it be the Ancient Kingdom’s Battle Sky Shield or the other copper boxes, they all disappeared in an instant.
Annoyed... does this mean he can only choose this Shield Treasure Shard, and not any other items... the selection is already over? He hadn’t even started yet... Ning Fan was speechless, this is just too unfair...
Could he reselect... Ning Fan’s gaze turned toward Dao Man Mountain, only to find Dao Man Mountain’s expression one of unprecedented amazement.
"A dignified Heaven-Opening Artifact actually chose its master on its own!"
Dao Man Shan was shocked internally, and it took him a while to discern some clues, thinking to himself, "So that’s how it is, this child has a trace of the Fourth Fragment’s aura... no wonder..."
The Fourth Generation Barbarian God was even more shocked, unable to see any clues, truly unable to comprehend. Ning Fan clearly did not intend to choose the Saint Relic fragment, why would the fragment willingly stick itself to him and fly into Ning Fan’s hand... how could something so fortuitous occur!
That is, after all, a fragment of the Heaven-Opening Artifact! And not just any Heaven-Opening Artifact, it’s ranked nineteenth among all the magical treasures in the world since ancient times!
Even if it’s just a fragment, it should have its own pride. Even a Saint cannot subdue this fragment without tens of thousands of years of refining. Such a difficult treasure to subdue, yet in its first encounter, it willingly attached itself to Ning Fan...
Who can explain to her, what is going on here!
Rumble!
The heavens and earth began to constantly morph into black thunder, roaring endlessly, with countless rays of light shooting out from the shield treasure fragment in Ning Fan’s hand, manifesting in the sky a colossal shield shadow, appearing bit by bit between heaven and earth.
The shield shadow reached immeasurable heights, its height seemed to surpass the boundaries of heaven and earth, its material seemed neither copper nor bronze, with a dark red hue, and countless Immortal Dao principles interwoven upon it.
Upon the shield body, countless giant shadows floated, upon closer inspection, each giant held a shield in their left hand, a sword in their right, wearing dark red armor. Strangely, every giant shadow was an illusion, and within each giant, there seemed to exist Masters...
At the moment the giant shield shadow appeared, all innate treasures here began to shudder, as if mortally afraid of that giant shield, extinguishing their treasure lights, and dimming into insignificance.
Innate treasures dared not fear!
"I am Hunkun Holy Sect ... Heaven-Opening Artifact ... Sixth Fragment..."
"On your body ... Fourth Fragment’s aura ... longing..."
No sound seemed to emanate, yet Ning Fan seemed to hear these words from the towering shadow of the shield. As if those words were issuing from the fragment in his hand...
He did not understand what the voice was saying, it was fragmented, difficult to comprehend.
The only thing he could feel was that on that shield shadow, there was an aura of treasure transcending his realm of understanding, before the shield shadow, he felt an unprecedented insignificance.
It was as if this ancient shield shadow was heaven, was the Dao, was the rules of everything between heaven and earth. It seemed there was nothing that could constrain this shield, nor any power that could break through this shield’s defense. Even if heaven and earth were to collapse, even if time flowed backward, it could not cause the slightest destruction to this shield.
What kind of shield is this! Ning Fan gazed at the celestial shield shadow, for some reason, he thought of the Reincarnation Ancient Bell seen upon the ocean of clouds during Mortal Severance transformation...
The Bell of Samsara is a treasure beyond the power of Four Heavens Masters, not any Four Heavens Master can subdue this object. That treasure, long exceeded the innate category.
The shadow of the giant shield before him gave a very similar feeling to that Reincarnation Bell, seemingly the same tier of magical treasure...
Heaven-Opening Artifact... Sixth Fragment... could this reveal the origin of the Shield Treasure Fragment...
Ning Fan does not know what the Heaven-Opening Artifact is, but he imagines it must be a magical treasure of a higher tier than the innate level.
This fragment seems to be far more extraordinary than he imagined... choosing this fragment, perhaps it’s not regrettable...
"Fourth Fragment... longing... to meet with me..."
In that moment, another anomaly occurred!
In the outside world, the undead demon blood in the lake water suddenly began to surge madly into Ning Fan’s body, on the surface, it seemed Ning Fan was absorbing that force!
"Hiss! What’s happening! This child is not an owner of the undead devil body, yet able to absorb the undead Emperor’s power from the blood!"
The Eye Orb Monster was shocked, in that drop of blood, contained a trace of the undead Emperor’s heritage, only owners of the undead constitution could obtain this heritage. Why could Ning Fan obtain it...
Not only was the Eye Orb Monster shocked, Ning Fan himself was also astonished.
His consciousness, though trapped in the Ancient Barbarian Tomb, could perceive the changes outside. He could clearly feel the undead Emperor’s demon blood power frantically flowing into his body...
"Miss home... miss it very much... but home is no longer there..." This time, it was the voice of the undead Emperor whispering by Ning Fan’s ear.
"My first home... was Ancient Barbarian Realm... Heishan Sect... but Heishan Sect was destroyed by the hands of Ziwei Immortal Cultivators... I lost my first home..."
"My second home... was the Purple Dou Immortal Domain... but the Purple Dou Immortal Domain was destroyed by the invasion of ghost servants..."
"Perhaps... I still have a home... before I was born... once the Fourth Fragment of the Ancient Kingdom’s God-Extinguishing Shield... due to an accident... detached from the Ancient Barbarian Tomb... reincarnated as human..."
"Immortal Power... does not come from nothing... but is the force naturally derived from the Ancient Kingdom’s God-Extinguishing Shield..."
Fragmented voices echoed in Ning Fan’s ears, the information too scattered, he could not fully comprehend.
But he still vaguely heard some keywords, like ’Fourth Fragment’.
The shield treasure fragment flew into his hand on its own, while the external undead demon blood simultaneously experienced changes... it seems there was some connection between the undead Emperor and this fragment...
Sixth Fragment, Fourth Fragment... Ancient Kingdom’s God-Extinguishing Shield...
"Your body holds the Sixth Fragment... with the power of the Sixth Fragment... enough to derive Immortal Power..."
"Immortal Power... cannot arise from nothing... only the Ancient Kingdom’s God-Extinguishing Shield... can create it..."
"This Demon Star... is my Fourth Demon Star... containing a trace of Fourth Fragment’s aura..."
"Convey unto you... the Dao of Immortality... with Dao of Immortality... enough to command the fragment..."
Pain!
A surge of pain came, and Ning Fan’s right eye suddenly leaked a trail of black blood, with a faint purplish star point emerging in his right eye.
That belonged to the power of the undead Emperor’s right eye Fourth Demon Star, but at this moment it had moved into Ning Fan’s right eye!
The power was too immense and seemed to clash with Ning Fan’s Yin Yang Evil Vein, very difficult for Ning Fan to absorb, but nonetheless, it had entered Ning Fan’s body.
With the addition of this faint purple star point, Ning Fan could distinctly feel a newfound mystical connection between himself and the shield treasure fragment in his hand.
A wondrous connection, as if the shield treasure fragment was part of his body, or he was part of that fragment...
This wasn’t just a useless fragment! With this connection, Ning Fan could feel from the fragment a massive and astonishing power.
The faint purple star point spun within Ning Fan’s right eye, the power of the shield treasure fragment being gradually activated by Ning Fan.
The fragment’s power remained, still usable... having reluctantly chosen this fragment, time to see how formidable it truly is!
Ning Fan remained silent, his heart and mind descending into the fragment, as if communicating with the fragment.
For a long time, the giant shield shadow vanished from between heaven and earth.
After a long while, the faint purple star point in Ning Fan’s right eye stopped spinning and disappeared, as if it had never appeared.
However, the shield treasure shard in Ning Fan’s hand became increasingly fiery red, and its brilliance grew more intense.
It was as if a treasure bead that had been covered in dust for years was polished bright at this moment!
The treasure light grew more and more intense, ultimately shining as dazzling as the sun, making it impossible to look directly at it.
As for Ning Fan, the gleam in his eyes grew brighter. He discovered that this shard was more powerful than he had imagined!
"This item is a fragment of a Heaven-Opening-grade magical treasure... It seems that the Heaven-Opening treasure is called the Ancient Kingdom’s God-Destroying Shield..."
"Even if this shield has only one fragment left, the power it contains surpasses any Innate Treasure..."
"This power can still be used! The method of using it seems to require it to be protected within the Dantian..."
Ning Fan wiped away the black blood flowing from his right eye, suddenly raised his hand, turning the shield treasure shard into a stream of light, and swallowed it into his abdomen.
After communicating with the shard for a long time, Ning Fan had already found out how to use the shard. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
The fragment of the God-Destroying Shield flew into Ning Fan’s Dantian, hovering protectively around Ning Fan’s Spirit. As soon as Ning Fan willed it, the mana in his body immediately poured into the God-Destroying Shield shard without reserve.
At this moment, the power of the God-Destroying Shield fragment was fully activated by Ning Fan!
At this moment, layers of dark red light emerged on Ning Fan’s body. The light became increasingly solid, eventually transforming into a seemingly illusory giant figure, wrapping around his body!
This giant figure was only a hundred zhang tall, wearing an awe-inspiring dark red armor, its body akin to burning flames. Its left hand held a shield, and its right hand held a sword. The sword was extremely illusory, seemingly unusable, while the shield was somewhat solidified...
Within the giant, Ning Fan felt as if he possessed the strongest defense in the world. At this moment, he had this feeling!
It seemed as though no attack could penetrate the giant figure and harm the him within!
Even attacks from an Immortal Emperor couldn’t achieve it!
"Do you want to test the defensive power of the Ancient Kingdom’s God-Destroying Shield?" Dao Barbarian Mountain, who never cared about Ning Fan’s choice, suddenly spoke, revealing a smile.
Without giving Ning Fan a chance to reply, before Ning Fan could answer, he slowly raised his hand, pointing toward Ning Fan.
It was indescribable how profound Dao Barbarian Mountain’s finger was. As his finger moved, the sky instantly transformed into a starry sky, and within the starry sky, there were nine Cultivation Stars that rushed toward Ning Fan!
Each Cultivation Star was an Emperor-rank Cultivation Star. Once they exploded, even an Immortal Emperor would be injured!
The explosion of one Emperor-rank Cultivation Star was enough to slightly injure an Immortal Emperor of the Eternal Sixth Calamity.
If dozens of Celestial Emperor Stars exploded at once, even a peak Immortal Emperor would have to retreat.
The power of Dao Barbarian Mountain’s finger directly conjured up nine Emperor-rank Cultivation Stars. The explosion of nine Emperor-rank Cultivation Stars should be comparable to the full force attack of an Eight Tribulations Celestial Emperor... Dao Barbarian Mountain thought secretly.
He could unleash even stronger attacks, but that would exceed the current defensive power of the God-Destroying Shield... After all, Ning Fan only had one shard, and the defensive power of the God-Destroying Shield was still very limited...
"Collapse!"
With Dao Barbarian Mountain’s one word, the nine stars exploded simultaneously!
Ning Fan had seen exploding Cultivation Stars before, but it was his first time witnessing the explosion of an Emperor-rank Cultivation Star, the scale of which could only be described as world-annihilating.
If it were the old him, even possessing strength comparable to an Immortal Venerable, he would undoubtedly be seriously injured or even killed in such a level of explosion!
Even hiding in the Mysterious Yin World was useless. The power of such an explosion was enough to penetrate through thousands of realms, injuring the cultivators within the Yin Yang Locket!
However, at this moment, Ning Fan activated the power of the God-Destroying Shield fragment. With the giant’s shadow blocking outside, even in the face of the collapse of nine Celestial Emperor Stars, he felt no sense of crisis.
The giant raised the shield in its hand, its expression indifferent and ruthless, treating the explosion of the nine stars as if it were nonexistent. As the divine light scattered, the world-destroying explosion storm was completely blocked a thousand zhang away from the giant, and within those thousand zhang, it was like a vacuum, no attack could blast in!
Even the explosion of nine Emperor-rank Cultivation Stars could not penetrate the defense of the giant’s shadow, nor could it harm Ning Fan inside the giant in the slightest!
This was the terrifying defense of the God-Destroying Shield fragment!
A Heaven-Opening-grade magical treasure, the Ancient Kingdom’s God-Destroying Shield! Even with just one fragment, even though Ning Fan’s own strength only rivaled that of an Immortal Venerable, with this fragment, he could withstand a full-force strike from an Eight Tribulations Celestial Emperor without losing a single hair!
"This fragment is the sixth piece of the Ancient Kingdom’s God-Destroying Shield. On the Primordial Opening of Heaven List, not even the life treasures of some Immortal Emperors can enter the top one hundred, yet this treasure ranks nineteenth... When the treasure was complete, many Immortal Emperors coveted this shield, but none could defeat me and take it.
At my peak, my cultivation was at the Desolate Saint Rank, far less powerful than a Fourth Step Immortal Emperor, yet I didn’t fear those Immortal Emperors, relying solely on the nearly invincible defensive power of this shield. Unfortunately, I was tricked by a Primeval Immortal Emperor, and in that battle, the shield shattered into six pieces...
The six pieces scattered across the world, among them, the fourth fragment had the highest sentience and reincarnated as a human... The first and second fragments were taken by the Primeval Immortal Emperor... The fifth fragment was taken back by the Hunkun Holy Sect, but has since gone missing, and the third fragment is lost within the Six Paths of Reincarnation, unable to be found...
The fragment in my hand is the sixth fragment. Because you were able to make this fragment voluntarily recognize you as its master, I am telling you so much. Otherwise, I would not have said more. I am already dead but do not want the supreme treasure to be sullied by dust. You have a destiny with this treasure, having made it voluntarily recognize you; do not disappoint its fame. With this treasure for protection, even a Nine Tribulations Immortal Emperor cannot harm you!
Of course, if you can find the other fragments and fuse them with the sixth fragment, its defensive power will be even stronger. If you can collect all the fragments, this treasure will be a true Heaven-Opening Treasure, and even a Fourth Step Immortal Emperor will go mad for it! You are very lucky to have the aura of the fourth fragment and to have received the acknowledgement of the sixth fragment!"
Ning Fan’s eyes shook, and a tumultuous wave surged within his heart.
Who would have thought that the Ancient Kingdom’s God-Destroying Shield was such a treasure that even a Fourth Step Immortal Emperor would covet it!
On the Primordial Opening of Heaven List, this treasure ranks nineteenth... Just one fragment is enough to disregard the attacks of Immortal Emperors below the Nine Tribulations. Dao Barbarian Mountain once relied on this shield, possessing Desolate Saint cultivation, to be unafraid of the Fourth Step!
Choosing this item, he immediately gains the heavenly defensive power impervious to harm below the Nine Tribulations, and if fortune favors him, finding other fragments can only make the power of the God-Destroying Shield grow stronger...
Even more surprising to Ning Fan was that after the God-Destroying Shield fragment entered his Dantian, even the Yin Yang Locket feared the fragment. A touch of immortal power continuously seeped from the fragment, merging into Ning Fan’s bloodstream, altering his demon bloodline, causing Ning Fan’s blood to slowly gain undead properties...
He was actually forming an undead physique bit by bit, with demon blood of the Undying Devil Vein gradually birthing within him!
Throughout eons, the Immortal Emperor was the first possessor of an undead physique, Si Ming was the second. Could Ning Fan... be the third!
Choosing this treasure was definitely worthwhile!
"You have obtained the sixth fragment, plainly marking you as the true heir of the Dao Man lineage. By my command as Dao Barbarian Mountain, no one is permitted to lay hands on you within the Ancient Barbarian Tomb! I myself shall protect you through your Eighth Calamity, and even your Ninth Calamity!"
"Come, old man will accompany you to the seventh floor to meet Xi Zihua! I do not believe that a mere Fourth Generation Barbarian God would dare defy my commands!"
"However, before that, you must still pass the second and third stages of Dao Man. I have no more shards, but I do have other items at hand, which I can bestow upon you, allowing you to make a choice from them..."
Dao Barbarian Mountain waved his wide sleeve, and the entire world suddenly changed.
In the next instant, he directly brought Ning Fan to the fifth level of the Ancient Barbarian Tomb.
"The Second Stage of Dao Man begins! With the protection of the God-Destroying Shield fragment, passing this stage should not be difficult for you," Dao Barbarian Mountain said with certainty. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to support it by voting for recommendations and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)
