Grasping the Evil-Chapter 940: Ascending the God Platform, Shocking All Directions
Mountains have souls, if the soul scatters, it becomes a barren mountain where not a blade of grass grows.
Seas have souls, if the soul scatters, it becomes a dead sea where no fish or dragon survives.
The God-Extinguishing Shield also has a soul, but that soul scattered when the shield shattered in those years.
The soul is in hand, at the edge of the palm... At this moment, the soul of the shield is here, within reach.
"Soul... my soul... longing..."
"Soul... return... soul... return..."
The fragment of the God-Extinguishing Shield within Ning Fan transmitted a longing soul sound, suddenly transforming into a stream of light, autonomously flying out of Ning Fan’s body, heading toward that wisp of shield soul.
As if after millions of years apart, they finally reunite at this moment.
The two merge slowly at the edge of the broken palm, in the endless darkness, becoming one again. This process of merging is tranquil and silent, but Ning Fan can distinctly feel the sixth fragment, now fused with the shield soul, is different from before.
The previous sixth fragment, although possessing supreme power, carried a lifeless aura.
But at this moment, the God-Extinguishing Shield has a soul, its divine light no longer dim, gaining a touch of spirituality.
For a long time, the soul fusion completes.
The sixth fragment no longer emits any soul sound, but slowly flies back to Ning Fan, circling around him like a joyful child.
Though it does not speak, Ning Fan can discern a sense of gratitude from its actions.
The shield also has emotions, it is grateful to Ning Fan for helping it reclaim its soul, allowing it to become complete little by little.
Ning Fan smiles faintly, opens his mouth to swallow the sixth fragment back into his body, storing it in his Dantian. He likes creatures that understand gratitude, even if the other party is merely a shield...
And he faintly feels that the sixth fragment, now fused with the shield soul, has undergone some sort of qualitative change, possessing some sort of ability that is not yet clear.
"Not bad, you haven’t disappointed this old man, you indeed walked out of the seal of the broken palm, you are quite remarkable!"
As the voice of Dao Man Mountain sounded, the surrounding darkness completely disappeared, the scene of the fifth layer of the Ancient Barbarian Tomb gradually unveiled before Ning Fan’s eyes.
Also appearing was the heavenly ladder leading to the sixth layer, along with countless silver boxes floating in the air.
There weren’t many silver boxes, only forty-two, all with lids open, clearly showing the contents inside.
Inside the boxes, not the relics of saints that appeared on the fourth layer, but all are wooden tokens similar to soul plates, yet different from soul plates...
Among these forty-two wooden tokens, twenty-nine are already split in half, leaving only thirteen intact.
These wooden tokens, could they be the reward for passing the second stage of Dao Man...
Logically, the reward for the second stage of Dao Man should be more precious than the first stage... Could these wooden tokens be more precious than treasures such as the Heaven-Opening Ganoderma...
"Come, come here, this old man will introduce you to these [Mount Daoman Soul Command]..."
Hearing this, Ning Fan followed Dao Man Mountain to ascend the altar, suppressing his inner doubts, listening to Dao Man Mountain’s introduction.
Upon listening, he couldn’t help but be greatly shocked.
The so-called Dao Man Soul Commands are special tokens, only understood by successive generations of Barbarian Gods.
Each soul command seals the soul of a great Master and carries a special curse.
Possessing the corresponding soul command, one can easily control that person’s life and death, making them submit as slaves.
In short, the reward for the second stage of Dao Man is not a dead object but a living slave.
This old man, during his lifetime, waged wars across the heavens, subduing forty-two saint servants, planting soul commands. Since this old man passed away, many years have passed, and those saint servants, twenty-nine have died, with only thirteen remaining, residing in the Ancient Barbarian Realm, awaiting the return of the true descendant of Dao Man..."
"Their soul commands are here, you have passed the second stage of Dao Man, this old man shall gift you a saint servant."
Ning Fan could not help but be astonished that passing the second stage of Dao Man could reward a saint servant... To have a Third-Step Saint as a servant, this scale is truly grand.
The four heavens and nine worlds do not even have a single saint; neither the Ancient Chaos nor the Undying could step into the Saint Realm.
And Ning Fan, today, hopes to gain a saint servant... how could he not be shocked!
"But you needn’t be too happy too soon, if this old man is not mistaken, you should not be a cultivator from the Dust Realm, nor from the Nether Dust Realm, much less from the Ancient Holy Sect... is this not so?" Dao Man Mountain’s gaze slightly narrowed, as if easily seeing through all of Ning Fan’s secrets.
"Dust Realm... Nether Dust Realm... Ancient Holy Sect..." Ning Fan had a trace of confusion in his eyes; he knew absolutely nothing about these terms.
"Don’t know? Indeed, this old man was not mistaken, you are a Master from the Dreamland Realm. It’s just unknown which Immortal Emperor’s dream you belong to, and which dream world you reside in..."
Dao Man Mountain sighed slightly; in the era he was alive, the Purple Dou Immortal Emperor had not yet comprehended the Dao, so he was not familiar with the breath of Purple Dou Immortal Emperor’s dream realm, unable to see through Ning Fan’s location.
"What is the Dreamland Realm? From Senior’s tone, it seems there are many Dreamland Realms, not just one?" Ning Fan’s eyes flashed with a brilliant light.
He had heard the term Dreamland Realm from the mouths of many old monsters, and they often referred to his world as the Dreamland Realm.
What the Dreamland Realm is, Ning Fan did not know, but today he seemed to be able to get an answer from Dao Man Mountain.
"You are a Master from the Dreamland Realm, it’s not surprising you don’t know what the Dreamland Realm is. In this universe, many worlds exist, only three are true: one is the Dust Realm, a place of reincarnation for Taicang Calamity Spirits; two is the Nether Dust Realm, a place of reincarnation for Nether Dust cultivators; three is where the Ancient Holy Sect resides amidst the heavens... Apart from these three true worlds, all other worlds are unreal, worlds formed in the dreams of Fourth-Step Masters..."
"Dreamland Realms are not truly existent worlds, if the cultivators within it are outsiders it’s fine, but if they are native cultivators, then they are not real people, just illusions, phantoms in the dreams of Fourth-Step Masters..."
"An Immortal Emperor in a lifetime can create countless Dreamland Realms... Beyond the three true realms, there are countless Dreamland Realms..."
"Illusory people can never cultivate to the Perfect Realm, nor can they ever break through the Third Step... Of course, there are exceptions..."
At this point, Dao Man Mountain seemed to recall some past event, his expression momentarily indescribably melancholic.
Meanwhile, Ning Fan, within his heart, was swept by turbulent waves, as of today, he finally touched upon the greatest secret of the four heavens and nine worlds.
The reason the four heavens and nine worlds are called the Dreamland Realm is that it is a world created by the dream of a Fourth-Step Master!
All indigenous creatures within it are illusions, phantoms in the dream of a Fourth-Step Immortal Emperor, not truly existing!
Phantoms... just phantoms!
We Four Heavens and Nine Worlds cultivators are actually just illusions in someone else’s dream... Is this true! How is this possible!
This kind of ancient secret is truly hard to believe!
Ning Fan never thought that he would be an illusory entity, a phantom in the dream of some Fourth-Step powerhouse...
The roads he walked, the Dao he cultivated, the people he loved, everything and all of it, was it all fake...
Everything and everything, it was just... a dream...
Since he embarked on the path of cultivation, his spirit sense has rarely wavered, but at this moment, his spirit sense had a slight tremble.
Any Master, suddenly hearing that they are just an illusory existence, would be shaken, and even Ning Fan could not be exempt.
But soon, Ning Fan steadied his spirit sense, once again showing a calm expression.
He did not doubt the truth of Dao Man Mountain’s words, but he also wouldn’t completely believe them.
And even if he truly was a mere false image in the Dreamland Realm, so what!
Even if the whole world was just a dream of a Fourth Step cultivator, what of it!
Whether true or false, he had cultivated for many years, seeking truth in that one word, but ironically, the more he contemplated truth and illusion, the more elusive they became.
The clearer he perceived, the more confused he felt, the more bewildered he became.
In this world, what is truly real, what is truly false?
Is a dream false, or perhaps the dreamer is the false one? Who is the dream? Who is the reality? It cannot be precisely determined...
On the water, who is whose reflection? It cannot be precisely determined...
Between life and death, which side is truly living? It cannot be precisely determined...
What is true, what is false... it cannot be precisely determined...
Ning Fan only knew that the emotions he experienced were true! The gratitude he received was true! The warmth he felt was true!
If he believed it was true, then it was true! Truth and illusion are only a thought apart!
He was a cultivator, a seeker of truth, and would not let a single sentence from others waver his heart forever!
"Senior, are you saying that I originate from the dreamland realm of some Fourth Step Immortal Emperor? That place is merely a dream? And I do not truly exist..." Ning Fan took a deep breath, his tone completely calm.
If all of this were true, then the Fourth Step cultivator who created the four heavens and nine worlds in a dream was likely the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign...
If all of this were true, the reason for the lack of a saint in the four heavens might be because all beings are illusory... How could a person of illusion achieve perfection... yet Dao Man Mountain also mentioned exceptions...
Will I, in this life, never reach the perfect realm... or could I be one of those exceptions...
Ning Fan shook his head, pressing down such unrealistic thoughts.
Becoming a saint was still very distant for him, and he need not worry about these issues now.
Dao Man Mountain squinted slightly, looking at Ning Fan with deep meaning, and said, "Your state of mind is not bad. Many cultivators of the Dreamland Realm become shaken in their Dao hearts upon learning they are illusory, some even collapse in their Dao, go mad, and become self-destructive... but you, you do not seem to care about the reality or falseness of your own existence... in fact, whether true or false, is it truly significant for us cultivators to understand..."
"Hehe, you don’t need to underestimate yourself. You came from the Dreamland Realm, and this much, I didn’t perceive wrongly. Because in your soul, there is no ’Breath of the True Realm’... you were created by the dream of an Immortal Emperor, but who says those dream-created beings aren’t real? Must only those born from the union of yin and yang be considered real? As long as we cultivators attain high levels, even a lump of clay can be given life, and if it is said to be a person, then it is a person! Whether true or false, what’s truly important is how you perceive truth and falsehood..."
"Let’s end the discussion about the Dreamland Realm. I don’t care which Dreamland Realm you come from. I only have a certain trouble that gives me a headache... The saintly footman I sent to protect you, unfortunately, all are in the Ancient Barbarian Realm, located in the ’Dust Realm’s Cold Mountain Domain’... and where you are, there seems to be some exceptionally powerful force blocking access, preventing connection with the True Realm... by staying in the Dreamland Realm, you can’t use the Soul Command, you can’t summon the saintly servant I sent to you, unless you can leave this Dreamland Realm and come to the True Realm..."
Dao Man Mountain looked wistfully at countless silver boxes.
The Dao Man Soul Commands he left behind, still have thirteen of them, among these thirteen Soul Commands, nine are Initial Saint Soul Commands, and three are Nirvana Saint Soul Commands.
And one of them is a soul command of a strong figure who is a half-step Desolate Saint!
If Ning Fan could leave the Dreamland Realm and enter the True Realm with the Soul Command he had given, he could easily summon a saintly footman to serve him as master.
Alas... the Dreamland Realm Ning Fan is in has too strong a blocking force, it’s unsure which successor Immortal Emperor created it. Without permission from that Immortal Emperor, even some Fourth Step cultivators cannot forcibly enter this realm... naturally, his saintly footmen are also unable to enter.
After his death, it seems such a formidable Immortal Emperor emerged in later generations... truly terrifying...
He wished to send Ning Fan a saintly footman, but alas, these Soul Commands appear to be of no use unless Ning Fan can walk out of that Dreamland Realm...
Enough, let me first introduce this boy to these Soul Commands...
"This Soul Command, seals the soul of the Initial Saint of the Mole Cricket Clan — Saint Taibai..."
"This Soul Command, seals the life soul of the Han Sect’s Nirvana Saint — Heaven-Sealing Sect Master..."
"This Soul Command..."
The origins of each Soul Command were narrated by Dao Man Mountain. Ning Fan’s expression changed from initial shock to a bitter smile. The reward from the second stage was indeed quite generous.
A Saint Level footman, isn’t that generous enough? If he could take one away, in the four heavens and nine worlds, he could reign supreme, and even the ten great secret clans would have to step aside...
Unfortunately, he was in the four heavens and nine worlds and couldn’t escape this realm, and even if he selected one from these Soul Commands, he couldn’t summon those saints as footmen... These tokens were practically useless unless Ning Fan could walk out of the four heavens and nine worlds to the three great realms where the Ancient Barbarian Realm is located...
If he could exchange, Ning Fan would rather swap this Saint’s Soul Command for the Eight Tribulations Puppet in the first stage reward; even if its durability wasn’t enough, it could be used immediately...
"The last Soul Command, seals a life soul of a half-step Desolate Saint... named Landao Feng, the sect master of the Four Saints Sect..."
Ning Fan listened expressionlessly to Dao Man Mountain’s introduction.
A half-step Desolate Saint’s Soul Command sounded grand, but unfortunately, if one couldn’t leave the Dreamland Realm, it was of no use.
"Can I exchange the second stage reward for something from the first stage..." Ning Fan asked with a bitter smile.
"No. I am not truly Dao Man Mountain, but the shadow of mountains and seas left behind after Dao Man Mountain’s death. While I have inherited some of Dao Man Mountain’s memories and emotions, I cannot change the established rules before Dao Man Mountain’s death. In each stage, you may only obtain one reward, and I cannot give you other things, nor can I alter the pre-determined rewards..." Dao Man Mountain shook his head and said.
"Enough, if that is the case, I will choose this half-step Desolate Saint’s Soul Command. Landao Feng, is it... I never thought that before reaching the third step, I would have a half-step Desolate Saint as a saintly footman... that should be enough."
In the end, Ning Fan chose the Soul Command of Landao Feng and casually put it away.
The Soul Command did not satisfy him as a reward, but fortunately, in the second stage, he found the soul of the God-Extinguishing Shield, so it wasn’t a total loss.
Dao Man Mountain looked at Ning Fan with a peculiar gaze, as if he couldn’t keep up with the thoughts of the young man in front of him.
The Third Step Saints are transcendent existences and rarely serve others. Even Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign only had four hundred saintly subordinates under his command. These four hundred saints enjoy great freedom and can choose to follow orders at their discretion, and there’s seldom any trace of them unless something significant occurs.
Dao Man Mountain, in his lifetime, possessed the cultivation at the peak level of Desolate Saint, and could even contend with the Fourth Step using the God-Extinguishing Shield, yet in his life, he only subdued 42 saintly servants.
Acquiring a half-step Desolate Saint as a servant from nothing would be enough to make any old monster below the Fourth Step in the True Realms envious. Yet Ning Fan was willing to exchange the Soul Command for a mere Eight Tribulations Immortal Emperor puppet... If Landao Feng himself knew, it would make him spit blood with rage to realize that Ning Fan esteemed him less than an Eight Tribulations Puppet...
"The second stage is over, now to the third stage. It won’t take too much time. For you, the third stage is the easiest...this is all premised on recovering the Shield Soul. In the second stage, you made a wise decision by choosing to walk out of the severed hand and retrieve the Shield Soul."
"The third stage is called the Ascension Platform..."
Dao Man Mountain spoke with implication, leading Ning Fan into the sixth level of the Ancient Barbarian Tomb.
With a flick of Dao Man Mountain’s fingers, an old platform’s phantasm appeared in the heavens and gradually solidified.
The platform stretched upward in a winding path, on both sides, giant, ancient barbarian effigies knelt like lofty mountains.
At the end of the platform was a grand and majestic altar, and atop the altar stood an ancient stele!
Upon the ancient stele, there were nine names inscribed in Barbarian Script!
Though Ning Fan was not a master of the Barbarian Script, having spent years in the Barbarian Wilderness Ancient Domain, he could recognize some of it.
The first of those nine names was indeed Dao Man Mountain!
The fourth name was Xi Zihua!
The seventh name was Tagu!
The ninth name was Yin Mo! 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
The tenth name is still vacant...
"This is the Ascension Platform of our Dao Man Clan. Climbing this platform makes one a Barbarian God of our clan. You can carve your name on the Dao Man Monument!"
Ascending this platform makes one a Barbarian God!
Becoming a Barbarian God is the reward for passing the third stage of Dao Man!
Of course, not every Barbarian God has undergone all three stages of Dao Man, and the Ascension Platform does not only appear in the third stage.
Most other Barbarian Gods must undergo thousands of Barbarian God trials before they can ascend the divine position.
Only Ning Fan is an exception, an anomaly who fought his way to the third stage of Dao Man, with the hope of ascending in one step, becoming the tenth generation Barbarian God in the history of the Ancient Barbarian Realm!
Ascending this Ascension Platform, Ning Fan would become the supreme existence in the history of the Barbarian Clan!
If Ning Fan becomes a Barbarian God, he would have the authority to command all barbarian cultivators in the Ancient Barbarian Realm, including many Saints!
Ning Fan, not being originally a barbarian cultivator of the Ancient Barbarian Realm, doesn’t fully understand the prestige of a Barbarian God, but he can imagine some of it.
However, he is unwilling to become a Barbarian God of the Barbarian Clan without understanding, as the identity of a Barbarian God represents not only immense power but also the responsibility to revitalize the Barbarian Clan...
Furthermore, it involves great causality; the Barbarian Clan seems to have deep karmic ties with the Calamity Spirit Clan... As Ning Fan’s cultivation grows, he feels more and more fear of these karmic ties.
He accepted a small reward from Yin Mo, and it stained him with causality, nearly causing him to be killed by the Blessing Technique...
If he becomes a Barbarian God, who knows what other causalities he might incur and what troubles might arise...
Ning Fan doesn’t have the leisure to revitalize the Barbarian Clan, nor does he want to become an irresponsible Barbarian God without understanding, and he doesn’t want to get entangled in a heap of causality without reason.
For a long, long time... Ning Fan stared at the Ascension Platform before him, hesitant to take a step forward.
In the end, he sighed softly and inquired of Dao Man Mountain, "What if I give up on the third stage..."
He expressed an unwillingness to become a Barbarian God!
Dao Man Mountain looked at Ning Fan with extreme surprise, seemingly not expecting him to ask such a question.
In his few memories, every barbarian cultivator seemed to greatly desire to become a Barbarian God and possess supreme power.
With the position of Barbarian God, they could employ the entire resources of the Barbarian Clan for cultivation, command all barbarian cultivators in battle, and even leverage the fortune of the entire Barbarian Clan to increase their chances of breaking through to the Third Step... Whether people lust for power or for refinement, no one rejects the position of Barbarian God...
Yet Ning Fan refused...
After a slight surprise, Dao Man Mountain quickly understood the initial intention behind Ning Fan’s refusal of the Barbarian God position, and instead developed more fondness for him.
Though this child’s cultivation is not high, he can disregard the temptation of the Barbarian God position. There is prudence in his reluctance to entangle in causality, but more importantly, there is a sense of responsibility!
Compared to power and profit, he seems even more unwilling to easily bear responsibility...
This shows that he is a responsible person, who will fulfill promises if made, and return favors if received!
If this child becomes a Barbarian God, he certainly wouldn’t sit idly by regarding the rise and fall of the Barbarian Clan. Since the Fourth Generation, the Barbarian Gods of the clan have been worse with each passing generation; perhaps the revitalization could start with the Tenth Generation...
Ning Fan’s refusal actually made Dao Man Mountain more eager for him to become a Barbarian God.
Though the consequences after death have nothing to do with him, it’s still a good thing for him to see the clan he established prosper...
"Reincarnation is a power that allows one to see the past and future. Although I am merely a Shanhai Shadow, I can still see some of your past... It seems you want to help a place’s barbarians regain their qualifications for reincarnation and cultivation..." Dao Man Mountain looked profoundly into Ning Fan as if seeing some memories related to Zhao Die’er and millions of barbarians.
"You have a seed within you, containing a trace of the will of a Fourth Step cultivator from the Dust Realm... This seed should help you achieve this, but with your current power, you are far from being able to wield the seed or the Fourth Step will... I have a way to help you use this seed, provided that you obtain the identity of the Tenth Generation Barbarian God and truly awaken the God-Extinguishing Shield’s [Power of Slaughter and Punishment]."
"If you don’t want to become a Barbarian God, I’m also willing to forge a positive connection with you, teaching you another method to use the seed, but this method requires you to possess Saint-level strength at the very least..."
"Whether or not to become a Barbarian God is entirely your decision. I won’t force you, and even if you give up on the third stage, there will be no punishment. Our Dao Man Clan doesn’t need a reluctant Barbarian God... I hope that you become a Barbarian God, but more so, I hope it’s out of your own will."
Ascending the platform and becoming a Barbarian God, you can grant Zhao Die’er and others the qualifications for reincarnation and cultivation...
If not becoming a Barbarian God, one must become a Saint to help Zhao Die’er...
How long is Zhao Die’er’s lifespan? Living for several hundred years is perhaps her limit, but within those years, I cannot become a Saint...
Ning Fan slightly closed his eyes, memories of moments with Zhao Die’er surfaced in his mind.
"Uncle, make a snowman for Die’er, when Die’er grows up, I want to marry Uncle, so he can make me snowmen every day!"
"Uncle, why does everyone have work to do and you’re so idle. Mother said this behavior is called being lazy, girls shouldn’t marry lazy men..."
"Uncle’s gaze is just like mother’s, surely uncle is thinking about someone he misses..."
"When I grow up, Uncle, why don’t I accompany you back home? I want to see the snowing Barbarian City, what it’s like through the four seasons..."
Zhao Die’er was someone he watched over and raised, their connection was purely a genuine teacher-student relationship, simply the care of a senior for a junior without any romantic feelings.
But that care resembles a bond that he can’t abandon.
He sees Zhao Die’er almost like a child of his own; to watch her age and die... he can’t do it...
In his mind, millions of barbarians kneeling and pleading rose before him, and the intense image lingers unshakeable...
Enough is enough; becoming a Barbarian God is obviously a great fortune, why does he act like it’s a grievance, hesitating and unwilling...
Becoming the Young Si Fan, overcoming the Eighth Tribulation, obtaining the God-Extinguishing Shield... the path has interwoven his life deeply with the Barbarian Clan; why fear one more karmic bond...
I, Ning Fan, today will step onto this Ascension Platform, becoming the supreme deity of the Ancient Barbarian Realm. What’s stopping me!
If Tagu can sit there, if Yin Mo can sit there, why wouldn’t Ning Fan sit there!
Ning Fan’s gaze was resolute as he took his first step toward the Ascension Platform.
At the moment he took this step, all heaven and earth seemed to tremble.
In the next instant, a phantasmagoric shadow of a barbarian figure appeared in the sky of the sixth layer of the Ancient Barbarian Tomb, holding a shield in the left hand and a sword in the right. The shield resembled the God-Extinguishing Shield. The sword also pointed fiercely at the heavens with an indescribable defiance!
The appearance of the figure was unclear, yet an unspeakable oppression exuded, enough to shake the heart of any cultivator yet to step into the Third Step!
Around the figure, countless smaller barbarian figures appeared, bowing toward the sword-wielding figure!
War! War! War!
Please, Barbarian God... strike with your sword against the heavens!
Voices from ancient times reverberated through the air like a thousand strong army on the charge, surging forth.
Once these phenomena and voices appeared, they continuously projected and spread outward.
Outside the Ancient Barbarian Tomb, in the Bronze Tower Space, the phantasmagoric shadow stood, shield in hand, sword pointing to the heavens, numerous kneeling shadows, filled with their voices of entreaty!
Miaoyan was startled by the extraordinary sight and stepped out of her cave dwelling, not grasping what this phenomenon represented.
Her confusion didn’t mean the Eye Orb Monster didn’t understand.
It has been seventeen days since the last spiritual exchange with Ning Fan. The Eye Orb Monster was initially worried about Ning Fan’s safety, fearing he wouldn’t survive the Eighth Calamity. But upon noticing the anomaly in the sky, he was stunned beyond belief.
All those worries were instantly replaced by shock.
If he wasn’t mistaken, this anomaly was clearly the shadow of the Barbarian God Battle Sky... Could it be that since Yin Mo, the Barbarian Clan now has a Tenth Generation Barbarian God being born...
Battle! Battle! Battle!
Invite the Barbarian God... to wield the sword against the sky!
This anomaly is undoubtedly related to Ning Fan, that bothersome kid. Is the forthcoming Tenth Generation Barbarian God actually that bothersome kid!
The anomaly continued to project outward, and outside the Copper Tower Space, the Palatial Void also manifested the Barbarian God Battle Sky anomaly!
Outside the Palatial Void, the Ninefold Celestial Towers likewise showed the Barbarian God Battle Sky anomaly!
In fact, ever since Ning Fan shattered the stone door of the Eighth Layer, the entire Ninefold Celestial Towers underwent a transformation.
With the stone door shattered, all the palaces in the Ninefold Celestial Towers quickly lost their oppressive aura. Those cultivators who previously lacked sufficient cultivation and could not ascend to the higher layer began to gather towards the Ninth Layer without any hindrance.
The forbidden force in this place weakened significantly, even the Shekong Cultivators could barely manage to fly, though not too rapidly.
The Immortal Venerable Ancient Corpses that lurked on the higher layers could not be found anymore, ceasing to obstruct the passing Masters, further reducing the difficulty of reaching the peak.
"Haha! I never expected that with my Peak of Shekong cultivation, I could ascend to the Ninth Layer and contend for this Ancient Passage!" exclaimed a towering man from the demon race, who excitedly rushed to the Eighth Layer, transforming into a wisp of gray smoke, speeding towards the Ninth Layer with impressive Divine Skills.
"The Ancient Passage will surely be claimed by us Humans! Above the Ninth Layer, there is bound to be a battle against the demon race. Fellow Daoists, please be cautious!" warned an old Human with Fragmented Thought Cultivation, accompanied by several Shekong Cultivators, forming a small team cautiously advancing towards the Ninth Layer.
"Hehe, I’m just here to fish in troubled waters. I wonder if I can snatch some benefits upon reaching the Ninth Layer. On my way, I picked up a five-million-year-old basil grass..." Like Demon Yuanzi, many others aimed to seize opportunities in the Ninefold Celestial Towers, all excitedly rushing to the Ninth Layer.
Nearly a hundred strong individuals from the Human and demon races had successively arrived at the Ninth Layer of Tianque, with more Cultivators still heading to this place.
A newly appeared barrier in the Ninth Layer isolated everyone within the range of the first palace, preventing entry to higher palaces.
That barrier was extremely strong, radiating seven-colored light like a rainbow, with a power that halted even Immortal Kings.
Thankfully, every quarter-hour, the seven-colored barrier would fade somewhat, lessening its power significantly, implying it could not persist long.
Soon it shall dissipate!
Once the barrier dissolves, the group of Cultivators can still reach the top of the Ninth Layer!
Liuhe Immortal Lord, Ao Xuan, and several Fan Clan Barbarian Ancestors were outside the barrier, vigilant of each other, engaged in a standoff. They could not enter the barrier and reach the top, waiting for the barrier to vanish on its own.
Among the Fan Clan’s Barbarian Ancestors, one of the seven ancestors was missing; the Seventh Ancestor was not outside the barrier.
On the Human side, Miaoyan and Ning Fan were absent, while on the demon side, the Poison Dragon Ancestor had fallen...
"Hmph! Liuhe! You don’t intend to fight me before the barrier disappears, do you? Don’t forget, I have the Brahmic Demon Mace at hand, last time you were almost eliminated by this mace! Are you ready to suffer again?"
Ao Xuan wielded the Brahmic Demon Mace, scoffing at Liuhe Immortal Lord, while cautiously observing several Fan Clan Barbarian Ancestors.
The demon race and these Barbarian Ancestors were supposed allies, but Ao Xuan had long seen through the Barbarian Ancestors’ ulterior motives for the Ancient Passage. The alliance was not solid.
Though Ao Xuan didn’t fear Liuhe, he also didn’t want to fight Liuhe before the barrier opened, providing an opportunity for these Barbarian Ancestors.
"Hmph! You have the Brahmic Demon Mace, but do you think I fear you? Don’t forget, we Humans have Daoist Zhao on our side!"
Mentioning Ning Fan, Liuhe Immortal Lord gained confidence and returned Ao Xuan’s cold smile.
Upon hearing Zhao Jian’s name, whether it was Ao Xuan or the several Fan Clan Barbarian Ancestors, their expressions changed, clearly remembering Ning Fan’s terrifying Divine Skills that slaughtered countless Immortal Venerable Ancient Corpses, their foreheads sweating profusely...
An attack comparable to a Saint’s Strike... Killing hundreds or thousands of Immortal Venerables with one sword!
Zhao Jian might not be a Saint, but he isn’t far off!
Liuhe is negligible, but Zhao Jian, they absolutely cannot provoke... Unexpectedly, the Humans possess such combat power in this Ancient Passage contention... Despicable, truly despicable, haven’t they forgotten that in the previous Ancient Passage, it was caused by the premature intervention of Immortal Emperor-level experts, leading to the passage’s collapse!
The older the secret land, the less it can withstand toying by Immortal Emperor-level beings!
The Humans were wise, not sending an Immortal Emperor directly but deploying Zhao Jian with terrifying combat abilities, more formidable than an Immortal Emperor... If the passage collapses again, it would be a massive loss for both Humans and demons... Despicable Humans, don’t you understand the concept of ’too much is as bad as too little’! Ao Xuan cursed internally without cease.
What puzzled Ao Xuan was that, logically, Zhao Jian should have already taken Miaoyan to the Ninth Layer.
Where did those two go? Why aren’t they here, could they have entered inside the barrier? Hmph, Humans have certainly beaten the demon race to it! It seems this time, challenging the Humans for the Ancient Passage won’t be easy...
Where’s the Seventh Ancestor... could he have entered inside the barrier too? The other Barbarian Ancestors also guessed silently.
As the heroes stood off against each other, suddenly, the sky above the Ninth Layer displayed the Barbarian God Battle Sky anomaly.
Battle! Battle! Battle!
Invite the Barbarian God... to wield the sword against the sky!
The roar contained a reverse notion, too overwhelming, causing every Cultivator in this place to experience heart palpitations and an uncontrollable tremor.
Liuhe, Ao Xuan, and the other Cultivators didn’t comprehend the anomaly’s meaning, only stunned by its extraordinary might.
Only a few Fan Clan Barbarian Ancestors understood its significance, showing shocked expressions, eyes ablaze, their breathing gradually becoming rapid.
It turns out to be the shadow of the Barbarian God Battle Sky!
This anomaly appears only upon the birth of a Barbarian God!
Barbarian God... It is indeed a Barbarian God! The Ancient Barbarian Realm has spawned another Barbarian God!
Once someone becomes a Barbarian God, even if they are merely a junior at the Vein Opening stage, they can command the Barbarian Cultivators of the Ancient Barbarian Realm and easily eliminate any third-step Cultivation clans!
Becoming a Barbarian God grants ownership over the Cultivation resources of the Ancient Barbarian Realm, and they can cultivate using the Barbarian race’s good fortune!
Even the third-step Saints need to fear the enormous forces backing the Barbarian God!
Even the third-step Saints yearn for the Barbarian Clan’s good fortune!
Who is the lucky one destined to succeed as Barbarian God! It really makes one envious!
Every Barbarian Cultivator fantasizes about becoming a Barbarian God, just like every mortal dreams of becoming an Emperor...
The several Fan Clan Barbarian Ancestors were full of envy and jealousy, longing to find and replace the soon-to-be Barbarian God.
Unfortunately, they didn’t know the upcoming Barbarian God was Ning Fan. If they did, who knows what remarkable expressions they would display.
...
At the top of the Ninth Layer, under the gray moon’s illumination, countless stone statues towered.
The Seventh Ancestor was currently half-kneeling before the Yin Mo Statue’s throne, pleading earnestly for something...
The Yin Mo Statue looked down at the Seventh Ancestor indifferently, as if examining a humble ant.
"Speak, Seventh Generation Barbarian Ancestor of the Fan Family, you abandoned your second Primordial Spirit, aiding my escape. What is your motive?" (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian [qidian.com] to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please use m.qidian.com for reading.)
