Grasping Evil

Ning Fan went into seclusion for seven days in the Han Yi Sect before Jie Xiu received an order from the nation.

This order was immediately spread across each and every cultivation cities of Great Jin via ten thousand li sound transmission stones.

There were two news, one good and one bad, both of them shook the people to the core!

The good news was… The Revered Snow of the Rain Palace had personally come to Great Jin to take command of the country's forces!

The bad news was… Revered Snow went into the center of the demon tide -- The Dragon Vision Pond, and came out with an injury a few days ago!

The culprit was… A Divine Transformation Realm Demon General!

Many old monsters had guessed that the rise of the demon tide may have been linked to the Demon General's 'awakening' and many of them panicked when they found out that there really was a Divine Transformation Realm Demon General.

There really was a Divine Transformation Realm Demon General in the center of the demon tide and it will not end until this demon perishes… And this demon was even able to injure Revered Snow. Could it be that his abilities were much stronger than Revered Snow?!

Both hope and dejection spread across Great Jin. With Revered Snow wounded, the demon tide launched a counterattack causing three big cultivation cities to fall, giving rise to a casualty of almost a million Jin cultivators…

"Revered Snow and the Ruler of Jin orders all the commanders to immediately depart for the Dragon Vision Pond to assist the frontlines!"

Jie Xiu was extremely shocked after he had received the order. With the impending crisis that was looming on Great Jin, he wished he could rush towards the Northwest part of Jin to protect his country.

But he did not leave immediately and patiently waited for Ning Fan to go out from his seclusion.

"Notifying Sect Leader, Old Ancestor Zhou Ming informed us before he went into seclusion that if you came for him, we should notify you that he's refining a piece of spirit equipment that'll be useful for the subjugation of demons. I hope Sect Leader will wait…" A Han Yi Sect disciple that was working in the inn said respectfully.

"Refining spirit equipment? Could it be that item…"

Jie Xiu's blind eyes were without any reaction but his facial muscles moved a little.

A piece of spirit equipment that even Zhou Ming needed a few days to refine, could it be… the Wind Lightning Wings that was given by the Ruler of Jin?!

Profound Earth Spirit Equipment, Wind Lightning Wings… Even the king tried three times to take control of that spirit equipment and all ended in failure.

The king once said that this Profound Earth Spirit Equipment could not be refined into one's body unless they've reached the Divine Transformation Realm… A pair of wings that were made by both Wind and Lightning energies… It is not a feat that could be accomplished by a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator.

The king bestowed this item to Ning Fan as if it was a precious gift. But he never expected in the beginning that Ning Fan can make the spirit equipment recognize him as its master.

Yet Jie Xiu stood at the doorstep and felt a hint of power that was controlling the Wind and Lightning energies through the heavy formation light and the control was getting better and better!

"This person is really refining the Wind Lightning Wings and is on the verge of succeeding in the process of master recognition?! How is this possible?!"

Truthfully, with Ning Fan's Half-Step Gold Core Realm cultivation base, it was impossible for Ning Fan to gain a Profound Earth Spirit Equipment's recognition.

But was there ever a time he lacked the impossible things on his path of Demonic Ways?

"Gaining a Profound Earth Spirit Equipment's recognition must be hard, but there's no such thing as impossible in my dictionary!"

Ning Fan said such words a week ago, right before he started his seclusion with the goal of refining the Wind Lightning Wings!

"…"

Ning Fan had the Wind Lightning Wings placed on his palm, closing his eyes and meditated for three days.

He tried using ice, fire and thunder magical force to imprint his intent on the spirit equipment for three days now, but all had ended in failure… When he tried to imprint a mark, that mark would easily be erased by the spirit equipment.

There must be a spirit existing within the spirit equipment that disdained being controlled by Ning Fan's weak cultivation!

And to have this Profound Earth Spirit Equipment to recognize him as its owner was much harder than he initially thought.

A Profound Earth Spirit Equipment was similar to a Divine Transformation Realm cultivator. There was a domain existing within the spirit equipment and its name was -- Wind Lightning!

Additionally, this spirit equipment gave birth to a hint of spirituality after it entered the Profound Earth grade, making it impossible to wield if the owner was lesser than a Divine Transformation Realm cultivator.

It's not easy to equip the Wind Lightning Wings… It's impossible for the average Nascent Soul cultivator to gain its recognition. Not even the powerful Ruler of Jin could control it. In the past, Suqiu forcefully gained the Profound Jade Spirit Equipment's recognition when she was yet to reach the Nascent Soul Realm, which gave her a hard time using it. She would cause injury on herself every time she used teleportation, this was the price of using forceful means…

But it was difficult to even forcefully refine the Wind Lightning Wings…

Three days worth of attempts all ended in failure yet his expression did not contain any anger or happiness.

He opened both his eyes that showed no sign of dejection in them.

"A Profound Earth Spirit Equipment… is definitely hard to refine. I might have a 10% chance to successfully refine it forcefully if I use all of my cultivation strength with a 90% chance of failure and causing injury to myself… I guess doing it the normal way is impossible. Then… If I can't obtain it directly, I will just seize it by force!"

It was extremely dangerous given Ning Fan's low cultivation realm to forcefully refine it.

But he had an idea on how to successfully gain the Wind Lightning Wings' recognition!

He took out a jade slip that contained the Wei's Founding Ancestor's Spirit Augmentation Technique -- 'Consecration Technique'.

Buddhism's consecration was deep and Ning Fan couldn't even understand it. He did not plan to waste any energy to learn it too.

The Spirit Augmentation Technique was too difficult to learn, but there were several secret techniques from the Consecration Technique that allowed cultivators to gain the spirit equipment's recognition that have a higher realm than them[1].

Self-Sacrificial Technique required one to sacrifice their own blood essence which will increase the chance of success of forcefully gaining the spirit equipment's recognition by 30%! But this technique had the strongest effect on the first time and would be reduced by half on the second time and total failure on the third.

Harming one's own body to attain the Dao, sacrificing one's own self to attain enlightenment… The Buddhist principle was not something Ning Fan wanted to think about, so he only focused on the potential of the technique.

Adding on the Self-Sacrificial Technique, it'll reach around 40%... But this percentage is still too small. If it fails the first time, the second time would be much harder and the third would be impossible…

Gaining the Wind Lightning Wings' recognition was the same as forming the Gold Core that Ning Fan wanted to succeed in the first try!

After giving it thought for some time, he finally activated his demonic force and illusory black wings appeared behind his back.

"My body possesses a shred of Winged Demon blood. Even though the blood is thin, but in the end I am still considered to be a Winged Demon. How could a Winged Demon not possess wings… By using the demonic force on the Wind Lightning Wings, I can probably increase my chance of success by another 10% with my body's affinity with wings… If the Star of the Imperial Lightning is added on top of that…"

He activated the Thunder Star while he was still contemplating, making the lightning energy that resided within the wings appear scared.

"There's an increase of 20% if I add in the Thunder Star… I'm now 70% confident that I will succeed in gaining the Wind Lightning's recognition, and if I add the Yin Yang Locket's 'Power of Absorption', I'll have 90% chance of success … It's enough!"

Thunder Star, Black Wings, Self-Sacrificial Technique and Yin Yang Locket!

Yes, the Ruler of Jin was stronger than Ning Fan in terms of cultivation base. But in terms of methods and techniques, how many are there in the Rain World that could compete with Ning Fan?!

Ning Fan retrieved the jade slip and bit his fingertips, writing Buddhist Sanskrit on the wings using his own blood.

Those Sanskrit formed a secret talisman for the Self-Sacrificial Technique. It was drawn on the spirit equipment as if it was carved upon it, being deeply absorbed into the wings.

The moment the secret talisman was finished, Ning Fan immediately transferred all the magical force that was in his immortal veins into it. Those Sanskrit words immediately changed into living characters that moved in the spirit equipment and finally condensed into a seal!

But that seal immediately shown signs of rejection after Ning Fan poured all his magical force into it as if it was trying to erase the seal.

"Hmmph! A mere lifeless object wasting its effort on resisting!"

Ning Fan's gaze sharpened and his finger covered in electricity touched the spirit equipment. It immediately trembled as if it was wailing, changing into a silver light and entering Ning Fan's back with his magical force conducting it, fusing with the illusory black wings!

The spirit equipment entered his body as extreme pain covered his senses, accompanied by a series of injuries.

That extreme pain lasted for three days which he endured with teeth clenched. He used both the energy of the Yin Yang Locket and his demonic force to try to control it… The pair of wings behind his back gradually became bigger, as silver and black light intertwined for three days.

Finally, it formed into three zhang wings that had a mysterious blend of black and silver colour. When the wings are stationary, lightning would race through it.. When it flaps, a strong gust of wind would follow!

Ning Fan wiped away his sweat, his eyes shining brightly and said with a smile.

"Master recognition, success!"

He retracted the pair of wings, sitting down in a lotus position and meditated while he mustered his magical force to increase the integration rate between his body and the Wind Lightning Wings.

His state of mind gradually became self-composed.

What the Ruler of Jin couldn't achieve, I, Ning Fan, did not necessarily mean I cannot do it!

Cultivation of Dao, the Dao is in the hands of the people!

In the seven days of seclusion, Ning Fan appeared as if there weren't any changes to him at all, with only two extra talismans appearing on his back and which will change into the Wind Lightning Wings with just a single thought.

The hair tie had already become obsolete, and its effect was far weaker than the Falsifying Art. The Ancient Beast Bracer's effect had become mediocre for someone who possesses a Silver Bone physique. The strength increasing effect had become minuscule but he didn't take them off.

Jet-black hair, glabella with a silver star, white robe under a black coat, and wearing a weird black bangle on his left wrist… This was Ning Fan's current appearance.

Seven days later, he exited the door and came out from his seclusion. He then smiled towards Jie Xiu. He had sensed Jiu Xiu waiting for him behind the doors and had an assumption for why Jie Xiu had personally come for him. Something serious must have befallen Jin and he must've come here to escort him towards the northwest frontline cultivation city.

"Fellow Daoist Jie, you don't look so good…?"

"Not just unwell… How could this old Daoist be at peace when there's a big disaster plaguing Jin…"

"Please, do tell me more!"

"This… Old Daoist will certainly elaborate for Fellow Daoist Zhou since you're one of the Seven Commanders of our Great Jin, and this is not a secret matter anyway… However… before that, this Old Daoist has a question, hoping fellow Daoist can answer…"

"Oh? If it's not a secret, this Zhou could probably tell you so feel free to ask, Fellow Daoist."

"May I ask fellow Daoist Zhou… is it true that you've managed to refine the Wind Lightning Wings?!" Jie Xiu's heart was not calm, with his whole body trembling when he uttered the word Wind Lightning Wings.

He couldn't imagine Ning Fan being able to do what the Ruler of Jin couldn't with just a Half-Step Gold Core Realm cultivation.

But all the sign and clues were enough to show that Ning Fan had truly refined the Wind Lightning Wings…

His expression was nervous, but Ning Fan only laughed.

"You're right. This Zhou luckily and coincidently managed to refine this item…"

"Wha… What?!"

Jie Xiu's thoughts fell into disarray!

Even though he had already expected this result, he still couldn't maintain his composure after hearing it from the man directly!

Luckily… coincidently… Jie Xiu had cultivated the Dao for two thousand years and he definitely does not believe this kind of bullshit.

No wonder King Jin possesses such wariness against him, even using the Heavenly Frost Chilly Qi Cold Pine Essence to damage this person's Dao heart… The king's judgement was truly accurate!

Disregarding his cultivation base… him being able to take on the King's Way of the Overlord Ten Decrees with just a Silver Bone Realm, was already shocking enough.

And now… to successfully refine the Wind Lightning Wings with just a Harmonious Spirit cultivation base, overcoming the gap of three big cultivation realms!

This person truly concealed himself thoroughly…

But the more he thinks about it, the more Jie Xiu believed that what the King's action was wrong…

Wrong, wrong, it was very wrong… The Cold Pine Essence shouldn't have been given to this person. There won't be a problem if this person doesn't know about the King's treacherous scheme, but if he does…. this person would definitely hold a grudge!

What good does it have for the country of Jin to offend such a powerful person?!

"Hai…" Jie Xiu sighed deeply with a complicated expression.

His heart became much colder…

This is the virtue and shortcomings of the previous ruler.

His vision was far, his methods resolute, lacking tolerance, and ruthlessly harsh…

The Ancestor of Jin was able to utilize Jie Zitui, but it was due to his shortcomings that he killed Jie Zitui…

But Jie Xiu couldn't change the King… because he was the vassal.

Jin was a genuine Cultivation Country, with a king and his subjects. Yet the Rain Palace was a foreign influence.

Jie Xiu knew that the reason the King would take the risk of offending Ning Fan was not just to break his Dao Heart but also create friction between Ning Fan and Revered Snow, hoping to make Ning Fan harbour hatred for the Rain Palace.

Probably in the future, Ning Fan would use this hate and eliminate the Rain Palace… The division of Rain Palace in Jin was a threat to the King… Even the profits from the Ancient Teleportation Formation has to be given to the division of the Rain Palace with a ratio of 90:10 against his favor…

I'm not as smart as the King…

But the King should not have offended Ning Fan… He shouldn't have!

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, this old man has a request that if you have a grudge with the King in the future, could you… spare our Great Jin's cultivators…" Jie Xiu solemnly said.

"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Jie must be joking. This Zhou and the King only had a bit of misunderstanding, what enmity is there to take revenge on? Let's talk about the situation of Great Jin with this Zhou instead…"

Ning Fan was smiling but Jie Xiu could only smile bitterly.

This Ning Fan has already harboured hatred for the King…

And Jie Xiu could only pray, pray that the future Ning Fan who has gotten powerful would not come back to Jin destroy the country in rage…

<strong>Note:</strong>

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<strong>Translator Team:</strong>

G-Team [Tommy (TL), Roel (Editor)]