Grasping Evil

The sixth floor of Ming Yu Building was an enchanting place with a relaxing atmosphere.

On top of the small table, there was an incense burner. It emitted aromatic purple smoke from within, filling the air with its fragrance. It was a perfume originating from Great Jin, "Longing for Warmth".

A bed with curtains hanging around it could be seen at the side of the room. No one could clearly see what was inside the curtains other than the blurry figures of a man and a woman lying side by side on the bed covered in a wool blanket.

The blanket was adorned with an embroidery of a pair of red phoenixes. And on the wall behind the bed hung a portrait of shunga[1]. Under the cover of the curtains, the bed with a width of one zhang* and two chi* gave out a delicate fragrance of a woman.

Yun Ruowei's heart did not slow down at all. In fact, it was the opposite since Ning Fan was lying right beside her that their arms were already touching.

This bed is so enormous and there's also a shunga hung on the wall. It's evidently not an ordinary bed for resting. It should be used for "doing that deed". I requested his help to eliminate my Heart's Devil. However, he brought me to this kind of indecent bed. He's really..., really…

"Shameless!" She could no longer quell her turbulent emotions. As such, that word accidentally slipped out from her mouth.

"Er… This bed was already here in this building when Commander Gu Yan gifted it to me. How come I'm the one being called 'shameless' for it?"

"I warn you, if you dare to take advantage of me…"

"I won't do anything else to you. Fine. Quickly enter into your dream. This will be my first time entering someone else's dream using a minor demonic technique."

"You know about the minor demonic techniques?"

She turned to her right facing Ning Fan. Her eyes that were showing a glint oof astonishment stared at him in a strange manner.

It's already rare to find a human who possesses demon veins. However, a human who can conjure demonic techniques is as scarce as a hen's teeth. Come to think of it, since when did he possess demon veins? Fine. I guess, he's always been that peculiar.

Unconsciously, her face almost came into contact with his ear. He could literally feel her gentle breaths and smell her fragrance. Anyone would have mistaken them as lovers flirting with each other.

When she realized her inappropriate action, she immediately lied down straight like how she did originally. This time, her heartbeat raced.

Luckily, Ning Fan was focusing on practicing the hand seals for the minor demonic technique. He did not care much about Yun Ruowei's reaction.

If he really harbored evil intent towards her, he could have taken that opportunity already and use his Yin Plucking Finger on her to get what he want.

Yun Ruowei secretly let out a sigh knowing that she had misunderstood Ning Fan before this. Apparently, Ning Fan might act brazenly but his heart was the opposite. In fact, he was calm and steady on the inside.

It's only been a few years ago when I first met this man. That time, he was still a suave teen. Now, he is already a young man with exceptional power. In the past, I could handle him with ease. Now, I have to be vigilant and be wary of him whenever he is present. Unknowingly, I, too, began to fear him.

Maybe after hundreds of years, he would surpass me in both strength and magic power. I would only be able to look up to him when he reaches the pinnacle in the path of cultivation by then.

Suddenly, something made her eyes blink with amazement. It was Ning Fan who was engrossed in practicing the hand seals himself. He seemed to have mastered them quickly.

Among the five hundred minor demonic techniques, majority of them are techniques of the Spirit Level and they acted as the foundation of cultivating demonic techniques. The Dream Entering Technique, was one of the few minor demonic techniques that are at the Core Realm.

To conjure it, it required only a dozen hand seals which was rather few. For most Core Realm demonic techniques, they would need at least tens of hand gestures in order to conjure them. Why was this so? It was because this technique was a simplified version. Without performing anything extra, it was categorized as a Core Realm demonic technique that allowed the caster to enter a dream!

Aside from that, it enabled the caster to intrude someone else's dream!

Many stories related to this technique were made up in the mortal world. For example, a female demon who fell in love with a mortal scholar entered his dream every night to make love with him… Another example was King Qingxiang of Chu having dreamt about meeting a goddess…

A human cultivator would not be able to perform this technique, but a demon could. Cultivators could perform Soul Memory Searching Spirit Technique while a demon could intrude others memories and dreams.

Ning Fan completely memorized the required hand seals. However, while he started to perform them, his fingers were unfortunately not flexible enough. He felt as if his fingers were moving in water, full of resistance although nothing was between his fingers other than empty air.

Actually, the force he felt was the power of heaven and earth. The essence of demonic techniques was to draw the strength from them.

In the first time he performed the hand seals, he failed because he lacked the fluidity and speed. But his progress was enough to surprise Yun Ruowei. When she practiced this technique in the past, she was not able to finish all the required hand seals during her first time of performing the hand seals. Only after tens of times of practicing them was she able to complete all the hand seals.

In his second trial, he was already able to draw a tiny trace of power from heaven and earth. On the third trial, he almost succeeded but he stopped the technique himself.

The reason was because he had to enter into a dream at the same time Yun Ruowei does. He must never do it alone all by himself.

"I've already mastered Dream Entering Technique. Let's begin."

"Alright." In Yun Ruowei's mind, Ning Fan was a cultivator with extreme talent. When she thought of what they were going to do next, her face blushed.

She faltered and flusteredly said a few words, "Once we're finished with the hand seals, we must hold our hands together. Remember, you must quickly hold my hand…"

When she spoke those words, her hands faintly trembled beyond her control.

As she imagined her hands being held by Ning Fan, her thoughts became chaotic.

If I don't do this, he can't enter into the same dream with me together. Just hang on, for the sake of eliminating the Heart's Devil…

She bit her lips and acted like she was preparing for the last moment of her life, saying, "Let's start!"

"Okay."

Both of them performed the hand seals together, drawing the power from heaven and earth.

"Minor Demonic Technique, Dream Entering Technique!"

When the hand seals were completed, a strange but profound demon power bound their thoughts together. They felt their souls floating away, leaving their physical bodies.

At this moment, Yun Ruowei gritted her teeth and grasped Ning Fan's hand without hesitating any further.

She could feel a warm and big hand with rough skin resting on her cold and soft fingers.

While she was attempting to hide her shyness, she was contemplating about the sensation she felt from his hand.

The skin of his hand is so coarse. He must have been enduring a lot in his life…

As for Ning Fan, he was inwardly praising her skin texture when he came into contact with her hand.

This woman has great skin. It is packed with natural elasticity.

However, he would not blurt out those words to avoid provoking her.

At the moment their hands clasped together, their eyes shut. Ning Fan's mind was guided by Yun Ruowei's into her head, entering into her dream.

Suddenly, a flourishing scene of prosperity appeared with carpets of blooming flowers and tall-growing grasses. Nightingales were flying freely in the air. It undoubtedly was the spring season. A barefooted woman and a young man emerged on the grasslands outside the Orchid Temple under the blue sky.

This place was her dream realm!

Ning Fan recognized this place… It was situated in the Ming Country which was located in the western part of Yue Country. The Old Devil once brought Ning Fan here to test him. It was at this place where Ning Fan molested Yun Ruowei. It was here where the Old Devil decided to bring him to annihilate the Heaven Separation Sect.

"This place is great with a captivating scenery. When I came here that day, the sky had turned dark and I failed to notice such a scenic view. However, it appears to be a little different from the Orchid Temple I visited that day. It's as if this place did not have as much demon qi that day…"

"Yes. You're right about that. This place is indeed Orchid Temple. But it was the Orchid Temple a thousand year ago… That day, I was not the master of the temple yet. Instead, I was an old pine tree. 'Sister' was still a little winged-demon. Apparently, that person had yet to arrive… Damn! We entered into the wrong dream. We should go to the current Orchid Temple… Speaking of…"

All of a sudden, Yun Ruowei turned towards Ning Fan and glared at him angrily. "Why are you still holding my hand?! Let go of me!"

"Oh. I thought we were supposed to continue holding each other's hands even when we are in the dream realm…" Ning Fan let out a faint smile and released his grasp on her hand.

"I am not your companion!"

Yun Ruowei was annoyed. Since they had already entered into a wrong dream, they had no choice but to wait for the dream to end.

"We will have to wait for the dream to end by itself. Stay still and don't move around…"

"It's almost impossible to visit the Orchid Temple of a thousand year ago. It would be a waste if I don't go around and explore this place. That ancient pine tree was surely good-looking. It's extraordinary! I want to go and have a look!"

Ning Fan teleported into the temple which had an old pine tree standing at the centre.

There were a few monks in the temple. But they were all resting in their rooms. None of them realized that Ning Fan had intruded in the temple. Perhaps, even if they discovered his presence, they would see Ning Fan as a young man who came here to visit the temple.

The monks might not be paying him attention, but it was a big issue for Yun Ruowei!

She instantly became nervous and panicked to see Ning Fan moving around! When Ning Fan intended to touch the old pine tree with his fingers, she shouted loudly, "Don't simply touch it!"

Meanwhile, another voice could bewas heard from a yellow warbler (a perching bird) which was perching on top of a branch. Both voices echoed into Ning Fan's ears.

But it was still too late. Ning Fan's hand was already on the trunk of the tree and he praised, "Good pine tree. If a pine tree with such quality is cut into wood, would it be worth a lot of money? (When he heard them…) What? Why can't I touch this tree?"

Inevitably, Ning Fan touched it.

Also, he praised the tree. (but from the aspect of its quality)

Yun Ruowei's expression was mixed with both shyness and rage.

"Shameless, immoral, impudent!"

The yellow warbler on the tree flew to the ground and transformed into a young girl donning light yellowish clothes and wearing three quills on her hair. She reprimanded Ning Fan. Although she was scolding him, her tone was so soft that anyone would not feel uncomfortable hearing her voice.

"Don't simply touch it! This old pine tree is my sister 'Ruowei'. She's a bashful being…"

"Sister? Ruowei?"

Ning Fan was confused by her words and he quickly pulled his hand back.

Ruowei, Ruowei… Why would this tree appear in her dream realm? Is it possible that she was in that form a thousand year ago?

Did I just touch Yun Ruowei instead of a tree?

*Cough* I really have no luck on me. Now, I'm considered to be a pervert by just touching a tree.

The anger on Yun Ruowei's face would only soften whenever her gaze shifted to the young lady in yellow robes.

As for Ning Fan, when his eyes met the young lady, his demon blood became uncontrollable.

She must be a winged demon. But how did she affect the demon blood in my body…

"I am Ning Qian. This old pine tree is my sister, Ruowei. You two seniors have great cultivation realm. Please lift your hands high in mercy and spare the both of us. It's not easy for my sister to gain spirituality in that form."

"Don't worry. I won't hurt you. Besides, I won't forgive those who dare to hurt you." Yun Ruowei replied solemnly.

"Thank you so much… Actually, what exactly happened today since another senior has just come to visit Orchid Temple?"

The young lady raised her head and her eyes flashed with surprise.

"I am Ning Qian. This old pine tree is my sister, Ruowei. You two seniors have great cultivation realm so can you please lift your hands high in mercy and spare the both of us. It's not easy for my sister to gain spirituality in that form."

"Don't worry. I won't hurt you. Besides, I won't forgive those who would dare to hurt you." Yun Ruowei solemnly replied to her.

"Thank you so much… Actually, what exactly happened today since another senior has just come to visit Orchid Temple?"

The young lady raised her head and her eyes flashed with surprise.

A man who wore a pure white robe appeared in the blue sky. Below his foot was a sword which elevated him in the air. His lips curved into a smile as if he found something he wanted when he was studying the temple using his spirit sense.

"An excellent 'Nettle Pine'! The spirit of this pine tree is at least thirty-thousand-year-old and it's close to gaining spirituality. It would be great to turn it into the sword body of my 'Evil Conquering Sword'. Eh? There are two other Nascent Soul Realm cultivators here as well. Don't tell me that they are interested in the pine tree too!"

When the white-robed man let out a laugh, the sky within the vicinity of a thousand li surrounding Ming Country began to drizzle.

"This pine tree belongs to me, Yun Tianjue, the Divine Son of the Rain Palace! Fellow Daoists, please step away from it!"

His tone was domineering and ferocious!

His eyes were as sharp as the tip of a sword!

His face resembled Ning Fan a bit!

A thousand years ago, the Rain Palace divine messenger, Yun Tianjue, successfully comprehended the Divine Intent of Rain when he was still at Mid Nascent Soul Realm. With that power, he overpowered all the other members of Rain Palace and became one of the Divine Sons of Rain Palace.

Now, he had achieved the Fourth Heavenly Level of Void Fragmentation Realm! He was considered to be the most powerful expert of Rain Palace after the Sovereign of Rain World!

The yellow-clothed woman was anxious at the sudden arrival of that man. She wanted to stop him from cutting down the pine tree but she was too weak to do anything.

At this moment, Yun Ruowei let out a sigh.

"He is the person I don't want to meet the most… I guess this dream is going to end soon."

After she finished speaking, the scene broke into fragments and congealed into another realm.

It was still a place full of lush greenery and the temple was still there. It was a thousand years later from the time of the previous dream.

The dream earlier might have seemed insignificant to Yun Ruowei. However, Ning Fan felt it strange as to why the characters in the dream made his demon blood roil.

It only stopped when they entered into a new dream.

"Who exactly was that?"

"I met him a thousand years ago and my life changed since then. He was the reason that I let you go that day. You look quite similar to him actually. In fact, I thought you were the person whom the Rain Palace was looking for…You know about it, don't you?"

"Oh? Am I related to that?"

"No. I don't think so. The Rain Palace deployed all its forces in eight hundred cultivation countries to search for a single person. It was the last wish of the Rain World's Sovereign of the previous generation…"

"His last wish?" Ning Fan knew that the Rain Palace was searching for a person. During the auction of the Dao Fruit in Seven Apricot City, the Great Void Sect had already begun their search. Besides, Yun Lie was carrying out the same mission when Ning Fan met him during his way to Sinister Sparrow Sect. The Void Fragmentation Realm beggar who appeared at Sinister Sparrow Sect during the fight between Ning Fan and Bai Feiteng seemed to be looking for someone as well…

"The previous Sovereign of Rain World used his soul to perform a divination before his death. The prophecy was stored in the Pond of Heaven Mystery and it was revealed to no one. A hundred thousand years later, it was seen by the current Sovereign of Rain World. It was about the future of Rain World… In that prophecy, the Sovereign saw a person. That person would become an unrivalled expert that could overturn the nine worlds in just a thousand years. Shockingly, he is not a member of the Four Heavens Immortal World but a person who is born in the Rain World and raised in this native land! The Sovereign was able to glance at the back of the person in the prophecy. However, it almost made the Sovereign's Primordial Spirit crack…"

"The shadow of his back alone could cause damage to the Primordial Spirit of the Sovereign! This cultivator would be that powerful only after a thousand years. Now, he is still buried in oblivion. In other words, this cultivator would gain the power that would even make the Sovereign of Rain World become terrified in just a thousand years!" Ning Fan held his chin and muttered to himself. A thousands year… From a cultivator that no one knows to a being that can surpass the Sovereign of Rain World. If he really exists and joins the Rain Palace, it would definitely become one of the most powerful force that could rival against the Devil World, Demon World and even the Immortal World…

So this is the reason why the Sovereign gave the order to search for him everywhere under the heavens.

However, does this have any relation to Yun Ruowei letting me go that day?

"The Sovereign reckons that this person would have boundless magic power. Therefore, he decided to find him no matter what among the eight hundred cultivation countries! The only proof of his existence is his qi. There's a strand of Divine Intent of Rain in his qi. Furthermore, the Veins of the Rain God is in the deepest part of his qi. He is most likely to be the descendent of a Divine Son. Divine Sons are the princes of the Sovereign of Rain Palace. The total number of Divine Sons are thirty and above, regardless of their age. Currently, none of their descendants possess exceptional latent talent. As a matter of fact, the Sovereign tried to find the special child among the illegitimate ones of the Divine Sons. Yes, it's normal for them to have concubines who may be devil cultivators or even demons. The children they have with these concubines would not be recognized by the Rain Palace. As such, they were abandoned… Those who possess impure veins are disallowed to be members of Rain Palace."

"Then, the future expert that the Sovereign wants to look for is a child that was once abandoned by them? Interesting. The insensitive and materialistic attitude of the members of Rain Palace is beyond my comprehension. When there's no profit to be gained, they claimed themselves righteous and abandoned those innocent children, leaving them in despair with their mothers. Then, they tried to get them back only when they realized the advantage they could gain from those children. Come to think of it, did you let me go that day because you thought I might be the illegitimate child of Yun Tianjue since you said we look alike?"

Ning Fan's raised his eyebrows. Now he realized the reason why Yun Ruowei would let him go was not because she admired him, it was actually to give him a path to live and cultivate to be stronger.

I was too naïve back then.

"I have no relation with Yun Tianjue." His mouth said so but he had a different thought in his mind. He once dreamt that he, too, bore the surname of 'Yun' under the effect of the Ming Luo Fruit.

Perhaps I was truly an abandoned child who once belonged to an expert from Rain Palace too.

To Ning Fan, he would not return to Rain Palace to understand about his ancestor even if he is truly one of the abandoned ones. He knew how ungrateful the Rain Palace would be.

"I know. Furthermore, you don't have the Veins of the Rain God inside you… You shouldn't the descendant of the Divine Son of Rain Palace. After all these while, the Rain Palace managed to find hundreds of descendants in the eight hundred cultivation countries. They are now being cultivated with great care. Some were said to possess great potentials and some even possess the Immemorial Divine Veins or Devil Veins… Therefore, the Rain Palace didn't focus much on finding that person now. It was a misunderstanding that day. I thought you were the missing one, but it turned out to be the opposite. Don't worry."

"Really? Let's not talk about such boring topics anymore. Oh yes, the dream realm now should be the scene at the Orchid Temple a few years ago, am I right?" Ning Fan changed the topic. He wasn't interested about how cold and unfair the Rain Palace was.

Finding back a few hundred abandoned children from the mortal world… I wonder where they will put their faces on.

"Precisely. This is the day when I met you a few years ago. Let's wait until the sun goes down. After the sun sets, an extremely annoying shadow will appear. When he comes, let's cut him down!"

"Sure!"

Ning Fan gave his promise. This time, he didn't go anywhere else. He didn't want to make Yun Ruowei angry again.

The sky darkened and the moon began to rise.

Night fell and a malicious laughter could be heard from miles away. Then, a rainbow-colored light flashed across the dark sky. That laughter was nothing to Ning Fan but it was intolerable to Yun Ruowei's ears.

"Hahaha! Yun Ruowei, you better come running out! Let me have a good touch on your breasts!"

Yun Ruowei could not wait to vent her pent-up anger in her chest upon seeing that guy in the sky while Ning Fan did not know whether to laugh or cry.

That person was himself at the age of 17.

He dressed exactly like me on that day. Just that his expressions and the words he spoke were not similar to mine. I couldn't have acted like that.

"Yun Ruowei! Come out, come out! I love you so much that I want to hug you, lick you and toy with you!"

"You Runwei! I, Ning Fan, like you so much, do you know it? Come out now! I can't wait any longer. I'm craving for you!"

"I long for your sweet-smelling breasts! I can't wait anymore!"

Looking at the other 'Ning Fan' on the sky, he almost vomited blood.

So her Heart's Devil has nothing to do with me exactly. It's just her own imagination!

However, am I really that shameless and perverted in her heart…?

How come I am like that in her dream?

"Please go and kill him! I… I can't do it." Yun Ruowei gritted her teeth and said.

"Errr. Alright."

Ning Fan heaved a faint sigh and teleported to the sky.

When that fake Ning Fan saw his opponent teleporting, he immediately became scared and knelt down towards him.

"Please have mercy! I know I deserve death! But I only know how to molest women, not fighting!"

"Hai… I think it's better for you to go to hell. You disgrace my reputation…"

Ning Fan shook his head helplessly and touched the forehead of the fake Ning Fan lightly. All of a sudden, the fake one vanished into ashes.

It was his first time feeling so embarrassed and confused while killing a person.

I've just killed myself. Haha. I guess there won't be a second time for it to happen.

Besides, I think there's no way for Yun Ruowei to have good feelings towards me anymore in my entire life.

That was her first impression on me. I am so ashamed of myself now!

"Let's go. Your Heart's Devil is done. We may leave already."

Ning Fan let out a bitter smile. He didn't want to stay in that dream realm any longer.

<strong>Note:</strong>

1. According to https://www.artsy.net/article/editorial-what-is-shunga, Shunga (春画), literally "spring pictures", is an erotic artistic tradition that emerged from early modern Japan, featuring graphic images of sexual activity.

<strong>Translator Team:</strong>

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