Grasping Evil

There were nine levels in the Scripture Tower and Ning Fan could enter any one of them arbitrarily. So far, there was only Lu Daochen who finished reading hundreds of thousands of ancient books in the tower. That was why he was also known as Master Lu.

There were 1079 demon characters where most of them are the easiest characters in the first level of the tower.

Starting from the second level of the tower, the number of characters recorded in each level decreased whereas the difficulty for learning each of the characters increased accordingly.

After arriving at the eighth level, Ning Fan had almost thumbed through 7000 demon characters that were recorded in the Demon Codex.

On the ninth level, there were even some special demon characters such as the specific characters of the Dragon Words, the Phoenix Language and the Sparrow Notes... These were the demon characters of the True Spirit Races. Ning Fan noticed that not only did they have complicated formation marks but also the person who wished to learn it probably needs to possess the particular bloodline of the corresponding True Spirit Race.

As such, he could at most study approximately 7000 common demon characters.

There was no one to stop him all the way from the first level to the ninth level. Everything was fine until a whiff of fragrance blew against his face, turning into an amorous female who wore a green-feathered robe. She petulantly blocked in front of him, not allowing him to read more scriptures or scrolls related to the demon characters.

"Have you seen enough? General Lu Bei!"

She was the demon imperial concubine - Wu Yan!

"Oh? Isn't the demon imperial concubine declining to meet any visitors while staying behind closed doors in the Misty Rain House? Why have you come to the Scripture Tower?" Ning Fan withdrew his hand and secretly activated the Yin Yang Locket.

At the same time this demon concubine was feeling annoyed and perturbed, what she was thinking in her mind was the matter regarding the Imperial Concubine Zi of the Spirit King Palace who was on her way to this land.

With that technique, Ning Fan needed nearly no effort to snoop a big secret from her mind.

Spirit King Palace?! Imperial Concubine Zi?! From prying into the matters of the heart of this demon imperial concubine, Wu Yan, there are probably more than ten demon imperial concubines coming here for the Star of the Celestial Emperor this time. Only female demons who have attained the Divine Transformation Realm will be qualified to become the demon concubines of the Spirit King Palace. In other words, there are at least ten Divine Transformation Realm female demons coming this time. They are indeed perfect cauldrons…

Unfortunately, as soon as the idea emerged within his head, it was immediately extinguished like a tiny spark of fire by himself.

It was because he had also found out how scary the Spirit King Palace was from the demon concubine's mind. If he snatches the female demons of the palace and enrages the Spirit Emperor, he could wipe out the entire Rain World…

However, the Spirit King seemed to have been injured. In the memories of the demon concubine, the Spirit King had been staying in the palace without setting his foot out once for millions of years. Nobody knew how severe his injuries were. Only some of the concubines who were close to him could enter the secluded hall of the Spirit King. For example, Imperial Concubine Zi. But in spite of that, they also had not seen his true appearance personally before.

Ning Fan was silent. Unless he has some mysterious methods that would not be spotted by gods or ghosts to abduct Imperial Concubine Zi and others secretly, he must not act recklessly.

The two words "not daring" had never existed in his mind before. If he was able to grasp even a bit of possibility of success, he would even dare to kidnap the Spirit King's demon concubines and do something that the True Spirit Races were afraid to do.

Ning Fan was deep in thought, holding his chin using one of his hands while gazing slightly downwards from her face. Unintentionally, his gaze fell on the well-endowed pair of breasts on the demon concubine in front of him.

Her pretty face looked slightly miffed, thinking that this Lu Bei who dressed like a gentleman was actually a frivolous man.

How dare he stare at my bosom like that? What an impolite man.

"What's the matter that made you to come find me?" The demon concubine's tone became colder.

"I want to ask Empress how much do you know about Lu Daochen, the Demon Marshal Lu Wu and also the Star of the Celestial Emperor?"

The demon concubine angrily smiled.

Is this Lu Bei a fool?

What makes him think that I will tell him about my understanding towards Lu Daochen and Demon Marshal Lu Wu?

Besides, how is it possible that I will share the information about the Star of the Celestial Emperor which I gathered myself with another stranger?!

"Why do I need to tell you?!"

"…"

Ning Fan did not respond to her. Instead, he held his chin with his hand again, pretending to be lost in his thoughts. Through his Mind Reading Technique, he could immediately know her thoughts as soon as he managed to cause her to think.

The demon concubine might be able to choose not to talk using her mouth but she would give her answers instinctively in her heart when she was being questioned.

Lu Daochen is wholeheartedly dedicated to save Lu Wu. In the past, he even had three chances to change his bloodline and attain the Void Refinement Realm but they were all rejected by him. The Spirit King Palace was even willing to bear the exorbitant price for that process in order to assist Lu Daochen in changing his bloodline with a Peak Void Refining Realm complete demon blood and use a secret technique to help him break through to the Void Refining Realm in one attempt!

If the process succeeded, Lu Daochen could have easily ascended to the Land of Demons with the spot granted to him for ascension.

However, he rejected the offer three times. Obviously, his loyalty towards Lu Wu was unshakable. After all, even if Lu Daochen obtains the Star of the Celestial Emperor to improve his cultivation level, he could break through at most the Late Divine Transformation Realm…

Through the the demon concubine's thoughts, Ning Fan could determine that Lu Daochen just wanted to return a favor to the Demon General and did not harbor any malicious thoughts of harming him.

About Lu Wu, Ning Fan understood that this Demon Marshal was assigned by the Celestial Emperor of the Ancient Heavenly Court to guard the medicine garden in ancient times. However, one day the Heavenly Court collapsed and nearly all the gods died. No one knew why. The ones who did not die would have their memories be erased like Lu Wu. But his memories were not completely wiped out and he even brought away the Celestial Emperor's medicine garden and gouged out a Celestial Emperor Demon Star from the Celestial Emperor's left eye during a cataclysm. Since then, he disappeared without a trace.

Time flies and the world was divided again. The True Spirit Races and the Spirit King Palace from the Land of Demons kept demanding for the demon star of the Celestial Emperor and Emperor's medicine from Lu Wu. However, he rejected all of them.

Thus, Lu Wu was completely exiled. He hid in the Land of Slumber and divided it into nine world passages.

Under the effects of the Emperor Star which enabled it to be hidden even from Heaven's Fate, nobody knew where Lu Wu was hiding.

It was until the Giant Devil Sect's old ancestor accidentally broke open the Secret Realm of the Broken World.

It was until an unknown force of the Internal Endless Sea managed to contact the True Spirit Races from the Immortal Demon World about it, causing such shocking news to spread: "The land where Lu Wu is slumbering is in the Secret Realm of the Broken World that is located at the Endless Sea of the Rain World."

Therefore, the demon concubine, Wu Yan, Wang Xiao and the others were sent here one after one another.

Ning Fan's expression turned solemn. From her mind, he found out that the force from the Internal Endless Sea that contacted the Immortal Demon World privately was the Demon Sealing Sect!

The Demon Sealing Sect. The meaning of "Demon Sealing" mentioned in the name probably was not as simple as it seemed. From the matter where the Pure Flame Tribe bribed Lu Bei to meet with Cu He from the Demon Sealing Sect, Ning Fan boldly deduced that the Demon Sealing Sect was actually a force that was brought up by the Pure Flame Tribe in the Endless Sea. They must have used some secret techniques to sneak out from the Secret Realm!

From the demon concubine's mind, Ning Fan indeed pried into some shocking facts.

What made Ning Fan care about the most was his question regarding the Star of the Celestial Emperor.

This Emperor Star contained one-ninth of the Celestial Emperor's cultivation level. If Ning Fan swallows the star at that time, he would even have the possibility of becoming an immortal. However, as time went by, the power of the Emperor Star had already long been weakened. It would be rare to even let Ning Fan break through to the Mid Divine Transformation Realm from the early stages of that realm.

The demon concubine might not know about the Star Palace, but she knew a certain usage of the Star of Celestial Emperor.

Before Lu Wu's death, he was responsible for guarding the Celestial Emperor's medicine. The Emperor's medicine was claimed to be able to grant a mortal being immortality while the immortals an indestructible body. If the injured consumes it, they would immediately recover while the deceased could be brought back to life!

That kind of Emperor's medicine may still exist in the Third World.

The Spirit King Palace's desire for the Star of Celestial Emperor was actually just a tactic to cast a mist before everyone's eyes. The Emperor's medicine was their true aim!

They required the Emperor's medicine to recover the Spirit King's injuries. The rumors about the recovery effect of the Star of the Celestial Emperor was also just a lie!

If Ning Fan obtains the Emperor's medicine, he would have hopes of bringing Mu Weiliang and Ning Honghong back to life!

Ning Fan took a deep breath.

It's really beyond my expectations to find out so much information within her mind.

As such, it did not waste any of my effort of purposely asking her out.

Unknowingly, his lips curved upwards, forming into a faint smile. When the demon concubine caught sight of it, her face immediately became colder.

How dare he...! This Lu Bei is too audacious!

How dare he still smile while his eyes are plainly staring at my ** with his hand holding his chin downwards?!

Ever since she joined the Spirit King Palace and moved up the hierarchy step by step to become an imperial concubine from just a maidservant, she had never been stared like that by any man.

She felt that Ning Fan's gaze seemed to be like a substantial hand that slid across her body. To her, it was utterly shameless…

"Lu Bei! Is your purpose of asking me out just to violate me with your eyes?"

Perhaps, the demon concubine had totally misunderstood Ning Fan.

But the demon concubine looked stunned at the next moment.

She only saw Ning Fan pull himself together and then greet her with cupped fists.

"Excuse me, I still have something to do. I will make a move first… Thank you for lowering yourself to meet me!"

After he finished his words, a satisfied smile emerged on his face, as if he had gotten what he wanted. Casually, he went down the ninth level and swaggered off.

"Er…he just left like that? What an unaccountable man!"

The demon concubine smiled out of anger.

This man invited me to come out and just asked me a few silly questions? Of course, it was impossible for me to answer him.

Could it be that he just wanted to appreciate my body?

Especially that satisfied look on his face when he was leaving. Was it possible that he felt satisfied by violating me with his eyes?

However, even though he disrespected me for the sake of his own pleasure, I didn't notice any malice from his expression. He's different from the perverted people who visit the Misty Rain House.

The demon concubine's anger slowly receded. She stood between the shelves that were full of dust and randomly flipped open a scripture without the mood to read.

Gradually, a sense of loss filled her heart.

As a demon concubine of the Spirit King Palace, she must be extra cautious when meeting another man. Speaking of which, her "date" with Ning Fan was the first time she met a man in private not under the demand of her mission.

Freedom… Because of the restrictions of my current identity, having the freedom to act will just be wishful thinking on my part for the rest of my life…

She sighed gently and stood in the ninth level without knowing how much time had passed.

However, her blank eyes slowly became focused and her expression turned annoyed. She should not be sighing and feeling sad at this place and time. Wasn't her reason in coming to the Scripture Tower just to stop Ning Fan from imprinting the demon scriptures?!

"It's bad! I had been standing here for a long time without knowing whether he has finished imprinting the demon scriptures! I must stop him!"

The demon concubine lifted her skirt and hurriedly walked down the jade stairs. Just as she reached the second level, she heard the conversation between Ning Fan and the demon soldier who guarded the tower from far away.

"General Bei! 7154 ancient demon characters scrolls, seven hundred demon scriptures including the 'The Secrets of the Land of Demons', 'Awakened Dreams Record', 'History of the Spirit King', 'The Pictures of Ten Thousand Demon Races' and 'The Scheme of Mountain and Sea' and the entire 'Demon Codex' are all engraved in these jade slips. General Bei, please check and accept it! I truly admire General Bei who still diligently studies the 'Demon Codex' despite your position as a high-ranking military officer. "

The demon soldier who guarded the tower was usually respectful towards Ning Fan. He had never seen any Demon Generals who would imprint so many scriptures which did not have any relations with each other.

General Bei is indeed an extraordinary and studious person who is also eager to learn. He is really the role model of our Luo Yun Tribe.

"Mm... Very well. No scripture is missing. As such, I shall make a move first. You must guard here with extra caution. Don't allow anyone to steal the scriptures of the tower. The secret of our race must never be leaked to any foreign races."

"Yes!" The demon soldier was becoming more and more reverent towards Ning Fan.

The demon concubine angrily smiled once again.

Other than Ning Fan who was a human race that slipped into the Scripture Tower of the Luo Yun Province, who else would have the capabilities to steal the scriptures?!

You are the only thief that should be paid attention to in the whole Luo Yun Province, okay?!

It's too late! It's too late… I'm just one step later and this little thief has finished imprinting the whole series of 'Demon Codex'…

"Nasty evil thief, I will make you return the whole 'Demon Codex' the next time I see you…"

The demon concubine cursed lightly. Carelessly, she missed her step and fell from the jade stairs.

However, a billow of purple black smoke blew towards her, blocking in front of the demon concubine. He gently held her wrist, helping her regain her balance while wearing an innocent smile on his face.

"Please be careful, Empress! With your current cultivation level, you might not be injured by falling down, but it will still bring shame to the Spirit King Palace…"

When his voice fell, Ning Fan's eyes flashed with a hint of playfulness and turned away, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Each of the demons at the first level of the tower caught sight of Ning Fan holding the demon concubine.

All of them clicked their tongues and sighed in admiration.

He truly deserves to be "General Bei of the Lu Clan", "the best man of the Luo Yun Tribe". He even dares to touch the wrist of the demon concubine. He's so brave!

"How dare you?!"

The demon concubine felt that her wrist which was touched by Ning Fan became weak and numb. Besides, a trace of the Yin Plucking Finger's power which was purposely imbued by Ning Fan made the demon concubine's heart pound in nervousness.

Her frigid, cold face was blushing for the first time...Embarrassing... It's such an embarrassing day. Why would I lose self-control of myself in a place like this?

How could I be profaned three times by a mere human?! It's too irritating...

…

In the Treasure Refining Pavilion of the Luo Yun Province.

Within the pavillion, Lu Wan'er felt a little at ease and started forging the spiritual equipment - Phoenix's Wings, after Lu Wan'er knew that Ning Fan would not have any conflicts with her master.

Outside the pavillion, Lu Daochen stood while leaning on his dragon stick. His eyes were narrowed, but his expression was filled with contentment.

"Wan'er's spirit augmentation technique is nearly reaching perfection. In the past, she might be skilled but the spiritual equipment she forged lacked sincerity… After she met Lu Bei, she began to understand love. When she performed spirit augmentation and forged spiritual equipment for the person she loved, earnestness began to surge within her heart. Sincerity is the crucial element for advancing her spirit augmentation technique into the Profound Heaven Grade... If Wan'er breaks through to the Divine Transformation Realm, she probably can start trying to create and refine spiritual equipment at the Profound Heaven Grade…"

Lu Daochen murmured to himself. Suddenly, his expression faded and remained emotionless. Behind him, there was a man who wore white robes pressing towards him step by step.

"Today is the third day. I accept your request but the opportunities in the Third World is unpredictable and the danger within the Star Palace is unknown. Unless I break through to the Divine Transformation Realm, I will never enter the Third World!" The seriousness in Ning Fan's eyes was unprecedented.

In the past, he was daring to enter the Third World because he thought that there was only Demon Marshal Lu Wu slumbering within. Since the Demon Marshal had not awakened, there was nothing to be worried about.

Now, however, after knowing so many secrets about the Star of the Celestial Emperor and the Emperor's medicine, he indeed looked forward to the opportunities lying within the Third World but he was also well aware that if he isn't equipped with enough power, he would certainly end up dead by recklessly entering the Third World.

Lu Daochen felt a bit relaxed. Because the debt of gratitude which he owed Lu Wu would be repaid through Ning Fan's hands!

"If you want to break through to the Divine Transformation Realm, this old man will surely do my best to help you! To enhance your demon power to the Divine Transformation Realm, the Dragon Pool is the best place! You can definitely reach the Divine Transformation Realm within a hundred years!"

"A hundred years is too long… I want to achieve the Divine Transformation Realm within ten years!"

His eyes glinted with seriousness.

I could not afford to let Xu Qiuling wait for too long. After all, she only has 30 years or less to live...

Entering the Dragon Pool and attaining the Divine Transformation Realm in just 10 years!

Ordinary beings might not be able to do it, but with the help of the Demon Marshal's golden blood, it might not be impossible for Ning Fan to achieve it!

<strong>Translated by Tommy, edited by Roel.</strong>

<strong>Note:</strong>

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