Grasping Evil

*Shush*

With just a single move, the little snow girl literally vanished in front of Ning Fan's eyes.

Ning Fan was not in a hurry to chase after it. He waved his palm in the air and spread out the power of his Memory Intent Realm. The qi and tracks left by the snow girl that had just disappeared gradually became clear and obvious.

Ning Fan turned towards a direction and took a step forward. His body seemed to have turned into a trace of smoke which flew to the summit of a pure white snow mountain.

The snow mountain was around seven thousand zhang* (3.33m per zhang) tall. As expected, the little snow girl was standing on the peak of the mountain.

The little snow girl was panting heavily, exhaling white gas from her mouth. Evidently, the movement technique she had used just now was extremely taxing to her.

When she saw that Ning Fan had come after her again, she hurriedly fled once again and disappeared in a shush.

This time, she was too hasty in running away and failed to notice that a scroll had come out from her body and fell to the snowy ground.

Ning Fan wore a mischievous smile on his face.

This little girl runs really fast. Never mind the ordinary cultivators who won't be able to find her, even if they do, almost none would be able to catch up with her.

Ning Fan did not immediately go after her. Instead, he casually picked up the scroll and shook his head with a bitter smile.

"She doesn't even know that she has dropped something…"

As soon as Ning Fan's voice fell, his expression suddenly turned serious. From this scroll, he sensed a trace of extremely faint devil qi which made his devil blood suddenly tremble.

He did not continue to pursue the snow girl right after that. Instead, he opened the scroll and took a look at what's inside.

This scroll looked extremely ancient. It was made out of some kind of demon beast's hide.

Inside this scroll was an actual paragraph from an incomplete devil scripture. Written in Gu Tuo Writing, the handwriting was quite elegant and had a vigorous style.

The person who wrote this paragraph should be a woman. Judging by the era where these words would usually be used, the writer should be a cultivator from ancient times.

Somehow, Ning Fan kept having a feeling of familiarity towards the handwriting on this scroll. After contemplating for a bit, he realized that it was actually the same as the words that had been carved on the stele outside the Evening Snow Pavilion.

"Was it the earliest ancestor of the Giant Devil Sect who recorded this paragraph from a devil scripture…?"

Ning Fan carefully studied the devil scripture. The meaning of the scripture was obscure, making it hard to understand. However, its contents were rather familiar to him.

As he thought about it for a while, he immediately realized why this kind of familiar feeling would occur.

From the contents of this scripture, a part of it was actually exactly the same as what was inside the devil statue slate of the Six-Winged Clan…

"Where do these devil scriptures come from…? In the past, why didn't the unusual phenomenon, the one where the devil blood dyed the green sky, happen to the Giant Devil Clan just like in the other three devil clans…? Is there any relation between the two of them?"

"If they are related, the matter regarding the devil scriptures will be of great significance. Then, why would they give something as important as this to a little girl…? Could there be some sort of secret behind all of these…?"

Ning Fan imprinted the devil scripture into another jade slip and kept it under his sleeves. After that, he took a step forward and dashed towards the direction where the little snowman had left to chase after her.

Inwardly, he was pondering over the matter about the devil scripture.

If the Giant Devil Clan has the devil scripture slate but chose to keep it a secret from the world, should I seize it from them…?

But the Giant Devil Clan has never betrayed me. If I turn on them, it will be against my Dao Heart… Fine, I shall put this matter aside for the time being. Bringing back the little snowman is much more urgent.

*Shush*

Ning Fan went after the qi of the little snowman once again. This time, he stopped inside a snow valley which was ten thousand li* (500m per li) away.

The snow valley was being occupied by a large group of snow apes and each of them possessed Gold Core Realm strength.

After the little snowman intruded in the snow valley, tens of snow apes immediately surrounded her and tried to attack her.

The little snowman was somewhat nervous. She did not expect to be surrounded by demon beasts here.

She stopped moving and gasped for air. She seemed to have no strength left to make another escape. Fear began to creep in as she looked at the group of demon beasts that were slowly approaching her.

"So, are you scared now?"

In no hurry, Ning Fan sauntered into the snow valley. His calm and indifferent tone which was filled with immense baleful qi echoed throughout the valley.

Without even doing anything to these low-level snow apes, their pupils widened with terror as soon as they sensed his arrival.

Apes had the best understanding of human emotions. All of these snow apes sensed that Ning Fan was not someone that they could provoke. Instinctively, they all ran away quickly as if their lives depended on it.

Ning Fan did not try to pursue them or finish them off. He was not being kind but he had some concerns in his mind instead. He did not want to let this little snowman witness some bloodshed.

"If you run again and get yourself into a dangerous situation, I won't come to save you another time. I am here to bring you back…"

He gently touched the glabella of the little snowman with his index finger. A warm and gentle light shone. And then, layers of snow and ice began to melt, revealing the young lady who camouflaged herself as the little snowman.

She wore a pure white dress and looked like a teenage girl who was about fourteen or fifteen years old. With Ning Fan being so close to her, it would be a lie if the young lady said she was not afraid. Ning Fan's baleful qi was really terrifying. Just imagine this, he could even scare off brutal ferocious beasts using his baleful qi alone.

However, she appeared to be extremely calm. Without muttering a single word, she silently raised her head and stared at Ning Fan. Well, she really had the courage to be able to do so.

Her long hair was white like snowflakes which was adorned with a snow-white down feather.

Her small face was a little pale with her right foot still bare.

Since Ning Fan saw that the young lady was not going to hide or run away anymore, he nodded with a smile.

This lady's cultivation level is not high but she is quite courageous. That makes her qualified to become Xu Quiling's sister.

"You are Feng Xueyan, aren't you?"

"…" The young lady nodded.

"Are you afraid of me?"

"…" The young lady wanted to nod but she hesitated for a while but shook her head in the end.

"Don't you know how to speak?"

"…" The young lady nodded as a hint of sadness flashed in her eyes. However, she quickly hid her emotions and put up an indifferent face.

"You are such a pitiful lady."

She was indeed pitiful. Despite being at the Tenth Level Vein Opening Realm, she still had no spirit sense and was also incapable of speech. Basically, she could not communicate with anyone.

Even though she deserved pity, the concern Ning Fan had for her was all due to Xu Qiuling's request.

He reached out his hand to pull Feng Xueyan up, intending to bring her back to the province. However, she gently backed away from him and shook her head. It was obvious what she meant. She did not want to go back.

"Are you worried that the son of the Shi Le Country's country lord might bully you again?"

When Ning Fan's calm and gentle voice reached Feng Xueyan's ears, her expression immediately changed.

She felt particularly surprised. This young man right in front of her did not seem to be that much older than her. However, how could he be so perceptive as if he knew about everything.

That night, Shi Kun's son sneaked into her room with malicious intentions in mind. She noticed somebody was outside her room and immediately ran away in panic. Ning Fan was not there during that time. How could he know about it?

Even though Ning Fan was unable to directly communicate with the young lady, he could use the Mind Reading Technique. The young lady might not know how to speak but he could read what she was thinking.

"Don't worry. Everything is over now. You can follow me back home with ease."

"…" The young lady made a step backwards out of instinct. She looked at Ning Fan with caution.

She felt quite comfortable facing this young man who spoke with a gentle tone. However, he was still a stranger after all. There was no way she could easily believe his words and follow him.

"I am Qiuling's husband. The reason why I came to look for you is because she wants me to get you back home as she's worried that you might be hungry."

Ning Fan took out a small shoe from his sleeve and bent down.

With a smile, he said.

"Lift up your foot. Let me put it on for you."

Just as Ning Fan mentioned Xu Qiuling and took out her shoe as to authenticating his identity, she instantly had more trust in him than before. However, caution still lingered at the depths of her eyes.

She carefully looked at Ning Fan from head to toe. The longer she looked at him, the more she felt that this young man before her was familiar. It was like he was exactly the same person from the painting that Xu Qiuling had once shown her.

During those days that Xu Qiuling spent together with Feng Xueyan, the former had always talked about Ning Fan and she had even shown her his true appearance.

And thus, the caution that she previously held towards him gradually diminished. She gently lifted her bare right foot and let Ning Fan put on her shoe for her.

"Thank you…" Her lips moved but she could not make a sound. She looked disappointed but she immediately replaced it with a calm look.

That calmness was similar to Xu Qiuling from the time when she had that incurable illness in the past and treated life and death indifferently.

There was some similarity between the two's personalities. That's why they became bosom friends.

"Don't worry. I can hear your voice. You are saying 'Thank you', aren't you?"

"How did you know…?" Feng Xueyan could still not emit any sound. Only her lips were moving. However, Ning Fan was able to hear what she was saying in her mind.

"This is a secret. If there is a chance in the future, I will slowly tell you about it. Let's go. It's time to go home."

"Wait for a bit, Brother-in-Law… I have dropped something…"

Feng Xueyan anxiously bit her lips. She only realized just now that the scroll under her sleeves was gone.

Ning Fan was stunned for a moment. It was his first time hearing someone call him "Brother-in-Law" although it was from within someone's mind.

The way he looked at Feng Xueyan became even more gentle. With a smile, he took out the scroll from his sleeves and passed it to her.

"I picked it up by chance. Now, everything is fine and we can now go home, right?"

"En. Thank you, Brother-in-law. I am so hungry…"

Then, Feng Xueyan's stomach grumbled. That noise had just confirmed her thoughts.

Ning Fan laughed.

This young lady really doesn't act like a cultivator. If she doesn't know how to fast, wouldn't she die from hunger if she has to go into seclusion for a year or more in the future?

Anyway, she is my sister-in-law after all. If there's a chance, I really need to refine some pills for her and cure her illness. No matter what, she at least has to have a Harmonious Spirit Realm cultivation base. With that, she could fast while doing cultivation and she would then be able to communicate through telepathy and spirit sense. Otherwise, how boring would it be for her to be mute all day without being able to communicate with others.

Holding the hand of the young lady, Ning Fan was about to take a step and turn into a trace of smoke. All of a sudden, Feng Xueyan fell to the snow below and curled up like a ball. Her little face was beaded with sweat and her body was burning hot.

"Brother-in-law, it's painful. Very painful…" Feng Xueyan helplessly cried for help inside her mind. Ning Fan's expression turned solemn instantly.

He checked her entire body using his spirit sense. At the next moment, his calm and tranquil eyes were filled with a hint of rage.

"This is!"

Ning Fan squatted down and held Feng Xueyan in his hands. He turned her around with her back facing him. Then, he tore her shirt apart, revealing her white and clean tube top. He stared at her back and spine and the coldness in his eyes became even more intense.

On Feng Xueyan's spotless white back, there were eight seals with the marks of black flames. They were burning on her back.

Each of these eight seals had been planted on her by Void Refinement Realm cultivators with their full strength. When these eight seals combine into one, even a Void Fragmentation Realm old monster would not be able to break it!

These eight seals that were planted in her to suppress something inside her body!

The seals could block all kinds of spying and probing. No one could find out what's within Feng Xueyan's body.

However, Ning Fan sensed that the item inside her body was a drop of devil blood that burns like fire!

It was almost the same as the blood of Mo Luo inside his primordial spirit. However, its power was just a bit weaker than his. There were still some flaws and it wasn't pure.

Feng Xueyan was different from Ning Fan. She was just a Vein Opening Realm cultivator and did not have profound magic power like him. How would she be able to endure the sufferings and torments caused by the blood of Mo Luo?

Could it be that all of the sufferings and illnesses she had was brought upon by this drop of devil blood?

Ning Fan investigated more closely and his eyes turned even colder. He finally found out the viciousness of these eight seals.

The person who sealed the devil blood was not suppressing the blood in her but raising the blood instead!

Before this blood of Mo Luo was sealed inside of her, it was not a drop of complete blood yet. It was probably just a strand of the blood.

Someone then sealed this strand of blood inside Feng Xueyan's body and used her to feed the blood, making it grow slowly in order to reach their objective.

After the devil blood completely matures, Feng Xueyan's life would be sacrificed to complete the final stage which was to get rid of the flaws of the devil blood and get it out from her body.

The person who planted the seals on Feng Xueyan with the purpose of raising the devil blood is indeed vicious.

But what kind of people would do such a thing?

What is their objective?

Why did they pick Feng Xueyan?

Ning Fan held Feng Xueyan's hand and put her clothes back in one piece. Then, he kept channeling his magic power into her, gradually stabilizing her qi.

At the moment they put their palms together, the feeling of the two of them being connected to each other suddenly appeared in him.

Ning Fan had only felt this feeling from Fen Chi before.

At that very instant, Ning Fan seemed to have understood why Feng Xueyan would be chosen to raise the devil blood.

"She is the Devil Concubine of the Giant Devil Clan of this generation!"

Countless thoughts ran across his mind but the channeling of magic power continued.

The pain within Feng Xueyan's body gradually disappeared and she slowly regained consciousness.

As soon as she noticed that she was in Ning Fan's arms while her dress was half undone which revealed a large part of her skin, a hint of fear flashed past her large bright eyes.

"Brother-in-law, don't… Don't molest me…"

Her lips moved and she quickly placed her hands around her chest. She was afraid.

Ning Fan did not know whether to laugh or cry. Does he look a lot like a bad guy who will not even let go of his sister-in-law?

Perhaps he really does look like one… He wasn't sure of it himself because he really was a man with great notoriety now. Anyone who sees him would be afraid of him and any beast that sees him would run away from him…

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