- 23 (1/2)
Heaven Separation, Human Heart
A seventeen years old Ning Fan stood on the Heaven Separation´s peak as the mountain wind blew, fluttering by his furrowed brows.
Jeweled jade palaces and painted pavilions were hidden away by the red clouds as the sun’s violet rays auspiciously shone downward. There were Immortals riding the clouds forward, freed from the mundaneness of mortality. Immortal cranes were flying between the mountains while the young phoenixes sang in the river streams with singing old men hiking for firewood.
‘Is this place really the Heaven Separation Sect?’ Ning Fan’s forehead wrinkled because the Yue Country’s number one Evil Sect was too different from his imagination.
“Isn’t it strange? It’s clearly an Evil Sect, yet its external appearance is just like a righteous immortal gate.” The old man sneered coldly.
“Yes, I am kind of curious.” Ning Fan nodded in agreement.
“The real evil cannot be seen from the outside. Cultivators have the eyesight to even see through the heaven and earth, but it is still difficult to see through the pretension of the human heart. True evil will not announce his heinous acts. Evil needs to be deceptive; otherwise, it will not be able to survive in this world… The human heart is treacherous — these words need to be personally experienced or else you will not be able to understand.”
The old monster and Ning Fan stood on top of the Heaven Separation Mountain, and this could be the old monster’s first time speaking heart to heart with Ning Fan.
“The human heart is treacherous…?” Ning Fan appreciated the old monster’s words and quietly contemplated.
“Forty years ago, I was mistaken… But I came to the Rain World, returned to the Land of Yue, and was sheltered by that Sinister Sparrow kid… The human heart is hard to understand, but I did not read you wrong, you are very similar to me… However, there are chains in your heart.”
The Heaven Separation Sect was hundreds of miles vast and above it was a floating Violet Jade Platform. On top of the platform were four different entrances with the central area divided into seventy-two different venues. The sect tournament was taking place at this location and thus, it was bustling with cultivators and disciples as well as spectators.
There were cultivators coming and going along the mountainous paths.
The old monster tapped his storage pouch and took out a jade scroll that he handed to Ning Fan before pointing at the jade platform in the air.
“Little Ning, do you know how to use this jade scroll with your divine sense? You need to imprint your little brother’s appearance into this scroll… Later, your father will sneak into the Heaven Separation Sect by myself to find your little brother. You will wait on that jade platform for me… The Heaven Separation Sect´s sanctuary is guarded by many ‘Refined Corpses,’ you will only be a burden by coming along… If your father manages to save your little brother, I will immediately come back to the jade platform to join with you. If this is not feasible, then we will plan again in more detail.”
Harmonious Spirit cultivators could utilize divine sense — this was a spiritual power. Divine sense had many great uses. One of them was to imprint a memory into a solid form for readers. And the jade scroll was the item to carry the memory.
Ning Fan accepted the jade scroll and placed it on his forehead. He then recalled the memories of Hai Ning’s Ning Clan. Recalling scenes of him spending time with his little brother, Ning Gu, in the past. He used his divine sense to engrave Ning Gu’s appearance into the jade scroll.
A rare, warm smile appeared on his lips. Without a father or mother, his little brother was the only person he worried about.
That year, he was six and brought Ning Gu, who was only five years old, to work for others. Each day, he only earned a few coins, but he didn’t bear to spend it. Withstanding the cold and hunger, he bought candy for Ning Gu, instead.
That year, he was ten and Ning Gu was nine. Ning Gu was beaten by a drunkard, and the enraged Ning Fan, like a mad fearless dog, fought against this man.
That year…
Recalling the bumpy roads of his memories with countless amounts of bitterness, Ning Fan still felt warm. If he could save Ning Gu from this place, then as long as he existed, no one would ever be able to hurt Ning Gu!
“Little Ning, hurry up!” The old monster lost his patience and interrupted Ning Fan’s remembrance as he grabbed the half-imprinted jade scroll from his hand.
“Wait for me on the jade platform, don’t run around! You killed their Elder Wu; this matter is not over yet. Be careful and try your best not to reveal your identity. If you die in the Heaven Separation Sect, your father will not take revenge…”
This reminder was clearly a show of concern, but from the old monster’s mouth, it sounded somewhat like a threat. Finished with his reminder, the old monster gestured his “Body Concealing Art” and disappeared; he most likely entered the Heaven Separation Sect.
Ning Fan only smiled. This old monster had a sharp mouth, but his heart was made out of tofu.
He took out the Broad Wintry Cloth and covered his face. Above the veil was a female’s lip smear that caused him to momentarily be despondent.