Chapter 563 (2/2)
Meanwhile, a strand of pure white life qi was forming in his dantian!
The moment the white qi was formed, the black and white qi in his dantian intertwined with each other, forming into a ring that was half-black and half-white. It then hovered above his primordial spirit.
His primordial spirit in the dantian opened his eyes and reached out his two tiny hands to grab the two strands of qi and swallow them into his abdomen.
Immediately, that miniature primordial spirit put on a smile of satisfaction.
“Excellent!”
At this moment, Ning Fan’s aura force rose. The black and white qi flashed in his eyes!
Standing on the eight thousand and five hundredth step of the Dao Stairs, Ning Fan’s lips curved upward into a smile.
After the formation of the Life and Death Q in his body, he did not get a brand-new ability. His magic power also was not improved. His Dao Heart, on the other hand, was unprecedentedly clear while his Dao Comprehension became more profound.
“The Rain Ancestor’s intention of leaving the Dao Stairs behind for the descendants of the Rain World to comprehend life and death was great. However, I just wonder what else is at the higher part of the mountain…”
Ning Fan glanced sideways to look at the nineth stele on the mountainside. It was also carved with five letters.
“Kill a person in ten steps”!
Deep in thoughts, he climbed ten steps slowly. Upon reaching the tenth step a golden light flashed before him and the silhouette of a burly man in golden armors appeared.
The burly man in golden armors had Void Glimpse Stage cultivation base. It was produced by a trace of sovereign qi left behind by the Rain Ancestor.
Moreover, this burly man existed due to the cloud mountain and was formed due to the sovereign qi. Thus, he would not disperse easily unless he is attacked by a sovereign qi attack.
The burly man had a blank expression. The moment he emerged, he instantly roared at Ning Fan coldly.
“Get off the Dao Mountain!”
Ning Fan narrowed his eyes. Since he possessed sovereign qi, he naturally had ways to kill that shadow in golden armor.
However, if he were to do that, he would be exposing his sovereign qi…
Perhaps Revered Sage was carefully observing the illusory realm right now, hoping to see the scene where Ning Fan eliminates the shadow using his sovereign qi.
Ning Fan shook his head.
If I wish to kill this golden-armored shadow, the only method probably is by using my sovereign qi.
However, the core test of this stage is one’s Dao Heart. It isn’t a test for one’s abilities. Therefore, I might not necessarily need to kill this golden-armored shadow in order to clear this stage.
Ning Fan no longer paid any attention to that shadow. He continued moving forward directly and climbed the next jade stairs, trying to go past the golden-armored shadow.
The golden-armored shadow was infuriated. He turned around and hurled a punch at Ning Fan, aiming at his back.
Ning Fan directly summoned the Primordial Lightning Armor. He did not care about the fists from the golden-armored shadow at all.
As that punch was just equivalent to a Void Glimpse Stage attack, it could not break the defense of his Primordial Lightning Armor.
Ning Fan climbed up the stairs calmly. For every ten steps he made, a Void Glimpse Stage shadow in golden armors would appear but none of them could hurt him.
Ning Fan ignored every one of them. Gradually, it was unknown when all the shadows had disappeared…
What replaced them was all kinds of temptations. Shadows of heavenly ingredients and earthly treasures and figures of exquisite and alluring women would occasionally appear along the Dao Stairs.
Ning Fan walked all the way up the stairs. His Dao Heart was as firm as rocks. He did not spare a glance for those shadows.
As for this Dao Mountain, it did not seem to have a peak at all. No matter how long Ning Fan had walked, he also could not reach its end.
So this is the Dao Mountain. The Dao has no boundaries while the mountain had no summit. The path of cultivation itself is endless in the first place.
It’s also difficult to say who is the strongest being on the cultivation path.
In the mortal realm, Vein Opening Realm cultivators are unrivalled celestial beings.
In low-grade cultivation countries, Gold Core Realm experts are regarded as old ancestors of a country.
In the Rain World, Void Fragmentation Realm experts are the sovereigns of the world.
In the Four Heavens, perhaps immortal emperors are the rulers.
However, immortal emperors aren’t the strongest…
There is no peak in the path of cultivation. However, if one looks back at the path, which cultivation realm isn’t a peak?
Today’s beginning is yesterday’s peak. Today’s peak is the next year’s starting point…
Ning Fan no longer raised his head and cast his eyes toward the top of the mountain. Instead, he lowered his head and stared at the path beneath his feet.
Slowly, the Dao Mountain no longer existed in front of his eyes. The Dao Stairs beneath his feet also disappeared.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, he suddenly stopped and raised his hand to pat his chest. With a faint smile, he muttered, “Dao Heart. The Dao is in the heart… The Dao Mountain itself does not have an end as the end isn’t at the mountain peak but in one’s heart!”
“If I make this place as the mountain peak, then here will be the mountain’s summit!”
*Chi*
Ning Fan touched his glabella and starlight glinted. The Separation Slayer Sword appeared in his hand. Without hesitation, he raised that sword and slashed the Dao Mountain.
“He is… cutting the Dao!” Luo You suddenly cried out, as if she had just witnessed something astonishing.
Ning Fan had already discovered the true method of clearing this stage and that was to cut off the Dao Mountain. Then, wasn’t the place where he was standing become the end of the mountain?
It was the correct way of clearing this stage. Moreover, it was an extremely important step for a true immortal to become an immortal emperor after cultivating for ages!
An immortal is someone who stands on top on the mountain while an immortal emperor must be someone who stands at the peak of the mountain.
Since there is no end in a cultivation path and no peak on the Dao Mountain, one has to cut the Dao in order to stand on the peak of the mountain! Only when one severs the unnecessary and unreachable Dao and keep the Dao beneath their feet can they become an immortal emperor!
Luo You was in disbelief that Ning Fan actually severed the Dao with a slash…
No one had ever told Ning Fan that one would need to cut the Dao in order to become an immoral emperor. He managed to figure it out based on his own power of understanding. It was truly frightening…
Obviously, only an immortal emperor was capable of severing the Dao. The current Ning Fan was still unable to cut off the Dao Mountain.
Even though his sword attack was strong and powerful, when it laned on the Dao Mountain, it only caused the mountain to tremble slightly. After that, everything returned to normal.
Furthermore, his attack barely left any mark on the Dao Mountain…
“It’s so unfortunate. Although I have found the true method of clearing this stage, my current level is still far from enough to execute it…”
“The Rain Ancestor travelled across the Four Heavens and Nine Worlds unhindered. His capabilities could even impress immortal emperors. He left behind the Four Stages of Heaven and Earth. This Earth Stage perhaps was meant for the descendants of the Rain World to sever the Dao and become an immortal emperor…”
“Unfortunately, how would the Rain Ancestor be able to imagine that the Rain World would fall into today’s situation after his passing. In the Rain World, there isn’t an immortal. Besides, there are just a handful of Void Fragmentation Realm experts… I’m afraid no one in this world will be capable of severing this Dao Mountain.”
As soon as Ning Fan finished speaking, rays of dazzling light suddenly emerged behind him and sent him out of the illusory realm.
Even though he failed to sever the Dao Mountain and destroy the Earth Stage, he managed to discover the correct method of clearing this stage. Thus, he could also be deemed to have passed the stage.
In a flash, Ning Fan and Yun Daoku appeared in the Temple of Rain simultaneously.
All of a sudden, the entire temple was filled with cries of surprise.
“Oh my god! White-Robed Marquis actually managed to pass the Earth Stage! It’s extremely rare to have someone who managed to pass the Earth Stage successfully!”
“Indeed. The last time someone managed to get through this stage seems to be several hundred thousand years ago!”
“It’s already a rare occasion for common Void Refinement Realm cultivators to get through a single stage of the Four Stages of Heaven and Earth. White-Robed Marquis, on the other hand, has already passed two stages! According to rumors, he is also a Sixth Revolution Pill Refinement Master. It probably also isn’t difficult for him to pass the third stage… It’s indeed scary that the White-Robed Marquis can get through at least three stages today!”
“I wonder what prize the White-Robed Marquis will get after passing the Earth Stage!”
The Rain Sovereign’s brows were drawn together. Through telepathy, he asked Revered Sage who was standing beside him.
“Did he reveal any sovereign qi when he encountered the golden-armored shadows in the Earth Stage?”
“No…” Revered Sage answered truthfully.
“Is that so… The third stage can’t test anything about sovereign qi. It all rests on the fourth stage.”
Ning Fan took out his palace lord token. After passing the stage this time, his merit points increased by one billion points again.
Countess silver light dots flickered in front of him suddenly. Those light dots then condensed into a treasure box made out of silver. The item that was stored inside the box seemed to be the prize of passing the Earth Stage.
Before the treasure box was opened, a massive wave of vigorous magic power flowed out from within, causing all old monsters in the temple to catch their breaths in anticipation.
Even the Rain Sovereign’s countenance changed with surprise taking over his grim expression. It even made him cast the matter about sovereign qi to the back of his mind!
“This is…! This is…!” Countless old monsters started to breathe more heavily and quickly.
Ning Fan also was slightly shocked. He did not expect that the prize of getting through the Earth Stage would be such an excellent item.
It was a great item and he liked it very much. However, since he obtained the item in the public, it was unknown if it would incite others to seize it from him…
Everyone in the temple could already guess what was inside the box. Ning Fan also did not try to hide it. With a gentle sigh, he opened the treasure box.
The moment the lid of the box was opened, cold white mist immediately wafted out from within.
The item that was stored inside the box was a Dao fruit!
It was a Dao fruit at the level of rogue immortal that was frozen by a seventh grade cold qi!
The magic power that this Dao fruit contains was at least two million units!
It was an extremely tempting item even to old monsters at the level of the Rain Sovereign!
“White-Robed Marquis, if I may be so bold, will you be willing to exchange for some other things with me using this Dao fruit…!?” A few Void Pierce Stage old monsters were already unable to suppress their desire and expressed their intention to trade for that Dao fruit.
“I’m willing to use a seventh-grade immortal void flame to exchange for this Dao fruit!” Even Yun Zhongyan, who was a prince of the Rain Palace, had made an offer.
“…” Although the Rain Sovereign stayed silent, his eyes were also staring at the Dao fruit with desire.
Who would not want something that could allow them to obtain an additional of two million units of magic power…?!
“I’m sorry everyone. I’m not going to trade this Dao fruit for anything!”
Ning Fan kept the treasure box containing the Dao fruit and scanned across the temple with a gloomy look on his face. He stared at every prince, every Void Fragmentation Realm expert and the Rain Sovereign.
Since the item was already exposed in the public, there was no way he could avoid trouble. It can’t be helped that some greedy individuals would set their eyes upon the Dao fruit due to its benefits.
Ning Fan believed that with the Black Devil Sect being his backer, people with significant identities like the Rain Sovereign would not go so far to turn against him for a Dao fruit.
However, it was hard to ensure that no ruffian would try plotting against the Dao fruit after this…
The expressions on all the old monsters in the temple was different from each other. No one could tell if someone was already scheming to seize the Dao fruit.
Only the few individuals who had a good relationship with Ning Fan did not have any intention to possess that Dao fruit even though they envied him.
The Pill Sovereign walked out from his place with a cold expression while stroking his beard and sweeping across the hall with his piercing eyes.
“Heavenly ingredients and earthly treasures belong to those who are predestined to get them! This Dao fruit belongs to Ning Fan. Since he isn’t willing to trade it, it’s better that everyone stops thinking about it. Cultivation level might be important, but it isn’t as important as your life. Please consider properly before acting!”
The Pill Sovereign’s voice was extremely faint but it sounded threatening. His intention of protecting Ning Fan was apparent.
When everyone saw that Ning Fan had the Pill Sovereign’s protection and thought of his background, they had no choice but dismiss the greedy thought in their minds.
The Rain Sovereign did not utter a single word throughout the session. Only after the Pill Sovereign had come out to say something did he speak with a smile.