Grasping the Evil

Chapter 1236: Rain Master Approaches with an Army!

Southern Heaven, Wind-Thunder Mountain, Fate-controlling Immortal Palace.

Atop Wind-Thunder Mountain, the Emperor of Fate began calculating, seeing his finger shadows fly swiftly, within moments he pinched out hundreds of divination signs.

Who is the divine being that is devouring Zhou Heaven’s fate? He wanted to discover the truth, but ultimately failed.

Can’t figure it out!

Seeing the divination technique fail, the Emperor of Fate’s expression darkened further. His divination arts are extremely marvelous, once mastered, nothing escapes calculation, strategies unfold in the heavens; but once a mistake occurs, all past efforts are wasted, the heavens do not cooperate, and the divination path suffers greatly.

Ever since he failed to calculate for Ning Fan, a crack appeared in his divination cultivation, and afterwards, his calculations began to err frequently.

Had the calculations not failed, how would his disciple Si Ming have perished in the wilds!

If calculations hadn’t failed, how would Fan Mokong, who he sent to plot against Yin Mo Ancestor’s second Primordial Spirit, be slain!

One wrong step leads to many!

The more frequent the errors, the larger the cracks in his divination cultivation, making it even easier for him to miscalculate!

Therefore, he miscalculated the time of Seventh Generation Slaughter Emperor’s demise!

He failed to predict that Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor could still emerge alive from the Divine Tomb, luckily the life of the barely surviving emperor is limited!

He didn’t foresee the defeat of Blood God Geng Wu, nor the re-emergence of Niu Manshan into the world!

And this time, he thought he could cultivate the Taoist line within a century, yet another huge variable arose, weakening the fate of Dreamland Realm, making his cultivation of the Taoist line within a century a mere dream!

He wants to calculate the cause and effect within, but struggles due to great damage in divination path, powerless.

"Since divination is useless, I’ll utilize Water Mirror Technique to peer into the essence!"

The Emperor of Fate pointed forward, instantly a cyan water mirror appeared before him.

He reached his hand into the water mirror, seemingly grasping the cause and effect of the entire world.

Instantly, seven-colored mist billowed atop Wind-Thunder Mountain like tidal waves, alarming all disciples.

"It’s Water Mirror Technique! Master is sensing the cause of others again, it’s unknown who the master intends to sense this time."

"Impossible! The master’s Water Mirror Technique actually failed! Could it be the opponent is exceedingly powerful?"

Amidst the shocked whispers of countless disciples, the Emperor of Fate’s face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

His Water Mirror Technique has failed, still unable to discover who is devouring Zhou Heaven’s fate!

Back when Ning Fan was low in cultivation, he was attacked cross-region by the Emperor of Fate’s Water Mirror Technique. But now, Ning Fan’s mana rivals that of a Quasi-Saint, the cause and effect upon him is not something the Emperor of Fate can grasp!

"Even the Water Mirror Technique is useless, seems the opponent must at least be a Quasi-Saint, under such circumstances... can only utilize the Chessboard of Cause and Effect to calculate your identity! Where is the Causal Beast, quickly appear and listen to commands!"

The Fate Wielding Immortal Emperor dismissed the Water Mirror Technique, raised his hand pointing to the sky, instantly, in the sky woven with wind and thunder, a thousand-zhang colossal black-white chessboard emerged.

On that chessboard, there were a total of thirty-six white pieces and six black pieces, inside each piece, a pair of blood-red eyes of Chess Soul hid deep, resentment soaring to the heavens, all were great beings calculated to death by the Fate Wielding Immortal Emperor!

On the Chessboard of Cause and Effect lay a beast resembling both a lion and dog, covered entirely with white fur, the beast scattered radiant divine lights, dazzlingly brilliant, beast eyes crimson, spirit awareness low, not conversant in human speech.

It was precisely the Causal Beast once frightened by Ning Fan.

"Causal Beast, quickly transform into Beads of Karma, assist the old man in deducing the cause and effect within!" The Emperor of Fate commanded decisively.

"Awuuu..." The Causal Beast reluctantly responded, just intending to casually assist the Emperor in sensing the opponent’s cause and effect, suddenly, the Causal Beast’s expression turned drastic, fear arose, all senses retreated at once!

Roar!

The Causal Beast let out a terrified roar, fled back into the Chessboard of Cause and Effect, cowered in the chessboard world, paws clutching its head, trembling with fright, resembling a lion-dog startled in the mortal realm.

"The Causal Beast is afraid again. Who is the enemy? Could it be the same person who killed Si Ming last time... Could it be Huo Dou causing me trouble again..." The Emperor of Fate’s face changed, pondered silently.

If the enemy truly is Huo Dou, he must calm down, since it’s not yet the optimal time to destroy the Huo Clan and consume Huo Dou...

Poor Clan Leader Huo Dou of the South Heaven Calamity Clan, unaware that he was blamed again for Ning Fan...

"Humph! Since Huo Dou is devouring fate, I won’t consider this matter. Once I extinguish the Huo Clan, consume Huo Dou, the lost Zhou Heaven fate will naturally return to me. The sole trouble is, prior to this wanting to utilize the Zhou Heaven fate to cultivate the Taoist line is no longer possible. Speaking of which, my Man-Eating Gourd placed in Northern Heaven seems nearing harvest; if only by this gourd, consuming eternity within Stone Warriors of the Eight Formations, should also greatly amplify my cultivation... Man-Eating Gourd, do not disappoint me..."

Thinking to soon gain eternity, the Emperor of Fate’s mood brightened, all frustrations of failing to cultivate the Taoist line dissipated entirely.

...

Northern Heaven, Yishi Palace, Stone Chamber Mountain.

The sense of cause and effect in the world vanished swiftly, yet Ning Fan keenly perceived someone attempted to sense his cause and effect just now.

This method of sensing cause and effect seemed very familiar, akin to the secret technique previously used on him by the Fate Wielding Immortal Emperor.

"Is it Fate Wielding... This old thief indeed has incredible powers, I just started to condense Merit Umbrella, yet he already sensed it? Pity you, can’t stop me!"

Thinking of Fate Wielding, Ning Fan’s gaze turned cold, waves stirred in his heart’s lake; as these waves arose, the slightly formed Merit Umbrella showed unstable signs.

Seeing this, Ning Fan had to gather his mind, focus on condensing the Merit Umbrella.

The Sky-Dueling Jade Umbrella is the body of the Merit Umbrella, as Ning Fan injected his seven-colored fate into the Sky-Dueling Jade Umbrella, the umbrella gradually surrounded by seven-colored glows.

That seven-color, is Ning Fan’s fate color, with the seven colors, a hint of eighth-colored prototype emerged, truly ascribed as not ordinary fortune.

Masses of fortune surged into the umbrella, making the fortune golden light on the umbrella increasingly rich.

Zhou Heaven fate also underwent swallowing by the Merit Umbrella, frantically poured into it, allowing Ning Fan’s fortune to show a surge in increase, the originally budding eighth-colored fate, its glow grew intense, seemingly showing signs of true condensation!

"Unexpectedly, this Merit Umbrella can also aid in boosting the level of fortune!" Ning Fan greatly surprised, such a matter wasn’t mentioned in the Ant Lord’s memory.

The Ant Lord sneered, "What other cultivator has your low fortune! Naturally can’t enjoy your ’benefit’!"

The word benefit, the Ant Lord spoke with mocking tone, clearly in her eyes, Ning Fan with enhanced fortune wasn’t blessed, but suffered greatly.

Theoretically, having seven-colored fortune allows one to begin cultivating the Merit Umbrella; but realistically, very few opt to cultivate this technique at seven-colored fortune, for two reasons.

Firstly, those with low fortune often have low cultivation, who are seven-colored fortune? Generally are Immortal Emperors, mere Immortal Emperors also wish to cultivate Merit Umbrella? These may not even understand the cultivation method of Merit Umbrella, nor have adequate mana to refine the umbrella’s body, let alone cultivate?

Ning Fan does not face these issues. He possesses Celestial Enlightenment, so understanding the Merit Umbrella’s gathering method is effortless; moreover, he has abundant mana, enabling him to achieve this when the Immortal Fate shows seven colors.

Secondly, those with low luck usually create weak Merit Umbrellas. It should be known that Merit Umbrellas come in various types, and even the same type can vary in strength.

The Merit Umbrella is the Sage’s Method, and as a Sage’s tool, it inherently has its pride.

If the bearer has low luck, the umbrella cannot resonate with its owner and must distribute a portion of the absorbed Zhou Heaven Fate back to the host to enhance their luck level.

This act seemingly increases the host’s luck level but causes a significant reduction in the amount of Zhou Heaven Fate absorbed by the umbrella.

The Merit Umbrella in the world only has one opportunity to absorb Zhou Heaven Fate when first crafted. The amount and quality of Heavenly Fate absorbed during the gathering directly determine the umbrella’s power after refining.

The quality of Heavenly Fate in the Dreamland Realm is already low, making it not the best place for gathering; in such circumstances, the Merit Umbrella splits most of the Heavenly Fate to supply Ning Fan’s luck improvement. How can the resulting power of the umbrella be high? According to the Ant Lord, even if Ning Fan successfully crafts the Merit Umbrella, it may well be the weakest in the world, easily defeated by any of those freakish old monsters of the Real Realm.

Ning Fan faced misfortune, which delighted the Ant Lord, causing him to hum a small tune of the Real Realm in his joyous mood.

"I see, the Merit Umbrella divided Heavenly Fate to me; therefore, once completed, its power will be greatly diminished..."

Ning Fan furrowed his brows but soon relaxed.

Forget it, forget it!

Even if the umbrella he crafts turns out to be the weakest in existence, it still counts as a Sage’s method, enough to sweep through the Era of Decline against Quasi-saints.

Though the Merit Umbrella’s power diminishing, he gained benefits from it, causing his luck to surge. With increased luck, he may encounter more opportunities and treasures in the future. Who can decisively say this act will lead to loss?

Ning Fan calmed his heart spirit and continued crafting the umbrella, sending spirit sense after spirit sense towards the Eight-colored Giant Umbrella over Stone Chamber Mountain, making the umbrella shine brighter and brighter.

This Eight-colored Umbrella is a fusion of a Sky-Dueling Jade Umbrella and a Fortune Umbrella, having also absorbed five generations of True Monarch Fuze’s fortune; the first seven colors on the umbrella have long solidified, and the eighth color is gradually firming up.

Consume, consume, consume!

Zhou Heaven Fate was forcefully swallowed into the Merit Umbrella; within just a hundred breaths, a fifth of Northern Heaven’s Zhou Heaven Fate was swallowed!

The Four Heaven’s fate is like a level water surface; at this moment, as one realm’s fate decreases, it’s as if a giant void suddenly appeared in the sea, with the water outside the void naturally flowing in.

Thus, the fate from the other three heavens begins flowing into the Northern Heaven, slightly restoring its fate, yet significantly depleting the Zhou Heaven Fate for the other three heavens.

Swish!

As a dazzling light shot upwards, Ning Fan’s luck level completely broke into the eighth color. In terms of luck, he surpassed Xiang Mingzi’s level and equaled a Second-Grade Quasi-saint!

Moreover, the Eight-colored Celestial Fortune is not Ning Fan’s end point; his luck is still rising, aiming to reach the Nine-colored Immortal Fate realm in one stroke!

Nine-colored Immortal Fate, comparable to the big favor! If possessing such luck as an Immortal King, Ning Fan’s future life would undoubtedly be filled with continuous good fortune.

However, no one observed him impacting the Nine-colored Fate, for the heavens surrounding Stone Chamber Mountain were all sealed by him, preventing the outside spirit sense from coming in and inside momentum from going out.

No one knew what profound transformation was occurring on Ning Fan at this moment!

Even the formidable Immortal Emperors outside Stone Chamber Mountain couldn’t sense the happenings inside.

Only those of Quasi-saint level, and very close to Stone Chamber Mountain, might know what Ning Fan was doing inside.

So here lies the question, is there a Quasi-saint in the Palace of Legacy?

No...

The Palace of Legacy itself has no Quasi-saints, only three Immortal Emperors stationed. Normally, since Northern Heaven has something like the Heaven Evading Coffin, it wouldn’t be strange for the Palace of Legacy to be passed down with one or two ancient Quasi-saints; as for Immortal Emperors, surely a dozen or twenty should hide inside the Heaven Evading Coffin, barely surviving.

But peculiarly, from ancient times to the present, no Immortal Emperor or Quasi-saint has survived using the Heaven Evading Coffin; all Immortal Emperors and Quasi-saints mysteriously disappear upon nearing the end of their immortal lifespan. Ordinary people don’t know its reasons, only those understanding the power of Stone Warriors of the Eight Formations can comprehend the inside story, thus fearing the Palace of Legacy even more, daring not to provoke.

This is awkward.

Ning Fan impacting the ninth color of Celestial Fortune within the Palace of Legacy, such a world-shaking feat is completely unknown to the Palace!

However, one outsider Quasi-saint, because he’s idling within the Palace of Legacy, feasting indiscriminately, faintly sensed the activity within Stone Chamber Mountain. But due to Ning Fan professionally isolating heaven and earth using the Momentum Character Secret, his perception of the mountain’s activity is not clear, only vaguely sensing slight aura.

Within the Inverted Spring on West Palace Island of the Palace of Legacy.

The Fish Master of Second-Grade Quasi-saint cultivation hid in the underwater lair of the Inverted Spring, joyfully sipping wine.

This underwater dwelling wasn’t his home but the home of the female demon Jiu Xiaojiu.

What he drank wasn’t his wine but the Divine Wine personally crafted by Jiu Xiaojiu. Normally, these Divine Wines were strictly kept by Jiu Xiaojiu, but luckily she had been "out" recently and hadn’t returned, leaving the wine cellar unsupervised. Thus the Fish Master whole-heartedly stole wine daily, drinking himself into a stupor, forgetting all else, hoping Jiu Xiaojiu returns later rather than sooner.

"Hehe, when the wine girl returns and sees eight hundred jars of Divine Wine missing, she’ll likely be livid enough to pull my beard..."

"Speaking of, where has that wine girl lately run off to, the protection mark I placed on her gives no sense of her presence. Haha, she should have gone exploring some isolated ancient ruins, couldn’t have been captured by some old monsters. Who in Northern Heaven, among immortals, Quasi-saints doesn’t know our grandparent-grandchild-like affection; who would bother my granddaughter, causing trouble for me..."

"No matter, let’s drink more! The Immortal Emperor beckons but doesn’t come aboard, proclaiming himself to be the Immortal of Wine! Glug, glug, glug! What divine wine! The Wine Girl is indeed a once-in-a-billion-years genius in brewing! I merely uttered a few words on the brewing methods of wines from home, and she truly replicated the taste of Haoliang Liquor in seven to eight stages with mere words! Ah, drinking this wine makes one nostalgic; it is exquisite but should not be overconsumed, for excess will hurt and break one’s heart..."

The Fish Master paused the cup with a sigh and suddenly had a slight expression, sensing the changes in Stone Chamber Mountain.

"Hmm? Is it him? To think a mere Immortal King broke through to Eighth-color Celestial Fortune!"

Upon Ning Fan killing True Monarch Fuze, he wasn’t particularly shocked, for he too would have no small confidence achieving that.

But upon sensing Ning Fan breaking through Eighth-color Celestial Fortune, the Fish Master suddenly couldn’t stay calm.

The Eight-colored Celestial Fortune isn’t so easily achieved! It should be known that back then, it took him a whole thirty million years of seclusion to achieve the Eighth-color Celestial Fortune, what a long thirty million years, staying in his lair, doing nothing but cultivating luck, focused solely on this matter.

Incredibly tedious!

Yet with Ning Fan, how did this affair become so effortless!

"What on earth is this youngster doing inside Stone Chamber Mountain! How is his luck rising so swiftly! What’s stranger still, is that Zhou Heaven Fate is decreasing... Can it be that this youngster understands some technique that transforms Heavenly Fate into Human Fate?"

"Wait! His luck changed again! Beyond the eighth color, indicating sprouts of the ninth color."

"His luck is still rising!"

"Eight-color two divisions!"

"Eight-color five divisions!"

"Eight-color seven divisions!"

"Eight-color nine divisions!"

"Nine Colors!"

"He actually broke through the ninth color with Immortal King cultivation! How could such a hero emerge in the Era of Decline?"

Due to extreme shock, the Fish Master forgot all about the matter of stealing wine, focusing solely on sensing the movements within Stone Chamber Mountain.

But for some reason, as Ning Fan’s fortune broke through to the ninth color, a vast power suddenly emerged within Stone Chamber Mountain, rendering the Fish Master’s perception unable to penetrate even slightly!

"What exactly is this child doing in Stone Chamber Mountain? My Wine Sword Intent cannot even enter this mountain by a step..."

The Fish Master felt as if ten thousand water worms were crawling and scratching deep inside his heart.

He was too curious!

He desperately wanted to know what was happening inside Stone Chamber Mountain!

His instincts, honed over years of life-and-death training, told him that within Stone Chamber Mountain lay an immense opportunity, and witnessing it would be of supreme benefit!

"I don’t care! Even if this child doesn’t want me to see, I’ll take a glance! All the wine aura of heaven and earth, enter my mind, transform into my Wine Sword, and... break!"

With the Fish Master’s command, his invisible spirit sense transformed into a large sword of wine, cleaving open a small gap in Stone Chamber Mountain, allowing entry by half a step.

Though he only entered by half a step, the Fish Master finally saw clearly what was happening inside Stone Chamber Mountain.

At this moment, Ning Fan sat calmly within Stone Chamber Mountain, using his full mana to forge a giant nine-colored umbrella.

On that giant umbrella, countless blessings and heavenly fortunes radiated brightly.

Although the Fish Master could not recognize what kind of umbrella it was, he vaguely sensed its terrifying nature.

Though the umbrella was not yet complete, once it was, it would possess supreme power!

Unexpectedly, this spying did not anger Ning Fan but enraged that Merit Umbrella.

The Merit Umbrella was very angry!

At this crucial moment of forming, it wanted no interruptions, yet the Fish Master, an ignorant junior, dared to spy on it.

Rumble!

A torrent of merit energy suddenly burst from the umbrella, colliding with the Fish Master’s spying spirit sense.

The Fish Master’s spirit sense was extremely strong, but was still injured by the collision of merit energy.

A muffled grunt, and the Fish Master coughed up a mouthful of blood, suffering a slight injury to his divine sense; probing Stone Chamber Mountain had used up nearly all his spirit sense power, and damage to it would seriously hurt his divine sense.

"This... this is the power of the Third Step, not the Power of Reincarnation; what is this!" The Fish Master only recognized the Power of Reincarnation, but not the Power of Merit, due to its rarity in the Era of Decline.

Rumble!

The merit energy collided with the Fish Master’s spirit sense a second time, and the Fish Master found himself unable to withdraw his spirit sense from Stone Chamber Mountain.

This was all his spirit sense power!

If struck again by merit energy, his spirit sense could be completely destroyed, leading not to a minor injury, but a severe one!

This left the Fish Master filled with regret! Had he known the hefty price of stealing a glance at Stone Chamber Mountain, he would never have dared!

"Daoist, quickly retreat, do not spy on this place again. Next time, I may not be able to save you!" Suddenly, someone intervened, helping the Fish Master retract all his spirit sense, escaping Stone Chamber Mountain.

It was Ning Fan who intervened!

He did not save the Fish Master out of kindness, but to prevent his spirit sense from further interfering with the Merit Umbrella’s forging.

The refining of the Merit Umbrella had reached its most critical stage, and any mishap could lead to cataclysmic backlash; Ning Fan dared not let the Fish Master’s spirit sense linger, nor let the Merit Umbrella continue losing control and attacking others.

Even without the Fish Master’s interference, Ning Fan had already suffered backlash from the Merit Umbrella due to slight errors in his crafting technique.

Though his divine body was unparalleled, Ning Fan had still sustained some injuries. To quickly expel the Fish Master’s spirit sense and restore the Merit Umbrella, Ning Fan didn’t hold back suppressing his injuries, forcibly ejecting the Fish Master’s spirit sense, spitting out a blood arrow.

It looked quite shocking!

But in truth, Ning Fan was not severely hurt; after all, his vitality was immense, like losing a hair off an ox, painless indeed.

Yet the Fish Master didn’t know!

The Fish Master didn’t know that Ning Fan was slightly injured!

The Fish Master didn’t know that Ning Fan was driving him away, not saving him!

The Fish Master was shocked; in his cultivation life, he had never encountered someone as noble as Ning Fan!

He, who had initially spied on Ning Fan’s cultivation, was at fault, yet ended up receiving Ning Fan’s help, avoiding severe divine sense damage. (Fool, he only expelled you because spending merit energy to try and break your spirit sense was wasted effort)

Even though he had retrieved his spirit sense, the Fish Master felt no joy of surviving a disaster, instead becoming bewildered and at a loss.

As a Second-Grade Quasi-Saint, his spirit sense was supposed to be as solid as iron, yet now it was shaken, filled with guilt due to Ning Fan’s actions!

How vast must one’s heart be to repay grievance with virtue?

The Fish Master asked himself if he could not achieve it; he would only repay grievance directly, virtue with virtue. If others spied on his secret techniques, he might not kill them, but would at least punish them as a warning.

Taking even ten thousand steps back, even if he did not punish them, he could never be like Ning Fan, repaying grievance with virtue. (Fool, he’s only busy crafting the umbrella, can’t spare time dealing with you; otherwise, he’d surely give you a lesson)

"I never believed the mortal world could have such great virtue, but perhaps... this child is truly extraordinary..." the Fish Master sighed.

...

"Luckily, I acted in time to drive out this person’s spirit sense, and the Merit Umbrella’s mood has stabilized..." Ning Fan slightly relaxed.

Being forcefully spied on during cultivation deeply displeased Ning Fan, but since he was absorbed in consolidating the Merit Umbrella, he had no time to deal with the Fish Master.

The crafting of the Merit Umbrella had reached its most critical phase; it now contained a small amount of merit energy.

Unfortunately, such a minuscule amount of merit energy was far from enough to complete the Merit Umbrella’s formation. Thus, Ning Fan needed to borrow the Ant Lord’s merit energy to complete his umbrella.

The Ant Lord, sealed within Ning Fan’s divine sense, was merely a remnant soul of a Saint, and due to the special nature of the seal, could not exert any cultivation.

But this does not hinder the residual soul of the Ant Lord and the Merit Umbrella from maintaining a thread of connection.

"Now, I recite an incantation, you follow along." Ant Lord.

"Alright." Ning Fan.

"Northwestern Seas, Corner of the Great Desolation, there is a mountain that does not fit, named Mount Buzhou..."

"Northwestern Seas, Corner of the Great Desolation, there is a mountain that does not fit, named Mount Buzhou..."

Ning Fan followed Ant Lord, chanting a seemingly unknown incantation, repeating it eight hundred times.

This incantation contained some kind of divine skill, and as Ning Fan finished reciting all the lines, the scenery of Stone Chamber Mountain before him suddenly changed.

Heaven and Earth began to transform!

The scenery before him was no longer that of Stone Chamber Mountain but transformed into the Primordial Mountain and Sea!

Ning Fan stood on the sea, behind him, floated Mount Buzhou in the Northwestern Seas.

In front of him, a graceful woman walked over the sea, holding a Merit Umbrella.

That woman holding the umbrella was none other than the Ant Lord!

"So it is, the Primordial Mountain and Sea I see are all illusions..." Ning Fan looked around, gazing at the illusion of Mount Buzhou’s landscape, feeling a sense of returning to a familiar place, for reasons unknown.

"Indeed, all you see are illusions derived from the incantation, including myself; only the Merit Umbrella in my hand is real... Now, I lend you part of the Power of Merit from this umbrella... You must cultivate the Merit Umbrella! Otherwise, I will lose Merit Power without saying, you will gain no benefit either." Ant Lord said reluctantly.

Then, unwillingly handed the umbrella to Ning Fan.

Ning Fan took the Merit Umbrella from Ant Lord, it was not his, but belonged to Ant Lord. The remaining Merit Power on the umbrella was not much, and there were quite a few damages on it, faintly traced by the claws of a Demon Crane...

"So, your Merit Umbrella was damaged by the All-knowing Senior. You are eager to help me gather the Merit Umbrella so that you can receive more Merit Power from me to repair this umbrella." Ning Fan said.

"Indeed, if there was no benefit involved, why would I help you! I owe you nothing!" Ant Lord snorted.

"Yes, at this moment, you owe nothing to the present me, our cause and effect are not in this Mountain and Sea of Buzhou... Here is the cause and effect between me and her, not yours..."

Ning Fan held the umbrella, suddenly turned around to look at the phantom of Mount Buzhou behind.

He was not just looking at the mountain, but wondering how his future self would appear in the real position of this Mountain and Sea.

What is the future? What is the past?

There is no future, no past.

Finding zero is the possibility for the future, the path to one.

Have I found zero now...

Ning Fan spoke to himself, no one could understand what he was saying, even Ant Lord looked bewildered, thinking Ning Fan was having delusions, talking nonsense.

No one understands.

Ning Fan did not need anyone to understand.

With a flick of his sleeve, the illusion of Mount Buzhou Mountain and Sea disappeared entirely, along with the bewildered illusion of Ant Lord.

Before Ning Fan, still was the scenery of Stone Chamber Mountain.

In the sky above Stone Chamber Mountain, floated his yet-to-be-fully-formed Merit Umbrella.

In his hand, what he held was the umbrella lent by Ant Lord.

With a flick of his wrist, the Merit Umbrella of Ant Lord suddenly vanished, transforming into a beam of light, flying into his umbrella.

Instantly, thunder and fire raged between Stone Chamber Mountain, amidst which Ning Fan’s Merit Umbrella gradually solidified, the aura of the Third Step growing denser!

But just as it neared successful condensation, a sudden advent of heavenly will aimed to thwart the condensation of the Merit Umbrella!

The heavens do not agree!

Heavenly Dao viewed Ning Fan as an enemy, how could it permit Ning Fan to uphold heavenly virtue, carrying the umbrella to transcend into sainthood!

The heavenly will seemed like a bolt of lightning, striking upon the Merit Umbrella, resonating with crackling sounds, making the umbrella splinter with countless cracks, almost ready to collapse.

Efforts almost wasted!

"Failed! It actually failed! It must be that the remaining Merit Power on my Merit Umbrella was too little to counter your sins, hence inciting Heavenly Anger, prompting failure!" In Ning Fan’s divine sense, Ant Lord lamented with heartache. It hurt indeed, as she was truly distressed over the scarce Merit Power on her umbrella, now borrowed to Ning Fan and with his failed umbrella condensation, she was bound to face a total loss!

"The Merit Power is insufficient... I do remember your Heaven-Opening Jade Scroll, with still remaining merit points, could they be used!" Ning Fan said gravely.

"Impossible, you are not a Saint, you cannot directly convert merit points into Merit Power for use, as your physical defense cannot bear merit bestowed..." Ant Lord mourned, accepting the inevitable loss.

"Without trying, how can one know if it will succeed!"

Ning Fan patted his storage pouch, stubbornly took out Ant Lord’s Heaven-Opening Jade Scroll, still with five thousand eight hundred merit points.

He looked up towards the heavens, stared straight into the sky, unafraid of heavenly will!

He has experienced the Position Sky Map containing heavenly will before!

If the will within Stone Chamber Mountain’s scope permits him, he will not mind.

But if the heavens continually obstruct, he will devour the heavens and earth once more, what’s the concern!

...

As Ning Fan contended against heavenly will at this crucial juncture, Rain Master rode four large and one small Rain Dragon, carrying three mountain and five peak Daoists he invited, arriving at Stone Chamber Mountain!

"Ning Fan! Surrender the Sky-Dueling Jade Umbrella at once! Else this Stone Chamber Mountain shall be your burial place, teaching your dao extinction here!"

Outside Stone Chamber Mountain, exclamations arose!

No one expected, right after Ning Fan killed True Lord Fuzhe, another Quasi-Saint arrived to challenge Ning Fan.

Moreover, the visitors were not just one Quasi-Saint! The formation from Water Sect was truly intimidating! Are they really intending to slay Ning Fan, the "Ancient Great Cultivator"?!