Chapter 552: Chapter 552: Heaven Controlling City, The First Stage!

Incomplete.

Chapter 520: Si Tian City, The First Stage!

After it was hit by Ning Fan’s finger, the snow-white beast shadow let out a painful roar, not daring to attack Ning Fan anymore. It tried to run by turning around and transforming into a ray of snow white light.

Undoubtedly, it was impossible for Ning Fan to let it flee. He pointed out a finger and used the Heaven Sealing Technique to restrict the beast shadow’s movement.

Then, with a flick of his sleeve, he pulled it into his hand and studied it carefully. It was the shadow of a white tiger that had the size of a palm.

The white tiger shadow was not a living creature. Instead, it was something that the ferocious baleful qi within the spiritual equipment transformed into.

After it was caught by Ning Fan, that little white tiger was still baring its fangs while swing its claws with a fearsome look on its face.

Ning Fan applied some magic power from the center of his palm to destroy the shadow of that white tiger. Then, a brilliant light flashed. An ancient dark silver vambrace appeared in his hand.

The length of that armor could envelope the front part of Ning Fan’s arm just right. It felt cold and it seemed to contain a

Filler Words

With a single teleportation technique, Ning Fan brought Yun Ruowei and Ning Qingqing back to Hai Ning.

He had already grown used to smiling. No matter how difficult the path ahead of him, he would also never lose the smile on his face.

To him, smiling was just an attitude and it had nothing to do with his feelings… Today, however, he could no longer put on a smile on his face, even if he tried forcing it.

“Mistress Yun, if you encounter any trouble in the Southeastern Cultivator Union in the future, you can come to Seven Apricot City to seek help anytime. Mistress Qing, as long as I am alive, you can rest assured that the Ning Family of Hai Ning will continue to exist and prosper…”

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around looking slightly depressed and left.

Ning Qingqing had something to ask him at first but she was unable to get a word out from her mouth.

Yun Ruowei originally wanted to ask for the blue jade from Ning Fan but when she saw his sad expression, she also could not open her mouth to ask for it.

Seemingly, there was a feeling that rose within her heart and told her that he should be the one who keeps the jade and no one could replace him…

“Why will he be so depressed…?” Neither Yun Ruowei nor Ning Qingqing could understand him.

No one would…

Ning Fan returned to Seven Apricot City in a ray of travelling light. Three days later, he received a message-transmitting flying sword from the Endless Sea.

Right after he had heard the message from the flying sword, he entered the Sovereign Tomb using his separated soul without speaking a word to help Old Ancestor Dong Xu who had been waiting for him to break through to the Void Refinement Realm.

It had been a long while since the last time Old Ancestor Dong Xu met Ning Fan. He planned to crack a joke upon meeting him but when he noticed Ning Fan’s desolate expression, all the jokes he planned to tell turned into sighs.

One month later, Old Ancestor Dong Xu had successfully gotten through the bottleneck of the Void Refinement Realm under Ning Fan’s aid. All he needed to do next was to return to his island and commence a long secluded cultivation and he would truly become a Void Refinement Realm expert.

After Ning Fan had done his part, he left Seven Apricot City all alone and headed to the Middle State.

The little sable still stayed in the city as her injuries were yet to recover. With her and Min Luo around the city, it would be strong enough for the city to defend against someone like Moksha Sovereign even if they personally come.

Ning Fan walked past the land of Wu Country on his own and travelled across four countries, passing by each and every one of the foreign countries which he had never visited before.

He travelled all the way north. Sometimes, he would fly in the sky and sometimes, he would travel on foot. During his journey, he would walk for some distances and stop and occasionally go deep into the mountains and ridges to rest while looking at the blooming mountain flowers… It was unknown how many cultivation countries he had passed by within one month…

He intruded the den of a demon tiger by mistake and a tiger tub bared its fangs fiercely and pounced on him ignorantly.

He slightly released his aura force and it literally made that tiger cub cower in fear.

He lifted his finger with the intention to kill that tiger cub. However, a large black tiger jumped in front of the tiger cub and knelt to the ground like a human. With eyes filled with despair, it kept kowtowing to Ning Fan, begging him to spare them.

It was a tigress and it probably was that tiger cub’s mother…

Ning Fan let out a sigh and his killing intent diminished instantly. Then, he turned around and left the den.

Evening rain started to drizzle. Ning Fan stood on the edge of a nameless river and stared at the duckweeds on the river that were scattered by the raindrops.

The mayflies which were originally resting on the duckweeds immediately leaped and flew away from the scattered duckweeds to look for another resting place.

The rain gradually became heavier and the fine raindrops became so dense that it looked a curtain, blocking the view on the other side of the river. Eventually, the light rain turned into a stormy downpour.

Lightning flashed across the sky with thunder cracking and rumbling continuously.

Ning Fan’s robes was entirely wet. As the autumn wind blew, it made him feel slightly cool. Even the blue jade around his neck felt cold. He closed his eyes and sighed with his face filled with loneliness.

“Who says that the world is inhumane? If the world is inhumane, why would you be born into this world…? Only to those who are inhumane in the first place, the world is inhumane…”

“Who says that one has to give up their emotions in order to grasp the Dao? If one gives up all their feelings and eliminates all their thoughts, what else will be left at the end of the path…?”

“I cultivated the devil path not because I hated the world. All I wanted is to break free from the prison of sufferings and protect the loved ones behind me… I didn’t kill for riches and fame. Instead, I killed just because I wanted to protect those whom I cared for and repay the favor of a meal… If I don’t kill, it isn’t because I am kind. When I kill, it isn’t because I am evil. There are just too many things that are against one’s will in the world…”

“I thought I was born without parents. How ridiculous I was to think like that! If I didn’t have a mother, I should have already died one thousand years ago… Every drop of blood in my body doesn’t belong to me at all… However, despite knowing about her now, I still can’t find her…”

“Duckweeds don’t grow roots isn’t because they don’t want to. Even so, the mayflies just can’t do anything about it no matter what the reason is…’

Ning Fan gnashed his teeth and with his eyes close. While standing under the desolate evening rain all alone, he clenched his fists so tightly that his nails pierced through his palm, causing fresh blood to trickle down his hand.

“I’m sorry…”

Even after a long time, the rain still did not stop. It was still raining tempestuously like a waterfall.

Ning Fan left the riverbank and slowly walked upstream by the side the river. Several days later, a small cultivation city appeared in front of him.

The cultivation country was called Zhao Country. It was a low-grade cultivation country. As for the cultivation city, it was called the Vermilion Bird City. It was only guarded by a Gold Core Realm old ancestor.

Even though Zhao Country was not strong, many powerful experts form the Middle State would pass by this country because it was located at the border of the southeastern continent which was near to the Middle State.

It was raining heavily in the city and many cultivators were wearing their straw rain cape while hurriedly walking on the streets.

Ning Fan walked into the city. No one knew his cultivation base. The passers-by only thought that he was just a low-grade cultivator.

When each of the Harmonious Spirit Realm and Gold Core Realm old monsters entered the Vermilion Bird City, the guards would treat them with respect.

If Nascent Soul Realm experts arrived, they would give them a grand reception. For Divine Transformation Realm experts, however, the city guards would not be polite to them as they could not discern how strong they were since their cultivation base was not obvious.

This is how things are in the world. Ning Fan did not bother attitude the attitude of the city guards and walked toward a liquor shop in the city that was called Falling Cloud Bar.

His mood had already gradually recovered from sadness during his journey to the border of the Middle State. Now, he just wanted to get himself drunk and revitalize his devil heart after that.

If one dies from liquor, they would be drunk. If they are born from liquor, they would become conscious. Liquor could intoxicate or awaken a person’s heart and the same applies to all the Dao in the world.

Outside the bar, a few Vein Opening Realm burly men wearing a bamboo hat and straw rain coat were guarding the entrance. When they saw Ning Fan want to enter the bar, they uttered coldly.

“My friend, the liquor of our bar is quite expensive. Those who don’t have enough immortal jade are allowed to enter.

“It doesn’t matter. The immortal jade I have should be still enough.” Ning Fan said indifferently and walked past the few men, entering the bar.

Most of them who were drinking liquor in the bar were Vein Opening Realm cultivators. All the seats of fully occupied, leaving only one seat beside the window. No one sat there because the rain would splash inside. Some Harmonious Spirit Realm old monsters occupied a large table and indulged themselves in the taste of wine. Despite the empty spaces on their tables, no one dared to sit around the same tables as them.

As cultivators, only a minority of them were drenched by the rain. The clothes of each of the Vein Opening Realm cultivators in the bar was dry. Even though a few of them would get themselves drenched in the rain, they would already dry their clothes using their magic power.

As for people who came in with a thoroughly wet clothes, Ning Fan was the first one. Thus, everyone only thought that Ning Fan’s magic power was weak as he could not use his magic power to dry his own clothes.

A few young cultivators even burst into laughter upon seeing Ning Fan’s worn-out appearance and mocked him.

“Since this brother is already soaked entirely, there sure is no problem for him to sit near the window as he can’t get any wetter.”

“Sounds reasonable.”

Ning Fan walked toward the window and sat down on the empty seat, allowing the fine droplets of rain hitting his body. There was sign of discontentment on his face.

“Haha. He actually said that it’s reasonable!” The few cultivators laughed and teased. Seeing Ning Fan have no reactions to their words, they gradually found him uninteresting and left him alone.

After paying the price and having his spiritual wine served, Ning Fan poured the wine into his cup and started drinking himself. Occasionally, he would look at the rain outside the window. Everything that was happening inside the bar had nothing to do with him.

He stared at the autumn rain that was falling in an unbroken line. Slowly, he felt that what he saw in his eyes was no longer rain but the past memories throughout his entire journey.

Thoughts began springing up within his mind and he was gradually absorbed in them.

The rain is real but the memories are illusory… At the Void Glimpse Stage, one sees the void as the void. At the Void Inquiry Stage, one does not see the void as the void. At the Void Pierce Stage, one will still see the void as the void but at the Absolute Void Stage, however, one will see the reality as the void.

If one achieves the Void Fragmentation Realm, they probably will be able to break the void. At that time, reality and illusion just depends on what one wills…

“So this is the Great Dao of Void, huh…?” Ning Fan lifted his wine cup and took a large gulp of it. The traces of sadness in him were diluted by the rainy scene and the wine.

“An excellent wine!”

Ning Fan’s compliment immediately caused many customers in the bar to burst into laughter.

“Haha. Does that young man actually know about wine?! The spiritual wine in the Falling Cloud Bar always is added with water. How can it be an excellent wine?! It’s really ridiculous for that young man to make such a compliment despite his lack of knowledge in wine!”

“Speaking of the excellent wines in the Vermillion Bird City, they are none other than the wines in the Drunk Sparrow Bar… *Click tongue* Those are the truly excellent wines. However, they are ten times more expensive than the wines in the Falling Cloud Bar… *Sigh* Vein Opening Realm cultivators like us have no choice but to opt for the diluted wines in this place.”

Ning Fan continued to fill up his own cup and drink on his own, ignoring those low-grade cultivators. In his eyes, those Vein Opening Realm and Harmonious Spirit Realm cultivators were no different than mortals. Therefore, there was no need for him to get their acknowledgement.

Whether a wine is good or not does not just depend on its concentration and taste. If a wine is able to flush away one’s sadness, it would then be an excellent wine.

No one agreed what Ning Fan said. However, a loud and hearty laughter echoed into the bar from afar.

“Hahaha. I thought I was the only one who thinks the wine in the Falling Cloud Bar is good. It turns out that there is someone who shares the same opinion as me. It’s the most joyful discovery of my entire life and I shall celebrate it with a good drink!”

The laughter was originally still resounding across the air from afar. At the next moment, however, a big man wearing wore a bamboo hat while draping a straw raincoat around his shoulder had already walked into the bar.

“Bloody hell. What a heavy rain. I actually still got wet despite clearly wearing the hat and raincoat. Haha. Haha…”

The big man laughed heartily. His presence gave off the Fifth Level of the Vein Opening Realm qi.

He looked around the bar and spotted Ning Fan at first glance. Upon seeing Ning Fan who was sitting beside the window and drinking his wine calmly despite the rain droplets that were constantly hitting him, he immediately guessed that he was the person who made that compliment earlier.

“Haha. Isn’t this the lunatic Wu of the Vermilion Bird City? I heard that you went into secluded cultivation three years ago to break through to the Sixth Level of the Vein Opening Realm. Why is your qi still at the Fifth Level? Could it be that you failed to achieve the breakthrough again? Haha!”

“I’ve known him ten years ago. During that time, he was already at the Fifth Level of the Vein Opening Realm. Ten years have passed but there is no improvement in his cultivation base. It seems like he has no luck in attaining the Harmonious Spirit Realm in his entire life!”

“Achieving the Harmonious Spirit Realm? If the lunatic can achieve that cultivation realm, I will then be able to reach the Gold Core Realm!”

A series of mockeries filled the bar. Obviously, everyone there knew who that big man in bamboo hat was.

He took off his hat and raincoat and laughed it off without even caring about what they said. Then, he walked toward the table where Ning Fan was sitting at.

He also did not mind the rain that was splashing toward the window. He sat down on the other side of the table and randomly tossed his hat and raincoat aside. Afterward, he laughed and said, “What a cooling rain! This seat that is exposed to the rain is indeed the best place of the bar!”

As soon as the big man said those words, countless customers in the bar spurted out their wine and laughed.

“Look at him. That lunatic is saying something crazy again! Haha!”

Ning Fan lifted his gaze and took a casual glance at the big man. The quiet baleful qi within his body actually trembled gently as he sensed a quite powerful baleful qi from the big man’s body.

A Peak Divine Transformation Realm cultivator, huh…? This man is already not far away from attaining the Void Refinement Realm. Even though his baleful qi is far more inferior to mine, it’s still quite intense. He should be a devil cultivator with a willful and unscrupulous personality…

With just a single glance, Ning Fan saw through the background of that big man. That man, however, could not see through anything about Ning Fan at all. He just regarded Ning Fan as a Vine Opening Realm junior. Even so, he still cupped his fists politely and introduced himself.

“My name is Wu Chen. The Wu that means none and the Chen which means city!”

The name that the big man said was ‘Wu Cheng1’.

However, those who knew him well knew that his name was Wu Chen2. What he said just now completely irrelevant and it simply told everyone that he was illiterate. The bar was filled with a burst of laughter again.

“Haha. This Wu Chen is talking gibberish again!”

“This young brother, you better don’t trust his words. His surname is the Wu of Wu Country and his last name was the Chen that means dust!”

The big man was not bothered by those who laughed at him. With a flick of his finger, he sent some immortal jades to the owner of the bar who immediately served him some wines.

He held the wine jug up and drank a mouthful of it. Then, he announced with a carefree tone.

“It’s a good wine. It’s indeed a good wine!”

The customers around naturally began to laugh at him, just like how they laughed at Ning Fan just now.

“May I know what’s your name, this young brother.”

“Ning Fan.”

When Ning Fan uttered the two words indifferently, the entire bar became as silent as the grave.

Ning Fan?! White-Robed Marquis, Ning Fan?!

Impossible. This is definitely impossible! There are many people who share the same name under the heavens. In Rain World, it is unknown how many thousands of people whose name is Ning Fan. There is no way this man can be White-Robed Marquis!

The people put on a smile again and continued drinking wine, thinking that it was just a coincidence.

The big man was also stunned for a second. However, a short moment later, he also shook his head and laughed.

“Young Brother Ning, you really got a good name. It’s exactly the same as White-Robed Marquis. You nearly scared me to death.”

“Is that so…?”

Ning Fan was not bothered by them. He continued drinking the wine on his own without having any intention to make conversation with that big man.

The big man, on the other hand, became interested in Ning Fan. He carefully studied Ning Fan for a while and suddenly said with a sigh.

“This young brother, your eyes contain the pain of losing a loved one.”

“Oh? Does Brother Wu know how to read faces?” Ning Fan was surprised and his interest in Wu Chen was piqued.

“Haha. I know nothing about reading faces. I just know how to look at someone’s face. Your face might not contain any sadness, but there is pain in your heart. I’m just guessing randomly. *Sigh* You know, there isn’t many people like you… Most of the people in the world of cultivation are cold, heartless and selfish. Those who called themselves righteous don’t even dare to keep their love for their loved ones within their hearts as they stubbornly sever their emotions to cut ties with their mortal coil. Hehe. From my perspective, this kind of people really are extremely foolish!”

The burly man sighed and kept his smile. After gulping down a jug of win, he bought another jug and finished it instantly. Then, he proceeded to buy three jugs in one go.

Ning Fan felt slightly stunned. He felt that what the big man said was congruous with his thoughts. Even though his cultivation base was not as strong as his, Ning Fan started to have some respect for him.

After carefully observing Wu Chen for a while, Ning Fan even discovered that he possessed a strand of heavenly secret’s power. He should be an expert who was skilled in the Dao of Divination. This discovery had made him to have slightly more respect for him.

“If you don’t mind, could you tell if that family member of mine whom I feel sad and pained for is dead or alive?” Ning Fan asked politely.

“Alive!” Wu Chen answered without hesitation.

“Where is she?!”

“I don’t know… Her fate has been altered and I can’t see it through. If I try to glimpse at it by force, I will certainly harm myself…” Wu Chen was stilled boozing. However, after a brief conversation, Ning Fan was already certain that this man’s talent in divination was shockingly impressive.

In the past, Dong Xu only managed to see that Ning Qian’s fate was altered with the help of an immortal being’s blood. The big man in front of him, however, saw through the heavenly secret after just having a brief conversation with him. He indeed was an outstanding and talented individual.

“This brother, could you please help me divine her fate!”

“*Sigh* Alright. I’ll help you look into it. Just once…” Wu Chen could not help but change his mind after seeing the earnest look on Ning Fan’s face. He put down his wine jug and took out twelve empty wine bowls. Then, he arranged them in a certain formation.

Right afterward, he closed his eyes and slammed on the wine jug. The wine within the jug flew in the air and fell into the twelve bowls respectively.

“The Twelve Earthly Branches Technique!” Ning Fan was astonished inwardly as he recognized the technique that Wu Chen used was a lost ancient divination technique.

Wu Chen grimaced in pain. It was as if divining Ning Fan’s heavenly secret was extremely difficult.

However, Wu Chen was a man who would certainly deliver on his promises after giving his word. Since he had promised to help Ning Fan divine his fate, he must do it no matter how difficult it was!

“Glimpse!”

As Wu Chen uttered that word, he suddenly opened his eyes and coughed out mouthfuls of blood before passing out.

All the customers in the bar were befuddled. They had no clue why Wu Chen would suddenly faint.

Ning Fan was shocked to see what had happened to Wu Chen. With a flick of his sleeve, he sent a pill into the latter’s mouth and released its medicinal power using his magic power. It was a Sixth Revolution vulnerary pill.

As the medicinal power of the pill got into Wu Chen’s body, he slowly regained his consciousness. He sat up straight again while patting the back of his head and said with confused tone.

“F***. It scared me half to death. The cultivation realm of the person who altered her fate is too high. I was almost killed by her heavenly secret… However, it’s really strange. How did my injuries managed to be suppressed so quickly even though I’ve coughed out so much blood…?”

Wu Chen actually had no idea that Ning Fan had let him take a vulnerary pill.

He looked at Ning Fan and said with a slightly pleased expression.

“I’ve seen it! The person you are looking for is in the Middle State!”

“The Middle State!”

Ning Fan’s lips curved upwards, forming into a broad smile. It was his first time putting on a smile throughout his journey.

Since he now knew that she was in the Middle State, he was going to find her even if he might need to overturn the entire state!

“Thank you1” Ning Fan cupped his fists solemnly at Wu Chen.

“Hehe. It’s just a small matter. There is no need to thank me for it… Aiya. It’s bad. The people who are pursuing me have arrived. I got myself into a trouble in the past few days and I need to run now…”

Just as Wu Chen was about to stand up and get out of the bar, his injuries were aggravated, causing a sharp pain on his chest. The excruciating pain pushed him back to his seat.

In just a few seconds of delay, the entire Vermilion Bird City was already enveloped by four extremely pouwerful qi.

Four Void Refinement Realm experts!

“We are the ‘Rain Summoning Four Elders’ from the Vast Heaven Palace in the Middle State. We came to the Vermilion Bird City of Zhao Country to apprehend Revered Rain Giver, Wu Chen! This man disobeys the palace lord’s orders and let the rain fall randomly, violating the World Law. According to the laws, he should be escorted back to the Vast Heaven Palace and receive twenty rain whippings as punishment! Wu Chen, come with us for a trip!”

Ning Fan’s eyes turned stern. The people who came were after four Void Glimpse Stage experts!

And Wu Chen’s true identity was actually a revered elder of the Rain Palace who was under the Vast Heaven Palace.

Besides, his identity was different from the other elders.

There were many elders in the Vast Heaven Palace. Among them, there were just twenty-four Revered Rain Givers who had the authority to summon rain in the Rain World.

Surprisingly, Wu Chen was one of them.

The four Void Glimpse Stage elders instantly descended on the Vermillion Bird City and entered the Falling Cloud Bar.

All the customers in the bar looked at Wu Chen like they were looking at a monster. None of them ever thought that the lunatic Wu who was always laughed at by others was actually a Divine Transformation Realm revered elder of the Rain Palace!

“H-He is a D…D…D…” The several cultivators who proclaimed that Wu Chen would not be able to achieve the Harmonious Spirit Realm in his whole life almost peeped on themselves.

Wu Chen looked at the four elders with defiance in his eyes.

To Divine Transformation Realm cultivators, receiving twenty rain whippings was not considered to be a serious punishment. Even so, it would inflict them with quite serious injuries which they would need several years of secluded cultivation in order to be fully recovered.

It would have been reasonable to be punished if he had committed a serious crime. However, he had not done anything wrong. Thus, he could not accept his punishment.

“I’ve done nothing wrong! The palace lord asked me to summon a tempestuous rain, causing water to flood over Chu Yun Country! That country is just a mortal kingdom which does not even have a single cultivator. Besides, they didn’t violate any rules or regulations. Based on what reason should I drown them?! I can’t accept it!” Wu Chen retorted.

“They refuse to agree to build the Rain Sovereign’s shrine in their country. They aren’t willing to offer incense to the Rain Sovereign. Aren’t these considered to have violated the laws?!” A Void Glimpse Stage elderly man in silver robes said coldly.

Translated by Tommy, edited by Roel