Chapter 557:  Chapter 557: Little Dull Bird

 

Incomplete.

Chapter 557: Little Dull Bird

The moment the black and white ring shadows appeared, the ten suns above the sky of the illusory realm exploded one after another. The sky began becoming dim and dark. The earth, however, started to tremble and the lava surged, initiating a raging flame that engulfed each of the volcanoes!

As the ring shadows flashed, an unimaginable medicine soul gradually permeated heaven and earth. It was so powerful that it could crush the medicine soul of any Fifth Revolution Pill Refinement Masters!

It was the medicine soul power accumulated in the Heavenly Dao from the countless deceased pill masters since ancient times. It was the reward that heaven and earth gave to a Seventh Revolution Pill Refinement Master!

A Fifth Revolution Pill Master did not have the right to observe the breakthrough of a Seventh Revolution Pill Master at all! Every single one of them was unable to endure the force given out by the medicinal soul of heaven and earth!

Each of the volcanoes erupted in succession, filling the sky with sparks of flames. Those flames, however, suddenly fell down, raining down upon the Pill Sovereign’s location.

At this moment, the Pill Sovereign’s forehead was beaded with sweat. He was sitting down with his eyes closed, beginning to push through the bottleneck of the Seventh Revolution.

A towering ancient tree was standing upright behind him. It was the form of his medicine soul.

That ancient tree had luxuriant foliage. It gave off a faint layer of light screen that was condensed from medicine soul power, preventing the rain of flames from falling upon him.

Ning Fan raised his head and looked into the sky. His expression turned grim as he was staring at the black and white ring shadows.

Filler Words

The cultivators who were there to watch the fight held their breath. Many of them who had inadequate cultivation base could not even endure the sword qi that was ravaging the cloud mountain.

Lu Yu ascended to the mountaintop. Even though he was blind, his heart was as bright as snow.

He might not be able to see Ning Fan’s appearance but he could sense his unusually young age and the abnormally terrifying void sword light around him…

Faced with the current Ning Fan, even Lu Yu displayed the Sword Light Body Transformation Technique, he also did not have a certain assurance to defeat Ning Fan.

He suddenly raised his hand and clawed at the sea of clouds above. The sea of clouds that stretched into several hundred thousand li* (500m per li) started to tremble and rumble with countless rifts forming on them.

Rays of golden light shone down from the cracks on the sea of clouds, condensing into a golden cloud sword in Lu Yu’s hands.

That golden cloud sword was a magic sword. It did not have a sharp cutting edge but it had a mysterious effect in controlling the great momentum of heaven and earth.

As Lu Yu tilted his wrist, the golden sword swung with its tip pointing at Ning Fan. Immediately, the sea of clouds began churning and roiling!

“The clouds in the heaven and earth will all be my swords! The force of flexible clouds can suppress all directions!”

The great momentum of countless cloud light in the sky were suddenly connected together, producing an overwhelming aura force that fell directly toward Ning Fan’s head.

A vast pierce of hollow space was crushed by the pressure of the falling force. An abnormally heavy pressure washed over Ning Fan, rendering him difficult to breathe.

His eyes flashed with surprise. The sword technique that Lu Yu used was clearly a type of great momentum sword, which was extremely similar to his Nine Step, Sky Treader.

The clouds force be soft and tender but the softer the thing that was condensed into a sword, the stronger its sword intent and might.

Lu Yu continued swing his sword light and the power of the clouds around the sky became more intense.

At first, the force of the cloud was just comparable to the aura force of a Void Pierce Stage expert.

However, as its power continued to increase, Ning Fan suddenly felt that what he was facing currently was not flowing clouds but an old monster at the First Heavenly Layer of the Void Fragmentation Realm!

Under such a massive pressure from the cloud force, Ning Fan felt like his body was as heavy as it was carrying a huge mountain. His bones began emitting cracking sounds, making him nearly lost his balance and fell off from above the clouds.

Lu Yu, on the other hand, was still wielding his sword light while the power of the cloud was still rising!

Perhaps Lu Yu could raise the power of the cloud to a level comparable to the aura force of an expert at the Second Heavenly Layer of the Void Fragmentation Realm in no time. Even if a Void Pierce Stage expert would also be grievously injured by that level of power and fall down from the sky.

“A weak sword garners greater strength while a soft sword gathers toughness… This Lu Yu’s sword that fuses with the power of the cloud sure is exceptional. However, even an expert at the First Heavenly Layer of the Void Fragmentation Realm also can’t subdue me with their aura force. Lu Yu is not exception!”

“When there is no momentum, no sword shall be formed… The great momentum sword isn’t unbreakable!”

Ning Fan’s eyes shone with more fearsome battle intent. His body seemed to have become an ancient sword that was floating high in the sky!

Under the heavy force of the cloud, Ning Fan’s body shone in brilliant sword light and he suddenly took the first step forward!

The move he made seemed to be stepping on the Heavenly Dao, producing ripples in heaven and earth that looked like water wavelets!

Even though he was clearly stepping on the sky, it felt like he was stepping on the hearts of countless cultivators around him, instilling astonishing in them!

At this moment, Ning Fan looked like he had transcended heaven and earth and his presence exuded an unneglectable aura force!

After he had made that step, the force of the cloud within the vicinity was suddenly shattered, turning into a strong wind that dispersed into everywhere above the sea of clouds!

Lu Yu was flabbergasted. To his horror, Ning Fan was breaking away his sword of cloud force little by little!

One has to know that the key of the sword of cloud force was about becoming one with the force of the cloud. After Lu Yu had cultivated this technique painstakingly for one thousand years, he could usually defeat experts at the Void Pierce Stage by attacking them once using this technique!

Even common Absolute Void Stage experts would also have difficulties to break the force of Lu Yu’s sword technique.

Ning Fan, however, managed to fend off the power of his soft cloud sword with just a single step!

Usually, the softer the sword, the stronger the power and intent of the sword!

Because the soft cloud sword was inherently soft and weak, the force it produced was frightening.

Ning Fan might not hold a sword in his hands but he wielded a sword in his heart. The force he produced from not having a sword was much stronger than the force of the soft cloud sword!

The sword might from his sword technique, Nine Steps, Sky Treader, was none other than a type of sword technique that produced sword force out of nothing!

“Of all the sword cultivators I’ve met in my life, there are only three individuals whom I admired. The first one is White-Robed Sword God. The second one is the third elder of the Zhou Clan. The third one is the sword cultivator who is also a rogue immortal that I encountered by chance… This kid is the fourth person!”

When Lu Yu was bewildered and surprised, Ning Fan had already made the second step, causing the sea of clouds within one thousand li* (500m per li) to disperse!

Then, the third step broke the clouds within ten thousand li* (500m per li) was broken!

The fourth step destroyed the clouds within one hundred thousand li* (500m per li)!

On the fifth step, the sword force that Lu Yu had condensed with great effort was completely broken by Ning Fan!

Ning Fan did not stop his pace as he continued to make the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth step.

The moment he took the ninth step, the sword force of his body rose to its peak.

With Ning Fan’s current understanding of the great momentum and the truth and falsehood, the power of his technique, Nine Step, Sky Treader, had become even more terrifying.

At this moment, Ning Fan’s hands did not carry any sword. However, that was the reason why his sword force could reach the peak level that Void Refinement Realm cultivators could attain!

All of a sudden, something struck his mind, putting his mind in a trance… He felt that the current him could control all the low-grade flying swords that were below the Divine Transformation Realm… be it his enemies’ flying swords or his own flying swords!

“All swords in heaven and earth obey my command!” Sword light glistened in Ning Fan’s eyes as he suddenly gave a command.

A massive sword force swept across several hundred thousand li* (500m per li) on the cloud mountain! In just an instant, all the cultivators who possessed flying swords around the cloud mountain felt that their swords were trembling.

As Ning Fan willed it, the flying swords of one hundred thousand low-level cultivators flew out from their scabbards or cases or broke free from the storage pouches that were keeping them.

The flying swords of everyone there were overcome by Ning Fan’s sword force!

One hundred thousand flying swords soared into the sky, emanating dazzling sword light. That scene shook the entire Great Heaven Realm!

“Controlling one hundred thousand swords at once! White-Robed Marquis actually became one with his sword force which enabled him to subdue and command one hundred thousand swords!”

“Even for Void Fragmentation Realm sword experts, not every one of them might be able to command such a great number of swords. Although White-Robed Marquis is far from being a Void Fragmentation Realm expert, he managed to pull off such incredible feat! This is literally too unthinkable!”

Tingling sensations ran across Lu Yu’s scalp.

He might be blind and unable to see the magnificent scene of Ning Fan commanding innumerable swords in the sky, but he could feel the immense sword force from them.

His soft cloud sword force could not at all hold a candle to Ning Fan’s sword force which he produced without using any swords!

Even his sword light incarnation had difficulties to withstand the upcoming attack from Ning Fan!

“Minor Void Swords!”

Ning Fan raised a finger and all one hundred thousand low-grade flying swords shattered, transforming to illusory black sword shadows.

He stole the Minor Void Swords Technique from Marquis You Gui on that day he battled against him. However, he could not perfectly master technique in the end.

However, when he commanded multitudes of swords at this moment, he felt like he had touched the one and only secret of this technique.

What is Minor Void Swords? Commanding the void to be my swords and cut down one million cultivators!

“Fall!”

When he pointed his finger at Lu Yu, the one hundred thousand void sword shadows rained down upon him like a torrential downpour. The avalanche of swords caused Lu Yu’s expression to change drastically.

His sword light incarnation might be able to parry common attacks but the void sword light could cut even the void. Besides, with so many of them, even his incarnation would not be able to withstand them!

However, he could not back off from the attack. He must not fear because he was a sword cultivator!

If he let his fear take over him, he would never be able to have the same obsession in the Dao of Swords for the rest of his life!

“I was born in the Rain World. At the age of ten, I entered a school of swords and began my cultivation journey in the Dao of Swords. At the age of one hundred, I destroyed my own eyes in order to cultivate sword with a quiet heart. From then on, I tied myself with swords purely and wholeheartedly… Today, nine thousand years have passed. Throughout the nine thousand years of cultivation path, I’ve always been all alone. I’ve lost too much and the only thing that I still kept is the sword in my hands…”

“As long as the sword I here, I’ll be here! If the sword loses, I’ll die with it!”

Lu Yu’s expression looked like he had turned crazed. He broke the cloud sword in his hand and performed a hand seal. The purple sandalwood sword box on his back gave out a whistling noise, shooting out a Peak Mortal Void Grade flying sword that was scarlet golden!

The Void Refinement Realm was same as the Mortal Void Grade while the Void Fragmentation Realm was equivalent to the Immortal Void Grade…. This scarlet golden flying sword might be at the Mortal Void Grade, it contained a trace of Immortal Void Grade power!

That Immortal Void Grade power was formed by Lu Yu’s nine thousand years of persistence and stubborn belief!

This sword was called ‘Obsessive Fool Sword’. It carried the Dao of Swords that Lu Yu had accumulated for his entire lifetime!

Lu Yu’s innate talent in the Dao of Swords might not be as good as the others, but his obsession in swords, on the other hand, was something that even people like Ning Fan and Yun Tianjue could not rival!

He raised hand and pointed at the scarlet golden sword while rapidly changing his hand seals. Right afterward, the body of the sword glowed with brilliant sword light. The sword light then split into two and its number continued to double in folds. When it transformed into one thousand rays of sword light, all of them transformed into one thousand enormous shadows of scarlet golden divine turtles which flew at the one hundred thousand void sword light, collided against them!

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

The void sword light disintegrated one after another while the shadows of the scarlet golden divine turtles was also vanishing one by one at the same time!

When every divine turtle was destroyed, some of the void sword light still remained. They turned into a sea of sword light which engulfed Lu Yu.

The whistling sword light was so intimidating large in quantities caused the spectators to suffocate. On the peak of the sea of clouds, only Ning Fan and Lu Yu were able to keep standing still!

Ning Fan stood firmly like a monolith. With a wave of his hands, he dispersed all the broken sword light. With respect in his eyes, he stared at the sword shadows that were gradually disappearing in the sky.

Lu Yu did not take half a step backward despite being surrounded by the sword shadows. However, his body was severely wounded with blood trickling down from his seven orifices!

His final sword technique still lost to Ning Fan in the end!

At the very least, however, he did not lose to Ning Fan in terms of the Dao of Swords. He faced the sword shadows head-on and held on without backing off!

“*Cough* I’ve lost. But my sword didn’t lose and will never lose!” Lu Yu’s qi was feeble. He was coughing out blood continuously. Even so, his old face was still wearing a smile.

Being defeated by a powerful sword cultivator like Ning Fan was something he felt happy about.

Being able to hold on to his own Dao of Swords with no regrets was something even more pleasant.

“Your strength isn’t weak. If I had not broken through to the Void Inquiry Stage, I might not have been able to defeat you.” Ning Fan said truthfully. Even though his Dao was widely different from Lu Yu’s Dao of Swords, he more or less had respect for people who were persistent in their Dao.

“Hehe. White-Robed Marquis’ capabilities really are impressive. I conceded defeat from the depth of my heart… I’ll now bring you to the belly of the mountain to look at the rain stele.”

Just as Lu Yu’s voice fell, five voices that sounded as if they were peeved suddenly echoed from the sword box on his back.

“Small Yu Yu, you’re really weak. Our effort in giving you guidance in sword techniques all these years is all in vain. How could you lose to this man? You really brought shame on us! Humph! This elder sister is going to ignore you from now on!”

“Humph! This second elder sister is also not going to care about you anymore!”

“Humph! Humph! This third elder sister is going ignore you!”

“Humph! Even this fourth elder sister is going to ignore you!”

“Humph… Humph… Humph…”

“Just ignore her. She always stutters. She’s trying to say that she is also not going to care about you anymore!”

“From today onwards, we don’t want you anymore. We want to look for a new human pet. Humph! Goodbye forever!”

*Chi* *Chi* *Chi*

In the next instant, five sword rays of different color flew out from Lu Yu’s sword box. Their speed was too fast. No one managed to see clearly what they were.

Lu Yu smiled bitterly. Even though the few little princesses had outstanding understanding in swords, their intelligence was like a child. When they saw him lose to Ning Fan today, they probably were pretty upset.

A few thousand years ago, Lu Yu who had just attained the Void Glimpse Stage chanced upon these few young girls from a historical place that once belonged to an ancient sword cultivator.

If it was not for their guidance all these years, he certainly would not be able to master the sword light incarnation.

However, they were quite difficult to deal with as well as they always gave Lu Yu a hard time.

Looking at the five sword rays that were leaving into the distance, Lu Yu was both happy and disappointed.

He was happy because there would be no one else to torture him anymore from now onward.

He felt disappointed because he was somewhat reluctant to see them leave him after spending a few thousand years with them.

In the next instant, the five sword rays suddenly changed their direction and turned toward Ning Fan.

Lu Yu was stunned. Is it possible that they are trying to make Ning Fan their new human pet and torment him after witnessing his profound sword techniques?

“This is!”

Ning Fan’s eyes widened with surprise while looking at the five sword rays that whistled toward him.

Common people might not be able to clearly see the things inside the sword rays but Ning Fan managed to see them!

They were five small young girls that were as big as a thumb!

The five of them wore a coat and skirt that were of respective color: golden, green, blue, red and yellow. Each of them had clear and beautiful facial features. They looked like they were eleven to twelve years old. There was a pair of thin wings that looked like that on a dragonfly on their backs. Their faces were filled with anger.

“These are… sword spirits! Moreover, they aren’t sword spirits of ordinary flying swords. In fact, all of them, even the weakest among them, is an immortal sword’s sword spirit!”

If a sword develops spirituality, they would become sword spirits.

The sword spirits of ordinary flying swords were the spirituality in the flying swords themselves. However, the sword spirits of some immortal swords could fly out of the flying swords and form their own bodies.

The five sword spirits bore down on Ning Fan menacingly. Before Ning Fan could ask Lu Yu about the origin of the five sword spirits, his instinct warned him against danger.

Among the five thumb-sized girls, the one in the golden clothing suddenly performed hand seals with her tiny hands. Then, a massive sword intent spread out from her tiny body!

“Humph! Small Yu Yu might have lost to you but we won’t! We must teach you a lesson and show you what we’ve got! Void Cutting Sword Technique!”

*Chi Chi Chi*

Countless sword rays suddenly appeared around Ning Fan’s body. In the next instant, the void was cut open, causing the scene in front of his eyes to change.

In just the blink of an eye, he vanished from the peak of the sea of clouds in the Great Heaven Realm and appeared in an independent heavenly dwelling space.

Even though that golden-robed girl had a tiny body, her capabilities were quite magnificent as she could actually display the Void Cutting Sword Technique…

That technique was very similar to the technique which Void Fragmentation Realm experts used to produce a heavenly dwelling space using their palms. Both of them were magic techniques to create a heavenly dwelling space. Generally, only Void Fragmentation Realm sword cultivators could master such technique…

However, that small girl in golden robes was able to display a Void Fragmentation Realm technique despite having no magic power at all…

After they had successfully captured Ning Fan into the heavenly dwelling space, the five small girls put on a pleasant smile. They then fluttered their thin wings and flew to five different directions to surround Ning Fan.

“Humph! You’ve already been surrounded by us. There is no way you can escape! Because you’ve defeated Small Yu Yu, we are extremely embarrassed. This elder sister wants to cut you three hundred times as punishment!”

“This second elder sister wants to cut you five hundred times!”

“This third elder sister wants to cut you seven hundred times!”

“This fourth elder sister wants to cut you nine hundred times!”

“This f…f…f…”

“Don’t mind her stuttering. She is saying that she wants to cut you one thousand times!”

Ning Fan’s eyes turned solemn. He could feel a strong sense of danger from the five tiny girls… as well as an uncanny familiar feeling…

The five girls were sword spirits of immortal swords. Even though they had no cultivation base, the sword intent and sword techniques of any one of them could also strike an Absolute Void Stage expert with fear…

If the five of them fight jointly, perhaps even an old monster at the First Heavenly Layer of the Void Fragmentation Realm would have to avoid the confrontation temporarily.

Well, the five girls might be strong. However, it was still impossible for them to cut Ning Fan.

“What is your relationship with Lu Yu and the Great Heaven Palace?” Ning Fan asked with a faint smile.

“Humph! We have no relationship with Small Yu Yu at all. He was the pet that we picked up in the past. But now we’ve abandoned him! As for the Great Heaven Palace… What is that? We’ve never heard of it!” The five young girls said arrogantly.

“You all have no relationship with Lu Yu and the Great Heaven Palace, huh… You even haven’t heard of the Great Heaven Palace…”

A wider smile formed on Ning Fan’s face.

In this case, there should be no one who has any objection against me in capturing the five sword spirits, right?

Sword spirits are excellent things… By placing them in a flying sword, they can give the sword extra abilities. Besides, they can also help temper flying swords and increase their power in normal times.

Some sword spirits even have some of the sword techniques of their former owner… If the five of them are sword spirits of immortal swords, I wonder if I can obtain some high-grade sword techniques from them.

Moreover, they are quite strong. If I subdue them, they can also serve as some additional fighting capacities for me.

“You all are mine!”

“All of you are mine!”

Just as Ning Fan’s voice fell, he immediately summoned the Eight Black Burning Wings and disappeared without a trace by making a step forward.

Vigilance filled the the five young girls who were smiling pleasantly and cheerfully in the start upon seeing Ning Fan’s disappearance. Their small faces turned cold completely.

“Humph! Are you trying to sneak attack us? You’re still too young for them! Kill him!”

Even though the five girls had petite bodies, their actions were fast and ruthless. Each of them raised their hands and sent out sword rays at five different directions.

They were sword spirits by nature. Their tiny hands were much sharper than common flying swords. By just waving their hands, they could produce sword light which possess the power comparable to a Void Pierce Stage attack. They were undoubtedly extremely strong.

In the vast sky, the spots where the five rays of sword light cut through were the places where Ning Fan’s shadow passed by successively.

Ning Fan had altered the direction of his flight for five times in an instant. However, a sword light would fly toward him every time he settled down, making him unable to approach the five girls.

The senses of the five girls were really extremely keen. They truly deserved to be the sword spirits of the immortal sword.

Ning Fan touched his glabella, summoning the Separation Slayer Sword. With the sword in his hand, he instantly made nine steps consecutively, blending himself with the great momentum of heaven and earth and wielding the sword to parry the five sword rays. Without a doubt, those attacks dealt no damage to him.

When the five little girls saw that their sword lights were ineffective toward Ning Fan, their small faces turned solemn.

“A flying sword belongs to the grade of Immemorial Divine Weapon… Tong Tong, crush his sword!” The sword spirit in golden robes saw with a cold expression.

“A…A…Alright!”

The fifth sword spirit was called Tong Tong. She was clad in yellow clothing. As soon as she heard the command, she began making hand seals with her tiny hands. Her eyes twinkled with dazzling sword rays.

Then, an extremely scary sword intent shot out from her body which instantly filled the entire heavenly dwelling space, causing it to shake.

That sword intent contained the domineering intent that could destroy every kind of flying swords!

Under the sword intent of the fifth sword spirit, cracking sound suddenly echoed in the air!

With no warning, the Separation Slayer Sword in Ning Fan’s hands trembled violently. A small crack was formed on its and was branching out like a spider web…

The dignified Two-Star divine weapon that even Void Fragmentation Realm experts were incapable of breaking despite using all their strength was actually on the verge of breaking by the sword intent from a mere little girl!

Ning Fan’s eyes were filled with astonishment for the first time. The sword intent from the fifth sword spirit was too powerful. It could actually crush a person’s flying sword, including Immemorial Divine Weapons!

Even though the Separation Slayer Sword was a Two-Star divine weapon, it would certainly be broken if the little girl attacks it with her divine intent agan…

“Yi…Yi..Yi…” The fifth sword spirt who stuttered put on a confused look upon seeing Ning Fan’s flying sword that was not completely crushed.

The other sword spirits, on the other hand, covered their mouths with their small hands and said in surprise.

“It’s actually a Two-Star divine weapon!? That’s why it wasn’t broken despite taking a direct hit from Tong Tong… However, there is no need to be afraid. Let Jing Jing to shatter his sword force!”

The sword spirit who was called Jing Jing was the eldest among the five girls, the first sword spirit that was in golden clothing.

She made a series of hand seals using her tiny hands and gave off a sword intent that was completely different from that of the yellow-robed sword spirit. In an instant, it filled up the entire heavenly dwelling space.

The moment her sword intent spread, the sword force that Ning Fan obtained by fusing his Nine Step, Sky Treader with heaven and earth suddenly collapsed!

Shock filled Ning Fan’s eyes.

These five little girls are really exceedingly heaven-defying.

“The sword spirit in yellow robes can break one’s flying swords while the sword spirit in golden robes can crush one’s sword force… I’m afraid the other three sword spirits also have their own respective abilities…”

Ning Fan dismissed his force and kept his Separation Slayer Sword. Then, he took in a gentle breath and began pondering.

After a brief moment, he slowly raised on of his fingers and pointed it at the five girls. A sword light was produced at his fingertip.

When the sword light was about to take form, the second sword spirit that was clad in green robes made some hand seals and unleashed her sword intent.

Under her sword intent, Ning Fan’s sword light immediately dispersed.

“The sword spirit in green robes can break one’s sword light and sword shadow, huh…”

As if he was deep in thought, Ning Fan activated his Heart Formation Technique and used the Eastern Profound Sword Formation which he had not used for a long time.

Before the sword formation had taken shape, the fourth sword spirit in red robes also made a few hand seals to release her sword intent.

Instantly, Ning Fan’s Eastern Profound Sword Formation that had yet to completely condense was broken…

Just as the sword spirit in red robes stopped, the third sword spirit in blue clothing started making hand seals and gave off her sword intent.

clothing can break down one’s sword intent…”

Translated by Tommy, edited by Roel