"An old man with seven colors of light… Who is he?!"
Ning Fan already had a guess in his mind. Even though he does not know yet the truth behind the past event, he surmised that the people who plotted against Ning Qian and completely extracted his blood were probably the fourth prince and the old man with seven colors of light.
As such, it was clearly reasonable as to why Yun Tianjue would be so angry to the point of murdering the fourth prince. However, who exactly was that old man with seven colors of light…?
"I don't know. I don't know who he is. Moreover, I can't even see his face.. I only know that he's strong, very strong. He certainly isn't a cultivator of the Mortal Realm… However, if he is a cultivator of the Upper Realm, he should hold no grudges against any of the cultivators in the Mortal Realm. Why would he risk violating the heavenly rules and attack cultivators of our realm?!" Yu Bushu's eyes blazed with anger.
"Elder Brother's memories were erased. However, what was erased along with his memories were his seven emotions… It made him forget that he had a wife and a child. From then onward, he never smiled or cried… Everyone said that he gave up his emotions to cultivate the Dao of Swords. In fact, it is completely false. Someone had permanently erased his emotions and memories… After he lost his memories, you and your mother went missing. Perhaps it's also a part of the fourth prince and the old man's plot…"
"You should be able to see what kind of intent realm that I am comprehending, right?" Yu Bushu shifted his gaze to Ning Fan and asked.
"If I am not mistaken, the intent realm that you are comprehending should be the Intent Realm of Forgetfulness which is a divine intent… Because you've cultivated this intent realm, your memories will become weaker as your comprehension in this intent realm deepens. When you fully grasp this intent realm one day, you might even forget who you are…" Ning Fan answered.
His intent realm was memory while Yun Bushu's intent realm was forgetting…
"Precisely. What I've comprehended is the Divine Intent of Forgetfulness. The reason why I learned this divine intent was because I want to find a way of restoring my memories by forgetting them and then help my elder brother regain his memories."
"Even though my elder brother and I aren't related by blood, he still treated me like his own younger brother. Thus, I regarded him like my elder brother too. As long as he can remember everything, nothing else matters to me even if I will lose all of my memory! As long as I can make him smile again, I won't mind sacrificing my life!"
"However, one thousand years have passed and I still have yet to find a way to help him recover his memories… I heard that Thunder Sovereign Bu Zhou is skilled in the White Lightning Memory Extinguisher Technique as well as abilities that can restore one's memories… Unfortunately, he died ten thousand years ago. I'm afraid there is no one else in the Rain World who can help my elder brother regain his memories…"
Yun Bushu closed his eyes and sighed continuously.
Ning Fan, on the other hand, remained silent all throughout.
He originally thought that the people who harmed him and his mother in the past were from the Rain Palace and he would even kill that person even if he was the Rain Sovereign.
Judging from what he heard today, the people who harmed his mother and him in the past were the fourth prince and an old man with seven colors of light instead…
However, did the Rain Sovereign really have nothing to do with it…?
Who exactly was that old man…?
Ning Fan frowned. The truth behind what happened a thousand years ago was too hard to investigate.
Compared to it, the thing of utmost importance to him right now was to master the Rain Ancestor's technique and look for his mother within the Central State's territory.
He did not have a close father and son relationship with Yun Tianjue. He mostly felt some admiration and gratitude for him.
He also did not have a close mother and son relationship with Ning Qian… However, his mother had given him her own blood which he had lost which gave him a new chance at life. Therefore, he had to find his mother no matter what… It was something that he must do…
"You haven't told me where this blue jade pendant came from, have you?" Yun Bushu asked.
"This blue jade pendant… I was sealed within a demon cocoon for a thousand years. This jade pendant was something my mother left behind to me."
Ning Fan recalled every scene in the Weeping Blood Forest which he saw in the illusory dream realm and went silent without telling anything else to Yun Bushu.
Yun Bushu sighed.
He did not mention Ning Qian's whereabouts. Apparently, he also does not know where she currently is…
Yun Bushu studied Ning Fan again and said, "I see… No wonder your bone age seems extremely strange. So it turns out that you have been hidden from fate under the help of the demon cocoon, huh… Awakening after slumbering for one thousand years… Well, not everyone has the chance to slumber inside a demon cocoon for one thousand years."
"If I have a choice, I would rather give up the chance of slumbering for one thousand years…"
Agony suddenly struck Ning Fan's heart, making him go quiet again.
He had already found out a little about the truth from Yun Bushu but he did not have the intention to talk to him about the old days.
He still clearly remembered his original objective of coming to the Profound Heaven Palace and that was to study their rain stele.
"Third Prince, I still have something I need to take care of. If there's time, I'll have a talk with you next time. Now, I must comprehend the mystery behind the rain stele. I hope you won't tell anybody about what we've discussed today, including Yun Tianjue."
"You called me 'Third Prince' but you called my elder brother 'Yun Tianjue'. *Cough* That's really cold and distant… Anyway, it's fine. Regarding what we've talked about today, I won't tell anyone. You can proceed to study the rain stele now. I won't disturb you. I'm going to find somebody to gamble! In the ten realms of today's Heavenly Cloud Realm, many places have set up gambling houses to bet whether you, the Scarlet Heaven Palace Lord, can defeat the other eight palace lords or not. Hehe. I'm pretty confident in you. That being so, I'm going to bet you'll win. I suppose I'll be able to earn quite a lot of immortal jade this time. Hehe. I'll take my leave now!"
Yun Bushu smiled greedily like a ruffian. His body swayed and then he already disappeared in a ray of light.
Ning Fan helplessly shook his head.
I'm being put to the gambling table again, huh…?
He did not study the rain stele immediately. Instead, he asked Luo You within his mind.
"Little You Er, have you ever heard of an expert whose body emanates seven-colored light in the Four Heavens?"
"Seven-colored light? That probably isn't light but the color of luck. 'The seven colors of luck appear like a rainbow'… Generally, only immortal emperors can form the seven-colored luck. Well, some true immortals might encounter special opportunities but it's already very rare for there to be one who manages to form three-colored luck in the Three Realms of the True Immortal Realm… That person who plotted against your parents should undoubtedly be an immortal emperor. However, there are tons of immortal emperors in the Four Heavens. With just this clue alone, it's difficult to find out that person's identity…"
"An immortal emperor, huh…"
Ning Fan then stood below the rain stele of the Profound Heaven Palace in silence for a long time.
Only when the tidal surge of emotions inside of him calmed down did he spread out his spirit sense and begin studying the rain stele.
After an incense stick of time, he turned around to leave. Just as he was about to depart, his body began emanating a thick and heavy battle intent again.
He flew out of the inner part of the mountain and stepped on his ancient golden sword, heading straight to the eighth realm.
The eight realm of the Heavenly Cloud Country – Altering Heaven Realm!
The Altering Heaven Realm had many female cultivators with even more body cultivators. Yu Chong Er's master was a female Void Fragmentation Realm expert who commanded the Altering Heaven Palace – Yun Qingge. Not only has that lady's magic power reached the First Heavenly Layer of the Void Fragmentation Realm but her body refining realm had also attained the First Heavenly Layer of the Nirvana Body Refining Realm.
The palace lord of the Altering Heaven Palace was called Fairy Yun Zhi. Her magic power was at the Void Inquiry Stage but her body refining realm had already reached the peak of the Third Level of the Golden Body Refining Realm. Just by relying on the strength of her body techniques, she could overpower ordinary Void Pierce Stage cultivators.
Ning Fan travelled at top speed all the way, dashing straight toward the cloud mountain of the Altering Heaven Realm while passing by countless cultivation cities.
Gradually, the cloud mountain became visible in the distance. On the summit of that mountain, a lady with a cold expression arrogantly stood there. She looked like she was in her late twenties. She was clad in a blood-colored battle armor and her presence exuded golden rays which reached ten thousand zhang* (3.33m per zhang) away.
A cultivator with the Golden Body Refining Realm!
She was the one and only palace lord of the Altering Heaven Palace!
Ning Fan stashed his ancient sword away and stood above the sea of clouds, looking at the cloud mountain below him with a frown. He seemed to have discovered something which prevented him from advancing.
The moment he arrived, an uproar erupted across the entire cloud mountain!
"White-Robed Marquis has arrived! This is his fifth battle in his mission to challenge the other eight palaces in the Heavenly Cloud Country. Can he actually come out victorious in the end?!"
Palace Lord Yun Zhi patted her storage pouch and took out a formation token. In an instant, layers of cloud light began spreading from the cloud mountain.
When the formation light passed by, each of the cultivators felt that their body had been weakened and they found it extremely difficult to regulate their magic power. One after another, they cried in surprise.
"This is a magic-disabling grand formation! It's a unique grand formation that restricts the circulation of a cultivator's magic power!"
"From its formation light, I'm afraid it has already reached the Peak Mortal Void Realm. Even an Absolute Void Stage expert will find it hard to use their magic power if they accidentally get trapped in the formation… Is it possible that Palace Lord Yun Zhi is planning on engaging White-Robed Marquis in close combat within the formation?!"
"From the information I gathered, White-Robed Marquis is an ancient devil. He can be peerless among Void Inquiry Stage experts with just his physical strength. When it comes to physical strength, however, Palace Lord Yun Zhi is much stronger. She can even defeat experts at the Void Pierce Stage. If White-Robed Marquis enters the grand formation and fights her in hand-to-hand combat, his chances of winning are quite slim…"
Ning Fan merely casted a quick glance at the grand formation and then said with a clear voice.
"The only reason I came here is the rain stele!"
"I've heard about the strength of White-Robed Marquis' ancient devil body. I invite White-Robed Marquis to enter the formation and fight against me. If you can defeat me with your physical strength, I will naturally bring you to the rain stele of my Altering Heaven Palace! So, do you dare to step into the formation?!"
When Yun Zhi took a lotus step, she was already standing above the sea of clouds. Standing within the layers of formations, her beautiful eyes flashed with battle intent.
Ning Fan did not say anything and made his decision clear through his actions as he also jumped into the formation light.
Since the formation light restricted one's magic power, he would just engage Yun Zhi in hand-to-hand combat. He was not afraid of her at all.
"Since White-Robed Marquis has entered the formation, I won't pull my punches. Void Technique, Cloud Phoenix!"
Yun Zhi's body brightly shone with golden light and her gentle fist seemed to have turned pure gold. Standing far away from Ning Fan, she threw a punch toward him.
As soon as she hurled her punch, the shadow of a white phoenix appeared behind her arm.
The sea of clouds within the vicinity of three hundred thousand li* (500m per li) turned into countless shadows of snow-white phoenix.
Each of the phoenix shadows shattered and disintegrated one after another, transforming into an unimaginable force which condensed into twenty-one gigantic cloud fists which rushed at Ning Fan at high speed.
Each of the gigantic fists was comparable to a Void Glimpse Stage attack.
When the force of twenty-one fists combines into one, even a common Void Pierce Stage expert might not necessarily be able to withstand it.
"This is my strongest attack. Even an ordinary expert at the Void Pierce Stage…"
She said with a confident smile on her face. At the next moment, however, her expression froze.
Ning Fan's body gave off a dark golden light while exuding immensely thick devil qi. In an instant, he transformed into a six thousand zhang* (3.33m per zhang) tall giant in black armor!
The black-armored giant threw out twenty-one consecutive punches, breaking every single one of the cloud phoenix fists. Then, he let out a roar that was as deafening as thunder!
It was a Reckless Devil!
The giant then released an extremely frightening qi which suddenly instilled fear in Yun Zhi.
It was the feeling of being weaker! Yun Zhi's body refining realm was not weak but when she was faced against a true ancient devil, she was intimidated by the devil might of the Reckless Devil, making her breathless!
"This is… the might of an ancient devil!?"
Yun Zhi's face turned pale. She hurriedly raised her head and bit the tip of her tongue to suppress her fear. Right afterward, she also shook her body and transformed into a six thousand zhang* (3.33m per zhang) tall female giant that was clad in blood-red armor.
The female giant's body glowed with golden light. In the next instant, she pounced on her opponent and struck him continuously with her punches. The force behind her attacks broke the mountains and rivers in the area!
The Reckless Devil did not take a single step back at all. He suddenly raised his hands and started throwing punches at the female giant. One punch, ten punches, one hundred punches!
*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*
After exchanging one hundred blows, the bones of the female giant's fists were completely shattered and she suffered extremely serious injuries. She was already at a disadvantage. Fresh blood flowed from her body whereas the Reckless Devil remained unscathed!
After making a loud sigh, Yun Zhi got out of her giant form and immediately took a pill to suppress her internal injuries. Then, she cupped her fists toward the Reckless Devil and said with a self-deprecating tone.
"I am not White-Robed Marquis' match. Thank you for showing mercy to me just now…"
As the Altering Heaven Palace Lord, she still lost to Ning Fan even after she had activated the magic-disabling formation and fought him using just their body refining techniques which was an area she was the most proficient in!
All she could do was surrender!
…
In the ninth realm of the Heavenly Cloud Country – Great Heaven Realm!
The palace lord of the Great Heaven Palace, Lu Yu, was a sword cultivator that was unrivalled at the Void Pierce Stage.
He had cultivated the Dao for nine thousand years, putting all of his effort into cultivating sword techniques. He even had the chance to learn from Yun Tianjue personally several times. With his skills in sword techniques, he could even put up a fight against Absolute Void Stage experts!
It had already been three days since he stood at the summit of the cloud mountain of the Great Heaven Palace!
His white hair flew in the air while his gray robes fluttered. He carried a purple sandalwood sword box on his back while his eyes were closed. Each of them had a scary sword cut.
He was a blind sword cultivator!
When the sea of clouds began to rumble, he already sensed the hidden sword intent from Ning Fan without even the need to look at him and knew that his opponent had arrived.
"You are White-Robed Marquis, huh! A mere young man like you can actually cultivate to this level at the age of nine hundred years old. You're truly extraordinary." Lu Yu's voice was rough and deep but it was imbued with a sword intent that was as calm as the clouds.
As soon as he finished speaking, the cloud light within several hundred thousand li* (500m per li) turned into sword shadows and faintly disappeared.
"So you are the Great Heaven Palace Lord… You destroyed your own eyes just to comprehend the sword. You really are obsessed with the Dao of Swords. Others comprehend swords using their eyes and control their swords using their senses. You, on the other hand, comprehend the sword with your heart and wield your swords using clouds. Wherever your heart goes, the clouds will follow. There is nothing you can't turn into swords. Even if it's a piece of cloud or a droplet of rain, you can even turn them into flying swords and kill your opponent…"
Ning Fan kept his ancient golden sword and descended on the cloud mountain, pointing out the secret behind Lu Yu's sword techniques.
Lu Yu was slightly taken aback as he did not expect that Ning Fan would see through his sword techniques with one glance. Therefore, he could not help but feel greater respect for him.
"You have good eyes, White-Robed Marquis. However, with just your naked eyes, you won't be able to completely see through the secrets of my sword techniques! If you wish to have a look at my rain stele, you have to defeat me first!"
*Chi*
Lu Yu's body suddenly scattered into countless sword rays. At the next moment, his body reformed again at the cloud mountain, becoming like a shadow of sword light and facing off against Ning Fan from afar!
Countless cultivators around the cloud mountain were bewildered. Even Ning Fan felt a bit surprised.
"Sword Light Body Transformation!"
Lu Yu had actually learned the Sword Light Body Transformation Technique!
After transforming himself into the shadow of sword light, his aura force sharply rose. As he stepped onto the Ocean of Void, his sword intent became thick like a sea of clouds. It even made experts at the Absolute Void Stage raise their eyebrows in amazement!
"White-Robed Marquis, you can't win against me. It's better you leave at once!"
"Well, that might not be the case!"
Ning Fan took a step forward and void sword shadows began emerging from around his body.
Just as the void sword rays appeared, Lu Yu's face, which originally looked calm and relaxed, was immediately filled with shock.
His sword light incarnation that was almost immune to all kinds of attacks had actually felt a sense of danger from the void sword rays.
Minor Void Swords! It was the technique which made Marquis You Gui famous when he was still at the Void Fragmentation Realm. However, after the battle with the one hundred sects, Ning Fan had stolen it using his devil eye and learned it in his heart.
Minor Void Swords was a technique that turned sword shadows into void which could even cut a cultivator's incarnation!
Lu Yu was hesitating and pondering how he should face Ning Fan's void sword technique. That technique was rather troublesome which could also break his sword light incarnation.
All of a sudden, five child-like voices echoed from the sword box on his back.
"Little Yu Yu, you don't have to be afraid. This elder sister will help you break his sword momentum!"
"This second elder sister will help you break his sword shadow!"
"This third elder sister will help you break his sword intent!"
"This fourth elder sister will help you break his sword formation!"
"This F…F…F…"
"She is stuttering. Ignore her. She is trying to say that she will help you break that man's flying swords! If he sends one, she will break one!"
No one knew what the sword box contained. The tone of those five individuals sounded extremely arrogant.
"Don't forget. It is the five of us who taught you the Sword Light Body Transformation Technique. Humph! As long as this man is a sword cultivator, he certainly won't be our match!"
Lu Yu's old face turned red. He was really embarrassed to be called 'Little Yu Yu' by several young girls while he was already nine thousand years old.
If the five young girls act together, Ning Fan certainly would not be a fearsome opponent. However, Lu Yu… did not plan to achieve victory with outside help!
As a sword cultivator, the sword in their hands was their only way to achieve victory and they disdained resorting to unorthodox ways!
"I want to battle against him with my own capabilities! Because I… am a sword cultivator! The result is secondary. Most importantly, my sword heart must not back away in fear!"
"Bah!" Instantly, the five young girls inside the sword box booed contemptuously.
"Little Yu Yu really is too rigid. We might as well find a new human pet to play with."
Translated by Tommy, edited by Roel
