Chapter 867: Chapter 867: This Deacon, Unable to Let Go

“Is it impossible to cross the True Bridge in this life… What if I insist on crossing it?”

Ning Fan’s gaze remained calm, without any hint of wavering. He appreciated Sparrow God Kidd’s advice, but his words could not shake Ning Fan’s spirit sense.

Sparrow God Kidd was slightly stunned, then laughed heartily, tossing the wine gourd in his hand to Ning Fan and said,

“As expected of a Fellow Daoist, since you insist on crossing the True Bridge, I will not stop you. Our meeting is by chance, this wine is brewed with Dao-Seeking Fruit, give it to you for your journey!”

Ning Fan took the wine gourd and swept his spirit sense over the Spiritual Wine inside, his eyes immediately brimming with emotion.

Dao-Seeking Fruit, a Spirit Fruit that can increase the probability of crossing the True Bridge, is said to grow only in the Barbarian Wilderness Ancient Domain.

The value of a single Dao-Seeking Fruit is not lower than an Enlightenment Dao Fruit, and this wine contained the energy of at least dozens of Dao-Seeking Fruits…

“Thank you, Senior, for the wine… not returning a gesture is impolite, please accept this!”

Having kept the wine gourd, Ning Fan turned his hand to produce a Dao Fruit and gave it to Sparrow God Kidd.

Sparrow God Kidd’s gaze was initially calm, but upon recognizing the Dao Fruit, he was instantly moved.

“It’s actually a Shekong Dao Fruit!”

Sparrow God Kidd never expected that an Enlightenment Fate Immortal would possess a Shekong Dao Fruit.

Glancing deeply at Ning Fan, Sparrow God Kidd realized he might have underestimated Ning Fan from the start.

The value of a Shekong Dao Fruit far exceeds those Spirit Wines. Ning Fan gave it in return, unwilling to receive favors for nothing. This was Ning Fan’s perseverance… his character is indeed commendable.

To dare to give such a Dao Fruit, unafraid of Sparrow God Kidd coveting it, showed Ning Fan’s full confidence, unafraid even of Sparrow God Kidd’s Peak of Shekong cultivation… clearly, he is deeply concealed…

Nearby, the boatmen rowing were astonished to see Ning Fan produce an unusual fruit as if by magic, not knowing how he conjured it up.

“Senior, you seem not far from reaching the Shattered Thought Realm… I hope this Dao Fruit can assist you in breaking through,” Ning Fan smiled meaningfully.

Sparrow God Kidd’s heart trembled slightly, looking incredulously at Ning Fan, as if observing a monster.

The fact that he was nearing the Shattered Thought Realm was something he hadn’t disclosed to anyone, concealing it with the Unified Heaven and Man divine skill; even Fragmented Thought Elders couldn’t see through his cultivation progress… yet Ning Fan saw through it!

The force of Unity of Heaven and Man in his body suddenly trembled slightly, as if sensing something from Ning Fan.

Sparrow God Kidd widened his mouth in realization, understanding why Ning Fan’s insight was so keen…

“I see! I see, young friend is also… hehe, humbled, truly humbled, truly admirable…”

After his exclamation, Sparrow God Kidd suddenly assumed a serious demeanor and asked earnestly, “Young friend, are you someone from the secret clans!”

To Sparrow God Kidd’s thinking, only the ten great secret clans could have a remote chance of nurturing someone with the Guild Immortal of Unity of Heaven and Man…

“No.”

“That’s good! Haha… currently, there’s a great opportunity in the hands of the Barbarian demon race… is young friend interested in joining me to seize this opportunity!”

Sparrow God Kidd looked at Ning Fan with genuine sincerity, as if treating him as a peer.

“Opportunity? What opportunity?” Ning Fan raised his eyebrows slightly.

“A tree that has not bloomed yet… in a few decades, it will certainly blossom, and the flower will wither to dust after three moments… that flower is a huge opportunity! Only those with the Unity of Heaven and Man can consume this flower, or else death is certain… for cultivators who have opened the First Heavenly Gate, consuming this flower can increase the chance of opening the Second Gate!” Sparrow God Kidd said with fiery eyes.

“Is that so…” Ning Fan was slightly shocked in his heart, but showed no change in expression.

The opportunity to increase the chance of opening the Second Heavenly Gate was indeed something Ning Fan had never heard of. If it was as mysterious as Sparrow God Kidd claimed, it truly was a great opportunity…

“However, since the flower is in the hands of the Barbarian demon race, seizing it will certainly be extremely dangerous. I barely know Sparrow God Kidd, yet he invites me to seize this opportunity, clearly not for my cultivation, but for my Unity of Heaven and Man…”

“So, a single cultivator with Unity of Heaven and Man is not enough to seize the tree’s flower…”

“I am not familiar with Sparrow God Kidd, and there’s a possibility he might harbor ill intent towards me…”

“This opportunity offers just a slight chance of opening the Second Heavenly Gate… it is not something one absolutely must have…”

“Therefore, the urgent matter at hand is to practice the War God Art. If there’s time, I could undergo a transformation… seizing that flower isn’t an absolute necessity…”

Ning Fan’s thoughts raced, and after a moment, he made a decision, apologetically clasping his fists to Sparrow God Kidd,

“Junior still wishes to reach Enlightenment, and this opportunity, I’m afraid I can’t spare the time to seize it…”

Upon hearing Ning Fan refuse his offer, Sparrow God Kidd was initially stunned, then smiled wryly and shook his head.

“Very well, I will leave Bianliang City today and make some preparations to seize the flower. When the time of bloom is near, I will return to the city. If young friend changes your mind, you may join me to seize the flower. If it’s just me, the chance of success is quite low… I hope young friend reconsiders, alas…”

Sparrow God Kidd sighed, mentioned no more of the matter, then produced more Spiritual Wine, and they drank together on the painting boat.

Though their acquaintance was shallow and they could not speak profoundly, they could still discuss Dao over drinks.

Both of them had opened the First Heavenly Gate, their insights far surpassing ordinary cultivators.

As nightfall approached, Sparrow God Kidd finally felt the desire to leave, bid farewell to Ning Fan, and departed from Bianliang City.

Ning Fan returned home, sat cross-legged for a long time, and only then brought his spirit sense to complete calmness.

Though what Sparrow God Kidd spoke of as a chance encounter intrigued Ning Fan, he did not pay much attention to it.

Putting all matters to the back of his mind, Ning Fan began to focus wholeheartedly on practicing the War God Art.

Next to the Ning Clan was a private school. In the evening, many children were released from school, bustling about.

There were also peddlers hawking their goods as they walked past the walls of the Ning Clan, and various bustling noises of the market drifted into Ning Fan’s ears, not disturbing his cultivation; rather, it made him feel even more at peace.

Suddenly, Ning Fan had a revelation about why some powerful Masters preferred to meditate in noisy marketplaces.

Little reclusion is hidden in the wilds, great reclusion is hidden in the markets… The clamor of the marketplace could calm the spirit sense even more.

The cicadas’ noise in the woods is ever quieting, the birds’ calls in the mountains are more serene… Ning Fan’s spirit sense was like a forest, like a mountain, reaching unprecedented focus.

His body, speech, and mind perfectly unified, in this moment, Ning Fan felt closer to the myriad ways of the heavens…

The sensation of merging with heaven and earth deepened slightly!

A sudden understanding flashed in Ning Fan’s eyes… Perhaps, if he were to fuse with the mortal world for a thousand or ten thousand years, even without any chance encounters, he might find the opportunity to open the Second Gate of Heaven and Man…

This was Ning Fan’s first day in Bianliang.

On the second day, the neighboring private school suddenly bustled with activity, with countless citizens of Bianliang flocking there for the spectacle.

The reason was simple: that day, a new teacher, the great scholar Zhao Boyang from Qufu City, came to the private school!

Though Bianliang City was prosperous, it lacked any great scholars.

Zhao Boyang’s arrival to teach at this private school led many noble families in Bianliang to compete to send their children here for education.

Such a small private school could not accommodate so many students.

Several noble families decided collectively to expand the private school into an academy.

Once the academy opened, it naturally couldn’t have only Zhao Boyang as the teacher. They planned to employ more renowned figures from Bianliang to teach there.

With the financial power of the major noble families, within just a month, they built an academy right next to the Ning Clan.

The academy was named Yunzhong Academy, with the intention of encouraging students to aspire as high as the clouds.

Although the academy was built, the teaching staff had not yet been fully assembled, so it had not officially opened yet.

Ning Fan had been in Bianliang City for a month.

Occasionally, he would take Liu Yan and Xian Luoli to Bian River for strolls and enlightenment. Most of the time, he stayed at home, in seclusion, focusing on condensing crystals.

Liu Yan’s appearance was considered top-notch even in the cultivation world, and naturally, she was regarded as a peerless beauty in the mortal world.

In just one month, the rumor had spread in Bianliang City of a beautiful wife at the Ning household in the south of the city, as beautiful as the moon and flowers.

There were even rumors that the silver-haired little girl was Ning Qian’s daughter, with striking good looks even in childhood, destined to be a peerless beauty when she grew up.

Numerous wastrels and rogues came looking for mischief, but unfortunately, all were beaten to tears and ran away by Xian Luoli.

Xian Luoli was very bored, extremely bored!

Despite having shattered thunder to eat and peaceful sleeps, she still felt bored!

Beating people became Xian Luoli’s pastime and enjoyment.

Whenever she saw a rascal giving Liu Yan a wicked smile, she would charge forward and give him a good beating…

Whenever she saw a lecherous old man leering at her with a perverted grin, she would charge forward and give him a good beating…

When a young lord gathered dozens of bodyguards, looking for a fight? Fear not, she would beat them up!

Even when the son of the City Lord of Bianliang got beaten, and three hundred soldiers were sent to capture her? Fear not, she would beat them too!

Xian Luoli’s violent reputation quickly spread throughout Bianliang, and no one dared to provoke her.

The entire Bianliang City knew that in the south of the city, Ning Qian had a daughter named Ning Xianxian, who at the age of seven, had learned divine skills from a master, and that three hundred soldiers were no match for her…

Ning Fan found himself powerless to stop Xian Luoli’s bold and violent behavior and could only allow it.

The only requirement was not to let Xian Luoli use Divine Skills to cause slaughter in Bianliang City.

Compared to the violent Xian Luoli, Liu Yan was much more serene. By day, she genuinely seemed to be Ning Fan’s wife, doing the laundry and cooking, like a mortal woman.

By night, she wholeheartedly nurtured the Artifact Spirit, discovering that nurturing it in the mortal world was even faster than in full seclusion…

And being able to transform with Ning Fan, she seemed to not mind at all; rather, she enjoyed this tranquil life…

However, this was Barbarian City, a world ravaged by Barbarian Beasts, where people barely survived under their slaughter.

In the span of a month, the Barbarian Beasts attacked the city seven times.

Whenever the city guards, as mere mortals, faced the Barbarian Beasts, Ning Fan took the chance to collect Battle Will Crystals.

Atop the walls of Bianliang City stood several ancient statues resembling both human and beast, possessing the divine power to deter the Barbarian Beasts.

Every time the Barbarian Beasts attacked the city, the statues would unleash their power, emitting a black and red glow, striking back at the beasts.

With the numerous statues in Bianliang City, even if Second Step Barbarian Beasts attacked, they could not ensure survival.

The Barbarian Beast attacks consistently ended in disastrous defeat, yet before Ning Fan’s arrival at Bianliang, each attack resulted in a certain death toll.

Sometimes one would die, sometimes a few, sometimes causing a section of the city wall to collapse, resulting in more than dozens of casualties…

But since Ning Fan’s arrival, occasionally intervening, the Barbarian officers rarely perished by the beasts. Naturally, some Barbarians fearful of the beasts Ning Fan wouldn’t bother to save. His actions were not due to sympathy or compassion.

Within a month, Ning Fan condensed seven Superior Lietian Crystals in total, and after consuming them, the number of Battle Flames increased to 1,300.

Increasing a hundred Battle Flames in a month, such a cultivation pace is indeed astonishing.

Walking through Bianliang City, Ning Fan gazed at the numerous Barbarian statues and pondered.

Every Barbarian City has a Barbaric God Temple, where the Barbarian Monks know how to craft Barbaric God Jade Pendants and statues for the survival of the Barbarians.

The Barbarian Monks hold a very high status among the Barbarians, but they are also very few in number…

A month into his stay, Ning Fan first visited the Barbarian Temple of Bianliang City, where he saw countless devout Barbarians worshiping and a skeletal-thin Barbarian Monk.

This Barbarian Monk had no cultivation, also a mortal, yet he could harness the power of faith to craft Barbaric God Jade Pendants and statues.

This Barbarian Monk was the only monk in the temple, named Barbarian Fool, and when Ning Fan arrived, he was in the main hall holding a carving knife, eyes lifelessly carving a Barbarian statue.

Though it was merely a piece of decayed wood, under his carving, it gradually gained a touch of spirituality.

“Indeed, the reason these city statues can exert power is due to the Incense Flame power…” Ning Fan murmured to himself.

Barbarian Fool turned his head angrily and glared at Ning Fan.

Being the only Barbarian Monk in Bianliang City, he held high status, even the City Lord of Bianliang would treat him with some respect.

When he carved Barbarian statues, he disliked any interruption, and no one dared to disturb him, yet Ning Fan intruded into his main hall, interrupting his carving.

“This is not a place for you, leave!”

Barbarian Fool’s gaze turned severe, releasing a strand of pressure towards Ning Fan.

This was the pressure he gathered from the Barbarians’ Incense Flame, nearly as strong as a Harmonious Spirit realm cultivator, naturally overwhelming for a mortal.

Unfortunately, this bit of pressure couldn’t shake Ning Fan in the slightest.

“Incense Flame pressure, is it…” With a flick of Ning Fan’s finger, Barbarian Fool’s pressure immediately collapsed.

His gaze shifted from the Barbarian Monk to the crimson-golden statue in the hall.

Barbarian Fool stared at Ning Fan in disbelief, unable to fathom why his pressure had no effect.

Was it possible that this person was also a Barbarian Monk, and more adept at utilizing the collective will than himself?

“Could it be that the donor…”

Before Barbarian Fool could finish, Ning Fan cut him off with a single word.

“Silence.”

As soon as Ning Fan spoke, an overwhelming pressure akin to the heavens descended upon Barbarian Fool.

Under that pressure, Barbarian Fool couldn’t utter a word, looking at Ning Fan with deep-seated terror!

“This benefactor is indeed a Barbarian Monk, and one a thousand, no, ten thousand times more powerful than me!”

Ning Fan paid no heed to Barbarian Fool, quietly observing the crimson-gold statue in the hall, a representation of the Barbarian Ancestor.

The statue of the Barbarian Ancestor bore a striking resemblance to the Reverse Infant, with two heads, each hand holding a bolt of thunder, as if about to unleash divine wrath…

From this statue of the Barbarian Ancestor, Ning Fan could sense a faint aura similar to the Reverse Infant, formed by the Incense Flame power, though very faint.

“Barbarians, Barbarian Beasts, Calamity Thought… What on earth is the relation between them…”

“This world harbors too many secrets. With my cultivation, I am far from qualified to unravel them…”

Ning Fan exited the Barbarian Temple, walking along the Bian River, returning to his home. At the entrance, he unexpectedly encountered Zhao Boyang and his group coming from the academy.

This was Zhao Boyang’s first visit since the Yunzhong Academy was established.

Zhao Boyang never imagined that Ning Fan would reside near the academy, a wall apart. After initial surprise, he was overjoyed, eagerly inviting Ning Fan to the academy to become a teacher.

Now that Yunzhong Academy is extending invitations for renowned instructors, in Zhao Boyang’s mind, Ning Fan is indeed a great scholar of his time, deserving to teach at the academy.

Ning Fan politely declined Zhao Boyang’s invitation. Seeing that Ning Fan had no intention of teaching and nurturing talents, Zhao Boyang did not insist and left with a sigh.

However, from then on, Zhao Boyang often came from the academy next door to seek out Ning Fan during his leisure time to discuss Confucianism, which is another story.

When the first autumn breeze blew into Bianliang City, it had been three months since Ning Fan arrived there.

Time passed little by little, and the cold plum trees on the banks of Bian River did not bloom in the first winter.

In the second winter, the cold plum trees still did not bloom.

During the third winter, suddenly a heavy snowfall covered Bianliang City, turning Bian River’s banks white, and the cold plum trees bloomed.

The number of life-bound battle flames within Ning Fan had reached 4500 strands. The cultivation progress of War Yin and Yang had reached seventy-four percent.

The further he progressed, the harder it became to cultivate War Yin and Yang. Fortunately, Ning Fan was not in a hurry, understanding that haste would lead to failure in cultivation.

Xian Luoli’s Thunder Body evolved little by little, with the strange chill of thunder power increasingly apparent inside her, seemingly afraid of the cold, refusing to go outside when it snowed.

Over the three years, Xian Luoli did not grow even a bit, leading many to speculate that she might have accidentally eaten the Eyeball Staying Youth Immortal Fruit outside Barbarian City, causing her appearance to remain youthful…

Liu Yan stayed home, taking care of the sleeping Xian Luoli. After several years of living together, her relationship with this aggressive little girl had grown deeper.

Besides integrating the Stellar Disk Spirit, in her spare time, she would weave cloth and embroider patterns like a mortal woman, exchanging them for silver to make a living.

Ning Fan wanted to embrace a mortal life, and she devoted all her energy to creating a mortal atmosphere for him.

Amidst the wind and snow, the Yunzhong Academy next door echoed with Barbarian children reciting:

“The Barbarian, nature’s ancestor, grand sect of every domain. The Barbarian is born from dust, perishes in calamity, cannot grasp all things, for if grasped, the Barbarian is lost…”

Ning Fan walked out of his house, leaving traces in the snow, which were soon covered by the wind and snow.

The recitation of schoolchildren echoed in his ears, Ning Fan feeling slightly silent. What these children recited was the ’Barbarian Ancestor Scripture,’ an academic classic left by the ancestor of the Barbarians.

The Barbarian Ancestor Scripture constantly advised Barbarians to regard life and death lightly, to abandon obsessions, to follow destiny, not to resist…

Ning Fan had heard this recitation too many times and had grown a bit tired of it.

The scriptures in the Barbarian Ancestor contradict his path in every sentence…

Cannot grasp all things, cannot grasp…

The Ancestral Bow was sealed by Ning Fan, temporarily stored in the storage pouch. The seven paths Seven-Colored Arrow Spirits were sealed within his body.

Each Arrow Spirit contained a terrifying amount of True Illusion Force, and over three years, Ning Fan had refined half of the first Arrow Spirit.

The True Illusion Force within his body surged, absorbed by Ning Fan, integrated into his spirit sense. His cultivation increasingly approached the Initial Stage of Crossing Truth.

Currently, he could slightly discern the True Bridge hidden within the mist of his spirit sense, but still couldn’t completely see through it.

Moreover, he gradually discovered that there were not only one True Bridge hidden beneath the thick fog, but many…

“Crossing Truth, still far…”

Ning Fan held the wine gourd given by Sparrow God Kidd, trudging through the snow towards Bian River.

By the riverside, the red plum flowers bloomed, reminding Ning Fan of Yue Country, and of Seven Apricot…

Sparrow God Kidd advised him to abandon Crossing Truth, but he would not give up.

The Barbarian Ancestor Scripture advised people to let go of obsession, and he would not let go.

Because he still had a home, because his home was in Seven Apricot City, in Yue Country, in Rain Immortal World…

He still had family, he had things he must protect, he had too many tasks to complete, he could not abandon his obsession.

Fulfilling his promise with Slaughter Emperor requires power; finding that scheming Immortal Emperor for revenge required power; someday standing beside Luo You also requires power; creating a world free from conflict remains unknown how much power it would take…

Gazing at a tree of red plum flowers, Ning Fan lifted the gourd, took a swig of Spiritual Wine, letting the Dao-Seeking Fruit’s potency dissolve within him.

Not knowing how much time had passed, suddenly a cheerful laugh came from behind Ning Fan.

“Uncle, uncle, help Die’er pick some plum flowers, Die’er wants to make a flower crown to put on Little Snow Cow! But Die’er is too short to reach!”

A two to three-year-old boy, dressed in a small red cotton jacket, with a child’s hair bun, face flushed from the cold, pitifully tugging at Ning Fan’s clothes.

To show she couldn’t reach the plum flowers, she tiptoed and bounced… indeed couldn’t reach… far couldn’t reach.

“Oh? It’s that little child…” Ning Fan, relying on his aura, immediately recognized the little child before him.

She was Zhao Boyang’s daughter, Zhao Die’er.

Now at three years old, she came to the academy to play with her father, sneaking out while the maids weren’t watching, creating a snowman at the riverbank resembling both a dog and a cow…

“Uncle, uncle, you help Die’er pick some plum flowers, Die’er promises to marry you when she grows up! Die’er guarantees! If you don’t believe, let’s pinky swear!” Little Die’er declared confidently. (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com), your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read at m.qidian.com.)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep