Chapter 877: Chapter 877: Fading Light, Why Not Return?

A few breaths later, Ning Fan’s eyes cleared, removed the ghost mask, wiped away the black blood from his eyes, swept away the darkness over his spirit, and step by step, he walked towards Commander Feng standing motionless in the sky.

A dignified Mid-stage Shaking Old Monster was actually wiped of his spirit awareness by a single illusion from Ning Fan. It must be said, Commander Feng’s defeat was quite tragic.

Commander Feng was most skilled in illusion arts, yet all sorts of illusions were suppressed by Ning Fan, causing his own strength to be suppressed by nearly ninety percent, and he ultimately lost to illusions…

At the center of his brows, there was also an arrow light, a divine skill bestowed by Ancestor Dulong, possessing boundless might, even Ning Fan felt a hint of danger from it. But unfortunately, he hesitated and gave up the chance to use the arrow light, ultimately having his spirit awareness wiped by Ning Fan’s Dark Illusion Technique, turning into an idiot…

“If this demon had used his trump card means, I fear it wouldn’t have been so easy for me to defeat him…”

Ning Fan pointed at the center of Commander Feng’s brows, from which immediately an arrow light flew out.

It was a phantom arrow light that had birthed a bit of spirit awareness, enough to kill a Late Stage of Shekong cultivator with one arrow!

The bit of spirit awareness in the arrow light was erased by Ning Fan, and the arrow light was absorbed into his own brow, able to extinguish a Late Stage Shaking Old Monster with just one arrow!

The trump card means Commander Feng was too late to use went to Ning Fan for nothing.

“Soul Search!”

Ning Fan naturally showed no mercy to Commander Feng, directly using Soul Searching Technique.

After the soul search, he immediately killed Commander Feng and took his storage pouch and body blood.

The storage pouch contained no good items except for a map jade slip that drew Ning Fan’s attention.

It was a map of the Barbarian Wilderness Forty-Two Domains, with over forty places marked in red, including the Barbarian Valley where Ning Fan was located.

From Commander Feng’s memory, Ning Fan learned that Commander Feng came to this Barbarian Valley under Ancestor Dulong’s order to unseal an ancient formation remnant near Barbarian Valley…

According to Ancestor Dulong, there were over ten thousand such remnants in the Barbarian Wilderness Ancient Domain, and Commander Feng was responsible for unsealing only over forty of them, knowing only the location of those forty remnants.

“The demon race first scattered and raised Reverse Infants throughout the Barbarian Wilderness, then secretly unsealed ancient formations. What exactly are they planning…”

Ning Fan’s heart felt a slight unease, suspecting that the True Dragon Race’s scheme might not be so simple.

He slowly closed his eyes, and his spirit sense immediately transformed into a fine rain, spreading in all directions.

The rain seeped into the earth around the Barbarian Valley for a million miles, flowing downward continuously into the depths of the earth’s core.

There, Ning Fan saw an extremely concealed ancient formation remnant!

“This is… the Primordial Inversion Dust Formation!”

Ning Fan’s gaze abruptly sharpened. He had once been trapped by the Primordial Inversion Dust Formation for many years in the third illusion, how could he not recognize this formation!

However, it was not a complete Primordial Inversion Dust Formation, but a one-ten-thousandth of the formation diagram broken off from it, further altered by powerful figures in later generations.

This remnant was perfectly sealed by formidable demon spirit power. To seal this formation required at least ten or more demon race Great Emperors who had cultivated spirit wheels!

The concealment effect of demon spirit power was extremely formidable, even Ning Fan, who also cultivated demon spirit power, had not discovered such a remnant sealed here after living in this Barbarian Valley for many days.

Activating the Primordial Inversion Dust Formation required the sacrifice of Reverse Infants…

Ning Fan’s gaze grew increasingly grave, he vaguely understood why the True Dragon Clan was raising Reverse Infants.

“The reason the demon race raises Reverse Infants is likely to activate the myriad ancient formation remnants sealed in the Barbarian Wilderness Ancient Domain! These remnants formed after the Primordial Inversion Dust Formation shattered. Because they’re shattered, they can’t exert the full might of the Inversion Dust Formation. Being incomplete, even if the large formation is activated, it can’t blood sacrifice the entire Barbarian Wilderness… the lethality of these remnants has long become negligible…”

“The demon race is not activating this formation to blood sacrifice the Barbarian Wilderness but with another purpose…”

“Just what is the demon race scheming…”

The schemes of the demon race left Ning Fan with a sense of unease, his figure dove underground, attempting to destroy the underground remnants.

Unfortunately, with Ning Fan’s current cultivation, he could not damage this remnant…

To destroy the remnant, at least attacks near the Eternal Level would be needed, only an Eternity Realm old monster could destroy the remnant.

“Hiss! The spiritual energy of the land here is so chaotic. Not long ago, there must have been a great battle here!”

From the surface, came several women’s exclaims.

It was a few Fate Immortal female cultivators of the human clan who happened to pass by this place and discovered the chaotic spiritual energy here.

Underground, Ning Fan’s eyes slightly shifted.

“Hmm? These Fate Immortals carry a faint Eternal aura on them, perhaps holding a life-saving divine skill bestowed by a certain human Clan Immortal Honorific…”

“The other day, when I was attacked with seven arrows by Ancestor Dulong, a human Clan Immortal Honorific helped me. Though it was ineffective, it was still a kind gesture… The aura of that human Clan Immortal Honorific is quite similar to that within these Fate Immortals…”

“Oh well, as my power is insufficient to destroy the remnant, I will inform that human Clan Immortal Honorific, let him deal with the demon race’s plot. If the demon race’s scheme incites a great calamity in the Barbarian Wilderness, the Venerable Immortal in charge there would likely be to blame. If he learns of the demon race’s unlawful designs, he’ll surely respond with full force… He once offered me help, so I’ll send him some intelligence to help him prepare against the demon race’s conspiracy!”

On the surface, the few Fate Immortal female cultivators, perceiving the chaotic spiritual energy here, dared not linger for long, fearing being drawn into some incident.

But just as the few female cultivators were about to leave, a heavy oppression, like a mountain, suddenly pressed down on them from below the ground, causing their breath to halt and rendering them immobile, their faces turning pale.

“To suppress us Fate Immortals with mere pressure, the one who attacked must be a Shedding Void Realm old monster!”

“Not good, we’ve been targeted by a Shedding Void Realm old monster! What do we do!”

“Damn it! Can we only use the protective divine skills granted by the Revered Immortal… but even if we use them, it might not save our lives…”

As the few female cultivators were in despair, a hoarse, elderly voice suddenly echoed in their ears, elusive and trace-less, making it impossible to discern where the speaker was hiding.

“Don’t be afraid, I won’t harm you. I just have some questions I want to ask. I hope you will answer truthfully. Afterwards, I will let you leave.”

“What questions does Senior have? Please feel free to speak. It would be an honor for us juniors to answer Senior’s queries…” the few female cultivators said in unison, their expressions somewhat easing.

At this moment, the owner of the voice intentionally released a trace of Human aura, allowing the female cultivators to feel slightly at ease, realizing that this elusive Senior might not be an enemy.

“I ask you, which Human Clan Immortal Honorific granted you your protective divine skills?” Beneath the ground, Ning Fan deliberately made his voice hoarse as he inquired.

“…Answering Senior, the one who granted us the divine skills is Miaoyan Immortal Honorific. We are the maids of Miaoyan Immortal Honorific…” the few female cultivators hesitated for a moment before replying.

This wasn’t something secret, and the female cultivators wouldn’t deliberately hide it from Ning Fan.

“Miaoyan Immortal Honorific…” Ning Fan silently memorized this name, thinking that this Miaoyan Immortal Honorific must have been the Human Clan Immortal Honorific who helped on that day.

After a brief silence, Ning Fan suddenly flicked his fingers, and a map jade scroll in his hand instantly transformed into a stream of light, flying out of the ground.

“This map jade scroll was captured by me when I killed the Poison Dragon Guard. You should take it back and give it to Miaoyan Immortal Honorific, informing him that the demon race is trying to unseal many ancient formations in the Barbarian Wilderness Ancient Domain. The jade scroll only marks some of those ancient formations… It’s unclear what the demon race is plotting, so I ask Immortal Honorific to be more vigilant!”

After speaking, Ning Fan dissipated the pressure from the female cultivators, performed the Earth Escape Skill, and retreated back to Barbarian Valley, ignoring the Fate Immortal female cultivators.

“Has that Senior left…” Feeling the pressure on her body lighten, a round-faced female cultivator in black took a deep breath.

“Do we need to give this jade scroll to the Immortal Honorific?” a female cultivator murmured.

“Of course we do! Perhaps by handing over this jade scroll, we can establish a great merit.”

The few female cultivators carefully put away the jade scroll, calmed their spirits, and quickly left the place, heading back towards the Southern Territory.

While still on the road, the few female cultivators used secret techniques to convey various information to Miaoyan Immortal Honorific.

Ning Fan returned to Barbarian Valley, taking Xian Luoli and Liu Yan with him.

Days later, the Human clan’s strong cultivators came out in full force, searching for ancient formations in all the unoccupied Barbarian Domains and tasked two Human Clan Immortal Honorifics with destroying them.

When the news reached the Northern Territory, the demon race there was greatly shocked, none more so than Ancestor Dulong.

“Damn it! How did the Human clan discover our plot!” Ancestor Dulong’s roar echoed through the Seven Domains of the demon race.

He immediately ordered the strong cultivators of the demon race to come out in full force, sparing no cost to unseal the ancient formations!

Ancestor Dulong even personally stepped in to prevent the Human clan from unsealing the ancient formations!

The Human cultivators are desperately trying to destroy the ancient formations, while the demon cultivators are desperately trying to unseal them. Everyone knows that the long-standing peace in the Barbarian Wilderness is truly on the verge of a great upheaval. Turbulent undercurrents are rising…

Ning Fan did not intervene in this turmoil. With his cultivation base, he couldn’t make much of a difference amidst such chaos.

Despite the Human clan’s efforts to destroy the residual formations, many were successfully unsealed by the demon race.

The entire Barbarian Wilderness began to fall with black snowflakes, and once the black snow fell, the wilderness became restless. Everyday, many Stone Warriors transformed into Barbarian Beasts, and every day, Barbarian Cities were massacred by Barbarian Beasts.

Walking along the official road of Barbarian City, Ning Fan looked at the sky filled with black snow, his gaze gradually becoming serious.

He did not wear a Ghost Eye mask, and behind him followed Liu Yan and Xian Luoli, with a Dragon-Horned Changgong in his hand.

Along the way, the Dragon-Horned Changgong continuously flattered Ning Fan, clearly terrified of him.

“Master, oh Master, you are the most powerful cultivator Little Bow has ever seen in this life. To create the True Bridge on the Zhenhuan River, far surpassing Little Bow’s former master by a hundred times. To be the bow of such a master, aiding you in battling the heavens and earth, is truly a blessing for Little Bow across three lifetimes!”

“Master, oh Master, how do you manage such fortune with beauties? Truly enviable for Little Bow. Following behind you are two extremely beautiful ladies. Though one is a bit young, the young have their advantages, heh heh…”

“What! Master, your bone age isn’t even over ten thousand! It’s truly unbelievable! Little Bow really is a frog at the bottom of a well, having lived so many years, yet I’ve never seen such an extraordinary genius like Master!”

“Heh heh, Little Bow has said so much, my mouth is getting a bit dry, and the seal within me feels a bit tight. Master, could you help Little Bow loosen the seal…”

“Ah! Master, stop! The Barbarian Flash isn’t fun, not fun at all!”

The response to the Dragon-Horned Changgong was only the Barbarian Flash light occasionally flickering in Ning Fan’s hand.

Every time Ning Fan activated the Barbarian Flash, the bow spirit would cry out in agony, obediently shutting its mouth and ceasing its chatter.

But it wouldn’t take long for it to forget the pain once the wound was healed and resume its nonsense with Ning Fan, only to be met with another round of Barbarian Flash.

To probe the bow spirit’s memory for key information, Ning Fan used the Reverse Spirit Technique multiple times over a few days, conducting soul searches on the bow spirit.

He didn’t just threaten it once, coercing it to unlock its memory seal for him to read.

Under Ning Fan’s coercion and temptation, the Bow Spirit finally unlocked the sealed memories, allowing Ning Fan to perform a complete Soul Search.

However, regrettably, the memories sealed by the Bow Spirit were also fragmented, with little valuable information.

The only key information Ning Fan obtained was as follows.

Amongst Heaven and Earth, there are nine ’keys’ in total, each one being vital to leave the ’Dreamland Realm’ and enter the ’Sky Desolate Ancient Realm’.

“What is the Dreamland Realm… and what is the Sky Desolate Ancient Realm?”

Ning Fan shook his head, his eyes momentarily lost in thought, and continued forward in the black snow.

Seemingly tired of the Bow Spirit’s rambling, Ning Fan, amidst the Bow Spirit’s anguished gaze, reinforced the Bow Spirit’s seal and discarded it back into the Xuan Yin Treasure.

Not exterminating the Bow Spirit, according to its memories, the True Dragon Race holds one of the nine keys, and the Bow Spirit’s existence is instrumental in unsealing that key…

The snow in the Wilderness grows heavier and heavier, transforming the entire Wilderness into a world of black snow, which for the Stone Warriors is a snow calamity.

Their situation becomes increasingly challenging, having to deal with the snow calamity on one hand, fend off beast attacks on another, and simultaneously guard against fellow Stone Warriors turning into beasts…

The unclaimed Eighth Region, Tianman City.

Tianman City, the largest city in the Eighth Region of the Barbarian Domain, has always been peaceful due to the many Barbarian Monks stationed there, never fearing beast invasions.

However, since the black snow descended from the heavens, every day there are Stone Warriors turning into beasts unexpectedly, wreaking havoc within the city.

Even though those beasts are eventually slain by the Barbarian Monks, many citizens still perish from the beasts’ attacks.

On the city wall of Tianman City stands a beautiful woman in her twenties, dressed in a black robe and a monk’s attire, with a prayer bead in hand.

She once had a secular name, Zhao Die’er, now known by her monastic name ’Shiwei’, being one of the three most powerful Barbarian Monks in Tianman City.

“Shiwei Shiwei, why do you not return…” She waits for Ning Fan’s return.

Through the mastery of Barbarian Techniques, Zhao Die’er, harnessing the collective willpower of beings, is able to maintain an ageless appearance and extend her lifespan by several fold compared to ordinary humans.

If her cultivation of Barbarian Techniques continues to improve, she could live even longer, although unable to cultivate, she can extend her life span in this manner.

Yet she can delay her aging, but cannot delay her parents’ aging… Those unable to become Barbarian Monks are destined for brief lives.

Her father and mother passed away several years ago, while she, through cultivating Barbarian Techniques, can enjoy a life longer than ordinary people…

“Father passed away four years ago, mother three years ago, last year uncle Zhao San passed away… No longer are there any familiar Bian Liang folk in Tianman City…”

“Uncle, where are you, it’s been fifty years, why have you never come to see Die’er, Die’er misses you, misses you dearly…”

Zhao Die’er stands on the city wall, gazing at the endless black snow, dazedly reminiscing, longing for Ning Fan, awaiting Ning Fan’s return.

Her fingers gently stroke the bone pendant on her neck, a coming-of-age gift from Ning Fan.

Time has passed, and suddenly she begins to understand why Ning Fan could perform so many strange actions back then.

When Ning Fan casually picks a plum blossom, it becomes Spiritual Medicine; Ning Fan can effortlessly slay Barbarian Monks like ants…

Ning Fan had never used any Barbarian Techniques; he was not a Barbarian Monk.

With Zhao Die’er’s experience, she has already deduced that the uncle she misses most, Ning Fan, perhaps is not a Stone Warrior…

“Could uncle be a Foreign Clan Cultivator? Only such cultivators possess the cultivation abilities to wield immense power without relying on collective willpower, like the ancestors among the immortals…”

“Uncle once said his homeland is very far, so far that I could never reach it in my lifetime… Now I understand, uncle’s homeland is not in the Wilderness, that’s why I cannot go there…”

“Stone Warriors cannot leave the Wilderness, to leave is certain death… I cannot travel to uncle’s homeland… How regrettable…”

“Uncle… do you still remember Die’er, or have you already forgotten…”

Zhao Die’er fondly caresses the bone pendant around her neck, yet her heart aches faintly, thinking of herself possibly forgotten by Ning Fan, she even finds her breath painful.

She suddenly regrets becoming a Barbarian Monk, able only to watch loved ones age and die, unable to prevent it nor accompany them.

Left only to live in solitude, alone, so tiring…

High above the snow, a snow eagle unknowingly flies by, one of the messenger eagles nurtured by Tianman City.

Upon retrieving the confidential message from the snow eagle, the guard reads it, his expression immediately changes, and he urgently reports to Zhao Die’er.

“Master Shiwei! Urgent news, urgent news! Three hundred Black Barbarian Monks have gathered the Barbarian Beast Army and are heading to attack our Tianman City!”

Zhao Die’er’s expression of reminiscence immediately vanishes, her face turning icy cold.

Black Barbarian Monks… though part of the Stone Warriors, somehow, they can manipulate Barbarian Beasts, making them obey their commands.

Previously, Black Barbarian Monks didn’t possess the ability to command Barbarian Beasts, but ever since the black snow descended, they have gained this strange ability…

“Three hundred Black Barbarian Monks… Can Tianman City withstand this attack? Even if we can repel this time, what about the next…”

Zhao Die’er’s beautiful eyes looked at the countless Barbarian figures on the city walls, sighing softly.

Those figures were more or less damaged and would eventually be completely destroyed by the attacking Barbarian Beasts one day.

At that time, it would be the day of Tianman City’s destruction…

The urgent report quickly spread throughout Tianman City, and all two hundred Black Barbarian Monks in the city were assembled and gathered on the city walls.

Standing alongside Zhao Die’er were two other powerful Barbarian Monks, both with heavy expressions.

Half an hour later, in the distant snow fields, three hundred Black Riders were faintly visible, riding through the snow, all Black Barbarians.

Behind those Black Barbarian Monks followed nearly a hundred giant Barbarian Beasts, rushing toward Tianman City regardless of anything.

“Hiss! This time, the Black Barbarians have brought a hundred Barbarian Beasts to attack! How can the remaining damaged figures of Tianman City withstand the charge of a hundred Barbarian Beasts?”

Each Barbarian Monk of Tianman showed a look of despair, and many began to close their eyes in prayer, reciting transcendence sutras, evidently prepared to die in battle.

Zhao Die’er’s expression was quite calm; facing possible death, she showed no great fear.

Death is not scary; for her, the fear lies in a long, lonely life, waiting but never welcoming the one she hopes to see…

Her beautiful eyes looked at the few plum trees under the wall, gazing at the familiar yet strange red plum blossoms with a bitter smile.

The plum blossoms have bloomed again, but Uncle, you have not come…

Uncle will not come; he will never come again…

Uncle is not a Barbarian; the wilderness is not his home. He may have left long ago…

“Fight to the death all over the city!” Zhao Die’er gradually shed her sadness, her beautiful eyes flashing firm determination as she shouted and gave the order.

All the Barbarian Monks and city guards showed solemn expressions, preparing to welcome the upcoming deadly battle.

But at that moment, three figures slowly walked on the official road outside the city.

The city gate was tightly shut, and those three seemed unable to enter nor intending to.

Among them, two women—one big, one small—stayed outside the city gate, while the man in white clothes glanced at the city walls with a smile, seemingly speaking something, though no one could hear. Then he walked step by step toward the Barbarian Beast army, calm and relaxed.

In the midst of the black snow, he was so conspicuously dressed in white.

In front of the Barbarian Beast army, he appeared so insignificant alone.

“Is he crazy? He’s walking toward the Barbarian Beast army! He’s courting death!” Many city guards began to exclaim.

Only Zhao Die’er stood there dumbfounded, not believing what she saw.

The uncle she missed so much had arrived at this moment!

She did not know that the bone pendant on her neck was emitting a faint glow. Only when faced with certain death does the bone pendant shine.

Ning Fan sensed that glow and thus came to Tianman City.

“Don’t be scared…”

Ning Fan’s voice echoed in Zhao Die’er’s ear, reassuring her while causing a pang of grievance, and tears uncontrollably streamed down.

She had waited fifty years, and finally, Ning Fan had arrived…

“Hm? Is there a madman trying to stop the Barbarian Beast army alone? Haha, kill him!”

Amongst the three hundred Black Barbarian Monks, many instantly laughed coldly, bloodthirsty, while some drew their waist knives and charged toward Ning Fan on horseback.

Ning Fan ignored the charging Black Barbarian Monks, his fingers entwining with Barbarian Flash Jiguang, raising his hand in a gestures as if he were holding the sky, tearing it fiercely!

The snow-covered ground before him seemed artificially torn, splitting open.

The sky filled with black snow was torn apart by Ning Fan, revealing the dark void beyond!

Black-red Barbarian Flash raged in the torn sky, striking at the Black Barbarian Monks and the Barbarian Beast army.

The three hundred Barbarian Monks hadn’t yet reacted when they, along with their horses, were all killed by the Barbarian Flash power, their bodies shattered into pieces. Mere mortals, how could they withstand the might of Barbarian Flash!

Nearly a hundred Barbarian Beasts all showed fear, trying to escape, but it was too late, directly slain by the Barbarian Flash.

Despite being comparable to Fate Immortals, these Barbarian Beasts were not Ning Fan’s match!

Even several Initial Stage of Crossing Truth Barbarian Beasts were powerless against the Barbarian Flash, easily killed by Ning Fan!

On Tianman City walls, all Barbarian Monks and guards showed a look of horror; amidst the earth-shattering scene, the image of Ning Fan in white clothes, destroying the Barbarian Beasts, made their hearts tremble!

“Different race! This person must be a Different race cultivator! Even among Different races, he must be extremely powerful!” Some experienced Barbarian Monks instantly exclaimed. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to recommend it or vote monthly for it on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep