Grasping Evil

Chapter 174 (2) – You’re not worthy!

Strange, extremely strange! It has been rumoured that Zhou Ming possesses the Cold Pine Essence that Revered Snow wanted!? It wouldn’t be unusual for the elder to look at him with anger, but to even smile at him, what is there to smile about? Why?! 

Due to the main topic of the discussion, Rain Palace’s Nascent Soul Realm cultivators were unfriendly towards Ning Fan. As for people like Yun Kuang, he already had a bone to pick with Ning Fan.

Everyone’s image of Revered Snow was that of an ice-cold person. If he knew that Ning Fan possessed the Cold Pine Essence, it would’ve been normal for him to rob it in anger, so there was no reason for him to smile at Ning Fan at all…

Could it be that Revered Snow’s personality had a complete a 180°? That should be impossible. 

Or… Is there a hidden agenda behind the elder’s smile1? The smile shouldn’t be directed to Ning Fan but for the Cold Pine Essence instead since it arrive right at his lap. Yes, that much is possible… 

This was the thought process of Yun Kuang.

After hypothetically guessing that the elder did not hold any good intentions toward Ning Fan, he fully unleashed all his hostility towards the latter. The hostility was much intense than when he was jealous of Suqiu at the border!

Ning Fan was not concerned with how others looked at him, even Yun Kuang was automatically ignored by him. Only the smile of Revered Snow was something he couldn’t fathom, whether it be with good intentions or malice…

After his spirit sense scanned through the contents within the jade slip, the discussion that had gone on for several days immediately replayed within his mind.

“Ohh… So this is what happened…” Ning Fan said to himself.

No wonder those Nascent Soul Realm cultivators of the Rain Palace were unfriendly towards him and for Yun Kuang to be much more hostile than before. All of it stemmed from the title of ‘Seventh Commander’.

The Seventh Commander, Xun Ri, died in battle to the demon tide… The authority he possessed suddenly became ownerless so the Rain Palace wanted to have Yun Kuang take over Xun Ri’s authority. But the King of Jin was not willing to have Jin’s power fall into the hands of the Rain Palace. Therefore, he tried so hard to look for a foreign cultivator to replace Xun Ri…

Rain Palace’s command over the cultivators of Jin was temporary. But if Yun Kuang becomes the Seventh Commander, it’ll mean that the Rain Palace Division’s authority will be much deeply rooted in Great Jin.

This is the politics between the Rain Palace and Jin, and I have been dragged into it… 

For Yun Kuang, his beloved Suqiu was snatched away by Ning Fan and Great Jin’s Seventh Commander title that he longed for was also similarly snatched away by the same person. This hostility would be hard to erase.

“You’re not fit to be the Seventh Commander! This Yun is clearly much more suitable!”

Yun Kuang’s cold statement disrupted Ning Fan’s thought process and his gaze became serious.

This Yun Kuang is too cocky. If one would be tolerant of people like this, they would become much more unbearable. Ning Fan wasn’t interested in the position of the Seventh Commander, but he couldn’t tolerate against Yun Kuang anymore. His Dao was the Dao of unyielding, to exercise forbearance for a few times was more than enough.

“Whether this Zhou is worthy of this position is for the King to decide and the appointment of the Rain Palace. It’s not something you, Yun Kuang, can decide!”

“Hmph! If you dare to receive one sword strike from me, no matter if its a failure or a success, this Yun will recognize you as the Seventh Commander! But… Do you dare?!”

Yun Kuang coldly laughed and shook his sleeve as a jet black thin sword appeared in his hand.

The hidden sword was a weapon meant for assassination and possessed a strange divine attribute. Unlike the typical flying sword, only going straight back and forth.

It was said that a single sword strike of the ‘Night Sword’ Yun Kuang was enough to make the average Mid Nascent Soul Realm cultivator to not take it to head on, fearing that they might fall into his trap.

Do you dare?!

Do you dare?!!

Do you dare?!!!

Those three words echoed continuously within the inner palace. This reverberation technique had created a small ripple among the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, causing them to be slightly surprised. To make one’s voice to resound in Heaven and Earth without dissipating was a feat only accomplished by those cultivators above Late Nascent Soul Realm!

This Yun Kuang could do such a feat while still at Mid Nascent Soul Realm. Extraordinary, simply extraordinary!

But for Ning Fan, that reverberation made his eyes flashed a cold light.

The Thunder Star on his glabella flashed and a single voice that was like heavenly thunder dispersed all of Yun Kuang’s voice.

“What is there to fear!”

None of the Rain Palace’s cultivators tried to stop their battle and was happy to see Ning Fan fail and lose.

And on the side of Jin, aside from Jie Xiu being slightly nervous, no one wanted to stop their battle since they wanted to see how strong Ning Fan was.

The annihilation of the demons at the walls of Ju Shan Guan was enough to prove that Ning Fan possesses the strength of a Mid Nascent Soul Realm. But Yun Kuang was also a Nascent Soul Ream cultivator, so both of them had to clash to see who was the better Nascent Soul and decide on who was more worthy of being the Seventh Commander.

Ning Fan could not back down as he only had one chance to prove his strength. He must also gain recognition from both sides and make Revered Snow be fearful of him.

The Star of Imperial Lightning! Thunder Voice!

Under this technique, a mere reverberation technique meant nothing!

Yun Kuang’s expression drastically changed after his reverberation technique was neutralized. Both the cultivators from the Rain Palace and Jin also had their expressions turned serious except for Song Yi, Jie Xiu and the others who had seen the Thunder Star!

“Immemorial Divine Veins! Thunder Veins! Could… could this child be…”

But the one who felt the strongest shock on Ning Fan techniques was none other than…Yun Ruowei!

Because of Ning Fan’s actions in the past, the girl was constantly plagued by her heart devil for the past several years. The lingering warmth of that finger would always reverberate in her heart, causing her to feel ashamed and making her unable to cultivate.

She held two distinct feelings towards Ning Fan and they were hatred and shock.

She knew that Ning Fan was the Old Devil’s disciple…

She also knew that this child was just a Harmonious Spirit Realm ant a few years ago. Even if she were to go easy on him, he wouldn’t have been able to harm a single strand of hair on her head… Yes, if Ning Fan did not use underhanded tactics, she would definitely not face such humiliation…

Today, the Ning Fan in her eyes became astonishingly powerful at the moment he evoked the Thunder Star  and even gave her an extremely strong sense of danger.

The Demon Clan feared lightning so that lightning possessed a strong restraining effect against her…

“For him to grow to such an extent in just a few years! But several years is not enough to form a Nascent Soul. It’s not even enough to form one’s Gold Core, what is happening to his Qi… How is it possible for him to have the strength of a Nascent Soul Realm… ”

For unknown reasons, her heart devil suddenly awakened and Yun Ruowei helplessly found out that she could not wipe away the shadow that Ning Fan had cast in her heart.

She couldn’t achieve being indifferent and turn a blind eye on the battle between Ning Fan and Yun Kuang.

“Damned smelly man… But can he take on Yun Kuang’s sword strike? That sword strike is not something even I could easily face head-on…” Yun Ruowei angrily bit her lips but could only helplessly worry about the safety of Ning Fan.

She was worried. Since it was Ning Fan that had planted that heart devil within her… This feeling couldn’t easily be gotten rid of!

Lit: A hidden blade in a smile. The English equivalent of “Be a wolf in sheep’s clothing”.