Chapter 1311: You Are the Shaman Peak Yet to Emerge from the Immortal Clouds
Chapter 1311: Chapter 1311: You Are the Shaman Peak Yet to Emerge from the Immortal Clouds
At the moment the Tunneling Armor Formation Plate began to spin, the cycle of time and space in Ning Fan’s eyes underwent a change.
The cycle of the world, in relation to Ning Fan, came to a standstill.
This is a relative standstill; when one’s own cycle matches the world’s cycle, it is possible to glimpse an eternal freeze-frame.
No one else can perceive this standstill, only the person activating the formation plate can detect it.
Thus, in the world as seen by Ning Fan, snowflakes no longer fell but froze in the air; the north wind ceased its howl, leaving the world eerily silent.
All living beings fell silent as if annihilated, except the originally still Ancient Starry Sky, which came alive, starting to squirm.
Furthermore, endless transformations of the star diagrams appeared before Ning Fan’s eyes due to the operation of the Tunneling Armor Formation Plate.
These star diagrams can reveal the past and future, and with the aid of Demon Star Divination, one can observe the ancient and comprehend the present through star techniques. Ning Fan also restored some of these star technique divinations in the Taishi Pavilion, such as the Gan Shi Star Scripture, Yishizhan, Qutang Xida’s Opening Divination, Five Stars Divination, Demon Star Divination, and more.
Accompanied by the Star Technique Cultivation Method, it is possible to absorb star energy and enhance star techniques. Ning Fan similarly restored some secret techniques, such as Star-picking Chapter, Red贯 Chapter, White贯 Chapter, Comet General Outline Chapter, Rushing Star Chapter, Heavenly Prison Chapter, Moon and Two Stars Chapter, and more.
The daily routine of the Third Realm of Tianren is just as plain and monotonous.
As a Heavenly Immortal Practitioner of the third realm, Ning Fan naturally does not need complicated means to observe the ancient and the future. However, cultivating star techniques by absorbing star energy is commendable, but at this moment, he is more interested in the phenomenon of the starry sky’s movement.
That movement is very faint. Many strong individuals from the Earth Giant Clan have observed this but were unaware of its meaning — their purpose in stargazing was merely to observe the past and the present, or to refine star energy.
Yet, there are exceptions.
According to clan history, Jiang Ming’s ancestor initially established the Star-picking Platform to observe the starry sky’s movement; ultimately, he did not know what he observed, only that he sacrified himself, offering his heart beneath the starry sky...
The content of this part of the clan history is vague, but Ning Fan still keenly sensed the great causality behind this event.
Perhaps those causes relate to the secrets of Manzhi...
If not created eternally, then changes continually occur each moment. The absolute stillness of the Ancient Starry Sky never existed from the beginning. Ning Fan naturally understood this.
True immutable eternity only exists in theory and concept, and that is the distance between the Fourth Step and the Third Step.
However, what the starry sky’s movement indicates is not concepts or theories like relative stillness, relative movement, or immutable eternity, but rather something about the level of life...
Jiang Ming sacrified himself because he observed something unknown to others.
In the clan history Ning Fan reviewed, it mentioned that Jiang Ming was of the Divine Foot Lineage and the only one who practiced Earth Star Technique to the highest level.
"If I can perform the ultimate stargazing technique, perhaps I can see the world Jiang Ming saw..."
Ning Fan, although possessing Dao Enlightenment in restoring Earth Star Technique, understands that cultivating Earth Star Technique to the highest level is not achieved overnight.
Thus, Ning Fan entered the Tai Chi Birth Realm and used it to perform the ultimate Earth Star Technique.
Afterwards, he saw an unforgettable scene!
All stars in Ning Fan’s eyes transformed into particles that constituted some enormous entity, and even the world beneath his feet appeared as an insignificant particle among countless others.
Countless particles combined to form an unimaginably vast will.
This will had no physical form, yet if forced to use some imagery to describe it, Ning Fan would liken it to an enormous silkworm as vast as the cosmos!
However, it was a silkworm that had died countless ages ago; its will had clearly dissipated, but it remained inadvertently operational, which was the cause of the starry sky’s movement phenomenon!
The overwhelming pressure of the Nine Mountains and Eight Seas level emanated from this silkworm’s will, but could only be felt by those who performed ultimate stargazing!
This pressure rivals that of the Ancient Celestial Whale of the Enlightenment Realm, already reaching the Fourth Step’s level!
Furthermore, within this Silkworm of the Starry Sky’s mouth, there was a bronze gear enveloped in Black Flame. This gear faintly exuded the aura of a Heaven-Opening Artifact, yet it was a damaged item.
Although damaged, the gear’s true name remains obscured by a deep mystery, even beyond the knowledge of the Heaven-Opening List.
The gear’s power also concealed everything about the Silkworm of the Starry Sky, making its identity unknown to the world.
As Ning Fan cultivated to this day, he never heard of a silkworm spirit equaling the Fourth Step appearing in the world.
Connecting it to the destruction of the Huai Whirlpool, Ning Fan speculated: could it be that the saints and ancients destroyed the Huai Whirlpool World to truly erase this silkworm...
Everything about the Silkworm of the Starry Sky is unknown, if the Divine Arts were not sealed, Ning Fan might have been able to unravel its mysteries.
Is this why his Divine Arts were feared and sealed by Manzhi? Is this silkworm Manzhi’s hidden secret? Or perhaps, what is hidden is not the silkworm itself, but the Heaven-opening Gear in its mouth or something inside the silkworm’s mouth...
Through the massive gap between the bronze gear and the silkworm’s mouth, Ning Fan could observe the presence of immense death qi and Evil Qi, as well as the existence of an endless Red Earth Continent within.
Though visible, entering that continent is impossible, only by turning the gear in the silkworm’s mouth can one enter; however, the gear is damaged and can no longer turn.
The continent provides a sensation reminiscent of Netherworld Continent, and vaguely numerous ancient tombs can be seen within. While Ning Fan attempted to observe the tombs, countless eerie ghost fires glowed brightly, seemingly the gazes of the tomb’s spirits meeting Ning Fan’s, and in that moment, an unimaginable incomprehensible force instantly engulfed him.
Even as Ning Fan opposed it with his own incomprehensible force, he still forgot most of the tomb’s images he saw, yet remembered a few.
"Even observing from afar results in an attack of such magnitude, should one delve deeper into this tomb, how perilous would that be..."
This scene reminded Ning Fan of certain experiences. He had seen the head of the Lord of the Nether, and even entered its mouth in the Netherworld, where he seized the Sword Ancestor’s remnant soul. Yet even that Netherworld seemed less treacherous than the mysterious tombs he witnessed now...
The posture with which this silkworm holds the tomb resembles that of the Lord of the Nether, but the aura of this silkworm is distinctly different, not the same entity.
The most notable difference, which Ning Fan can now clearly discern, is: the Lord of the Nether is a Ghost Spirit, seemingly also cultivating Divine Spirits; this Star Sky Silkworm, however, is a Demon Spirit, without cultivating Divine Spirits.
Yet the tomb within the silkworm’s mouth, oddly enough, emanates a Divine Spirit aura, when combined rivals that of a Demon God...
The feng shui layout of the tomb bears some resemblance to the Divine Tomb of Godly Void Pavilion, yet in scale and danger, far surpasses the latter.
After all, the tomb of Godly Void Pavilion was merely constructed by Shenxu Progenitor in the Second Level for the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor; whereas this tomb harbors a Great Cause and Great Terror of the Fourth Step that has fallen...
Manzhi indeed has a colossal courage, daring even to involve himself with the fallen cause of the Fourth Step; in comparison, meddling in Northern Barbarian Vastness’ reversal case seems trivial...
Even with the Ultimate Stargazing Technique, it still cannot discern the true name and origin of this silkworm, yet Ning Fan’s Poisonous Yin-Yang within him is subtly responding to the Star Sky Silkworm.
It’s the Undying Silkworm Poison within the Poisonous Yin-Yang that’s reacting.
Why Ning Fan can nurture the Divine Silkworm Poison relates to several past experiences.
Firstly, he consumed the sacrificial meat of Demon Venerable Silkworm Throng, which in fact carries the bloodline of the Immortal God Silkworm, remnants of the Shushanx Clan.
Secondly, he had a confrontation with the Fishfu Sage in the Enlightenment Realm, then deliberately grasped the Divine Silkworm Poison to enhance his Poisonous Yin-Yang. That Fishfu Sage likewise contains the bloodline of the Immortal God Silkworm, remnants of the Shushanx Clan.
Due to cultivating the Divine Silkworm Poison, during multiple confrontations with Manzhi, Ning Fan faintly sensed an unusual matter: Manzhi seemingly has developed an Undying Silkworm poison sac within him, likely another remnant of the Shushanx Clan...
Connecting to the present, as Ning Fan faces the Star Sky Silkworm, the Divine Silkworm Poison within him resonates slightly, leading him to suspect, could this Star Sky Silkworm’s true identity also be an Immortal God Silkworm?
If that turns out to be true, might there be some inherent causal relationship between this Star Sky Silkworm and Manzhi...
This certainly is a valuable clue, worthy of exploration!
Momentary communication with all things seems unusable, so Ning Fan decides to borrow Ji Fuyao’s Five-tone Bell Rhythm technique to try if he can use his Divine Silkworm Poison to resonate with the Star Sky Silkworm on a silkworm poison layer.
Someone may question when Ning Fan learned the Five-tone Harmony?
This relates to what Ji Fuyao lent Ning Fan: the Heaven Suppressing Bell.
Ji Fuyao lent Ning Fan two items, one was the Heaven Suppressing Bell, the other was a Wooden Sword Scabbard.
Both items contained little puzzles, seemingly intending to test whether Ning Fan could solve them.
Ning Fan successfully solved the puzzle within the Heaven Suppressing Bell, but it was with the Ant Lord’s assistance.
This was because the puzzle used a unique encryption method of the Five-tone Harmony, without knowing Ji Fuyao’s exclusive Five-tone Secret Language, one could not even read the puzzle face, let alone solve it? Of course, Ning Fan could use Divine Arts to cheat, forcibly solve the puzzle and coax the puzzle maker into submission, but that would lead to a small disappointment for the puzzle setter.
He no longer wished to disappoint her, even if it were these trivial matters...
Thus, he refrained from cheating and sought guidance from the Ant Lord on how to read the Five-tone Secret Language.
Initially, the Ant Lord was utterly unwilling. This was her unique secret technique, how could she casually impart it? And she carried the Unspeakable Seal, it was... almost forgot she’s already free from the Unspeakable Seal’s bindings.
But still no! She couldn’t recall other matters, yet remembered this one: the secret language was originally created to write encrypted documents, including some of her certain black history diaries.
Normally, people wouldn’t write diaries, but as a scholar, she often needed to record work progresses, eventually developing this habit.
Thus, such personal content shouldn’t be casually imparted; could there be a semblance of distance and boundary?
Yet, as Ning Fan employed negotiation methods named ’so and so,’ the Ant Lord instantly conceded.
Just teach you then! Long separated Divine Suburb or whatever, please absolutely refrain from doing such!
It’s agreed then, we are meant to be lifelong brothers!
And afterward...
The Ant Lord turned over.
She and Ning Fan became lifelong siblings...
...
Having learned the basic Divination Technique and common secret language of the Five-tone Harmony, Ning Fan successfully unraveled the Heaven Suppressing Bell’s puzzle.
This puzzle tested knowledge about feng shui of Heavenly Star, Earth Star, Human Star, Divine Star, and Ghost Star, not exceedingly difficult; Ning Fan solved it using minimal work time and casually rendered an Old Historian who discovered him slacking into inconceivable.
After deciphering the puzzle, Ning Fan received a voice message.
[Would you fancy a transcendent journey across Demon and God~ If you divulge your name, I’ll take you~]
Sadly, Ning Fan had no intention to disclose his true name, thus the matter led nowhere further.
Back then, he did not grasp the meaning behind the transcendent journey across Demon and God.
Reflecting now, this might perhaps relate to the tomb within the mouth of the Star Sky Silkworm, otherwise, Ji Fuyao had no reason to test his feng shui knowledge.
Nicely speaking, she wished for a date, a romantic transcendent journey; unpleasantly speaking, she intended for tomb raiding, grave robbing...
Not even afraid of encountering a Fourth Step zombie in the tomb, truly a bold woman, she’s a match for Man Zhi, no wonder one is named after Jishui and the other after Jiang Shui...
The puzzle of the sword sheath remains unsolved, but Ning Fan vaguely senses that there is similarly a voice message hidden inside.
This puzzle, however, is not encrypted with the five-tone harmony but surprisingly with the Yue language.
This stumped Ning Fan, as he didn’t understand the Yue language.
He wanted to seek advice from the Ant Lord, but the Ant Lord had completely forgotten the Yue language.
Of course, the puzzle could be easily solved with Divine Arts, but...
...
"Once matters here are settled, I will directly ask the person involved. Or perhaps, she is waiting for me to come seeking knowledge? Just like before, she’s always wanting to teach me something, to assert a teacher’s authority. For her, being my teacher seems to be a particularly amusing affair... then as she wishes, but I have the Dao Fate Calamity upon me, and it’s only in occasional moments of teacher-student taboo delight we can engage, but to truly tie the teacher-student cause and effect must never happen. When I consult her on the Yue language, it will be under the guise of a transaction, which fits her business principles..."
Facing the enormous cause and effect of the Fourth Step’s downfall, Ning Fan is instead more concerned with the fleeting future related to her.
After all, his lingering in the Dao Thought Battle is solely for one person.
If she weren’t here, he would leave immediately after taking down Jichen, without needing to understand the ancient Ten Spirits’ secrets, which are all Man Zhi’s traps and manipulations.
The so-called intelligence collection to counter Man Zhi was just an act for Fate Reincarnation to see.
Previously, he stayed for her out of reluctance. He clearly knows that he will eventually leave, outside the Dao Thought Battle, he still has the Northern Barbarian Vastness to save, but even so, he wants to do something for her before leaving...
But... when he added an extra bell for the thirteenth time, he vaguely sensed something, thus the meaning of his stay changed slightly.
"I hope the truth behind this Dao Thought Battle is not as I suspect it to be..."
Thus, by using the Life Realm, he elevated the Poisonous Yin-Yang and Undying Silkworm Poison within him to the Dao Source Great Success level.
In an instant, the resonance between the Undying Silkworm Poison within him and the starry sky silkworm intensified by more than tenfold.
It was at this moment that Ning Fan, using the Life Realm, enhanced the half-learned Five-tone Harmony Technique taught by the Ant Lord to the utmost level.
He initially just intended to make a slight attempt, without much confidence in achieving resonance with the starry sky silkworm.
However, this attempt unexpectedly succeeded in the end.
At the moment of resonating with the starry sky silkworm, Ning Fan felt his will enter a brief synchronicity with that of the starry sky silkworm.
The starry sky silkworm had already passed, even if in synch, it couldn’t communicate with Ning Fan anymore, but Ning Fan could unilaterally examine the remnants of the starry sky silkworm’s will.
However, this action was too dangerous, and as soon as he proceeded, Ning Fan felt a mental assault! The opposing will was vast as the universe, while his will was merely like a star within that universe.
His will was not insignificant, but the opposing will was so immense that it exceeded the constraints of reincarnation time and space, which was the insurmountable distance between Ning Fan and the Fourth Step, even though the other was merely a deceased one...
Ning Fan had devoured the will of the Calamity Master within the Dust Tree, but that Dust Tree was merely something the Calamity Master grew from a seed of will, incomparable with the complete scale of the starry sky silkworm’s will before him.
Being able to unfold the complete will left by the Reverse Saint was already Ning Fan’s limit, and wanting to find anything from it would at least require the Desolate Saint, something he couldn’t achieve.
But reaching this extent was already enough...
"Indeed, nothing was gained."
Ning Fan said so.
Then he closed the Tunneling Armor Formation Plate, ending the stargazing.
In an instant, the pressure was shifted onto Man Zhi!
In the One Realm, Man Zhi, who was observing the Dao Thought Battle through special means, frowned.
The battle with the Galaxy Pig had long since ended in three seconds, effortlessly.
Now, he’s in high spirits, attentively watching the development of the Dao Thought Battle, nervous and expectant.
Even after his cultivation downgraded from Decemcentennial Saint to Nine Generations, he still appeared full of vitality, as if he was not the one who lashed out at Ning Fan in rage just before.
The main reason is, indeed, this matter was truly exhilarating! The previous Ten Generation Reincarnation was in vain, and now the Nine Generation Reincarnation is much more gratifying!
"Fake! Too fake!"
"This kid’s Reversing Fan Dao inherently engages in deceptive tactics! His words cannot be completely believed nor entirely disbelieved! If viewed on a first-layer level, then this child must be lying! He says he gained nothing, which means he did gain something!"
"But if viewed on a second-layer level, with this kid’s cautious nature, knowing I’m peeking, it would be impossible for him to talk to himself. There’s no reason for him to speak aloud, abnormal occurrences are most likely intended to mislead me! Making me think he has already gained something, causing me to worry about the secret being exposed, thereby confusing my strategy, randomly matching his moves, and eventually falling into his trick..."
"However, if he’s actually standing at a third-layer level, the facts would be exactly the opposite, and if he’s at a fourth layer, a fifth layer..."
"Ah, open schemes indeed, are truly a headache..."
Man Zhi shook his head helplessly.
He has ninety-nine percent certainty that Ning Fan had no ability to acquire intelligence, yet there’s a slight uncertainty, fearing a potential major blunder with this matter.
Although the probability is low, because his secret is too significant, he cannot afford to be careless in the slightest.
So...
Even if that boy doesn’t perform any tricks, I’m still compelled to make this move!
Yet he deliberately put on a show. He must be doing it on purpose to provoke me! After all, I just schemed against him, settling the karmic score of the loss of Han Yuanji, and he surely holds a grudge against me.
Or perhaps the performance is merely a distraction, while he’s actually standing in the stratosphere...
Very well! I accept your trickery!
To make all my plans fail and become so cautious, I certainly did not misjudge you!
But alas, in terms of dual cultivation, you can’t even hold a candle to me.
Although I can’t see the specific circumstances, for you to take six whole hours to finish a battle—if everyone were like you, wouldn’t they have no time for anything else, just sleeping and resting all day? How would they cultivate?
One must know, a Saint values an inch of shadow more than a foot of wall, for time is hard to come by and easy to lose! If it weren’t for your poison that impaired me, reducing my efficiency by tenfold, I could have been even stronger, and that’s the difference between the strongest Saint and a mere Immortal King!
But I’m different, even with the poison slowing me down, in the time it takes you to fight one battle, I can fight 14,400 times!
Hmm?
"It seems there are people from the Other Shore mocking me? Haha, you only know human relationships, yet not the Saint Road, what a pity, what a pity. Yet it’s known that when an inferior person hears the Dao, they laugh at it, when not laughed at, then it’s not the Dao. Oh? Someone with a talent comparable to mine? Not bad! Not bad! I see you, Daoist, have the potential to become a Saint. If ever you have leisure, do come to Dust Shore for a chat! Can’t come? That’s a bit of a pity. But no matter! Should the day come when Dust Shore can’t sustain me, I’ll hide at your place, and you’ll be gifted with a Dao connection. Rest assured! A mere Dao connection won’t cost lives! I’m the greatest philanthropist in the world, the threads of destiny of Dust Shore can’t bind the fallen of the Other Shore. You will not be affected by the tribulations of Dao connections! Need full intelligence systems; there’s Manzhi’s intelligence system, need grandfathers; there’s Manzhi’s grandfather, need beauties; there’s Manzhi’s sister, satisfaction guaranteed!"
"However, there’s a small trouble I need to attend to now, Daoists, we’ll talk next time! Those who think Manzhi is handsome and kind-hearted, remember to throw more recommendation votes for the book ’Wisdom Demon’! Hmm? It turns out you’re not reading ’Wisdom Demon’? But a homophonic counterfeit book? The recorder you chose must be blind, not knowing who the real protagonist of Dust Shore is! Deacon? What’s so worth recording about a deacon, only to, only to... Oh, what a pity... Since you’re not my fans, there’s no Dao connection to give, farewell!"
Manzhi, with a disappointed face, formed a complex spirit sense.
In an instant, a certain bronze gear that had been irreparably damaged, and could no longer turn, had a wisp of demon soul slowly emerging from it, which was once the soul of Jiang Ming who sacrificed his own heart!
Jiang Ming: "Senior, has the time finally come to save Huaiwo?"
Manzhi: "Correct, are you afraid?"
Jiang Ming: "Hehe, the senior may turn the ****, if by my sole reincarnation, I could exchange for Huaiwo’s return to the Lost World, then there’s nothing I fear about falling into the land of no return..."
Manzhi: "Fine then, as long as you have no regrets, ****, activate!"
...
When the bronze gear that should not have been turned began to turn again by Jiang Ming’s will, Ning Fan felt a force drawing towards him, instantly sucking his wisp of Daoist thought into the gear.
Sure enough, it pertains to whether Manzhi’s secrets will be exposed, this obvious ploy he is bound to take.
Ning Fan, already prepared for being sucked into the gear, remained calm throughout, intending not to evade.
There’s something he must confirm here, and whatever Manzhi’s schemes might be, he will handle accordingly, but this matter is something he must absolutely do!
So he let the force lead him into the Magical Treasure Space within the gear, without any resistance, as it was just a damaged Heaven-Opening Artifact, and he had prepared countless back-ups, such a broken treasure couldn’t trap him!
The only thing that puzzled Ning Fan was that at the instant he entered the Magical Treasure Space, he saw a wisp of dissipating soul.
It was Jiang Ming’s soul, which Ning Fan had initially perceived, so he shouldn’t have been puzzled, yet when he saw Jiang Ming, he suddenly forgot what he wanted to say, unsure of what to say.
And he no longer remembered whose soul was dissipating before him.
****: "Please..."
Ning Fan: "Rest assured, if there truly is the evil cause of the three Reverse Saints here, then I will sever this evil cause. But, who are you, Daoist? I was supposed to remember, yet suddenly cannot recall you..."
****: "Thank you..."
Out of nowhere, Ning Fan sighed in emotion, yet he couldn’t understand where this melancholy came from. He didn’t know the reason, but instinctively he launched an Ultimate Ruins Finger at the unfamiliar dissipating demon soul, hoping to aid this unknown demon soul...
...
In the Magical Treasure Space of ****.
Ning Fan pondered slightly as he gazed at the scene created by illusory art before him.
Looking out, the thousand peaks stood like halberds, the ten-thousand walls spread like screens.
The sunlight glinted off the mist and softly locked in the green, the rain cleared leaving blue hues containing coldness. Withered vines wrapped old trees, an ancient ford journeyed through a serene path. Exotic blooms and divine herbs, stately bamboo and pine trees. Stately bamboo and pine trees, evergreen for eternity shaming paradises; exotic blooms and divine herbs, never fading throughout seasons rivaling Penglai. Near are the calls of the secluded birds, the sounds of trickling springs clear. In valleys covered with precious orchids, atop sheer cliffs moss thrives. Rising and falling, the peaks possess a good dragon vein, surely there are dignified figures who’ve concealed their names.
While observing, Ning Fan suddenly heard singing from deep within the woods and noticed that the singing woodcutter seemed somewhat familiar.
"Observing chess pieces weathering, chopping wood ding ding, leisurely strolling at the valley’s cloud border. Selling firewood bartering wine, joyfully laughing alone. In the azure path, amid the high autumn, resting with the moon over pine roots, waking at dawn. Recognize the old forest, climb cliffs, cross peaks, wield an axe to cut withered vines, collecting into a load, singing into the market, exchanging for three pints of rice. No slight disputing, fair and leveled prices. Without crafty schemes or calculations, sustain calmly. On meeting, whether immortal or Daoist, calmly recite ’Yellow Emperor’s Canon."’
"Oh? This brother seems quite familiar, have we met somewhere before?"
The woodcutter named Wang Zhi, carrying a bundle of firewood, slowly approached, with an ax tucked in his belt that seemed familiar to Ning Fan.
"In this life, we haven’t met, perhaps our paths will cross in the next," Ning Fan replied.
"If we haven’t met in this life, it means you’re not a local. Are you here at Fangcun Mountain to ask for immortality and the Dao? If so, you came too late, as the sage Subodhi departed long ago, and no one knows where Fangcun Mountain disappeared to. Since then, a Five Finger Immortal Mountain descended from the sky, yet the mountain is quite sinister, many have entered, few have emerged, and even those who emerged seem like they lost their souls, unable to recall the mountain’s events. Some say this mountain houses several chess-playing immortals; others claim it’s home to a rambling shaman, thus it’s also called Witch Mountain. If anyone dares speak ill of the shaman, the shaman supposedly turns them into stone; whether true or not is hard to say..."