Grasping Evil

“Joyous Union iron…Cauldron Ring…”

Ning Fan touched the warm immortal ore and gradually calmed himself. Since he accidentally obtained this Joyous Union iron by chance, he′d naturally need to refine the Cauldron Ring in the near future.

Unfortunately, till this day he did not possess a single cauldron…

Shaking his head, Ning Fan put his thoughts on hold and placed them in the back of his mind. The Yin Yang Flame ignited from his finger but it didn′t stay on the immortal ore.

With two kinds of immortal ores fusing into one, separating them wasn't an easy task.

All living beings originated from yin and yang. Even though the Yin Yang Flame′s power was still weak, under Ning Fan′s veteran immortal emperor rank fire control, he calcined the Joyous Union iron with the Ying Yang Flame′s Black Evil Flame, and cooled off the spirit iron with Yin Yang Flame′s cold ice. The Joyous Union iron slowly turned into molten iron and the spirit iron was as cold as before.

When the Joyous Union iron was completely melted, with a flick of his sleeve, he rolled the spirit iron in his hand. At the same time, he waved his palm and touched upon the ice spirit energy of his immortal veins, releasing a freezing cold power that condensed the Joyous Union iron.

With a pat of his storage bag, he collected the Joyous Union iron, and leisurely handed the spirit iron to Mo Rushui′s hands.

The whole process didn't take more than half an hour. Ning Fan′s fire control skills that were akin to handling heavy weights as if they weighed nothing nearly caused Mo Rushui to look on with a blank expression.

The sleeve of her robe covered half of her face, and under the sleeve hid her red lips that were slightly parted, unable to believe what she had just witnessed.

Mo Rushui felt that just by observing the process of Ning Fan controlling the flames, her Dao of refinement improved by leaps and bounds.

“Young Lord is extremely talented, It′s admirable” She took the spirit iron which did not contain even the slightest demonic ore and gasped in amazement.

“With that, I′ll be troubling Goddess Mo to augment the spirit for me.” [1]

The two of them returned to the surface and headed straight to the refinement room. The whole Spirit Augmentation process lasted for a day. Ning Fan observed from the beginning to its end.

It was the first time he took an interest towards Spirit Augmentation.

Spirit Augmentation, in layman terms, was the melting of the spirit iron and extracting it′s ‘divine power′s essence’. Finally, by using a special formation pattern, one would engrave it on the treasure.

Even if one were to use the same spirit iron, as long the treasure was slightly different, the formation pattern would also differ drastically.

At first, Ning Fan wanted to use his immortal emperor′s memories to steal the Spirit Augmentation technique. However, in the end he could only give up reluctantly.

The Dao of refinement wasn't easier than the Dao of formations at all. If he wanted to rise his Spirit Augmentation technique to the standard of Mo Rushui, he would need at least a few decades.

Ning Fan didn't have that much free time to study Spirit Augmentation. If he needed to augment the spirit of something, it was better to just search for a Spirit Augmentation Master instead.

When Mo Rushui returned Separation Slayer to Ning Fan, one could see in her eyes that she was reluctant to part with it, causing Ning Fan to feel as if taking away Separation Slayer from her was a crime.

“Young Lord, you must treat this sword well…” Mo Rushui looked at Ning Fan pitifully and requested meekly.

“I will, I will…”

Ning Fan′s gaze fell onto Separation Slayer. It’s appearance didn′t change a lot, and there was still the glimmer of starlight encircling its body. But now, the edge of the sword was blazing hot. This blazing heat had a slight soul burning effect that would also increase in power as Separation Slayer advanced in rank.

Ning Fan sliced through the air multiple times and smiled in satisfaction. He opened his mouth and swallowed the starlight sword shadow into his dantian, then bid goodbye and left without further ado.

With the completion of the spirit augmentation of Separation Slayer, Ning Fan′s first Life Treasure since he initially walked the path of evil cultivation had finally taken shape.

It seems that there were only two things left to do before heading to the Sinister Sparrow Sect.

Refine the Jade Royal Dan and turn Si Wuxie into a puppet!

The Refinement room was monopolized by Old Monster, who was exploding cauldrons again and again, which made Ning Fan not have a place to refine the Jade Royal Dan. Without any other choice, he decided to first solve the matter regarding Si Wuxie.

The Si Wuxie today had his Gold Core destroyed by Ning Fan, thus his cultivation was crippled. He was imprisoned in Seven Apricot′s ice prison, under strict supervision.

The ones that were guarding the ice prison were evil cultivator ice guards. When they saw Ning Fan approaching them, they immediately showed deep respect by bowing. Such mannerisms were naturally orders from Nangong.

“Subordinate Wang Ling greets the Young Lord!”

The name of the head of the prison guards was Wang Ling. He was an evil cultivator at the tenth level of Vein Opening. In the Dao Fruit Auction, he was also responsible for maintaining the security of the auction site, so he had witnessed with his own eyes how Ning Fan intimidated a whole group of demons with his murderous aura, and thus developed a deep sense of respect towards him.

“En, I want to go to the ‘ice prison′s ninth level’ to see that person…”

The ice prison′s ninth level was at the very bottom of the prison, and those that were imprisoned there were the worst criminals-- The sect master of Heaven Separation, Si Wuxie, resided there. Ning Fan had not spread the name of this person, so other than Old Monster and the black godly armies three commanders, no one knew that the one who was imprisoned in the ice prison′s ninth level was actually the strongest monster whose name was known by all in Yue country.

“Hehe, commander Nangong ordered that Young Lord can see this person anytime you want. But Young Lord, it would be best to be more carefree. The ice prison′s ninth level is bitterly cold, and the love between a woman and man is passionate, so be wary of freezing over…”

Wang Ling winked at Ning Fan and revealed a smile that only men could decipher. Ning Fan frowned and secretly felt that Wang Ling′s words were a little wrong. What passionate love could ever exist between him and that transvestite Si Wuxie?

He shook his head and didn't let it get to him.

Ning Fan took the prison door′s key and entered the ice prison alone and went straight down to the ninth level without letting Wang Ling follow him.

The first layer of the ice prison locked up cultivators at the first level of Vein Opening. He went down directly to the eighth level that was a thousand zhang underground. Those who were below Harmonious Spirit were unable to bear with the cold qi at that place. There were only several zombies [2] tied down by chains in the few barren rooms of the eighth level. If it were a prisoner, they would have been frozen to death and left here for countless years.

The ninth level only had one room. Ning Fan opened the ice door and saw a dishevelled prisoner tied by ice chains, with his head down as if he was unconscious.

“Si Wuxie…if you were to know that there would come to be a day like this, why would you act like that before.” Ning Fan said indifferently.

“Heh, Ning Fan, did you come here to kill me? Do you dare…” Si Wuxie didn't raise his head and his feminine voice carried ridicule.

“Who exactly is your original self in the Four Heaven's immortal worlds?”

“Even if I say it, would you even recognize who he is. You are merely an insignificant ant of the lower realms…”

Without knowing the reason, the feeling that Si Wuxie gave to Ning Fan today was unusual.

In the memories of the immortal emperor, there was a mystical art that could erase a person's memories and leave the body with it′s spirit and wisdom, making them into one's puppet. This mystical art was called spiritual puppet art.

Ning Fan slowly walked closer to Si Wuxie, preparing to use the spiritual puppet art against Si Wuxie.

But the closer he got, the more uneasy he felt. He kept feeling that there was something amiss. ƒ𝗿e𝘦𝚠𝗲𝚋n𝚘ν𝙚𝗹.𝑐o𝙢

The uneasiness continued…Ning Fan quietly summoned Separation Slayer and hid it in his sleeves. Only with that did the uneasiness lessen a little.

Ning Fan stopped three feet away from Si Wuxie. At this distance he could feel a great pressure given off by him. Almost without hesitation, he quickly retreated.

Si Wuxie let out a light expression of surprise as he didn't expect Ning Fan to be that cautious. He suddenly raised his head and revealed a pure and saintly face of a beautiful woman, rouge lips and features like a painting, like a young lotus blooming, the face was dignified and not to be messed around with. Only, those soft and beautiful eyes carried a fierce murderous intention from within.

A momentum comparable to a late stage Gold Core dispersed from Si Wuxie’s body, and although Si Wuxie’s body was locked due to his crippled cultivation, his divine sense transformed into a formless flying sword and attacked Ning Fan with a flurry of innumerable stabs.

Ning Fan′s expression changed slightly, if he got stabbed by the flying sword made from divine sense, it would destroy all of his knowledge and memories, making him become an idiot in the blink of an eye. This Si Wuxie, with such deep schemes and ruthless methods, he actually still had this trick hidden.

Ning Fan had clearly destroyed his Gold Core and crippled his cultivation, but who would have guessed that he had left a bit of his cultivation hidden from him and even appeared as a woman. What was going on…

A woman′s face, breath and body were not things that could be faked.

Ning Fan′s thoughts were spinning, but in a moment he figured out the crucial point. He seemed to have come to realize something, and with a cold expression, as well as Separation Slayer in his hands, the starlight sword shadow danced in an attempt to destroy the divine sense flying sword.

This move only made Si Wuxie mock gently, “An immemorial divine weapon, unfortunately it's only a low inferior rank. Just an inferior rank divine weapon cannot possibly cut my divine sense- Ah! No, impossible…”

Editor Note: Since Si Wuxie now appears to be acknowledged as a woman, we will now refer to the character as such.

She didn't finish her speech and suddenly screamed, as the power of her divine sense was caught off guard and cut by Separation Slayer and was burned cleanly from its Soul Burning power.

Her gentle and beautiful expression suddenly turned pale, breathless and shocked. Her expression burned with a desire to die as she glared at Ning Fan.

“‘Soul Burning’ divine power, a ‘void’ rank divine power, no way, with just your Harmonious Spirit status, how could you get this kind of divine material!”

She clenched her teeth and tried to use another power against Ning Fan, But it was too late… Ning Fan wouldn't give her another chance to launch a sneak attack at him, he absolutely wouldn't!

Ning Fan stepped into an icy rainbow and flew forward. He pointed at Si Wuxie several times utilizing his Yin Plucking Finger, letting a trace of yin power enter her body which made Si Wuxie’s breath chaotic and unable to use even a trace of her power, not to mention even trying to secretly attack Ning Fan!

“Who would have thought that the dignified sect master Wuxie, Si Wuxie, was actually a woman…disguised as a man with the ancient magic, and almost deceived me…The Opposite Yang Art can created a fake Gold Core inside the body, transforming the wielder into a man and confused me. No wonder you still have power left even after I destroyed your Gold Core…Si Wuxie, I really underestimated you… ”

With a ‘hiss’, Ning Fan tore off Si Wuxie’s sleeve and revealed a beautiful lotus like arm of a girl, which partly looked like it belonged to a man, as if she were some kind of transvestite.

Si Wuxie was deathly ashamed and her face was like that of a peach dripping blood. Kneeling on the ground, a trace of murderous intent coldly swept across her beautiful eyes, “You dared to disgrace me, do you know the origin of my true self in the Four Heavens…ah…en…this…what is the power of that finger…”

She didn't even finish her fierce words, the effect of the Yin Plucking Finger′s power became more and more present. Her whole body was numb and soft, and she was gradually losing her mind…

“I am…the Jade Lake Saint…if you hurt me…I′ll dispatch…a hundred thousand celestial soldiers…and exterminate your whole clan…”

The regal Si Wuxie, at this moment did not show even the slightest arrogance. Under the power of the Yin Plucking Finger, all her murderous intention had turned into fear towards Ning Fan, and there was only dread left in her heart.

“What do you…want to do to me…what is…this enchantment art…I am the dignified Jade Lake Saint…”

“And what if you are the Jade Lake Saint…since we bear mutual hatred, we are enemies. This has nothing to do with you being a man or a woman, nor with your identity!” Ning Fan grasped Si Wuxie’s chin. The corners of his mouth were cold, but a trace of sorrow flashed through his heart.

The Jade Lake Saint…perhaps in the Four Heavens she was a woman respected by tens of thousands of people, but this body double in the lower realms was actually a devil that harmed him and even harmed his little brother Ning Gu. How many people did she deceive with that innocent face, making them think that she was a good girl…but her heart was actually like a snake’s…

The Four Heaven's immortal worlds were not originally pure lands…perhaps, in the whole universe, there are no pure lands.

“Even if you are the Jade Lake Saint, I, Mr Ning, must take my revenge…”

Si Wuxie was frightened. She realized the man in front of her was extremely daring, and he did not fear the ruthless people of the Four Heavens and dared to bully her.

In her heart, there was resentment as well as fear.

“Let me go…I didn′t harm you…and didn′t harm your little brother…I still have things to do in the lower realms…” Si Wuxie said with a miserable look in her eyes, Ning Fan couldn’t tell how much of it was true and how much was a lie.

“Rest assured, I'm not interested in your body and will never touch you…compared to your body I prefer having one more Gold Core fighting hand…I just want to turn you into a Gold Core spirit puppet!”

One finger pointed at Si Wuxies head, began Soul Scouring and started refining a puppet…

…

Half a day later, Ning Fan let out a breath of turbid qi. The girl that was standing quietly before him had a pair of clear and sincere eyes, but carried the power of a late stage Gold Core cultivator and looked at Ning Fan, confused. Above the space between her eyebrows was an imprinted mark of an apricot flower.

That mark was the mark of the spiritual puppet art.

“Who are you, who am I?” The girl smiled lightly, like a young lotus blossoming and looked at Ning Fan docilely.

“You name is Sisi, starting from today you are the first cauldron of me, Ning Fan.”

“A cauldron, huh…Sisi wants to be your wife…” The eyes of the girl pleaded, she forgot everything but faintly remembered Ning Fan, and she was instinctively depending on Ning Fan, obeying him. That obedience came from the mark on her body.

“No, you erred in the past and can only be a cauldron. Put on your clothes and come out with me. When the day I refine the Cauldron Ring arrives, it will become your new home.”

The dignified Jade Lake Saint′s double in the lower realms actually became the first cauldron that Ning Fan subdued?

Jade Lake Saint, Si Wuxie, Sisi, how will her destiny fare?

[1] More like thanks for the trouble, but before it′s done, like an accepted petition.

[2]”Jiang shi”, it′s a kind of chinese vampire/zombie.

Note: In chinese you don′t have to say "he" or "she" when you talk about someone. You can say it but it can be implicit too, so…