Chapter 1267: Chapter 1267: Encountering a Demon in Strangeness

Along the path, delving deeper.

That path was created by the mysterious black sphere—Divine Pellet Sphere—interwoven with a method that surpasses the Second Step.

Xinyi Nv and Jiu Xiaojiu ventured deep toward the Star Era Palace; unlike the indifferent Xinyi Nv, Jiu Xiaojiu was filled with unease and fear.

The deeper they went into the Star Era Palace, the more intense the collision between the purple and yellow Qi in the chaotic void, as if hundreds or thousands of Immortal Venerables and Immortal Kings were battling in the void, making one’s heart palpitate, not daring to meddle.

Proceeding ahead, in the chaotic void, floating corpses occasionally drifted by.

Some were human corpses, others were Yin Yang Transformation corpses, and some were Demon corpses.

There were corpses with low cultivations, as well as corpses of Quasi-Saint Immortal Emperors.

Some were as tiny as dust, while others were as large as an ocean of stars.

Some had fallen less than a hundred years ago, while others were ancient corpses dead for a billion years.

Every corpse retained, to some extent, the complex expression they had in their final moments: a mix of fear, awe, delight, and satisfaction.

When Jiu Xiaojiu examined them closely, she realized these floating corpses were not physical bodies but mirage-like images.

"These corpse images are truly creepy..." Jiu Xiaojiu said shakily.

"Within the Star Era Palace once existed a pool, called the Transforming Thunder Pool, used for spawning the Origin Thunder Sea. Those killed by the pool are remembered by it, and when a destined person arrives, corpse images materialize to welcome them with an array of thunders. Though the pool is no longer here, the Origin Thunder Sea remains, hence this scene." Xinyi Nv explained.

"What a peculiar welcoming ceremony... So, Senior and I are being welcomed by this unseen Origin Thunder Sea? If given a choice... I’d rather skip this sort of welcome..." Jiu Xiaojiu shiveringly remarked.

"You overthink... The welcoming by the Origin Thunder Sea here isn’t aimed at us. The route of the floating corpse images is circular, with the one at its center being the intended recipient of the thunders." Xinyi Nv pointed delicately toward the depths of the Star Era Palace.

"Senior Ning must be here, right? To warrant such a thunderous welcome, he truly deserves his reputation..." Xinyi Nv admired profoundly.

After flying for an unknown period, the two women finally reached the path’s end.

A snowy mountain floated at the core of the Star Era Palace, where perennial snow accumulated within the mountain. As Jiu Xiaojiu stepped upon it, a flood of lament washed over her, like mourning, remembrance, longing.

"Who dares trespass upon Mini North Pole Mountain!"

The very moment they set foot on the mountain, several beams of starlight darted out from the mountain and landed, transforming into gigantic Star Demon giants.

These Star Demon giants seemed to be the mountain’s guardians; seeing intruders, they came forth to block. The odd thing was, when they spoke, they dared not speak loudly, whispering carefully as if afraid any louder sound would disturb something.

For a Star Demon giant, their normal speech is akin to roaring thunder.

"Hmm? It’s you?" Among them, an old Star Demon with a beard trailing to the ground recognized Xinyi Nv.

He was the leader of the Star Demons here, titled Cang Xingzi, whose cultivation has reached the Half-Step Quasi-Saint level.

The Star Demon clan was naturally proud. As the master among them, Cang Xingzi held contempt above all, even when recognizing Xinyi Nv, his gaze remained indifferent and arrogant.

"It’s the mysterious black sphere of Senior Ning that brought us here." Xinyi Nv calmly explained, unfazed by the other’s demeanor.

"Uh? The black sphere sir brought you here? Ahem, ahem, unaware of esteemed guests arriving, I failed to welcome you, apologies, apologies." Hearing this, Cang Xingzi’s heart skipped a beat, feeling greatly anxious. Any trace of arrogance disappeared in his tone, replaced by utmost courtesy.

"Black sphere sir?" Jiu Xiaojiu found it amusing.

Amused at the Star Demons’ switch from arrogance to flattery, and amused at their way of addressing the mysterious black sphere.

The sphere isn’t human, what kind of sir is that?

"Shhh, dear guest, one mustn’t speak loudly here. Senior Ning is currently comprehending Dao within the mountain, he must not be disturbed." Cang Xingzi advised nervously.

As if disturbing Ning Fan’s contemplation was a terrifying thing.

"Senior is indeed here..." Xinyi Nv smiled.

Yet turned somewhat regretful.

"Although Senior is here, he’s at a crucial moment in his comprehension, thus I must refrain from entering to meet him." Xinyi Nv sighed softly.

"It’s alright, it’s alright. Senior’s current comprehension doesn’t prevent us Star Demons from observing him. We Star Demons can enter the mountain to watch Senior’s Dao enlightenment, such esteemed guests as you surely can too." Cang Xingzi chuckled, then led the two women into the mountain.

Entering the mountain path was marked by drifting snow.

In the deepest snow accumulation, a vast snowy valley was formed.

Ning Fan stood steady in the snowy valley, raising his right hand to press against a low stele, his gaze focused.

The stele bore no inscription on its front, nor on its back.

Yet as Ning Fan’s eyes were covered by Azure Spike and looked upon the stele, he saw characters others couldn’t.

This stele was surprisingly one that the Purple Rose Celestial Emperor personally erected!

The engravings upon it were also inscribed by the Purple Rose Celestial Emperor, each ancient character containing a trace of Reverse Saint aura!

[Demon-Encountering Stele].

[Erected during a demon encounter].

[Destroyed at a thought].

[Stele destroyed, man preserved].

[Stele here, man perished].

[Demon oh time oh]

"What could the stele’s inscription mean; and how does the unrepairable Duowen Wushuang guide me to this place..."

"I’ve repaired Duowen Wushuang, but am still lacking something, lacking what exactly..."

Recently, Ning Fan was busy repairing Duowen Wushuang. The more he failed, the more insights he gained.

Possessing the skill for Communication with All Things, Ning Fan once attempted to directly communicate with the Duowen Fragments, yet when it involved repair, he repeatedly failed to get a response.

It wasn’t until yesterday did he succeed in communicating with them.

[Ning Fan: Please tell me, how can I truly repair you.]

[Duowen: Go to the Demon-Encountering Stele... first to the... Demon-Encountering Stele...]

[Ning Fan: Where is the Demon-Encountering Stele located?]

[Duowen: Star Era Palace... Mini North Pole Mountain...]

Thus, Ning Fan arrived here, finding the Demon-Encountering Stele.

Despite finding the stele, Ning Fan didn’t know its purpose, nor the meaning behind its inscriptions.

He tried using Communication with All Things to directly converse with the Demon-Encountering Stele.

But.

The stele rejected dialogue with him.

It was not that there was an inability to communicate between them.

Only the stele... was unwilling.

"Stele brother, since you’re unwilling to talk to me, I have no choice but to use this strategy, pardon me... I hope you don’t mind, stele brother."

Ning Fan pressed his palm upon the stele and gently perceived its essence.

Threads of Heart Spirit power invaded the stele, attempting to establish a level of Heart Spirit communication directly.

Unfortunately, Ning Fan’s Heart Spirit power was repeatedly bounced back, finding it not easy to enter the other’s heart.

In his daze, Ning Fan had a sort of illusion, that the Demon-Encountering Stele before him was like a somewhat melancholy, reclusive youth, unwilling to let others spy into its heart.

However, the Demon-Encountering Stele did not harshly reject Ning Fan’s Heart Spirit, merely bouncing it back gently.

Thus, it seemed that deep within, the Demon-Encountering Stele was also somewhat conflicted: reclusive in nature yet perhaps yearning for understanding.

Ning Fan speculated much about the thoughts within the Demon-Encountering Stele, so even though he was repeatedly rejected, he did not give up, persistently entangling, stubbornly persisting...

Finally, finally.

The heart defense of the Demon-Encountering Stele showed a slight gap, allowing a thread of Ning Fan’s Heart Spirit to enter.

...

"Is this the inner world of the Demon-Encountering Stele?"

Ning Fan’s Heart Spirit entered a world equally covered in snow.

The inner heart of the Demon-Encountering Stele was a snowy mountain, resembling the Mini North Pole Mountain of the Star Era Palace, yet countless times larger.

Above the snowy mountain, the wind and snow covered the sky.

This snow was very cold, and even with Ning Fan’s resolved Heart Spirit, he felt a chill.

In the distance, on the mountain path, a blurry figure stood tall in the snow.

As soon as Ning Fan noticed this figure, he immediately went after it.

"Sir, are you the Stele Brother? Please stop and speak with me."

But the other did not stop.

Nor did it wish to converse with Ning Fan at all.

Ning Fan gave chase, while it escaped, further and further.

Seeing this scene, Ning Fan had no intention of giving up easily and pursued even faster, leaving deep footprints in the snow.

The blurry figure also fled across the snow, yet did not leave the slightest trace on it.

As if there was some essential difference between them and Ning Fan.

Gradually, Ning Fan drew closer, and through the wind and snow, he finally saw that what he pursued was not the Stele Brother after all.

Instead, it was a young girl.

A girl shrouded in a fiery red cloak.

"Turns out, you are a young lady. My apologies..." Ning Fan said apologetically.

Upon hearing this, the Demon-Encountering Stele girl paused, as if she finally wished to respond to Ning Fan, but then hesitated, merely sighed softly, and continued to escape into the depths of the snow.

It was an unintentional sigh.

Yet in Ning Fan’s ears, it was like a thunderous roar, stirring his Heart Spirit, hard to control.

Strange things.

This Demon-Encountering Stele’s casual sigh could affect his state of mind.

More strangely, the closer he got to the girl, the more Ning Fan felt a sense of unfamiliarity from her.

Being strangers to each other was normal, after all, today was Ning Fan’s first time meeting the Demon-Encountering Stele.

What puzzled Ning Fan was that this sense of unfamiliarity seemed to be a deliberate illusion created by the Demon-Encountering girl.

The first meeting should not require a deliberate feigned unfamiliarity. Was this not... redundant?

"What are you hiding, what are you afraid of..."

Ning Fan frowned.

He came here originally for the hint from Duowen Wushuang, but at this moment, he became more intrigued by the Demon-Encountering Stele itself.

The girl paused once more and then fled faster, and faster...

At once, in the heart spirit world of the Stele, the wind and snow increased a thousandfold.

Ning Fan’s Heart Spirit was swept by the wind and snow, retreating many steps, unable to pursue the girl further.

Finally, Ning Fan could only watch as the girl’s figure disappeared into the depths of the snow.

"Are you so unwilling to meet me? Yet if unwilling, why allow a thread of my Heart Spirit to enter..." Ning Fan’s frown deepened.

More puzzled by the strange behavior of the Demon-Encountering Stele girl.

Very much intrigued, unable to ignore the intrigue...

Even if not for Duowen Wushuang... he wanted to meet her, otherwise, it would become a knot in his heart.

The wind was loud, but the girl’s answer was absent.

Ning Fan pondered briefly, contemplating, letting the wind and snow chill his Heart Spirit, yet did not withdraw his Heart Spirit from the stele.

He gazed all around, trying to find any trace of the girl escaping among the endless snow.

But, he could not find it.

If the other did not want to meet, then Ning Fan would not find her.

After all, this place was the inner world of the other.

"Perhaps I could directly use the ability of Ownership of All Things, making this Heart Spirit world change ownership, then I could easily find that girl, but doing so..."

Ning Fan sighed.

Ultimately did not use the ability of Ownership of All Things to break the ownership determination of this world.

He did not wish to do so.

"Perhaps, you are not unwilling to meet me, you just don’t want me to see you..." Ning Fan mused amidst the snow.

The sound of the wind in his ears seemed disorderly for a moment, a brief chaos, but still, no response from the girl was mingled within.

"You don’t want me to see you, yet you hide somewhere in the snow... watching me? Why is this?" Ultimately sensitive, Ning Fan finally detected a glance from somewhere hidden in the snow.

It should be that girl watching him through the snow.

"Well then..."

Ning Fan shook his head.

Though sensing the girl’s position, he chose not to pursue her again.

The other did not wish to meet, thus he did not insist, simply sat cross-legged in the girl’s Heart Spirit world, beginning to comprehend it on his own.

Seeing Ning Fan cease his pursuit, the girl seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, yet also seemed to feel... a sense of loss.

The girl’s figure, transformed into snowflakes, merged into this Heart Spirit world.

The snowflakes fell on Ning Fan’s long hair, shoulders, palms, melting within his grasp.

Like that young girl, passing through Ning Fan’s entire world.

The girl did not appear again.

Yet from every snowflake here, Ning Fan felt her gaze and her deliberate distance.

"What a... pity," Ning Fan sighed.

He didn’t really know what he was being regretful for.

He only felt that his heart suddenly emptied, leaving a loneliness, a solitude.

He sat cross-legged in the snow, as if an instant spanned a thousand lifetimes.

In a trance, he returned to awareness, only to find that the season of this Heart Spirit World was no longer deep winter, but... spring awakening.

All things began to revive, plants started to grow.

An ant emerged from the soil, crawled past Ning Fan’s foot, so familiar, yet so strange, and when Ning Fan reached out to touch it, like melting snowflakes, it dissolved into points of light and disappeared.

"Even an ant here refuses to let me touch it..."

Ning Fan stood up and wandered aimlessly along the mountain path of spring.

The path led to the sea.

As spring warmed and life revived, it was mating season again. A male sea turtle was on top of a female, making contented sounds, but as Ning Fan approached, the male seemed to sense something, screamed in fright, and in a rush, hurriedly finished and fled into the sea.

The female turtle cursed endlessly in anger.

"That male turtle is really ugly, as ugly as Wu Laoba..." Ning Fan remarked inexplicably.

Continuing his aimless walking along the coast.

Suddenly, there appeared a scene of a snipe and clam fighting ahead.

Upon closer look, it was not a snipe and clam fighting, but a crane entwined with a clam.

Noticing Ning Fan’s approach, the crane was momentarily stunned and hastily left the big clam and flew away into the distance.

Ning Fan looked in the direction the crane flew, deep in thought, and when he returned to his senses, even the big clam had disappeared somewhere.

He continued forward.

Ning Fan reached the end of the coastline where a wild boar was tangling with a wild dog.

Ning Fan paid no attention to this matter and chose to move in another direction.

Another mountain lay ahead.

On the slope, there was a damaged ox cart.

On the ox cart was an old wine gourd.

It was clearly the first time seeing this ox cart, this wine gourd, but Ning Fan bizarrely, very skillfully, leaped onto the ox cart and took down the wine gourd, taking a big swig.

The spicy liquor rushed down the throat, like heavenly rounds, like earthly squares, like the endless Great Dao flowing by.

"The taste... is quite good..." Ning Fan praised.

Suddenly, the world before his eyes spun crazily!

His trace of consciousness within the Demon-Encountering Stele had finally reached its limit and started to withdraw from the stele.

Consciousness returned to the body!

The scene returned to the Star Era Palace, to the Mini North Pole Mountain, to the snowy valley.

Ning Fan’s true body was still in the snowy valley, but at this moment, he was not standing before the Demon-Encountering Stele, and his hand was not on the stele.

The touch in his hand was not the texture and coldness of the Demon-Encountering Stele.

But rather...

Softness.

Hmm?

This is...

When Ning Fan fully regained his senses, the scene before him left him extremely shocked.

What exactly had happened after his consciousness entered the Demon-Encountering Stele?

Why was he, at this moment, not standing before the stele but instead lying on top of an inexplicable young girl, clutching her softness? Hmm?

It’s really soft.

"Wuwuwuwuwu..." Jiu Xiaojiu wanted to cry!

She couldn’t understand why Ning Fan, who was comprehending the Dao, suddenly pressed her down, pinching her here and there!

She wanted to question Ning Fan if he was intentionally harassing her, but she couldn’t voice it because her mouth was sealed.

Sealed mouth to mouth.

After being tasted mouth-to-mouth, the other party even praised her taste was good.

Next to them were the stunned audience of Star Demons.

Including Xinyi Nv with the same slightly peculiar expression?

"Senior, I know you were just in a state of comprehending the Dao, and everything you did was unintentional, so you needn’t mind too much." Xinyi Nv calmly reassured him.

...

With everyone’s explanations, Ning Fan finally understood what had happened earlier.

When his consciousness entered the Demon-Encountering Stele, Cang Xingzi and others brought Xinyi Nv and Jiu Xiaojiu here to observe Ning Fan’s Dao comprehension.

Initially, Ning Fan’s Dao comprehension was rather serene, his body standing like a statue, and he did not move at all.

But soon, Ning Fan’s body started wandering aimlessly, walking to and fro on the Mini North Pole Mountain, seemingly disorderly, yet orderly.

Naturally, everyone dared not wake Ning Fan who was wandering randomly, so they quietly followed him, observing in secret.

Afterward, Ning Fan suddenly jumped and landed on Xinyi Nv, knocking her to the ground—his actions as rough as jumping onto an ox cart.

Fortunately, although Ning Fan’s actions were rough, he did not make any further inappropriate moves on Xinyi Nv.

Instead, it was Jiu Xiaojiu beside who suffered.

After Ning Fan pinned down Xinyi Nv, Jiu Xiaojiu grew anxious, trying to pull Ning Fan away to save her beloved Senior Xinyi Nv, but was instead pushed down by Ning Fan, taking her place.

Hands moving all over, pinching every softness.

Jiu Xiaojiu was so angry she wanted to curse Ning Fan for being a rogue.

But was immediately mouth-to-mouth sealed, fiercely tasted, then... complimented for her good taste...

"This is actually a misunderstanding..." Ning Fan did not know how to explain this misunderstanding.

Jiu Xiaojiu was trembling with anger, yet timid and cowardly, and although Ning Fan was clearly awake now, no longer sealing her mouth, she had calmed down and dared not overly blame Ning Fan’s impudence.

She pretended to be magnanimous, saying, "Senior acted unintentionally; I don’t mind at all."

But in her heart, she had already decided that Ning Fan’s behavior was definitely intentional humiliation and revenge against her!

Forget it, forget it, don’t be angry! Even if I get angry, I can’t beat him! Getting angry is just self-defeating! A good girl doesn’t fight the Evil Sect! In any case, this should settle the cause and effect! This guy has done all this to me, even if I don’t brew wine to apologize to him, I don’t owe him anything!

But I’m still so mad, aaargh!

"By the way, I heard Xinyi Nv say just now that you came to the Star Era Palace specially to brew wine for me?" Ning Fan asked with an apologetic tone.

He didn’t mean to be inappropriate. Although he wasn’t fond of Jiu Xiaojiu, he had indeed done something discourteous. Considering Jiu Xiaojiu’s relationship with the Fish Master, his heart was filled with more guilt. He really didn’t want this girl to harm his friendship with the Fish Master.

He hadn’t planned to accept any apologetic gift from Jiu Xiaojiu, and after what happened, he was even less inclined to accept any gift. By asking, he actually intended to refuse, to prevent her from toiling over brewing wine.

"!!!"

But Jiu Xiaojiu was shocked.

Jiu Xiaojiu misunderstood.

Jiu Xiaojiu only thought Ning Fan’s question was a demand for the wine she brewed, so she was very shocked.

In her heart, she thought, Senior Ning has already done this and that to me, and yet you still don’t intend to settle the past cause and effect! Isn’t this enough?! Can’t you be satisfied?! Do you still want me to brew? Wine? Apologize?

Is this OK?

No, it isn’t!

Even if you beat me to death, dead on the roadside, I will never brew wine for you again!

Then she wanted to bravely reject Ning Fan’s shameless request.

But when the words came to her lips, they turned into, "I’d be delighted to brew wine for Senior, please do not refuse."

What could she do!

Ning Fan was looking at her with an apologetic (Ill-Intentioned) face, making her uneasy, and she really didn’t dare to say anything that might anger him.

She was too timid!

Too paranoid victim mentality!

This is incurable!

...

In the end, with Ning Fan’s help, Jiu Xiaojiu easily gathered a lot of Heavenly Dao Purple Qi from the Star Era Palace for wine brewing.

Her heart was in furious rejection, unwilling to brew wine to apologize to Ning Fan, yet her body acted obsequiously, repeatedly saying, "Please accept my apology, Senior."

Why!

Why am I the one apologizing to him!

Why doesn’t he apologize for this and that!

Jiu Xiaojiu fell into deep self-doubt and denial, leaving the Star Era Palace in low spirits.

Accompanying her departure was Xinyi Nv, who had traveled with her.

"Just now, thank you for ’sacrificing yourself’ to save me..." Xinyi Nv thanked her.

What she thanked was when Ning Fan pressed her down, how Jiu Xiaojiu bravely threw herself at risk to help.

Really brave.

It’s hard to imagine such a cowardly girl having such a brave side.

"Oh, no thanks, no thanks, Senior, please don’t mind this matter. It was an honor for me to help. As long as Senior is unharmed, my sacrifice is worthwhile," Jiu Xiaojiu comforted herself.

"But actually, it might have been better if you hadn’t saved me, unfortunately..." Xinyi Nv said with slight regret.

Who knows what she’s regretting! What a pity!

Could it be a pity she couldn’t repay her benefactor with her body in one go?

If that’s the case, wouldn’t my sacrifice be meaningless!

Jiu Xiaojiu felt so suffocated, she couldn’t breathe.

"But still, thank you for your kind intention. As a reward, I will accompany you to brew wine and assist with any mana-related tasks to thank you," Xinyi Nv said.

"..." No, you really don’t have to accompany me! With you by my side, it makes it inconvenient for me to poison Ning Fan’s drink.

Forget it, I don’t have the courage to poison him anyway.

I’ll just be a happy coward.

"Then thank you for your assistance, Senior," Jiu Xiaojiu said politely.

"Hmm, generally speaking, it’s still a mutually beneficial thing." Xinyi Nv smiled slightly.

So Jiu Xiaojiu realized she was probably going to be used as a tool again, alas.

...

As Jiu Xiaojiu and Xinyi Nv left, the Mini North Pole Mountain returned to its usual quietness.

The Star Demons dared not be as noisy as Jiu Xiaojiu, only quietly watching from the side.

The Divine Pellet Sphere circled above the snowy valley, constantly guarding Ning Fan.

"Although I haven’t figured out the purpose of Duowen Wushuang having me enter the Demon-Encountering Stele..."

"Should I enter the Demon-Encountering Stele once more?"

Ning Fan’s eyes flashed, his mind made up.

He decided to let his Heart Spirit enter the Demon-Encountering Stele once again to find out more.

However, this time he gave one more order to the Star Demons.

No one is allowed to watch.

What if someone else, while he’s understanding the Dao, ends up like this and that...

"But upon reflection, what I saw within the Spirit World of the Enchanted Girl’s Mind has some correlation with what happened outside, why is that..."

"That mysterious feeling is almost like... something I once pursued but never succeeded in."

Open eyes!

Thinking back, when entering the Demon-Encountering Stele, everything I saw and heard felt like an awakening, as if only there my eyes were truly open, that’s reality; this Dao comprehension, frivolity, all these experiences, are actually the dream.

A very strange, mysterious feeling.

"Could this be the reason Duowen Wushuang is guiding this event..."

Ning Fan speculated, yet couldn’t confirm it.

After driving away all the Star Demons, he finally took a deep breath and pressed his hand on the Demon-Encountering Stele.

"Heart Spirit... invades!"

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