Grasping Evil

Chapter 274 (2): The Cloud Platform

A sword shadow which glimmered with starlight before him flashed gently but it easily cut open the Void Realm. If one takes a closer look at it, there were actually 15450 “Sharpness” Spirit Seals on it.

Separation Slayer Sword! The grade of this sword had not only broken through to the grade of a Spiritual Magical Treasure but its sharpness had also reached to a level where not even Mid-Grade Spiritual Magical Treasures could compare. With this Spiritual Magical Treasure, Ning Fan would never lose to a Mid Divine Transformation Realm demon cultivator when it comes to a battle using magical treasures.

The shadow of the blood lightning whip turned into a ray of dark red lightning revolving around Ning Fan.

Spirit Crushing Whip! This whip had been engraved with 15450 “Lightning” Spirit Seals. Even if he missed the opportunity to refine the whip using the blood lightning of the Heavenly Tribulation, this treasure was now at the level of a Mid-Grade Spiritual Magical Treasure. With just a hit, it would be able to inflict heavy damage on the demon soul of a Demon General who was at the Mid Divine Transformation Realm!

Striking one’s treasure and crushing one’s spirit or soul!

After Ning Fan’s demon power attained the Divine Transformation Realm, his nascent soul had transformed into a demon soul. However, his demon soul was different from the beast-like soul of most demon cultivators. Instead, his demon soul resembled the primordial spirit of the human race.

My main source of power in cultivation is still magic power. I’m afraid only when my magic power attains the Divine Transformation Realm would I be able to invoke the Heavenly Tribulation and turn my demon soul back into primordial spirit.

On his back, a pair of massive purple crystal wings stretched out. They were covered with ancient demon characters and each and every one of them was the “Speed” Spirit Seal.

While gently fluttering his wings, Ning Fan’s face revealed a contented smile.

15450 traces of Spirit Seals. This pair of Fu Li’s wings will be able to enhance my speed up to the standard of a Peak Divine Transformation Realm being!

It won’t be difficult to travel a distance of thirty thousand li* with just a single instant shift!

There was still half a month to go. Ning Fan must familiarize himself with Divine Transformation Realm combat skills. He must be proficient in his traverse technique, Instant Shift as well as his offensive technique, Parting Sun Spear.

“Congeal!”

He bent his hand and grasped. Amidst the darkness at the bottom of the pond, a golden spear slowly condensed. Its brightness and heat were comparable to that of the sun.

However, that was not the perfect version of the spear. Ning Fan directly crushed the golden spear itself and conjured it again.

Despite his failure, his countenance remained calm and unhurried.

Displaying this technique would consume a great amount of demon power. However, Ning Fan was not practicing it using his own demon power but the power he gained from Soul Extraction instead!

In the state of using Soul Extraction, his demon power was boosted up to fifty thousand units, making him be comparable to a Mid Divine Transformation Realm expert.

Besides, under the help of the secret art, it also increased his confidence in fighting against a Late Divine Transformation Realm expert.

Aside from that, Soul Extraction, the technique of borrowing demon power from heaven and earth, was a shortcut for him in mastering certain magical or demonic techniques in normal times.

Most if not all cultivators at the same level as him would not have that technique. Therefore, it would of course be impossible for them to continuously display a Mid Divine Transformation Realm technique in order to master it.

With just half a month, Ning Fan had high confidence that he could cultivate the Parting Sun Spear to the same level as Jin Qun’s or probably even stronger.

Since there isn’t any Peak Divine Transformation Realm expert participating, it might not necessarily be impossible for me to win the first place.

In a flash, half a month flew by. There was still no signs of Ning Fan.

On the Cloud Platform which was ten thousand li* wide above the sky of the province, the seats in all directions were already occupied by the experts from the nine tribes.

Those who were permitted to enter the Cloud Platform were cultivators at least Late Gold Core Realm or above. The number of cultivators who fulfilled that requirement had exceeded one hundred thousand. All their gazes were focused on the platform!

Among the nine tribes of the Lu Clan, there were a total of 107 Divine Transformation Realm Demon Generals. Of course, that calculation had excluded the four Demon Generals of the Second World that had been eliminated personally by Ning Fan.

The Seventh Division, Luo Yun Tribe, was comprised of eight Divine Transformation Realm experts, excluding the Honorable Demon General. As for the tribes which were ranked higher than the Luo Yun Tribe, they normally had more than 10 Divine Transformation Realm experts.

Adding in the 12 demon imperial concubines from the Spirit King Palace and 17 Divine Transformation Realm experts from the Demon World and the Upper World including Wang Xiao, there were a total of 145 Divine Transformation Realm experts gathered in the Second World. Therefore, placing in the top 50 was not easy to do. Without Divine Transformation Realm cultivation level, one would definitely have no chance of getting into the top fifty at all.

For Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, there was no need for them to even think about it.

But in the first preliminary match, there would be a great opportunity which the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators could strive for.

Raising blood in the Spirit Platforms!

The design of the Cloud Platform was extremely profound. It was created by Lu Daochen who had spent nearly his entire life on it. The Cloud Platform was established with a grand formation which was a circular secret formation. The power of the formation was able to summon clouds and mist which would eventually solidify into mini platforms floating in the air. They were called as Spirit Platforms!

The cloud which formed the Spirit Platform could be consumed and it had the effect of enhancing one’s demon blood… The higher the grade of the Spirit Platforms, the greater the enhancement!

General Promotion on the Cloud Platform! It was not just a kind of glory. In the past, the Divine Transformation Realm experts who were promoted to Demon Generals were even granted a purple grade Spirit Platform to consume and improve their bloodlines!

In the fight that was about to unfold, no Nascent Soul Realm cultivators were prohibited from taking part. There was only one rule: as long as you have enough strength, your cultivation level will be a secondary factor.

That regulation was set up by Lu Daochen in order to show consideration for Ning Fan’s unique circumstances. If Ning Fan did not manage to complete his Divine Transformation, he would only be a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. If he comes with that cultivation level, he would still be qualified to participate in the fight.

The objective of the first preliminary match was to select 200 participants from vast number of cultivators. These 200 people would without a doubt include the 107 Demon Generals from the nine tribes and even the Honorable Demon Generals who intended to participate in the fight.

As for the preliminary match, it would be a 1-on-1 battle which would determine the one hundred people who would remain in the fight. Then, among the one hundred people, another 50 people would be selected as the top fifty. This group of people would be qualified to enter the Third World and their sequence of entering the World Passage would be based on their rankings.

The method of conducting the first preliminary match was about fighting for the Spirit Platforms. One would seize another’s Spirit Platform in order to upgrade their own Spirit Platforms.

For this match, Lu Daochen had congealed 200 purple grade Spirit Platforms and continuously scattered them into 25600 white grade Spirit Platforms.

Each of them were as white as the clouds and could support the load of a single person. If another person stands on it, it would disperse.

Ten thousand demon cultivators would first have to get ready at their own seats. Only when the preliminary match is officially commenced could they strive to get a white grade Spirit Platform by moving from their respective places.

Those who fail to get any of them would be disqualified and those who manage to obtain a white grade Spirit Platform would have the chance to upgrade their Spirit Platforms through the fight.

Only those who have upgraded their Spirit Platforms up to the purple grade could pass the first preliminary match. Besides, they could consume the purple qi of the Spirit Platforms to enhance their bloodline afterwards.

This was the truly captivating part that moved the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators. There would be 200 people who could pass the first match. 145 of them would certainly be the Divine Transformation Realm experts while the remaining 55 would be among the participating Nascent Soul Realm cultivators. If any of them could stand out from the crowd and become one of the 55 people, they would then be able to consume the purple grade Spirit Platform to further improve their bloodlines. Apart from that, some Nascent Soul Realm cultivators would have the possibility of breaking through to the Divine Transformation Realm due to the enhancement of their demon bloodlines after consuming the purple qi.

Therefore, for an opportunity like that, it was truly worth it for the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators to give it a try!

Breaking up 200 purple grade Spirit Platforms into 25600 white grade Spirit Platforms. That is to say, one could only turn their white grade Spirit Platforms into purple grade Spirit Platforms again by achieving seven upgrades.

In order to upgrade the Spirit Platforms, one should knock down their opponents and seize their platforms. When one stepped on two Spirit Platforms of the same grade, they would then automatically fuse together into one and evolve. The first grade was white color. The colors for the following upgrades would be red, orange, yellow, emerald green, jade green, blue and purple. Seven colors, seven upgrades. At the end of the match, there would be at most 200 purple grade Spirit Platforms. However, if some Spirit Platforms are destroyed in the process of fighting and struggling, perhaps the number of people who qualify for the next round would be less than 200.

The participants had already been informed about how one could be qualified in the first match but it had yet to start.

Lu Daochen’s expression remained calm and indifferent but deep inside, he was feeling slightly anxious. The person whom he was waiting for, Ning Fan, had yet to show up.

Lu Wan’er had already told Lu Daochen that Ning Fan would come. As such, he was not willing to start the match before he comes.

The demon cultivators above the Cloud Platform could all be considered old monsters1. Each time they went into seclusion, it would normally take them at least a few years to tens of years. So none of them minded waiting for a few more days.

However, during that period of time, some gossips were still inevitable.

“Brother Chen, may I ask why hasn’t the match begun… This little brother is feeling worried now after waiting for so long.”

“My dear brother, do you know who Lu Bei is?”

“Lu Bei? The Eighth General of the Luo Yun Tribe? The Nascent Soul Realm expert who was capable of eliminating Divine Transformation Realm Demon Generals on his own? He’s extremely famous. How would this little brother not know about him?”

“Lu Bei has not arrived yet. I suppose the Cloud General is probably waiting for him. Rumor has it that he entered the Dragon Pond more than ten years ago to break through to the Divine Transformation Realm. He once said that he is going to complete Divine Transformation within 10 years. But I heard that he has yet to come out from the pond until today…So I guess that perhaps this Lu Daochen is not going to start the match without having him here.”

“What?! Breaking through to the Divine Transformation Realm in just 10 years? How is such a short period of time enough for a breakthrough? This Lu Bei will definitely fail! Speaking of which, it’s just a trivial matter whether he could attain the Divine Transformation Realm or not. For us, it’s really a waste of time to pointlessly wait for him!”

“Shhhh. Speak softer! Even if Lu Bei fails to attain the Divine Transformation Realm, he is still not someone we, Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, could mess with… Since the Demon Imperial Concubine Zi from the Spirit King Palace and Prince Qu Shun from the Demon World didn’t show any discontentment towards Lu Daochen’s decision in waiting for him, I think we might as well be more patient and wait a little longer… It’ll be pointless in raising our objections…”

Within the area of the arena, countless people whispered to one another, discussing about the cause of the delay. But eventually, all of them chose to remain still at their places and waited as they found no other options other than waiting.

Among the seats of the Pure Flame Tribe, Wang Xiao snorted coldly, expressing his impatience.

I, a dignified Late Divine Transformation Realm Demon General, have to stay here to wait just for Lu Bei?! He is such an arrogant brat!

“Deliberately trying to make things look mysterious! How dare a Nascent Soul Realm ant make us Divine Transformation Realm experts wait here?! He really does not know how to appreciate favors!”

“General Wang, please calm down… Since we’ve set up the fight in the Luo Yun’s territory, we have to pay Lu Daochen some respect…” The silver-armored Demon General who was standing beside him advised.

“Respect…” Wang Xiao sneered coldly.

“If this Lu Daochen does not have the support from the Spirit King Palace, why should I even give him face?! As for the vile creature who was audacious enough to kill General Li Ban and General Jin Qun - Lu Bei, there is no need for me to pay him any respect anymore! Besides, I am a reputable Demon General from the Upper World. Although my cultivation level is not as good as Qu Shun, his status is not on par with mine at all… How dare he give me orders to obtain the first place in this fight?! It’s really detestable! I, of course, will get the first place in this fight but I’m not doing it on his command!”

Wang Xiao was simmering with rage. At the moment when he arrived at the Land of Slumber, he lost his demon body due to the collapse of the World Passage.

After reconstructing his demon body with great difficulty, he now had to suffer the cold detachment from the prince of the Demon World.

Prince of the Demon World?! What a ‘scary’ name! At the end of the day, he is still just a little demon from the mortal world. There’s nothing he should be proud of!

As for that Lu Bei, though I don’t know what cunning tricks he used to murder Li Ban and Jin Qun, he is indeed a detestable nuisance!

“General! For the map, please exercise patience for a while more!” The silver-armored Demon General advised once more.

“Exercise my patience?! Fine!”

Wang Xiao’s cold-piercing gaze swept across the seats occupied by the Luo Yun Tribe and eventually paused at a purple-robed woman who had a youthful face and large bosom. Immediately, one corner of his lips curved upwards into a malicious grin and pointed at her.

“Zhu Qin! Is she Lu Bei’s woman, Lu Wan’er?!” Wang Xiao’s eyes sparkled.

Translated by Tommy, edited by Roel