Grasping Evil

Chapter 409: Refining The White Lightning Whip

Hong Yi rarely spoke as they walked through the bamboo forest. She looked rather cold and haughty, as if she was aloof from every being in this world. She only guided Ning Fan to pluck all the bamboo leaves in the Golden Lightning Heavenly Dwelling.

Naturally, these bamboo leaves would still be in her hands for the moment. It was impossible for her to hand all of them over to Ning Fan right away.

She also noticed that the golden purple mist which Ning Fan conjured earlier was quite uncommon. It was not difficult for him to erase the mark of her spirit sense on the bamboo leaves.

As she thought of the golden purple mist, her cold eyes looked a little bewildered. Some kind of thoughts had risen within her mind. She hesitated for a while and shook her head subsequently like she refused to let that thought sink in.

From the beginning up until now, Ning Fan had been following behind Hong Yi in red robes. He had placed Yue Lingkong and the female corpse into his Cauldron Ring and also kept all his three spiritual puppets.

He had promised to fulfill the lady’s request. He knew that after she was done gathering the golden leaves, she would lead him to the small chiliocosm to pluck the dark golden bamboo leaves which were of higher grade.

Presumably, there was really quite some danger in the small chiliocosm. Therefore, even Ning Fan did not dare to put the two women at risk by letting them stay by his side.

On their way, Hong Yi frowned, pondered, hesitated and became certain. All of her expressions did not escape from Ning Fan’s observation.

Ning Fan secretly activated his Yin Yang Locket, attempting to find out the thoughts in her mind using his Mind Reading Technique.

However, there seemed to be ten thousand traces of lightning surrounding her mind. They concealed her secrets, preventing Ning Fan from finding out even the slightest trace of information.

“Did the Mind Reading Technique have no effect on her...?” Ning Fan knitted his brows. The longer he stayed around with the lady, the more he felt that the latter was extraordinary.

Besides, when he activated his Mind Reading Technique, Hong Yi seemed to have noticed his action. Her expression turned even more coldly and her blood-red eyes were filled with frightening killing intent.

“How dare you try to spy upon my secrets? If you try to do it again, you will die!”

*Hiss*

A rush of baleful qi which did not suit her identity as a Void Refinement Realm cultivator at all spread across the surroundings, dyeing the golden lightning throughout the sky red. The thunder crackled and rumbled so loudly that it could nearly make one lose their sense of hearing.

Standing right in the center under the might of the thunder, Ning Fan only felt that he was as insignificant as a fallen leaf in the wind. Inwardly, he was greatly astonished. He moved half a step backwards and his eyes glinted with sternness. He also released his own baleful qi which was quite terrifying as well. Only then did he manage to offset the immense baleful qi of the lady.

*Rumble*

When their aura forces collided against each other, Hong Yi did not move at all. Her cold piercing eyes, however, were filled with a hint of surprise.

As for Ning Fan, at the moment his aura force met Hong Yi’s, he retreated a few hundred steps. The force of every step he took while retreating backwards had literally left a hole on the ground.

Eventually, he regained his stability and released another wave of aura force, completely nullifying the ferocious aura force from Hong Yi. In the end, he was unscathed.

Even so, he could not help but feel immensely astonished.

The aura force of that lady was extremely impressive!

Perhaps there was no one below the Void Fragmentation Realm could refrain from taking half a step backwards in the face of this lady’s aura force!

If the thunder sovereign is at his peak state, he could be considered as the strongest being in the Rain World.

Since this lady is the daughter of the thunder sovereign, she probably would be an unrivalled among all the experts of the Void Refinement Realm despite having just the Early Void Refinement Realm cultivation base.

“I have underestimated this lady... My three Void Refinement Realm spiritual puppets won’t be able to withstand a single attack from her. The only thing that can threaten her will be the stored attack in my Stele of Sun and Moon...”

Knowing that he still had a trump card to defend himself, Ning Fan naturally became composed.

He did not pretend to be composed at all and this had made Hong Yi regard Ning Fan a little more highly than before.

In her extensively long lifetime of being a cultivator, she had met countless young experts. However, it was her first time meeting a cultivator like Ning Fan who could withstand her vigorous baleful qi and aura force without changing his countenance.

The coldness in her eyes gradually diminished. She dispersed her killing qi and uttered with an indifferent tone.

“There will be no next time.”

“Mm.”

Ning Fan responded approvingly. Hong Yi’s strength was far beyond his estimation. If it isn’t necessary, he would not want to enrage this lady before obtaining the golden leaves.

Since I can’t use the Mind Reading Technique to read her thoughts, there’s no point using it again.

The both of them no longer had any conversation with each other. The atmosphere turned silent again and it felt rather tense.

Hong Yi was as cold as ice from the beginning and she kept Ning Fan at arm’s length. Ning Fan did not strike a conversation with her as well to avoid infuriating her again in case he speaks something which offends her without him knowing it.

Thus, Ning Fan pondered about his gains and losses of this trip internally during the journey.

Half a day later, all the bamboo leaves of the golden bamboo in their current area were thoroughly plucked.

Nonetheless, Hong Yi’s face did not express the slightest hint of relief. In contrast, her cold eyes began to flash with a heavier seriousness.

“There are 7150 pieces of golden leaves in total in this place. Originally, they were my purpose for coming to this place. However, if you can help me gather 7 pieces of dark golden bamboo leaves, I will give you all these golden leaves as a gift.”

“Mm.”

“This heavenly dwelling is called the Golden Lightning Heavenly Dwelling. It’s used to grow the golden lightning bamboo. However, beyond the grade of golden lightning bamboo, there is the black lightning bamboo which is planted in the Black Lightning Realm which is a small chiliocosm. In the past, only my father had the right to consume the bamboo leaves of the black lightning bamboo. You are very fortunate. If you can help me collect more than 7 pieces of bamboo leaves, I may consider giving you some of them.”

“Mm.”

Ning Fan did not say or ask anything. He also knew that he had no grounds for a bargain.

In regards to Ning Fan’s attitude, Hong Yi nodded her head with satisfaction. Then, she led him to the summit of a giant golden mountain, standing right beneath the ten thousand traces of lightning in the sky.

Even though such a large amount of golden lightning was inferior to the blood lightning of the Heavenly Tribulation, it also contained an uncommon destructive power.

Ning Fan’s eyes blazed with excitement.

If I can refine and temper my Spirit Crushing Whip with all this golden lightning, perhaps I can make that lightning whip attain the grade of a Void Treasure.

“You want these golden lightning bolts, don’t you? Hong Yi saw through Ning Fan’s intention at first glance.

“I don’t deserve such honor.”

“If you want it, just say it. If you are useful to me, I may not necessarily refuse to grant you some golden lightning. However, the question is whether or not you have a lightning element treasure to hold these lightning bolts.” Hong Yi’s eyes were filled with a hint of contempt. She disliked people who didn’t mean what they said.

Ning Fan was slightly surprised. Hong Yi actually promised to give him the golden lightning which filled the entire sky as a gift without much hesitation.

One has to know if Ning Fan takes away the golden lightning of the sky, this Golden Lightning Heavenly Dwelling would become a wasteland as it would no longer be able to let the golden bamboo grow their bamboo leaves.

After pondering carefully, Ning Fan understood why Hong Yi would be so generous to him.

Hong Yi needed Ning Fan’s help while Ning Fan needed her to give him the golden leaves. Both of them had a mutually beneficial relationship.

However, prior to this, the way Hong Yi pressured Ning Fan had, more or less, harmed the relationship. Hong Yi was trying to use the golden lightning to repair their relationship.

Even though the golden lightning bamboo was precious, Hong Yi set her eyes upon things which were of higher grade. Thus, she did not put the golden lightning bamboo in her eyes in the first place.

Whether the golden lightning bamboo could continue to grow, she was not concerned at all.

Since Hong Yi was willing to give the golden lightning to Ning Fan, how could Ning Fan refuse to accept it.

In order to keep the lightning, one would need a lightning element treasure. Speaking of lightning treasure, Ning Fan did have one.

He touched his glabella and pulled out a whip which had blood-red lightning rays flashing around it. It was none other than the Spirit Crushing Whip.

Just as he brought out his whip, the blood-red lightning which sizzled made Hong Yi’s cold eyes widen slightly.

“Blood lightning?”

She did not expect that Ning Fan actually had a lightning-element treasure. Moreover, the lightning rays which coiled around the whip were the blood lightning of the Heavenly Tribulation.

This kind of lightning was rather unique. Ordinary people were unable to control it...

Strange. It’s strange... In the Rain World, other than the immortal vein that my father possesses, there should be no one who could control such lightning...

Hong Yi reached out her hand. The lightning whip which was quietly resting on Ning Fan’s hand obediently floated into the air and flew into her hand.

Ning Fan’s face was filled with shock. It was his first time having his treasure seized by someone who had nothing in her hands!

Before he asked to get his lightning whip back, Hong Yi shook her head first and sneered contemptuously.

“Don’t worry. I am not going to seize a ‘trash’ from a junior.”

She pronounced the word “trash” especially clear and loud.

“Trash?” Ning Fan’s eyes turned grim. It was his first time being criticized by someone that the magic treasure he refined was a piece of trash.

Indeed, his treasure refinement technique was not the greatest in the Rain World. However, even common Void Refinement Realm old monsters might not necessarily have a treasure refinement technique as profound as Ning Fan’s. After all, he was the person who had inherited Ancient Chaos’s remnant memories.

The Spirit Crushing Whip he refined was definitely a rare magic treasure that was yearn for by many. Every time he used it to kill his enemies, it struck fear into the hearts of his enemies without fear.

Perhaps this magic treasure did not have an extraordinary divine ability, it was certainly not a trash.

“Killing one’s nascent soul and crushing one’s primordial spirit by striking their magic treasures... If the opponents don’t use any magic treasure, will this treasure still be useful?” Hong Yi did not argue with Ning Fan. With just a question, she had exposed the divine abilities and drawback of the Spirit Crushing Whip.

Ning Fan’s eyes glinted with seriousness.

This lady’s insight is rather sharp.

She is the first person who can see through all the divine abilities of the Spirit Crushing Whip.

Could it be that this lady who has accumulated immense baleful qi is a grandmaster in treasure refinement technique?

“Your spiritual puppets are not bad. Even though they are just half-completed products, the way that is used to refine them is very skilled. At least, it has the True Immortal standard. I originally thought that you were the one who refined them. However, now it seems like there was someone else who refined the puppets... Your treasure refinement technique is very bad.”

“...”

Ning Fan was criticized once more. Even so, he was no longer angered this time. He had already noticed that Hong Yi was very likely to be a grandmaster who excelled in treasure and puppets refinement techniques.

By just looking at his three puppets once, she could already tell that they were refined by a True Immortal Realm being. Her insight was really keen.

“What is the name of this treasure?” Hong Yi asked coldly.

“Spirit Crushing Whip.”

“Crushing one’s primordial spirit is an excellent divine ability. However, it isn’t good enough if it can only crush one’s primordial spirit by striking their magic treasures... The sky has ten thousand traces of lightning and the absolute simplicity governs them. From today onwards, it will be renamed as White Lightning Whip!”

Hong Yi’s blood-red eyes flashed. Solemnly, she raised her head and stared at the sky. That single look from her had actually caused the golden lightning in the sky to be afraid.

She wielded the lightning whip in one of her hands as she raised the other into the air. The lightning whip crumbled and turned into blood lightning. The Immemorial Stars which were contained inside the whip reorganized themselves.

When she touched it with her jade-like finger, the blood lightning suddenly turned into blood-red lightning flames. They encircled the Immemorial Stars and traces of lightning power transformed into mysterious lightning marks which gave off a massive and desolate aura.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the lightning whip reformed. Its divine abilities were the same as before. The thing that was different was the blood lightning of the current lightning whip was so dazzling, just like the beautiful and attractive polar lights in a starry sky,

As for the grade of the lightning whip, it was actually attained the grade of a Mortal Void Treasure.

Ning Fan was amazed. Hong Yi had just made some changes on the lightning whip and it had upgraded the whip just like that!

Undeniably, this proved that Hong Yi’s treasure refinement technique was far above Ning Fan’s level. Naturally, the might of the lightning whip which she had refined and tempered again was far stronger than Ning Fan.

“I have refined this whip with white lightning. From today onwards, there’s no need to strike one’s magic treasure in order to crush their primordial spirits... By just wielding the lightning whip, one shall be able to strike their opponent’s primordial spirit!”

*Rumble*

Hong Yi ferociously lashed the sky once with the whip. It seemed to be striking the entire sky. The might of the golden lightning in the sky might be strong, but it was split into parts by her single strike.

When she made the second strike, the lightning rays were scattered into lightning dots.

As she made the third strike, traces of lightning dots were forcibly drawn into the whip.

When the golden lightning entered the whip, the grade of the lightning whip increased once again. It was now showing signs of becoming a Mid Grade Mortal Void Treasure!

The blood streaks on the sky which was left by the lightning whip were unable to recover.

The destructive power of a single strike with the whip could kill a Half-Step Void Refinement Realm being!

The destructive power of three consecutive strikes would also inflict injuries on an Early Void Refinement Realm being!

“Take it.”

Hong Yi tossed the lightning whip casually to Ning Fan. She was going to give it to him as a present.

Ning Fan received the whip. As soon as he grabbed it with his hand, he could feel that the lightning power of the whip was more than one hundred times stronger before, after being tempered again and devouring the golden lightning!

In the past, the lightning power was too weak. It could only attack his enemies’ primordial spirits when it touched their magic treasures.

From today onwards, as long as he wields the whip, its ability of crushing one’s primordial spirit would be activated. This whip had now become a peerless killing weapon from being an auxiliary magic treasure!

“Thank you Miss Hong Yi for refining the treasure for me. I am truly embarrassed by my own inability after witnessing your profound treasure refinement technique.” Ning Fan admitted his weakness. Other than cultivation, he was only proficient in pill refinement technique and formation techniques. He did not have extra attention to practice his treasure refinement technique.

“Miss?” Hong Yi sneered, as if she had just heard a hilarious name.

“You don’t have to thank me. The reason I help you to refine this treasure again is for our convenience when we act later. In the black lightning realm, there are many lightning spirits. With this White Lightning Whip, you will be able to kill some of them. Now, you’ll protect me while opening up the Black Lightning Realm!”

Hong Yi’s tone sounded as if there was no room for refusal.

As soon as her voice fell, she immediately formed a hand seal and tore apart the sky above the summit of the mountain, exposing another realm which was filled with black lightning rays.

She did not seem to be worried about Ning Fan sneak-attacking her when she put down her guard. It was the confidence that an absolutely strong expert would have.

As a matter of fact, it was rare for such confidence to appear on a Void Fragmentation Realm expert. Hence, it was truly strange for a Void Refinement Realm being to have such confidence.

After thinking carefully, this Hong Yi might have a sharp tongue, but she was just speaking the truth. Even though she was cold and arrogant, she harbored no ill intention towards Ning Fan.

After helping Ning Fan refine his lightning whip, whatever she had done earlier which displeased him seemed to have been evened out.

Now, what was left between the two of them was just their cooperation.

“The Black Lightning Realm is about to open. Be prepared to enter the world under concealment. Don’t let the lightning spirits of the ‘Void Pierce Stage’ discover you and me.”

“Lightning spirits of the Void Pierce Stage?!” Ning Fan’s eyes turned gloomy.

Aren’t the lightning spirits of the Void Pierce Stage similar to Late Void Refinement Realm beings?

When one attains the Void Refinement Realm, every step beyond that cultivation realm was worlds apart.

A cultivator of the Void Inquiry Stage could control the void power while a being of the Void Pierce Stage could borrow the power of the hollow space to nourish their vital energy which would allow them to have an inexhaustible magic power.

The true dividing line in the Void Refinement Realm was between its middle stage and the late stage.

A Late Void Refinement Realm being might not necessarily be defeated even if they combat against ten Mid Void Refinement Realm beings on their own!

Ning Fan’s expression looked serious. Evidently, this Black Lightning World was really full of danger.

Immediately, he activated his Heaven Deceiving Cloak without hesitation while Hong Yi’s figure also gradually faded. She only communicated with Ning Fan through telepathy to let him know each other’s positions.

“Enter the realm!”

Both Hong Yi and Ning Fan were invisible as they advanced into the Black Lightning Realm.

All of a sudden, more than ten traces of ancient spirit sense swept across the entrance of the realm domineeringly. Each of them carried Late Void Refinement Realm aura force!

“Who intrudes this realm?!”

*Rumble*

A massive amount of aura force turned into lightning power which shook heaven and earth blasted in Ning Fan’s ears.

In the next second, Ning Fan only felt a sharp pain in his Sea of Consciousness which was on the verge of crumbling!

Translated by Tommy, edited by Roel