Naruto but as ISSTH

by Zelinku

This is just a continuation of another story that dropped off basically Naruto as Meng Hao and that's about it

1. Chapter 1

1

Chapter 601: Generous Tsukino!

Tsukino looked at Naruto thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded. It seemed that at that point, she suddenly thought of something else. She hesitated for a moment.

"It's all legend," she continued. "No one really knows if it's true or not. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't…. Furthermore, true spirit Night's bizarreness can actually appear during any time.

"In the original Demon Immortal Sect, countless Chosen disciples attempted to research it. In their belief, Night possessed an ability like teleportation. However, it teleported, not through the physical realm, but through time.

"Therefore, many people staunchly believed that Night's dream was no dream, but an actual teleportation through time. There was even much evidence collected to support that view."

Naruto stood there thoughtfully for a moment, then closed his eyes. A long time passed before he opened them again. No trace could be seen of any change in his thinking.

"Whether it was an illusion or real doesn't matter," he murmured inwardly. "As long as I believe it was real, and is still connected to me, then Karma exists in my heart. Regardless of the facts, that is the most important." Just now, he had felt somewhat confused, but after closing his eyes for a moment, he felt enlightened.

"Let's go," he said coolly. "The Demon Immortal Cistern awaits."

Tsukino looked at him for a moment and then nodded. They walked onward in single file, following the same path from before as they headed toward the Demon Immortal Cistern.

Before much time passed, they reached the location of the same cistern they had visited within the Second Plane.

The area was damaged and worn. Cracks could be seen everywhere, and many parts had completely fallen apart. Many of the stones had been crushed, quite a few of which hovered about in mid-air. All of it made it seem as if it would be very difficult to approach the pond waters. Even the waters themselves were not as clear as they had been in the Second Plane; there appeared to be silt built up in some parts.

Most relevant of all, the waters were much shallower….

At first glance, the cistern looked like a huge pit. Before, it had been filled with water, but now, only a bit was left at the bottom, perhaps only ten percent of what had been there in the Second Plane.

When she saw that remaining ten percent of water, though, Tsukino's eyes filled with excitement, and she let out a huge sigh. What she had feared most was coming here with the proper qualifications only to find that because of the passage of time, the cistern waters were completely gone.

Were that to have been the case, it would have meant she had completely wasted all of her effort. All of the preparations made by her Sect would have been completely for naught.

Everything had been a gamble, in which success could lead to a meteoric rise. However, failure, and the losses thus incurred, would have led to the decline of her Sect.

Tsukino suppressed her excitement as she looked around the area. When she caught sight of the rock upon which she had left the mark in the Second Plane, she began to quiver and breathe heavily. She had to work hard to try to suppress her excitement.

Everything had worked out perfectly, even more smoothly than she could have possibly imagined. The key to it all was the stone with her mark on it. To enter this area, one needed the qualifications. To enter the Demon Immortal Cistern itself, one needed a second qualification.

That second qualification could only be acquired within the Second Plane, but not used there. Instead, the qualification could be retrieved in the Third Plane, and then cultivated.

If there was no Second Plane, and one went directly to the Third Plane, at first, there wouldn't seem to be much difference. Tsukino and her Sect, however, had used augury to ascertain with relative certainty that, because of the passage of time, and the great catastrophe, the restrictive spells in the area were thoroughly sealed, and would not approve of any intruder.

The only method of success was to get qualifications in ancient times!

Tsukino took a deep breath, then turned toward Naruto, clasped hands, and bowed deeply.

"Fellow Daoist Naruto, many thanks for all your assistance. I would now like to once again ask for your expertise in opening up a path. Please remove the curse power from the area and allow me to… succeed in entering the cistern waters!" She bowed to him once again.

Naruto understood that this was the extent of the help she needed from him. The entire area was broken and in ruins. It all seemed quite messy and ctic, and even quite dangerous. Tsukino was nervous because of the same thing that had made her nervous back in the Bridge of Immortal Treading; invisible curses.

The further one went along, the more terrifying the curses became.

Anything that touched them would receive an intense jolt of backlash.

"Let me try," he said with a nod. He had given Tsukino his promise, and would not go back on his word unless he came across something that was truly beyond his control.

Thinking back to his experience in the Bridge of Immortal Treading, he had some speculations as to the reason why he was not affected by the curses; perhaps it had something to do with him being a Demon Sealer. His eyes glittering, he walked forward, waving his right hand to cause some of the stones that were blocking their way to lift up into the air. The stones did not appear to be equipped with any sort of curse; it seemed to take almost no effort to lift them up and move them over.

Naruto continued forward, taking care of all the stones, even the ones that floated in mid-air. soon a path emerged, leading directly up to the cistern waters.

"Like that?" he asked, looking back at Tsukino.

She gaped in astonishment, suddenly uncertain about whether or not the curses actually existed. If there were no curses… then it mean that bringing along Naruto for help was actually just giving him good fortune for free.

When this occurred to her, she felt distress in her heart. After all, she had promised Naruto that he could immerse himself in the waters with her. And yet, the water was quite low now…..

"There couldn't possibly be NO curses, could there?" she thought. "Don't tell me that if I got the proper qualifications, and my identity was acknowledged, then the curses wouldn't target me?" With that, she ground her teeth and began to walk forward.

However, before she could take three steps, her face suddenly flickered. The color of her skin suddenly turned black; blood sprayed from her mouth and she retreated backward quickly.

She fell back four or five steps and then sat down cross-legged. She waved her right arm, causing a hundred golden needles to appear, which then stabbed into her body from various directions. Vast quantities of black blood oozed out, emanating a foul, rotten stench.

Tsukino's face was as pale as death as she produced a small clay pellet. Enduring the pain of losing such an item, she crushed it, causing an amber-colored medicinal pill to fly out, which she immediately consumed.

A long moment later, she still felt incredibly weak, but the black color was fading away from her skin. When it finally disappeared, and her injuries were recovered, she looked up with an expression of fear toward Naruto. There was only about thirty meters or so between the two of them, but to her, it was a shocking distance.

Just now, she had neared a curse that hadn't fallen. If she had truly entered into it fully, she would long since have been transforming into pool of black liquid.

Having seen what just happened to Tsukino, Naruto began to think. He felt a little bit bad. He quickly began to inspect the area, but couldn't see anything particularly strange about it. It was as if the area really was a forbidden zone, except, the effects didn't apply to him at all.

"What do we do now?" asked Tsukino. She was more than thirty meters away, her expression anxious, her eyes wide. Success was only a short distance away, and yet that distance seemed like the vast gully between Heaven and Earth, impossible to cross.

In fact, she hadn't even noticed yet that her clothing had already begun to rot. A wind blew past, causing some of it transform into ash and reveal the skin beneath.

Naruto wasn't any surer than her what to do at this point. He looked at the brackish water in the cistern and then glanced back at Tsukino. "What if you hold onto me and I try leading you in?" he asked.

Tsukino was silent for a moment. What had happened just now had left her completely shocked, and without any ideas of what to do. Even asking Naruto to bring the water to her would have been useless; to acquire the Demon Immortal Body required that she meditate within the cistern itself.

She clenched her teeth, and determination appeared in her eyes. The Sect had made far too many preparations to reach this point. All hope was placed in her. She would rather die in here than simply give up.

She took a deep breath, then nodded her head with an expression that meant she was ready to go for broke. She looked toward Naruto and then clasped hands once again and bowed.

"Many thanks for your assistance, Elder Brother Naruto. Tsukino will remember your kindness for the rest of her life!" The way she bowed caused the previously partially covered skin to be even more revealed to Naruto. All of a sudden, he caught sight of a thoroughly soul-stirring sight.

Suddenly becoming aware of this, Tsukino's face reddened. She straightened up and then coolly said, "It's just a little bit of skin. If you like it, Elder Brother Naruto, I can offer it to you as a gift."

The 'generousness' of Tsukino's words caused Naruto to cough dryly a few times, and a strange look appeared on his face. He calmed himself inwardly. From the very moment he had met Tsukino, he had felt her to have somewhat of a changeable disposition. Every time he ran into her, it was like she had had a different personality.

She was flirty at first, then licentious. Sometimes candid, and now… almost like a man in the way she spoke.

"No, forget about it…." he replied, clearing his throat. He walked toward Tsukino, and as he neared, she raised her hand and clasped his arm.

Then she took a deep breath, and a look of decisiveness filled her eyes.

He glanced at her again, then, without another word, turned and led her forward one step. Then two steps. Three steps….

Her body was trembling, and by the time they reached the place where her expression had changed the last time, she was incredibly nervous.

However, this time she could not sense the curse like she could before. Although, her clothes were now rapidly disappearing….

By the time they had taken seven or eight steps, they were completely within the cursed area. Tsukino's clothes were now totally gone, revealing a beautiful body that would cause any man to begin to pant.

It was curvaceous and beautiful beyond compare.

Naruto glanced her over and saw everything. In his recollection, this was his second time to see a woman's body. The first time had been when he saw Sakura's. Right now, though, the feeling he experienced was completely different.

As he compared the two, he occasionally smiled and nodded, occasionally frowned, and occasionally revealed an expression of wonderment.

Tsukino looked at him, clenched her teeth, and then said out of the corner of her mouth. "What part do you like? I'll give it to you."

Naruto smiled and pointed.

Tsukino's eyebrows raised up. She suddenly formed her right hand into the shape of a blade which then shot toward the part on her chest that he had pointed to.

Naruto's eyes went wide and he quickly stopped her. "Fine, you win. I don't need it, even if you keep chopping."

Tsukino glared hatefully at him for a moment but didn't say anything else. She held on to him as they proceeded forward toward the cistern waters. Soon they entered the waters themselves, proceeding into the very center.

Although the waters were clearly brackish, something strange happened. A delicate fragrance began to emanate out of Tsukino. As it spread about, it fused into the waters, causing them to churn. In the blink of an eye, they were no longer brackish, but instead, perfectly clear. In fact they even began to emanate their own delicate fragrance.

If analyzed it carefully, you would realize that the fragrance was the same as Tsukino's.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Jusaz

Vol. 4 : Chapter 602

Chapter 602: Good Fortune!

Naruto's eyes flickered as Tsukino dragged him into the waters and then sat down cross-legged. There was not much water, only enough to reach Tsukino's supple waist.

She pulled him to sit down cross-legged in the waters across from her. When his gaze fell onto her body, he cleared his throat.

"While I absorb the power of the Demon Immortal Cistern," she said lightly, "you can also temper your body. As it happens, I have a special type of physique; during the process of transforming my body into a Demon Immortal Body, I will emit a unique fragrance.

"That fragrance can be considered something like a precious material when you fuse it into your fleshly body. Therefore… you can build up a lot of synergy with your best body tempering magics when you use them here.

"It would be much better for you to absorb the fragrance than simply let it go to waste.

"In addition, please do not disturb me during the process. As for the curses, according to the research of the Sect, once I begin the transformation process, they won't affect me.

"If you finish before me, you can wait for me outside. I'm not sure how long the process will take, so I hope you can stand guard over me until I finish." With a final look at Naruto, she closed her eyes.

The instant she did, a strong fragrance suddenly emanated out from her. It fused into the waters, causing a white mist to rise up. The mist, too, was quite strong, and in the blink of an eye, had covered the entire cistern, completely concealing both Naruto and Tsukino.

Naruto's eyes flickered as he looked around. He quickly realized that while the pulsating coldness in the water had originally been somewhat weak, after the mist rose up, the coldness was increased by more than ten times.

From the look of it, that coldness was only continuing to increase. Naruto

knew from his time immersing himself in the waters back in the Second Plane that the more intense the coldness, the better the results he would experience. He took a deep breath as he rotated his Cultivation base. A moment later, he realized something else. It seemed as if the mist in the area was adding nourishment to his fleshly body. As it poured into him, his fleshly body began to experience a shocking transformation, slowly becoming more powerful.

"Tsukino wasn't lying," he thought, his eyes shining with a bright light. Both the mist and the cistern waters were extremely beneficial to his fleshly body. He hadn't even employed any magical techniques, and yet was already receiving incredible gain.

Although it didn't seem likely that he would be able to achieve a Seventh Anima fleshly body while only in the First Anima, it did seem possible to reach the Sixth Anima.

According to his speculations, reaching the level of the Seventh Anima would be simply too difficult….

"I wonder if Fleshly Sanctification… can be cultivated in this place. It can only be cultivated once, but when it is, it will cause a one-time increase in fleshly body power that is astonishing to the extreme…. Furthermore, the atmosphere in this place is extremely well-suited to fleshly body tempering. This truly seems the best time to use it!" His eyes flickered with a bright light. After all, when it came to Fleshly Sanctification, the stronger one's body, the more power would result.

Furthermore, Naruto had the feeling that regardless of whether it was a Daoist magic or a secret technique, since it had been acquired in the Demon Immortal Sect, it needed to be cultivated here. Trying to do so in the outside world would be useless.

Considering that, there was no reason to hesitate. Now was the time to use it!

Beams of light were shooting out of Naruto's eyes as he closed them.

Within his mind, he unleashed the secret art of Fleshly Sanctification!

RUMBLE!

Naruto's mind thundered as the secret art spread out. His body instantly began to shake, and the mist around him churned. Instantly, an enormous vortex sprung up around Naruto, like clouds kicked into motion by the wind.

The cistern waters also surged into a vast whirlpool.

Tsukino was immersed in her own body transformation, but she could still sense what was happening on the outside, and was shocked. Her mind filled with a similar roaring, and her entire body began to emit vast quantities of Demonic Qi. As the Demonic Qi was unleashed, it caused the mist to grow thicker. Tsukino felt an indescribable sense of stimulation throughout her body because of the transformation she was about to experience.

Time passed. Naruto forgot about everything, as did Tsukino. They sat cross-legged in the cistern waters, surrounded by mist. Nothing was clearly visible, not even their own bodies. They could only sense themselves growing more powerful.

Naruto's fleshly body continued to grow larger. When it reached a pinnacle, it would then rapidly shrink back down. This continued to happen back and forth, creating a cycle. When each revolution of the cycle was completed, his fleshly body would exude terrifying fluctuations.

His fleshly body continued to grow more and more powerful!

Innumerable illusory magical symbols began to wink in and out around him. There were many; all of them apparently born from the void, pulsating with an ancient aura as they circulated around him. The entire scene made Naruto look completely strange and bizarre.

In contrast to Naruto, Tsukino's body radiated pulses of Demonic Qi. They were incredibly dense, and as they condensed together, seemed to take the shape of numerous living creatures.

These living creatures all had differing appearances, but each of them had existed for countless years. These Greater Demons of Heaven and Earth had all fallen by now, but they were still remembered by the heavens of the Nine Mountains and Seas.

As they appeared, they shrank down in size, then sat cross-legged around Tsukino, performing incantations gestures that caused indistinct beams of light to shoot out and fuse into Tsukino's body.

As for Naruto, he was sitting quite close to Tsukino. As a result, he was also located within the region of light cast by the Greater Demons of Heaven and Earth. Many of the indistinct beams also hit his body.

Even as he trembled, the magical symbols swirled around him rapidly, then shot toward him and fused into his body.

As the light and the magical symbols merged into him, Naruto's mind continued to shake. His aura grew stronger, and his fleshly body emanated terrifying fluctuations.

Sometimes, he would grow large and strong to a shocking degree, and sometimes, he would shrink down into something completely unremarkable. His clothes had long since been shredded into pieces during the growth stages. As of this moment, he wore no clothes whatsoever, and like Tsukino, he sat there completely naked.

The first thing to be strengthened was his skeletal system. It was a special kind of change that made the skeletal system incredibly tough and resilient, to the point where it could be considered something similar to a magical item.

The constant nourishment pouring into his body made Naruto's bones increasingly terrifying. However… he was still very close to Tsukino. The illusory Greater Demons sitting cross-legged around her continued to emanate the indistinct light that was actually in direct opposition to the magical symbols surrounding Naruto.

The light was not nourishing, but rather destructive. The essence of the Demon Immortal Body was to stimulate potential by means of destruction, and thus, mold out the most powerful fleshly body.

The secret art of Fleshly Sanctification was based on nourishment. The stimulation of potential was accomplished by nourishing the body, making the strong stronger, until the ultimately powerful fleshly body was consolidated.

They were two completely different methods that, from ancient times until modern, had never been simultaneously cultivated. It is not that no one wanted to try, but rather, had no way to practice such cultivation.

At the moment, though, Naruto, by lucky coincidence, had achieved a strange balance. The light from the illusory Greater Demons continued to destroy his skeletal system, causing his bones to be slowly shattered.

However, that did not conform with Fleshly Sanctification. Therefore… the art that normally should only have required a few magical symbols, suddenly began to pour out more magical symbol seals. They shot into Naruto to repair and perfect his skeletal system.

This process of destruction and replenishment caused Naruto to feel indescribable pain. At the same time, the benefits he received were completely without precedent!

It was hard to say how much time passed. However, because of the constant cycle, Naruto's skeletal system became thoroughly stable and firm. Roaring filled his fleshly body as he broke through into the power of the Sixth Anima.

As of this moment, Naruto didn't even need a Cultivation base. His body itself was shockingly powerful. He was not tall and thin like before, but rather thick and bulky, and looked almost like a small mountain.

It was at this moment that the tempering of his fleshly body expanded out from his bones into his flesh and blood!

Bones, blood and flesh, veins and arteries. All three of these areas experienced tempering. By combining them together, it led to explosive strength of the Qi and blood!

Naruto's entire person shook. The light from the Greater Demons of Heaven and Earth caused his whole body to wither to the extreme, until he seemed like nothing more than a bag of bones. But in the next breath, the incredible power from the magical symbols poured into him, causing his body to be completely restored.

As the cycle continued, the magical symbols around Naruto began to lessen. Soon there weren't very many left. However, at the same time, an enormous fissure suddenly appeared in the sky above the Seven Peaks of the Demon Immortal Sect.

As the fissure ripped open, an incredible booming sound could be heard that caused everything in the Demon Immortal Sect to shake. All of the Cultivators from the lands of South Heaven looked up, their expressions that of astonishment.

Each of them could clearly see that within the fissure up above was something enormous. As it neared… they could see a gigantic, indescribably large pagoda!

It was… the Demon Immortal Pagoda!

All of them had seen the pagoda in the Second Plane, but this time, there was something different about it. The pagoda… was struggling to keep itself whole. There were some areas that were destroyed and collapsed. There were even some parts where the only thing holding it together was stretches of glowing light.

The entire pagoda was in ruins. Apparently, it had been almost completely destroyed during the ancient war.

However, the pagoda… still continued to exist. As it neared, it let out a boundless, invisible pressure that caused everyone beneath to be shaken inwardly and wonder what was happening.

As the Demon Immortal Pagoda neared, suddenly, a great beam of light appeared from inside that was made up of magical symbols!

The countless magical symbol seals turned into a river of stars that swept throughout the air, like a shocking bolt of unfurling white silk. It flew toward the Seventh Peak and the Demon Immortal Cistern. It roared through the air, shooting toward the area which none of them could see, surrounding the Demon Immortal Cistern and then pouring into Naruto's body!

Fleshly Sanctification was a secret art that came from the Demon Immortal Pagoda. The Demon Immortal Body was a physical body created by Lord Li. As for which of the two was more powerful, it would be difficult to say clearly.

At the moment, an unprecedented battle seemed to be taking place, with Naruto's body being the battlefield. The secret art versus the Demon Immortal body; the two fought back and forth.

Would destruction win out over nourishment, or was nourishment incapable of being destroyed? It was like a paradox!

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Peter den Brok, cleanm Jeremiassen, Kokul

Kuganesan, Nam Tran, กิตติ พง ษ โย ทัยเที่ ยง, and Derrick Yin Sau Chen

Vol. 4 : Chapter 603

Chapter 603 (Click to show)

Chapter 603: Eighth Nascent Soul!

Naruto's flesh and blood expanded, then withered. The cyclical process gave birth to an indescribable pain that caused Naruto to tremble and sweat profusely.

However, his eyes were filled with unprecedented staunchness. He clenched his jaw and persisted on. Refusing to lapse into unconsciousness, he immersed himself in the sensation. His fleshly body constantly withered and then expanded, giving rise to a terrifying power.

Boom!

The indistinct light from the Greater Demons of Heaven and Earth drained his body to the point of collapse and destruction. His hair fell out, and he looked like an oilless lamp, like a withered corpse.

Boom!

The secret art of Fleshly Sanctification and the magical symbols from the Demon Immortal Pagoda swirled into his body, causing it to expand and grow until he looked like a giant.

The paradoxical transformation was something that had never been

seen from ancient times until modern times, an unprecedented molding of the fleshly body. As the cycle continued, Naruto continued to grow more and more powerful!

Tsukino's body was also trembling. She did not have any secret art of

Fleshly Sanctification. She only had the pure transformation of the Demon Immortal Body. At the moment, her body was withered, but within the withering was shocking Demonic Qi.

The two of them each practiced their own type of cultivation, constantly growing more powerful. As for the waters of the Demon Immortal Cistern, they were slowly shrinking down.

After some period of time passed, a rumbling sound could be heard, echoing out in all directions. Naruto suddenly raised his head, although his eyes were closed. Right now, his body was no longer expanding dramatically, nor was it withering to the point of death. Instead, he was tall and thin.

He currently looked almost like he didn't have any power at all in his body. However, deep inside was hidden a fearsome and indescribable strength that far exceeded the previous limits of his fleshly body.

He was now in possession of an extraordinary, enchanting power. Every single scrap of muscle was filled with shocking, explosive power. His bones were solid to an indescribable degree. As Naruto lifted his head, his entire body erupted with an intense aura.

The wind whipped about as the vortex screamed. Shockingly, Naruto's aura… had the fleshly body power of the Seventh Anima!

However he had not entered the Seventh Anima, but rather remained within the First Anima.

The mist around him seethed, and the vortex rotated around and around. In the middle of it all, Naruto inhaled deeply and took a moment to sense the power within him. Although his Cultivation base was still the same as ever, his fleshly body power and his battle prowess were now completely different than before.

His eyes glittered as he entered the Second Anima.

Boom!

Third Anima, Fourth Anima…. As he sat there cross-legged, it was without hesitation that he went all the way to the most powerful state in which he could exist, the Seventh Anima!

His body shook as the same power as before surged through him, that of sixty-four great circle Nascent Souls. However… his fleshly body instantly reached an incredible, unprecedented state.

His fleshly body, his skeletal system, his physical frame, were now thick and strong in a way that did not conform to any rules. He was far taller than before, to the point where even sitting cross-legged as he was, he was still taller than previously.

The fearsomeness of his physical body made him seem to be, not a Cultivator, but something Demonic!

His facial features were vicious. Countless veins popped up all over his body, and his hair was even longer than before. When he looked up, his eyes radiated a ferocious will. It looked like a single punch… could shatter the earth.

Naruto wasn't sure exactly how to describe the current state of his fleshly body. He clenched his fists as the explosive, terrifying feeling of power exploded out from inside of him. He could tell that his current state of power far, far exceeded that from before.

"However…" he thought, "a fleshly body as powerful as this is still not Spirit Severing…." Although his fleshly body was terrifyingly powerful, he still had the feeling that for some reason, he had reached a bottleneck.

The appearance of the bottleneck did not cause him to be disheartened, but instead filled his eyes with excitement. He knew that the bottleneck could only be one thing….

The bottleneck of… acquiring a Spirit Severing fleshly body!

Once he broke through the bottleneck, he would have a complete Spirit

Severing fleshly body, and would truly be able to fight back against First Severing Cultivators. He would truly be within the Spirit Severing stage!

Although his Cultivation base would be different, his fleshly body would definitely have that terrifying power.

"I should be able to break through!" he thought, his eyes glittering. After taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. The Greater Demons of Heaven and Earth once again unleashed their indistinct light.

One beam of light after another passed into Naruto's body. This time, they did not stir his skeletal system, nor whither his flesh and blood. Instead, they wreaked fatal havoc onto his Qi and blood vessels.

Naruto wasn't Tsukino, who possessed a special physique and constitution. She could turn the fatal transformations into something not fatal, and thus acquire something like a rebirth in the form of the Demon Immortal Body.

However, Naruto had something even more special and shocking than Tsukino when it came to his physique. He had a secret art that was completely incompatible with the Demon Immortal Body, and was even something like an enemy to it!

That secret art was something that Ke Yunhai had described as being extremely rare in Heaven and Earth, with an origin veiled in mystery.

Even as Naruto's blood and Qi passageways were being destroyed, the inexhaustible supply of magical symbols around him poured into his body. In the blink of an eye, his blood and Qi passageways were thoroughly restored.

The cyclical paradox once again exploded out inside of his body. Naruto had gotten used to the destruction of his skeletal system and the rending of his flesh and blood. Therefore, this feeling was something he could handle.

The only thing that happened was that he trembled a bit; his expression didn't change in the least.

Rumbling filled his entire body as his blood and Qi passageways were destroyed and then restored and strengthened. He became stronger, causing his fleshly body to experience yet another meteoric rise.

This rise grew stronger and more stable, transforming into an explosive power that could break through a bottleneck.

Boom!

His body trembled and blood oozed out of his mouth. The bottleneck was like an enormous battlement. As he bashed against it, cracks appeared, but it didn't collapse.

"One more time!" he said, his eyes glittering. He focused all the power he could muster, combining it together. The magical symbols in the area were few, and as Naruto gathered his power, the Demon Immortal Pagoda on the outside began to shake and erupt with even more magical symbols. The tower itself was beginning to grow dark and faded.

The magical symbols joined together to form a silver river that shot toward Naruto, pouring into his body, causing it to shake. The light from the Greater Demons destroyed his blood and Qi passageways; the secret art and the magical symbols poured into him to reforge them. He surged with more power, and then once again lashed out against the bottleneck.

BOOM!

The bottleneck trembled violently, and the cracks spread out even thicker. Just when it seemed on the verge of collapsing, more light from the Greater Demons poured into Naruto, along with boundless magical symbols.

Roaring filled Naruto's body. He lifted his head up and let out a soundless howl. As of this moment, his body was no longer expanding dramatically, but rather, shrinking at high speed. He now seemed completely weak and thin.

At the same time, the blood and Qi vessels within him were completely restored.

The light from the Greater Demons was incapable of any further destruction, and the increasingly scant numbers of magical symbols could offer no further assistance.

His blood and Qi vessels having been completely restored, the bottleneck within him… directly shattered into pieces!

As the bottleneck vanished, Naruto's fleshly body experienced an incredible, shocking rise. He grew more and more powerful, to a worldshaking degree!

However, what caused Naruto to frown was that after breaking through the bottleneck, he didn't get any sensation that he was in a Spirit Severing state. That caused him to feel a bit confused.

However, even as he frowned, a completely unpredictable sensation suddenly rose up within him. Naruto suddenly noticed a transformation occurring that caused the sky to fade, the wind and clouds to seethe, the surrounding mist to shoot up into the air, and the vortex surrounding him to suddenly stop in place.

The transformation was caused by the increase in the three aspects of his fleshly body; his skeletal system, his flesh and blood, and his veins and arteries. He had the special aspects of the Demon Immortal Body, but also Qi and blood of a fleshly body forged from Fleshly Sanctification.

This was a never-before-seen combination that was essentially a paradox. It created… a shocking transformation that had never been seen before Naruto, nor would ever be seen again.

This transformation was not one of his fleshly body. Instead, it occurred within his dantian region. Next to his seven Nascent Souls, shockingly… a thick coagulation of Qi and blood appeared, shaped like a person.

Because his fleshly body had reached such an incredible pinnacle of power, he had formed… a Qi and Blood Nascent Soul!

When the Nascent Soul appeared, Naruto's Cultivation base immediately began to emanate ripples. His hair whipped about, and his Cultivation base exploded with power. In this instant, Naruto… could sense the fluctuations of an eighth Nascent Soul!

"Spirit Severing is within… the Eighth Anima!" he thought, panting as he gained enlightenment.

Meanwhile….

An old man sped along beneath the Seventh Peak, nearing the forbidden area where Naruto and Tsukino were.

The old man came to a stop and looked up, his eyes gleaming coldly.

This man was none other than Patriarch Harishama.

"I can sense that little bastard Naruto inside there," he thought. "He has my precious treasure…. However, it belongs to the Heavenly Pursuit Tribe, so even though he stole it away, he won't be able to use it.

"When I was in the Second Plane, I was able to acquire the information I sought regarding its secrets…." He smiled coldly as he took a few steps back. Lifting his right hand, he quickly began to set up restrictive spells on the ground around him.

"Naruto, I'm going to bury you in this place. I'll wait here for you to come out, and when you do, I'll splatter your blood everywhere!" Smiling coldly, he finished setting up the spells, then took a deep breath and sat down cross-legged.

"Not even of Spirit Severing, yet you dare to fight with me!? In the Third Plane, the Demon Immortal Sect seals all personal items. Your mastiff won't be able to appear, so you won't be able to fuse with it to borrow the power of Spirit Severing.

"Well then, you shall die." Intense killing intent appeared in Patriarch Harishama's eyes.

"I'll kill you, then I'll go back and wipe out that Golden Crow Tribe of yours to join you in burial!"

Vol. 4 : Chapter 604

Chapter 604: Like Splitting Bamboo

Naruto closed his eyes, then opened them again moments later. A strange glow could be seen within them as he looked over at Tsukino, who sat there pale-faced and trembling.

It was clear that she had reached a critical juncture.

Naruto looked away and then stood up. He walked out of the pond, through the mists, and to the outside world.

As he left, the pressure bearing down on Tsukino increased. Earlier, the shapeless light of the Greater Demons had been shared between her and Naruto, but now all of it was focusing on her.

Actually, she was incredibly lucky to have encountered Naruto. Without him there to share the burden, she might not have been able to handle it alone. Not only would she have failed to acquired the Demon Immortal Body, but she would have faced grave danger to her life.

That hadn't been part of her plan regarding Naruto; she could never have predicted that things would turn out the way they did. After all, she came from the Demon Immortal Sect which was started by people who escaped death all those years ago. Their understanding regarding the forbidden areas of the ancient Demon Immortal Sect wasn't absolutely complete. When you added in the passage of time, and all the changes that had occurred, it was impossible to know everything.

Naruto left the cistern waters and stood in the outside world. He was tall and slender, and his skin was no longer dark like it had been all those years ago. It was white and clear, causing him to look completely refined and cultured. His scholarly air was even more obvious and intense than ever.

He slapped his bag of holding to produce a long, green robe, which he quickly donned. Now, he looked absolutely different than before.

He was even more handsome, more naturally graceful, more youthful. However, deep within his eyes flickered a dim ancientness.

After a long moment, he closed his eyes and focused on his dantian region, and his eighth Nascent Soul.

Qi and Blood Nascent Soul!

After a moment, his eyes opened, and he slowly merged the eight Nascent Souls together. This was just a test, but even still, his mind shook as if lightning were smashing about inside. An indescribably powerful Cultivation base, and a terrifyingly strong fleshly body appeared.

Furthermore… his Divine Sense also increased, spreading out to cover the entire area.

"Eee?" said Naruto. The first thing he noticed was that deep within the forbidden zone was something emanated strange ripples. As soon as his Divine Sense touched the ripples, a backlash spread out that caused his Divine Sense to collapse.

As for everywhere else, they were all areas that had been destroyed during the war.

At the same time, Naruto's Divine Sense noticed a person outside of the forbidden zone…. As soon as he caught sight of him, killing intent flickered in Naruto's eyes.

Sitting there cross-legged and meditating was Patriarch Harishama, wearing a cold smile on his face!

"Laying in wait to ambush me, huh?" thought Naruto. His eyes glittered, and a smile appeared on his face. The smile was one of ridicule, and was filled with coldness and killing intent that was impossible to cover over.

The killing intent still flickering, Naruto turned to look back at Tsukino. The area was safe, and Tsukino was in the midst of transmogrification. No one would be coming around to disturb her. Naruto swept the area with his Divine Sense one more time, then turned to head toward Patriarch Harishama. It was time to resolve the Karma between the two of them. However, it was at this point that he suddenly paused in mid stride, and looked back into the depths of the forbidden zone.

He had swept the place twice with Divine Sense, and it was in exactly the same location both times that his Divine Sense had collapsed apart. It made it impossible to even get some clues about what existed in that particular area. The only thing he could see was blurriness, and what appeared to be a corpse.

His eyes flickered, and he temporarily did not continue on toward his battle with Patriarch Harishama. Instead, he turned and headed deeper into the forbidden area. After all, he had promised Tsukino to stand guard over her; therefore, he needed to ensure that the area really was safe.

It didn't take too long before Naruto reached the place that had caused his Divine Sense to collapse. There was a boulder here, and beneath the boulder lay a corpse. Clearly, it was a woman.

In her hands, the woman held a wooden sword.

The sword emanated a faint glow, which was the source of the collapse of his Divine Sense. In fact, it might be less proper to say that it collapsed, but rather, was consumed.

As soon as Naruto laid eyes on the wooden sword, a tremor ran through him. It was not one of his Spring and Autumn tree Wooden Time Swords, but rather… one of those other swords, the ones he always found next to a corpse… an Immortal Murdering Sword!

Currently, he had four Immortal Murdering, and was now looking at a fifth.

His eyes glittered, he stared at the corpse for a very long moment. However, it was decayed beyond recognition, making it impossible to tell who it belonged to.

Naruto silently made a grasping motion with his right hand, causing the wooden sword to fly out to hover in front of him. He waved his sleeve to collect it up, then stamped his foot onto the ground, causing a deep pit to appear.

After placing the woman's corpse inside and laying her to rest, Naruto clasped hands and bowed deeply toward the tomb. Then he turned, sending his Divine Sense out once more. This time, he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. His body flashed as he transformed into a beam of light that shot out of the forbidden zone.

"Patriarch Harishama, the time has come to settle matters between us!" he thought, his eyes flickering with killing intent as he shot forward at top speed. "I'm going to use him to prove whether or not my Eighth Anima can exterminate the Spirit Severing stage!"

He shot through the air like a lightning bolt. Even in the First Anima, his fleshly body was even more fearsome than it had been in the Seventh Anima. As he shot forward, the air collapsed, and roaring sounds filled with air.

The roaring grew stronger until it seemed powerful enough to shake Heaven and Earth. When it reached the region outside of the forbidden zone, Patriarch Harishama heard it, and his eyes went wide. It was at this point that he saw Naruto appear.

"Naruto!" he said, with a vicious smile. Without hesitation, he performed an incantation gesture and then pointed forward.

Naruto's expression was the same as ever as he proceeded forward. He pierced directly into Patriarch Harishama's spell formation, instantly causing multiple black-colored figures to rise up and pounce toward him.

Within each of these figures could be sensed a faint, shocking power. However, as they neared Naruto, his expression didn't change in the least bit. He continued forward, giving rise to an intense roaring. As soon as the figures touched him, the intense backlash from his fleshly body instantly destroyed them.

Exploding figures surrounded him as he proceeded forward.

The sight of it caused Patriarch Harishama's eyes to narrow slightly. He was shocked inwardly, but then recalled Naruto's identity in the Second Plane, and suddenly felt at ease. A cold smile appeared on his face.

"You're stuck in my net now," he said. "I don't even need to attack. I can just watch while you slowly march to your death."

"Oh really," replied Naruto coolly. As he moved forward, the area around him rumbled as countless illusory blades appeared. Their sharp tips whistled through the air as they slashed directly toward Naruto.

Up in mid-air, countless bolts of lightning appeared. They looked like silver snakes as they lashed out toward him.

As the rumbling booms filled the air, Naruto continued on without even pausing. As he walked forward, all of the restrictive spells within the spell formation collapsed as soon as they touched him, completely incapable of impeding his progress.

This caused Patriarch Harishama's face to flicker. However, before he could do anything in response, Naruto's eyes flickered and his speed increased rapidly. He transformed into a beam of light that sped across the ground toward Patriarch Harishama.

Booming sounds rose up into the sky. The restrictive spells and the spell formation seemed to be howling in anguish, as though a blade were slicing through them. They then exploded into pieces, and Naruto was standing in front of Patriarch Harishama.

"I thought I was going to have to track you down," said Naruto. "I never imagined that you would come to me of your own volition. This battle is going to last for eight finger attacks." With that he lifted his hand and waved a finger.

An illusory mountain appeared on Naruto's fingertip. Although this was only the power of a single finger, that power was like the might of a mountain.

BOOM!

Patriarch Harishama's face fell. He waved his left hand to block, and when the attack slammed into him, he was sent flying backward, his face pale. Killing intent flickered in his eyes as he waved his right hand in front of him.

"Area!"

"Second Anima!"

Patriarch Harishama's Area seemed to cause everything in the area to be confined as if with shackles. An intense pressure weighed down, and everything slowed; it almost felt as if everything were underwater. However, it was in that same instant that Naruto erupted with the power of the Second Anima. The increase in his Cultivation base was secondary to the intense strength of his fleshly body, which was the most important part.

Naruto broke through the confinement of the Area. A crisp sound rang out like the shattering of a mirror as the Area was completely defeated.

This defeat was something Patriarch Harishama almost couldn't believe. He remembered that Naruto had been powerless to face up against his Area before, but now, it had simply shattered.

One breath of time later, Naruto was directly in front of Patriarch Harishama.

"Here's the second finger attack," he said. Backed by the power of the Second Anima, he waved his finger down. Patriarch Harishama's face flickered, and he performed an incantation with his right hand. Instantly, a black mist appeared on his body, which formed together into a black shield that he used to defend against Naruto's finger attack.

A popping sound rang out as the shield collapsed. Naruto's finger landed directly onto Patriarch Harishama's chest.

Patriarch Harishama's face filled with shock as he tumbled backward. His mind reeled, but deep down, he knew that this was not the time for contemplation. He began to perform another incantation, his hair whipping about. He lifted his head up and shouted:

"Seven Emotions and Six Pleasures. Thirteen Transmigrations Dao. Seven Emotions! Seven Daos!" Instantly, a prismatic beam of light shot out from his body up into mid-air. There, it split apart into seven different streams of light, like unfurling bolts of silk. They shot toward Naruto, radiating killing intent.

If you looked closely, you would be able to see that within each of the seven beams of light could be seen, shockingly, an evil spirit that looked almost like a Nascent Soul. Each of these figures resembled each other, almost as if they were related in some way.

"Third Anima," said Naruto coolly, shaking his head. Instantly, his Cultivation base exploded up. However, the power of his fleshly body exceeded that of his Cultivation base. It did not expand and grow like in the past; instead, it sent out terrifying ripples of incomparable power.

Naruto took another step forward. He watched the incoming seven beams of light, allowing them to slam into his body. In that instant, a roaring sound exploded up into the sky. The seven beams of light collapsed into pieces and the evil spirits inside let out miserable shrieks as they were sent tumbling backward. With another step, Naruto… once again appeared directly in front of Patriarch Harishama.

"Third finger attack," he said, waving a finger.

Patriarch Harishama's eyes went wide. He raised up both hands, causing a glowing shield to appear to resist Naruto. A boom could be heard as the shield exploded. Patriarch Harishama tumbled backward like a kite with its string cut, blood oozing out of his mouth. His face was filled with astonishment.

"What… what type of Cultivation base do you have?!"

"The type that can kill you," responded Naruto calmly. He took another leisurely step forward.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Boris Picot

Vol. 4 : Chapter 605

Chapter 605: Momentum Like a Beam of Light

"Kill me? You overestimate yourself!" despite his words, Patriarch Harishama was actually inwardly shocked. His face was grimmer than ever as he retreated. Then his Cultivation base exploded with full power as he prepared to unleash a divine ability.

"Overestimate myself? Fine, I'll show you what it's like when I overestimate myself!" His voice calm, Naruto said, "Fourth Anima!"

A rumbling sound could be heard from his body as he entered the Fourth Anima. His Cultivation base was that of eight great circle Nascent Souls. As for his fleshly body, it had a terrifying power that exceeded that of his original Seventh Anima.

As Naruto charged in attack, ghost images sprang up around him. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Patriarch Harishama. He waved his right index finger, causing it to stab onto Patriarch Harishama's upraised right hand. His left hand reached out to push into Patriarch Harishama's chest.

A boom could be heard. Patriarch Harishama fell backward head over heels, blood overflowing from his mouth. His expression was one of astonishment and complete disbelief. What he feared was not Naruto's Cultivation base, but the power of his fleshly body.

Such a frightening fleshly body was something that vastly exceeded his imagination, and was something he had never even heard of before!

Even as the power of the finger attack caused Patriarch Harishama to tumble back, Naruto strode forward again.

"Fifth Anima!"

He now had a Cultivation base equivalent to sixteen great Nascent Souls, and an even more shockingly powerful fleshly body. He was surrounded by a rumbling roar, and although there were no physical changes to his appearance, distortions and ripples appeared in the air around him.

This was a fleshly body that could cause anyone to be completely shocked. Combined with his Cultivation base, it made it so that Naruto's steps could shatter the air. He appeared again in front of Patriarch Harishama, lifting his right hand up to make a fifth finger attack.

Patriarch Harishama raised his head up and howled as a sense of grave crisis swept over him. He bit violently down onto his tongue, causing blood to spray out of his mouth and then transform into magical symbols that spread out in all directions.

"Seven Emotions and Six Pleasures. Thirteen Transmigrations Dao turns into Thirteen Killing Forms. Consolidate into… Emotion Severing Extermination!" The blood magical symbols in front of Patriarch Harishama shockingly began to form together into the shape of a Heavenly saber. Instantly, it slashed down toward Naruto!

In the following moment, Naruto's finger slammed into the bloodcolored Heavenly saber, and a huge boom rolled out. The blade shook for a moment and then exploded into countless pieces, completely destroyed. As for Naruto's finger, it continued to descend until it tapped onto Patriarch Harishama's chest.

Blood sprayed from Patriarch Harishama's mouth, and his chest turned into a bloody mass. Roaring filled his body as he shot backward at top speed.

His face was pale white as he gave up all thoughts of fighting and focused completely on fleeing as fast as possible.

He was in absolute fear of Naruto's fleshly body. It turned into an intense dread as he realized that such a fleshly body was shocking to the extreme. His own divine abilities and magical techniques were incapable of even causing it to tremble.

In the same instant that Patriarch Harishama decided to flee, Naruto's voice once again drifted through the air.

"Sixth Anima!"

Boom!

The instant Naruto entered the Sixth Anima, his body trembled. He lifted up his head and roared. To him, Patriarch Harishama could be killed any time he wanted. What he desired to do was to test out the Eighth Anima which he had created.

As he entered the Sixth Anima, the power of thirty-two great circle Nascent Souls counted for almost nothing. What was truly shocking was his fleshly body. In the Sixth Anima, his power was now truly exploding out, as of this moment, a Spirit Severing aura was gradually beginning to seep out of him.

The air around him filled with distortions, and the soil in the area was jumping up and down. A vortex began to form, like a mad tempest. The mad tempest could do nothing to cause even a single of Naruto's hair to rise up, though. Within the tempest, he was the only thing that wasn't moving!

As soon as Patriarch Harishama saw this, despite his Cultivation base, his age, and his powers of concentration, he couldn't help but shout out in alarm. "Fleshly body Spirit Severing! This is impossible!"

As far as he could remember, a Spirit Severing fleshly body was a legendary stage that only existed in ancient times. It was both Spirit Severing and, not Spirit Severing, because it did not have a Domain. And yet, even without a Domain, such a fleshly body could compare to the peak of anyone in the Spirit Severing stage.

Were he to also possess a Spirit Severing Cultivation base, then, any other Spirit Severing Cultivator would surely view him to be nothing less than… a nightmare!

"Body cultivation is not a focus in the current generation. Such a thing has long since become a thing of the past. Don't tell me that this guy… acquired some type of body tempering good fortune in the Demon Immortal Sect!?" Patriarch Harishama's scalp was numb, and he was scared out of his mind as he fled at top speed. He was already well aware that Naruto's magic had a Seventh Anima.

As of this moment, Naruto's Sixth Anima was already shocking enough. If he changed to the Seventh Anima….

Patriarch Harishama wasn't willing to risk his life and go all out here. He had more things to accomplish, so he ignored all matters of face and fled at top speed. However, no matter how fast he went, Naruto… was faster!

Boom!

In the blink of an eye, Naruto appeared ahead of Patriarch Harishama. In addition to blocking his path, he lifted up his right hand and waved his finger again.

"We're not finished here yet," he said. "What are you getting so anxious for?"

Patriarch Harishama's face fell. Without hesitation, he performed a doublehanded incantation, connecting the forefinger of each hand with the thumb of the other, with his palms facing away from each other. He immediately stretched his hands out toward Naruto.

A four-sided collection of lines sprang into being, which was in accord with the Domain he cultivated. A power of expulsion rose up, with one side being Heaven and Earth, the other side being a person, to be expelled.

The four-sided lines flickered as they shot forward, shooting against the wind as they expanded out to surround Naruto.

At the same time, a shockingly intense power of expulsion seemed to fill the four-sided lines. This power of expulsion was intense enough to crush Naruto into pieces.

"BEGONNEEEE…."

The bizarre voice seemed to come from nowhere, and echoed out like thunder within Naruto's ears. The sound caused the shocking power of expulsion to seem to grow even stronger.

This was not Naruto's first time to encounter this magical technique of Patriarch Harishama's.

Currently, he was in the Sixth Anima, and had terrifying fleshly body power. His eyes suddenly glittered. He opened his mouth and let out a roar toward the incoming four-sided lines.

"Screw off!"

The sound created something like waves that instantly suppressed all of the lightning up above. It rolled out, causing fissures to appear in the air, and rumbling sounds to be heard in all directions. The incoming foursided line shape directly exploded into fragments.

Its power of expulsion, having faced someone who it couldn't possibly shake, was now nothing more than a joke!

It was like a tiny stream that wanted to become as powerful as a mountain. How could it possibly succeed!?

As the four-sided line shape collapsed, Naruto's finger once again tapped onto Patriarch Harishama's chest. A boom could be heard. Blood sprayed from Patriarch Harishama's mouth, and his chest caved in bloodily. Even his back was a bloody mess as he staggered backward. He looked at Naruto, his face twisted with savagery.

"I feel like leaving," he growled. "You won't let me? Seems you actually think I'm scared of you!" With that, Patriarch Harishama performed another incantation with his right hand. He pushed down onto his forehead, then opened his mouth to spit out a small, black-colored blade.

As soon as the blade appeared, everything dimmed. It began to spin faster and faster in his palm, then grow rapidly in size. Shockingly, it transformed into a huge greatsword, upon which was carved the severed head of a dragon!

Patriarch Harishama waved his right arm. His face was covered with a savage expression that seemed to say he was willing to go all out, even risk death, as he shot toward Naruto.

"DIE!" The power of Patriarch Harishama's Cultivation base exploded out. In fact… the level of power he wielded now was multiple times greater than before. The area around him filled with ripples of ancientness that even seemed to contain natural law!

Natural laws of the Primordial Demon Immortal Plane!

These natural laws contained a power of expulsion that had nothing to do with the four-sided line shape. This was a true power of expulsion from the world of the Primordial Demon Immortal Plane.

The blade descended, shocking Heaven and Earth!

"You will fear me," said Naruto coolly as he entered… the Seventh Anima!

The power of sixty-four great circle Nascent Souls exploded out within him. His fleshly body unleashed even more Spirit Severing aura. Together, they caused the air around Naruto to begin to collapse. Roaring could be heard around him, almost as if this body of his was something that didn't belong in this broken Demon Immortal Sect.

It was as if there were invisible restrictions in this place, and any Cultivation base or battle prowess that exceeded those limitations were not permitted at all.

With the battle prowess he was now displaying, Naruto had already touched that world limitation.

"So, I don't actually need to enter the Eighth Anima," thought Naruto. "I've already reached fleshly body Spirit Severing!" As he took a moment to experience the sensation, he came to the realization that he…

Was already in the Spirit Severing stage!

Although he had no Domain, he was still of Spirit Severing! In fact, he was even stronger than when he had borrowed the power of the mastiff, put on the Blood Immortal mask, and used the power of the Blood Immortal.

He faced up against Patrairch Harishama's descending blade, lifting his right hand without hesitation and pushing out with his finger.

In this moment, everything suddenly seemed to freeze. The roaring sound that filled the air seemed to cease for a moment. And then, everything returned.

Crashing booms echoed out one after another into the silence. They filled the entire Demon Immortal Sect, to be heard by each and every one of the Cultivators from South Heaven.

Patriarch Harishama coughed up blood and tumbled backward. The huge black-colored blade in his hand broke up into fragments. His face was pale, and, ignoring any possible ramification that might give rise to expulsion, he employed the full power of his Cultivation base… to destroy his opponent!

"You're already at your limit with your Seventh Anima!" he said, his eyes filling with a streak of madness. "This is the strongest you can get!" He was panting now, the killing intent in his eyes strong. "Since that's the case, let me escort you the rest of the way down your path!"

Patriarch Harishama lifted his right hand up and pushed it down onto his chest. When he lifted it up, a red glow appeared, seemingly pulled out from his body itself.

It was a red-colored whip, completely illusory and capable of lashing the soul. It looked exactly the same as the whip Naruto had stolen earlier from Patriarch Harishama, except that its color was different!

As soon as the whip appeared, Patriarch Harishama's fleshly body began to wither rapidly, as if all of his life force were being collected together in the whip. By now, his killing intent had reached a peak.

Naruto stood motionlessly in the same place as before, the wind and dirt whipping around him, his hair flying about.

In the space of a few breaths, the sand and wind around him dissipated….

"DIE!" howled Patriarch Harishama. His withered frame flickered, and a bizarre sound could be heard coming from the whip. It lashed down toward Naruto, filled with a bloodthirsty and terrifying aura.

Naruto looked up. Not a tiny bit of sentiment could be seen in his eyes, only calmness as he observed the incoming soul whip and Patriarch Harishama, who emanated terrifying ripples. Naruto had tested out his new magical techniques; what he needed to do now was see… exactly how powerful he was!

Closing his eyes, he coolly said, "Eighth Anima!"

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Sievajet Rahimbaksh, Zen Fei Lo, Jakub

Hebi rovsky, Sub Claudio, Hoang Dang, Gary Kong, Abel Nunez, Marco

Dupard, Elton Law

Vol. 4 : Chapter 606

Chapter 606: Eighth Anima!

As soon as Naruto spoke the words, a roaring filled his head. His body shook, and the air around him twisted and filled with fissures. Everything dimmed, and an invisible whirlpool instantly sprang up around him. As it rotated, it gave rise to an enormous hurricane.

As soon as the illusory whip snapped onto the hurricane vortex, it whipped backward. Down beneath the vortex, all of the sand and dirt floated up into the air and began to sweep around. As for Patriarch Harishama, his face thoroughly fell, and he staggered out of control several paces backward.

His eyes were filled with astonishment and shock, and his mind was reeling.

"Impossible! This magical technique has Seven Animas. How could… an

Eighth Anima appear!?"

Even as Patriarch Harishama reeled with shocked, Naruto's body was seemingly filled with distortions. Intense, pulsing pain overwhelmed him. He had never imagined that the Eighth Anima would be… so painful!

His body felt as if it were being ripped apart. Wave after wave of power surged through him at indescribable speed, rapidly increasing in intensity.

His eight Nascent Souls were fully superimposed, and now burst forth with a power that vastly exceeded the terrifying Cultivation base power of the Seventh Anima.

In the Seventh Anima just now, Naruto had unleashed the power of 64 great circle Nascent Souls. That had been the previous limit, something that couldn't be exceeded. But now, even as the combination had just fused, that previous limitation was completely toppled.

65, 66…. In the blink of an eye, Naruto's body possessed the power of 70 boundless great circle Nascent Soul Cultivation bases. That power continued to grow. The feeling of intense power, as well as a terrifying aura, spread out through Naruto. As his Cultivation base and fleshly body continued to transform, the power exploded out.

Everything around him was twisted and distorted. The wind and clouds were in fluctuation, and the hurricane that surrounded Naruto seemed to stretch from the ground up into the sky. Endless booms echoed out, exploding with incredible intensity.

He trembled, and blood began to seep out of his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. His visage was ferocious to the extreme, and his long hair whipped about madly. He could clearly sense his Cultivation base climbing upward. In the blink of an eye it had the power of 93 great circle Nascent Souls.

And it was still climbing!

Every level of power which was added caused booming sounds to fill him, and more pressure would weigh down on him. The energy which he could employ was even more shocking. At the same time, the wastage to his longevity increased rapidly.

However, none of that could do anything to supersede the wildly intense rise he was experiencing. It gave him an incredible confidence which caused him to lift his head up and roar.

ROARRR!

The sound of it seemed to cause all of the pain that wracked him to be diffused out into the Demon Immortal Sect. As his body trembled, his Cultivation base rose up from the previous level of 93 great circle Nascent Souls to… 99.

The color of Naruto's hair began to change. It was no longer black, but now gray. His facial features were no longer that of a youth, but rather, ancient. His stature was tall and thin as before, but his aura was now completely different.

99, 100!

The full power of one hundred great circle Nascent Souls Cultivation bases exploded out within him. As Naruto roared, his hair grew longer and longer, soon reaching his lower back. The tempest around him grew in intensity, causing Naruto to slowly float up within the midst of the hurricane.

Lightning and thunder fell down to circulate around him, causing the hurricane to turn into a lightning storm, shocking to Heaven and Earth.

The sight of it caused Patriarch Harishama to pant rapidly. His eyes went wide and filled with a look of disbelief. His mind filled with roaring.

"How could this be…? He… he…."

In the midst of Patriarch Harishama's astonishment, more roaring exploded out from Naruto as his Cultivation base rose again!

101, 102, 103… all the way to 115!

Naruto's hair now stretched to his knees as his shocking roar echoed about in all directions. The tempest around him continued to expand until it was three hundred meters wide. It was at this point that the Heavenly expulsion force suddenly appeared.

The air around Naruto was continuously shattered. The fearsome aura surrounding him continued to rise up, almost as if some primordial wild beast was awakening.

116, 117…. In the blink of an eye, the power of 128 great circle Nascent Soul Cultivation bases exploded up. His roar was now the roar of Spirit Severing.

His power was that of Spirit Severing!

The aura around him was now an aura of Spirit Severing!

The tempest was now nearly a thousand meters wide. Lightning had transformed the area into a sea of electricity. His hair was longer and his frame taller. His gray hair floated about, and his visage was one of ancientness. His eyes suddenly focused, and within them seemed to circulate a power to exterminate life.

As soon as Patriarch Harishama saw those eyes, his mind trembled, almost as if he had just been subjected to a powerful attack. His body began to shake, and he fell back several paces, blood spewing from his mouth.

Within the astonishment on his face could now be seen a trace of dread.

"You…." he said hoarsely, his body shaking.

"I'm not finished yet," said Naruto, whose eyes were still closed as he experienced the shocking Cultivation base power of 128 great circle Nascent Souls. This power far exceeded the absolute pinnacle of the Nascent Soul stage. This was… the power of Spirit Severing!

It was a situation in which quantity changed into quality. With enough Nascent Soul Cultivation base built up, he was able to leap into a realm that was previously only occupied by true Spirit Severing.

However, even as Naruto had said, his Eighth Anima wasn't finished yet. Just now, his growth had been in Cultivation base only. His fleshly body was still growing, rapidly flying toward a true Spirit Severing fleshly body.

Fleshly body Spirit severing was a stage for ancient Cultivators. In modern times, there were few people who could temper their body to the stage of Spirit Severing. In fact, you could say that it was virtually impossible, the difficulty level being just too high.

For Naruto, it was only by a series of lucky coincidences that he could reach this legendary stage. As of this moment, his fleshly body appeared to be normal, but in actuality, every strand of muscle was being shredded. Every inch of bone was being crushed. Every vein and artery was collapsing.

However, no matter how they were shredded, crushed, or collapsed, it didn't cause any problems for Naruto. In fact, all of that destruction caused his body to reform, making his Qi and blood reach astonishing levels!

Within the space of time of a few breaths, the thumping of a heartbeat could be heard, like thunder rattling out in all directions. It caused Patriarch Harishama to stop and look at Naruto. As of this moment, it appeared as if there were a shocking Qi and blood fighting back against the natural law of Heaven and Earth!

Qi and blood exploded up shockingly!

As of this moment, every beat of Naruto's heart caused the tempest around him to pause, caused the air to vibrate, caused the land in the area to quake.

Along with his Qi and blood, his body broke through some invisible barrier. As he truly entered the Spirit Severing stage, Naruto's Spirit Severing aura exploded into the sky!

He took a deep breath as he realized that his view of the world was now completely different.

He could see innumerable dust motes dancing about in the air. He could hear countless sounds around him in the world, like the whisperings of innumerable deceased souls. He could feel all of the indescribable sorrow that filled the Demon Immortal Sect.

Most importantly… he could hear the sound… of breathing.

It was the breathing of something asleep, coming from deep, deep within the ground. It was faint, as if there were some enormous creature far beneath the surface of the earth, sleeping. Every breath it took echoed about.

All of these things take quite a long time to describe. However, it was a very short period of time from the moment in which Naruto entered the Eighth Anima until he could sense everything.

128 great circle Nascent Souls pushed Naruto's Cultivation base into a state which could be considered the world of Spirit Severing!

Because of the endless good fortune that had tempered his fleshly body, now that he had entered the Eighth Anima, his body truly had reached the legendary… Fleshly Sanctification. Figuratively speaking, that sanctification was none other than the Spirit Severing of his body!

"I am not in the Spirit Severing stage," he murmured. "But I possess the power of Spirit Severing." His power now vastly exceeded that which he had experienced before, when he had merged with the mastiff.

"Now, the time has come to have a little test. Let's see… exactly how powerful I am!" With that, his eyes began to glow with a cold light. He glanced at Patriarch Harishama, whose mind began to tremble. At that point, Naruto vanished.

Patriarch Harishama's scalp numbed, and he was scared witless. He retreated rapidly, waving his arm to cause the whip to flail about in all directions. However, it was at this point that a reflection appeared in his pupils as Naruto appeared directly in front of him.

Naruto's left hand lifted up, forming a claw that snatched ahold of the whip. The whip let out a whimpering sound, but could not extricate itself.

"You… are too weak," said Naruto, his voice cool. He lifted his right hand up and tapped down lightly on Patriarch Harishama's forehead.

Patriarch Harishama's body trembled as he was suddenly lifted up into the air and soared in the direction of the forbidden zone. Before he even began to fall to the ground, his head directly exploded. Blood and gore formed a haze that spread to his chest, and then his limbs, and finally his entire torso.

All of that was accomplished by a mere tap from Naruto in his Eighth Anima. Patriarch Harishama was ripped into shreds before he could even scream, and his fleshly body was completely destroyed.

His half-transparent Nascent Divinity fled out, a large hole visible on its forehead. Life force and aura trickled out of the hole, beyond its control. It was incredibly weak as it retreated backward. Its death was only a matter of time; within the space of ten breaths, it would certainly perish!

It was with astonishment and indescribable fear and despair that the Nascent Divinity let out a miserable scream. Although it knew fleeing was useless, it still attempted to run away.

However, it was in this moment that, from within the forbidden zone, what appeared to be a consummately beautiful jade-like hand suddenly reached out with incredible dexterity. The delicate hand stretched out through the air…

To grab ahold of Patriarch Harishama's Nascent Divinity.

"My Cultivation base suffered damage. With this Nascent Divinity, I can concoct some pills to help with that. Do you mind?" A woman walked out from within the forbidden zone. She had Tsukino's voice, but her appearance was nothing like the woman Naruto remembered from before.

She was as pretty as a flower, bewitchingly charming, matchlessly beautiful, unrivaled in elegance and demeanor. She… was the new Demoness Tsukino!

Vol. 4 : Chapter 607

Chapter 607: You're All Here, Huh?

To use the expression "indescribably beautiful and striking" to describe Tsukino would only be enough to portray part of her. Naruto had no choice but to admit that in his entire life… he had never seen a more beautiful woman.

This was not a situation of her being "one of the most" beautiful women. Any other woman placed next to her would pale in comparison, and could do no more than play a supporting role.

She wore a light red gown, along with a wide smile. Her each and every move was dazzling, and her body let off a unique aura, resembling both the air of a Demon and a spirit.

The feeling Naruto got was that her body had become something like a precious material. It was something that completely stood out from the masses, and the aura she emitted seemed to fill the entire area.

Her current body did not belong to anyone except herself…. This was the true Tsukino.

Because of her earlier fall in Cultivation base and the various plans to be carried out by her on behalf of the Demon Immortal Sect, her Immortal Realm Cultivation base had been degenerated back to the edge of Spirit

Severing. In fact, most of the time, she only revealed the power of the Nascent Soul stage. Right now, though, it was obvious that she had succeeded with the Demon Immortal Body.

Because of her success, her Cultivation base had now begun to restore itself. In a very short period of time, she would once again have… the power of an Immortal!

When the time came, the others would return to the lands of South Heaven, but she… would leave by a different route. She would return to the Demon Immortal Sect of the Ninth Mountain and Sea.

There was even a high likelihood that the Cultivators of the Demon Immortal Sect were already gathering at some unknown location to prepare to receive her.

Upon hearing Tsukino's request, Naruto's expression did not change at all. He nodded slowly.

She gently bit her lip and smiled, then took Patriarch Harishama's rapidly fading Nascent Divinity and crushed it. A popping sound could be heard. Patriarch Harishama, a Spirit Severing Patriarch in his generation, had his Nascent Divinity crushed into tiny pieces. They transformed into dots of shining light that Tsukino then slowly absorbed in through her forehead.

Tsukino's countenance became a bit more beautiful, enough to cause anyone who looked at her to be shocked and feel their heart palpitating with eagerness.

"Thank you," she said. She lifted her hand up to place a veil over her face, covering over the features that would cause anyone to be infatuated with her at first sight. Her eyes flickered with a bizarre light as she looked at Naruto.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Zhou Tsukino. The 'zhi' character is from the expression 'that which is noble and lofty.' The 'xiang' character is from the expression 'a woman of ethereal color and celestial fragrance.' I am Tsukino, Holy Daughter of the Demon Immortal Sect. However, I prefer it when people call me Demoness." With a smile, she gave a curtsied bow to Naruto.

Her words were simple, as were the movements she made. However, an indescribable energy wafted off of her, forming together into an incredible pressure, which weighed down on the entire area.

"You owe me," said Naruto coolly. "And not just a simple favor."

"Don't worry, Fellow Daoist Naruto. I acknowledge it, as does the New Demon Immortal Sect of the Ninth Mountain and Sea. We will absolutely never forget it." She cocked her beautiful head as she looked at him. Then her beautiful hand waved, causing a jade slip to fly out.

The jade slip was ancient and crude; on one side could be seen the character 'Demon,' and on the other side the character 'Immortal.'

"This is the command medallion of a Demon Immortal Sect Elder. Whoever holds this medallion is a vassal Elder. Fellow Daoist Naruto, if you need assistance in the future, you may come to the Demon Immortal Sect at any time."

Naruto accepted the command medallion, looked it over, and then put it into his bag of holding. He nodded toward Tsukino, then, without another word, turned to leave.

"I would like to thank you in a more personal way, Fellow Daoist Naruto," said Tsukino with a smile. "Therefore, I'll give you a bit of information. The pit located between the Third and Fourth Peaks is critical to entering the Fourth Plane."

Naruto stopped in place and turned to look back at her.

"Most likely, the other Sects and Clans have this information already. In fact, the Fourth Plane will never close. Anyone in the Third Plane who has the requisite skill can enter it.

"Without the skill, one can only gaze at the figurative ocean and lament one's inadequacy." Tsukino chuckled, once again bowing to Naruto.

Then she turned and disappeared.

Naruto's eyes flickered. He could sense Tsukino's power, and he knew that she was completely different than before. A thoughtful look appeared as he looked down at his bag of holding, and thought back to all his previous contact with Tsukino.

In his heart, he was eighty percent certain that the small bit of assistance he had provided here would later result in receiving help from Tsukino and the Demon Immortal Sect, although it was impossible to predict whether that help would be of great use or not.

A relaxed smile appeared on his face. He had long since come to realize that in the Cultivation world, one must rely on oneself. One could not expect too much help from outsiders. Therefore, whether the New Demon Immortal Sect provided him with a lot of help, or just a little, it didn't really matter to him.

His greatest acquisition in this affair was not the promise of Tsukino and the New Demon Immortal Sect. Instead, it was his Eighth Nascent Soul, and his incredibly powerful fleshly body.

He took a deep breath as he examined his body, as well as the fearsome damage done to his longevity while in the Eighth Anima 1. As for the power of worldly expulsion that he had felt, he wasn't sure when, but it had vanished. That caused his eyes to glitter brightly as he looked over at the Fourth Peak.

After a moment, he looked away, and his body flickered as he left the Eighth Anima state and returned to the First Anima.

Then he took a step forward. Before speeding off into the distance, he collected up the soul whip. From what Naruto could tell, it looked as if it was meant to be part of Patriarch Harishama's other whip.

At the moment, though, he would not allow them to fuse together. Instead, after he left this place, he would take some time to thoroughly study both of them.

Right now, he wanted to see if he could find any more of good fortune within the Third Plane. He whistled through the air as he passed the Seventh Peak and then the Sixth Peak.

As he neared the Fifth Peak, his eyes suddenly glittered, and the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile. He changed directions to speed directly toward the Fifth Peak. Not much time passed before, shockingly, the light of a restrictive spell appeared up ahead of him.

The restrictive spell had three layers. The outer layer was dim, the light of the mid layer was flowing smoothly, and the inner layer was completely solid.

The three-layer restrictive spell covered an area of about three hundred meters. Clearly visible underneath it was a house, leaning up against the wall of which was a corpse.

The corpse was different than most of the corpses on the outside. It was not completely dried up, but rather, retained some life-like qualities.

It was an old man, who had been looking regretfully off into the distance when he died. As for what he was thinking, it was impossible to tell, but in his hand he held a bamboo flute. The flute was no magical item, but rather, completely ordinary. It even seemed to be a bit shriveled.

In front of the old man was another object, a drum about the size of a person's head. It was completely violet-colored, and emanated a faint glow. Just barely audible was a pulsating thrum from the drum that echoed about the entire area.

Outside of the restrictive spell were eight or so frowning Cultivators from the lands of South Heaven. A few of their number were currently trying to break through the restrictive spell.

Among their number were four members of the Hebi Clan, including Hebi Chino. Also present was Liu Zichuan from the Imperial Bloodline Clan of the Northern Reaches, who Naruto had frightened earlier.

The others were from the Eastern Lands or Northern Reaches, and all were frowning as they looked at the violet drum inside of the restrictive spells. Their expressions were that of desire.

Naruto's arrival in a beam of multicolored light instantly disturbed the quiet in the area. The group of people immediately went on guard and began to look around. However, once they saw that it was Naruto, their faces filled with unsightly expressions.

The way Naruto had extorted them in the Second Plane had caused all of them to gnash their teeth. Liu Zichuan was the only one who immediately backed up a few steps, trembling.

"You're all here, huh?" said Naruto, laughing heartily as he approached. "I haven't seen you in quite a few days, but I missed you! I hope you've all acquired a lot of items here in the Third Plane!" Naruto's expression was sincere; in fact, he really did sincerely want for everyone to acquire a lot.

However, the more he expressed himself in such a way, the more unsightly were the expressions on the faces of the others. They stared at Naruto, faces filled with displeasure. Some even seemed to be contemplating trying to attack and kill him, to solve all troubles in one fell swoop.

Naruto didn't seem to notice this. He was all smiles as he sighed and then said, "Eee? How come you're all ignoring me? Well, it doesn't matter. Fellow Daoists, I, Naruto, truly desire for all of you to make great acquisitions here. In that way, I will also benefit a bit more."

By now, killing intent was flickering in the eyes of the others, and a few people stepped forward, their tempers seemingly on the verge of exploding.

Naruto still didn't seem to notice this point. He had a bashful smile on his face, and even looked a bit emotional. However, from the point of view of the others, he was clearly showing off, and was in the need of a bit of punishment. His expression might even be one of courting death. Only Liu Zichuan felt his heart pounding nervously, and was crying out inwardly:

"Contemptible! Far too brazen! This bastard… this bastard is somebody I absolutely cannot afford to provoke. He has obviously grown powerful to the point of Spirit Severing, and yet he only shows off this level of power….

"He's obviously… obviously provoking the others into attacking him! How shameless!" At this point, Liu Zichuan couldn't help but think back to his own grievous situation earlier. He could only imagine that if some of these people attacked Naruto right now, they would quickly find themselves in exactly such a miserable state.

As he looked at Naruto's smile, he only found it more and more horrifying. Yet, at the same time, he somehow was looking forward to seeing these other people meet a similar fate as he had….

"Brothers," continued Naruto, "I know that I displeased you in the Second Realm. Please, don't take it to heart. Now that we're in the Third Plane, I hope that we can all work together toward a common purpose. Brothers, whether or not I can find sufficient good fortune here, depends all on you."

After he finished speaking, Naruto, looking incredibly appreciative, and even clasped hands to bowed to them.

The bow caused everyone including Hebi Chino to clench their teeth. As for Liu Zichuan, his face merely twitched, but everyone else seemed to be on the verge of exploding into a rage.

"Oh, there's also…." Naruto had straightened up and was about to smilingly continue when one of the Cultivators from the Northern Reaches couldn't hold back any longer. His temper flared and, with a howl, he shot forward.

"Shut up, bastard! So, you admit that you displeased us in the Second Plane?"

As soon as the Northern Reaches Cultivator went on the attack, Liu Zichuan's eyes went wide and filled with a look of anticipation.

"Take him out! Drop him dead!" he thought excitedly.

The Northern Reaches Cultivator closed in on Naruto, his face twisted viciously. His right hand lifted up to perform an incantation gesture and then pushed out toward Naruto.

At the same time, another of the Northern Reaches Cultivators shot forward, as well as a member of the Hebi Clan. Eyes flashing, they fell upon Naruto.

Another bashful look appeared on Naruto's face.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Deden Hermawan, Kamryn Rowe Boyle,

Ly Ho, and Daniel Jung

I've seen a lot of comments/questions/confusion about the issue of his longevity in the Animas. Although the explanation wasn't extremely clear, it was implied that Naruto can restore any damage to his longevity using medicinal pills. As long as he doesn't run out of longevity within the Eighth Anima, any damage is inconsequential. Think of his "longevity" as a health bar, the total capacity of which slowly reduces over time, but can also be drained or re-filled by various means. The total capacity might be reduced while he's in the Eighth Anima, but once he leaves, it returns to normal, and any "missing" years of life can be made up for with medicinal pills. As for Naruto's current "normal" longevity, it doesn't really matter too much. He can freely duplicate longevity-increasing pills. That having been said, he still is confined by the limit of 1,000 years. It doesn't matter how many pills you take or what you do, you can't live past 1,000 without reaching Spirit Severing

Vol. 4 : Chapter 608

Chapter 608: You Hurt Me

Even as the bashful expression appeared on his face, his right palm flew up into the air. It moved with such incredible speed that the burly man from the Northern Reaches had no time to react before it slapped him across the face.

A boom could be heard, and the burly man felt as if an entire mountain had collided with the side of his head. His mind was reeling.

Originally, the blow should have sent him flying, but at the last moment, Naruto caused his hand to move back down. He grabbed the man's head and directly slammed it into the ground.

The burly man first shot up into the air and then struck the ground, causing a rumbling sound to echo out. The bashful expression still on his face, Naruto lifted his right foot up into the air and then began to trample on the burly man.

Even as the sound of the beating echoed out, the burly man began to struggle furiously. His Cultivation base exploded with power as he attempted to fight back. However, in the blink of an eye, the fearsome power of Naruto's fleshly body caused him to begin to scream miserably. He shrank back down, shrieking in shocking fashion.

Naruto grabbed the man's head and bashed it into the ground, causing blood to spray from the man's mouth.

"Ready to be reasonable!?" said Naruto angrily. He bashed the man's head into the ground again.

"I was congratulating the lot of you. Congratulating you! And in return, you want to kill me!?" Naruto slammed his head into the ground again. The burly man's shrieks were sad and shrill, and his body was trembling. An expression of shock covered his face, and his heart was in turmoil as he was beaten senseless.

"That's wrong!" said Naruto. "That's immoral!" He jumped up into the air and then began to stamp down onto the burly man, leaving footprints with each stamp of his foot.

The burly man covered his head with both hands, screaming beneath Naruto's anger.

"You don't even know what's good for you! Is that the right way to act? I congratulate you and then you repay my kindness with enmity!?" The scene of Naruto viciously trampling the man caused Liu Zichuan's eyes to gleam with excitement. His heart was trembling, but with excitement. After all, it felt a lot better to be unlucky with a group of people than to be unlucky alone.

Most afraid out of everyone was the other Northern Reaches Cultivator who had also stepped forward just now, as well as the Hebi Clan member. Although they had both charged in attack, watching the scene playing out in front of them caused their scalps to go numb.

They were just about to back up when Naruto looked up at them, an expression of pain on his face.

"Do people really hate me that much?" he said. "I was clearly wishing you all well! If this guy was the only one to be ungrateful, it wouldn't matter. But it seems… you two also don't appreciate my kindness!" He appeared to be more and more torn by grief. The two Cultivators' scalps became even more numb as they backed up. However, it was in that moment that Naruto lifted up his right hand and made a grasping motion.

"You need to explain yourself clearly, otherwise, you're not going anywhere." The two were shocked to find that Naruto's grasping motion immediately caused their bodies to go out of control. They were pulled up to Naruto, where upon he slapped them with full strength. After they slammed down into the ground, he continued to rain blows down onto them.

"WHY?!" howled Naruto, sounding grieved. He grabbed the Hebi Clan member and slammed him seven or eight times down into the ground. The Hebi Clan Cultivator was furious, but it didn't matter how much Cultivation base power or how many magical items he tried to use, a few slaps from Naruto would cause everything to collapse. The Hebi Clan member was now panting from astonishment.

Even in the midst of his astonishment, Naruto grabbed his head and slammed his face into the ground again.

The other Northern Reaches Cultivator shrieked. He watched wide-eyed as the Hebi Clan member and the other Northern Reaches Cultivator were like nothing more than baby chickens in Naruto's hands, completely powerless to strike back at all. The man was so scared that he began to beg for mercy.

However, he could not escape Naruto's punishment. Every time Naruto leaped up, the three men would let out miserable screams, and blood would spatter about the area….

"You hurt me and then just smiled it off!" cried Naruto. "That's unforgivable! I was being sincere!" The sight of Naruto punching and kicking caused those looking on to be thoroughly shaken. The other Hebi Clan members, as well as the other two Northern Reaches Cultivators, were all panting. Expressions of extreme shock could be seen on their faces.

They were also rejoicing at their luck in having not made a move earlier.

That was especially true of the ones who had almost stepped forward just now. They felt as if they had just evaded a huge disaster.

Their eyes were filled with unprecedented levels of fear as they looked at Naruto. It was a fear that made them feel even more grievous than they had in the Second Plane. That was because they had suddenly discovered that… they could be bullied here in the Third Plane too!

Hebi Chino's eyes were wide and she was panting with shock. As she stared at Naruto, she suddenly had the sensation that she was looking at a madman.

As the sensation appeared, it was coupled with fear. It was as if the Naruto that she remembered from the Second Plane had been perfectly extended down here into the Third Plane.

Liu Zichuan stood in the group, his expression one of excitement.

Inwardly, he shouted, "Take him out! Drop him dead!"

His face filled with grief and indignation, Naruto continued to mop up the three. The two Hebi Clan members other than Hebi Chino, hesitated. One of them was an older man who gritted his teeth and said, "Elder Brother Naruto… they were definitely in the wrong, but… considering it was their first offense…."

"Yeah," said one of the other Northern Reaches Cultivators. "Elder

Brother Naruto, if you keep beating them, they're going to die…."

It was just as the man said. The three offenders lay next to Naruto, soaked in blood, gasping as more breath came out than went in. Despite being Cultivators, they had just been literally beaten to the verge of death.

"Do you also wish to repay kindness with enmity?" asked Naruto, looking up at the Hebi Clan Cultivator who had spoken first.

That look caused the old Hebi Clan member to begin to tremble. He quickly backed up a few steps, then angrily cried, "These people went way too far! What I hate most in life is people who repay kindness with enmity!

Elder Brother Naruto, feel free to continue, just ignore me."

As for the other Northern Reaches Cultivator, the one who had spoken up second, he was now even more nervous. He began to fill with panic as he watched Naruto slowly look over toward him. Immediately, the man yelled, "Elder Brother Naruto! Get rid of the rascals and protect the good folk! I couldn't be more pleased. I truly wish I could be more like you, with such incredibly lofty sentiments!"

Off to the side, Liu Zichuan's heart filled with disdain. He still felt himself to be far more powerful than these other people.

The bashful look appeared on Naruto's face once more. His right foot was up in the air, just about to descend again. Down below, the Hebi Clan member, who was covering his head with his hands, suddenly felt as if his moment of good fortune had arrived.

"Fellow Daoist Naruto, listen, my… my acquisitions, you can have sixty percent!"

As soon as Naruto heard this, his foot stopped moving. Apparently convinced by the man's words, he bent over at the waist and shyly patted the man's shoulder.

"Brother, oh, good Brother," he said. "I really hate to say this but, you know, I have my principles. How about eighty percent? No? Well never mind…."

"Huh?" The Hebi Clan member's face was covered with both blood and a look of shock. He was just about to say something when one of the Northern Reaches Cultivators shouted out.

"Eighty percent! Elder Brother Naruto, eighty percent of my acquisitions are yours!"

Hearing this, Naruto instantly shoved the Hebi Clan member back to the ground and then helped the Northern Reaches Cultivator to his feet. His now looked even more bashful, and somewhat apologetic.

"I feel a bit guilty for such kindness, Brother," said Naruto. "Very well, since you trust me so much, then I truly wish you well. Please acquire many many things here in the Third Plane…."

The Northern Reaches cultivator wanted to cry, but had no tears to shed. He looked at Naruto and nodded vigorously.

The Hebi Clan member who had just been shoved back down suddenly yelled out: "Eighty percent! I'll give eighty percent, too!"

The other of the three also gritted his teeth and yelled out similarly.

Naruto looked visibly moved as he helped them all to their feet.

"Fellow Daoists, I am truly indebted to your kindness," he said with an emotional sigh. "I feel a bit guilty. However, since all of you insist, then, fine, fine, I accept." From the look in his eye, it seemed Naruto felt that good people truly did exist everywhere under Heaven.

The three Cultivators stood there unsteadily, looking at Naruto. Although inwardly they might be cursing him to the pinnacle, they did not dare to allow it to show on their faces. As of this moment, they were in complete dread of Naruto.

Everyone else had merely watched the proceedings, but these three had experienced it personally. Every blow from Naruto contained not the slightest ripple of a magical technique. All of it was completely from the power of his fleshly body.

He had used only the power of his fleshly body to put them in a position where they didn't even have a single chance to fight back. Even stranger, his fists and feet were actually capable of completely scattering their magical techniques.

Such a fearsome fleshly body was enough to cause anyone to feel hopelessness. The bashful look that they saw on Naruto's face right now would become the source of their most profound nightmares in the future.

The three had no choice but to clasp hands in respect to Naruto. Then, supported by the various members of their groups, hobbled their way back to their original position. Naruto glanced at Hebi Chino with a profound expression. A tremor ran through her, and she suddenly grew even more nervous. No one else would understand, but Hebi Chino was well aware that Naruto had just reminded her of her promise to take him to Hebi Mingfeng's corpse.

Everything was silent. Everyone stood there quietly, having completely lost interest in the restrictive spell off to the side. All of them looked nervously at Naruto.

As for Naruto, he looked at the restrictive spell for a while. Then he examined the house, and the well preserved corpse. All of a sudden, he realized that the corpse looked familiar.

He was silent for a moment as he looked at it. Then he recognized who it was, and his face grew a bit melancholy. This old man existed in Naruto's memory as a youth. Back in the Second Plane, he was one of Naruto's silkpants friends, a Demon Immortal Sect disciple with two wings on his back.

Naruto remembered that his name was Yi Xuanzi.

After a moment of silent thought, Naruto clasped hands and bowed deeply toward the corpse. "Fellow Daoist Yi Xuanxi," he said, "perhaps you don't recognize me, but in my memories, we are friends…. If your spirit is in the underworld, please open the restrictive spell. I would like to bury you so that you can rest in peace."

As of this moment, he wasn't thinking about any magical items. He spoke the truth. He wanted to bury his friend from the Second Plane, so that he could rest peacefully.

After a long moment, Naruto rose to his feet. He didn't check to see if the restrictive spell had changed in any way. Without a word, he turned to leave. However, it was in this moment that behind him, the restrictive spell suddenly began to glitter and shine. A riot of colors could be seen as a rift appeared, which opened up soundlessly!

It opened for Naruto!

A tremor ran through his body as he looked back.

Everyone watched on, eyes wide and minds filled with unprecedented shock and disbelief.

Vol. 4 : Chapter 609

Chapter 609 (Click to show)

Chapter 609: Three-eyed Concubine

"The restrictive spell… is actually opening on its own!"

"Could it be that Naruto was right about the spirit in the underworld?"

"If that's what's really happening, then wouldn't it mean that we could use the personal relationships we forged in the Second Plane to open other restrictive spells!?"

Everyone was shocked and almost couldn't believe what was happening.

This matter exceeded their imaginations, and in fact, their comprehension. The whole matter didn't seem complicated, and yet, if you analyzed it deeply, there was clearly some incredibly complex cycle of Karma at work.

After all, the Second Plane… was illusory!

And yet, things that had occurred in the Second Plane, and people met there, had apparently created a resonance with reality. It was bizarre to the extreme!

Even as everyone stood there in their fear and shock, Naruto looked back at the rift in the restrictive spell. After a moment of thought, a look of decisiveness appeared in his eyes. As everyone watched, panting, he strode forward toward the restrictive spell. His body almost flickered as he… entered inside of it.

The instant he entered, the rift twisted and then rapidly closed up. As for Naruto, he now stood there inside of the restrictive spell.

He was now fully separated from the outside world, and the onlookers.

Completely ignoring how shocked everyone was, he looked at Yi Xuanzi's corpse, then silently approached it. He stood there for a moment, then clasped hands and bowed deeply. Then he began to dig a hole next to the house.

He carefully placed Yi Xuanzi's corpse into the deep hole. As for the flute and the drum, he did not take them for himself, but instead, placed them in the pit next to the body.

"Yi Xuanzi, whether or not you recognize me, in my memories, we are friends…. I hope that you can rest in peace. If there is a reincarnation… I hope that we can meet again." He looked at the corpse in the deep hole, and his eyes filled with a look of reminiscence. He thought back to the Second Plane, his silkpants friends from the other mountain peaks, and how they had all been whipped together.

After a long moment, he let out a soft sigh. Just as he was about to begin filling the hole up with dirt, the violet-colored drum suddenly let out a thump. The sound was like that of a heartbeat, clear and distinct as it echoed around.

Naruto's brows furrowed in concentration. He watched as the violet drum, which was emanating a slight violet-colored glow, slowly floated up out of the hole to hover in front of him.

The drum was about the size of a head. The drum head itself was black, and the sides were violet. Just barely visible were countless faint magical symbols rising up from the drum head. Also visible on the the drum head was a totem.

The totem was that of a black toad with a vicious appearance. Its long tongue was sticking out of its mouth to wrap around a black dragon!

The black dragon was struggling, but apparently it was powerless to fight back against the toad.

It was obviously a totem, but when he looked at it, Naruto felt almost as if it were moving. On the other side of the drum head was another totem.

This totem was an enormous crocodile with vicious looking scales. Its appearance was ferocious to the extreme, and its mouth was open to emit a soundless roar….

This drum was extremely extraordinary!

Naruto was silent for a long moment before reaching out his hand.

The violet drum flickered a few times, then slowly landed onto his palm.

As soon as it touched him, he heard a buzzing sound in his mind. It was like the call of a toad, the shriek of a black dragon, and the coldness of the crocodile.

A moment passed, and then everything went back to normal. However, as everything faded away, Naruto realized that the method of how to use the drum now existed in his mind.

When everyone on the outside saw what was happening, their eyes went wide with astonishment. Although they were completely envious and jealous, they didn't allow it to show on their faces.

The fearsomeness Naruto had just displayed was now indelibly branded onto their minds. The impression he had left was something that was deeply imprinted within them, and could never be wiped away.

Naruto quietly put away the violet-colored drum. Then he looked at the corpse, and once more clasped hands and bowed.

"Many thanks for your help, Fellow Daoist," he said. "I will not allow anything unworthy to occur to this object." As he spoke, a warm wind seemed to blow through the area. Naruto's hair lifted up, and it almost seemed like a murmuring voice could be heard within the wind.

Finally, he buried the corpse. He piled together a small grave mound, then waved his hand, causing a wooden plank to fly over. He used his finger to carve the wood, instantly transforming it into a grave marker which he pushed down deeply into the grave mound.

Here lies Yi Xuanzi.

"Fellow Daoist, I wish you a safe journey," he said quietly. Then he turned and began to walk toward the restrictive spell. He did not disturb anything else in the area, nor did he search it. He had entered this place because of Yi Xuanzi, and because of the memories. He had no other purpose than to bury his friend.

As Naruto neared, the restrictive spell flickered and the rift appeared again. After he walked out, the rift disappeared again. Everyone looked at Naruto with odd expressions.

Deep in their hearts, they couldn't help but feel that Naruto was truly enigmatic.

Ignoring everyone else, Naruto continued to walk along. Suddenly, he stopped and looked back at Hebi Chino.

As soon as he looked at her, her heart trembled. Silently, she gritted her beautiful teeth, then turned to speak to the other Hebi Clan members in hushed tones. Then, to the shock of all them, her body flashed as she moved to join Naruto.

Naruto laughed as he flew up into the air. Hebi Chino followed, and in the blink of an eye, the two of them disappeared off in the distance. Everyone left behind exchanged speechless glances. The intense impression left upon them by Naruto was deep and profound.

Naruto flew in the lead position and Hebi Chino followed. After disappearing off into the distance, where no one would be watching them, Naruto looked back and gave Hebi Chino an enigmatic smile.

He still remembered the scene from the river of stars, before coming to the Primordial Demon Immortal Plane, when he had been stuck up against her body.

Seeing his smile caused Hebi Chino to feel goosebumps. She quickly began to explain. "Hebi Mingfeng's host body was a Conclave disciple from the First Peak. However, his body is not located at the First Peak, but rather, beneath the Third Peak."

"Lead the way," replied Naruto coolly. Actually, he didn't really care at all about Hebi Mingfeng's corpse. He was merely using this method to thoroughly bind Hebi Chino to him.

In this way, he was essentially inserting a mole into the Hebi Clan. If any mishaps occurred, Hebi Chino would not be able to escape unharmed. Because she was an actual member of the Clan, if she betrayed the Clan, the results would be even more miserable.

As for Hebi Chino, how could she not understand this? However, she had little room to maneuver. Originally, she took her actions in the Second Plane to be a temporary stopgap that she could adjust in the Third

Plane. But when she discovered how fearsomely powerful Naruto's Cultivation base was, she truly understood that… she had no way to fight back against him.

Therefore, since she couldn't fight back, there was no need to struggle.

They sped along together, Hebi Chino compliant, Naruto using his

Divine Sense to avoid anyone else. Soon, they neared the Third Peak.

Although Hebi Chino didn't detect what Naruto was doing, she did notice that they didn't run into anybody whatsoever. As such, she could only assume it had something to do with Naruto, which of course filled her with even more dread.

As for Naruto, his brow was furrowed. As they moved along, he had actually sensed a total of six or seven others. All were alone, and all of them seemed to be moving in the same direction; they were headed toward a place somewhere between the Third and Fourth Peaks.

Naruto thought back to what Tsukino had told him, about true spirit Night, and the pit between the Third and Fourth Peaks. That pit led to the entrance of the Fourth Plane.

His eyes glittered, and a cold smile appeared on his face.

"Considering that they aren't looking for any more good fortune in the Third Realm," he thought, "but are instead hurrying toward the Fourth Realm, it shows that they must have acquired quite a bit already.

"In that case, it's just about time for me to go make them live up to their agreement."

Up ahead, Hebi Chino stopped. "We're here," she said, looking back at Naruto. "This is the place. There are restrictive spells in place, so follow me."

Naruto suddenly lifted his right hand and flicked his finger. A red medicinal pill flew out at top speed to appear in front of Hebi Chino. Her face flickered.

There was still time for her to dodge out of the way, but when she saw the cold streak in Naruto's eyes, her heart seized. She did nothing to evade, instead allowing the medicinal pill to enter her mouth. As it dissolved, an acrid liquid spread out through her body.

"Let's go," said Naruto with a smile and a nod. He looked around at the ruins and the countless flickering restrictive spells.

Hebi Chino's face was extremely unsightly. She said nothing, but merely turned and proceeded forward. As she did, the curves of her body made a scene of soul-stirring beauty.

She proceeded on through a specific route for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Soon, a well appeared up ahead of Naruto.

Shockingly, two corpses could be seen together at the bottom of the well.

One was Hebi Mingfeng, the other was the host body.

A three-eyed crow was perched atop Hebi Mingfeng's body. In almost the same instant in which Naruto looked down at the crow, the crow turned to look at him.

Hebi Mingfeng also had two bags of holding. One was white, the other was black. Even as Naruto looked at the black bag of holding, Hebi Chino spoke up.

"The black bag of holding has Hebi Mingfeng's collection of Demon beasts.

As for that three-eyed crow, it long since gained sentience. When Hebi Mingfeng was only three years old, it flew in from the outside, and accompanied him ever since.

"You got lucky in killing Hebi Mingfeng. If we were in the outside world, even if you were of the Spirit Severing stage, it would still be very difficult. He… is actually the Nascent Soul stage Dao Child of the Hebi Clan.

"He even had a Patriarch's brand on him, although sadly, it's faded since he died."

Naruto's eyes glittered. Suddenly, the crow flew up into the air, transforming into a black beam of light that shot toward Naruto.

Before Naruto could react, an excited voice could be heard coming from the copper mirror inside his bag of holding.

"Bitches! Lord Fifth is awake, little bitches! Hey, I see a lovely threeeyed concubine here!"

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Janssen, and Harvey Zhou

Vol. 4 : Chapter 610

Chapter 610: Injured Lord Fifth

Apparently, the three-eyed crow knew the parrot….

Otherwise, it wouldn't have flown out it in such an overbearing fashion, only to, upon hearing the voice of the parrot, begin shaking, the feathers on its body standing on end. Apparently something had gotten it quite worked up. It let out a miserable shriek, then suddenly turned around in mid-air and then fled in the opposite direction.

At the same time, the parrot flew out from inside of Naruto's bag of holding. It seemed to be in high spirits, as arrogant as ever to once again be on the scene.

Its eyes glittered with an excited glow as it raised its head up and squawked a few times. Then it shot forward toward the three-eyed crow.

"Long time no see! What are you running away for? If you keep running, Lord Fifth is going to screw you!

"Beloved concubine, don't run away!" it continued excitedly, "Husband and wife for a day means mutual benefactors for endless days to come! Although we couldn't remain as husband and wife for a long time back then, that doesn't mean you need to flee! Every time I think of you, I can't help but wallow in my memories!"

The parrot seemed to be on the verge of overtaking the crow. Suddenly, though, tears appeared in the crow's eyes. It seemed ready to die rather than be violated. In this instant, it used some unknown magical technique to cause all of its black feathers to suddenly fall off of its body….

In the blink of an eye, there was no longer a black crow in front of Lord Fifth and Naruto. Instead, it was a… flesh-colored, completely bald bird.

The sight of the completely featherless bird was appalling and almost too horrible to look at.

However, the miserable shriek which rang through the air next did not come from the three-eyed crow, but rather the parrot. The bloodcurdling scream seemed to emanate from a deep, deep pain. The parrot stopped in mid air, staring at the feathers that were fluttering down to the ground, and then let out another miserable cry.

"Wh-wh-wh… why did you do that!?" The parrot didn't seem to be able to accept it. One breath of time before, the crow had been its true love, completely in line with his sense of beauty. The next breath, everything was turned completely around in a completely upsetting fashion.

Its entire body was shaking, even its nerves. What had happened just now was something too intensely upsetting.

Taking advantage of the parrot's sudden loss of spirit, the three-eyed crow used some other method to disappear into mid-air. It vanished without a trace.

The parrot seemed on the verge of going insane. It raised its head up to the sky and let out a roar.

"DAMNATION! Lord Fifth will not let you off the hook!"

Naruto suddenly felt a bit of sympathy for the parrot, especially considering how it had just changed its use of bad words. Clearly, the parrot was not just a little bit upset at the moment.

A face suddenly appeared on the bell attached to the parrot's foot. The meat jelly's voice could be heard, filled with a bit of a wicked tone. "Happy? According to Lord Third, that crow is actually quite honest and sincere. For example, what if it had used that move just now when you were in the middle of screwing it? What would you do then?"

Upon hearing this, Naruto could only stare blankly. The parrot trembled a few more times before a look of intense alarm appeared on its face.

Naruto had long since gotten used to the antics of the meat jelly and parrot. He had also put some thought into the matter of why the two of them hadn't made an appearance in the First or Second Planes. He had assumed that there was something special about the Demon Immortal Sect that made it impossible for them to reveal themselves.

Based on the voice of the parrot just now, it seemed to Naruto that it had just woken up. However, even after trying, he couldn't cause the mastiff to appear. Then he thought back to what Patriarch Harishama had said before, and realized that the origin of the meat jelly and the parrot really was unfathomable.

As for Hebi Chino, this was her first time seeing the parrot. Her eyes were wide, especially after she heard what the meat jelly said. Although she had always been a brazen person, she was still a young woman, and couldn't help but flush a bit and make a reprimanding "pei" sound.

Yet, she continued to look down on Lord Fifth….

The instant she made the "pei" sound, the parrot turned its head to stare at Hebi Chino. A deadly gleam appeared in its eyes, as if it desired to vent its frustration and pain on her.

Panting, it looked her over.

"No fur or feathers! Dammit! Absolutely no fur or feathers! Dear Heavens, why do you punish me this way!" The parrot howled and then clenched its jaw. Even the mere thought of the crow shedding its feathers caused it to feel profound pain.

Although Hebi Chino didn't have the fur or feathers that the parrot liked, as far as she was concerned, the damnable things gaze was far too penetrating.

Naruto ignored the parrot. His right hand made a grasping motion, causing Hebi Mingfeng's two bags of holding to fly up out from within the well and into his hands. He glanced them over, opting not to open then at the moment. Instead, he put them away.

Then, eyes glittering, he snatched the wailing parrot and ignoring whether it wanted to or not, shoved it back into his bag of holding. Then he looked at Hebi Chino.

"It's time for me to go collect some treasures," he said. "If you have nothing else to do, you can come with me. My destination just so happens to be the entrance to the Fourth Plane."

Hebi Chino hesitated for a moment, then nodded. She didn't seem to be surprised at all to hear about the Fourth Plane, as if she had known about it all along.

As he gazed at her, Naruto thought about the resources of her Clan, and how information about the Fourth Plane wouldn't be hard to come by. The two of them left, Naruto taking the lead as they shot toward the pit, which lay between the Third and Fourth Peaks. It wasn't very far away. About two hours later, they arrived.

There were quite a few people already gathered together. There were a handful from the Hebi Clan, one of whom was Hebi Mingkong, who looked at Naruto with a strange glow in his eyes. Li Shiqi and Han Bei sat crosslegged not too far off, as did Wang Lihai. As soon as Naruto neared, their expressions flickered.

Naruto was all smiles as he waved to everyone in greeting.

"Hahaha! What a small world, huh! We meet again, Fellow Daoists. So, tell me, how did things go for you in the Third Plane? What did you acquire?" Behind him, Hebi Chino's cheek twitched a little as she realized that Naruto… was about to con some more people.

"Naruto offers his most sincere well wishes to all of you Fellow

Daoists," he continued. "I hope that you can really profit well in the Third

Plane. That way, I can also bask a bit in your glory, right? Thank you, Fellow Daoists. You are all truly good people." Naruto seemed a bit emotional and even somewhat embarrassed. A bashful expression appeared as he looked over the increasingly grim-faced crowd, then clasped hands and bowed.

As for the group from the Southern Domain, their eyes flickered. That was especially true of Han Bei. When she saw Naruto's smile, a tremor ran through her body and she quickly lowered her head.

She knew all too well what Naruto's smile meant. It must be stated that it was quite well known in the Southern Domain that Naruto had conned many people with that bashful grin….

Although Wang Lihai had never seen Naruto's bashful side, he had heard of his conman's personality. When he saw the smile, and Han Bei's reaction, he instantly went on guard.

Li Shiqi put on a forced smile. She looked at Naruto but didn't say anything.

Song Hebi a was also there. She looked at Naruto with a complex expression. It didn't matter how Naruto smiled, to her, it was all the same.

As for the Dao Child from the Li Clan, Li Tiandao, he was the only

Southern Domain Cultivator who didn't notice anything special about Naruto's smile. He frowned, and killing intent suddenly sprang up in his eyes.

In contrast, the members of the Hebi Clan seemed to have received news about what happened earlier. Although all of them wore completely ordinary expressions, deep in their eyes, vigilance could be seen.

Naruto looked around at everyone, then suddenly seemed a bit discouraged. He was just thinking that it seemed his extortion attempt had failed when he noticed the look in the eye of the Li Clan Dao Child, Li Tiandao. Suddenly, he seemed a bit livened.

"Fellow Daoist," he said, "I don't think I recognize you." He quickly walked toward Li Tiandao, a smile on his face. "Tell me, did you acquire much in the Third Plane? Come, come, open your bag of holding so that Brother can select his share."

"Screw off!" said Li Tiandao coldly.

A moment ago, Naruto had worn a sincere smile and a bashful expression. A moment later, his face completely changed. The instant Li Tiandao spoke, a ruthless expression appeared on Naruto's face. His right palm instantly shot out toward Li Tiandao.

A cold light of derision flickered in Li Tiandao's eyes. His Cultivation base was extraordinary. If you looked at the Southern Domain as a whole, it didn't matter if you were talking about members of his current generation, or even Li Daoyi who had already passed away, Li Tiandao's Cultivation base was extraordinary. He gave a cold snort and then made a grasping motion with his right hand. Instantly, a blade of white light appeared in his hand.

However, before he could even unleash the power of the blade, Naruto's palm, moving with indescribable speed, slapped onto his face, letting out a huge bang.

One slap sent Li Tiandao completely senseless. He was furious, and wanted to struggle back. However, his fate was the same as the Cultivator earlier from the Northern Reaches. Naruto directly slammed him down onto the ground.

Punches and kicks rained down onto him, the sound of which echoed out in every direction. Li Tiandao let out miserable shrieks. He tried to fight back, and even tried to wield his blade against Naruto. However, all it took was a slap from Naruto to cause the Heavenly blade to shatter into pieces.

The sudden violence caused the eyes of all the spectators to grow wide.

"You actually dare to cuss at me!" cried Naruto, emphasizing his words with kicks. "I was sincerely wishing you well, and you respond with curses!? Ridiculous!" His expression grew more vicious and intense, causing all the onlookers to grow increasingly shaky with fear.

Li Tiandao was livid, but gradually, that lividity was replaced by terror. Soon, it turned into despair. Blood spouted from his mouth as the shadow of death loomed over him.

Finally, Han Bei blinked, cleared her throat and offered up a quick reminder. That finally provoked a reaction from Li Tiandao who, despite feeling wronged to the extreme, shouted out that he would pay a higher price.

After the matter was resolved, Naruto once again smiled sincerely and then took two of the total of three magical items that Li Tiandao had acquired.

Furthermore… those two items were the very best of all of them. Even as Li Tiandao felt pain in his heart, Naruto clasped his shoulder, then sighed and bashfully expressed his deep thanks.

After that, Naruto looked around at everyone else. Considering what had just happened to Li Tiandao, everyone else had no choice but to suppress their curses inwardly, open their bags of holding and produce the items that they had acquired. With their oaths in place, there was no way to go back on their words, and no way to hide things in violation of the agreement.

Despite their pain, they could only watch on in fear as Naruto carefully selected one incredible magic item after another.

"Wow, this looks amazing!

"Eee? It's actually a scale shield! Excellent, excellent!

"This flower vase is incredible! With one glance you can tell it's a precious treasure!

"Ooh, look at this clay figure! It's missing an arm and a head, but I'll just have to suck it up and take it. Yep."

Naruto circled around, making acquisitions that would cause anyone to be shocked. Every person from whom he took treasures had faces filled with unsightly looks. If it weren't for the fact that none of them felt capable of taking him on, they would surely attempt to attack him. The hatred they felt rose up to the Heavens, and their hearts dripped with blood.

To them, Naruto wasn't just taking away magical items, but their most prized possessions….

Eventually he came to stand in front of Song Hebi a. He looked at the jade pendant she held out, as well as the complicated, cold look in her eyes. He stood there thoughtfully for a moment, then took out one of the magical items he had acquired and put it in her hand.

Song Hebi a frowned, and was about to say something when, all of a sudden, three prismatic beams of light whistled through the air toward them from off in the distance. The person in the lead position was none other than Fang Yu. Behind her were the two other men from the Fang Clan.

The two men wore excited expressions; clearly, whatever objects they had just acquired left them very happy.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Suadicani, James Krejci, Sebaki, and Andy L.

Vol. 4 : Chapter 611

Chapter 611: Fellow Daoists, Allow Me to Say Something

Naruto's eyes gleamed and he turned. With a smile, he clasped hands and bowed to the three incoming members of the Fang Clan. "Well, if it isn't the three Fellow Daoists from the Fang Clan. It seems these two Brothers can't quite cover up the joy in their faces. They definitely must have acquired quite a bit in the Third Plane…."

Fang Yu's face was a bit unsightly as she stared angrily at Naruto. The way he looked right now caused her fury to flare up.

"No, we didn't!" she said, glaring at him.

"Oh, that's not good," replied Naruto with a wink.

"It doesn't even count as not good!" said Fang Yu, clenching her teeth, an uncompromising expression appearing on her face. "Look at you, you acquired all kinds of things, but big sis put everything on the line and only got two items! You still want to take advantage of me?"

"Okay, how about this…." said Naruto, looking a bit embarrassed.

However, before he could finish speaking, one of the two men from the Fang Clan who stood behind Fang Yu suddenly let out a cold laugh.

"We try to give you face, but you insist on acting shamelessly, huh? You think this is still the Second Plane? Screw off posthaste, you little bastard! Otherwise, you won't be leaving the Third Plane alive!"

The other Fang Clan member stepped forward, an expression of scorn and disdain on his face as he said, "You really don't know your own limitations. Don't you know that even the Hebi Clan would think twice before trying to steal away the things acquired here by the Fang Clan? As for you… well, take out half of everything on your person and hand it over. Otherwise…."

As the two men spoke, Naruto's gaze came to be fixed upon them.

However, before he could even get angry, Fang Yu's face filled with fury. She spun to face the two fellow Clan members.

"You want him to screw off?" she said. Clenching her teeth, she vanished, to reappear directly next to one of the Fang Clan members. Suddenly, her fist descended.

Before the Fang Clan member could even say anything, a boom could be heard, and he tumbled backward, blood spraying from his mouth as he looked at Fang Yu in astonishment.

"Fang Yu, what are you doing!?"

"Shameless you say!?" she cried, fires of rage burning in her eyes. As of this moment, she truly looked like an explosive dragon. Her body flickered as she neared the man again. He was shaking, and was about to fight back when another boom echoed out and he was sent flying.

"You dare to threaten him!? You say he won't leave the Third Plane alive?! Well then… I'll make sure YOU don't leave the Third Plane alive!" Killing intent flickered in Fang Yu's eyes. Before the Fang Clan member even landed on the ground, she once again vanished to reappear directly next to him. Her fist smashed out again. This was no perfunctory blow, but rather, contained all of her explosive power.

A boom could be heard that rattled Heaven and Earth. Everyone watched on in shock as the blood sprayed from the mouth of the Fang Clan member, and then his entire body exploded into bloody pieces. His Nascent Soul emerged, fleeing and screaming at the same time.

"Fang Yu, you dare to slaughter a fellow Clan member!? You're dead!

You actually dare to kill me over an outsider!?"

"So what if I kill you?" said Fang Yu with a cold snort. She performed an incantation gesture, then waved her right hand. Instantly, an enormous square cauldron magically appeared. It instantly shot toward the fleeing Nascent Soul of the Fang Clan Cultivator. When they slammed together, a miserable shriek could be heard, and the Nascent Soul shattered.

At the same time, the man's bag of holding flew out to be snatched by Fang Yu. She quickly erased the brand mark on it, and then tossed it over to Naruto.

The scene which had just played out in front of everyone left them completely shaken. That was especially true of the Hebi Clan, whose eyes were wide and filled with disbelief. Killing a fellow Clan member was a high crime in any Clan!

They truly couldn't understand why Fang Yu would respond so viciously to the handful of words that had just been spoken.

Fang Yu turned and looked at the other Fang Clan member.

The man trembled and took a few steps back. His heart pounded with nervousness and vigilance as he quickly said, "Elder Sister Fang Yu, this was all just a misunderstanding. I…."

"You said he doesn't know his own limitations?" she said, her eyes flickering with killing intent. The Fang Clan Cultivator's scalp was numb as he fell back nervously. Before he could get more than a few steps, Fang Yu was upon him, and her fist descended.

A boom could be heard; blood sprayed from the man's mouth as he fell back.

"Elder Sister Fang Yu, I was in the wrong. Really, it was my mistake!"

"Didn't you tell him to take out half of his belongings and hand them over?" she said coldly. She performed an incantation with her right hand, causing the illusory square cauldron to fly toward the man. Under the incredible pressure, the Fang Clan Cultivator's face fell. Even as he shot backward, he pulled out his bag of holding and threw it to Naruto.

"Elder Brother Naruto, allow me to atone for my crime. Junior Brother admits his mistake!"

Naruto grabbed the bag of holding with a frown. It was impossible to tell exactly what he was thinking.

"You're clever," said Fang Yu. "Therefore, you can avoid the death penalty. But that doesn't mean you're… exempt from punishment!" She glared at the Fang Clan Cultivator as the square cauldron descended. A boom could be heard as blood poured from the man's mouth. He staggered backward, his face pale. Although he didn't fear for his life now, he was still scared witless. He immediately clasped hands and bowed to Fang Yu.

Naruto gathered up the two bags of holding, then looked over at Fang Yu. She looked back at him.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"None of your concern," replied Fang Yu. With a frown, she gritted her teeth and continued, "In any case, my things are mine, and I'm not going to give them to you. There's no use in even thinking about it. It's not gonna happen!"

Naruto looked at her deeply for a moment, but didn't speak again about the matter. Everyone around were lost in various thoughts, and didn't speak.

It was in this moment that the deep pit they stood next to suddenly emitted a shocking rumbling sound. It almost sounded as if something deep inside was roaring. The ground shook, and the countless vine-like objects that surrounded the area began to twitch and writhe in bizarre fashion.

The vines grew thicker and longer as they surrounded the area, looking almost like snakes. The Demonic Qi from the surrounding area surged in toward the pit, transforming into an enormous pillar of light that towered up into the sky.

As of this moment, the enormous pillar of light was visible from any position within the First Heaven of the Demon Immortal Sect. It was like a summons that echoed out in the hearts and minds of all the South Heaven Cultivators.

A message resounded out to everyone. It clearly told them… that the way to the Fourth Plane was now open!

The possibility now existed to enter the Fourth Plane!

Naruto's mind trembled, and the Cultivators around him began to pant. Their eyes flickered, and yet, no one wanted to be the first one to make an attempt. Everyone stood watching, not willing to act rashly.

Time passed, and more people began to arrive, attracted by the column of light. Of course, not a one could evade Naruto's extortion. Eventually Xu Qing arrived, which meant that the area was now filled with the majority of the Cultivators who were here in the Third Plane.

Their gazes flickered as they looked thoughtfully around at each other.

The first person to make a move was an unimposing, emaciated old man from the Southern Domain. He flew out to stand on one of the vines. After grasping ahold of it, he looked back at the crowd of onlookers and then smiled. Then he produced a magical item, a fan, which he pushed up against the surface of the vine.

Instantly, a green glow surrounded the fan, and it began to disintegrate. It transformed into dots of scintillating light, which then were absorbed into the vine. At the same time, the vine began to grow longer. It extended down into the pit, taking the old man with it.

Fang Yu looked over at Naruto and then spoke, her words directed not just at him, but at everyone around. "According to the Fang Clan's understanding, one needs magical items to be able to enter the Fourth Plane. Magical items from the outside world aren't quite as effective as items acquired in the Demon Immortal Sect. Offer them as sacrifices to the Demon vines, and, depending on their value, the vines will extend down.

"If you leave the vine and try to descend on your own, you will die without a doubt!"

With that, Fang Yu's body flashed, and she neared a vine. In much the same way as the old man moments before, she produced a magical item which she pushed up against the vine. The vine began to grow, extending down into the pit.

One by one, more people began to fly forward. The Hebi Clan members, the Northern Reaches Cultivators, the group from the Southern Domain. One after another, they stepped onto the vines, produced treasures, and then sank down into the pit. As all of this happened, Naruto cleared his throat. Looking embarrassed and a bit bashful, he began to speak.

"Fellow Daoists, allow me to say something. Considering that you need to offer continual sacrifices to the vines, I must say that I actually have quite a few magical items. However, if I loan them out, if you take one, you'll have to repay me with two. I'm honest with all customers. It's a reasonable price.

"Now, who's to say what incredible acquisitions you will make in the Fourth Plane?" he continued. "Therefore, before going in, you should really think about this. Buy one, repay with two is definitely reasonable!" As soon as the others heard him, grim expressions could be seen on their faces.

"Buy one, repay with two is reasonable?"

"I've never seen extortion of this level!"

"What a joke! Even if I have to give up half-way to the Fourth Plane, I swear I will never again get entangled with this black-hearted Naruto!" Glaring hatefully at Naruto, they completely ignored his offer and quickly grabbed onto the vines and then sank down into the pit.

Xu Qing stood next to Naruto, covering her smile with a hand. She remembered all of the things Naruto had done back in the Reliance Sect, and as she looked at him now, her smile only grew sweeter.

"They're going to be sorry," said Naruto, clearing his throat a few times. "I really did have good intentions just now." He looked blinking at Xu Qing, and her smile grew wider. Shaking her head, she flew over to grab a vine, then sank down into the pit.

Naruto wasn't the last person on the outside. Some of the people chose not to attempt to enter the Fourth Plane. Some decided to just give up where they were.

Seeing that no one else was going to enter the pit, Naruto walked around the edge of it, eventually decided on a position somewhat in the center. He reached out to grab a vine, then produced a magical item which he slowly pushed onto its surface. As it absorbed the item, the vine began to grow, taking him down at high speed into the pitch black of the pit.

As soon as he entered the pit, Naruto could sense coldness coming from all around him. At the same time, he saw that it was not completely pitch black. Glittering dots of glowing light could be seen in the walls, making everything in the area visible.

Around Naruto could be seen dozens of vines sinking downward, upon each one was a South Heaven Cultivator.

Far down below was completely pitch black, and it was impossible to see. Occasionally, a roaring sound could be heard, shooting up from down below like a wild wind. When that happened, everyone held tightly to their vines to stabilize their shaking bodies.

Vol. 4 : Chapter 612

Chapter 612: The Gentleman Loves Money

A wind blew, as cold as the underworld. As it passed by, everyone's hearts grew as cold as if they were stuck in the middle of winter. Even more shocking was that the frigid wind made the Cultivators almost like mortals. Everyone began to tremble as they clung to their vines.

Their breath turned into ice, which then cracked and shattered, causing everyone to feel extremely astonished.

Were it not for the vines, and the warmth which pulsed out from within them into the bodies of everyone present, then they wouldn't be able to proceed downward for very long, not even if they had higher Cultivation bases.

Naruto's eyes flickered as he clutched the vine. He had long since come to the conclusion that these vines were a critical element in being able to reach the Fourth Plane. Many others had come to the same conclusion.

Although not everyone had chosen to attempt to enter the Fourth Plane, everyone who had come to the Primordial Demon Immortal Plane were outstanding figures from the lands of South Heaven. As for those who did chose to enter the Fourth Plane, they definitely wouldn't just give up halfway.

As they produced more and more treasures to sacrifice to the vines, the vines twisted and writhed, extending downward at high speed.

Time passed by slowly. Naruto was the last in line. As he descended he glanced around to inspect the area. As far as he could tell, the pit seemed bottomless. It was impossible to tell how far they had gone down, and yet they still couldn't see any end in sight. The frigid wind grew more intense, seemingly increasing the number of treasures required by the vines.

Not too far off from Naruto was Li Tiandao. His face was gradually filling with apprehension. Although he had come prepared with a good supply of magical items, he was finding it difficult to keep up with how much needed to be sacrificed. By this point, it didn't seem to matter the quality of the magical items being sacrificed. Almost anything would do.

Even still, the miscellaneous collection of magical items in Li Tiandao's bag of holding were not very plentiful. If things kept going with no bottom in sight, then he would soon have to begin sacrificing important magical items.

To him, it was something impossible to accept. He frowned and gritted his teeth, a look of determination gleaming in his eyes. He suddenly stopped, apparently preparing himself to start climbing back up. It seemed he planned to give up on his attempt to enter the Fourth Plane.

However, almost as soon as he began to climb up, before he had even gone more than a meter or so, his face flickered. The frigid wind around him suddenly grew ten times as powerful. His hair and his eyebrows became snow-white in the blink of an eye. Ice crystals even formed on his skin; clearly he was on the verge of being transformed into an ice statue.

The intense sense of grave crisis he felt caused Li Tiandao to immediately pull out one of his important magical treasures. It was a glowing blue sword that somewhat resembled a saber. A single glance was enough to tell that this was anything but an ordinary treasure.

Forcing down the pain he felt, Li Tiandao placed the sword onto the vine, whereupon it sank down inside. The coldness around Li Tiandao vanished and his body slowly returned to normal. However, his expression was one of astonishment.

"We're only allowed to go down, not up?" he grumbled inwardly. "Or is it that going back up requires an even higher price?" Everyone around was aware of the strange event which had just occurred, and were shocked. They all began to think various thoughts.

It was at this point that Li Tiandao saw that his own vine was no longer moving down but retracting back upward.

This provoked a reaction from the others.

"That can't be right. It's not that you can't go up. Once you enter this place, even if you want to quit, you still have to sacrifice treasures!"

"That must be the situation. It seems getting into the Fourth Plane isn't so easy after all…."

Naruto had the best view of the situation. His eyes flickered thoughtfully, and he rubbed his bag of holding. Suddenly, a bashful smile appeared on his face. He said nothing, but simply allowed his vine to slowly continue on downward.

Li Tiandao hesitated thoughtfully for a moment. Right now, he had two options to pick from. Go up, or go down. Either way, he would have to spend all of his magical items.

After a moment of hesitation, Li Tiandao clenched his jaw.

"Since I have to waste the magical items, I might as well risk it all," he thought. "If I don't, then everything I already spent will have been a complete waste. However, if I succeed, I can make up for everything with gains in the Fourth Plane!"

Many of the other Cultivators were thinking the same thing as Li

Tiandao. They clenched their jaws, eyes shining with determination. To them it was a gamble; however, if they gave up now, then they would definitely end up with nothing. By holding on for a bit longer, they would at least have a chance… to make up for what they had already spent.

Since that was the case, there was no reason not to gamble!

Time passed. A day later, the group was deep into the pit. However, they still couldn't see the bottom. It really seemed as if there was no end at all. By this point, quite a few of their number had already used up their supply of random magical items. If they wanted to continue, then they would either have to use up the magical items they had discovered in the Demon Immortal Sect, or draw on their own store of important personal magical items.

The dilemma they faced caused the faces of quite a few of the Cultivators to look extremely unsightly. Before stepping foot into this place, all of them had believed themselves to be extremely well equipped with magical items. Now, though, they realized that they simply didn't have enough.

Compared to them, Naruto really did have it very easy. He had vast amounts of magical items in his bag of holding. He casually produced treasures to sacrifice to the vines. Not only did they continue to move downward, Naruto actually caused his vine to change course occasionally to hand over magical items to Xu Qing.

This caused the eyes of everyone else present to burn with anger and extreme jealousy.

"Ai, I just have too many treasures," said Naruto with a sigh. The sound of his voice echoed around, causing everyone's gums to itch with hatred.

"Fellow Daoists," he then announced, "if any of you are running low on treasures, all you have to do is speak up. We're all in this together, through thick and thin. No matter what happens, I won't ignore your plight while I am in a good position.

"If you need to borrow some magical items, I'll lend them to you without hesitation!

"Don't worry, my prices are reasonable, and I'm honest with all customers. Buy one, pay back three!" His voice echoed about loudly within in the pit. Everyone could hear, even the old man in the lead position. Their faces immediately twisted.

Fang Yu looked back with glaring eyes, and yet a smile could be seen on her face.

As for the Hebi Clan members, their faces were unsightly. If they had such reactions, then there was no need to mention everyone else. When the crowds heard Naruto, their hearts filled with both hatred and helplessness.

"You crafty, shameless villain!" someone said. "Even if our magical items run even lower than now, there's no way we'll ask for your help!"

"That's right!" said someone else. "Outside, it was buy one pay back two, now it's buy one pay back three?! Raising prices like that is despicable to the extreme!"

"I'll die before asking for your help!"

Naruto heard the furious reactions, and simply sighed. "You're all wrong," he said. "Each and every one of these magical items represents an important memory to me. I'm offering to lend you, not my magical items, but rather, the true love of my life." He let out another emotional sigh.

"In all honesty," he continued, "my intentions truly are good. Look at these magical items of mine! Their glow is so resplendent and entrancing! These are high quality products!

"Think about it, all of you. With some of my magical items, you can get into the Fourth Plane without a hitch! Once you're there, you can acquire things so valuable that you can pay back what you owe me in the blink of an eye.

"It's completely worth it!

"Brothers and Sisters, you have to look at things objectively. The price you will be paying now is nothing. The most important thing is to look at what you have to gain! Without paying a price, how can you gain anything, am I right?" Naruto was using all his skills to try to persuade everyone. These, of course, were the same skills he had used in his shop back in the Reliance Sect. However, those who heard only continued to get more angry.

Xu Qing was off to the side, covering her smile with a hand. The gaze with which she looked at Naruto continued to grow warmer and warmer.

"Fellow Daoists, how can this tiny price possibly compare to the chance to step into the Fourth Plane?" Naruto's final sentence was full of meaning. His words echoed about, filled with an air of good faith. Many of the various Cultivators were actually moved inwardly, and they suddenly felt conflicted.

Li Tiandao gritted his teeth. He currently only had four magical items left, and to sacrifice any of them would cause him incredible pain. His expression filled with determination and he said, "I'll take three!"

Hearing this, Naruto's expression shook visibly. He immediately pulled out a magical item and placed onto the surface of his own vine, causing it to change directions and head toward Li Tiandao.

"Elder Brother Li, you are truly experienced and knowledgeable, talented and bold. Alright, listen. This is my first transaction of the day, so I'll give you a bit of a discount. I'll give you these three magical items, and you only need to pay me back with eight.

"These three magical items have a value of 30,000 Spirit Stones. In that case, you need to pay me back 80,000 Spirit Stones." With that, he produced three ordinary-looking random magical items, as well as a promissory note. Then he used the same method he had used in the Second Plane, the Dao oath.

Li Tiandao gritted his teeth. After completing the formalities, he took the three treasures and then pressed one onto the surface of the vine. Instantly, it descended downward at rapid speed, alleviating his anxiety for the moment.

"Did you see that, everyone?" said Naruto, setting his head nobly. "Naruto is a gentleman. The gentleman loves money, and earns it righteously. I'm not forcing anybody, and am even willing to sell things on credit! That's right! You don't need to pay me back now. A simple promissory note can solve all your problems.

"You can simply pay me back after we leave this place. What a great deal!"

Everyone around couldn't help but think that Naruto truly had reached the pinnacle of shamelessness. More time passed, over half a day. There was still no bottom in sight. By this time, Li Tiandao owed Naruto more than 400,000. It was at that point that… Wang Lihai couldn't hold back from calling out.

"Give me ten!"

"I'll take ten too!" said Li Shiqi, gritting her beautiful teeth.

"Ten for me too!" said Han Bei with a sigh.

Naruto immediately looked quite enlivened. He adroitly produced the magical items and promissory note, watched as the three swore their Dao oath, then smilingly handed over the magical items.

"When you purchase from me, you can rest your heart at ease. The quality of all products is guaranteed, and I deliver everything directly to you!"

The three collected up the magical items they had purchased and then completely ignored Naruto. They began to feed the items into the vines and descend down further.

Another day passed. Soon more people began to run out of treasures.

Either that, or they weren't willing to sacrifice the treasures they still possessed. No matter how much they hated Naruto, they had no choice but to call out to him.

"Buy one, pay back five! Fellow Daoists, I'm starting to run low on magical items, so I have no choice but to raise the price…. Furthermore, I have to announce that when I am down to only ten magical items, then I will have no other choice than to begin an unprecedented, never before seen in history, never again to be repeated… auction!" Although Naruto sighed, his eyes actually shone with a brilliant light.

As soon as the words left his mouth, it gave rise to furious complaints. Despite the anger, people gritted their teeth and spent the price of one to five to acquire large amounts of magical items.

"What a profit!" thought Naruto. "Hahaha! I never thought that the ancient Demon Immortal Sect would turn out to be my Blessed Land!" He hung onto his vine, clutching a thick stack of promissory notes. When he looked at the numbers written on them, his eyes glowed brightly. His addiction to making money existed deep in his bones, and had not been reduced in the slightest, regardless of his advances in Cultivation base. "I'm rich!"

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Chirag Patel, ExtremeGTP, Jerrell

Tisnado, and Hikaritenjou

Vol. 4 : Chapter 613

Chapter 613: Fourth Plane!

"Hopefully this pit goes even deeper," thought Naruto, his eyes shining. "The best would be if we keep going for about nine or ten days." His bag of holding didn't have much else in it other than the vast, random assortment of magical items.

Many of them were things completely useless as far as Naruto was concerned. There were even treasures he had acquired when he was in the Qi Condensation stage, but hadn't discarded even down to this day. He had kept them because… he just couldn't bear to part with them.

Back in those days, when he was young, he had been completely impoverished, unwilling to even part with a single Spirit Stone. These magical items were each worth dozens of Spirit Stones, so how could he possibly have simply discarded them?

He had always been searching for a way to dispose of them. However, the Black Lands and the Western Desert were both poor and barren places. Therefore, such items had accumulated there within his bag of holding.

If an outsider could glimpse the inside of his bag of holding, they would be completely shocked. The inside was completely chaotic, filled with anything and everything. After all… these were all of Naruto's belongings. Every time he ran out of Spirit Stones, he could still look inside the bag of holding and feel a little bit of contentment.

The opportunity he had now was something completely rare, and had him thoroughly excited. One Cultivator after another gritted their teeth and then called out to purchase magical items, and Naruto rushed to peddle them.

Naruto wasn't worried that they would refuse to acknowledge their promissory notes. These people were all Dao Children and Chosen of great Clans and Sects. They didn't lack Spirit Stones, plus, there was a Dao oath in place. They wouldn't dare to not pay him back.

Next to Naruto was one of the Northern Reaches Cultivators. His eyes were bright red as he glared at Naruto, clutching a small, glittering sword in his hand. His voice filled with madness, he cried, "Dammit! Naruto! This is a Qi Condensation magical item! You, you, you… you actually charged me 10,000 Spirit Stones for this! I wouldn't pay ten Spirit Stones for this thing! You're such a swindler!"

"Yeah, look at this! This is a magical item for a Foundation

Establishment Cultivator. You charged me 20,000 Spirit Stones, and I have to pay back 100,000!"

"Look at this fan! What the hell! It's broken! It might be a Core Formation magical item, but… you charged me 50,000 for this piece of crap!? Why don't you just outright rob me!"

In response to the ire of the crowd, Naruto blinked.

"These things might be trash to you people," he said coldly, "but I worked hard to collect them! I often went without food and water just to collect together these possessions!

"If you don't want them, then you can return them. Then, you'll go onto my list of unwelcome customers!"

The others were fuming with anger, but they could only gnash their teeth and eventually let out long sighs. Then they angrily shoved the magical items onto the surface of the vines, causing them to sink down further.

Eventually, even the Hebi Clan members began to call out to Naruto. Soon, there were few within the crowd that didn't owe Naruto huge amounts of Spirit Stones. As everyone proceeded on, they looked at Naruto with eyes that desired to cry but contained no tears.

They proceeded on impatiently for another day. Eventually, far down below, they caught sight of a glow of light. Finally, they glimpsed the bottom of the pit.

In that instant, those who owed Naruto vast quantities of Spirit Stones began to weep with excitement. Naruto was the only one who let out sighs of regret.

"How can this pit be so shallow?" he mused with a frown. "If only it were a bit deeper. I never got to start my auction." He watched as everyone around him excitedly followed along with the vines as they continued on toward the bottom. It didn't take very long for them to reach the end of the pit.

The bottom of the pit was actually far larger than anyone could have imagined. It seemed that the pit was actually a tunnel, beyond which was an enormous world!

The world seemed to have no end. Even Divine Sense was incapable of finding any borders to it. After everyone reached the bottom and stood there, their minds trembled.

Naruto's pupils constricted, and he began to pant. Next to him, Xu Qing arrived, and her mind reeled.

Nobody spoke. Complete silence reigned. Everyone was completely and thoroughly astonished by what they saw.

A continent stretched out in all directions, sleek and smooth. Its surface was like that of a mirror, which was the source of the light that everyone had seen earlier.

If the continent could be described as a mirror, then the group from

South Heaven could be described as standing outside of that mirror. Furthermore, when they looked at the mirror, what they saw was not their own reflection, but rather… an ancient battlefield!

Shockingly, an ancient world existed inside of the mirror. It was impossible to say whether or not it was an ancient world that existed before the time period of the Second Plane, or after. In any case, the group was now staring at boundless, majestic battlefield.

Countless Cultivators could be seen on the battlefield, all engaged in mutual slaughter. Heaven and Earth were filled with riotous colors, and booming echoed out through the sky. Cracks spread out through the land, and the fearsome glow of magical shields covered everything.

In the sky were innumerable war chariots flying about, as well as armored Cultivators who fought each other feverishly. Off in the distance, several gigantic dragons could be seen, as well as countless Demon beasts, hunkered into various positions throughout the land.

Many things could be seen.

A person could be seen waving a hand. A huge chunk of the earth collapsed, and then an enormous land mass flew out. It turned into a shooting star which smashed out into the air.

A person could be seen punching. Stars collapsed, and countless flames burned the world.

A person could be seen surrounded by millions of magical items. They formed a tempest that caused blood to splash about wherever it went. The tempest itself was the color of blood!

A person could be seen flashing an incantation gesture. A finger was pointed up into the sky, and countless characters appeared, glowing with a golden light. They formed together to into various ancient characters that radiated a shocking aura which led to endless slaughter. A person could be seen holding tight to an evil spirit. The spirit's body was three thousand meters long, and had countless faces that appeared and disappeared, howling and glancing around with disdain.

This was… a great battle between two different parties!

One side was made up of Cultivators. Countless, innumerable

Cultivators, each one capable of employing destructive divine abilities, of summoning Dharma incarnations, and endless magical items that could shake the Heavens.

The other side was made of up of Demons. These were bizarre Greater Demons of Heaven and Earth, surrounded by sundered winds that rose up into the sky, creating a storm of blackness wherever they went….

Further off in the distance was, shockingly… an enormous coffin. The coffin appeared to have fallen down from the Heavens. Brilliant, multicolored light swirled around it, within which was something astonishing. Nine butterflies could be seen floating about!

Countless figures could be seen in the area around the coffin. Incredible slaughter was being carried out, as if neither side was willing to allow the other to step even half a pace closer to the coffin!

The coffin was the main cause of the combat on the battlefield. All of the fighting and mad slaughter was because… that coffin needed to be seized!

All of the South Heaven Cultivators, including Naruto, were floating up in mid-air, looking down blankly at the lands within the mirror. They looked down at the shocking battle, and the figures who could topple mountains and invert seas with the wave of a hand, who could crush stars and grab moons with their divine abilities. The hearts of the South Heaven Cultivators filled with shock.

There were three people on the battlefield who, no matter how grand the scale of the battle was, no matter how intense the slaughter, could not be eclipsed. The gaze of anyone who looked down at the battle would instantly be drawn to these three figures.

It was as if… they were the most powerful sovereigns of the battle. They were like venerated suns that everyone had to look up to!

One of them was a Cultivator wearing a Daoist robe, with a full head of white hair. His features were ancient, and when he lifted up his hands two rotating pearls could be seen, one of which was black, the other of which was white!

Behind the man was an illusory starry sky that he had apparently magically summoned. He stood in the middle of the sky, alone, capable of striking fear into the hearts of any within the Demon Tribes.

The second figure was within the Demon Tribes. It was a Greater Demon who looked like a winged bat. Its eyes were bright red, and seven globes of flame rotated around it. Each of the globes of flame was a different color, and, shockingly… a wooden sword could be seen inside of each one!

The Demon was surrounded by an astonishing aura. As it stood there, it seemed capable of making the Earth, the Heavens, and all life therein, prostrate in worship!

Naruto was unsure of the level of Cultivation base of these two, but his breathing was unprecedentedly ragged. He wasn't sure if he was perceiving things incorrectly or not, but when he saw the old Cultivator and the black and white pearls in his hands, he suddenly thought of something.

In his mind, he saw an image from back in the State of Zhao. He saw… the pearl in the hand of Little Tiger! 1

Little Tiger's pearl, and the white pearl in the old man's hand, looked… completely the same! The sensation that Naruto got when he looked at the pearl held by the old man… led him to believe that they were definitely one and the same!

Furthermore, the man-shaped bat looked very similar to the Demon that he had fought so long ago. Even more relevant were the wooden swords inside the seven globes of flame that surrounded it. When Naruto saw them, his mind shook. Those swords were clearly… the same as his Immortal Murdering Swords!

Right now he had five such swords, four originals and one copy!

What gave Naruto even more cause to pant was the third figure within the world of the mirror. That person caused his mind to reel and fill with a roaring sound.

That person… was a homely-looking middle-aged man. He wore a white robe, and his long hair was half black and half white. He did not emit any aura of a Cultivation base, but rather floated there in mid-air, looking almost like he was sealed. The air around him was completely calm and still.

When the Demon Tribes saw him, they trembled, and their Demonic Qi was thrown into chaos, as if it was completely out of control.

When the Cultivators saw him, their eyes filled with reverence. It was almost as if as soon as they looked at him, an intense pressure bore down on them, causing their Cultivation bases to decline!

He was not a member of either side in this battle. He floated there in mid-air, making it seem as if the battlefield were split into three parts, with him being one third!

Within the man's hand was a long, silver spear that appeared to be covered with overlapping scales. The spear was not completely silver; occasionally the scales would turn black.

As soon as Naruto caught sight of the spear, a voice immediately echoed out in his mind.

"Demon Weapon… Lonelytomb!" 2

Although Lonelytomb's Devil Construct was on the verge of dissipating completely, Naruto still had it. It emanated a buzzing sound, like an intense summoning.

In that instant, Naruto suddenly realized who that middle-aged man was floating there in mid-air. Staring fixedly at him, Naruto thought, "Third Generation… Demon Sealer!"

"Little Tiger" Dong Hu was one of the group of four who joined the Reliance Sect at the same time. Naruto encountered him again in chapter 71, where he had the pearl. During Naruto's fight with Shangguan Xiu in chapter 75, Little Tiger loaned him the pearl, which allowed Naruto to temporarily break into the tenth level of Qi Condensation. Naruto returned the pearl to him in chapter 76. You might also be able to deduce that the pearl was even alluded to vaguely in chapter 19 ↩ Demon Weapon Lonelytomb was introduced in chapter

497 ↩

Vol. 4 : Chapter 614

Chapter 614: Seal

It was in this moment that Naruto suddenly realized that the copper mirror in his bag of holding—the same copper mirror that had been with him since the Reliance Sect, that precious treasure which had provided him with such incredible help over the years—had begun vibrating.

The vibrating was not like what had happened in the presence of furred or feathered creatures. This vibration was intense, and seemed to encompass the entire mirror, starting from within.

Naruto was shocked, but his expression didn't change. His gaze flashed as he looked at Demon Weapon Lonelytomb.

The first time he encountered Demon Weapon Lonelytomb, he had received the Devil Construct, incarnated into the Devil Spear. He had also learned how the real Demon Weapon Lonelytomb was sealed within an ancient battlefield.

Naruto also knew that the ancient battlefield had something to do with the Demon Immortal Sect. Once inside the Demon Immortal Sect, he should have been able to use the reaction of the Devil Construct to locate Lonelytomb!

However, throughout all his experiences in the First, Second and Third

Plane, he hadn't been able to find even the slightest trail to follow. And yet here… in the lands of the Fourth Plane… he finally had a trail!

The white-robed man with the black and white hair was none other than… the Third Generation Demon Sealer! And the spear in his hand was none other than… Demon Weapon Lonelytomb!

One man, one spear, hovering in mid-air, splitting everything under Heaven into three parts!

His energy shook the Demon Tribes and leveled immense pressure onto the Cultivators. It was as if in Heaven and Earth, although he might not be the ultimate supremacy, he was still esteemed and respected to the utmost degree.

Naruto's mind trembled as he looked at the Third Generation Demon Sealer, and he began to breathe heavily. This truly was… a Demon Sealer!

When he saw the Third Generation Demon Sealer's energy, Naruto suddenly felt intense anticipation regarding his own path as the Ninth Generation Demon Sealer. He suddenly wished to one day be able to hover in mid-air and split everything under Heaven!

Everything that was happening inside the mirror continent filled Naruto

with shock, and also astonished all of the Cultivators from South Heaven, who were all breathing heavily. It was at this point that the eyes of the emaciated old man flickered. This was none other than the old man who had been first to enter the passageway from the Third Plane. He performed a minor teleportation as he headed toward the mirror below.

The movement immediately attracted the attention of the others. Naruto's eyes glittered as he watched him.

The emaciated old man moved with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, he was standing on the surface of the mirror that made up this huge continent. Then he began to move forward. It almost looked as if he were about to enter the ancient battlefield. However, he actually was only moving across the surface of the mirror.

He abruptly came to a stop after a few breaths of time. He pushed his hand down onto the surface of the mirror, which seemed to stimulate it, causing distortions to appear. Suddenly, a middle-aged man appeared across from the old man, except within the ancient world. He wore a suit of battle armor, and when he lifted up his hand, a fireball appeared, within which could be seen a crimson bird.

Originally, everything visible existed only within the mirror. However, due to the stimulation provided by the old man, and some other unknown reasons, the crimson bird suddenly flew out from inside the mirror.

It seemed to have broken through some sort of seal to fly out from inside the mirror and then appear on the outside!

It was currently shrinking in size, and its flames were growing dim. It looked quite different than it had inside the mirror. And yet, as soon as it appeared on the outside, it emanated a powerful aura!

It wasn't just the flame bird that appeared. Shockingly, a moment later, four beams of light shot out through the distortions. Within these beams of light could be seen two swords, a fan, and a flying shuttle.

The four items flew out explosively just behind the flame bird. As for the old man, he laughed and flew into the air, waving his sleeve toward the flame bird to capture it.

Everyone was shocked at what was happening, and yet, they didn't hesitate. In the blink of an eye, dozens of people flew up into the air toward the four beams of light and the magical items within.

Naruto moved the quickest. Even as the old man was subduing the flame bird, Naruto passed everyone to lay hands on the greencolored flying shuttle.

It was shaped like an awl, and glittered with blinding light. The coldness which emanated off it was oppressive. As soon as Naruto touched it, he felt as if his body was filled with winter. Eyes glittering, he entered the Second Anima and held tightly to the flying shuttle.

His body flickered and he stretched out his left hand. A gale force wind screamed out, causing the Hebi Clan members and Northern Reaches cultivators who were pursuing the fan to be sent tumbling backward. Even as they came to a stop, Naruto closed in and swept his arm to snatch the fan.

The moment he touched it, an indescribable heat exploded out within him. Naruto gave a cold snort and, without hesitation, entered the Fifth Anima!

His powerful fleshly body and shocking cultivation base instantly suppressed the flying shuttle and the fan. They struggled, but couldn't fly out of Naruto's hand. He quickly put them into his bag of holding.

At the same time, the two flying swords were snatched up by others. Fang Yu managed to get one, Hebi Mingkong the other. Everyone else could only watch on with unsightly expressions at the others who had acquired treasures. Then they looked over at the emaciated old man.

The old man finally put away the flame bird. His acquisition was clearly the best of all, which anyone could see. The flame bird was a precious treasure. As for the other items, although they were extraordinary, they couldn't compare.

The old man laughed hoarsely, then glanced over the group from South Heaven. His gaze stopped for a moment on Naruto, whereupon it seemed to fill with dread. Finally, he looked back at the others.

"Fellow Daoists, there is quite a bit of good fortune to be had in this place. There's no need to stare at me collecting things, don't you think?" He chuckled, then backed up a few paces. He lifted up his right hand, and although the move seemed casual, pulsating rings of light could be seen within.

Hebi Mingkong's position amongst the Hebi Clan members had been second only to the now deceased Hebi Mingfeng. He looked at the old man and growled, "There may be more good fortune, but you seem to know a lot more about it than we do."

His words caused the eyes of everyone present to begin to glitter brightly. Clearly, everyone was extremely interested in how the old man had extracted items from within the mirror.

The old man laughed, then slowly began to speak: "Well, it's actually easy to explain. Any of you can do exactly as I did. This is the Fourth Plane, and not many people ever make it here. Therefore, few people in the outside world know much about what it's like.

"The mirror-like continent beneath us is actually a seal. Sealed inside is a battlefield, or perhaps, an entire world.

"Within the seal, time is eternal. If you can stimulate it from the outside, and open a breach, then you can create a storm within the eternal time inside.

"It's like causing a reverse black hole. The objects inside will be sucked out to scatter into the outside world. Of course, that process will cause said objects to be weakened.

"As for exactly how to do it, I don't think you need me to go into a detailed explanation. The battlefield beneath us is enormous, and the potential acquisitions all depend on your own luck." Having finished his explanation, the old man gave a final glance to the crowd of people, then flashed off into the distance at top speed.

Everyone else looked down at the mirror with flashing eyes. They all had their own judgements regarding what the old man had said. However, regardless of anything, it seemed that of what the man had told them, eighty to ninety percent was probably true.

In that case, this place… was a once-in-a-lifetime source of good fortune for all of them!

Everyone exchanged glances. Then the Hebi Clan members scattered, flying in opposite directions. The Cultivators from the Northern Reaches, Southern Domain, and Western Desert also sped off in different directions. Naruto looked at Xu Qing.

"I'm fine by myself," she said with a slight smile. She turned and flew off into the distance, looking for good fortune of her own.

Naruto took a deep breath. He looked down at the world within the mirror for a moment. Then his eyes flickered. He picked a direction and shot off at high speed.

He only had one objective, and that was the Third Generation Demon Sealer!

As for everything else, although it was interesting to him, when compared to the League of Demon Sealers, it was all secondary.

He proceeded onward for the time it takes half an incense stick to burn. His brow was furrowed as he considered how strange this place was, especially the three most powerful experts that he had seen. They hovered in mid-air in the world inside the mirror, clearly visible, but unapproachable!

Down below, the mirror continent seemed to be endless and without borders. However, it was possible to sense that far off in the distance, there was in fact an end to it all. However, once on the actual surface of the mirror continent, it truly seemed limitless. Even after moving forward for a long time, the Third Demon Sealer still seemed far, far away.

Naruto was muttering to himself about this when suddenly his eyes flashed. Not too far away he had caught sight of a magical battle taking place within the world of the mirror.

There were two Cultivators fighting with a mass of black fog. Magical techniques spread about in all directions and magical items slammed out in attack. When he caught sight of the magical items, Naruto's eyes began to glitter.

One of the items was a golden leaf that he wouldn't originally have paid much attention to. However, Naruto happened to have noticed that upon the surface of the golden leaf was a pattern that looked like a lotus.

It was a made up of ten swords, shaped together to look like a lotus!

It looked exactly like Naruto's own Lotus Sword Formation. He couldn't help but make an "eee?" sound as soon as he saw it. He looked at it closely for a moment, then lifted up his right hand and punched down. The punch caused the surface of the mirror to tremble. Distortions appeared, transforming into something that looked like a vortex. However, they quickly dissipated.

Naruto's expression was the same as ever as he entered the Fifth Anima. A boom could be heard from his fleshly body as he punched down again. The vortex instantly formed again, along with a black hole. An enormous gravitational force appeared inside of the mirror world, causing three magical items to suddenly be sucked in.

Next, those very three magical items flew out beneath Naruto's feet. One of the items was cracked in the process and instantly exploded. The other two shot off in two different directions at top speed, apparently possessed of sentience.

Naruto performed a minor teleportation, then transformed into a green smoke and a black moon. He reappeared in mid-air, and snatched his hand out to grab the golden leaf. It emanated a buzzing sound as well as a blinding light, and apparently intended to cut Naruto's hand in half.

Naruto let out a cold snort, then flicked his sleeve to collect up the golden leaf. He pushed two fingers down hard onto its surface, preventing it from struggling and flying away.

A look of happiness appeared in his eyes as he collected it up. But then he looked back down at the world in the mirror, and his mind trembled.

It was at this point that he noticed that the golden leaf he had just acquired, as well as the item which had exploded and the other item which had escaped, were… still inside the world of the mirror.

"Are they simply ghosts?" he thought. "Or are the items which flew out perhaps not real?" He frowned as he thought back to how the copper mirror had begun to vibrate earlier.

After some more thought, Naruto suddenly trembled and looked back down at the lands inside the mirror world.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Daniel Dunn, Thunder PKO, Tomislav Fistric, Salim Mudrik Baraba, Christophe Barry, Ibrahim Tamra Aktürk, and Yanuar Yaputra

Vol. 4 : Chapter 615

Chapter 615: Speculation and Cooperation

"This continent is like a mirror, and within the mirror is a battlefield," murmured Naruto. "The objects on the battlefield can emerge into the outside. However… those same objects still remain on the battlefield inside the mirror….

"This… this…." Naruto's mind was filled with intense rumbling. He was starting to feel that he knew what was happening, but the explanation caused him to begin to pant, and his face to flicker.

"Strange, it's so similar to the copper mirror and its duplication powers!" That was what caused him to be so agitated.

He was the only person who could make such a connection. No one else had his copper mirror, nor did they know of the mirror's Heaven-defying qualities. Therefore, it would naturally be impossible for anyone to reach the same conclusion.

After all, everyone's thinking is limited by the scope of what they know. Thinking outside of one's own scope is something extremely difficult.

Naruto's breathing grew heavier the more he thought about it. The situation just seemed to become more and more bizarre. His eyes flickered, and he suddenly leaped up into the air. He did not proceed along in the same direction he had been traveling, but rather, went straight up into the air.

As he rose up, his heart began to pound faster, and he grew more nervous. He had possessed the copper mirror for many years now, and in the past, he had often wondered where it came from. However, the meat jelly and parrot were always very enigmatic when it came to the subject. Every time he brought it up, they acted like it was some type of taboo. The parrot would even begin to fume with rage.

Naruto had tried to get information about it on numerous occasions, all to no avail. Eventually, he put the matter to rest inwardly. Now, however, he had the feeling that he suddenly had an opportunity to understand more about the copper mirror!

It was in such a mental state that he flew higher and higher. Moments later, he had reached the highest area possible. Down below, the continent stretched out in all directions. He took a deep breath as he lowered his head to look down.

As before, the continent looked completely endless. The surface was sleek and glossy, and it was impossible to see what the continent actually was shaped like.

"I could keep going and look for the border. Maybe I can find some answers there.

"Or, I could take out the copper mirror and shine it down. Perhaps… that would reveal some clues!" He thoughtfully rubbed his bag of holding, a profound look gleaming in his eyes.

He had the feeling that if he produced the copper mirror, but nothing happened, then it wouldn't really matter. However, if any types of transformations did occur, then… they would certainly be enough to shake Heaven and Earth. In fact, considering how many people were here, it would be impossible to keep the matter of the copper mirror hidden unless he killed everyone.

"The copper mirror is the most mysterious object I possess. I can't let anyone know that I possess it, otherwise it will lead to terrible calamity.

"'The innocent man will be lead to disaster by possessing a treasured object!'" Naruto's eyes glittered. He had been intelligent even as a child, and had experienced the law of the jungle in the Cultivation world. The truth of what would happen should he reveal the copper mirror was something he knew all too well.

After some thought, Naruto's eyes flickered, and he turned to look off into the distance, a cold smile tugging at his lips.

Even as he smiled, distortions appeared in the air in the direction in which he was looking. An old man emerged. It was none other than the emaciated Cultivator from before. He had been approaching in secret, but as soon as he neared, had been detected by Naruto. Without waiting for Naruto to say anything, he revealed himself.

"Fellow Daoist Naruto, your Cultivation base is extraordinary. It seems I've incurred your ridicule." The old man laughed and then clasped hands and bowed.

Seeing that Naruto wasn't going to say anything, the old man smiled and continued, "My name is Han Danzi 1, a rogue Cultivator from the Southern Domain. Your fame has resounded like thunder in my ears for many years, Fellow Daoist Naruto. Grandmaster Pill Cauldron is an example for all Cultivators like myself. I can't tell you how happy I am to be able to meet you here in the ancient Demon Immortal Sect."

"Did you really secretly follow me just to say some fawning words?" said

Naruto, a cold glint in his eyes. "State your purpose."

"Fellow Daoist Naruto, you don't beat around the bush!" He laughed, apparently ignoring Naruto's tone of voice. "I could see you hesitating about what to do earlier. I'm not sure exactly what you were thinking about, but I was curious, so I followed you.

"However, now that you mention it, I actually do have something interesting to share with you.

"The greatest treasures hidden in this place are not the magical items of the Cultivators and the Demon Tribes, but rather… the objects held in the hands of those three Paragons. Whether it be the spear, the seven globes of fire and wood, or those two pearls, each and every one are shocking precious treasures.

"Any one of them would enable a Cultivator to murder an Immortal!" As Han Danzi spoke, he observed Naruto to see how he might react. However, Naruto's expression did not reveal even the slightest bit of a change in his mood.

"This guy is smart and has a rock-hard will," thought Han Danzi with an imperceptible frown. "I won't be able to fool him easily…."

Naruto's expression was the same as ever as he looked coldly at the old man. For some reason, the old man caused a feeling of vigilance rose up within him. He appeared to be at the great circle of the Nascent Soul stage, not very far from Spirit Severing.

However, what he had accomplished earlier with the flame bird was not something that a great circle Nascent Soul Cultivator should be able do. This man clearly was hiding something mysterious. Perhaps others might not be able to sense it, but as the Ninth Generation Demon Sealer, Naruto could tell that the man actually had two auras.

The first contained the ripples of a Cultivator's Cultivation base. The other… was deeply hidden, and had… Demonic Qi!

This Demonic Qi was borderline vile!

Han Danzi looked at Naruto and said, "I can't get the treasured items of those three Paragons by myself. That is why I hope to form a cooperation with you, Elder Brother Naruto. After we acquire the treasures, we can split them evenly."

"Which one do you want to acquire?" asked Naruto, his eyes glittering.

"The seven globes of fire belonging to the Demon Tribes Paragon, of course," said Han Danzi with a smile. "At the very least, we can extract one for each of us. That way we won't waste any energy."

Naruto also smiled. He did not refuse, but instead, nodded in agreement.

Seeing Naruto agree so easily caused vigilance to rise up within Han Danzi. Previously, of all the people who came from South Heaven, he had paid closest attention to Patriarch Harishama.

However, he had recently been shocked to sense that Patriarch Harishama had been killed. Later, when laid eyes on Naruto, he understood that Patriarch Harishama was most likely killed by him.

When he thought about his own techniques and trump cards, Han Danzi felt at ease. With a hearty laugh, he and Naruto turned into colorful beams of light that shot off into the distance.

Naruto didn't speak at all. He temporarily suppressed any notions of producing the copper mirror. Now was not the time. He needed to wait until the right critical juncture had arrived, then he would pull out the copper mirror to see if it provoked any transformations.

It seemed that Han Danzi was bringing him to just such a critical juncture.

Of course, Han Danzi was wrapped up in his own thoughts as the two of them proceeded onward. Before long, they reached what was actually the very center of the whole continent.

"The locations of the three Paragons are actually where the seal is strongest over this ancient battlefield," said Han Danzi with a smile. "There are some special restrictive spells which prevent anyone from even getting close.

"However, I happen to know of a special technique. I tested it out earlier, and it seems possible to bypass the restrictive spells. However, it requires a certain level of Cultivation base. Elder Brother Naruto, considering how extraordinary your Cultivation base is, I don't think you will have any problems." With that, he shot down toward the continent below. He quickly performed an incantation with his right hand, then pushed down onto the surface of the continent.

Instantly, the land shook, and Naruto could see a vortex forming inside the mirror. There was no black hole within it, though, and it maintained its shape. At the same time, Han Danzi took a deep breath and lifted his hand back up. Then he stood; the vortex remained within the mirror.

Han Danzi turned to look at Naruto.

"Elder Brother Naruto, presumably, you know what to do. I'll wait for you up ahead." With that, his body flickered and he moved forward. As he moved, the vortex beneath his feet followed him.

Naruto's eyes glittered as he watched Han Danzi proceed onward for what appeared to be several hundred meters. However, he had actually not traveled for several hundred meters, but several hundred kilometers!

"Interesting," murmured Naruto. He moved down toward the surface of the land, then landed on its surface. After that he lifted his foot up and slammed it down onto the ground. A boom could be heard, and then, shockingly, a vortex appeared beneath his feet inside the world of the mirror.

It maintained its vortex state, not forming into a black hole, but rather, connecting to Naruto's Cultivation base. Then Naruto proceeded forward. For every meter he moved… he actually moved half a kilometer!

"What a technique!" he thought, his eyes flickering. He couldn't help but think that if this technique could be used in the outside world, it would definitely be considering an incredibly powerful divine ability.

Using this technique, Naruto and Han Danzi moved what appeared to be several hundred meters, but was in fact hundreds of kilometers. They sped along at top speed within the center region of the mirror continent.

At the same time, the other Cultivators from South Heaven were in other locations, attempting to acquire their own bits of good fortune. They continued to stimulate the surface of the land, attempting to cause it to spit out magical items. However, most of the magical items ended up being destroyed in the process of emerging.

Few of the Cultivators were actually able to acquire anything.

Even still, the mirror-like land was like a huge treasure trove for everyone. All of the Cultivators who had come to this place were profoundly wise and intelligent, and soon, their glittering eyes came to be drawn to the center region of the land. That was clearly the location of the three most powerful experts who split everything under the Heavens.

In fact, there were more than a few people who were trying to make their way in that very direction.

Two hours passed. Shockingly, Naruto and Han Danzi had just appeared in the area near the Greater Demon with the seven rotating globes of fire.

A strange light appeared in Han Danzi's eyes. He took a deep breath as he exchanged a glance with Naruto. At the same time, he began to rotate his Cultivation base. Naruto directly entered the Fifth Anima; his fleshly body was shocking, and his Cultivation base boundless. Han Danzi's eyes flickered as he too unleashed his full power. The twisted Demonic Qi within him also began to circulate.

The two attacked the surface of the land together, causing an enormous rumbling to fill the air. The two vortexes beneath them in the world of the mirror suddenly touched each other. They merged, then suddenly ripped open an enormous black hole.

The gravitational force that suddenly surged out was impossible to describe. However… it was incapable of causing the seven globules of fire to even tremble in the slightest. In contrast, quite a few other magical items in the area were sucked into the vortex.

Ten magical items were sucked in, but only five flew out. They shot up into the air in beams of prismatic light. Han Danzi's eyes flickered, but he did nothing to attempt to take them. Naruto's eyes also flashed, yet he did not chase after the items either.

Both of the men were wrapped up in their own thoughts as they watched the five beams of light shoot like beautiful pearls up into the sky.

At the same time, the other Cultivators from South Heaven watched on in shock. The looked at the five beams of light, and could sense the intense ripples emanating out from within.

"Incredible treasure!" That was the thought that ran through all of their minds. Their eyes shone brightly as they flew up into the air. In the blink of an eye, nearly all of the South Heaven Cultivators flew from all directions toward the five beams of light.

—–

Han Danzi

wp-content/uploads/2016/04/han_ 3

Han Danzi's name in Chinese is 韩丹子 hán dān zǐ. Han is a common family name, and yes, it is the same character as Han Bei. That doesn't mean they are related, although the possibility couldn't be precluded based on the name alone. Dan means "red" or "pellet." Zi means "child" or "son" ↩

Vol. 4 : Chapter 616

Chapter 616: Demonic Qi Explodes to the Sky!

Rumbling echoed out in all directions. As the South Heaven Cultivators flew toward the five beams of light, fighting broke out. The sounds of magical techniques and divine abilities resounded through the air, mixed with growls and cold snorts. In the time it takes for a spark to fly off of a piece of flint, the five incredible treasures were divided up.

Han Danzi looked up into the air and then said, "Fellow Daoists, those five incredible treasures were released by the combined effort of Fellow Daoist Naruto and myself. For you to act in such a way is somewhat improper…."

By now, the South Heaven Cultivators up above had taken notice of Naruto and Han Danzi down below.

"If you are interested, Fellow Daoists, we can all work together to open up the greatest treasures hidden in this place. We can release them together. What do you think, Fellow Daoists?" Han Danzi wore a smile on his face, but within his eyes was a strange, imperceptible glow. Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched Naruto carefully.

That was because he hadn't consulted with Naruto before speaking, and his offer just now did not fall in line with his previous explanation. Clearly, what he needed was not just the help of Naruto alone, but rather, the combined assistance of almost all of the South Heaven Cultivators.

At the moment, Han Danzi was simply incapable of reading Naruto's expression. From the very beginning until this moment, it hadn't changed at all. The more Naruto acted in such a way, the more Han Danzi felt unsure of himself.

The main reason he had sought out Naruto was because of his Cultivation base. It wasn't just him who looked at Naruto in such a way. Although no one would admit it, most of them had already taken Naruto to have the most powerful Cultivation base of the entire group.

Therefore, having Naruto at his side made Han Danzi's words even more persuasive. After all, when an expert planned some sort of scheme, it would by no means be a small plan.

Up in mid-air, the eyes of the other Cultivators flickered, but no one spoke. Although these people had all been conned by Naruto earlier, that was because of the circumstances. It was impossible for them to not get excited right now. Of course, in the outside world, any one of the group could be considered extraordinarily intelligent. As such, they only believed about one third of what Han Danzi told them.

Fang Yu suddenly spoke up, "If some precious treasure appears, how do we split it up?"

"I will swear a Dao oath, I will vow on my heart of cultivation. It doesn't matter how many precious treasures appear, I only want one fire globe!" Han Danzi spoke with decisiveness that could chop nails and slice iron.

"Besides," he continued solemnly, his words ringing out like the peals of a golden bell, "if I violated my oath, if I went back on my word, not only would it sever my path of cultivation, but I would never be able to find safe haven in any of your various Sects and Clans back in the lands of South Heaven."

The South Heaven Cultivators up in mid-air looked on thoughtfully. It

was actually exactly as Han Danzi said. Although their Cultivation bases might not be incredibly high, they were all backed by Sects and Clans that could be considered major powers. Therefore, in some ways, they weren't worried at all about Han Danzi reneging on his promise.

Everyone exchanged glances. All were thinking different things, but of course, they wouldn't casually allow others to see that based on their facial expression. Gradually, all eyes came to fall on Naruto.

"I too simply require a pledge in the form of a Dao oath," he said coolly.

At first everything was quiet, but after a moment, the Hebi Clan members flew down toward the surface of the ground. After that was Fang Yu, and then the other Cultivators from the Southern Domain and the Northern Reaches. Their eyes flickered as they neared.

However, it wasn't each and every South Heaven Cultivator that came. Xu Qing as well as some of the others weren't present.

Han Danzi smiled and then began to explain to everyone how to approach the center district. As they waited for everyone to arrive, Han Danzi clasped hands and bowed apologetically to Naruto.

"Fellow Daoist Naruto," he said in a sincere tone, "it's not that I changed my mind. As you can clearly see, by relying only on our power, it would be difficult to cause the precious treasures to appear. Only by combining power with the others will we be able to succeed.

"I hope you can forgive me." He bowed deeply once more. Then he lifted up his right hand, within which could be seen a jade pendant shaped like a dragon.

"I acquired this pendant earlier which can be considered an excellent treasure. It can summon an enormous dragon which spits out a sea. Fellow Daoist Naruto, please accept it as a token of my apology." With that, he sent the pendant floating out toward Naruto.

Naruto's face was expressionless as he first looked over the pendant and then scanned it with Divine Sense. There didn't seem to be anything suspicious about it, so he casually waved his sleeve to collect it up.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Han Danzi," he said coolly.

Han Danzi watched calmly as Naruto accepted the pendant. Inwardly, he was a bit suspicious. Naruto's completely expressionless demeanor made it difficult for him to keep his thoughts straight.

"Hmph," he thought to himself. "He's just some kid from the younger generation. Although he might be a profound schemer, he has his limits. Besides, I already made it clear to everyone that all I want is one globe of fire. I simply don't believe that this Naruto will be able to create problems for me out of nothing." He was laughing coldly on the inside, but on the outside, he was smiling from ear to ear.

The two of them sat down cross-legged to meditate. Two hours passed, after which the other South Heaven Cultivators arrived one after another. No one spoke. They focused their power together to stab into one particular spot on the surface of the ground. Intense rumbling resulted, and a gigantic whirlpool appeared inside the world of the mirror.

The vortex spun rapidly, and then transformed into a black hole. Immediately, an assortment of magical items were sucked in. Many were shattered in the process, but more than ten beams of light appeared in the outside to shoot up into the sky.

The light from the treasures was blinding, and instantly attracted the attention of the crowd. However, just as quickly, everyone, including Naruto, looked back at the world of the mirror. Inside, the vortex was still there, as was the gravitational force of the black hole. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to be powerful enough to suck away the seven globes of fire surrounding the Greater Demon.

And yet… it was obvious that the two globes of fire nearest the black hole were beginning to ripple and distort. From the look of it, if the power of the black hole was increased, they might actually move. "One more time!" snapped Han Danzi, staring fixedly at the globes of fire. The full power of his Cultivation base exploded out. As the power built up, the eyes of the others flickered, and they too began to unleash the power of their Cultivation bases.

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he was in the Sixth Anima.

BOOM!

Everyone attacked again. This time, the intensity of the vibrations seemed enough to cause earthquakes and shatter mountains. A vortex appeared inside the world of the mirror that was even larger than before. The black hole that magically appeared afterward caused the two globes of fire nearest the black hole to begin to distort violently. Finally, they began to move.

As the globes moved, everything dimmed, and the majestic aura of a precious treasure poured into the black hole and was then released in the outside. A thunderous roar filled the air, and as they sensed the aura, everyone was completely shocked. The intensity of this aura was such that it seemed it could extinguish Immortals!

Naruto's pupils constricted. The aura he was sensing from the wooden swords in the seven globes of light far, far exceeded that of the wooden swords in his bag of holding. However, it was also clear that they were… one and the same!

There was no need for Han Danzi to say anything else. A gleam of longing appeared in the eyes of the South Heaven Cultivators as they once again unleashed the explosive power of their Cultivation bases, along with their most powerful divine abilities and magical techniques.

As for Han Danzi, he took a deep breath. The borderline evil Demonic Qi on him that only Naruto could sense suddenly superseded the fluctuations of a Cultivator that existed within him. It was as if he had just become a Demon!

Naruto entered the Seventh Anima, which meant that he had a Spirit Severing fleshly body. Along with the others, he continued to levy attacks against the surface of the ground.

The entire area was covered with cracks. Although they sealed back up almost immediately, a huge vortex nearly thirty meters wide exploded out inside the world of the mirror.

The edges of the vortex seemed to be just on the verge of actually touching the wooden swords within the globes of flame.

Everyone was panting, and their eyes were focused on the spinning vortex as it transformed into a shocking black hole!

When the black hole appeared, shockingly, three of the seven globes of fire that contained wooden swords, began to ripple and vibrate. Suddenly… they started moving!

The scene caused the gazes of the South Heaven Cultivators to grow as sharp as knives. Their Cultivation bases were in full rotation as they waited for the precious treasures to emerge, whereupon the fighting would begin.

Time passed. It was only the space of about ten breaths, but in the minds of everyone present, it seemed like an eternity. They watched the three globes of fire moving gradually closer to the black hole. They seemed to be struggling, but the power of the black hole caused them to slowly get closer and closer.

The power source of the black hole's gravitational force was not the South Heaven Cultivators, but rather, the interaction between the world outside of the mirror, and the world within. The function of the Cultivators was merely to release that power.

The gravitational force exerted by the black hole was so strong that it wasn't just the three globes of fire that were affected. Also affected was the extremely lifelike Greater Demon around whom the fire globes rotated.

Nearer…. Nearer….

In the blink of an eye, one of the wooden swords within the fire globule vanished into of the black hole. Everyone stopped breathing momentarily. In that instant, shockingly, a wooden sword shot out from beneath their feet. It burst up toward the sky in a beam of light that resembled an unrolling bolt of silk.

The Hebi Clan members instantly shot up into the air to pursue the beam of light.

Next, two more swords shot out, their Sword Qi shining like a rainbow.

Coldness radiated out, causing everyone to feel as if they were freezing.

However, the burning within their hearts could not be frozen over. Fang Yu, the group from the Northern Reaches, and all the other Cultivators, instantly shot up into the air to pursue the treasured wooden swords.

In the instant in which they flew up in pursuit, the three wooden swords began to emanate an even more shocking energy. Boundless ripples shot out into the sky, which caused anything within fluctuations to suddenly move exponentially slower. It was as if the swords created their own area of time and space.

Naruto immediately shot up after the three wooden swords, and Han Danzi followed.

It appeared that the two would begin to fight over the wooden swords. However, it turned out that Han Danzi only appeared to have been moving up. He almost immediately sank back down. As everyone else shot after the precious treasures, he prostrated himself on the ground, biting his tongue to spit out a mouthful of blood. The blood instantly turned into a thin stream which extended out toward the black hole in the world of the mirror. It emerged from the black hole in the mirror world, and then neared the body of the Greater Demon which had been sucked toward the black hole.

"Ancestor Spirit, your posterity of the younger generation have not forgotten you! I have come today to welcome your power back into the world!" As his words rang out, the eyes of the Greater Demon flickered with intelligence. It allowed the stream of blood to circle around its body, then tighten around it and begin to drag it toward the black hole.

Everything shook violently, and booming sounds filled the air. Suddenly, an enormous vortex appeared in front of Han Danzi, thousands of meters wide. A strange, demonic sound emerged from within the vortex; it sounded like people both weeping and laughing.

Suddenly, an enormous head, fully three hundred meters large… began to rise up from within the water-like surface of the world beneath!

Demonic Qi…

Exploded up into the sky!

—–

This chapter was sponsored by ÆTze Boersma, SeanL, Filipe de Almeida

Araujo Vital, Stefan from Sweden, and Li Yang

Vol. 4 : Chapter 617

Chapter 617: Land of the Three Saints

Scattered patches of hair could be seen on the enormous, three hundred meter large head, as well as three, pitch-black horns. It was as gray as death, and wrinkles covered its skin. The facial features somewhat resembled a man, but even more-so, a lion.

It emanated a fearsome, archaic aura that, as soon as it appeared, swept across the entire Fourth Plane, which began to shake violently.

An enormous vortex, tens of thousands of meters wide, circulated around the entire area. Amidst the rumbling, a wild wind swept through the entire area, shaking everything.

Han Danzi prostrated himself beneath the head, his expression one of excitement. His appearance was now changing, and he no longer looked human. Three black horns had sprouted from his head, and he looked very similar to the enormous head up above him.

"Your posterity of the younger generation welcomes the return of the power of the ancestry!" cried Han Danzi excitedly. As his voice rang out, he seemed to form a connection with the enormous head. A shocking power began to fuse into his body!

His hair whipped about, his clothes flapped. He should have been tossed about like a leaf within the maelstrom, but instead, from his aura, it seemed that he was accepting some type of legacy.

The head appeared to be three hundred meters large, but in the blink of an eye it was suddenly far larger. It was now three thousand meters large. A breath of time later, it was back to three hundred meters. They were like ghost images, distorting the world. Rumbling rose up into the sky. All of the crowds up in mid-air who were chasing after the wooden swords didn't even have a chance to begin fighting over the precious treasures before the scene unfolding caused them to be thoroughly astonished.

The wild wind raged, sweeping across everything. Everyone up above was sent spinning out of control, causing their faces to fill with unprecedented expressions of astonishment.

"What… what is that thing!?"

"Dammit! He's actually trying to release a Greater Demon from inside the mirror!"

"Isn't that Demon one of three major powers inside the mirror world?

Who is this guy!?"

Shocked, everyone began to fall back. The rest of the Cultivators in the land, the ones not participating in the events in the central region, including Xu Qing, were all incredibly shocked. They, too, were incapable of preventing themselves from being swept up. They transformed into beams of light that shot through the air.

Naruto's eyes glittered as he hovered in mid-air in the Seventh Anima, with a Spirit Severing fleshly body and a Cultivation base of sixty-four great circle Nascent Souls. Such power made it that, although he hovered unstably, he was still able to remain in place and balanced within the vortex and the tempest.

As he looked down at the surface of the land, and his eyes narrowed. He knew that Han Danzi had been plotting something, but he had never imagined that the plan would be so astonishing!

As of this moment, a deafening roar filled the enormous vortex, the source being none other than the enormous head emerging from within the world of the mirror. The sound echoed back and forth like thunder.

It caused everyone, even the Cultivators off in the distance, to cough up blood. Han Danzi was unaffected, and Naruto's face was only a bit pale. Other than the two them, everyone else felt their mind spinning, as if they were stuck in some interminable illusion.

By now, the head of the Greater Demon was more than seventy percent emerged. Its nose was visible, and its facial features were clearer. There was an enormous, ferocious-looking wound ripped into its face.

Anyone who even glanced at the Greater Demon would immediately feel as if their mind was being absorbed. Before they even realized it, pulses of terror would be racing through them.

Demonic Qi exploded up, filling the area, intrinsically potent. In the blink of an eye, all other power of Heaven and Earth was expelled from the world by this powerful Demonic Qi.

All of a sudden, the entire world became… a Demon world!

Han Danzi trembled, his face burning with passion. The physical changes to him continued at high speed. His aura exploded up, and his connection to the head grew even more complete.

At the same time, all of the power of Heaven and Earth that was not Demonic Qi rushed up to the top of the world, which was none other than deep tunnel everyone had traveled through to get to this place.

A rumbling sound could be heard as the energy successfully entered the tunnel. The countless vines inside withered in the blink of an eye. They vanished without a trace as the expelled power of Heaven and Earth shot out into the outside world.

If you could stand outside of that deep pit, what you would see would be an exploding pillar of Qi that shot up into the sky. Successive layers of ripples then emanated out in all directions, sweeping over everything.

Although the process had just begun inside the Fourth Plane… it is easy to imagine how quickly everything was changing because of the emergence of the Greater Demon from within the world of the mirror.

When the changes were complete… everyone else inside would either be dead, or would be transformed by the Demonic Qi. Their souls would be transformed, and their Cultivation bases would change on a fundamental level. They would no longer be Cultivators, but Demons!

Naruto's face flickered as he looked up into the sky at all the people from South Heaven. The vortex was spinning faster, and as it did, everyone was lapsing into a stupor. Fang Yu, the Hebi Clan, the Cultivators from the Northern Reaches and Southern Domain, Wang Lihai, Han Bei, Li Tiandao, Li Shiqi, and also Xu Qing….

Everyone seemed to be lapsing into an illusion. Their faces were twisted, and their teeth were clenched. Occasionally they let out cold laughs, other times their expressions were blank. It was bizarre to the extreme.

Demonic Qi was coalescing around their bodies, clearly beginning to make some illusory changes.

Han Danzi continued to prostrate himself on the ground. "Land of the

Three Saints. The power of the ancestor returns, a legacy for me, Han Danzi. Everyone here are my sacrificial objects. Their bodies will be changed, their spirits will be assimilated. If they don't die in the process, then they will no longer be Cultivators, but Demons!

"They will become my Demon horde, and will follow by my side as I use the power of the ancestor to battle with the Heavens!" He trembled as his words echoed out through the vortex.

At the same time, the vortex which spun around the head of the Greater Demon was no longer tens of thousands of meters wide. It expanded again until it was nearly three hundred thousand meters wide, shocking to the extreme. By this point, the top lip of the Great Demon was now visible.

It was now possible to see that the head did not just have one wound on it, but rather, three. One of the wounds appeared to be on its lips, making it so that the creature did not have two lips, but four!

Also visible… were sharp, black fangs! This Greater Demon's physical appearance was savage to the extreme!

More Demonic Qi roiled about, and the rumbling sounds grew more intense.

Naruto's eyes glittered. "This is the ancient Demon Immortal Sect. Mukui isn't dead. He couldn't possibly ignore what is happening here, could he? And what about Tsukino? Her attitude is difficult to discern.

"So… why hasn't Mukui made an appearance?

"It doesn't matter. I can't place all my hope in him…." Although he could afford not to care too much about the others, Xu Qing was here. Also, the others owed a lot of Spirit Stones. If a few died, he could handle it. However, if they all died… well, that was something Naruto just couldn't agree to let happen.

His eyes filled with a bright glow and he took a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a moment, then reopened them.

The moment he opened his eyes, Naruto entered… the Eighth Anima!

BOOM!

In the Eighth Anima, his fleshly body grew even more powerful. In the

Seventh Anima, it was of the Spirit Severing stage, but in the Eighth Anima, it reached an even more terrifying level. His Cultivation base exploded out, not with the power of sixty-four great circle Nascent Souls, but rather, one hundred twenty-eight!

Such incredible power caused profound changes. Naruto suddenly appeared in mid-air in the wild vortex, buffeted by the spinning winds. Roaring surrounded him as what appeared to be countless shapeless bolts of lightning exploded out.

His right hand formed into a fist that punched directly toward the passageway high up in the sky. The punch contained not just the full power of his Cultivation base, but also, the Mountain Consuming Incantation!

An enormous mountain peak appeared, which was none other than… the Fourth Peak! The image was somewhat indistinct, but as soon as it appeared, roaring sounds echoed out. It shot toward the passageway. As it flew through the air, parts of it disintegrated and fell apart, but by the time it reached its destination it was still half intact.

The mountain shot at top speed toward the passageway, and as it neared, Naruto uttered a single word:

"Collapse!"

As soon as the word left his mouth, the illusory mountain stopped in mid-air and exploded, sending out a sound like endless thunder. The volume exceeded the rumbling of the vortex, transforming into shocking sound waves that swept across the world.

Because of the sound, all of the others, including Xu Qing, were mentally shaken. The illusion which gripped them temporarily vanished, and their eyes grew clear. Then their faces filled with astonishment.

Naruto looked up at them and roared, "Why haven't you left yet!?" He performed a double-handed incantation, and immediately tempest winds exploded out from him to fight back against the vortex. Instantly, the vortex was weakened.

Fang Yu gasped and looked down at Naruto. She looked anxious, but at the same time determined. Her body flickered as she neared Xu Qing. Even as Xu Qing was gazing at Naruto, Fang Yu grabbed her.

"Let's go," she said. "He won't stop worrying until you're out of here!"

Xu Qing hesitated, but didn't struggle. She looked back at Naruto one more time, and an indescribable feeling welled up in her heart. She thought back to that year outside the Rebirth Cave. It was a scene just like this one, in which she… was no help at all to Naruto.

The South Heaven Cultivators were panting in astonishment at the terrifying scene playing out. One by one, they began to fly up toward the passageway over head. As they shot through the air and then entered into the passageway, they heard Naruto's voice.

"I saved your lives, which means you owe me. If you dare to not pay me back, things won't be finished between us!"

As everyone disappeared into the passageway, the expulsion power shoved them up, causing them shoot upward. It was in that same instant that the head of the Greater Demon completely emerged from within the mirror!

Off to the side, Han Danzi looked up at Naruto, and at everyone leaving through the passageway.

Vol. 4 : Chapter 618

Chapter 618 (Click to show)

Chapter 618: Mountain and Sea Mirror!

"They can't escape from within the Land of the Three Saints," said Han Danzi. "Although this is only a Divine Clone of the ancestor, if I can unseal it, it will still be beneficial for the Demon Immortal Sect. The spirits of the Demon Immortal Sect won't offer help, but won't resist either. Not even true spirit Night will wake up because of this. Sleeping Night is intelligent, but awakened Night has no mind. It will not awaken, because it does not wish to awaken!

"This is the body of true spirit Night, where its brain exists. They won't be able to escape, nor flee the Demon Immortal Sect. When the ancestor's Divine Clone is fully fused with me, they will become my Demon horde!

"As for you, Naruto… you will be beneath the sacred ancestor and myself to act as Dharma protector!"

"Oh yeah?" replied Naruto, looking coldly at Han Danzi. He performed an incantation gesture with his right hand, then pointed down at the land. At the same time, the Demonic Qi in the area began to swirl around Naruto.

Whistling sounds could be heard intermittently. Naruto suddenly began to perform an incantation gesture which seemed to cause everything in the area to tremble.

In that instant, all of the Demonic Qi in the entire world began to rotate, as if it were being pulled. Every region began to distort, making the entire world seem as if it were being twisted.

The sight of it caused Han Danzi's face to fill with a look of shock.

"You… you can actually affect Demonic Qi!" he said hoarsely. "How can that be? You're a Cultivator, you cultivate the power of Heaven and Earth. That's different than Demonic Qi. They can't be mixed! How can you manipulate Demonic Qi!?" He was thoroughly shaken, as this was his first time ever seeing Demonic Qi being manipulated by a Cultivator.

As far as he was concerned, it was inconceivable and unbelievable. Most importantly, it was clear that Naruto's manipulation of the Demonic Qi was real, and not an illusion. It was in complete contrast to himself. Whereas his apparent manipulation of Demonic Qi was actually trickery, Naruto really was stirring all of the Demonic Qi in the entire world.

Even as Han Danzi was feeling shaken, Naruto took a deep breath. He could sense a resonance between himself and this world. In the outside world, he was incapable of absorbing the power of Heaven and Earth. However, in this place, it was as if a hole had been opened up, and all the Demonic Qi was rushing into it without the slightest impediment.

And yet, it didn't cause any transformations within him whatsoever. Inside of him, it turned into pure power. It was not Demonic Qi, nor was it spiritual energy. It was a unique power that belonged only to Naruto.

That power circulated about within him, filling him with an indescribably pleasurable sensation. A bizarre light shone in his eyes as he looked down at Han Danzi and the giant head floating there in mid-air.

"Demon Sealing, Eighth Hex!" said Naruto slowly. It almost sounded as if he were issuing orders. The words echoed about like the peals of thunder.

Four words exploded like thunder. Four words… spoken by Naruto!

As the words sounded out like thunder, all of the Demonic Qi around Naruto began to coalesce together. In the blink of an eye, the enormous character for 'seal' appeared directly in front of him.

The character was fully three hundred meters tall, and it absorbed more and more Demonic Qi as it shot down toward the ground.

In this moment, within the Eighth Anima, Naruto was… the Ninth Generation Demon Sealer!

The speed with which the character moved was indescribable. Han Danzi's face filled with disbelief as he felt an unprecedented pressure weighing down on him, along with a sense of deadly crisis. All of a sudden, he realized that Naruto was his archenemy.

Or perhaps it could be said that he was the archenemy of all Greater Demons!

Han Danzi began to pant, and suddenly, he recalled a legend.

"According to legend, within the Nine Mountains and Seas, there are a people who can cultivate the Dao and can also fuse with Demons. No type of expulsion is effective on them. They call themselves… Demon Sealers!

"The character 'seal' has two meanings. One is to restrict, the other is to aid!" 1 Han Danzi's mind trembled as the 'seal' character formed of Demonic Qi descended. All of the Demonic Qi seemed to be affected, making it so that Han Danzi was incapable of dodging or evading. He could only try to fight back directly.

A huge boom lifted up into the sky. Blood sprayed from Han Danzi's mouth as, in the blink of an eye, he was surrounded by glowing hex light. From a distance, the hex light looked liked strands of silk, binding up Han Danzi.

It sealed his life force, sealed his Cultivation base, sealed all of him. It sealed him, and it sealed the enormous head.

Shockingly, the light of the Eighth Hex also thoroughly enveloped the enormous head. From a distance, it looked as if there were some enormous net covering over it.

The giant net was fused with the ground in the area, and pulled down viciously. Blood oozed out of Han Danzi's mouth, and he trembled. Unable to control his body, he kneeled down onto the ground, his expression vicious. It sounded like he wanted to roar with rage, but was incapable of making a single sound come out of his throat.

Beneath the power of the Eighth Hex's giant net, the head slowly stopped emerging out. In fact, it began to show signs of sinking back. Naruto hovered in mid-air, trembling slightly, his finger still pointing down at the ground. From the time he became a Demon Sealer until now, this was his first time… truly sealing a Demon.

The Demonic Qi in the area continued to rush toward him. He alone had shaken the world and used its power to push down a Demon.

Han Danzi was pushed down closer toward the ground, his face pale, his eyes filled with frenzy and an unyielding look. The giant head sank back, and soon, half of its mouth was back in the other world.

However it was then that… the Greater Demon in the world of the mirror suddenly looked up. Its gaze seemed to pierce out from the mirror into the outside world.

A strange look appeared in its eyes, and its mouth twisted into a smile.

"TAI!" it said. As the bizarre word echoed out, a change occurred to the giant head emerging from within the mirror world. The aura of death which had previously swirled around it, suddenly seemed to fill with the power of life. Although it did not open its eyes, it did open its mouth.

The voice which emerged was the exact same voice which had been heard moments ago.

"TAI!"

The sound turned into an attack which spread out in all directions, sweeping over everything. Heaven and Earth filled with roaring, and countless fissures spread out everywhere. The net of the Eighth Hex that covered the head began to shatter into small pieces. In the blink of an eye, it was destroyed and dissipated.

The Eight Hex which suppressed Han Danzi was also swept away, completely destroyed!

The Demonic Qi in the world began to roar like exploding thunder. Up in mid-air, Naruto coughed up a mouthful of blood and his face went white. He staggered back several paces.

"So, you're a Demon Sealer!" said Han Danzi. A strange light appeared in his eyes, and he lifted his head back to laugh, then shot up into the air.

"Who cares about Demon Sealers!? I'll kill you, take your blood, absorb your soul, and make a Demon Sealing precious treasure!

"It's just the will of Heaven!" Han Danzi seemed overjoyed as he shot up into the air. Demonic Qi surged toward Naruto, and at the same time, the head began to emerge again. All of a sudden, a neck and two shoulders could be seen!

"The will of Heaven, huh?" said Naruto, stabilizing himself. He looked coldly at approaching Han Danzi, and the gigantic Greater Demon that he apparently couldn't prevent from emerging. "There was no enmity between us. Neither you absorbing the power of that Demon, nor the prospect of bringing it back to life, have anything to do with me.

"What I want isn't you or that Demon, but rather… this entire place!" A bizarre light shone in Naruto's eyes. The current situation now fit in perfectly with his requirements. There was nobody left, so he felt confident enough to… take out the copper mirror!

Even as Han Danzi closed in, Naruto slapped his bag of holding with his right hand. Instantly, the copper mirror appeared, the same mysterious copper mirror that he had acquired back in the Reliance Sect all those years ago, which had accompanied him all this time!

It didn't look like anything special at all, and was even a bit rusted in places. It looked like a completely ordinary item.

"A crappy mirror?" laughed Han Danzi. "Don't tell me that's supposed to be some kind of precious treasure or something?!" He stopped in place, looking as if he didn't care at all about Naruto and his mirror. However, inwardly, the fact that Naruto had retrieved this magical item in a critical moment left him worried in a way that was quite the opposite to the way he made it look.

As soon as the copper mirror appeared, the mirror continent below suddenly trembled. Ripples spread out, looking almost like waves on the surface of the mirror-like continent.

Within the world of the mirror, everything that was alive suddenly stopped moving.

Even the head which was emerging from inside stopped in place. However… it was in this moment that the eyes began to twitch, as if they were struggling to open and awake.

"What is that!?" gasped Han Danzi. He was just going to attempt to stop Naruto when Naruto pointed the mirror directly down toward the mirror continent.

The two mirrors shone on each other, and anyone who could see them would be able to spot an majestic black hole inside each one. Each black hole seemed endless, as if it contained truths inside that no one would ever be able to understand.

The great mirror land below began to rumble and shake. The ripples continued to spread out, thicker and more numerous. At the same time, the mirror Naruto held began to grow warm, as if it were thirsting for something, as if it… wanted to consume the entire mirror continent below

It was then that the mirror continent, which Naruto could not even see the ends of, suddenly began to shrink. It grew smaller rapidly, accompanied by a roaring sound that lifted up into the sky.

It shrank and shrank, and if you were able to stand in a position far far above, you would see that the lands below… shockingly, were actually shaped like a mirror! And as of this moment, the mirror… was shrinking down at a rapid rate.

As the mirror continent shrank, it was possible to see that the shape of the mirror was… absolutely identical to the copper mirror that Naruto held.

Han Danzi's face fell. Even as he was about to charge at Naruto, his body began to be pulled back by the great mirror continent. His body was out of his own control, and he was incapable of nearing Naruto. Instead, a gravitational force pulled him down toward the lands below.

At the same time, the eyes of the Greater Demon head that was emerging from the mirror land suddenly… cracked open. An indistinct, growling voice echoed out, filled with ancientness.

"You… actually have… the Mountain and Sea Mirror…."

—–

This chapter was sponsored by David Mah and Anonymous

In Chinese, the character 封 can mean to 'seal' in the sense of sealing an envelope. It can also mean to 'cover' or 'bestow.' In Naruto's Art of Righteous Bestowal, the 'bestow' word is this same character ↩

Vol. 4 : Chapter 619

Chapter 619: Night Awakens!

The sound seemed to echo out from ancient times. In fact, as Naruto looked over, what he really saw was not a head with eyes opened, but rather, a virtually dead Greater Demon.

It was almost as if everything from before had been an illusion!

However, the ground was still shaking and rapidly shrinking. That was no illusion. Naruto could see, and even detect with Divine Sense, that the mirror, which was the continent, had shrunk down to only several tens of thousands of meters wide.

From his vantage point, it was now possible to see that the land was rapidly… turning into an actual mirror!

It included all of the lives and magical items on the battlefield. All of them shrank down to become exponentially smaller along with the mirror.

The head of the Greater Demon could no longer emerge, but rather, sank back down, taking Han Danzi with it. His face was filled with terror and astonishment as he tried every method possible to break free. All were useless. He screamed miserably, hopelessly as he looked down at himself. It was at this point that he realized that… he was also… sinking into the mirror!

When his feet touched the land, they sank directly into the water-like surface until he was as far down as his ankles.

"No!" he cried out in alarm. "How can this be!? This is impossible!" He howled and struggled, but it did absolutely no good.

Naruto trembled. The mirror was now incredibly hot, to the point where white steam was now pulsing off of his hand. He had no choice but to grip it with both hands.

By now, Naruto could sense the indescribable gravitational force being exerted by the mirror. It wasn't targeting Han Danzi, but rather, the entire mirror land.

"It…. Don't tell me it wants to suck in the entire mirror land of the Fourth Plane of the Demon Immortal Sect?" Having reached this conclusion, Naruto began to pant, and his mouth was parched and dry.

If that was really what was happening, then it would mean that he had gained a colossal amount of good fortune in the ancient Demon Immortal Sect! Such good fortune would be simply unimaginable to anyone else, completely beyond anticipation or expectation.

Naruto palpitated with eagerness as he clutched the copper mirror tightly in his hands and watched the mirror continent below shrinking. An unprecedentedly loud rumbling could be heard filling the entire world. Han Danzi let out a bloodcurdling shriek. He was already sunk halfway down into the surface of the mirror. Next to him, the head of the Greater Demon had sunk back down to the point where its nose was covered.

"How could this be happening! This is impossible! IMPOSSIBLE!" Han Danzi had gone mad; his expression was one of terror. He shouted out toward Naruto, begging for mercy and help.

However, because of the intense rumbling, his voice was virtually undetectable; Naruto didn't even notice it.

The Demonic Qi in the area churned. The shrinking of the land was like the lifting of a veil, revealing something beneath…. When Naruto looked down, he saw something that caused his mind to reel!

There below… was a gigantic brain!

The brain seemed limitlessly huge, sleek and white, with black spots visible in various locations. There were also some areas where brightly colored lights flashed back and forth.

Every flash of light seemed to contain countless images, almost like memories!

The sight was completely shocking to Naruto. His breath came in ragged pants, and he glanced once again at the shrinking land. Suddenly, he recalled something Han Danzi had said.

"This mirror continent is placed on top of the brain of true spirit Night!" Naruto took a deep breath and looked down again at the boundless, colossally huge brain.

"Is this place really the head of true spirit Night? If so, what exactly is that passageway?" His scalp was numb and his body trembled as he looked around. The mirror-land seemed to be in the final process of shrinking.

It was now only about 30,000 meters wide, and looked almost exactly like the copper mirror he held, except much larger!

Han Danzi was almost completely sunk into the surface of the mirror. His face was pale, and he was no longer howling. Instead, he stared at Naruto with a venomous, insane look.

As for the head of the Greater Demon, it had sunk down past the eyes. Only the top of its head remained, along with the three black horns, which emanated a bizarre glow.

The entire world was shaking.

30,000 meters. 25,000 meter! 20,000 meters!

By this point, sweat was pouring down Naruto's forehead. His entire body shook as he clutched at the copper mirror. Were it not for his incredible fleshly body, it might not have been possible to prevent the mirror from slipping out of his hands.

And yet, even in the Eighth Anima, Naruto was incapable of holding on for very much longer.

It was at this point that suddenly, out of nowhere, a sound could be heard. It was like a baby crying, and it seemed to be coming from the outside world, and yet, at the same time, seemed to be coming from inside, all around him. It started out somewhat weak, and then grew stronger and stronger.

At the same time, Naruto's mind filled with a roaring. Simultaneously, the dancing flashes of electric light on the surface of the brain of true spirit Night suddenly increased by tenfold, as did the speed with which they moved!

An aura of awakening suddenly covered over everything. Naruto's face twitched.

"Hahaha! You're dead!" cried Han Danzi. "You shook the seals of the three Holy lands, and thus have awoken true spirit Night! When it awakens, it brings calamity!" He began to laugh maniacally.

Meanwhile, outside of the the Fourth Plane, in the Demon Immortal Sect, the ground was quaking and the mountains were shaking. Rumbling could be heard in all directions as huge cracks and fissures suddenly appeared to spread out across the surface of the land.

The huge cracks and fissures, the massive rumbling, all of it made it seem as if the Demon Immortal Sect was experiencing doomsday. Ruins toppled and dust flew up in all directions, covering everything and making it hazy.

Off in the distance, the South Heaven Cultivators fled in shock toward the Demon Immortal Sect's exit gate past the First Peak. They had no idea what was happening, but they could guess. Obviously, something incredible was happening in the Fourth Plane that was connected somehow to the goings on.

Everything grew dark and the sound of rumbling rose to the Heavens. As the land was shattered, a boundless aura seeped out to flood the entire area. Rifts even began to appear in the air, one after another!

A middle-aged man stood atop the Fourth Peak, wearing a long white robe. He looked around at everything that was happening, his expression complex. Occasionally, killing intent would fill him, sometimes gentleness could be seen. This was Mukui.

"If it was anyone else who awoke Night and caused the legacy of Lord Li to appear, I would be forced to kill him. Outsiders cannot acquire the legacy of Lord Li. But him…." Mukui thought back to what he had experienced in ancient times, when he had superimposed with Naruto.

In the end, his father had recognized Naruto, acknowledged that they were father and son in that life. The killing intent in Mukui's eyes slowly dissipated, to be replaced by gentle warmth.

"If he was my father's son in that life, then that means he… is my little brother. Maybe I can't acquire the legacy of Lord Li, but if he can, it's the will of Heaven." Mukui sighed.

As everything shook, and even more rifts appeared up in the sky above the Demon Immortal Sect. Gradually, the shocking sight of the peaks of three inverted mountains became visible!

As they appeared to descend, an incredible pressure could be felt. The entire Demon Immortal Sect shook violently. The South Heaven Cultivators were arriving at the exit gate past the First Peak. In their shock, there were already quite a few who had chosen to use their Demon Spirit to leave.

However, that would take time. As the world shook more and more violently, the sound of a wailing infant suddenly filled the air. It sounded as if there was a baby sleeping deep, deep under the ground, its eyes closed. But then, as it began to awaken, it started to cry.

Once the sound could be heard, the destruction grew even more intense.

By now, the three inverted mountains were visible by more than half.

Meanwhile, back in the Fourth Plane, the great mirror continent had now shrunk down to only about 10,000 meters wide. Han Danzi was now completely submerged inside, gone.

As for the head of the Greater Demon, only a tiny bit was left visible; the rest had sunk back down into the mirror.

Naruto's face was pale, and his body was slowly moving forward. He was not moving of his own volition, but rather, was being pulled by the copper mirror!

Closer and closer!

The mirror continent continued to shrink. 10,000 meters. 5,000 meters. 2,500 meters…. 1,500 meters…. 1,000 meters…. 300 meters!

The head of the Greater Demon had completely sunk back into the mirror. Back in the calm lands inside the mirror, that Greater Demon who split the Heaven into its third, continued to look up coldly at Naruto.

Its gaze seemed eternal, and as Naruto looked at it, his mind trembled. However, there was no time to think deeply about the matter right now. As of now, he was only about 100 meters away from the 300meter-wide mirror.

As he got closer, it continued to shrink. 150 meters. 100 meters…. 30 meters!

25 meters. 15 meters. 5 meters…. 3 meters!

When the mirror land reached a size of three meters, suddenly, it began to distort. Naruto watched as it twisted into what looked like strands of silk that then shot toward his own copper mirror.

The copper mirror seemed to consume them, bit by bit, until they were all sucked in. Within the space of only a few breaths, the entire continental mirror was sucked in by Naruto's copper mirror!

It acted almost like a tonic for the mirror. After the consumption occurred, the copper mirror experienced an unprecedented transformation; all of the bits of rust on its surface completely disappeared!

The ancient decorative patterns on its surface grew deeper and more profound. Pulses of light could be seen circulating within, and murmuring sounds could be heard like the singing of Immortals.

Naruto's mind trembled. As he looked closer at the mirror, he saw multiple cracks on its surface. They intersected with each other to form nine areas!

Right now, in the upper left part of the mirror, there was an area that looked completely different from the others. It… actually looked like the surface of a mirror. It glowed with the light of magical items, and within, a vortex could be seen, slowly rotating. That vortex seemed to contain the secret of the origin of the world!

Within the vortex, shockingly… was… the ancient battlefield!

At the same time, the Fourth Plane now had no land left in it at all. Instead, the brain was fully revealed. The electric light danced about on its surface a thousandfold more than before. A shocking sound could be heard that far exceeded the wailing of before.

Night, had been provoked… into awakening!

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Devroy Blake, Lam Otis, Tiago Sturmer Daitx, and Stefan from Sweden

Vol. 4 : Chapter 620

Chapter 620: Night's Head!

By now, ten thousand times as many arcs of electric light were dancing back and forth on the brain of true spirit Night.

At the same time, the brain began to twitch. Bursting howls could be heard echoing in from outside, howls that shook the mind.

Naruto's face flickered as an intense sensation of grave crisis appeared inside of him. He could sense terrifying fluctuations, and an aura that seemed capable of destroying him in a single explosive burst.

Numbness washed over his scalp as, without hesitation, he put the copper mirror away and then flew at the highest speed possible toward the exit passage.

The passage had once seemed to be a deep pit, but because of the aura of awakening Night, it had changed dramatically. It was moving, wriggling, as if the passageway was actually some part of the body of true spirit Night!

Naruto's face fell, and he pushed himself to go even faster. He was now at the pinnacle of the Eighth Anima, and he moved even faster than lightning as he shot into the passageway. In the blink of an eye, he was speeding along inside.

ROAR!

A shocking roar echoed out from both below and above. Everything in the Demon Immortal Sect shook violently and began to fall into pieces.

The destruction was clearly visible to Naruto. He could see it with his own eyes, because the walls that surrounded him seemed to be covered with a partially transparent filament. Through that, Naruto could see the lands cracking and shattering by layers, then falling downward.

As he looked back through pit-like passageway, Naruto suddenly realized that it looked more like a tube!

It was a tube that ran to the brain of true spirit Night, and he was right in the middle of that tube, moving with unprecedented, maddening speed.

As he sped along, he began to pant. That was because he was astonished to find that the tube he was traveling through was actually lifting up into the air.

"It's not just this passageway that's lifting up into the air. Actually… this passageway… is part of the body of true spirit Night! When it moves, it will appear from within the land!" Naruto's mind trembled as he looked through the semi-transparent walls of the passageway to see the land collapsed everywhere. He could also feel the sensation of the passageway moving upward.

After more than ten breaths of time passed, a blinding white light filled Naruto's vision. A huge roar filled the passageway he was in as it was completely lifted up from the ground until it was in mid-air above the Demon Immortal Sect!

By this point, Naruto had traversed roughly seventy percent of the passageway, placing him thirty percent of the distance away from the exit. The passageway was now trembling violently, and Naruto's face was pale white. Through the semi-transparent walls, he could see that outside…

Fissures covered all of the lands of the Demon Immortal Sect. Most of the various areas of the Sect were completely collapsed. In fact, most of the lands seemed to be caving in, as if some enormous creature were rising up.

Rocks tumbled down the sides of the seven mountain peaks, as if even they would not be able to survive this incredible catastrophe.

The first to collapse was the Third Peak!

As the lands around it collapsed and caved in, the mountain peak began to slant to the side and sink…. However, as he looked at it, Naruto got the strange feeling that… the Third Peak was not actually collapsing. Actually, there appeared to be some incredible force causing it to tilt to the side.

He couldn't quite be sure, but the sensation was intense.

Then, even as the semi-transparent passageway vibrated rapidly, Naruto suddenly saw something… that he would never be able to forget.

He saw an incredibly large head. It was so large that it was impossible to estimate exactly how large it was. And only half of it was visible!

It looked like a human head, except it had no hair, and was instead completely covered with pitch-black scales. Shockingly, this head… seemed to encompass all of the lands of the Demon Immortal Sect!

Naruto's scalp went numb and his mouth was completely dry. He was thoroughly incapable of determining how large this head was!

He also saw that the semi-transparent passageway he was in, was actually an enormous antenna attached to the top of the head! It was an tube-like antenna, apparently used for breathing!

What caused Naruto's mind to tremble with even more disbelief was that the previously tilting and toppling Third Peak… actually… had stopped after reaching a certain angle, and was no longer falling.

That was because… the Third Peak was not actually part of the land at all. It was connected to the head. More accurately, the Third Peak was actually an enormous horn growing out from the top of the Head! "This… this is… true spirit Night?" thought Naruto, staring with wide eyes.

He wasn't the only one seeing this. The other South Heaven Cultivators who were congregated outside of the First Peak watched on with pale faces. At the same time, the location where they stood began to collapse. A huge hole appeared, a passageway out to the starry sky that everyone unhesitatingly entered.

As they flew into the passageway, their bodies began to emit a white light. The light seemed to be separating them from the ancient Demon Immortal Sect. Their bodies began to grow transparent; apparently, it wouldn't be long before they completely disappeared.

At the same time, bands of starlight descended from all directions, transforming into a river of stars. The appearance of the river of stars indicated that the return to South Heaven had begun. It was time to leave the good fortune of the Demon Immortal Sect.

"Naruto!" cried Xu Qing inwardly. She bit down her lip as the soft light began to envelop her. Gradually she grew transparent, but her anxious eyes were focused in the direction of Naruto back in the Demon Immortal Sect.

Similarly anxious was Fang Yu. Her hands were clenched into fists as she watched the Demon Immortal Sect collapsing. "Hurry up, Naruto. Get out of there!"

As for the other South Heaven Cultivators, all of them were filled with complex emotions. They were overwhelmed with astonishment at the sudden drastic turn of events in the ancient Demon Immortal Sect. At the same time, they were also filled with unspeakable, conflicting thoughts regarding Naruto.

They wanted Naruto dead, so that their debts would be absolved. However, were it not for Naruto's actions just now, all of them would be dead. That was a kindness on his part.

Various thoughts filled them as they watched on silently.

Naruto was scared out of his mind. As far as he could tell, he had really set something epic into motion….

"All I did was pull out a crappy mirror, right…?" he thought, clenching his jaw. He continued to speed along as fast as possible toward the exit of the semi-transparent passageway.

However, it was at this point that, surrounded by the collapsing lands, the head of true spirit Night slowly began to lift up. A reverberating wail even more shocking than before echoed out in all directions.

The Second Peak, the Fourth Peak, the First Peak, the Fifth Peak….

All shook violently and rose up into the air. Countless stones and boulders fell down, as four, shocking horns were revealed!

The antenna undulated, and at the same time, the exit appeared just up ahead of Naruto. Even as he was about to break free… Night, whose head was now half emerged from the collapsing lands, suddenly inhaled.

The breath caused an enormous sucking force to rush through the semitransparent passageway. Naruto was completely incapable of controlling his body. His eyes went wide as he felt himself himself being sucked in.

Filled with shock, he unleashed the full power of his Cultivation base. His right hand reached out the side and grabbed hold of a vine….

How could Naruto not see that these vines were actually like hairs that existed within true spirit Night's antenna…?

As soon as he grabbed ahold of it, he stopped moving. However, only a moment later, the vine snapped. Naruto's eyes went wide as he was once again sucked back. All of these things happened in only the space of ten or so breaths. To Naruto, though, it seemed like an eternity.

"If this is the breathing of true spirit Night…" he thought. "Breathing involves inhaling and exhaling. If this is the inhaling, then it must be followed by exhaling! Time to gamble!" With that, his eyes filled with determination. There was little else he could do now except gamble.

He continued to grab onto vines, and continued to employ the full power of his Cultivation base to try to slow his movement. Ten breaths of time passed. Beneath him, Naruto could see the end of the passageway, and once again, the brain of true spirit Night. However, it was at this point that the inhaling ended. It was then followed by an intense, explosive force in the opposite direction.

Naruto's eyes glittered. Roaring filled his body and blood sprayed from his mouth. Underneath the power of the force, he shot upward. His eyes filled with madness and his Cultivation base exploded, adding even more speed.

The entire process didn't even take ten breaths of time. Naruto's body rumbled as he suddenly… shot directly out from within the antenna.

By the time he flew out, the lands of the Demon Immortal Sect were completely collapsed and destroyed. The Sixth Peak and the Seventh Peak shook violently. Beneath them was revealed… a head that was as large as more than half the lands of the Demon Immortal Sect.

It had human features, but was covered with pitch-black scales. It had seven enormous horns, and a long antenna, the end of which glowed with a green light.

Its eyes were half open, and inside could be seen the blankness of awakening. There was also a shocking, indescribable energy pulsating off of its body.

This was… true spirit Night!

It had seven horns that could form mountains, and even though the head was only half emerged, its shocking aura was such that anyone who looked at it couldn't help but feel their mind tremble.

Naruto shot back at top speed. He himself was nothing in comparison to true spirit Night. He couldn't help but think back to the only thing which could possibly compare in size to true spirit Night, and that was Patriarch Reliance, with the State of Zhao on his back.

"All I did was take out a crappy mirror! Could that really stimulate this thing into awakening?!" Sweat poured down Naruto's forehead as he shot toward the location of the other South Heaven Cultivators, all of whom were staring in astonishment at true spirit Night.

Their minds were filled with roaring, and they were incapable of even speaking half a sentence. At the same time, they were on the verge of becoming completely transparent, making them appear like shadows.

Naruto flew as fast as he could, using all of the power of his

Cultivation base, the green smoke, the black moon. However, almost the same moment in which he reached the exit, behind him, true spirit Night uttered the first sound that was not a wail.

"NIGHT!"

Vol. 4 : Chapter 621

Chapter 621 (Click to show)

Chapter 621: He's My Little Brother

In the same moment in which the voice of true spirit Night echoed out, the Cultivators from South Heaven were being surrounded by starlight. Within the starlight were countless motes and fragments, which mixed with the starlight to cover everything and transform it all into a river of stars.

The river of stars was like a beam filled with countless motes of light that gathered momentum as it unfurled, sweeping up all of the Cultivators in preparation to return to South Heaven. After all, they had been swept up and carried to this place by the river of stars, it was only natural that they would be taken away in the same method.

Upon seeing the river of stars, everyone felt a little bit more relaxed, although they wished it would finish forming up faster. Considering how quickly things were going out of control, they wanted to leave as soon as possible to get out of danger.

As of now, this was not the Fourth Plane of the ancient Demon Immortal Sect. This was… the hitherto unknown Fifth Plane!

The Fifth Plane, the awakening of true spirit Night!

As true spirit Night's voice echoed out, the land and sky in all directions twisted, and ghost images seemed to appear. The entire world seemed to revert to ancient times. Countless figures flew about, and everything flourished. But then sometimes, everything would become ruins, filled with corpses. And then it would simply be Night, head raised, the Seven Peaks turned into horns!

Ghost images flickered over the entire world. True spirit Night… had now thoroughly lifted up its head from within the land.

When true spirit Night slept, the world was a dream. When true spirit Night awoke, calamity came to Heaven and Earth!

Naruto panted, and the South Heaven Cultivators watched on in alarm. Although the bodies of the crowd were half transparent, they couldn't help but back up nervously and wish fervently that they could teleport away as soon as possible.

After letting out an incredible roar, the colossal head of true spirit Night suddenly… spoke, its voice indistinct: "Give my precious mirror… back to me!"

The voice echoed back and forth, causing Naruto's mind to tremble as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. The South Heaven Cultivators mind's felt as if they were being exploded by lightning; the sound of the voice was deafening.

A moment later, the South Heaven Cultivators all looked over at Naruto. One by one they began to express their astonishment.

"What treasure did Naruto take?!"

"Don't tell me he stole a precious treasure from that Demon beast, causing it to awaken!?"

"Precious mirror… could it be… could it be that it's talking about the continental mirror we saw in the Fourth Plane?"

As their voices rang out, their eyes began to fill with shock and amazement, as well as intense jealousy.

"Take out the continental mirror… and return it to me!" said true spirit Night. This time, its voice was clearer. As it spoke, massive amounts of lightning began to rise up around the seven mountain peaks.

Before Naruto could open his mouth to speak, the group from South

Heaven began to pant as they understood the meaning of Night's words.

The continental mirror of the Fourth Plane, which contained innumerable precious treasures, had actually… been taken away by Naruto!

The eyes of virtually all of the South Heaven Cultivators instantly went red. Even Fang Yu was breathing heavily and looking at Naruto with an expression of disbelief.

Wang Lihai, Han Bei, Li Shiqi, and the others all appeared to be in complete disbelief, their minds shaken to the extreme.

They couldn't even begin to imagine how Naruto had managed to take away the continental mirror.

The Hebi Clan members' eyes were wide. The Cultivators from the Northern Reaches and the Southern Domain were panting. Everyone was completely flabbergasted by this new information.

Xu Qing's face was also filled with disbelief. She looked at Naruto, and then a smile broke out on her face.

Naruto frowned. Without saying a single world, he employed as much speed as he could to shoot out into the outside world. Most of his body was already starting to grow transparent, and he could clearly sense the power of teleportation.

At the same time, the river of stars was now almost completely materialized, seemingly endless and filled with innumerable motes of light. It began to sweep through the void, picking up the crowds of South Heaven Cultivators, including Naruto. It then spun and began to shoot off into the distance.

In the same moment in which Naruto and the others were swept up by the river of stars, the eyes of true spirit Night suddenly opened completely. Any sense of blankness within those eyes was completely wiped away, to be replaced with awareness. True spirit Night… was now fully awake!

The instant the complete awakening occurred, true spirit Night let out a roar that caused the entire world and even the void to instantly cease moving. Even the river of stars trembled and then stopped in place.

Naruto's face fell, and the expressions of the South Heaven Cultivators were that of complete astonishment.

Suddenly, the land down below began to rumble and disintegrate as a gigantic arm slowly rose up. It was black and covered with scales, and only had four fingers. As it rose up from the ground, it left behind a gigantic pit. It was so long that it was almost impossible to see the entire arm, and as it stretched out, its palm was so large that it seemed big enough to cover up the entire sky.

The arm stretched out, snatching toward the river of stars.

"Get back here!" said true spirit Night, its voice rumbling up into the Heavens. Naruto's body was completely out of his control as it flew out, pulled from the river of stars to shoot toward the giant hand.

In the blink of an eye, shockingly, he was standing on top of the giant hand. Naruto's face was pale white, and his eyes shone with a sharp light. Now that Naruto had left the river of stars, it trembled once again, and then slowly began to move once again. The South Heaven Cultivators were now once more moving off into the distance.

"Naruto!" Xu Qing's face fell, and she struggled to fly out, but was incapable of leaving the river of stars. Fang Yu's face was also filled with anxiety. As for most of the others, they seemed to be rejoicing in the misfortune of the others.

"He's dead! That Demon beast specifically kept him behind. He's definitely going to die!"

"He stole that thing's precious treasure! How could it possibly let him leave!?"

The Cultivators continued to watch as they moved off into the distance.

True spirit Night retracted its palm, upon which Naruto stood, until Naruto was directly in front of it. His face was pale as he stood there on the palm, looking up at the colossal head, and true spirit Night's two eyes.

Naruto's right hand rested on his bag of holding, and a cold glow could be seen in his eyes. He knew he was no match for true spirit Night. Even a single breath from it could completely extinguish the flame of his life force. However, until the critical juncture of life or death arrived, Naruto would continue to go all out.

"You have no aura upon you which I find familiar…." said true spirit Night, looking over Naruto. Its right hand began to close into a fist. As it did, an indescribable pressure inundated Naruto. Cracking sounds could be heard, and blood sprayed from his mouth. His body seemed to be on the verge of completely collapsing; even his internal organs were on the verge of exploding.

However, there was still not even a scrap of fear in Naruto's eyes. Instead, a touch of madness could be seen burning inside, which then turned into ferocity. Finally, he took a deep breath and prepared to pull out the copper mirror.

However, it was at this moment that a white-robed figure suddenly appeared in mid-air. He strode out step by step; in one moment he was far off in the distance; in the next moment, he stood in front of Naruto. His back was to him, and he stood there protectively, looking at true spirit Night.

He wore white robes and had long, dark grey hair. He was indescribably ancient and old. This was… Mukui!

"You may not harm him," said Mukui calmly, staring up at true spirit

Night, his voice filled with an incredible power. The energy caused Heaven and Earth to flicker with different colors, as if it was capable of fighting back against true spirit Night.

True spirit Night looked at Mukui. "I've awakened," it said, its voice a drone. "There must be extermination of life."

"He is a son approved by my father," said Mukui quietly. Behind him, a tremor ran through Naruto. As he looked at Mukui, the warmth between him and Ke Yunhai in the Second Plane suddenly filled his heart.

"That was a dream!" said true spirit Night, its voice cold.

"Since my father approved of him, it doesn't matter whether it was an illusion or not," said Mukui slowly, a mysterious light flickering through his eyes. "He… is my little brother. With me here, nothing in existence, not even you, can harm him in the slightest bit, or even dare to try!" As he spoke, an indescribable aura rose up.

Naruto stood there silently, looking at Mukui's back. The hand that gripped his bag of holding slowly relaxed.

"I'll… I'll hand over the continental mirror…." said Naruto with a soft sigh. However, even as the words left his mouth, Mukui turned his head and gave Naruto a profound look.

This was the first time Naruto had ever seen Mukui's face. In that moment, he almost thought that he was looking at Ke Yunhai. He gaped in shock at the familiar features.

However, it only took a moment for him to see that this was definitely not Ke Yunhai.

"You don't need to hand it over," said Mukui. He had watched moments ago as Naruto showed no fear in the face of death. And yet now, he was willing to hand over the continental mirror. Mukui understood, and it caused a gentleness to appear in the depths of his eyes. "Since you were able to take it away, it shows that you were destined for such good fortune. Besides… the awakening of true spirit Night doesn't mean complete catastrophe."

Mukui gazed at Naruto. "Do you trust me?"

Naruto looked at Mukui, at the features which so much resembled

Ke Yunhai. Without hesitation, he replied, "I trust you!"

"In the past, Lord Li laid down orders that whoever awakened true spirit

Night would be given two options." With another deep look at Naruto, Ke Hebi uisi turned to look back at true spirit Night. "Night, he is my little brother, so I will act on his behalf to make the decision. He will choose the second path!"

Night was silent for a long moment, its expression one of complexity. Finally, its gaze came to fall on Naruto.

Slowly, it began to explain. "Lord Li ordered that whichever life form wakes me up will be given two options. First option: return the continental mirror to me, and I will continue to sleep….

"Second option; do not return the mirror, and prepare yourself to acquire the qualifications to receive Lord Li's legacy. Walk the three mountains, pass through the Holy Lands, ascend to the Fourth Heaven… acquire the legacy of Lord Li! If you fail… then you will stay behind as a guest in my dream."

As its voice echoed out, it was audible to even the South Heaven Cultivators in the river of stars. When they heard the true spirit's words, they gaped in shock. That was especially true of the Hebi Clan members and the Cultivators from the Northern Reaches. They looked back at the distant Demon Immortal Sect, their eyes wide with disbelief, and more so, intense jealousy and madness.

"Just… just… just what kind of good fortune is this?!"

"Dammit! How is this possible? That's not a catastrophe! Isn't there supposed to be a catastrophe? Isn't Naruto supposed to be exterminated? How could such good luck as this appear?! Lord Li's legacy! Seriously? The legacy of Lord Li?!"

"It was so overbearing before, like it could destroy everything. How could things turn around and… become such good fortune!"

"The legacy of Lord Li?! I can't accept this!"

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Joakim Trælvik

Vol. 4 : Chapter 622

Chapter 622: Three Mountains, Nine Bows

The South Heaven Cultivators watched on with wide, disbelieving eyes. Their hearts were filled with complexity and jealousy. The emotions continued to ripple out until, eventually, they turned into avarice.

There were only a few people who were actually happy to see Naruto run into such good fortune. Most were just jealous to the point of hatred.

"Dammit! Why does it have to be him!? In the Second Plane he was an Elite Apprentice. In the Third Plane, he stole away all our treasures! In the Fourth Plane he acquired that precious treasure, the continental mirror. And now here in the Fifth Plane… he's acquired the qualifications for the legacy of Lord Li!"

"Why does it have to be this way? By what right of virtue or ability does he fall into such good luck?! I can't stand for this!"

"Worst of all is that we still owe him a huge debt! I myself owe 800,000 Spirit Stones…."

"I owe him 1,000,000 Spirit Stones! Dammit! Why can't he just die here!"

Other than Xu Qing, Fang Yu, and few others, all the Cultivators from South Heaven gnashed their teeth, their jealousy of Naruto having risen to the pinnacle.

"He'll be going back to the lands of South Heaven eventually!" said Hebi Mingkong suddenly, his eyes flashing. As soon as he spoke, the eyes of the others began to flash.

"That's right. He will be back in South Heaven eventually. And it doesn't matter what he acquired, we will still have to report everything that happened when we get back to our Sects and Clans."

"Look, all he did was acquire qualifications to get Lord Li's legacy. As to whether or not he will actually acquire the legacy remains unknown!"

As the South Heaven Cultivators spoke among themselves, the river of stars which surrounded them made its way off into the distance. Gradually, they began to lose consciousness. Soon, all of their eyes were closed, and they were in a state of slumber, just as they had been when they arrived. The river of stars began to float back to the lands of South Heaven.

Meanwhile, back in the Demon Immortal Sect, Naruto stood on the palm of true spirit Night as it slowly lifted him up into the sky.

Mukui also stood on Night's palm, looking at Naruto with an encouraging expression.

"This is your opportunity. As for how far you can get, that will depend on your personal good fortune." With that, he flicked his sleeve and then stepped out and disappeared into mid-air.

Naruto's heart shook. He could never have imagined that in the end, he could acquire qualifications to try to acquire Lord Li's legacy. He panted as the enormous palm lifted him up into the sky. After that, shockingly… three inverted mountains appeared in front of him.

These were the three Greater Demon Mountains!

It was at this point that Night's voice rumbled out.

"The first stage of the legacy is the approval of the Seven Peaks. You have already passed that stage.

"The second stage is to awaken me. You… already passed that stage too!

"The third stage involves bowing nine times to the three mountains. If you acquire the approval of all three mountains, then you can break through to the Second Heaven!

"For Hebi usi's sake, I will remind you… this stage can only be passed if you are destined to do so!"

"Destined…." thought Naruto, looking at the three inverted mountains up in the air. After a moment of silence, he closed his eyes, then opened them again. They shone with a brilliant light.

The first mountain was none other than the Frost Soil Demon Mountain. It was completely frozen over, and was filled inside with chaos, making it impossible to clearly see the whole mountain. However, Naruto could definitely sense the freezing pressure coming from the mountain.

This mountain seemed to be the coldest thing in Heaven and Earth, something even flames could do nothing to melt. It was if any other freezing cold thing in the world wouldn't even dare to call itself cold while standing before this mountain!

If you looked closely at the decorations and patterns within the layers of ice, it almost looked as if they contained entire worlds. It was bizarre to the extreme!

Also visible on the mountain was a towering altar, upon which was a throne. Seated in the throne was what appeared to be a statue. The statue's features were unclear, but its upraised right hand was held up into the air where apparently an ice flame had once burned!

By this point, Naruto was already panting. He shifted his gaze to look at the next mountain.

The second mountain was completely crimson, as if it overflowed with fresh, red blood. An indescribable, monstrous killing intent seemed to fill it, as if an uncountable number of lives were buried inside the mountain.

The vast number of people who had died led to the overflow of fresh blood, thus turning the mountain completely red.

Killing intent circulated around, to the extent that even a single glance would cause one's mind to fill with a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

There was also an altar on this mountain, upon which could be seen a blood-colored throne. A figure sat on this throne, its right hand raised up.

As soon as Naruto saw the figure, his mind trembled. A shocking scene appeared in his mind that was not exactly the same as this, but extremely similar.

"This is…." Naruto's mind shook, and his breath came in ragged pants. After a moment, his eyes flickered as he suppressed his thoughts and emotions, then looked over at the third mountain.

Upon this mountain, flames raged. The flames were dim, but seemed incapable of burning out. Even stranger, upon looking at the mountain, ghost images would spring up in the mind, as if countless volcanoes existed. It made it impossible to tell which of the mountains was real, and which was false.

Eventually, the image of countless withered figures could be seen on the surface of the volcanic mountain. They looked like evil spirits, emitting noiseless howls as they climbed, struggling amongst each other to be the first to reach the peak of the mountain and then throw themselves into the pit of fire there.

There was no altar, no throne, no figure. This third mountain was completely different than the other two!

Three mountains, three Greater Demons of Heaven and Earth!

Of course, the three Greater Demons had long since perished. But even Lord Li would not have been capable of making their essences fade away. Therefore, the three mountains existed as before!

Panting, Naruto once again focused his gaze on the Frost Soil Demon Mountain. He then clasped hands and… bowed deeply!

First bow!

"I am connected by destiny to Han Shan," he said. "I received his Immortal's sword and his bronze flagon. Therefore, I should bow first to the Frost Soil Demon Mountain!" As his words rang out, the Frost Soil Demon Mountain suddenly trembled.

Cracking sounds could suddenly be heard from the entire mountain. Originally, ice spread out across the mountain, a power of sealing. But when Naruto bowed for the first time, that ice began to crack and split. More and more fissures spread out, creating a roaring sound that lifted up to the Heavens as Naruto straightened back up.

Down below, Mukui stood on the head of true spirit Night, on the Fourth Peak. When he saw what was happening, a strange light began to shine in his eyes. Even the eyes of true spirit Night began to glitter. "His first bow stirred up transformations in the Frost Soil Demon Mountain. He… truly is connected to the mountain by destiny. However, exactly how strong that destiny is remains to be seen. Can he ignite the Demonfire to illuminate the Third Heaven?!"

Naruto looked up at the Frost Soil Demon Mountain, then took a deep breath. He clasped hands and bowed again.

"My Earth-type totem is formed from Frost Soil. In the end, I created a Frost Soil Nascent Soul. This kindness, or destiny, leads me to bow again to the Demon Mountain!"

Second bow!

Boom!

As his voice rang out, a huge rumbling could be heard from the Frost Soil Demon Mountain. Even more cracks appeared on the layers of ice which covered the mountain. The cracks began to form together into something that looked like a face. The facial features were extremely lifelike; they were that of an old man, his face filled with ancientness as he looked at Naruto.

He seemed capable of seeing all of Naruto's past with a single glance, as well as his future.

At the same time, something changed about the figure seated in the throne on the altar. The previously empty spot in its right hand suddenly flickered as blue sparks appeared. It looked as if a flame wished to ignite there!

When he saw this, Mukui's eyes shone even brighter. As for true spirit Night, it said nothing, but a strange glow could be seen in its eyes.

Naruto looked up at the face of the old man in the layers of ice. He clasped his hands and bowed yet again, a look of determination in his eyes.

"I have an agreement with senior Han Shan. One day, when my

Cultivation base is up to the task, I will return to the Realm of the Bridge Ruins to rescue him. That agreement is destiny, between myself and senior Han Shan. It is also destiny between myself and the Frost Soil Demon Mountain. Today, I repeat the same oath as before! 1

"Demon Mountain, please bear witness. This bow is evidence of the determination of Naruto of the junior generation!"

Not even the slightest sound could be heard from the Frost Soil Demon Mountain. It seemed to have no reaction whatsoever to Naruto's third bow. Naruto felt his heart pounding; he knew that he had tried to pull a bit of a fast one with the third bow.

However, all of a sudden….

"Agreed!" said an ancient voice. It echoed out from the Frost Soil Demon Mountain, almost from within the depths of time itself. As the voice spread out through the area, it carried with it endless coldness which caused the world to distort and blur.

The word was spoken by the face of the old man. He looked deeply at Naruto for a moment, and then began to grow blurry. Cracking sounds could be heard as the cracks which made up the face spread out. They formed together to make a huge rift that spread from the top of the mountain to the bottom. It created a massive, scar-like mark, which stretched across the entirety of the mountain.

The mark stretched all the way to the altar, and the figure on the throne. A bang could be heard. The blue sparks which danced above the right hand of the figure suddenly began to form together, transforming into a blue flame.

As soon as the flame appeared, it illuminated the face of the figure. That face was exactly the same in all respects as Han Shan's!

The flame roared up, shining three portions of light into the sky up above.

Gradually, because of the light shone by the flame, two shocking, enormous objects became visible up in the sky. They floated high up above, looking even more majestic and shocking than the three Greater Demon Mountains.

A shocking, indescribable aura surround those two objects!

Naruto's mind trembled, and he closed his eyes. After calming himself, he opened his eyes again and then looked at the second mountain, the blood-colored Demon Mountain!

He clasped hands, looked at the Blood Demon Mountain, and then suddenly bowed. "I'm not sure if this mountain has anything to do with the ancient Temple of Doom. However, that is what this bow is for. If destiny exists, I implore the mountain to express itself!"

This was his fourth bow in total, and his first toward the Blood Demon Mountain!

—-

Note from Er Gen: Yesterday was the funeral procession for my grandfather. According to tradition, tomorrow is the third day after burial, the time to revisit the grave. I'll try to post as many chapters as possible today, but tomorrow I definitely won't be able to post two chapters. I'll only post one.

Thank you for your concern, everyone. Thank you. I'm fine. I just have a sore on my tongue, which makes it difficult to eat. I don't want to think about the past.

Note from Deathblade: Er Gen's release schedule from so long ago doesn't affect mine. Usually his post-chapter messages aren't very meaningful, but this one was so I figured I would share it.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Emmanuel Martinez, Joakim Trælvik,

Shirley Ens, and Emmanuel Martinez

Han Shan was the Immortal Naruto met in the Realm of the Bridge

Ruins. In chapter 474, Naruto vowed to rescue him ↩

Vol. 4 : Chapter 623

Chapter 623: Sky, ten. Naruto, seven!

The crimson Blood Demon Mountain was originally sealed as quietly as death. However, after Naruto's bow, an aura began to spread out from the figure on the throne…. It filled the entire Blood Demon Mountain, causing a bloody glow to shine up into the sky. In addition, an incredible rumbling sound could be heard.

Even as Naruto's heart trembled, his eyes began to shine with a strange light. Earlier, he had suspected that the Blood Demon Mountain had something to do with the Blood Immortal mask. After all, the figure on the throne looked very similar to the figure Naruto had seen in the Blood Immortal Legacy tournament all those years ago.

Most shocked of all, however, was true spirit Night. It looked up, its eyes seemingly filled with lightning, its expression one of disbelief. The fact that Naruto could acquire the approval of the Frost Soil Demon Mountain was shocking enough.

But now, it was obvious that he had a connection to the Blood Demon Mountain. The reaction of the Blood Demon Mountain caused true spirit Night to involuntarily tremble mentally.

"Three portions of light from the Frost Soil. One portion from the Blood Demon. Together, that is four portions! Could it be that he really is the person Lord Li has been waiting for?

"If he is, then how come I can't sense anything familiar about him?! He has no aura that I recognize, which does not conform with the requirements of Lord Li. That was why I didn't bestow him with the qualifications originally!" Night's eyes glittered as it looked at Naruto. It could clearly examine all of Naruto's person, but no matter how it looked through everything… it still felt that Naruto was full of mysteries.

"Are you, or are you not that person?" thought Night. "Regardless of whether you are or not, bowing nine times to the three mountains is not a simple matter. He still does not have enough approval. The approval in the beginning is only the first step.

"The approval of a Demon Mountain can give rise to three portions of light. The path to the Third Heaven depends on the approval of all three Demon Mountains. Three to nine portions of light make it possible for that path to appear!

"However… the path that appears with three portions of light is ordinary. Failure on that path will lead to the revoking of the qualifications. Only the path of six portions gives the participant three chances at the legacy, once every five hundred years!

"As for the path of nine portions of light… that is the legendary great circle. When it appears, failure still is followed by nine more chances, like a blessing from above. The path of nine portions is also called One Step to Immortality. If that person is already an Immortal, their Cultivation base can rise up to another realm. If they are not Immortal, they can achieve Immortal Ascension!

"I must see exactly how many portions of light this fellow will acquire!" Night's eyes glittered as it looked at Naruto.

In contrast to true spirit Night, Mukui's thoughts were not so complex. He watched on with an admiring smile, sincerely desiring that Naruto could acquire as many portions of light as possible.

Naruto took a deep breath as he looked at the quaking Blood Demon Mountain. Then he clasped hands and bowed for the fifth time.

At the same time, it was his second bow to the Blood Demon Mountain!

"Junior is connected by destiny to the ancient Temple of Doom. I formed a Blood Violet Nascent Soul. I gained enlightenment to realize that a boundless will of life exists within blood. Therefore, I bow to you, senior Demon Mountain." Naruto's bow was deep as he spoke these words.

Instantly, roaring could be heard from the Blood Demon Mountain. Bloody beams of light rose up into the air, interlocking to gradually form a blood-colored Demon flower. As soon as the flower appeared, a boundless radiance shone out. Crimson sparks suddenly appeared in the figure's right hand.

This was the fifth portion of light. Two Demon Mountains, five portions of light. It caused the scene up above in the air to grow a bit clearer. As of now, it was possible to see two enormous land masses floating in the air far, far up above.

Each of these land masses were matchlessly majestic as they floated there up above, like two Holy Lands!

They were high, high up, as if they were looking down upon the entire world. They… really were Holy Lands. It didn't matter if you were speaking of the Demon Immortal Sect or the Ninth Mountain and Sea as a whole, the Hebi Clan and the Fang Clan Holy Lands were secondary only to the palace of Lord Li himself!

Even now as in the past, they were illustrious and famous throughout the Ninth Mountain and Sea, these enormous land masses that had continued on down throughout the ages.

Five portions of light filled Heaven and Earth. Suddenly, though, the fifth portion of light suddenly flickered again. Next, something happened that exceeded even the imaginations of true spirit Night and Mukui.

Even as the sparks appeared on the hand of the figure on the Blood

Immortal Mountain, the figure's eyes suddenly began to shine with a bizarre light. It stared at Naruto, then slowly lifted up its left hand and stretched it out, as if it were asking for something.

Naruto's mind shook, and he lowered his hand to his bag of holding. Immediately, the Blood Immortal Mask appeared in his hand.

As soon as Naruto took out the Blood Immortal mask, the figure on the Blood Demon Mountain slowly withdrew its hand. A voice suddenly echoed out that seemed to come from countless years in the past.

"Put on my mask."

Naruto's eyes glittered as he placed the Blood Immortal mask onto his face.

Boom!

Redness instantly spread out to cover Naruto's entire body. His hair became red, his robe turned red, and in the blink of an eye, his entire body was surrounded by bands of blood-colored light. It looked almost like a sea of blood was raging around him.

In this instant, Naruto was the incarnation of the Blood Immortal.

Behind him, an image slowly came into being. An enormous throne was visible, seated upon which was a woman whose face could not be seen. Her hair swirled around her, and she seemed to be gazing off into the distance.

After the image appeared, the figure on the Blood Demon Mountain trembled. A huge roaring sound could be heard coming from inside it, and at the same time, a blazing tongue of Demonfire ignited. It instantly illuminated more of the sky above.

The entire sky was filled with the light of five portions of light, and now, close to six portions illuminated it even further. Within the light, an illusory staircase could be seen, leading up, up to the two Holy Lands and… the Third Heaven.

True spirit Night gasped. "He… he… he actually has destiny connecting him to the Blood Demon!" Its face was a mass of disbelief. It could scarcely believe that Naruto would have destiny connected to both the Frost Soil Demon Mountain and the Blood Demon Mountain. It was really shocking good fortune.

True spirit Night looked at Naruto, its mind spinning. "The Demon Mountains lift the seal. They have spoken of their own volition, which could never happen unless a certain level of destiny existed. Since such destiny has clearly reached the necessary level, it shows that Naruto is none other than a successor of the Blood Demon!

"He formed a Blood Demon Divine Clone, has a treasure made of the skin of the Blood Demon, and has even formed what is essentially a Demon Nascent Soul. Is this person… a Cultivator, or a Greater Demon of my generation!?

"Furthermore, he hasn't even performed the sixth bow! And yet, the sixth portion of light has almost fully appeared already."

Naruto clasped hands to perform his sixth bow, the third to the Blood Demon Mountain. "The kindness of the Blood Immortal legacy. The kindness of the Blood Mastiff in the way it escorted me. Junior will never forget these things for the rest of his life. Once again, senior, I bow to you, the essence of the mountain!"

After he bowed, the mountain rumbled. An endless echo could be heard, along with an ancient voice which slowly spoke out from within the Blood Demon Mountain.

"Agreed!" said the voice. A single word. However, as soon as that single word could be heard, the Demonfire towered up. This represented the complete and utter approval of the Blood Demon Mountain toward Naruto.

At the same time, light shone up into the sky. This was no longer six portions of light, but seven portions!

The sky had room for a total of ten portions, and now Naruto

occupied seven!

The seven portions of light illuminated the majority of the boundless sky. The two Holy Lands were now even clearer. Gradually becoming visible were the restrictive spells which had sealed the Holy Lands for so many years. Also visible were countless vines hanging downward.

They looked as if they had been in confinement for far, far too long, and were finally being revealed at long last!

An unsightly expression appeared on the face of true spirit Night, and complex feelings arose in its heart. It knew that it was incapable of doing anything to revoke the qualifications of this person. Once six portions of light were revealed, a minimum of three chances were guaranteed.

Even if Naruto completely failed now, Night was incapable of harming him in the slightest, let alone demand the continental mirror be returned.

As long as Naruto had the qualifications, it was incapable of doing anything to him. It could only watch on helplessly as Naruto proceeded onward at will.

"Three mountains, nine bows. Already, six bows have been performed. The final three bows are for the Withering Flame Demon Mountain. That is the most difficult mountain of all. Even if he already has seven portions of light, it will still be impossible for him to get nine total!" Night's eyes flickered as it looked at Naruto.

Mukui also looked at Naruto, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.

Naruto closed his eyes and calmed his heart. Then he looked up toward the last of the Demon Mountains. This was the mountain of raging flame, with a pit of fire at its peak that countless withered figures struggled to enter.

It almost seemed to be a location of reincarnation. By leaping into the pit, they could release themselves from worldly cares, find their true bodies, then leave and be reborn anew.

However, what Naruto saw was that every person who leaped into the fiery pit would once again be born as a withered figure, who would then again begin to climb. It seemed to be an endless cycle.

The more he watched, the more he realized that this was reincarnation.

Actually, this mountain's true name was Reincarnation Demon Mountain. As for the name Withering Flame, it fit with its appearance, but not the meaning of the mountain. Of course, the Greater Demon which had given rise to this mountain had a technique called the Withering Flame Demon Magic True Self Dao.

Therefore, the name Withering Flame was also not inappropriate.

Naruto looked silently at the Reincarnation Demon Mountain in front of him. He had been most confident regarding the Frost Soil, and secondarily, the Blood Demon. The only mountain he had no confidence in was this Reincarnation Demon Mountain.

If there was any destiny connecting him to this mountain, then at best it would be the technique he had acquired but not mastered in the Second Plane, the Withering Flame Demon Magic True Self Dao.

Even as he hesitated, the Reincarnation Demon Mountain began to rumble of its own accord. Black smoke poured out from the fiery pit, rushing out to fill the sky, followed by endless flames.

Next, a voice spoke out from within, ancient and emotionless.

"Reincarnation Mountain needs no bows!

"Many years ago, there was a withered slave on this mountain who said that life is pain, and that he wished to free himself from the sea of bitterness. That sea is like an inescapable flame which can burn everything.

"Afterwards, he called this place Withering Flame, and made a solemn vow that he would eradicate the sea of bitterness. He would ensure that all living things no longer experience bitterness, but rather, freedom!

"If you were in his place, what would you do?!"

—–

Note from Er Gen (this was actually posted as an entire chapter, as Er Gen did not post any other chapters on that day):

It snowed today, quite heavily. After coming back from the funeral procession, I cried for a long time.

I've never cried like that before, and I don't know why I did this time.

I don't feel like writing now, nor do I want to do anything. I just want to have some peace and quiet.

Brothers and Sisters, this will be my last day off. I'll get back to work as usual tomorrow.

Thank you for your understanding. Thank you.

Vol. 4 : Chapter 624

Chapter 624: Lofty Aspirations!

As the archaic voice from the Reincarnation Mountain echoed out, the entire mountain filled with a roaring sound. As the black smoke rose up into the air, an enormous, burning incense stick flew out from the mountain. It stood straight up in mid-air, surrounded by mist.

The incense burned slowly, emitting a smoke that fused with the mist around it so that few would be able to tell the difference between the two. It made it impossible to tell if the mist was concealed within the smoke, or the smoke gave rise to the mist.

The archaic voice once again echoed out into the silence. "If you have not provided an answer by the time the incense burns out, then the fire of the Reincarnation Mountain will not give up even half a portion of light."

After that, the world was silent. Naruto stood in a daze, looking at the Reincarnation Mountain. He could see the black smoke and the dense flames spewing out of the mouth of the volcano. It made it seem as if the entire world was made of smoke and fire.

The sky had room for ten portions of light. He had acquired seven from the Frost Soil Demon Mountain and the Blood Demon Mountain. Right now, the remaining three portions were covered by the fire and smoke.

Everything was dim and hazy….

Especially shocking was that the haziness affected the other seven portions of light up in the sky. At a glance, everything seemed to be covered with smoke. Trying to look up at the two Holy Lands was like trying to look at flowers in the fog, or at the moon in troubled waters.

"If I were in his place, what would I do?" thought Naruto. The Reincarnation Mountain did not require bowing, but rather, the heart and the mind. It required the essence of the person, something that could not be worn away by the passage of time.

Mukui watched on thoughtfully. Long ago, he had earned the same qualifications as Naruto. However, when facing the Reincarnation Mountain, he had only been able acquire two portions of light. That had left him with a sky filled with eight portions of light. In the end, he had failed to reach the Holy Lands.

As he watched Naruto now, he was reminded of himself all those years ago, when he had awoken to find the Demon Immortal Sect in ruins, and himself alone.

True spirit Night's pupils constricted as it stared at Naruto. It knew that of the nine bows and three mountains of the Second Heaven, the Reincarnation Mountain was the most difficult! That was because… this mountain asked first regarding the heart, second regarding the Dao, and third regarding reincarnation!

"What will his answer be?" thought Night. According to its determination, Naruto was not the person it and Lord Li were waiting for. He was not destined to be the successor. However, Night was very curious as to what Naruto would say in response to the question from the Reincarnation Mountain.

As of this point, true spirit Night and Mukui had both noticed something, although they didn't seem to care. Far off in the distance, a figure had appeared in the air, and was gazing at Naruto.

It was a woman, somewhat flirtatious in appearance, and extremely beautiful. It was, of course… Tsukino!

Everyone from South Heaven had left. Only Naruto and Tsukino remained behind!

In contrast to Naruto, the reason Tsukino hadn't left was because she had no intention of returning to Planet Ninshu. Were it not for Naruto suddenly acquiring legacy qualifications, she would have long since left.

She looked over at Naruto and the third Demon Mountain, her expression one of both blankness and complex emotions.

"The augury of the almighty members of the Sect, which came at the expense of generations of accumulated skill, indicated that the successor of Lord Li would rise up from Planet East Victory. Only a few people within the Sect know of this.

"Naruto comes from Planet Ninshu. He is not the person decreed by fate to be the successor." Tsukino let out a soft, inward sigh.

A moment later, Naruto's eyes glittered.

"There are many possible answers to the question posed by the

Reincarnation Mountain," he thought. "Many theories could be proposed. If I assumed the identity of that slave of the Reincarnation Mountain, then I would have many choices in front of me." Hundreds of ideas flitted through Naruto's mind. After all, he was a scholar, and he still vividly remembered the Imperial Examinations he had attended in the State of Zhao, despite the fact that they had occurred hundreds of years ago.

Subconsciously, he analyzed the clues provided by the words given him.

After a few dozen breaths of time passed, his eyes began to glitter brightly. He opened his mouth to speak, but then was shocked to discover that he was incapable of speaking out the answer he had formulated.

It was as if as of this moment, his mouth had been sealed up, and he

was a mute!

Naruto's mind trembled as he looked at the Reincarnation Mountain.

Mukui looked at Naruto and then slowly said, "Reincarnation Mountain asks three questions, and then seals your mouth. Any answer which does not conform to your soul, cannot be uttered. This first question is asked of your heart.

"Open your mind and heart. Search your soul. Find the true answer within you, and you will be able to speak it out. You are searching for your heart, your nature, your self." A profound look flickered within Mukui's eyes.

Naruto was silent for a bit longer. He looked at the incense stick, and saw that it was already one third burned out. His eyes filled with a complicated look, and then he closed them.

Everything was quiet….

"There was a withered slave on this mountain who said that life is pain," thought Naruto. "He wished to free himself from the sea of bitterness. That sea is like an inescapable flame that can burn everything. Afterward, he called this place Withering Flame, and made a solemn vow that he would eradicate the sea of bitterness. He would ensure that all living things no longer experience bitterness, but rather, freedom!

"That was his choice. Perhaps that person was none other than one of the illustrious three Greater Demons of the Ninth Mountain and Sea, Withering Flame Demon!

"I don't know how the other two Greater Demons of these Demon Mountains appeared, but as for Reincarnation Mountain, if even a single slave could become a Greater Demon… then this mountain is a defiance of the Heavens!" Naruto took a deep breath and then calmed himself inwardly.

"If I were him… facing the sea of bitterness, what would I do?" Naruto murmured. "Would I do the same as him, vow to eradicate the sea of bitterness? Or… would I make a different choice?" He gradually forgot that he was in the Demon Immortal Sect. He forgot everything as he immersed himself in his mind and heart, as he sank himself into his own soul.

He whispered to himself, seeking for the true answer within the depths of his own self.

Suddenly, a vision appeared to him. Within the vision, he was one of the slaves on Reincarnation Mountain. He climbed the mountain constantly, struggling to reach the summit and the pit of flames. Finally, he jumped in to be burned up by the flames and the molten rock inside.

When he opened his eyes again, he was at the bottom of the mountain, where he once again began to stride the same path as before. Over and over again, this happened, an endless cycle.

"He was right, but also wrong," murmured Naruto.

"This could be viewed as a sea of bitterness, but also… not. If you believe everything to be bitterness, then it is. If you believe that everything is not bitterness, then it is not.

"Leaping into the pit of fire represents death. Reappearance at the bottom of the volcano represents birth. The climb up the mountain represents the process of life….

"I would not swear to eradicate this place. Nor would I sink myself into cowardliness. What I have… is the determination to set my foot where I wish to set it. I control my own fate. I may not be able to control my own birth, but I can decide how I die.

"And the final destination will definitely NOT be the pit at the top of the volcano." Although he had been murmuring, Naruto's voice actually echoed through the entire Demon Immortal Sect, even though he didn't realize it.

As his voice echoed about, Naruto's vision changed. His incarnation as a withered slave no longer conformed to the cycle. It did not leap into the fiery pit, but rather, stood outside of the volcano. Unlike the other withered slaves around him, he looked up into the sky, his expression no longer blank, but rather, awash with emotion.

It was as if… he had awakened. It was as if a black and white painting had suddenly been splashed with color.

He turned his back on the fiery pit and began to stride away from the mountain. He allowed himself to drop into the abyss, running counter to the fiery pit…. Finally, a smile appeared on his face.

"The path of life does not just run from the bottom of a mountain to its top…." he said lightly. In his mind, his incarnation as a withered slave fell off of Reincarnation Mountain. He did not turn to look back, but rather strode off into the distance.

Behind him, the countless other people on Reincarnation Mountain continued to repeat the same actions they did day after day. As for him, he drew further and further away from the mountain….

"If you believe it to be a sea of bitterness, then a sea of bitterness it is. If you believe it to simply be scenery on the path of life, then scenery it is…. The sea of bitterness never ends, but the scenery does.

"That is my answer."

Naruto opened his eyes.

In that instant, he heard his own voice echoing out around him.

Mukui was shaken inwardly as he looked at Naruto. Naruto's answer far exceeded what he could have anticipated. He had assumed Naruto would chose to eradicate the sea of bitterness, and then be reborn.

"If he does not die prematurely," thought Mukui, "then the possibilities for his future are incalculable!" The shock in his eyes gradually turned into admiration. "His Cultivation base is nowhere close to mine, but his heart… is far bigger!"

Even more astonished was true spirit Night. It stared at Naruto, its mind roaring. Echoing in its mind were Naruto's words: "The sea of bitterness never ends, but the scenery does."

"Such a choice seems simple," thought Night, "but if you analyze it carefully… his ambition far exceeds that of others! The makeup of his inner being is infinitely large!

"To him, the sea of bitterness can be likened to scenery on the path of life! The further he travels, the more scenery he will encounter!

"Reincarnation examines of the heart. It inquires of one's essence, one's nature and one's self. His answer cannot be false. This man's will… although spoken lightly, can shake the Heavens!"

Off in the distance, Tsukino was breathing heavily. She had long since come to the conclusion that Naruto was beyond ordinary. But now that she had personally heard the expression of his heart, she suddenly realized that she had underestimated him.

"His choice represents his heart. It doesn't matter if you talk about South Heaven or the Ninth Mountain and Sea, if he can survive, then all of this here will be a mere rest stop on his journey.

"As he strides forward, everything in existence will be forced to do nothing more than watch him walk off into the distance…."

As of now, no more mist or fire was visible coming out of Reincarnation Mountain. Even the incense stick had ceased burning. Everything was incredibly quiet.

Naruto looked at Reincarnation Mountain, and it seemed as if the mountain were looking back at him.

After the space of a few breaths, a shocking roaring sound could be heard that split Heaven and Earth. Everything began to quake and tremble.

"I shall bestow favor upon him with high aspirations!" said the grim, ancient voice. The voice words echoed out in all directions, a clear approval of Naruto.

At the same time, endless flames shot up into the sky, illuminating the firmament. Before, there were seven portions of light, but now, the light expanded as one more portion was added.

The entire sky was brightly lit by the eight portions of light which seemed to connect directly to the Third Heaven. The two Holy Lands were becoming increasingly clear.

There was also an incredible natural power that erupted from within the Reincarnation Mountain and then shot toward Naruto.

His body shook as his Cultivation base began to climb.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Asger Hansen and Anonymous

Vol. 4 : Chapter 625

Chapter 625: I Am Still Searching!

Note from Deathblade: This chapter mentions "the Dao." Instead of having a ton of footnotes, please take just a moment to read the following short bit of information about "the Dao." In Chinese, the character dao 道, actually has a lot of different meanings. Here are some of the definitions of the character itself: road, way, path, course, direction, say, talk, speak, truth, principle, and of course "The Dao" of Daoism. Keep these things in mind as you read!

His Cultivation base instantly began to rotate, and his hair rose up into the air around him. Power of Heaven and Earth came out of the Reincarnation Mountain, filled with a unique aura, to pour into Naruto's body. It entered through his pores, merging with him, causing his Cultivation base to spin more and more rapidly.

Naruto could hear his own heartbeat. Each thump gave rise to a rumbling that filled his body. Cracking sounds could be heard as his body gradually grew taller.

He became more slender, more charming, and as his hair danced around him, the Demonic air about him grew even more intense.

Naruto's Cultivation base was already half a step into Spirit Severing.

In fact, when he entered the Eighth Anima, he could be considered true

Spirit Severing; his battle with the Patriarch Harishama had thoroughly established how truly powerful he was.

If he wanted to, Naruto could simply close his eyes for a bit and attempt his first Severing. If he succeeded, he would have a Domain.

However, the matter of a Domain was far too important. Spirit Severing was a demarcation between Immortal and mortal, so that decision was not one that Naruto would make lightly. He needed enlightenment, from his life force, from his life in general. He needed to search for the path that led to understanding, then naturally, gain enlightenment of his own Domain. When he took that first step from being a mortal to being Immortal, that was the time for Spirit Severing!

In addition to those reasons, there was another reason. Naruto was very stubborn when it came to his Cultivation base. He did not want to use the Eighth Anima to enter Spirit Severing. He had a Perfect Foundation, as well as a Perfect Core. As for his Nascent Souls, he had used his own methods to acquire Perfection.

And yet, although merging his eight Nascent Souls into one seemed Perfect, that was not the limit!

"I need to form a ninth Nascent Soul!" A strange light gleamed in his eyes, and the ambition within him grew even stronger. He had started upon this path in his Cultivation, so he would do everything possible to acquire the pinnacle of good fortune.

Right now, his body rumbled as the power of Heaven and Earth from the Reincarnation Mountain's aura surged into his body. His Cultivation base climbed up until it reached a certain point where it couldn't go any higher. In accord with Naruto's will, it settled and began to form together in his dantian region.

"My Five Elements Nascent Souls stem from my own enlightenment. Any outside power is auxiliary!" Within Naruto's dantian region, the power of Heaven and Earth continued to surge in, slowly transforming into a vortex.

Surrounding the vortex were Naruto's eight astonishing Nascent Souls!

"Wind power of the roc was gifted to me by the benefactor in the Rebirth Cave. It was hidden within my body for years, to eventually be refined into my sixth Nascent Soul!" A strange light shone in Naruto's eyes. With every breath he took, more power of Heaven and Earth flowed into him.

"Lighting of Heavenly Tribulation. I experienced it on multiple occasions, starting with Foundation Establishment, all the way to the Nascent Soul stage. After enough accumulated within my body, I refined it into my seventh Nascent Soul!" Naruto's insides rumbled as if with thunder, and the vortex in his dantian region spun faster and faster.

"Fleshly Sanctification allowed me to step foot into Spirit Severing. I congealed Qi and blood to form my eighth Nascent Soul!" The roaring grew more intense, causing Mukui to stare, and a strange gleam to appear in the eyes of true spirit Night.

A look of disbelief could be seen on Tsukino's face.

"This time, I will form a ninth Nascent Soul… purely with power from the outside.

"Now, if I want to make a ninth Nascent Soul purely from outside power," thought Naruto, "well then… what I need to first do is reach… Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and finally, concoct them into a Nascent Soul!"

Naruto's hair whipped about in chaos, as if a wild gale was sweeping by. His clothes also fluttered madly. He was now thoroughly submerged in the power of Heaven and Earth from the aura of the Reincarnation Mountain, which surged around him in a vortex.

The vortex rapidly shrank, sucked in by Naruto. As that happened, his eyes grew increasingly radiant. Within his dantian region, a rumbling sound could be heard. The vortex was condensed to the maximum, to the level of the great circle of Qi Condensation. Then it began to form into Dao Pillars!

Dao Pillars indicated Foundation Establishment!

The sight of it caused Mukui to watch with even more concentration.

"He's going to form another Nascent Soul. He's cultivating… the Sublime Spirit Scripture!"

True spirit Night watched on silently, staring deeply at Naruto.

Most shocked of all was Tsukino. Her eyes were wide as she watched Naruto absorbing the spiritual energy. She couldn't help but clench her teeth, a pained expression on her face.

"That's the aura of the Reincarnation Mountain. Naruto… is actually using that aura to form a Nascent Soul! If I were able to absorb the aura, it would be incredibly beneficial to my Demon Immortal Body!"

Even as desperate pain filled Tsukino's heart, the rumbling vortex around Naruto completely disappeared, having been fully absorbed by him. Naruto was now a full head taller than he was before. An illusory aura surrounded him, making his entire person seem as if he were alternating between reality and illusion.

He took a deep breath, clasped hands and then bowed toward the Reincarnation Mountain.

The mountain did not need bows, but Naruto bowed anyway, because of the kindness of the mountain.

When he rose up, the Reincarnation Mountain rumbled again. Black smoke roiled out, and flames shot up into the air, filling the sky. The smoke gradually formed together into a figure.

It was a man, wearing a black robe, his features unclear. However, he emanated a feeling of indescribable age that spread out in all directions.

He seemed to be looking at Naruto. After a moment passed, a hoarse voice could be heard, filled with cold emotionlessness.

"When Withering Flame left the mountain, he wished to borrow a Demon heart from me. At that time, I asked him a question.

"'What is the Dao!?'

"I have asked the same question of many people, and only three have given me answers worthy of remembering. One of them said that the Dao is a path. There are three thousand great Daos, and thus, three thousand paths. Different paths for different people, nothing more, nothing less. One should continue forward, regardless of whether or not there is a path beneath one's feet! The person who provided that answer… became Lord Li!

"The second answer was that the Dao is eternal and unchangeable. It is the only truth in Heaven and Earth. It is possible to look at it, but never touch it… to understand it, but never be able to explain it. If you understand, you understand. If you don't understand… then even spending your whole life searching will not gain you enlightenment. The person who spoke those words became Lord Hebi .

"The third answer was provided by Withering Flame. He said that the Dao is the heart, and that the heart is obsession. His desire to eradicate the sea of bitterness was an obsession that took him over. It grew deeper and deeper. Were he to have truly eradicated the sea of bitterness, then his Dao… would be a natural law of Heaven and Earth!

"Eternity is always here. He may have perished, but the Dao exists forever.

"He said that all the rules and laws that exist in the world have their basis in the powerful experts that existed on the path, as well as the realization of their Daos!

"If a person's Dao is the belief that the sky must be separated into periods of night and day, then the Heavens will provide such a cycle.

"Life can be extinguished, but the Dao exists forever. Life… is lived in order to leave a good name throughout the ages after one dies, to cause one's Dao to remain, to transform into natural law, to be without regret.

"Because of his answer, he was able to borrow one of my three thirdgrade Demon Hearts.

"Now, you must answer me. In your belief, what is the Dao? You have the time it takes one incense stick to burn, and you may not refrain from answering."

As Naruto listened to the words of the Reincarnation Mountain, his heart filled with great waves. He could identify with Lord Li's answer. As for Lord Hebi 's answer, it also contained truth.

As for the answer given by Greater Demon Withering Flame that year, it caused Naruto's mind to tremble like a seething ocean. Perhaps that answer was also the truth.

"Is the reason that the Reincarnation Mountain can only remember these three answers, because those three answers fully explain the meaning of the character Dao 道 ?" He stood there silently.

"What is the Dao?" he asked himself. A glow appeared in his eyes, but he couldn't think of an answer. He had heard many people use this character, Dao, but down to this day it only felt as if he were groping about on the edges of its meaning.

Even as Naruto sank into thought, a second incense burner appeared from within the black smoke. The smoke churned, and the incense stick began to burn.

Everything was still and quiet. The incense stick burned slowly, and time passed. However, Naruto still did not provide an answer. His eyes were filled with a blank look.

Soon, the incense stick was reaching its end. Ninety percent had burned. Mukui sighed as he looked at Naruto, a look of pity in his eyes.

True spirit Night was silent, but it also sighed inwardly. "So, it turns out he is not the person Lord Li is waiting for…."

Tsukino's heart was filled with complex emotions. She looked at Naruto, and then the incense stick which was almost burned out. She shook her head.

It was at this moment that Naruto's eyes began to shine brightly. The blankness from before vanished. He looked up at the Reincarnation Mountain and slowly began to speak.

"I don't know what the answer is," he murmured. "My Cultivation base won't permit me to understand what the Dao is….

"To me, the Dao is very simple. It is talking, speaking, opening your mouth, and letting other people open their mouths. All of that is the Dao, speaking. Speaking the words from your heart, speaking out the thoughts you wish to express.

"It doesn't require enlightenment, nor obsession. It doesn't require a path beneath your feet. Perhaps it is the first voice of all living creatures, of everything under the Heavens.

"When that voice can be heard, it is the Dao, it is speaking!" Naruto had organized his thoughts and spoken out what he understood about the Dao, based upon his current realm.

He didn't know if what he had said was true or correct. In fact, he hadn't wanted to speak at all, but he had no choice but to ignore those feelings. All he could do was explain what he understood about the Dao.

By this time, the incense stick had burned down to the end. It flickered, on the verge of being completely extinguished. "At the same time," he continued, "when that voice speaks, it represents a direction!

"The boundless Heavens and Earth are the final resting place of all living things. Life is like a journey, filled with various scenery, various paths.

"Sometimes, you might think there is only one path for you. Sometimes, your heart's obsession creates a path.

"As for the Dao, it is a direction. That direction can guide you through your life. When you are faced with countless decisions, it can lead you down the paths you must tread. In the end… it can help you pick which path to take!

"It is formed after one experiences the vicissitudes of life, the cleansing of time, and the understanding which comes from experiencing the world. It can be hidden in any time, place, direction, or action….

"That is my understanding of the Dao. It points in a direction, and gives me the strength to proceed onward. Perhaps it doesn't even exist, or perhaps it is everywhere.

"As for me, I am still searching for it…." He lifted his head up to look at the Reincarnation Mountain.

The Reincarnation Mountain was silent. Mukui was silent. True spirit Night was silent.

Tsukino was also silent.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Alex Wong, SeanL, Anonymous, Angel

Ortiz, Chesly Mason, and Harvey Zhou

Vol. 4 : Chapter 626

Chapter 626 (Click to show)

Chapter 626: Ninth Nascent Soul, Demon Nascent Soul!

The incense stick burned out!

An intense rumbling could be heard from within the Reincarnation Mountain, seemingly in approval of Naruto. The sound of it echoed about in all directions, causing Heaven and Earth to shake. The black smoke churned, and the flames within swept about in all directions. The light in the sky grew brighter to a shocking degree.

One and a half portions of light were added.

The sky had room for ten portions of light. As of now, the three Greater Demon Mountains were illuminated by nine portions.

The Heavens were filled with brightness, as if it were high noon. The two Holy Lands of the Third Heaven were now fully illuminated. The vegetation and buildings there were clearly distinguishable.

In fact, it was also possible to see that in one of the Holy Lands, an enormous pagoda rose up, upon which was carved a huge character.

Hebi !

The character seemed ancient, although that was something that mortals would not be able to see. Even most Cultivators, unless they were sensitive to the power of Time, would have difficulty picking up any clues. However, to Naruto, that sensation was secondary to that of the Holy Lands themselves.

The Holy Lands had existed for tens upon tens of thousands of years before the Hebi Character came to be.

That made sense according to the legends regarding Lord Hebi . The Hebi Clan originally did not have that surname. It was only after seizing Lordship of the Ninth Mountain and Sea that the name was changed, and the Heavens were placed onto top of the Li Clan.

An ancient voice spoke out from the Reincarnation Mountain. Although the voice was cold, it seemed to be filled with sentiment as it slowly reverberated out.

"The Dao is a direction…. The words of an innocent child.

"I will remember this answer." Even as the voice spoke, the power of Heaven and Earth contained in the aura of the Reincarnation Mountain erupted out from the mouth of the volcano. It was so thick that it seemed as if it would take on corporeal form, as if it were actually a waterfall. The sheer amount exceeded that of the previous occasion exponentially as it shot toward Naruto.

It neared and then surrounded him, rumbling as it formed into a huge vortex with Naruto in the very middle. He took a deep breath, like a dragon inhaling, and the power of Heaven and Earth poured into his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, as well as all the pores in his body. It shot in and then began to accumulate in his dantian region.

It fused into the Dao Pillars, causing a surging power that pushed Naruto's Cultivation base up. The Dao Pillars began to shine with endless light. At the same time, the Nascent Souls inside of him suddenly flew out one by one to float around him.

When the Eighth Nascent Soul appeared, it made a thoroughly astonishing scene.

As the eight Nascent Souls rotated around Naruto, shockingly, they too began to absorb the power of Heaven and Earth that contained the aura of the Reincarnation Mountain. It poured into Naruto's body and continued the transformation process that would end with… a ninth Nascent Soul!

Boom!

The endless light from the Dao Pillars exploded into pieces, which then began to form together into a glittering core the size of a grain of rice!

Early Core Formation!

As soon as the core appeared, the speed with which Naruto absorbed the power of Heaven and Earth increased by more than ten times. By adding in the eight Nascent Souls, it only took the space of a few dozen breaths for the boundless vortex surrounding him to rapidly shrink.

After it disappeared, Naruto's face flickered. He suddenly looked up, his eyes glowing. There in his dantian region was a core roughly the size of an infant's fist!

The Cultivation base of the core instantly shot upward. Mid Core Formation. Late Core Formation. All the way to… the great circle of Core Formation.

The core emanated colorful lights, and appeared to be a Mottled Core. However, inside of it was a unique aura…. As soon as Naruto sensed the aura, he recognized it.

It was… Demonic Qi!

This was a… Demon Core!

The Reincarnation Mountain was the essence of a Greater Demon. One of the withered slaves on the mountain achieved his Dao, then became one of the three Greater Demons who could rebuke the Heavens. From this it could be seen how shocking the Reincarnation Mountain was.

As of now, Naruto could see that the power of Heaven and Earth that contained the aura of the Reincarnation Mountain, was actually Demonic Qi. Since he had absorbed Demonic Qi for this cultivation, then naturally, he had produced a Demon Core.

That meant that his ninth Nascent Soul would obviously be… a Demon Nascent Soul.

Ninth Nascent Soul, Demon Nascent Soul!

"With one more round of this power of Heaven and Earth, I can cause my Demon Nascent Soul to appear." His eyes shone with a bizarre light, and he looked up at the Reincarnation Mountain with a look of anticipation.

He could sense the Demon Core within him, at the great circle of Core Formation. He was just one step away from forming a Nascent Soul.

The rumbling from the Reincarnation Mountain gradually faded away, and the mountain returned to normal. Black smoke surged out and flames rose up into the sky. The ancient, cold voice once again sounded out.

"No more questions are required of you.

"As you said, your current realm and Cultivation base do not permit you to know what the Dao is….

"Asking you the third question would result in nothing more but empty talk. You would neither move my heart, nor yours.

"Therefore, not asking the question is the most appropriate course of action.

"However, I am very curious. If your Dao is a direction, and you are still searching, then… have you found any traces of it?" The last question asked by the ancient voice echoed out in all directions.

Naruto was silent for a moment. His eyes glowed with reminiscence, but after a long time, he clasped hands toward the Reincarnation Mountain and bowed. When he straightened up, his voice was soft as he began to speak. "Many years ago," he murmured, "on a night when snow filled the world, I sat together with someone in a horse-drawn carriage.

"It was bitterly cold outside, but there was an oven inside the carriage, making it very warm. It was as if there were two different worlds, separated from each other. At that time, I had just stepped foot into the Cultivation world. I was no longer a mortal, but a Cultivator. When I looked outside at the snow, I felt that I was looking at myself.

"The snow can only exist during the dead of winter. It may yearn for summer days, and for warmth, but if it nears them, it will melt. I am much the same. After striding forward into the Cultivation world, I could not turn my head back, nor could I ever experience the peace and tranquility I once had." Of course, Naruto was thinking back to that year in the State of Zhao, when he had spent some time in the carriage with scholar Zheng Yong. 1

"I was once a mere scholar…. I remember how when I finally left my hometown. It was raining…. 2

"My life is like snow. I can only exist within winter. I may wish to return to the sunny days of the mortal world, but that is no longer me….

"Life is like a journey, filled with countless different experiences. Perhaps it is best to say that different experience create different scenery on that journey. If you experience bitterly cold wind, you will become snow. If you experience the blazing sun, then you become rain….

"The type of life you experience determines what type of person you will be. That is what makes life wonderful."

Mukui looked at Naruto, and many thoughts floated up in his mind. He thought of Ke Yunhai, and thought of his own life. What he saw was everything that had happened to him, and this world.

"I've already been here for a long time, filled with nostalgia…."

True spirit Night sighed. Naruto's words did not contain some great Dao. However, the words had touched it nonetheless. Before this moment, it would never have believed that some tiny Cultivator who could not stand up to a single blow from it, would be qualified to move it emotionally.

Tsukino looked at Naruto, once again experiencing how extraordinary Naruto was. It made her think back to all her own experiences in life.

"To me, the Dao is a direction," continued Naruto. "I think… that such a belief sprouted during that time in the snow. It led me… led me to a place far away.

"Many years later," he murmured, thinking back to Pill Demon, "I kowtowed to my Master in a world of illusory reincarnation. During that life, I kowtowed three times. The kowtow of Innocence, the kowtow of the Roaming, and the kowtow of Sunset Gazing. At that time, I was enlightened. 3

"In that moment, I understood that life is a journey. Every turn in the path leads to new scenery. My footprints exist on that path, and as to whether they are deep or shallow, it doesn't matter. All the decisions were mine to make.

"Heaven and Earth are just resting places for the myriads of living creatures. Time represents the passage of hundreds of generations of passing travelers." 4

Having spoken up to this point, Naruto's eyes suddenly shone with a bright light. It seemed that as of this moment, there was something clearly different about him than before.

"That is the direction I chose. Although the way is a bit unclear, there are traces visible.

"Whether you speak of our time on earth, or reincarnation, life is a journey. The sea of bitterness is only one bit of scenery, that's all. The most important thing is to leave our mark on the path that we have walked and experienced.

"As for me, I want to keep walking even further off into the distance!" With that, Naruto took a deep breath, clasped hands, and once again bowed deeply to the Reincarnation Mountain.

Laughter echoed out from within Reincarnation Mountain. The echoing laughter caused the black smoke to disperse, and the flames to die out, and the sky to be filled with ripples.

"The resting place for myriads of living creatures? Excellent. Hundreds of generations of passing travelers? Wonderful! And you want to walk further off into the distance? Well said!

"Well, you have answered my three questions. Allow me to provide you some assistance to walk further off into the distance!" As the voice faded away, the Reincarnation Mountain once again began to rumble. This time, the power of Heaven and Earth that exploded out of it was dozens of times stronger than before. It shot out from the mouth of the volcano, shooting through the air toward Naruto. It circulated around him and then transformed into a magnificent vortex.

The vortex spun rapidly and then began to pour into Naruto.

His mind rumbled, and the multi-colored Demon Core inside his dantian region instantly began to fill with cracks. They spread out, multiplying for the space of a handful of breaths. Finally, the core collapsed, and a tiny, illusory person appeared from within!

The person looked exactly the same as Naruto in every way. The only difference was that the Demonic air about it was more obvious. This was Naruto's ninth Nascent Soul, the Demon Nascent Soul.

As soon as it appeared, it appeared weak. Its eyes were closed and incapable of being opened, and overall it was completely incapable of even comparing with Naruto's eight other Nascent Souls. However, as more of the power of Heaven and Earth poured into it, it began to mature.

Peak of the early Nascent Soul stage!

Mid Nascent Soul stage!

Peak mid Nascent Soul stage!

Late Nascent Soul stage!

Naruto's hair whipped about his head and he began to float up into the air. His eight Nascent Souls rotated around him, while the Demon Nascent Soul remained inside, the vortex surrounding it rapidly shrinking. Soon, all of the power of Heaven and Earth was pouring into Naruto's body.

The Demon Nascent Soul sucked it all in. Suddenly, the aura of the great circle of the Nascent Soul stage radiated out. At the same time, the ninth Nascent Soul flew out from his dantian region to fly around him.

It joined the other Nascent Souls to float in a circle around Naruto. Finally, its eyes, which had been closed the entire time, suddenly opened.

Its pupils were green and completely demonic.

Ninth Nascent Soul… Demon Nascent Soul!

Naruto's Cultivation base experienced an unprecedented explosion in power.

The wind whipped around him, and Heaven and Earth flashed with a riot of colors. As of this moment, Naruto was the focus of attention of the entire Demon Immortal Sect.

Naruto shared the carriage with scholar Zheng Yong in chapter 58 ↩ When Naruto left for the Southern Domain in chapter 95, the last chapter of Book 1, it was raining ↩ The three kowtows were in the illusory life he lived during the Violet Furnace Lord trial by fire. That part began in chapter 289, and continued for several chapters after ↩ In this part, he is quoting and referencing what he said in chapter 291 in the illusory world of the Violet Furnace Lord trial by fire ↩

Vol. 4 : Chapter 627

Chapter 627: A True Man!

"Agreed!" said the Reincarnation Mountain, its final word.

As the sound echoed out, a brilliant light surrounded the mountain. It pierced the sky, filling it with ten portions of light. Nine portions of light had already been bright.

As of now, the light was piercing, illuminating everything completely!

Light shone down from up above, filling the entire world with brightness, making the two Holy Lands completely clear.

Now, a tall pagoda was visible on the other Holy Land, upon which a large character could be seen.

Fang!

In the past, Lord Li had two great generals who were the basis of the two Holy Lands. In later generations, one of those generals came to be called Hebi . The other was named Fang; had been, and always would be!

Naruto's mind trembled and he took a deep breath. One by one, the nine great Nascent Souls that spun around him reentered his body to sit cross-legged in his dantian region. As they returned, Naruto's Cultivation base climbed up again. He could sense that he now had the power to enter the Ninth Anima!

That would be fearsome power equal to 256 great circle Nascent Soul Cultivation bases, as well as an intense fleshly body power that could reach a shocking realm.

Naruto looked up. He saw the Reincarnation Mountain, and then, above all the three Greater Demon Mountains, the fully illuminated Third Heaven.

He could sense an enormous, terrifying pressure weighing down from the Third Heaven. Even with his nine Nascent Souls, it was something he couldn't possibly even touch.

"Even Spirit Severing would be incapable of breaking through," thought

Naruto, his eyes glittering. "Only a higher stage, higher than Dao

Seeking, would have even a chance."

The voice of true spirit Night suddenly could be heard echoing about, filled with complex emotions. "You acquired ten portions of light…. I never thought that could happen.

"If you acquired only six, I wouldn't stand in your way. That would especially be the case if you acquired nine. But you acquired ten.

"The sky has room for ten portions, and you occupied them all….

"Nine portions of light qualifies you to have nine chances. As for ten portions of light…. you are qualified to unlimited chances. As long as no one acquires the legacy of Lord Li before you do, then most likely, that legacy belongs to you.

"However, I advise you not to attempt to break through to the Third

Heaven before Immortal Ascension."

Naruto's eyes glittered as he looked up to see true spirit Night staring at him.

Mukui was silent for a moment, then looked at Naruto and quietly said, "Ten portions of light is the pinnacle. I also advise you not to attempt to break through this time. The Third Heaven is not a place for those who are not Immortals. Furthermore, the ten portions of light contain incredible good fortune that cannot be acquired unless you are Immortal."

Naruto clasped hands and bowed to Mukui. As he rose, he looked at him and said, "I want to try."

Mukui looked at Naruto. When he saw his staunchness, he held his tongue, and did nothing to block his way.

True spirit Night similarly said nothing.

Naruto took a breath and the flashed up into the sky, transforming into a beam of colorful light. He shot directly toward the Third Heaven, and the Fang Clan Holy Land.

As soon as he flew up into the air, everything began to shake. An enormous pressure descended, causing Naruto's body to instantly stop in mid-air. It was as if all the bones in his body were making cracking sounds. His entire person felt as if it were being grabbed by a giant hand, and then crushed into pieces.

At the same time, something that seemed like a giant net wrapped him, causing his body to weaken rapidly.

All of this was when he had just started out! He was still far, far away from the Third Heaven!

Naruto's eyes flickered as, without hesitation, he entered directly into the Third Anima.

Three great Nascent Souls merged together. The fact that he had a Cultivation base equal to four great circle Nascent Souls was secondary; his fleshly body power was the key. Naruto lifted his head up and laughed.

Boom!

The pressure surrounding him quavered, and the force wrapping up his

Cultivation base loosened a bit. Naruto once again flew upward, shooting up roughly 3,000 meters.

The sky was 30,000 meters high, which meant that Naruto had only forced his way ten percent of the way toward the Third Heaven.

In his position 3,000 meters up, Naruto began to pant. His body felt as if it were sinking into waters of weakness. The force wrapping around him emitted intense pressure, causing his body to distort.

"Fifth Anima!"

Boom!

Naruto's body shook. He now had a Cultivation base equal to 16 great circle Nascent Souls, and his fleshly body was close to Spirit Severing. He was able to cast off the pressure surrounding him, once again forcing his way up. Soon, he had reached the 6,000 meter mark.

At that point, the pressure in the area bore down with overbearing aggression. It seemed ready to crush Naruto in an instant. His face flickered, but he didn't hesitate.

"Seventh Anima!"

After entering the Seventh Anima, the power of 64 great circle Nascent Souls filled him, and his fleshly body was at the Spirit Severing stage. Naruto lifted his head up and roared, then forced himself up, fighting back against the pressure. Roaring echoed out as he faced directly against the increasingly intense pressure to fly up another 3,000 meters. He had now reached a total height of 9,000 meters.

By this point, Naruto was panting. The pressure here was such that it would instantly destroy any Cultivator who was under Spirit Severing, exterminating them in mind and spirit.

As for Naruto, if he didn't have his incredibly powerful fleshly body, then he too would be destroyed. His face was now extremely unsightly.

However, a smile could also be seen on his face, and a wild determination appeared in his eyes.

"Eighth Anima!"

Boom!

Naruto laughed toward the Heavens as his Cultivation base exploded up. His Cultivation base was risen up to a power equivalent to 128 great circle Nascent Souls. His hair whipped about and his clothes fluttered. His fleshly body grew even more intensely powerful. Cracking sounds could be heard as he seemed to grow taller. Within him, every inch of bone, flesh, and blood burst with endless power.

His fleshly body grew even more powerful than before!

The Eighth Anima was something that could imperil First Severing Cultivators!

Patriarch Harishama, who was of the great circle of the First Severing, couldn't stand up to a single blow when Naruto was in the Eighth Anima!

The pressure surrounding Naruto shattered, and his body flew up again. The sight of it caused Mukui to be moved visibly. A profound look appeared in the eyes of true spirit Night.

To them, Naruto's Cultivation base wasn't even worth mentioning. However, Naruto's will, his determination, and his decisiveness caused their minds to tremble.

Off in the distance, Tsukino was staring fixedly at the scene. Her heart was also trembling, moved by Naruto's persistence, perseverance, and tenacity.

Although Naruto's Cultivation base was far from any of these people, he had already forced his way to the 12,000 meter position. Such a high position was nearly at the halfway point. The pressure was intense, and as Naruto neared, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

His fleshly body was powerful, but underneath this pressure, it twisted and distorted, emitting groaning and creaking sounds. Even the Cultivation base power of 128 great circle Nascent Nascent Souls was defeated with a boom.

As of this moment, it seemed he had reached the end….

Naruto's eyes filled with an intense light. He could accept that he couldn't go further, but what he couldn't accept was that he couldn't reach the halfway point!

"Ninth Anima!"

As his voice rang out from the 12,000 meter level, his body suddenly shook.

White hair appeared on his head as his longevity was sucked away at a terrifyingly rapid rate. However, at the same time, his Cultivation base… began an unprecedentedly mad climb.

128, 151, 178, 193… all the way to 200!

Not too long ago, when he had acquired his eighth Nascent Soul, during the time when his Cultivation base climbed from the power of 64 great circle Nascent Souls to reach the power of 100, he had felt as if he were equivalent to Spirit Severing.

If 100 great circle Nascent Souls was similar to Spirit Severing, well, as of this moment, he had 200!

After reaching the Cultivation base power of 200 great circle Nascent Souls, Naruto's energy changed in an earth-shaking way. The pressure around him once again collapsed, and was completely incapable of doing anything to stop him. Now, nothing prevented him from pushing onward, climbing up!

203, 210, 230… all the way to 256!

The power of 256 great circle Nascent Souls caused the sky and land to dim, and the wind to scream. Roaring echoed out, and Naruto's entire body turned into something like a shooting star that charged upward.

His fleshly body also experienced incredible growth. It was tougher and more powerful. Furthermore, it was at this point that gradually, complex markings began to appear all over his body!

The marks glittered brightly, and seemed to contain laws of Heaven and Earth. They appeared to be branded on him from the void, causing his energy to once again shake everything.

13,000 meters. 13,500 meters. 14,500 meters… all the way to 15,000 meters!

15,000 meters in the air was the halfway point!

Naruto's body trembled, and blood oozed from his mouth. His hair was now more than half white. His body was tall and slender, and his energy intense. As he hovered in the 15,000 meter position, he did not wipe the blood from his mouth, but instead lifted his head up and laughed.

Then, he raised his foot and… moved forward once again, by and entire three meters!

Naruto's imposing manner, his demeanor, and his appearance in this moment caused Mukui, true spirit Night, and Tsukino, to all be shaken.

When was a man most attractive?

In a moment like this!

When was a man the most righteous hero?

In a moment like this!

There is an expression that describes a person as being 'indescribably beautiful and striking.' That is usually used to describe women. There is another expression. 'Who can do it except for me?' That expression is used to describe a true man!

At any time or place, a true man who stands out from the crowd, a passionate, true man, is like a hero, a person just as attractive as the most beautiful woman!

Regardless of man or woman, anyone would be drawn to such passion and ardor!

Tsukino's heart shook. Even she didn't notice that the image of Naruto

was being burned deeply into her heart in an unprecedented way. This was not to say that it caused romantic love to appear, but rather, she would now be incapable of forgetting him.

"Pressing forward with indomitable will," she murmured. "That… is a true man." She looked at Naruto, and suddenly realized that this scene really was indelibly etched on her heart.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Wei Tan, Dennis Liu, Asger Hansen, and Westerly Idiot

—–

Note from Er Gen: This book is nearing its conclusion, and I'm currently thinking of the name for the next book…. I welcome any guesses about the name!

Vol. 4 : Chapter 628

Chapter 628: The Path of Spirit Severing!

As he hovered there at the 15,000 meter mark, Naruto took a deep breath. To him, the Ninth Anima was a state of rapid depletion. That was especially so considering the position he was in, halfway to the two Holy Lands and surrounded by incredible pressure. He could feel the terrifying pressure pushing against him from all sides.

That pressure weighed down on every strand of skin and muscle, on every bit of flesh and blood. Cracking sounds could be heard from within him, as if his bones were chafing together. Despite the incredible power of his current fleshly body, he was still incapable of moving forward even a pace.

The power of 256 great circle Nascent Souls continued to fight back explosively against the pressure; however, it continued to be defeated, and would clearly be extinguished soon.

The intensity of the pressure was such that, if Patriarch Harishama hadn't died, and was suddenly next to Naruto here, he would be destroyed in an instant, his body completely exploded into countless pieces.

Naruto took a deep breath and looked up at the two Holy Lands 15,000 meters away. His eyes gleamed.

Based on his current Cultivation base, he was incapable of treading that path. That was what Mukui had said, as well as true spirit Night. However… Naruto's personality was not the type to just accept what others said.

Although he trusted Mukui's opinion, he couldn't rest until he tried it out for himself. It didn't matter if the difficulty level was obviously high, he had to take a shot personally to see exactly how difficult it was.

"So this is the limit, huh?" he murmured hoarsely. Underneath the pressure, his eyes were now bloodshot, and veins bulged out all over his body. The blood in his veins circulated sluggishly, and his life force was showing signs failure.

He looked down silently at Mukui, true spirit Night, and Tsukino, who he had long since already noticed. They were 15,000 meters below him. If he wanted to give up now, all he had to do was relax, and he would descend down into safety.

"But," he thought, his eyes glittering with determination, "I want to do one more test to see… if this is really my true limit!" With that, he looked up, and his energy exploded out. His half-white hair danced about him, and his clothes whipped in the wind. He lifted up his leg and, viciously forced himself higher by a large measure.

Another three meters!

Boom!

A tremor ran through him. His fleshly body emitted cracking sounds, and his Cultivation base was under enormous pressure. His Cultivation base of 256 great circle Nascent Souls was under so much pressure that it was about to disintegrate.

Naruto's face was pale. However, it was at this point that he noticed something. He noticed something that quickly caused his face to fill with excitement and joy!

He almost didn't dare to believe it. However, his eyes filled with determination and, underneath the intense pressure, coughed up a mouthful of blood and forced himself forward by another measure!

In total, Naruto had now moved nine meters away from the 15,000 meter mark!

A rumbling sound filled his body, and he swayed back and forth. Blood sprayed from his mouth, and his face was pale white. Marks of blood were now visible, tearing through his skin. It seemed that the incredible pressure was just on the verge of tearing him apart.

However, Naruto's eyes were filled with wild joy nonetheless. His shocking discovery just now left him panting heavily.

"I never imagined… that there could be such a transformation!" Inwardly, he still found it hard to accept. However, he was unable to think about the matter calmly. That was because he had found that underneath the incredible pressure, the power of the 256 great circle Nascent Souls was fusing together!

In any other place, such a thing could never happen. There wasn't a place Naruto could think of that would produce results like this. Only in this place, right here, could something like this happen!

That was because the pressure here came from the three Greater

Demon Mountains and the two Holy Lands. You could say that in all the Ninth Mountain and Sea, few places could display such overbearing power. And yet, at the same time, there was a gentleness within the pressure.

Perhaps there might be places more powerful than this, but they would not be suitable for anyone under the Immortal realm. This place, however, housed a legacy; therefore, there was a gentle side. To Naruto, a place like this was the perfect place to… fuse together his Cultivation base!

A Cultivation base of 256 Nascent Souls seemed terrifying, but by fusing them together, he could explode with… something that far, far exceeded the past level of power. That would be… true Spirit Severing power!

Naruto had considered this matter before. He had thought about Spirit Severing, and how one aspect involved enlightenment and another involved transmogrification of the Cultivation base. However, he had never been able to consolidate his thoughts. It had all been a waste of time, and he ended up slowly suppressing his Cultivation base until he could naturally arrive at a target transformation.

Right now, though, this pressure had an effect that Naruto simply couldn't NOT be excited about. Instead of focusing on the legacy, he was focused on his path of cultivation, and that next, most important step!

If he succeeded, then he would be able to enter Spirit Severing even faster. It meant that he would be able to directly enter Spirit Severing without even having practiced cultivation for three hundred years.

"My fleshly body can also be tempered here!" he thought. Taking a deep breath, he sat down cross-legged in mid-air, using the pressure pushing against him to begin to compress his Cultivation base.

Tsukino's eyes went wide with disbelief. "He's actually practicing cultivation!"

Mukui watched on seriously, although a smile quickly began to tug at the corners of his mouth.

Time passed slowly, enough for an incense stick to burn. Finally, a tremor ran through Naruto's body, and his eyes snapped open. They were bloodshot, but they shone with a radiant light. He slowly stood up, and as he did, an incredibly intense energy exploded out from him.

As of now, he did not have the power of 256 great circle Nascent Souls. He had 10 less! And yet, despite the reduction, in terms of energy, he had much more than before.

"This is a Blessed Land for me!" His eyes shining strangely, he once again moved forward another measure.

Boom!

The pressure became more intense, and Naruto's body shook. However, his Cultivation base was reduced by five Nascent Souls. Now, only the power of 241 remained.

It was a reduction of a mere five, but the intense fluctuations which emanated out of his Cultivation base supported him, allowing to move forward again!

Once, twice, three times….

His body trembled violently, as if he might explode at any moment. However, he continued onward relentlessly. As he did, his Cultivation base continue to shrink down and down.

236. 226…. All the way to 180! By this point, Naruto was now at the 16,000 meter mark!

If a Cultivator of the Second Severing reached this position relying only on Cultivation base as a protection, he would quickly become unstable and then be destroyed. Naruto felt like his body was exploding. The fleshly body exists outside of his cultivation, like a shell. In this aspect, Naruto was different from a Second Severing Cultivator. He was using his fleshly body to protect his Cultivation base.

Relying on the power of his fleshly body, he was using this place to pressure his Cultivation base into solidity. However, streaks of blood were appearing all over him as his skin split. He seemed to be on the verge of collapsing apart. Even the bloody flesh inside of him was becoming visible.

Naruto's eyes glittered. Without hesitation, he slapped his bag of holding to produce vast quantities of medicinal pills. He consumed them to stem the wastage of his fleshly body. At the same time, he took longevity-increasing medicinal pills.

Of course, the main purpose had nothing to do with longevity. Instead, the life force contained within the medicinal pills nourished his fleshly body, causing it to be able to endure for even longer!

He took a deep breath and then once again proceeded forward. This advanced him to the 16,200 mark. A bloody haze exploded out around his body, and his trembling reached a pinnacle of intensity.

As of this moment, he had shrunk his Cultivation base down to only 163 Nascent Souls.

"This is going too slow…." thought Naruto. The struggle was clear on his face, although it was quickly replaced by determination.

"Rewards come only with risk. If I give up this chance, I won't be likely to find another place that can exert such pressure on my Cultivation base. Next time I come here will be hundreds of years from now. I… can't wait that long!" Without any further hesitation, Naruto began to rapidly rotate his Cultivation base. At the same time, he transformed into a green smoke, within which was a black moon. From his position at 16,200 meters, he instantly rocketed up.

The sight of it caused Mukui to be visibly moved. He instantly flew up into the air.

"Are you crazy!?" thought Tsukino, her eyes wide. It was like watching a moth fly directly into a flame.

Naruto really was like a moth flying into a flame, although he was even crazier than that moth. As he sped upward, he began to burn. His fleshly body burned, his blood and muscles burned.

To him, it felt as if he was being hacked to pieces by tens of thousands of blades. Vast quantities of flesh and blood were destroyed. He looked like a shooting star made of blood. However, that bloody shooting star quickly advanced 1,800 meters. When Naruto reappeared, he was at the 18,000 meter mark.

He instantly coughed up a huge mouthful of blood. His body was mincemeat, and he was on the verge of completely falling apart.

"Violet Pupil Transformation!" In the instant in which his body was about to collapse, his eyes suddenly turned violet. His longevity was reduced, but in exchange, his shattering body was sustained for an extra breath of time! 1

During that breath of time, Naruto's Cultivation base shrank down at a shocking, wild speed.

Boom!

It went from 163 to 98. Then it dropped to 32. The speed with which this happened was shocking to the extreme.

Naruto's energy rocketed up, but even still, he had no way to prevent his fleshly body from nearing collapse.

"I can still hold on a bit longer!" he thought, once again employing the Violet Pupil Transformation. He sacrificed more longevity, causing his hair to turn white and his body to tremble, all to gain another breath of time.

Roaring filled his body. No outsider could hear it, but to Naruto it couldn't be clearer. The power of 32 Cultivation bases dropped to 16. More pressure bore down, and then, it was 8!

At this point, Naruto couldn't hold on any longer. His body began to grow limp, and he started to fall. From his position at 18,000 meters, he shot down at high speed. In the process of falling, the pressure lessened, and thus, his flesh and blood began to recover.

When he finally landed back down onto the hand of true spirit Night, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. However, he appeared to be completely restored to normal. The only difference was that the long hair which floated in the wind behind him was now gray.

As for his Cultivation base, its explosive growth caused the wind and clouds in the entire area to surge into motion, forming a twisting vortex around him.

As of this moment, Naruto was now far more powerful than before!

—–

Note from Er Gen: The name of the next book will be revealed along with the next chapter. It is four words long….

—–

End of Book 4: Five Color Paragon

Naruto learned the Violet Pupil Transformation when he was in the

Violet Fate Sect in chapter 242 ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 629

Book 5: Nirvanic Rebirth. Blood Everywhere!

Chapter 629: Return

"First legacy trial by fire, failed," said Night slowly, giving Naruto a deep look. Its voice echoed out throughout the entire Demon Immortal Sect.

Naruto smiled indifferently, apparently not concerned at all. Success or failure didn't matter, as long as he got to try. What was the point of asking any questions? After all, he had eternal qualifications to participate in this legacy trial by fire.

This time he didn't succeed, but the next time, a few hundred years from now… who was to say that he would fail again?

Most importantly, he had discovered his path to Spirit Severing. Naruto was sure that by shrinking his Cultivation base, by combining everything into one, Spirit Severing would be right in front of him.

"Your path to Spirit Severing has opened," said Mukui to Naruto, his voice low. "When your Cultivation base is completely consolidated, then you can transform it into a Severing blade. You'll either live, and sever out your Domain, or die, and sever your life."

Naruto nodded. He had already come to understand this. That was definitely his path to Spirit Severing. Grind and polish his Cultivation base down until it became an illusory blade. After that blade appeared, he could begin the Severing.

The difference between life and death all lay in that blade!

"What Cultivators cultivate is both life and death," said Naruto. "I've walked such a path for a long time. Living or dying doesn't really matter. Life's a journey; the places you go, the things you see, those are the most important things. Live without regrets." He laughed, his eyes shining brightly.

A look of admiration appeared in Mukui's eyes, and he also laughed.

"You've already found your path," he said. With that, he waved his arm, causing a green wind to spring up. It picked up Naruto and began to carry him out of the Demon Immortal Sect. "Time to leave. When father gave his approval of you, you became my little brother. I, too, was moved by your Dao. Perhaps one day in the future, the two of us will meet again in the starry sky!

"I hope that when that day arrives, you will have already reached Immortal Ascension!" Even as Mukui's voice echoed about, Naruto was carried by the green wind far away from the Demon Immortal Sect.

At the same time, Mukui's gaze came to fall upon Tsukino, who still stood off in the distance.

Tsukino immediately clasped hands and bowed.

"I am Zhou Tsukino of the younger generation of the Demon Immortal

Sect. Greetings, Patriarch Ke."

"We'll be old friends from now on," said Mukui. "Demon Immortal

Body…. With people like you, I can feel good about the Demon Immortal Sect." As he looked at her, his eyes seemed to fill with reminiscence. It was impossible to tell who he was thinking about, but he sighed and then waved a sleeve. A jade slip flew out toward Tsukino, which she quickly grabbed. Then, the green wind picked her up and, along with Naruto, she began to be carried away.

"Place that object in your Sect's Ancestral Hall," said Mukui coolly, "and have the disciples prostrate to it. It can stave off extermination for ten thousand years."

Naruto and Tsukino continued to speed away within the green wind.

Naruto looked back at Mukui, and couldn't help but think back to all of the things that had happened since he arrived in the Demon Immortal Sect.

"Seal up the Demon Immortal Sect," said Mukui, his voice echoing out.

"Destiny has already been severed, now we adjourn for a few centuries…." Naruto watched him as he sat down gloomily crosslegged on the fourth of true spirit Night's horns.

At the same time, true spirit Night gave Naruto a deep look. Then, its enormous head began to sink down. Its eyes slowly closed, and by the time the head sank down completely… the seven horns rose up above the land!

Endless amounts of dust flew about. It was almost like time was running in reverse. Everything returned to its original position. In the blink of an eye, the seven horns grew thick and bulky, and were soon seven mountain peaks once again!

There were corpses on the mountain peaks just like before, not one more or less than before. The restrictive spells were in place just like before. It was like nothing had changed at all. The lands below also returned to how they were before. In moments, everything looked exactly as it had when Naruto first arrived.

Mukui sat cross-legged atop the Fourth Peak. His back was to Naruto; he was facing an area just outside the Seventh Peak, the location of Ke Yunhai's tomb….

Boom!

Naruto felt as if he had just slammed into an invisible wall. As he sank into it, everything went black. When he came to, he was outside the Demon Immortal Sect.

He glanced back, and the Demon Immortal Sect looked hazy. Just barely visible were countless illusory figures, hustling and bustling about.

Naruto said nothing. Tsukino had emerged along with him, and when she looked back, her expression was one of pain and complex emotions as she looked at the illusory Demon Immortal Sect.

Countless tiny fragments of rock and stone suddenly flew out to surround Naruto and Tsukino, quickly transforming into a new river of stars. Naruto was still gazing at the Demon Immortal Sect when a tremor ran through the whole river of stars, and it began to carry him and Tsukino away. It rolled out like a bolt of white silk.

Naruto said nothing as the Demon Immortal Sect drew farther and farther away. Tsukino likewise maintained her silence. They got farther and farther away until soon, the Bridge of Immortal Treading became visible among the stars.

"I need to go," said Tsukino suddenly. She looked at Naruto. He turned to look at her. "Take care of yourself on your journey."

Their eyes met, and Tsukino gave a warm smile.

"Thank you. My promise to you hasn't changed. I truly believe that one day in the future, we will meet again. I look forward to finding out where we will meet, under what circumstances, or, perhaps I should say… in what identity." Although she smiled, a flicker of farewell could be seen in her eyes.

With a final deep look at him, Tsukino slapped her bag of holding. A person flew out from inside. It was a woman, her features beautiful, obviously quite young. This was none other than the Holy Daughter of the Five Poisons Tribe, Zhao .

Her eyes were closed, and she wasn't moving. There were still signs of life detectable, but she was obviously in a state of dormancy. From the ripples of her Cultivation base, it was obvious that she was… of the great circle of the Nascent Soul stage.

"This girl and I are connected by destiny," said Tsukino lightly. "I possessed her fleshly body that year, but I didn't destroy her soul. I promised her that when it was time to part, I would bestow her with the good fortune of a great circle Nascent Soul Cultivation base. 1

"By the time I acquired the Demon Immortal Body, I had already returned her body to her. Would you mind taking her back to the lands of South Heaven with you?"

Naruto looked at Zhao , then back at Tsukino. He nodded.

With a final look at Naruto, Tsukino turned and then flew out from the river of stars. As she emerged out into the starry sky, a glow appeared beneath her feet that turned into a flying shuttle.

The flying shuttle was surrounded by swirling lights as it rapidly expanded to a size of nearly three hundred meters. Demonic Qi pulsed off of it in ripples, distorting the images of the stars and causing ghost images to spring up.

She turned to look back at him and said, "Okay little Naruto, I'm gonna take off now. Don't miss me too much! Of course, if you really miss me, then once you have the ability to fly through the stars, then come to Planet East Victory. Who's to say whether or not I might let you have some alone time with me?" She laughed. Right now, she seemed to have returned to the way she was when Naruto met her for the first time.

Seductive as silk, eyes charming and amorous, she smiled and then transformed into a beam of light which shot off into the distance.

Naruto smiled and shook his head. For the most part, he and Tsukino were partners in cooperation. However, after everything that had happened in the Demon Immortal Sect, gradually they had become friends.

He looked away from her retreating figure and then sat down crosslegged on a nearby stone fragment. Zhao 's eyes were still closed as she lay next to him, slumbering. The two of them remained in the river of stars as it shot through the starry sky. Soon, everything became quiet.

Naruto stared out at the endless stars, and soon, a look of anticipation appeared in his eyes.

"Cultivation. Immortal Ascension. Flying among the stars…. It's all a journey. If I can leave the lands of South Heaven and enter the starry sky, my journey would be even more wonderful.

"At that time, Planet Ninshu would only be a bit of scenery along my way." Suddenly, Naruto smiled.

"My gains in the Demon Immortal Sect were tremendous!" he thought. He looked down at his bag of holding.

"Mountain Consuming Incantation, Nine Heavens Destruction, Nine

Heavens Treasured Body Seal…. Plus there's the Withering Flame Demon Magic True Self Dao. All of these divine abilities are there in my mind, as well as quite a few other minor arts.

"In addition, I have a good collection of lost treasures from the Demon Immortal Sect, as well as Hebi Mingfeng's bags of holding. Most important of all is the sword tip from that Wooden Time Sword!" When the thought of the sword tip, his heart palpitated with eagerness.

"That sword tip has 30,000 years of Time power. If I actually used it, it wouldn't truly be 30,000 years, but it would still be shocking." He rubbed his bag of holding, his eyes gleaming brightly.

"And then, there's the precious treasure from the Fourth Plane, the continental mirror! There are countless magical items stored inside, as well as Demon Weapon Lonelytomb, and the shadows of those three Paragons!

"The continental mirror is a precious treasure of true spirit Night. Taking it away was what awakened Night. Considering how valuable Night considered the treasure to be, well, it only serves to prove that my copper mirror has a mysterious origin." When he thought about the transformation the copper mirror had experienced, he once again had the feeling that his gains in this adventure had been exceeding.

"All the acquisitions will surely attract quite a bit of prying. All the other remaining South Heaven Cultivators are cruel and unscrupulous, and definitely have ill intentions. Their Sects and Clans will quickly learn about everything that happened." His eyes flickered.

"As for how much all those people owe me, if you add it together, it's more than ten million Spirit Stones! Which means that, right now, the main thing I'm lacking… is Spirit Stones!" He gave a cold harumph, but then thought to the debt pledges he had, and a brilliant smile appeared on his face.

"The debtor must repay his debts; that is in line with the principles of Heaven and Earth! They can't escape that fact! Although, to be the most safe, I can't stay in the Black Lands or the Western Desert." As he sat there thoughtfully, many thoughts raced through his head.

Time passed. Naruto sat there cross-legged, looking at the river of stars and the starry sky. Soon, he caught sight of a dot of light that was none other than Planet Ninshu.

At the same time, he saw that, revolving around Planet Ninshu was a shocking altar.

As soon as he caught sight of the altar, he got a clear sense of a cold, gloomy aura. The aura swept toward him, but was blocked by the river of stars, and could not reach him.

As the river of stars neared Planet Ninshu, Naruto stood up. He stared at South Heaven as it rapidly neared. Soon, he could see the lands below. He saw the Milky Way Sea, the Southern Domain and the Western Desert.

As they shot downward, Zhao slowly began to regain consciousness. Before she could open her eyes, Naruto leaped up, shooting out from within the river of stars into the highest levels of the sky above South Heaven. Then, he transformed into a beam of light that shot off into the distance.

There was a lot of pressure at such high altitude, but Naruto had been able to deal with the pressure at the 18,000 meter mark in the trial by fire of Lord Li's legacy. This pressure was nothing he would care about. He moved at incredible speed and quickly disappeared.

The river of stars began to rumble as it carried the confused Zhao down toward the lands below. As Naruto sped off into the distance, a cold, hoarse voice suddenly could be heard, accompanied by a slight chuckle.

"The pup from all those years ago has already grown up! His realm of Perfection really is perfect. I've been waiting for a long time…. It wasn't in vain that I covered your tracks before to confuse the Hebi Clan. Child, the time has come to present your Perfect stratum to me."

—–

This chapter was sponsored by ExtremeGTP

Tsukino made the promise to Zhao in chapter 474 ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 630

Chapter 630: 10th Patriarch of the Wang Clan 1

As soon as the voice rang out, the winds and clouds ceased moving. Not another sound could be heard!

The river of stars continued to rumble through the air, taking Zhao with it as it headed toward the land. Her eyes were wide open now, and just barely, she could make out the image of an old man wearing a long, white robe. He hovered in mid-air, his hair floating around him, his face ancient and filled with wrinkles. It was impossible to tell how old he was, but he looked as if he had just climbed out of a tomb.

A sense of putrefaction surrounded him, like the air that surrounded a person who had reached their end days but wasn't willing to take the final steps to the end. Instead, he would do something completely shocking.

However, he did not seem to be possessed of a flesh and blood body, but rather, was semi-transparent.

Even as Zhao noticed these things, she lost consciousness again, then disappeared along with the river of stars.

Naruto was currently speeding along, when suddenly his body began to shake. The air around him seemed to solidify, as if all of Heaven and Earth, the whole world, had transformed into a cage. He was like a cornered beast within that cage, struggling, but unable to extricate himself.

It was at this time that the cold voice rang out in his ears, filled with a sense of rot and decay. His face fell as a sense of grave crisis exploded out in him unlike anything he had experienced from the day he was born until now.

"This isn't Spirit Severing!" Rumbling filled his mind, and then spread out to the rest of his body. Cold sweat began to pour down him. Without hesitation, he directly entered the Ninth Anima!

Boom!

His Cultivation base exploded up. Although it only had eight portions of Cultivation base, each one of those portions had been compressed and refined to the pinnacle, which created a frightening aura.

Boom!

His hair floated up around him as his Cultivation base radiated out. His energy shot up to the sky, and the intense power of his fleshly body was unleashed to its very pinnacle.

Things weren't over!

He performed an incantation gesture, causing the Mountain Consuming Incantation to appear. An enormous rumbling could be heard around him as the illusory image of an enormous mountain appeared. The illusion twisted and distorted as it suddenly expanded outward.

Next, he slapped his bag of holding, causing around ten magical items to appear. Each one of these items were incredible treasures that he had acquired in the Demon Immortal Sect. He valued them greatly, but in this moment of deadly crisis, he had no time to think about the pain of losing them. He produced them without hesitation and then roared.

"Detonate!" It caused Naruto's heart to bleed to say such a word,

but he had no other choice.

All of this takes some time to describe, but actually happened in a very short moment.

An illusory hand appeared out of nowhere off in the distance. It was semi-transparent, and was filled with glowing lights. It seemed to contain a great Dao of Heaven and Earth that was in accord with natural law. As soon as the hand appeared, everything grew dark, making the hand the only focus of attention.

The hand neared, gently slapping toward Naruto!

As it got close, Naruto detonated the ten Demon Immortal Sect treasures. A boom rattled out that seemed capable of splitting Heaven and Earth. Everything shook, and distorted ripples appeared in all directions. It seemed almost as if the world couldn't handle the destructive force unleashed by the explosion.

Boom!

The cage around Naruto was now riddled with cracks. The explosion of the ten magical items also caused the incoming hand to pause slightly.

A cold "eee!" could be heard, and the hand passed by in a flash. The destructive force of the explosion dissipated, and it was in that brief moment that Naruto, stuck in this seemingly hopeless situation, grabbed at a chance for life.

"Dao Seeking! This is a Dao Seeking Cultivator!" Naruto's heart began to pound and fill with bitterness. A Dao Seeking expert was something higher than him by more than an entire stage. Dao Seeking experts were rare, almighty figures in the lands of South Heaven!

As far as Naruto could remember, he had never provoked anyone like that before. From what the voice had just said now, this person was clearly not a member of the Hebi Clan!

"Who is he?!" Naruto knew that the greater the danger he was in, the more he needed to remain calm. Eyes glittering, he took advantage of the cracks appearing in the cage to employ the greatest speed he could muster. He instantly transformed into the wind of the roc, along with a green smoke that contained a black moon. In the blink of an eye, he bored out through one of the cracks and shot off into the distance. He moved so quickly that he didn't even have time to look back.

Even as he broke out from the cage, the giant hand shot in pursuit. It destroyed the cage, as well as the destructive powers of the ten valuable treasures he had detonated. Then it slammed into the illusory mountain.

BANG!

The illusory mountain collapsed into pieces, which showered out in all directions. Blood sprayed from Naruto's mouth, and cracking sounds could be heard. It seemed as if his body was on the verge of being destroyed.

The hand seemed almost leisurely in its strike. It smashed through the illusory mountain, and then casually headed toward Naruto's back.

Even as the hand neared, Naruto lifted his head up and cried,

"Agarwood!"

Booming could be heard as an otherworldly power approached. However, for some reason, when it was about halfway, it seemed to hesitate. During that moment, the huge hand closed in.

Naruto did nothing to try to control the Agarwood. The blood-colored mask flew out of his bag of holding, rapidly growing larger until it covered his whole body, helping to block against the giant hand.

A howl could be heard from within the blood-colored mask, and a bloody glow rose up. The mastiff flew out, and as the hand neared, it, together with the mask, protected Naruto's back. The mastiff didn't even have time to turn around to look at its Master's back.

Boom!

The instant the hand slammed into the mastiff, it exploded, transforming into countless red strands that shot back into the blood-colored mask.

A massive rumbling could be heard as the Blood Immortal mask was sent spinning backward. It merged into Naruto's body, which trembled severely.

"Blood Mastiff!" roared Naruto, his eyes bloodshot. In that instant, he could sense that the mastiff's blood had formed back together inside the mask, turning into a much smaller Blood Mastiff.

The double protection temporarily resolved his crisis. However, blood still sprayed from his mouth, and his internal organs were shattered into pieces. His life aura was diminishing, and he tumbled off into the distance like a kite with its string cut.

His eyes were filled with dense veins of blood, and an unprecedented level of hatred suddenly rose up within him.

Severe pain coursed through him, and he had the intense sensation that he was being ripped into shreds. His skin was lacerated and torn in multiple locations; it made it seem as if in the following breath, his entire person would fall apart!

A second "eee?" sound could be heard, echoing out in Heaven and Earth. Suddenly, the parrot and the meat jelly flew out from inside Naruto's bag of holding.

The parrot clutched onto Naruto's shoulder, a look of unprecedented anxiety on its face. "Dammit, bitch! Dammit! This guy's a step away from being a false Immortal! Even if he's just a clone, he's still at Dao Seeking. Meat jelly, you slut, why haven't you saved Naruto yet!?" The meat jelly was trembling all over. However, it quickly spread out to cover Naruto, causing his collapsing flesh to solidify.

An ancient, hoarse voice could suddenly be heard coming from the void.

"I am the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. Back when you were in Foundation Establishment, I decided to make you my Dao seed, to accomplish my Dao, to allow me experience what it was like for the great ancestor to steal a foundation.

"Do you… really think you can escape?" There was something else in the voice; it contained bizarre fluctuations that seemed to conform to the natural laws of Heaven and Earth.

As the voice spoke, the hand faded away. However, it became clear again only a breath later, and when it did, it was behind Naruto. The hand formed into a claw that swiped at Naruto from the back.

"I saved you out outside of the Rebirth Cave," the voice said, speaking neither quickly nor slowly. "When the Hebi Clan was after you, I helped. And then there was all the commotion you caused in the Demon Immortal Sect. After you returned, I took the liberty of wiping out traces of your aura so that no one would know that you have returned.

"All of that was because… a time would come for you to pay me back. And that time… is now." As the voice continued to speak, the sense of putrefaction continued to grow clearer.

"Four Perfect stages. The Perfect Foundation… is the basis for Immortal

Ascension. It would be a waste on you, so… it belongs to me."

The hand continued to grab toward Naruto. No matter how the parrot and Naruto sped away, it was impossible to escape the gravitational force that they felt wrapping around them. Naruto's body trembled, and then he clearly senses something on himself that caused the gravitational force to loosen. It almost seemed as if the force would leave him automatically!

In this critical moment, the parrot and meat jelly were going crazy. Naruto once again urgently said, "Agarwood! What about your promise to me!?"

As the words echoed out, everything grew quiet. Suddenly, a rumbling spread out as an otherworldly power neared.

Boom!

The power slammed into the hand that was grasping toward Naruto. The hand instantly shook, and any connection it had to Naruto was severed. Naruto coughed up a mouthful of blood, and yet instead of fleeing, he turned around, his eyes bright red.

Fleeing like that wasn't something he was willing to do!

This was his first time to turn around during the entire encounter. He saw the hand that had been attacked by the power of the Agarwood. Rays of light circulated around, forming into the figure of a man who seemed to be stepping out of nothing. He wore a long white robe, and was very old.

Naruto had no recollection of ever seeing this man before, and was quite certain that they had never met.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch had been enveloped by the mysterious power of the Agarwood. It was as if he had been imprisoned. His body floated there in mid air, alternating between blurry and semitransparent. It was a very strange sight.

"Why do you have to resist?" he said hoarsely, looking at Naruto. He seemed as if he didn't even notice the power of the Agarwood.

Naruto didn't reply, but his right hand slapped his bag of holding to produce a bronze alcohol flagon. He raised his head up to take a large mouthful, then spit it out. Alcohol Qi spread out, and suddenly, an azure bronze Immortal's sword appeared in his hand.

This sword was from Han Shan, and contained Sword Qi that was like a song!

Killing intent raged in Naruto's eyes. He raised his right hand and, without hesitation, struck out with the sword.

The Sword Qi appeared, shaking Heaven and Earth, causing everything to shake. The sky dimmed as uncountable amounts of Sword Qi poured out of the azure bronze sword. As the sword descended, the Sword Qi rumbled, transforming into a three thousand meter waterfall which shot from up above down toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's pupils constricted, the first change in his facial expression!

Even the Agarwood hadn't moved him. His eyes flickered, and as the Sword Qi neared, he suddenly spoke.

"The great ancestor once said that rain… is born in the Heavens and dies in the Earth. The passage between those two places is its entire life…." As the voice rang out, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch waved his right hand softly out in front of him, as if he was sweeping away some rain.

"Call the Wind, Summon the Rain…."

The 10th Patriarch of the Wang Clan was introduced in chapter 137. He was described as being at the peak of the Dao Seeking stage, and wanting to steal Naruto's Perfection. He reappeared in chapter 305 and subsequent chapters that took place near the Rebirth Cave, where he manipulated events to help Naruto. He even came to look for

Naruto in chapter 521 ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 631

Chapter 631: False Immortals and True Immortals

"Whose entire life, bitch?" said Naruto, his killing intent boiling. The Sword Qi descended, slashing down toward the 10th Wang Clan

Patriarch, who was currently enveloped by the power of the Agarwood.

Rumbling climbed up into the sky as the Sword Qi neared. However, it was then that a black wind suddenly sprung up around the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. The wind rapidly condensed into a shocking black dragon.

The black dragon opened its mouth and a roaring wind emerged that fought back against the power of the Agarwood. The cage appeared to be instantly diffused; at the same time, drops of rain appeared out of nowhere. More and more appeared, transforming into a rain that filled the entire sky and then shot toward the Sword Qi.

A massive boom could be heard that shook everything. Blood poured out of Naruto's mouth, and he fell back. Without looking back to see what had happened, he retrieved the teleportation jade slip that he had acquired from Patriarch Reliance that year, and squeezed it between his fingers.

The jade slip had been on the verge of shattering years ago. Strangely, though, after not having used it for so long, it had slowly repaired itself, and was now much more solid.

Glittering light spread out. Because of the current level of Naruto's Cultivation base, the time needed to activate the teleportation power was much less. It only took the space of seven or eight breaths to succeed, and then he began to teleport away.

After Naruto disappeared, the roaring and booming in the area faded away. The Wang Clan Patriarch slowly moved forward, his body gradually becoming more blurry, and occasionally glittering with light. A huge gash could be seen stretching from his head all the way down through the rest of his body, splitting him entirely in half. He seemed to be forcing the two halves to remain together.

He didn't seem to recognize any sort of pain as he watched Naruto disappearing. His eyes glittered with a mysterious light, and he smiled. Because his body had been split in two, however, the smile looked exceedingly savage and horrible.

"I underestimated you, child. It turns out you have a real precious treasure….

"However, you can't evade me." Even as he smiled that horrific smile, the Wang Clan Patriarch's body grew completely blurry. Gradually, it turned into a wisp of aura, which then dissipated into the surroundings.

At the same time, in the mountains of the Wang Clan in the Southern Domain, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's true self lay in a coffin in the tomb underneath the 10th mountain. His eyes opened.

A strange light glowed within as he looked up at the cliffs stretching up above him. He began to chuckle hoarsely.

"If it weren't for the fact that I used my true self's power to interfere with the Hebi Clan and hide that child's Perfect foundation, they definitely would have noticed him. At some point throughout the years, they would surely have tracked him down him and stolen him away. If I had been there as my true self just now, I would have succeeded.

"However, the Perfect Dao foundation has matured, and is ripe for the plucking. Even though I still can't venture out with my true self, a clone will still do the trick. That Sword Qi was obviously gifted by an outsider. How many times can he use it? Perhaps he's already reached the point where he can't." The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch shook his head and smiled. A ghost image suddenly appeared over him. In the blink of an eye, an illusory body rose up to float in mid-air. As it grew clearer and clearer, it started to resemble the Wang Clan Patriarch in all respects.

The clone's hand flickered in an incantation, and after a moment, he frowned.

"Near the Milky Way Sea….

"The Milky Way Sea is a restricted area for the Dao Seeking stage…." The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's Clone hesitated for a moment. Then his expression returned to normal. His eyes flashed as he slowly began to grow blurry.

On the edge of the Western Desert, between the Violet Sea and the Milky Way Sea, was a border region that stretched farther than the eye could see. That border region was actually nothing more than a wall-like mass of soil. On one side, the water was violet, the other side, the water was blue, making the difference between the Violet Sea and the Milky Way Sea clearcut!

In a particular area in that border region, a huge black vortex suddenly appeared in mid-air. Naruto staggered out from the middle of the vortex, blood spraying from his mouth.

The blood was pitch-black, and filled with rot. Naruto's face was pale, and his entire body was covered by a thin membrane, which was nothing other than the meat jelly, helping him to prevent his body from completely exploding.

However, Naruto could still sense his body slowly decaying. The feeling of imminent death grew stronger and stronger.

"10th… Wang… Clan… PATRIARCH!" Monstrous killing intent boiled in Naruto's eyes. He gritted his teeth as more blood oozed out of his mouth. This was was virtually the worst injury he had ever sustained in all his years as a Cultivator.

"That bastard was just a step away from being a false Immortal," squawked the parrot angrily, flapping its wings. "How could he be so shameless! Bitch! He actually attacked you, Naruto! Dammit! Lord Fifth was viciously sealed that year, otherwise, it wouldn't matter that the bastard didn't have fur or feathers, I would have popped him anyway!"

"What's a false Immortal?" asked Naruto. His hand was pushed up against his chest as intense pain wracked his entire body. Gradually, a violet light appeared in his eyes as he drew upon his longevity to heal himself.

"False Immortals are low-lifes who can never experience the luck to reach Immortal Ascension!" raged the parrot. "They don't have their own Dao, and yet, they refuse to die. In their unyieldingness, they conform themselves to the Dao of another, and use that to become Immortal. That's a false Immortal!

"Some people would rather die than become a false Immortal who belongs to someone else. Others, in order to avoid death, will pay any price. The latter are basically betrayers of the Dao!

"In the Ninth Mountain and Sea, the greatest of the false Immortals are the Hebi Clan. The Hebi Clan changed the Heavens, and their Immortals are all false Immortals, and also the strongest of all the false Immortals!

"Next are all the various Clans and Sects. After gaining enlightenment of the Daos of their ancestors, they trod the path of the false Immortal!" This time, the parrot didn't hold any information back.

Naruto silently considered all of this. He had come to find that the Violet Pupil Transformation was becoming less and less effective in healing himself, and didn't heal as quickly as before. Although it still worked, it was far, far too slow. His heart sank.

"Some people with high aspirations, those who truly strive after the Dao, who live in the morning and die in the evening, would rather acquire their own personal Dao. Such people can face death willingly.

"When people like that succeed, they are true Immortals!

"However, after the Hebi Clan changed the Heavens, true Immortals are seldom seen. Perhaps every thousand years, one might appear on any given planet. Only on the four great planets can the Dao be confirmed and Immortal Ascension achieved. Once someone reaches Immortal Ascension on a planet, then in the next thousand years, a second person may not. Therefore, to say that in ten thousand years in the entire Ninth Mountain and Sea, a few dozen true Immortals appear, would be an overstatement.

"When you add in true Immortal Tribulation, the number of true Immortals who can survive in the four great planets won't exceed ten!" By this point in its speech, the parrot sounded grieved and indignant.

"True Immortal Tribulation?" asked Naruto. He sent his Divine Sense into the blood-colored mask. When he saw that the mastiff was there recovering, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Those who wish to search for their own Dao and become true Immortals must face it. Succeed, and it is inconsequential. Fail, and they perish to become a natural law of Heaven and Earth.

"Success mean ascension to being a true Immortal. Afterwards, when any Immortal Tribulation falls, that person will rise to prominence. Other than another true Immortal, no one else could possibly be a match." It was hard to tell what exactly the parrot was thinking, but all of a sudden, its tone was gloomy.

Naruto's eyes flickered as he looked at the parrot and then asked another question. "That 10th Wang Clan Patriarch said something about a Perfect Dao foundation. What did he mean?"

"You cultivate the Sublime Spirit Scripture. Although I don't understand too much about it, I do know that it's one of the three classic scriptures. If you cultivate it to completion, you will be a Sublime Spirit Doyen!

"However, the Perfect stratum lies only beneath Spirit Severing. That is,

Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and Nascent Soul, four stages. As for how to cultivate it after that, nobody knows except for past generations of Sublime Spirit Doyens.

"As for the Perfect Dao foundation, that is something that only those who cultivate the Sublime Spirit Scripture are qualified to have. Furthermore, anyone with such qualifications will have a much, much greater chance of reaching true Immortal Ascension.

"As far as false Immortals are concerned, if they can acquire your Dao foundation, then it means they would have another chance to make a choice! With enough experience and preparation, they might be able to change their path from that of false Immortal to the realm of the true Immortal!

"Most importantly, possessing a Perfect Dao foundation means that if you fail in true Immortal Ascension, then you won't perish! You can shed your Dao foundation and escape death that one time!"

After hearing this explanation, Naruto now understood everything that the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch had said.

He also understood why the Hebi Clan had virtually never come looking for him. Most likely, many threats that he didn't even know about had been resolved in secret by the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

He was like a Dao Protector. Except, his purpose in protecting Naruto was to steal his Dao foundation!

"What happens if my Dao foundation gets taken away?" asked Naruto slowly, a profound gleam swirling deep in his eyes.

The parrot thought for a moment, then replied in a low voice, "If a tower has no foundation, what happens?"

"It collapses," replied Naruto coolly. "It's unstable and is destroyed."

"The same would happen to you. If someone steals your Dao foundation, then you'll die."

"Naruto, get out of here!" cried the parrot anxiously. "That bastard definitely got away. From what he said, he set you up as a Dao seed long ago. Flee! Flee until you've grown up a bit more!

"As for your aura, the meat jelly can conceal it. If the Wang Patriarch finds you any time soon, it won't be a good thing!"

Naruto stood there silently, indescribable emotions stirring him into a somewhat vicious mood. Gradually, his lips twisted into a cold smile.

He knew that compared to the Wang Clan Patriarch, he was nothing more than a bug. However, his heart still thumped with viciousness. Now that this matter had been raised, it would not fade away. Instead, it had turned into something like a seed.

It was like a seed that was buried deep in the recesses of his heart.

"I came to understand the law of the jungle a long time ago," Naruto muttered to himself. "One day, I will achieve my Dao, and the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch will die. If the Wang Clan gets in my way, then when I have my own great Dao…

"I will ensure that the Southern Domain has no more Wang Clan, ever!"

Filled with determination, the viciousness in his heart once again surged.

He took a deep breath and looked around. Then, he looked off in the direction of the Milky Way Sea, his eyes glittering. He began to fly at top speed, healing himself at the same time.

Eventually, he reached the invisible wall that completely separated the Violet Sea and the Milky Way Sea. He slammed into it, and then pierced directly through it. A fishy, sea aroma filled the air. This… was the Milky Way Sea!

A boundless sea surged in all directions. Off in the distance, the sun was setting. In the glow of twilight, all that could be seen were beautiful waves and a deep orange glow.

"I need to be cautious in all matters, prepared for all contingencies…." He lifted up his hand, within which was the teleportation jade slip. It was definitely on the verge of shattering now. After a moment's hesitation, his eyes filled with determination and he pressed down. Based on his understanding from previous usage of the item, he could tell that the teleportation distance was determined by how much Cultivation base power was sent into it.

He pushed down hard and, a moment later, a black vortex appeared around him. He was sucked in, and then disappeared.

After he vanished, enough time passed for an incense stick to burn. Suddenly distortions appeared in the air in the position he had just left from. A moment later, the image of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch emerged. He looked around and then frowned.

"Very crafty, child," he said coolly. "Your aura disappears from here.

However, I've already determined that you are in the Milky Way Sea.

"You can't evade me. Your Perfect Dao foundation belongs to me. You may enjoy hiding yourself, but I will find you." With that, his body flickered, and he vanished.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by ExtremeGTP, Metalduck, and Zameel

MeHebi a

Vol. 5 : Chapter 632

Chapter 632: The Milky Way Sea

The Milky Way Sea was located in the middle of the lands of South

Heaven, splitting everything into two continents, one comprised of the Eastern Lands and the Northern Reaches, the other of the Southern Domain and the Western Desert.

The area taken up by the Milky Way Sea is huge, far greater than either of the two continents. If you compared it in size with the Southern Domain, the Milky Way Sea would be approximately five times as large.

Therefore, it was divided up into four sections called Rings. The part outside of the Four Rings was called the Outer Sea.

The boundless sea was constantly plagued with hurricanes that swept about, causing huge waves to spring up. Still, there were many islands to be found, some large, some small, which meant that there were Cultivators too.

Of course, sea beasts swam to and fro within the sea waters. Their flesh and blood were often prized by Cultivators, especially the sea beasts that were similar to Cultivators, and were called Sea Demons. Their Demon hearts were highly valuable. Even one Demon heart could emit spiritual energy similar to a mid-grade Spirit Stone.

For these and a variety of other reasons, the Milky Way Sea had been a destination for Cultivators for many years. People settled down, multiplied, expanded, and soon power structures emerged.

There were both strong and weak powers in the Milky Way Sea, and they were distributed amongst the various islands that dotted the surface of the waters. Most of the powers existed in the Fourth Ring. Only some very powerful Sects or Clans qualified to reside in the Third Ring.

Of course, there were many legends that passed from ear to ear in the Milky Way Sea. Many seemed unlikely, but at the same time, many people believed them to be true. It seemed that when anything changed in the Milky Way Sea, there were always people who would attribute it to something strange.

It was a vast sea that would never be peaceful and calm, but would always be brushed over by hurricanes. This… was the Milky Way Sea.

In the Outer Sea region of the Milky Way Sea, a ship approximately three hundred meters long was moving along at high speed.

At the prow of the ship, a middle-aged man was casually recounting some Milky Way Sea legends to some youngsters who were gathered around him.

"According to the legend, there is an ancient ship which can be seen in the Milky Way Sea. Anyone who sees that ship will receive great blessings…. They say that an old man sits cross-legged at its prow.

"He wears a dilapidated suit of armor, and his eyes are closed. He never moves…."

The youngsters looked very excited. Apparently, this was a story they could hear a hundred times, but never get tired of.

Water sprayed up from the surface of the sea, and high up above the ship, a silk flag snapped in the salty breeze. Embroidered on the flag was the character "Zhang 张," along with the representation of a flying sword. That indicated that this ship belonged to the Zhang Clan, a Cultivator Clan of the Milky Way Sea.

There were approximately fifty people on the ship, most of whom were fit and strong, but mortal. There were only a handful of Cultivators, all of whom sat cross-legged in meditation. The only one who didn't was the middle-aged man at the prow of the ship, who was in the late Foundation Establishment stage. He was the one telling stories to the younger generation Clan members.

"Our Zhang Clan's Patriarch saw that ship a few hundred years ago," he continued in a low voice, taking advantage of the situation to subtly influence the younger generation of the clan. "He received a blessing just as the legends say; he had a Cultivation base breakthrough, and became a Core Formation expert.

"It was for that reason that he was able to occupy an island in the Outer Sea, and establish our Zhang Clan as a local power. All of you need to remember this!"

Among the group of youngsters was a strapping young boy who instantly spoke up. "We know that story, Uncle Hai Xin!" he said. His tone pleading, he said, "Tell us about Saint's Island!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, some of the other children began to beg for the same thing.

The middle-aged man laughed silently, not quite sure of what to say. He was about to begin speaking, when suddenly he sensed something. He turned his head to look at the ship's quarterdeck, and saw a beautiful young woman emerging 1. She wore a nautical silk jacket and skirt, and was naturally beautiful, radiant, and enchanting. A slight smile could be seen on her face as she stepped out of the quarterdeck. However, despite the smile, it was impossible to cover up the anxiety and unease in her eyes.

Holding her hand was a child of six or seven years old, a boy. He had plump cheeks, and looked quite adorable. As for the young woman, her Cultivation base was at the great circle of Foundation Establishment.

"Greetings, Clan Leader!" said the middle-aged man respectfully. He clasped hands and bowed deeply.

The other youngsters around him also bowed to her.

"We're all fellow Clan members, there's no need for such politeness," said the young woman, laughing. "Nan'er wanted to see the sun setting over the ocean, so I brought him out to have a look."

The boy next to the young woman looked at the middle-aged man with wide eyes and piped: "Uncle Hai Xin, did I just hear someone mention Saint's Island?"

The middle-aged man laughed, and a doting gleam appeared in his eyes. To him, all the hope of the Clan rested on the future of this boy.

"Ah, Saint's Island," said the man, smiling. "It's the number one island in the Fourth Ring, and its Footloose Sect is the number one Sect in the whole Fourth Ring!

"Saint's Island is very large, almost like a continent! It's far, far larger than our island. There is even a nation of mortals that exists there, called the State of Xiao.

"Because the Footloose Sect has a Spirit Severing Cultivator, it can strike awe into the hearts of all the other forces in the Fourth Ring. It has many Cultivators; Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment Cultivators are everywhere. There are even dozens of Core Formation Cultivators! And when it comes to Nascent Soul experts… they have seven!

"In the entire Fourth Ring, there isn't a single Sect or Clan who could possibly fight back against their power. The Footloose Sect is fully deserving to be regarded as the overlord of the Fourth Ring.

"You all know the reason we're going there. Therefore, when we arrive, all of you need to be very respectful. Young Master Nan'er has the best latent talent of anyone born in recent years.

"The Footloose Sect is accepting disciples, which means that our Clan has an incredible opportunity!" As of this point, the man's eyes shone with anticipation.

"If Young Master Nan'er can join the Footloose Sect, then with his latent talent, he'll definitely be able to reach Foundation Establishment. There would even be the possibility that in the future, he could reach Core Formation! Then, he could be just as heroic as our Clan Patriarch, all those years ago!

"When that happens, our Zhang Clan will once again be able to rise to prominence in the Outer Sea!" The middle-aged man's voice was filled with passion. The youngsters around him looked over with admiration and envy at the boy standing next to the young woman.

The young woman tousled his hair, and was about to say something when, suddenly, her expression flickered. In the same moment that she looked up, so did the middle-aged man.

From the middle of the ship, a man and a woman suddenly flew up into the air. Both of them looked to be about fifty years old, and had

Cultivation bases in the late Foundation Establishment stage. They stood on flying swords, expressions of shock on their face as they looked up into the air.

Everything was quiet, and everyone on the boat looked on, stunned.

What they saw was a huge rift soundlessly open in mid-air. It rapidly turned into a pitch-black vortex, which rotated rapidly as it turned into a black hole.

A man staggered out, blood spraying from his mouth.

He had long gray hair, and wore a white, blood-stained robe. His aura was unstable, and his face was pale white. Of course, it was Naruto.

The parrot perched on his shoulder, and its disdainful gaze swept around the area.

As soon as Naruto appeared, his internal injuries once again exploded out, which was something he hadn't anticipated. The second teleportation had actually ripped open the old wounds, causing the injuries to become even worse.

He hovered in mid-air, looking down at the people on the ship and the various expressions on their faces. It didn't matter that he was currently injured, as soon as his gaze swept across them, their hearts began to tremble and pound. They felt as if they were being stared at by an ancient, wild beast.

"My injuries are too severe," he thought, looking away. "I need to quickly find somewhere to begin healing." Ignoring the people on the ship below, he took a deep breath, and was just about to force his Cultivation base to rotate so that he could move off into the distance.

On the ship, everyone stood around as mute as cicadas in winter. Except for the young woman.

"Senior, there's no need to leave!" As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt regret. When Naruto looked back at her, she trembled, but then forced herself to clasp hands and bow deeply.

"Senior," she went on, trembling, "you're seriously injured. If you're searching for a place to rest and heal, our ship has first-class cabins as well as some medicinal pills. If you'd like, you can always treat yourself here." She clenched her teeth, and her heart pounded with nervousness.

When they heard her words, the faces of the surrounding Foundation Establishment Cultivators, including the middle-aged man, all fell. They couldn't understand why the Clan Leader would do something like this. They wanted to do something to stop it, but didn't dare to open their mouths.

Naruto's expression was the same as ever as he paused in mid-air to look at the young woman.

When he looked in her eyes, the young woman felt as if all Heaven and Earth were roaring, and she began to tremble even harder.

"What place are you going to?" he said, retracting his gaze.

"Our humble Clan is going to Saint's Island in the Fourth Ring, so that my son can join the Footloose Sect." The young woman didn't dare to hide anything, and also spoke very respectfully. As of this point, the other three Foundation Establishment Cultivators had guessed what her purpose was. Although they continued to tremble inwardly, they also felt a bit of anticipation.

Naruto didn't know where exactly this Saint's Island was, nor did he understand the power structures and various regions of the Milky Way Sea. After a moment of thought, he nodded and then floated down onto the ship. The young woman respectfully guided him to a private cabin protected by a spell formation.

Naruto nodded, then sat down cross-legged. As he closed his eyes, the young woman respectfully made her exit.

As soon as she left, the parrot disapprovingly said, "Why did you pick this place? Don't tell me you've taken a liking to that young lady? She doesn't have much fur. I actually checked her out a few times earlier…."

"It doesn't matter where I hide in the Milky Way Sea, it's all the same," replied Naruto coolly. "Even if I'm at the bottom of the sea, once the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch detects my aura, he'll be able to find me. Since that's the case, I might as well hide here. Who knows, I might even gain some unexpected benefits." With that, he began to rotate his Cultivation base. Violet light gleamed underneath his eyelids as he began to treat his injuries.

Time passed by. On the morning of the second day, the young woman brought some local Milky Way Sea food products. She also gave him a jade slip that had information about Saint's Island, as well as a sea map of the surrounding areas.

The map was the most valuable thing to Naruto. Although it seemed simple, it had actually been produced by information gathered by successive generations of the Zhang Clan.

The young woman wasn't sure of Naruto's origins, but just to be safe, she gave him the map as a show of good faith.

Naruto took the jade slip, looked it over, and then smiled. The young woman instantly felt a bit more at ease. She reached up to pull a strand of hair back over her ear. Her features were naturally beautiful, but the mixture of anxiety and relief caused her to look even more entrancing. Suppressing her own excitement, she respectfully left.

Naruto watched her leave. Based on his experiences, the reason she had asked him to stay was because she had experienced grave danger in the past. Thus, she had taken the risk to call out to him.

He then focused his attention on the jade slip. "So the Milky Way Sea is divided into four Rings…. The area outside the Fourth Ring is called the Outer Sea.

"Saint's Island. State of Xiao. Footloose Sect." After a bit of time, he put the jade slip away and then continued to treat his injuries.

Time passed by slowly….

In Chinese, the word used to describe the young woman indicates that she either is or was married ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 633

Chapter 633: Honored Guest

In the blink of an eye, seven days passed.

Naruto spent the entire time with eyes closed in meditation, treating his injuries. During the seven days, the injures gradually healed by about thirty percent. Unfortunately, his fleshly body still couldn't hold together without the help of the meat jelly. It still needed time to grow stable. However, the wounds were gradually fusing shut.

Every day, he would eat three meals of fruit, personally delivered by the young woman. She was always very respectful.

She even offered up some Spirit Stones. Whatever Naruto requested was provided in full, and all his questions about the Milky Way Sea were answered in detail.

In addition to healing himself, Naruto was able to gain quite an understanding about the area.

During the seven days, the surface of the Milky Way Sea was calm and quiet. The Zhang ship from the Outer Sea bravely proceeded onward as it had from the beginning. Of course, now that Naruto was on board, everyone was a bit more nervous than before. However, nothing untoward occurred.

As time passed and Naruto continued to stay in secluded meditation, the young woman gradually felt more at ease. Her previous cheerful and playful attitude returned. Occasionally, her laughter rang out, filled with a bit of childish naivety.

The other three Foundation Establishment Cultivators on the boat were as nervous as ever. They understood what the Clan Leader was thinking, but in their opinion, what she was doing was like asking a tiger for its own skin, expecting a bad person to act against his own interest. In their opinion, young people like her didn't understand the ruthlessness of the Cultivation world. On the other hand, the three of them, having practiced cultivation up to the level of Foundation Establishment, and having maintained the position of the Clan on their island in the Outer Sea, had experienced many situations of deadly crisis.

They well knew that in the Cultivation world, the law of the jungle prevailed, and danger was the norm. One bad thing could lead to complete destruction, and could even affect an entire Clan.

Naruto had randomly appeared out of a bizarre black hole. Although he was weak and severely injured, the look he had given them seven days ago had caused them to feel as if they were frozen dead in the middle of winter.

They had the intense sensation that if Naruto wanted to kill them, then it wouldn't matter if he was even more severely injured, they would all be destroyed.

Currently, all of three of them stood at the stern of the ship, frowning and giving voice to the same concerns.

"This matter with the Clan Leader… it's not wise!"

"That man was severely injured, and arrived via teleportation. From the look of things, he must but the subject of pursuit. If his pursuers catch up with him, it could bring about the destruction of all of us!"

"Ai! I know what the Clan Leader is thinking. This journey to Saint's

Island is our last shot. If we succeed, we can strike some fear into the Liu Clan so that they don't dare to act recklessly."

"We can only hope that Nan'er will fight to excel. Hopefully he can stick out in the Footloose Sect's competition for new disciples."

The three of them exchanged glances and then sighed lightly.

The Patriarch of the Zhang Clan had founded their island in the Outer Sea. However, after he passed away in meditation, they had been forced to tread as carefully as if walking on thin ice. Another Core Formation Cultivator hadn't appeared in the Clan, which meant that the island they occupied soon came to be eyed greedily by surrounding neighbors.

Were it not for the spell formation left in place by the Patriarch before he passed away, as well as the magical items and social connections he had made, then they would have long since lost their island and become an auxiliary Clan.

They had managed to hold on for a while, until finally a crisis loomed. The Liu Clan, who occupied a nearby island, had long since begun to glare at them like a tiger eyeing its prey. Slaughter had been on the verge of breaking out.

During that moment of critical danger, the Zhang Clan Leader, which was none other than the beautiful young woman, had made a difficult decision. She took all of her people and left the island in secret to deliver her son to the Footloose Sect.

If he became a disciple of the Footloose Sect, then his identity would be enough to intimidate anyone in the Outer Sea. It would protect the Zhang Clan for at least around a hundred years.

The three Foundation Establishment Cultivators continued to discuss matters.

"This whole thing is going to be very difficult…. There's no need to even mention that after arriving at Saint's Island, it's impossible to know if Nan'er will be able to distinguish himself amongst the crowd and enter the Footloose Sect. Regardless of anything, our path is going to be one of extreme danger."

"That's right. Rumors will have spread, and the news leaked. The Liu Clan won't be willing to accept this…. We can only hope that they react too slowly. Hopefully we left early enough to seize a superior position and evade their pursuit."

"In addition to the Liu Clan, there are also the numerous sea beasts that roam between the Outer Sea and the Fourth Ring, not to mention the cruel rogue Cultivators. How could our path possibly be one of peace and security?"

"However, this really is our only chance…." The three once more sighed and then lapsed into silence. They understood what the Clan Leader was trying to do, and since she had already made her decision, there was no need to spend time worrying.

Who knew? Perhaps… inviting the wounded expert to stay with them might have some extraordinary outcome.

At the same time that the three of them were having their discussion, the Zhang Clan Leader, the young woman, stood at the prow of the boat, clasping her son's hand. She looked off into the sky up above, unable to conceal her expression of anxiety and unease.

"Our voyage will continue for three more days before we reach the Fourth Ring," she murmured. "After leaving the Outer Sea behind, then we really will have evaded the Liu Clan…." Although the Liu Clan was not weak, that was only when speaking in terms of the Outer Sea. In the Fourth Ring, they could be considered bugs. In the analysis of the young woman, once they entered the Fourth Ring, the Liu Clan would most likely give up any pursuit and not dare to follow.

After all, she and her Clan were at the end of their rope, whereas the Liu Clan wouldn't dare to rashly put themselves in danger.

She looked down at her son and patted his head. "Nan'er, you need to remember, the Footloose Sect pays a lot of attention to seniority. After we arrive, you must not make any breaches of etiquette."

The boy didn't seem to understand what she meant, but he nodded his head obediently. Her eyes filled with a doting expression, and she was just about to lean over to pick him up when her expression flickered and she suddenly looked behind her.

At the same time, the three Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the stern also looked back.

What they saw was a pitch-black ship speeding toward them at top speed. The flag flying on the ship was clearly emblazoned with a huge character.

Liu 刘!

This was a ship from the Outer Seas Liu Clan. They had been in full pursuit for days, and had finally caught up. On the prow of the ship stood four people, three of whom wore extremely respectful expressions. The other was clearly different than them.

He was an old man with an aloof expression. His eyes flashed like lightning, and he held his hands clasped behind his back. His voluminous robe flapped in the wind, and his long, white hair made him look completely extraordinary.

His Cultivation base emanated the ripples of the early Core Formation stage. It was for this reason that the Liu Clan ship had been able to pursue at top speed for so many days.

As soon as the young woman caught sight of the old man, the blood drained from her face. She began to pant, and her hands clasped down tightly onto her son.

The other three Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the Zhang Clan also felt their hearts beginning to pound. Their faces paled, and their eyes filled with despair. "Liu Clan… Patriarch!"

As the Liu Clan ship neared, the appearances of the old man and the other three who accompanied him grew clearer. Behind them appeared seven or eight Qi Condensation Clan members, all of whom wore expressions of disdain.

Standing next to the Liu Clan Patriarch was a middle-aged man. He smiled and said, "Zhang Wenfang, what's your hurry? Now that you've abandoned your Zhang Clan island, where exactly do you think you're going?" 1

Zhang Wenfang walked to the stern of the ship, took a deep breath and then said, "Junior offers greetings, senior Liu. Senior, we've abandoned our island, and would simply like to get as far away as possible. Our two Clans were friends in the past. Don't tell me you won't even give us a chance to survive?" The other Zhang Clan Cultivators gathered around her, their faces filled with extreme grief and indignation.

The young woman's words were directed, not toward the man who had spoken, but toward the Liu Clan Patriarch. Despite matters having reached their current state, she still addressed him respectfully.

The Liu Clan Patriarch said nothing; he merely looked on with a proud expression. The Clan member standing next to him was the one to respond, his tone of voice filled with ridicule. "What a joke! Do you really take us to be three-year-old children? Do you really think we don't know of your plan, Zhang Wenfang? You're obviously journeying to the Footloose Clan!"

"Junior can abandon everything, even deliver our island to you, senior. I can also swear that we have no intention to encroach on what is not ours. I just beg of you to be a bit lenient…." Zhang Wenfang's face was pale, but before she could finish speaking, the Liu Clan Patriarch frowned.

"Pipe down!" he said coolly, his voice echoing about like thunder in all directions. The seawater roiled, and the minds of the Zhang Wenfang and the other Clan members filled with a droning sound.

One sentence, two words. All of the Qi Condensation Clan members coughed up blood. Only Zhang Wenfang and the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators got by with only pale faces. Their expressions were filled with increasing hopelessness.

"Where do you come up with so much nonsense?" said the Liu Clan

Patriarch, his voice cool. "Kill them all! Old people, children, don't leave a single one alive!" With that, he waved his sleeve, and the surrounding

Liu Clan members flew up into the air, vicious expressions on their faces.

Zhang Wenfang clenched her teeth and looked back at the ship's quarterdeck. "Senior Liu!" she suddenly cried. "If you have a quarrel with the Zhang Clan, you can kill us, but do you really dare to trifle with our honored guest?!"

"Still making things up?" said the Liu Clan Patriarch with a cold snort. "You expect me to believe that the Zhang Clan has a Nascent Soul guest aboard? Or is it a Spirit Severing expert? Wouldn't that be a bit more threatening?" He had already swept the ship with Spiritual Sense, and had detected only the Zhang Clan Cultivators and mortals on the ship, no one else.

By this point, the Liu Clan Cultivators were closing in. A glowing shield sprang up from the Zhang Clan ship, blocking their progress. However, it couldn't do anything to stop the Liu Clan Patriarch. With a single palm strike, he caused a deafening boom to ring out. The ship sank down by more than half into the water, and the shield shattered into fragments.

The Liu Clan Cultivators proceeded onward with vicious grins. As soon as they reached the boat, Zhang Wenfang and the other three Foundation Establishment Cultivators unleashed magical items and flashed incantations to summon magical techniques. Booms instantly rang out.

The massacre had begun.

"The Patriarch has issued the orders! Eliminate them completely, root and branch. They can only blame their own name of Zhang."

Some of the Liu Clan Qi Condensation Cultivators, with hideous grins on their faces, headed toward the pale-faced and terrified youngsters. Zhang Wenfang's eyes turned red, and the Clan members next to her were on the verge of going crazy and risking everything.

The Liu Clan Patriarch hovered in mid-air, staring superciliously out of the corner of his eyes. To him, all of these people were clearly insects.

However, it was at this moment, a calm voice suddenly echoed out from within the Zhang Clan's ship.

"Pipe down!"

It was only two words, but as the sound expanded out, it instantly suppressed all other sounds. It was louder than thunder, and gave rise to three echoes. It was also filled with intense pressure that weighed down on everything.

At the same time, within his cabin, Naruto's eyes opened. His gaze seemed to pass through the ship, making everything outside visible.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Ancient Godly Monarch, Hoang Nguyen, Dustin Sutphin, Dang Quang Tran, Annsofie Jacobsen, Brendan Halse, and QD BUI

Zhang Wenfang's name in Chinese is 张文芳 zhāng wén fāng – Zhang is a family name. Wen can mean "culture, language, gentle." Fang means

"fragrant" ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 634

Chapter 634: Who's Feeling Jumpy?

The instant his voice rang out, it gave rise to the first echo. Ripples appeared that headed toward the Liu Clan Qi Condensation disciples who were about to attack the youngsters. They began to tremble, then blood sprayed from their mouths as they were sent tumbling backward. Then, their bodies simply exploded in mid air, countless pieces flying about in all directions. At the same time, all the other Liu Clan Qi Condensation disciples suffered the same fate. They first watched on with blank expressions, then were shattered into chunks of blood and gore.

When the second echo rang out, the Liu Clan's three Foundation Establishment Cultivators' faces went pale white. They felt as if an enormous, invisible hand were bombarding them. They tumbled backward through mid-air, screaming miserably. In the blink of an eye, countless tears and rips could be seen in their bodies, and then, a moment later, they exploded into pieces.

The third echo caused the Liu Clan Patriarch, who was floating up above, to shake. His face instantly filled with an expression of disbelief and horror. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he retreated backward. He couldn't prevent his body from beginning to rip apart.

"This… this…." His mind roared with a terror he had never known, and then he suddenly thought back to how Zhang Wenfang had mentioned an honored guest.

"Senior, spare me…." he screamed, his terror having reached the pinnacle. However, even as the words left his mouth, he suddenly burst into pieces, causing blood and flesh to rain down in all directions.

In that instant, everything went deathly silent….

Everyone who remained on the Liu Clan ship were all mortals, who were now watching on with pale faces, their bodies shaking.

As for the Zhang Clan members, including Zhang Wenfang, they all stared in shock, and were also shaking. That was especially true of the three Foundation Establishment Cultivators, whose faces were completely pale. They had no way to even imagine what kind of Cultivation base could destroy all their enemies with a single statement.

And that included an early Core Formation Cultivator, someone whose Cultivation base was the same as their own previous Patriarch!

"Nascent Soul eccentric!" That was what was now floating in the minds of the three.

Zhang Wenfang's body trembled. She also had never imagined that the person she invited to stay on their ship would be so fearsome. Originally, she had taken him to be a Core Formation expert, but what she had just seen left her astonished to the extreme.

Had she known that Naruto possessed such a Cultivation base, she might not have had the courage to speak up and urge him to stay behind. However, she was the Clan Leader. Therefore, her first reaction was to instantly turn toward the ship's quarterdeck, then drop to her knees and kowtow.

"Thank you, senior… for your action just now…." Her voice quavered as she spoke. At the same time, the other members of the Clan, their minds trembling, began to drop to their knees to kowtow.

"Come on, let's keep going," replied Naruto from within his cabin. Zhang Wenfang ignored the Liu Clan ship, and, her anxiety deepening, respectfully complied, having the mortal members of the Zhang Clan send their own ship forward.

Moments later, the Zhang Clan ship was moving on just as before. As for everyone on board, absolute silence reigned amongst them.

They remained in that state for three days, until finally the ship entered the Fourth Ring, and then everything finally changed.

However, everyone still acted extremely cautiously. Whenever any of them happened to pass Naruto's cabin, they would stop outside to bow before proceeding on their way.

Half a month later, the ship was speeding along through the Fourth Ring, and they drew ever nearer to Saint's Island. Although they weren't sure why, they hadn't encountered even a single sea beast or rogue Cultivator. Perhaps it was luck. That was not even to mention the pirate Cultivators who would cause anyone who discussed them to grow pale in the face.

Naruto had treated his injuries to the point where he was now sixty percent recovered. The meat jelly had finally sloughed off of him; his fleshly body was now recovered to complete stability. As long as he didn't get involved with a magical battle of the Spirit Severing level, he would be fine.

"This injury was inflicted by the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, who has a Dao Seeking Cultivation base. That's why the Violet Pupil Transformation has been so ineffective." His eyes finally opened. After taking a moment to examine his Cultivation base, a smile appeared on his face for the first time in many days.

His Cultivation base, which had originally been compressed to 8 parts, now only consisted of 7 parts. The deadly pressure he had experienced in the magical battle with the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch had fused it together.

"My path to Spirit Severing is already opened. Soon… if I encounter anything that wishes to dominate me, I will have to be stronger than it and anything!" He rose to his feet and pushed open the door of his private cabin. For the first time in a month, he finally stepped foot outside.

The parrot had long since left for who knew where. Its personality was such that it couldn't remain quietly in one place for days on end. Once the meat jelly removed itself from Naruto, the two of them flew off to have fun somewhere.

It was midday, and the sun shone brightly. When Naruto stepped out onto the deck, the warm sun fell onto his back, and it felt good. There were a few youngsters of the Zhang Clan playing nearby. One of them was the boy named Nan'er, and he was also the first to notice that Naruto had emerged. At first, his little face filled with hesitation. But then he remembered what his mother had said to him about being courteous. Ignoring his fear, he clasped hands and bowed to Naruto.

"Nan'er offers greetings, senior uncle."

His words caused the other youngsters to notice Naruto. Instantly, their young faces went ghastly pale and filled with fear. The scene from half a month ago had been like something from a nightmare. All of them quickly began to bow.

Seeing the children caused a smile to break out on Naruto's face. He liked children. Even back in YunHebi e County when he was a scholar, he had been especially fond of kids.

After so many years had passed, after traveling the path of Cultivation and acquiring a longevity that far exceeded any mortal, there were many wonderful things about being mortal that seemed increasingly far away.

Seeing these children caused his eyes to grow soft and gentle. Glancing them over, he could see that their latent talent was all completely ordinary, except for the one called Nan'er. His was slightly above the others.

Naruto smiled and asked, "What are you guys playing?"

"We're playing… hide-and-seek," replied Nan'er a bit nervously. The other youngsters around him were even more nervous as they nodded their heads.

"He can hide really good…." said one of the other children bravely. He was a boy of about eleven or twelve years of age.

"Yeah, that's right! Every time he hides, nobody can ever find him!" said another child. Soon, all of the kids starting talking, one after another, saying this and that. Naruto's warm smile widened as he listened. Gradually, the nervousness they all felt began to dissipate.

"It's not that I'm good at hiding," said Nan'er, his voice strong and clear. "You guys are just stupid and can't find me!" He glared around at the others.

When Naruto heard this, he laughed and looked at Nan'er.

"Where exactly do you hide?" he asked with a smile. Some of the other children cocked their ears, obviously quite curious.

Nan'er's face went a little red as he looked at the other youngsters. He seemed to be considering whether or not say anything. After all, if he told everyone his hiding place, then where would he be able to hide in the future? Finally, he took a few steps forward, and Naruto scooped him up in his arms. Nan'er rested on his shoulder and then carefully whispered into his ear.

"Senior uncle, I always hide under my mother's bed. I just go where nobody else can go, it's simple, right?"

Naruto's eyes glittered. It really was a simple truth. If you were playing hide-and-seek, you should hide where no one else can go. In that case, of course they would be incapable of finding you.

Now that he thought about it, he and the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch were essentially playing a game of hide-and-seek.

It was in this moment that Zhang Wenfang suddenly emerged from the quarterdeck. When she saw Naruto with the children, and especially the way that he was holding Nan'er, she immediately started panting, and grew incredibly nervous.

"Nan'er…." she said. She tried her best to remain outwardly calm, but her voice still quavered a bit.

When Naruto saw her looking over at them, he put the boy down and tousled his hair.

"Sly little fox," he said with a smile. Nan'er blushed and then ran to hide behind his mother.

"Junior offers greetings, senior," said Zhang Wenfang, breathing a sigh of relief as she bowed.

Naruto nodded, and was just about to say something when suddenly, his expression flickered. He looked off into the distance. There, within the range of his Divine Sense, an island had appeared. It was incredibly large, and just glancing at it, almost seemed like a continent.

Mountain ranges could be seen, as well as many areas swirling with mist that blocked his Divine Sense. He only examined the place for a moment before retracting his Divine Sense. According to the map in the jade slip he had been given, Naruto knew that their voyage was almost at an end.

"Senior, we have only half a day left. When evening falls, we will reach Saint's Island. Many thanks for your assistance," she continued, her voice sincere. "Our entire Clan will remember you from generation to generation, senior!" She gave Naruto a curtsying bow. She really was extremely appreciative; however, the awe and reverence she felt occupied the most of her heart.

By now, many of the others on the ship had gathered. They watched

Naruto with heads bowed; they were so nervous that they didn't even dare to look up.

Naruto glanced over at Nan'er and then casually said, "He's going to join the Footloose Sect?"

"That's right," replied Zhang Wenfang quickly. "My son has the best latent talent in the Clan. The Footloose Sect is recruiting disciples right now, so if he can distinguish himself, he will put himself in a superior position, both for himself, and our entire Clan.

"The Footloose Sect is the most powerful Sect in the entire Fourth Ring.

You could consider it the overlord, a force that nobody dares to provoke. They pay very close attention to seniority, and the Sect rules are very strict. In fact, they say that there is virtually no fighting between members."

"The State of Xiao," thought Naruto. "The State of Xiao." He said nothing, instead opting to stare off into the distance.

Seeing him remain silent, the rest of the people around didn't dare to speak. Time passed slowly, and Saint's Island grew nearer and nearer. The sky was starting to grow dark. In the murkiness of evening, the island resembled some enormous creature lying there on the sea. From a distance, it looked very grand and magnificent.

At the same time that Naruto neared the island, an old man wearing a Daoist robe sat in a luxurious palace deep in the mountains.

He bore the semblance of a transcendent being, and was dignified in appearance as he sat on his white jade throne. Next to him was an incense burner, beside which stood a beautiful girl. The girl yawned as she lazily fanned the burning incense, causing the tendrils of incense smoke to spread out.

Originally, the palace was completely silent, but suddenly, the meditating old man opened his eyes. He trembled, and a perplexed look could be seen in his eyes.

"Strange," he said, his eyelids twitching involuntarily. "Why do I feel so jumpy all of a sudden?"

Vol. 5 : Chapter 635

Chapter 635: Destined To Meet Again

"Rainy, what do you think is going on?" murmured the old man toward the girl as she languidly fanned the incense. "Why does the Patriarch suddenly have this feeling that something huge is going to happen?" The old man was obviously ill at ease, and in no mood for meditation.

"Maybe you did too many bad things?" replied the girl, glancing over at him.

"No, not me! The Patriarch has spent these years cultivating life and spirituality. It's been a long time since I even stepped outside." The old man found that his eyelids were twitching even more rapidly, and for some reason, the unease he felt in his heart was growing more intense. He stepped down from his throne and began to pace back and forth inside the palace.

The uneasy feeling kept growing stronger, leading him to believe that something akin to a disaster was just around the corner.

If the other members of the Footloose Sect saw his current appearance, they would be truly shocked, as if the Heavens had fallen. They would all drop to their knees to kowtow immediately. That was because this old man was none other than the Patriarch of the Footloose Sect.

In the entire Footloose Sect, his position was the highest, and absolutely without compare. In fact, he was the founding Patriarch of the entire Sect.

The Footloose Sect paid special attention to seniority; it was actually a Sect rule that he had established. People with different levels of seniority were required to show proper respect to those above them, which made a clear distinction between everyone.

As for him, he was Patriarch Footloose, a position without compare. In all of Saint's Island, he was the most supreme existence. A mere word from him could determine the existence or destruction of the entire island.

"Something fishy is going on! Something is definitely about to happen!

"I'm feeling more and more nervous, more and more jumpy!" The old man's face flickered, and the girl suddenly looked a bit suspicious.

"Something big is definitely about to happen," he said. "The Patriarch's premonitions cannot be wrong!" With that he suddenly stopped in place and looked up. A glow appeared in his eyes that seemed capable of splitting Heaven and Earth.

At the same time, an indescribably majestic Divine Sense suddenly spread out from him. It swept out in all directions, the mountaintop palace being the point of origin.

In the blink of an eye, the Divine Sense had covered the entire island. Every inch of dirt, every scrap of rock, every district, every person, every life.

Whether it be flying creatures in the sky, or the plants or animals on the ground, everything on the island was scanned and examined carefully by the Divine Sense.

"Nothing out of the ordinary?" said the old man. Now he looked even more baffled. He scanned back and forth several times, but couldn't detect anything that should make him anxious. Then, without even thinking about it, he caused the divine sense to expand out a bit further, to cover the sea area surrounding the island.

It was at this point that a tremor suddenly ran through the old man's body. His eyes went wide, and he looked off in a certain direction, a look of disbelief on his face.

In that direction, he could see a ship with his Divine Sense, a ship currently on its way toward the island.

In the prow of the ship was a man with gray hair, a pale face, and a long white robe. As soon as the old man saw him, his heart was thrown into chaos.

Beads of cold sweat began to pour down his forehead, and he started panting in unprecedented fashion. He almost didn't seem capable of believing what he was seeing. He rubbed his eyes vigorously a few times, just to make sure he wasn't mistaken. Then, he let out a mournful wail.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit…."

Eyes filled with disbelief and blankness, he stared at the white-robed man. Although he looked different than before, the old man instantly recognized who he was.

"Naruto!" The old man gnashed his teeth, and a vicious expression appeared on his face. His entire body began to shake, as if he were infinitely furious.

"I hid here from you, and you, you, you… you actually tracked me down, you bastard!?

"You actually came from the Southern Domain looking for me?

"You, you, you….

"Won't you ever give up?! The League of Demon Sealers is a bunch of bastards! Yeah, that's right. All bastards! Stinking bastards!" This old man… was none other than Patriarch Reliance!

The so-called Saint's Island was in fact the former State of Zhao.

However, it had been transformed into something completely new by Patriarch Reliance, to the point where even the residents of the State of Zhao would never recognize it.

As for the State of Xiao, it was the new name for the old State of Zhao….

Regarding the Footloose Sect… it was nothing less than the old Reliance Sect. The Cultivators who made up the Sect were all previous members of the old Sects that had existed in the State of Zhao. After having fled the Southern Domain, the old turtle Patriarch Reliance had forced them into a corner, and they had joined the new Footloose Sect.

Hundreds of years had passed, so by now, they were all fully integrated into the Footloose Sect, and followed Patriarch Reliance's orders without question. As for Patriarch Reliance, in his efforts to hide himself from Naruto, he had changed his name to Patriarch Footloose.

In his mind, he had been conned all those years ago, and had been given no choice but to become the Dao Protector of the Ninth Generation Demon Sealer. With the Demon Seal in place, he couldn't fight back, and definitely couldn't harm Naruto.

However, even though he couldn't fight, what he could do, was hide. In his mind, hiding within the vast Milky Way Sea meant that he would most likely never meet Naruto again in his life. In that way, he could live a happy, footloose life. That was how he had come up with the new name Patriarch Footloose.

However, after seeing Naruto, everything changed in the blink of an eye.

"AAAARRGGGHHHHHHHH!" roared Patriarch Reliance. "The Patriarch's life is filled with suffering! I hide out here, and… dammit, I hide out here and the bastard can still find me!?" All the lands trembled slightly, and the seawater surrounding the island began to churn. It almost seemed as if there were some enormous creature under the water, flailing about. "How could I possibly end up running into that Heaven-damned little bastard again?! That year in my Immortal's cave, he took away all of my treasures, all of my savings! He took my good luck charm, my

Thunderclap Leaf, my Outlander Tree, my divine spirit plants, my Spirit Stone mountain!" Patriarch Reliance was obviously stingy to the extreme; he still clearly remembered everything that Naruto had taken from him hundreds of years ago. 1

In response to Patriarch Reliance's angry ravings, the beautiful girl next to the incense burner suddenly looked up. A look of reminiscence appeared in her lovely eyes.

She thought back to all those years ago, to the vow made by the young man on the shore, who wanted to help the North Sea turn into a real sea.

"Naruto…." said the girl, covering her smile with a hand. She started to laugh, and then, without even looking at Patriarch Reliance, flew into the air. The instant she emerged from the palace, she saw an old boatman leaning up against the wall, looking at her with a doting expression.

"Boat Spirit! Naruto is back!" This girl was none other than Guyiding Tri-rain!

A look of concentration appeared in the old boatman's eyes, and then he laughed. The girl shouted out in excitement, and then the two of them began to make their way off into the distance.

Patriarch Reliance suddenly looked up and then roared: "You two aren't going anywhere!"

Suddenly, the entire mountain that the palace was located on completely vanished.

At least, that is what someone looking from the outside would see. From the perspective of the mountain, everything on the outside disappeared.

"Fudge! Do I need to flee again?! 2

"Dammit! I lived here footloose and carefree for hundreds of years. Hundreds of years!

"No. I need to get away before he finds me. I can't allow him to figure out that I'm here." Gnashing his teeth, Patriarch Reliance flicked his sleeve. He was just about to send his Divine Sense back into his true self and then flee before Naruto stepped foot on the island, when suddenly, his eyes turned up thoughtfully.

"Wait a second. From the look of things, the little bastard doesn't know

I'm here!" Patriarch Reliance's eyes suddenly grew bright. As for Guyiding Tri-rain, she didn't look very happy as she returned into the palace with the Boat Spirit. 3

"If he doesn't know that I'm here, then that must mean that he's not here to look for me, right? He just happens to be passing by!

"If that's the case, then what do I need to flee for? I don't! I don't need to flee! He doesn't know I'm here, so all I need to do is make sure he leaves without a hitch. As long as he doesn't detect me, then he won't have any reason to suspect anything!

"Hahaha! It turns out the Patriarch is the cleverest as usual. This way, I can continue to live here footloose and fancy free without any further complications!" The more he continued to talk, the brighter Patriarch Reliance's eyes glowed. As he paced back and forth within the palace, Guyiding Tri-rain watched on, her face growing increasingly unsightly.

"Didn't you make a promise to the Patriarchs from his Sect?" she asked, unable to hold back. "Why back out? Being his Dao Protector doesn't mean nothing good will come to you. Why do you have to constantly hide?"

"Silly little girl!" said Patriarch Reliance, glaring at her. "You don't know a damn thing!

"Hmm. You know, it was just recently that I remembered something. I feel like a long, long time ago, I met another little bastard who had the same name as this bastard!

"That other bastard went way overboard. It was back when I was little, and he bullied and humiliated me to the extreme!

"I almost forgot about it. It wasn't until recently that it suddenly came to mind!" Patriarch Reliance's eyes went wide with both humiliation and curiosity. He really had no idea why it was only recently that he had suddenly recalled the matter.

In fact, the clearness of the memory also contained haziness.

"Have you ever wondered why the Patriarch carries an entire continent on his back? You think I want to? It's a humiliation!" It wasn't clear what Patriarch Reliance was thinking about exactly, but his face was filled with fury.

"He must just be here to handle some matter or another. After he takes care of his business, he'll be gone. Once the little bastard is out of here, then everything will be fine!" Patriarch Reliance took a deep breath, and his eyes flashed like lightning. Having made his decision to get Naruto to leave as quickly as possible, he would now spare nothing to accomplish his goal.

Meanwhile, evening was approaching and the sky was growing dim. The seawater gurgled as the Zhang Clan ship neared Saint's Island. Naruto stood at the prow, looking at the sandy beach up ahead, and the densely packed docks. Scattered Cultivators flew about above the island, and people bustled about busily on the beach.

For some reason, Naruto felt as if he weren't in the Milky Way Sea, but rather, back in the Southern Domain.

In the following moment, Naruto noticed that the entire island seemed to tremble. His eyes narrowed. At the same time, the surrounding water surged with waves, causing the ship to rock up and down. Everyone on the ship cried out in alarm.

Naruto was astonished at the sudden appearance of the waves, however, in the space of just a few breaths, they calmed down. His brow furrowed, and he stood there thoughtfully for a moment before sending his Divine Sense out. Although he didn't detect anything out of the ordinary, he remained vigilant inwardly.

Not much time passed before they entered the docks. After the ship was secured, they disembarked, and finally managed to step foot onto Saint's Island.

Naruto didn't know it, but as soon as he stepped foot onto land, Patriarch Reliance's heart trembled.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Jusaz

Naruto took Patriarch Reliance's treasures in chapter 85 ↩ Please note, "fudge" is not a censored version of "f*ck." The word used in the original Chinese is a euphemism of the Chinese version of the F word ↩ Here is your collection of past references to Guyiding Tri-rain and the Boat Spirit. Naruto met them for the first time in chapter 44, which is also when he vowed to turn the North Sea into a real sea. Naruto almost died, sank to the bottom of the North Sea, and was brought back to life in chapter 66. He learns her name in chapter 89, and their story in chapter 90. He learns the meaning of her name in chapter 95 ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 636

Chapter 636: As Long As You Leave, Anything Is OK!

The docks were constructed into the beach, and seemed quite simple. However, the atmosphere was incredible. For one thing, there were countless uniformed disciples directing the boats here and there.

These disciples weren't very old, and most of them had a Cultivation base at the Qi Condensation stage. Occasionally, a Foundation Establishment disciple would stroll past on patrol.

They didn't wear haughty expressions, however, it was clear that deep in their bones, they held themselves high above the masses. The feeling wasn't very intense, but it was there. Despite that, they treated all the guests very courteously.

On the far side of the docks, horse carriages were lined up in rows. The horses that pulled these carts looked very bizarre. They didn't have four legs, but rather, six. Also, they had horns coming out of their heads. They looked like horses, but were also covered with tentacle-like feelers.

This was a unique wild beast in the Milky Way Sea that happened to be easy to tame. They were called Heavenly Horses.

Far off in the distance, three towering pagodas could be seen. Burning lights flickered inside, which would make them visible even from far off in the sea.

As Naruto looked at the three pagodas, he noticed that sitting within each of them was a cross-legged Cultivator. All were middle-aged; one had a Cultivation base at the mid Core Formation stage, the others at the early Core Formation stage.

Obviously, they were here to keep guard over the area and prevent any disorder from erupting.

The entire dock and beach could be considered a point of entry and exit of Saint's Island. Everything proceeded in quite an orderly fashion, despite the relatively large number of people present. Therefore, even though evening was falling, a clamor of noise and voices filled the air.

Even as they docked, Naruto saw at least ten more ships arrive, to be directed by the locals into various locations in the harbor.

No one actually approached the docked ships to receive any of the outsiders. This was Saint's Island, and the Footloose Sect was the greatest Sect in the entire area. Despite the stellar reputation of the enormous organization, they wouldn't send disciples to personally receive tiny Clans from the Outer Sea.

Of course, that included the Zhang Clan. During the time period in which the Footloose Sect was recruiting new disciples, many, many Clans from the Outer Sea would come. In fact, right now there were literally hundreds of boats moored to the docks. And this was only one side of the island. If you counted the docks on the other sides of the islands, the number of boats would exceed a thousand.

In addition to the people coming to join the Footloose Sect, there were others who had arrived to do business. Saint's Island was a huge place, and the Cultivator cities there were exceedingly famous.

In fact, there were some types of Cultivation resources that could be only be acquired in full on Saint's Island.

Right now, the sky was getting dark, and the ocean breeze blew across their faces, bringing with it the pungent smell of saltwater and sea life.

Naruto breathed in deeply as he stood there on the deck, looking at the shadows that were distant mountains of Saint's Island.

The Zhang Clan members, under the leadership of Zhang Wenfang, were preparing to disembark. The group of youngsters looked around with both nervousness and curiosity. Deep in their eyes could also be seen anticipation.

Nan'er clasped his mother's hand tightly as he looked around. He looked a little bit scared.

As the Zhang Clan Foundation Establishment Cultivators engaged in the proper formalities with the Footloose Sect disciples in charge of the docks, Zhang Wenfang turned to Naruto and gave him a curtseying bow. Her voice low, she respectfully said, "Senior, this is Saint's Island. Anyone below the Core Formation stage is prohibited from flying here, so we will need to travel by horse carriage…."

Naruto nodded but didn't say anything. It didn't take long for the Zhang Clan members to finish up with the Footloose Sect disciples, who then led the group toward three horse carriages.

This was the first time for the children, including Nan'er, to see Heavenly Horses. They looked at them wide-eyed, desiring to near them, but also afraid. This was also Naruto's first time seeing such beasts, and he couldn't help but stare a bit.

It was at this point that some Cultivators walked off of the deck of a newly arrived boat off in the distance. They wore resplendent clothing, and were led by man of roughly thirty years of age. His appearance was beyond ordinary, and he had a Cultivation base at the great circle of Foundation Establishment. He was followed by a group of four or five Foundation Establishment Cultivators, who in turn led seven or eight children along with them. The whole group casually looked over Naruto and the others as they neared.

The thirty-year-old man in the lead position suddenly made an "eee?" sound. He stopped in place and looked at Zhang Wenfang. She saw him as well, and her face flickered.

"Wenfang!" the man said slowly, obviously recognizing her.

She pursed her lips, a complicated expression on her face as she curtseyed to him with clasped hands.

"Brother."

Upon hearing her words, the rest of the Zhang Clan members' faces also flickered. As for the Cultivators behind the thirty-year-old man, they all seemed to be thinking the same thing as they looked over.

The thirty-year-old man stood there silently, his gaze as sharp as a blade. When he saw Nan'er standing there holding Zhang Wenfang's hand, he frowned.

Zhang Wenfang bit her lip, then finally lowered her head and said to her son, "Nan'er, this is your uncle."

"Hello, uncle," said Nan'er in his clear, crisp voice. A bit of fear could be seen on his face.

The thirty-year-old man snorted coldly.

"Wenfang," he said coolly and in a very impolite tone, "Father and Mother are still furious about what happened all those years ago. If you have a heart, you'll come home and let them talk to you. Don't continue to lose face and make a fool of yourself among these outsiders!

"As for this child…. Don't have him call me uncle. Did you really bring him here to try to get him into the Footloose Sect? You've overrated yourself from when you were young, and now you're getting your own son to do the same. You're just going to disappoint people." The people behind him began to chuckle, especially the group of children, within whose eyes scorn could be seen.

Nan'er was shaking, and looked even more scared. Zhang Wenfang suddenly looked over to glare at her brother. Breathing heavily, she

said, "I already cut off all ties with you people that year."

"Xu Wenfang!" growled the man, his eyes growing wide.

"Xu Wende, I am Clan Leader Zhang Wenfang of the Zhang Clan," she retorted coolly. "You aren't even qualified to speak with me." With that, she tugged her son's arm to get into a horse carriage.

The other members of the Zhang Clan glared with hostility at the members of the Xu Clan, then began to enter the horse carriages. As for Naruto, his expression was the same the entire time, and he did not speak a word. In fact, he had long since taken a seat up front on the bench seat of one of the horse carriages.

No one dared to try to convince him to sit anywhere else. They all lowered their heads wordlessly as the horse carriages began to slowly make their way off.

"Slut!" said Xu Wende coldly, his voice loud enough for all the Zhang Clan members in the horse carriages to hear. "I offer to give you some face, and you reject it? Our Clan suffered shame because of you, and now you dare to bring that bastard son here to join the Footloose Sect!?

"Since you insist on bringing your little Zhang Clan bastard here to lose face, then I look forward to seeing just how far he can get through the competition!"

The Zhang Clan Cultivators clenched their fists, and Zhang Wenfang sat there in the horse carriage, her face pale and her arms wrapped around Nan'er. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking, but tears were streaming down her face.

"Don't cry, mother," said Nan'er, wiping the tears off of his mother's face. "I'll definitely get into the Footloose Sect!" he guaranteed, his voice soft.

Naruto sat on the bench seat of the horse carriage. As the Heavenly Horses sped along the well-maintained road, he looked up at the canopy of stars overhead. He also heard what Nan'er said inside the horse carriage.

"What a good kid," he whispered, shaking his head. Based on his experiences, it was simple for him to understand the situation with the Zhang Clan. Obviously, there was an unapproved marriage, after which the husband died. The Clan then began to deteriorate, leaving the wife responsible for her husband's role of leading the Clan.

The Heavenly Horses sped along through the night. At dawn the following morning, a city appeared up again. Even from a distance it appeared majestic and magnificent. Despite the early hour, the city was still like a seething cauldron of activity. People walked hither and thither, and a buzz of excitement filled the air.

Up in the air, colorful beams of light could occasionally be seen flying about. Those would be Core Formation Cultivators.

Naruto looked everything over, and suddenly got the feeling that there was something out of the ordinary with this Footloose Sect. He wasn't sure what it was, but there was something about Saint's Island that felt very familiar to him.

Upon close examination, he was sure he hadn't seen any of these places before, but he still had an intense sensation of familiarity. However, after much thought, he wasn't able to determinate what the source of that familiarity was. They entered the city through the east gate, and then eventually reached a tavern. Zhang Wenfang respectfully escorted Naruto to a luxury room, and then was about to go to arrange rooms for everyone else.

She wasn't sure what Naruto was thinking, and wasn't certain that he would continue to escort them. Before leaving, she hesitated for a moment, then lowered her head and asked, "Senior, there are still ten more days until the Footloose Sect begins the formalities of recruiting new disciples…."

Naruto nodded, but didn't respond. Zhang Wenfang respectfully left.

It was currently early morning. Naruto opened his window and looked out at the people walking around on the street below. There were quite

a few mortals mixed in with the Cultivators. The rays of the rising sun shone down to illuminate everything.

He took a deep breath, then sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes, surrounded by the sounds of the bustling city.

"Why does this place seem so familiar?" he thought once more.

Despite the fact that Naruto's current Cultivation base allowed him to fight First Severing Cultivators, he still couldn't detect the stream of Divine Sense that cautiously swirled beneath his feet.

The owner of the stream of Divine Sense was of course Patriarch Reliance, who sat in his palace, more jumpy than ever.

"Fudge! The little bastard is here. And it turns out he's escorting some people who want to join the Footloose Sect!" Patriarch Reliance was incredibly depressed. If he had known this was the situation, he would have simply canceled the Footloose Sect's call for new disciples.

That way, he could have completely prevented Naruto from even coming.

"I can't let this stand. With him here, the Patriarch can't sleep well. I need to get him out of here as soon as possible…. Dammit, there's still ten days before the recruiting begins? No, that won't work. We'll start tomorrow…. FUDGE! Let's start now!" with that he raised a hand, causing a jade slip to appear. Instantly, flames appeared on its surface and it flew into the air.

It transformed into a shocking beam of light which then sped directly toward the Footloose Sect.

The Footloose Sect was located in the east region of Saint's Island, in a boundless stretch of wild mountains. There, nine great valleys could be seen, spread out in concentric rings. Although they looked majestic, there was also something strange about them. Inside of the nine valleys were countless richly ornamented palace buildings. Everything was luxurious and lavish.

The jade slip immediately entered the ninth valley, and a huge temple that lay therein. It came to stop in front of an old man who sat there cross-legged, somberly providing admonition to the group of people sitting in front of him.

As soon as he saw the jade slip, a tremor ran through the old man's body. He quickly pinched the jade slip, then prostrated himself on the ground and lifted it high above his head. Instantly, the voice of Patriarch Reliance could be heard.

"Disciple recruitment begins immediately!"

It was only four words, but as they echoed out through the Footloose Sect, and the other deep valleys, colorful beams of light immediately shot out to gather in the main temple of the ninth valley.

These people were the Sect Leaders of the various auxiliary Sects from the other valleys. Their Cultivation bases were extraordinary, and some of them were Cultivators with whom Naruto had butted heads in the past.

Moments later, bells could be heard tolling throughout the Footloose Sect. Footloose Sect disciples flew out by the hundreds to head off in all directions. It was time to notify the visiting Clans that the disciple recruitment was beginning!

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Joel Hammar Jüd, Yigit Demir, Nam Tran, and Patryk Czajczyński

Vol. 5 : Chapter 637

Chapter 637: The Zhang Clan is Here?!

Naruto was flabbergasted. And it wasn't just him. The group from the

Zhang Clan were also shocked. In fact, everyone who had come to Saint's Island with the hope of joining the Footloose Clan were completely astonished.

The day for disciple recruitment was clearly ten days away, but then suddenly, the date was moved up. Many people began to feel nervous and alarmed, as if something incredible was about to happen.

An enormous event like disciple recruitment was no child's game. As such, even if the date were moved up, it shouldn't have been changed to earlier than the next day. There definitely should never have been a situation in which… it began that very day.

After all, it was already noontime….

Most importantly, there were many people who were still out at sea, hurrying on their way.

There were many speculations and inquiries, of course. Even the Footloose Sect disciples were complaining. They had no idea what major event was underway; all they could do was carry out matters according to the orders from the Sect.

Therefore, the Footloose Sect dispatched large numbers of disciples to begin to gather together all the prospective new disciples and bring them to the main gate of the Footloose Sect.

Before the Zhang Clan left the tavern, Zhang Wenfang hesitated, then invited Naruto to proceed along ahead with her. Naruto muttered inwardly for a moment, but then he saw the anticipation on Nan'er's face, and he couldn't refuse. He joined the Zhang Clan as they went to be teleported to the Footloose Sect.

When they arrived near the main gate, a hubbub of voices could be heard. Already, more than a thousand people could be seen, although only about three hundred were actually there to join the Footloose Sect. The rest were just along as escorts.

Among the crowd was the Xu Clan, who, when they caught sight of the Zhang Clan, gave cold, contemptuous laughs.

The Zhang Clan had arrived somewhat late, and so were forced to wait at the end of the very long line. In the Footloose Clan's disciple recruitment, there were three trials by fire, each one of which could only have three participants.

Of course, in addition to the members of the various Clans present, there were also quite a few Footloose Sect disciples, there to maintain order. They acted very courteously, but it was also impossible for them to hide the pride they felt in their bones.

In the crowds, everyone was talking about the goings on.

"Three trials by fire. The first tests willpower, the second tests latent talent, and the third tests powers of insight. In every stage, you can earn first, second, third, or fourth rate marks…. anyone who gets three first place marks is worthy of the title Chosen."

"Yeah, that's right. In all the years, I don't think anyone ever got three first place marks. At the most, there may have been some people who got two."

"Furthermore, the Footloose Sect is very strict in its requirements for recruiting disciples. You have to get at least full third rate marks to get into the Sect. Even one fourth rate mark means that you're out."

Back at the end of the very long line, Naruto yawned as he listened to the conversations around him. According to his calculations, it would take at least two or three days for the Zhang Clan to get to the front of the line.

Nan'er was extremely nervous. Zhang Wenfang stood next to him, offering quiet words of encouragement. Naruto looked around, and even sent out his Divine Sense to sweep over the Footloose Sect.

"This Sect is a bit odd," he murmured to himself, his gaze flickering. "It's made up of nine valleys."

At the same time, Patriarch Reliance sat in his palace, wearing a worried face.

"This is taking too long…. The little bastard is escorting someone to join the Sect, but, hey, couldn't you go to the front of the line, huh?! Why did you run to the back!? What do you think you're doing?!" Patriarch Reliance clenched his teeth, then sent his Divine Sense out to cover over the whole Footloose Sect. Eventually, it came to rest on a disciple near Naruto and the others.

The disciple was currently looking coldly out at the crowds, inwardly confused about why the Sect suddenly moved up the date for recruiting disciples. Even in the midst of his contemplation, his body suddenly trembled, and then his eyes began to grow brightly.

As of this moment, he was no longer himself. Instead, he had become a clone of Patriarch Reliance. He began to walk forward, eyeing Naruto and shivering a bit. Then he turned toward the Zhang Wenfang and Nan'er.

"Are you the Zhang Clan from the Outer Sea?" asked the Patriarch Reliance-controlled Footloose Sect disciple. His voice was cheerful as he stepped forward to examine Zhang Wenfang and the other members of the Zhang Clan.

Zhang Wenfang was taken aback, as were the other Clan members around her. In fact, the members of other Clans that were lined up ahead of them couldn't help but turn around to look.

"Yes, we're the Zhang Clan," replied Zhang Wenfang as quickly as she could.

"Wonderful, wonderful. The descendant of an old friend is here!"

The Footloose Sect disciple sighed emotionally. "Years ago, I used to be very close to your husband, and even owed him a favor. To be able to see all of you here today is nothing less than fate. Come, let me escort up to the front." With that, he quickly grabbed Nan'er and began to walk forward.

Zhang Wenfang stared in shock, wracking her brain to try to remember what past incident the man must be referring to. The other Clan members were also astonished. Even after thinking for some time, they truly couldn't recall their previous Clan Leader having a close relationship with any Footloose Sect disciples.

"This…." Zhang Wenfang hesitated for a moment, but seeing that the disciple had already begun to pull her son away, she quickly followed. The other members of the Zhang Clan also went along. Naruto watched everything happening, and then joined them.

The group made their way from the very back of the line toward the front, which instantly attracted the attention of everyone who was waiting. That was especially true of the Xu Clan, who watched on in astonishment as everything happened.

Immediately, people began to call out questions.

"Fellow Daoist of the Footloose Clan, dare I ask why they get to go from the back of the line to the front?"

"Yeah! They were in the back! They can't just randomly cut in line! How come they can so brazenly go all the way to the front!?"

Now even more people were paying attention. As soon as they saw what was happening, they were shocked, and couldn't understand why the Footloose Sect, which normally paid such close attention to rules and regulations, would allow something like this to happen.

Meanwhile, there were other Footloose Sect disciples who saw what was happening. One of them happened to be a Core Formation Cultivator who was in charge of maintaining order in the area. When he saw what was happening, he frowned.

"Zhao Han!" he shouted, a dignified expression on his face. That was the name of the Footloose Sect disciple who Patriarch Reliance was controlling with his Divine Sense. "What are you doing? It doesn't matter if you're longtime friends with these Zhang people, you…" Before the Core Formation Cultivator could finish speaking, Patriarch Reliance up in the palace gave a cold snort, and sent out more Divine Sense.

A virtually imperceptible tremor ran through the Core Formation Cultivator, and then his eyes glittered brightly.

"Wait, these guests are the Zhang Clan from the Outer Sea?" His expression one of excitement, he immediately stepped forward to glance over the group from the Zhang Clan.

This scene caused all the surrounding Footloose Sect disciples as well as the visiting Clan members to exchange astonished looks.

"The Heavens finally take notice, and allow me to see you members of the Zhang Clan!" said the Core Formation Cultivator, looking very excited. "The descendant of an old friend is here….

"Years ago, I was close friends with your Zhang Clan, and even benefited from a great kindness on the part of the Clan. Come come, I'll take you to the first place in line!" With that, he took gaping Nan'er from Zhao Han without any further explanation, and headed off toward the front of the line.

Zhang Wenfang stared in astonishment once more. She felt as if her mind was spinning. She looked back at her other fellow Clan members, but they had looks as blank as hers. No matter how they wracked their memories, they couldn't think of any time in which their Patriarch had any close friends at all.

The rest of the Clans who were here to join the Footloose Sect all watched on in astonishment, especially the Xu Clan. Their eyes were widest of all, and filled with disbelief.

It was in this manner that, under the leadership of the Core Formation Cultivator, the Zhang Clan continued on from the back of the line directly toward the front. The entire time, the Cultivators of the Zhang Clan almost couldn't believe what was happening.

However, their expressions of confusion quickly turned into excitement.

Right now, more than half of the Outer Sea Cultivator Clans had come. There were even some Clans from the Fourth Ring. As of this moment, everyone now took note of the Zhang Clan, and many people began to discuss the matter in hushed tones. Many people glanced over at them with admiration and envy.

The Xu Clan members all had faces pale and filled with disbelief.

"This… this is impossible!"

By the time Nan'er arrived in the very first place in line, Naruto's shock at the sudden change of events caused him to feel that something fishy was going on.

Meanwhile, back in the Saint's Island palace, Patriarch Reliance looked quite proud of himself.

"Humph. The Patriarch prevails again! The only thing to do is to get the little bastard out of here as quickly as possible. I don't care what price I have to pay!

"Wait. No. I need to speed things up. The best thing would be to settle things within ten breaths of time. I need to make sure he has no reason at all to stay here. That way he'll screw off as quickly as possible!" Again, Patriarch Reliance sent Divine Sense out to cover the Footloose Sect.

In the blink of an eye, the Divine Sense split into dozens of streams that all settled into different individuals.

And then…..

Suddenly, an old man flew out from within the Footloose Sect. He obviously had a Core Formation Cultivation base, and as soon as he appeared, he laid eyes on Zhan Wenfang. "The Zhang Clan is here?! The Zhang Clan from the Outer Sea?"

The Clan members in the line immediately gaped.

"That's Honor Guard Han!"

"Honor Guard Han is one of the most powerful experts in the Footloose

Sect. He has an incredibly high position!"

"Don't tell me… that he also owes a favor to the Zhang Clan?"

The old man quickly approached. "So, it really is the Zhang Clan. Excellent, excellent! The descendant of an old friend is here! I will definitely take advantage of this day to pay back the favor I owe to the Zhang Clan!"

However, before he could even get close, before the crowds in line could digest what was happening, while the Zhang Clan members were all still in a daze, roaring shouts could be heard from within the Sect.

"The Zhang Clan is here?!"

"So, it really is the Zhang Clan! They actually made it to the Footloose Sect!"

"The benefactor is here! I, Tu Dahai, must go to pay my respects!"

Shockingly, ten figures appeared from within the Footloose Sect. Each and every one was of the late Core Formation stage, and they actually comprised more than half of all the Core Formation Cultivators in the Clan.

As they flew out, a buzz could be heard from within the crowds in line. All of the Cultivators from the Outer Sea Clans were trembling in astonishment. The Fourth Ring Cultivators were even more dumbstruck as their gazes followed those of the ten Core Formation Cultivators to fall onto the Zhang Clan.

Zhang Wenfang stood there dully, as did the other Zhang Clan Cultivators.

They were even starting to get a bit frightened. They had never heard anything about their deceased Patriarch having so many friends….

Naruto's eyes were wide as he watched on. What was happening really was far too strange….

Vol. 5 : Chapter 638

Chapter 638: Twists and Turns Enrage the Patriarch

"Heavens, it's actually true! Those ten or more Footloose Sect Honor Guards are all figures who could shake the entire area with the stomp of a foot. And they all… actually owe a favor to the Zhang Clan!"

"The old Zhang Clan Patriarch was only at the early Core Formation stage. How could he get these people from the Footloose Sect to owe him a favor?"

The crowd was abuzz, and the Zhang Clan were standing there wideeyed.

"Was the Patriarch… really so illustrious back in the day?" thought Zhang Wenfang. She looked a bit dazed. She had never heard such a matter spoken of back in the Clan. In her memory, before the Patriarch died, although he'd had a few friends, few were the sincere type. Besides, he had been dead for so long that any friendly sentiments had long since faded away.

Were that not the case, the Clan wouldn't have been forced into the dead end they had been, with no choice but to give up their island and come to this place.

However, what was happening right now was very real, causing Zhang Wenfang to grow even more confused.

Intermittent gasps could be heard coming from the crowds in line, and their faces were filled with disbelief and astonishment. All eyes in the area were completely fixed on the members of the Zhang Clan.

Although most of them dared not allow their envy and jealousy to show on their faces, such feelings filled their hearts.

That was especially true of the Xu Clan, whose faces were pale white, and whose hearts had seized with terror. How could they ever have imagined that the people they had just looked down upon and even shamed, the down and out Zhang Clan, could have such a glorious past?

"No wonder little sis cut ties with the Clan to marry into the Zhang Clan," thought the man from the Xu Clan. "I didn't understand back then, but now…." Having gained this new understanding, he suddenly felt a bit different.

As for the other Outer Sea Clans who had conflicts with the Zhang Clan, they were now scared witless and panting heavily. Not only were their hearts filled with fear regarding what might happen later, they were also inundated with intense animosity.

"I can't believe the Zhang Clan has such incredible connections…. Why didn't they say something earlier? Nobody in the Outer Sea would have dared to pick on them."

Zhang Wenfang subconsciously glanced at some of her fellow Clan Members. What they all saw was mutual shock regarding what was happening.

"Could it be because of me?" thought Naruto. He couldn't help but think this, and as he did, his eyes glittered. He looked at the Honor Guards from the Footloose Sect, and although it was impossible to tell what they were thinking, his eyes narrowed.

"Descendants of our benefactor, please accept our salute!" With that the Footloose Sect Honor Guards excitedly clasped hands and began to bow. There were even a few of the elderly members who had tears streaming down their faces. The joy they felt seemed beyond description.

The Zhang Clan members were overwhelmed by the unexpected show of favor, and even tried to shrink back. Zhang Wenfang had no idea what she should say. However, her heart filled with joy that she simply couldn't suppress. It was like the saying "when the bitterness ends, the sweetness begins." Tears began to roll down her face.

From the day she had married into the Clan until now, she had never experienced anything like this. The proud and elated feeling and the looks on the faces of her Clan caused the excitement in her heart to be equal to that of the Footloose Sect members in front of her.

The ten Honor Guards all began to speak one after another.

"Does this child wish to join the Footloose Sect?"

"What need is there to wait in line? We've been waiting for the descendant of a benefactor to come join the Sect! We can accept you immediately! Inner Sect disciple!" "That's right! He's an Inner Sect disciple!"

They reached their decision very quickly.

The scene caused all the other Outer Sea Clans who were waiting in line to be filled with envy. Any Clan would wish their child to be treated in such a way. Who wouldn't want to be invited into the Clan, as opposed to have to pay respects to enter?

Meanwhile, in the palace of Saint's Island, Patriarch Reliance's face was covered with a complacent grin. He stood up and began to stroll back and forth, giving Guyiding Tri'rain no choice but to watch on helplessly.

"The Patriarch is the smartest yet again," he said. "Hahaha! Now the little bastard has no reason whatsoever to stay behind. Get out of here immediately, kid! Screw off with no delay!" As Patriarch Reliance thought about how proud he was of himself, he began to laugh heartily.

However, in the midst of his laughing, his face suddenly fell, and he sent his Divine Sense out one more time.

Even as the Honor Guard members were excitedly discussing their decision to accept Nan'er as an Inner Sect disciple, a cold voice like that of a thunderclap suddenly filled the Footloose Sect. The voice immediately caused everyone's hearts to tremble.

"What's the commotion!?" The cold voice which echoed out from the mountains belonged to that of an old man. "Accepting new disciples is a great matter within the Sect, and yet you people are here causing a racket! What a travesty!"

As soon as the grim-faced old man appeared, the ripples of a Nascent Soul Cultivation base emanated out. Everyone immediately began incredibly nervous.

"That's… that's Lord of the Third Valley!"

"The Great Valley Lord came personally! Don't tell me he's also friends with the Zhang Clan?" The crowds in the line, as well as the other Footloose Sect disciples who were not affected by Patriarch Reliance's Divine Sense, were all making the same guesses inwardly.

"Even if you all are old friends with this Clan," the old man said coolly, "the Sect still has its rules, and those rules won't change." His expression was not one of anger, but power. His words instantly shook everyone present.

"In the Footloose Sect," he continued, "there is nothing more important than rules. Anyone who wishes to join the Sect must do so according to the rules." His ice-cold gaze fell onto the members of the Zhang Clan. "All of you, go back to your original position in line. After enough time passes, you will naturally reach this position."

Immediately, the Cultivators from the other Clans in line felt roused. They had felt that what was happening was unfair, but didn't dare to give voice to such thoughts. Now that they saw a Valley Lord of the Footloose Sect administering justice, they felt that the rumors about the Sect were true; they really did strictly adhere to Sect rules.

Zhang Wenfang's face was pale white. She immediately bowed her head and voiced compliance. The feeling caused by joy being reversed into the opposite filled her with complete shame. However, she feared causing problems for the Footloose Sect Honor Guards who were friends of the Clan, so she immediately acquiesced, grabbing Nan'er, who was trembling with fear, and began to make her way back to the end of the line with her other fellow Clan members.

The Xu Clan immediately went wild with joy when they saw this. They said nothing, but the looks of ridicule and disdain in their eyes were impossible to cover up.

"As for the lot of you," continued the old man, his eyes cold, "you're Honor Guard members of the Footloose Sect. Your actions just now were completely beyond the bounds of propriety! You will all be punished by being confined to your quarters for three months!" His words rang out, filled with an incredible feeling of might and dominance.

However, as soon as the old man spoke the words, he suddenly heard a furious voice echoing in his own ear: "I'll punish your ass!"

The raging voice was like thunder, although no outsider could hear it, only the old man. As soon as the powerful sound echoed about in his head, his face fell.

Naturally, he knew exactly who it was who was speaking to him.

"All of this was by the order of the Patriarch!" raged Patriarch Reliance, sounding flustered. "Fudge! You completely ruined my big plan! I'll skin you alive!" He seemed truly enraged.

Just when the goal he had worked so hard to reach was about to be accomplished, a bit of interference ruined everything. Of course, Patriarch Reliance was scared. He was scared that Naruto would figure out that something was going on. He was so furious that he wanted to slap this old man to death immediately.

When he sensed the Patriarch's rage and killing intent, the Lord of the

Third Valley instantly began to shake. Suddenly, he looked up at the Zhang Clan retreating toward the end of the line, and his mind became very clear.

"Wait!" he cried, immediately hurrying forward.

"Are you people from the Zhang Clan?" he then asked, his voice filled with excitement. Teardrops could be seen forming in the corners of his eyes. His voice caused the other Outer Sea Clan members in line to instantly gape in shock. They simply couldn't wrap their minds about what was happening….

They weren't the only astonished ones. The surrounding Footloose Sect disciples all had blank expressions on their faces. The events of the day were simply… too strange for them to understand.

As for the Zhang Clan members, they stopped in their tracks, then turned to look at the old man who was scurrying over.

Zhang Wenfang looked at him and hesitated for a moment before quietly responding, "Senior…. We… we are the Zhang Clan from the Outer Sea."

"So it is the Zhang Clan after all!" said the old man. He stamped his foot, causing the nearby mountain peaks to rumble, and the ground to quake.

"This is all my mistake," he said. "Earlier I was inside, and when I sensed that something big was going on, I came out. However, I didn't recognize you! Aiya! I have only myself to blame!" With that the old man laughed emotionally. From his expression, he seemed to be thinking about past times.

"I'll never forget how your Zhang Clan Patriarch showed me such kindness that year. He even saved my life six times! If it weren't for him, I would not be alive today. The descendant of an old friend is here. Ah, the descendant of an old friend is here." He sighed again as his words echoed about. Everyone was instantly stunned.

That was most true of the Xu Clan, who watched on with wide eyes, breathing heavily, their minds trembling. They truly could never have imagined that the Zhang Clan would have such deep relationships, to the extent that one of the nine Valley Lords of the Footloose Sect owed them a great favor.

"Now that his descendant has come to the Footloose Sect, even if we have to bend the rules a bit, I will assume all the responsibility," said the old man resolutely. "I will not allow a descendant of the Zhang Clan to suffer any shame here!" His gaze swept about, and all of the Outer Sea Clan members had no choice other than to bow their heads. Inwardly, they were completely shaken.

Naruto's eyes narrowed, and a slight smile had appeared on his face. Although he could sense no familiar aura, considering his past experiences, how could he not see through the bizarreness of the goings on?

"Interesting," he thought. "As far as I can recall, there's only one old bastard who likes to handle things in such an unreliable fashion."

Zhang Wenfang was currently trembling. The joy and surprise that had come her way was almost too much to handle. Currently, her blankness and confusion were almost at the pinnacle. She was just about to say something when suddenly, the Third Valley Lord took a few steps forward and then picked Nan'er up into his arms.

"They look alike!" he said. "They really look completely alike! A single glance at this child and I can't help but think of the Zhang Clan Patriarch.

"Child, are you willing to accept me as your Master?"

At the moment, most nervous of all was Patriarch Reliance, who panted in his palace as he watched the scene down below. He was dying to hear Nan'er voicing his acceptance.

"Hurry up and agree, child!" he murmured. "Come on, hurry up! I beg you, just agree…. The Patriarch promises you, if you agree, then from now on, I will watch over you in the Reliance Sect, er, no, I mean the Footloose Sect!" However, he didn't dare to do anything to obvious, lest Naruto sense something amiss.

Nan'er was extremely nervous, and even scared. His face was pale, and without even thinking about it, he turned to look back at his mother, and then for some reason, Naruto.

Had he not looked at Naruto, then Naruto wouldn't have inserted himself into the matter. However, considering how helpless the child looked in his inability to make a decision, Naruto couldn't help but smile and then casually say, "No need to rush into things. Considering the child's latent talent, I think he should have a bit better standing in the Sect."

When Patriarch Reliance heard this, blood sprayed out of his mouth like a geyser. He lifted his head back and let out a howl of indignation.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Roberto Baltazar, Nick Mundt, and

Donald Watkins

Vol. 5 : Chapter 639

Chapter 639: The Superiority of the Patriarch's Intellect

"You little bastard! What do you want? What are you doing!?" Patriarch Reliance clenched his hand into a fist and then slammed it into the ground. A boom filed the palace, causing the entire mountain to shake. In fact, waves rolled out across the sea surrounding the island.

"You're messing with me, aren't you, you little bastard!" fumed Patriarch Reliance. "I'm acting with good will and good intentions! I helped you pull everything off smoothly, and then you refuse!?" His voice rolled back and forth within the palace, but did not echo outside. He was now agitated to the extreme, and on the verge of flying into a rage.

"Are you really trying to push the Patriarch into going insane! FUDGE!

The Patriarch refuses to play your little game. I'll just take the Footloose Sect and leave. The Patriarch can't afford to provoke you, so he'll just avoid you completely!" Patriarch Reliance was just about to follow through with his words, when suddenly he seemed to think of something.

"Wait. No!" A look of suspicion suddenly appeared on his face.

"That little bastard is crafty to the extreme. At the moment, he still doesn't know that I'm here. If I appear, then the cat will be out of the bag. If he finds out I've been hiding in the Milky Way Sea…." Suddenly, Patriarch Reliance's eyes flashed.

"Hmmpphh. The Patriarch is intelligent, divine and mighty. How can I possibly be fooled?" Patriarch Reliance's voice dripped with disdain. "Clearly the little bastard is feeling out the situation. Therefore, I will not reveal myself, no matter what happens. I'll just hold on…. So what if he takes a Master? That doesn't count for crap! He won't accept one Nascent Soul Master? How about a group then!? I can't believe that he'll refuse!" Once again, his Divine Sense spread out through the entirety of the Footloose Sect.

Meanwhile, outside the main gate of the Footloose Sect, Naruto's words echoed out, causing Zhang Wenfang to gape in surprise. Nan'er looked at Naruto wide-eyed for a moment, then immediately spoke in his crisp, clear voice.

"I don't accept…."

The Third Valley Lord's heart immediately quivered, and he glared at Naruto hatefully. He was just about to say something when, all of a sudden, eight streams of Divine Sense shot toward them.

Eight figures became visible in mid-air. Although their faces were not clear, the ripples of a Nascent Soul Cultivation base were quite clear. The entire Footloose Sect trembled, and the sky flashed with a riot of colors. The wind and clouds were thrown into upheaval, and brilliant rays of light shone out in all directions.

It instantly caused countless disciples to approach the area; as for the Footloose Sect disciples who were already at the main gate, their faces flickered and they all began to drop to their knees to kowtow.

The Outer Sea Clan members in line began to pant. They watched the scene in shock, their minds trembling.

"The nine great Valley Lords are all here!"

"What exactly is going on? Don't tell me… don't tell me all of them are friends with the Zhang Clan?"

The Zhang Clan members stood there trembling, filled with blankness and also fear because of everything that was happening.

A deathly silence then filled the air. Naruto looked up, eyes glittering. Although all of these people were Nascent Soul Cultivators, there were odd ripples emanating from their bodies. With Naruto's Cultivation base, he could sense them, but couldn't see clearly exactly what they were.

Of course, considering they were Lords within the Sect, they would certainly possess some secrets to elevate their level of dignity, which Naruto understood.

"This child has destiny connecting him to the Footloose Sect!" said an archaic voice from within one of the eight streams of Divine Sense up in mid-air. The voice echoed out throughout the entire Footloose Sect.

"After discussion, we nine great Valley Lords all accept this child as an apprentice! He will join the Footloose Sect as a Conclave disciple!"

The voice reverberated out into the ears of everyone present. The other Clan members from the Outer Sea watched on, panting with unprecedented anxiety. Far too many unexpected turns of events had occurred, to the point that they would be unable to forget this day for the rest of their lives.

The disciples of the Footloose Sect were completely shocked, and they all began to look over at the young child held in the arms of the Third Valley Lord.

It must be stated that within the Footloose Sect, there were only three Conclave disciples! As of this moment, there were four!

Complete silence followed, after which an explosion of sound could be heard. That sound was caused by the voices of the crowds in line as they expressed their disbelief and utter shock.

The matter that had just occurred would soon spread out through the entire Outer Sea, as well as the Fourth Ring. Throughout all the years, such an event had never occurred in the Footloose Sect. The Nine Valley Lords had all accepted a single person as an apprentice! That person would quickly become completely famous.

As for the Zhang Clan, they would experience a meteoric rise because of the events of the day. Whether it be in the Outer Sea or the Fourth Ring, because of their relationship with the Footloose Sect, no one would ever dare to provoke them. It wouldn't take very long for word of this matter to spread everywhere.

The Zhang Clan was destined to rise to fame.

Zhang Wenfang panted at this unexpected blessing. It was simply too amazing, causing her entire person to tremble, and tears to pour down her face. The Zhang Clan members around her were also excited to the extreme.

Naruto smiled. When he noticed Nan'er looking back at him again, he nodded.

Nan'er mustered his courage, and then clearly spoke out. "Nan'er accepts the senior grandpas as Masters!"

His voice wasn't very loud, but as soon as it rang out, everyone, be they Footloose Sect disciples or Outer Sea Clan members, knew that as of this instant, this boy was… completely different from them!

With the nine great Valley Lords as his Masters, he would be the number one person in the entire Footloose Sect. In fact, as long as his latent talent wasn't extremely poor, he would surely reach Core Formation!

From now on, the Zhang Clan would be like a blazing sun in the sky. Everyone who had ever looked down upon them would be forced to bow their heads in compliance. Anyone who had disputes with them in the past would only be able to writhe in fear and send gifts of apology in great numbers.

Anyone who had blood enmity with them would be forced to immediately flee the Outer Sea. Otherwise, they would never be able to find shelter anywhere.

The Zhang Clan was like the carp who leaped over the dragon gate and received the highest reward. That was the final assessment of everyone present.

Tears streamed down Zhang Wenfang's face. The joy in her heart caused the most brilliant smile she had ever smiled to appear on her face. "Husband, is your spirit watching all of this from the underworld…?"

The other Zhang Clan members watched on with wild joy, as if they could see the countless possibilities that had now opened up for their future. They thought back to the past, and then considered the future, and seemed to have acquired new enlightenment. Their new understanding would keep them going as they reached out to a higher realm.

Most excited of all, however, was no member of the crowd, and no member of the Zhang Clan. Instead, it was Patriarch Reliance, up in his palace. He was so excited that his body trembled as he paced back and forth. He looked over at Guyiding Tri'rain with a scornful expression.

He, of course, didn't care about what was happening with the Zhang

Clan. Intense anticipation appeared in his eyes as he looked off at the Footloose Sect and Naruto. He hoped fervently that all of this was enough to cause Naruto to leave Saint's Island.

"You have no reason to stay behind, you little bastard, so why don't you go? Hahaha! Screw off at top speed! Do not under any circumstances allow me to see you again!" Patriarch Reliance thought about what it would be like if Naruto left with absolutely no suspicions. Then he would be able to openly live a footloose and fancy free life. When he thought about that, it filled him with excitement, almost as if he had gotten some sort of revenge. The more he thought about Naruto leaving, the more anticipation he felt.

Currently, the entire Footloose Sect was in an uproar. Naruto was laughing, and his eyes glittered. Then, his expression returned to normal as he looked over at Zhang Wenfang and the others.

From the look in his eye, it seemed that he was still worried about the Zhang Clan members, apparently concerned about their safety in the future.

Although others might not be able to read his expression, Patriarch Reliance was completely focused on Naruto, and immediately sensed it. Without hesitation, he sent his Divine Sense into the nine Valley Lords.

Almost as if they knew what Naruto was thinking, the nine Valley Lords instantly began to speak.

"The members of the Zhang Clan are close friends with the Footloose Sect. You will stay on Saint's Island in your own area, which will belong to you in perpetuity."

Instantly, waves of intense envy and jealousy filled the hearts of the various Clan members from the Outer Sea. After all, one of the reasons they hoped to join the Footloose Sect was to not just for the opportunity for a single member of the Clan, but for the entire Clan to have the chance to move to Saint's Island.

It was an honor, and a very high position. After moving to Saint's Island, the Clan would never again need to worry about its continued existence in the future. The Footloose Sect would be their biggest protector.

Now, everyone watched on as the previously down and out Zhang Clan received such incredibly good fortune. Various complex thoughts filled the hearts of everyone present. Everyone immediately made the decision that they would spare no effort or cost to become friends with the Zhang Clan.

As for the Xu Clan, their hearts began to pound with fear and intense terror. They worried that retaliation would come from the Zhang Clan, which would turn into a great catastrophe that they couldn't withstand.

This particular phase of a disciple becoming apprentice to a Master was now concluded. The crowds of Clans waited to continue with the process of trying to join the Sect, while the Zhang Clan, to everyone's envy, was led away respectfully by Footloose Sect disciples. As for Naruto, Patriarch Reliance watched with eager anticipation as he finally parted ways with the Zhang Clan.

Nan'er gave Naruto a deep look. He waved, his face filled with unwillingness to part.

Naruto reached out to tousle the boy's hair. Then he muttered for a moment and slapped his bag of holding to produce a bottle of medicinal pills, along with a few magical items, all of which he gave to the boy.

"Focus on practicing cultivation," said Naruto. "You never know, we might meet again someday in the future." With that, he patted Nan'er's shoulder and then turned to walk off into the distance.

Zhang Wenfang watched Naruto walking off, and then looked at the gifts he had given Nan'er. Her eyes filled with deep gratitude, she dropped to her knees and respectfully kowtowed to him.

Perhaps through all eternity, they would never know the real reason why Nan'er had been accepted as an apprentice.

Naruto made his way off.

Under Patriarch Reliance's anticipatory gaze, he left the Footloose Sect mountains. As soon as this happened, Patriarch Reliance smiled, and was so excited that he almost let out a huge roar.

He couldn't help but feeling happy at how superior he considered his intellect to be. Right now, it seemed like everything he looked at filled him with happiness. His eyes squinted with joy as he watched Naruto making his way further and further away.

However, in the midst of all his smiling, he suddenly gaped.

That was because even as Naruto turned into a beam of prismatic light that shot throughout the air, he suddenly stopped and looked down. There below him, not far away from the Footloose Sect, was one of the largest Cultivator cities on Saint's Island!

"Uhh? Come on, get going!" said Patriarch Reliance, staring. "What are you waiting for, huh?"

Naruto hovered in mid-air, rubbing his chin. Although it was impossible to tell whether or not he was doing it on purpose… he began to mutter to himself.

"Before I leave, I really need to purchase some items. It probably won't be easy to find a Cultivator city like this one out on the Milky Way Sea.

"Furthermore, these Footloose Sect Cultivators are good people. The prices here probably will be pretty low, and definitely not too high. If they were too high, then I might be forced to stay on Saint's Island for even longer." Clearing his throat, he flew toward the city.

Patriarch Reliance watched on blankly as Naruto descended upon the city. He wanted to cry, but had no tears, and was on the verge of going mad. He began to pant and walk in circles in the palace, gnashing his teeth.

"I've already mostly succeeded. If I have to keep on, then so be it! I'll deal with it! No Spirit Stones! Fudge! I'll give you some!

"As long as you leave, I'll do anything!"

Vol. 5 : Chapter 640

Chapter 640: I'll Leave After I Finish Shopping

Naruto was in a good mood….

It was a warm, sunny day, and evening was approaching. The color of the sky and the scenery around him all looked incredibly beautiful. The more he looked at it, the better he felt.

His body flickered as he shot through mid-air toward the city. Almost in the same moment in which he was about to arrive, seven or eight streams of Divine Sense suddenly neared him. Almost as immediately, they dispersed in amazement.

Naruto had only revealed an early Nascent Soul stage Cultivation base. Even still, that caused quite a bit of shock amongst the people in the city. No one dared to block his way, and they allowed him to enter the city.

The Cultivator city was crowded and bustling with activity. All types of shops could be seen, and although most of the Cultivators were in the Qi Condensation stage, there were some Foundation Establishment and even the occasional Core Formation.

When it came to Nascent Soul Cultivators, Naruto saw a few. Clearly, they were not members of the Footloose Sect but rather, Cultivators come from the Fourth Ring to do business.

As soon as he entered the city and began to stroll about, he saw shops on both sides of the street filled with luxurious products; customers were constantly walking in and out. As for the streets themselves, they were paved with green limestone, making the whole place seem even richer.

As he walked, Naruto noticed a mid Core Formation stage Cultivator up ahead. He wore a light green robe, and looked quite mighty, even threatening despite his lack of angry expression.

He was walking up ahead of Naruto, and was just about to enter a shop off to the side, when suddenly a growl could be heard off in the distance, and a bright beam of light shot toward him at top speed.

"Zhou Hebi an, you traitor! So it turns out you hid here after daring to steal my Spirit Stones!? Well I, Sun, swear that you will be slain this very day!" A middle-aged Cultivator could be seen approaching. His Cultivation base was at the Core Formation stage, and his power seemed boundless. He performed an incantation gesture with his right hand, causing two flying swords to emerge with sharp glows. They instantly shot toward the Cultivator with the light green robe.

The man's face fell, and he had no time to evade. Instantly, fighting broke out between the two of them. Attacks exploded out, forcing quite a few nearby onlookers to dodge out of the way.

They fought openly, surrounded by explosions that rose up into the sky. Magical items and divine abilities were unleashed, and both men coughed up blood and then fell back. Almost in the same instant that they fell back, the Footloose Sect disciples in charge of maintaining order rushed toward the scene. A cold snort filled the entire area.

"Magical fighting is prohibited in Saint's Distance City! The two of you screw off immediately!"

The echoing voice caused the face of the Cultivator named Sun to flicker. As he looked up, the Cultivator named Zhou took advantage of the pause to retreat further. It was hard to tell whether or not it was intentional, but his movement brought him right next to Naruto's side. Before any observer could see what happened, the man slipped a bag of holding to Naruto.

"Please watch over this for me, Fellow Daoist," he said. "I'll be back within three days at the least. If I haven't come to get it within three days, then everything inside belongs to you." With that, he flew up into the air. The Cultivator named Sun let out a roar and then began to chase him. The two of them quickly vanished.

Naruto stood there blinking. The fight had started far too quickly, and ended even faster. Naruto looked down at the bag of holding, wiped away the brand mark without hesitation, and then scanned it with Divine Sense. Instantly, a strange expression appeared on his face.

There was nothing inside other than Spirit Stones…..

Furthermore, there were more than 30,000 of them.

Naruto cleared his throat, then calmly put the bag of holding away, his expression the same as ever. There really was nobody he knew so unreliable as to be able to pull off something like this which was so full of sloppy mistakes.

Upon first stepping foot onto Saint's Island, Naruto hadn't thought too much about why the place seemed so familiar. But then he realized that it looked so different from that familiar place in his memory that it seemed obvious someone had altered it, even moving mountains and rivers to make it different.

And then… everything went completely smoothly, especially all the matters to do with the Footloose Sect. Naruto couldn't help but start getting a bit suspicious. Considering everything, it was only natural that he realize what was happening.

"It's a good thing that when I went to the Bridge of Immortal Treading that year I got a bird's eye view of the Milky Way Sea, and realized that the old bugger was hiding there," he thought. "If it weren't for that, I might have had my suspicions, but I couldn't have been sure. 1

"The old bastard really is good at hiding. Even my Demon Sealing senses couldn't pick up on his aura." Naruto coughed lightly, then, without batting an eyelid, continued onward.

Meanwhile, back in the palace, Patriarch Reliance was nervously staring at Naruto. He watched him put away the bag of holding and then let out a sigh. Then, he started to complain regretfully.

"Oh, my Spirit Stones. Those are the Patriarch's 30,000 Spirit Stones… gone, just like that. Everything here on Saint's Island belongs to me, only to be gone, just like that….

"Dammit, you little bastard! Nothing good ever happens when I run into you!" Patriarch Reliance gnashed his teeth, but there was nothing else he could do. He could only silently pray that Naruto would leave as quickly as possible.

As for Naruto, he patted his collection of free Spirit Stones, and then glanced around. Soon he caught sight of a shop that specialized in magical items. His eyes narrowed as he strode toward it.

Even on the outside, the shop looked extremely luxurious. Upon entering, he could see that it had three floors, and that the glow of magical items was shocking. The products available started from the Qi Condensation stage and even went up all the way into the Nascent Soul stage. There were special and incredible items available for all stages.

Currently, there were about seven or eight Cultivators in the shop, looking through various treasures, followed by salespeople with radiant smiles. In the middle of the shop was an incense burner, from which wisps of smoke radiated out, filling the entire first floor with an elegant aura. As soon as someone entered, it was possible to calm the mind and simply enjoy the high-end atmosphere of the shop.

As soon as Naruto stepped foot inside, an old man wearing a long gown approached smilingly. He clasped hands and bowed deeply to Naruto.

"Fellow Daoist, welcome to one of the top ten shops in all of Saint's Distance City. We guarantee quality, and are honest with all customers. You can set your mind at ease when you do business here.

"What exactly are you looking for?" The old man's smiling words seemed somehow familiar to Naruto. After thinking about it for a moment, he realized that they were almost exactly the same words he had used in his own shop back in the Reliance Sect.

The old man had a passable Cultivation base of the early Foundation Establishment stage. His latent talent was ordinary, and he was not on the verge of any sort of breakthrough, which was why he maintained such a position in this shop. He quickly measured up Naruto. Although he couldn't clearly see Naruto's Cultivation base, based on the way he carried himself, the old man could see that he was full of money.

"You're funded by the Footloose Sect?" asked Naruto, sounding a bit surprised.

The old man looked both proud and embarrassed as he laughed and nodded.

"Fellow Daoist," he said, "is this really your first time to Saint's Island? There are three Cultivator cities here, and many of the shops in those cities are the property of the Footloose Sect.

"Take a look here." The old man pointed to a wooden plaque next to the door, upon the surface of which was clearly carved a design that looked like a turtle….

"That mark," continued the old man, "indicates that this place is property of the Footloose Sect."

Even as the old man made his explanation, Patriarch Reliance's heart began to pound, and he started wailing in anguish.

"I'm finished, FINISHED!" he cried. "How could the Patriarch in all his intelligence forget about THAT!? Dammit! That design…. Please, DO NOT let it attract the attention of that little bastard!"

In his anxiety, Patriarch Reliance quickly sent his Divine Sense into the old man that Naruto was talking to. An imperceptible tremor ran through the old man, and his expression changed. As of this moment, he was no longer himself, but rather, an incarnation of Patriarch Reliance.

"Fellow Daoist, look over there!" he said quickly, stepping in front of Naruto to block his line of sight. "All of the treasures in this shop are very extraordinary, really!"

Inwardly, Naruto gave a cold laugh, but outwardly, he looked in the direction in which the old man was pointing. There was a flying saber, completely silver and radiating icy coldness. The price listed next to it was 1,500 Spirit Stones.

It was a magical item useful to the early Foundation Establishment stage. Naruto looked it over and then frowned.

"Too expensive!" he said, his voice serious.

The old man laughed on the outside, but inside, he was cursing Naruto's stinginess. "The Patriarch just gave you 30,000 Spirit Stones, and now you're saying it's too expensive?!"

"Fellow Daoist, today is your lucky day! It just so happens to be our crazy, once-a-decade sale! All products in the entire shop are half off! You can have this item for only 750 Spirit Stones!"

Naruto didn't look satisfied. "This thing is worth 30 Spirit Stones at the most. Forget it. I think I'll go to some of the other shops in the city. Then I'll probably go to some of the other Cultivator Cities as well." With that, he turned to leave.

However, as soon as the words left his mouth, a tremor ran through Patriarch Reliance. When he heard that Naruto planned to stroll around the city, he began to grieve inwardly. Gritting his teeth, he decided to throw all caution to the wind.

"Fine. 30 Spirit Stones! It's yours!"

Naruto spun back around and grabbed the little saber, his face awash with joy. Then he waved his finger at the hundreds of other magical items on display on the first floor of the store.

"I want all of them," he said.

Patriarch Reliance stared in shock. However, in his desire to get Naruto away as quickly as possible, he could only grit his teeth and endure the drops of blood that were being squeezed out of his heart.

It was in this manner that, under the shocked gazes of the other customers, Naruto purchased everything on the first floor of the shop. Then, even as Patriarch Reliance was starting to get excited, Naruto didn't leave, but rather made his way toward the second floor.

"Everyone says that the people from the Footloose Sect are good people. Although I've seen many things, I have to say that this is the most honest shop I have ever been into. Alright, I'm going to take a look at the second and third floors. Assuming I like what I see, I'll take it all. 30,000 Spirit Stones should be enough for everything, right?" He swished his sleeve magnanimously.

Patriarch Reliance, in the form of the old man, almost coughed up an entire mouthful of blood. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was just about to howl out in rage, when Naruto continued to speak in a soft voice.

"I'll leave after I finish shopping."

The sentence caused Patriarch Reliance to gasp. He continued to remind himself that he just had to hang on a little bit longer. As he comforted himself in this way, he gave a smile that looked worse than a wailing grimace, and then escorted Naruto through the second and third floors. He moved as quickly as possible, and soon, Naruto had gathered up all of the magical items.

In the final calculation, there were several thousand items. Even at the price of only 30 spirit stones per item, he still needed over 100,000 Spirit Stones.

Patriarch Reliance felt as if his heart were being slashed by daggers. His face was pale as he stared helplessly at Naruto, seemingly on the verge of crying.

When it came time to settle the bill, Naruto rubbed his bag of holding, and a thoughtful look appeared in his eyes.

"I don't think I have enough Spirit Stones," he said a bit bashfully. When Patriarch Reliance heard this, he gaped in shock.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Liam Shippam, Laurie's ESL Tutoring,

Patrick Files, Shin, William Storer, Joel F, Michael Q, Abu, Count Grey,

Fiber Optic, David Jeltema III, Potkeny, and Michael Michalczyk

When Naruto flew up to the Realm of the Bridge Ruins in chapter

454, he saw Patriarch Reliance floating in the Milky Way Sea ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 641

Chapter 641: Who Would Outdo….

"What… what are you trying to pull?!" cried Patriarch Reliance. The old man he was controlling trembled as he pointed at Naruto and nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Back in the palace, Patriarch Reliance stamped his feet with fury and let loose a torrent of cursing. His fury surged to the Heavens, and he seemed on the verge of going insane.

"You little bastard! You, you, you… you have no money?! Then what are you doing!?

"You have no money and then try to buy so many things?! Dammit! You have no money?! The Patriarch just gave you 30,000 Spirit Stones!? 30,000! 30,000 whole Spirit Stones! The Patriarch lived a bitter, frugal life to save up all those Spirit Stones!" Years ago, Naruto had defied all sorts of difficulties and danger to attract all the Cultivators from the State of Zhao to the Reliance Sect to free Patriarch Reliance. At that time, Patriarch Reliance's heart had filled with joy. However, he had only rewarded Naruto with a single low-grade Spirit Stone. From that could be seen the level of stinginess which had long since become a part of Patriarch Reliance's very being.

"Furthermore, every item in that shop belongs to the Patriarch! You have no money and want to buy everything? Ridiculous!"

Seeing Patriarch Reliance raving the way that he was caused Guyiding Tri'rain to purse her lips. However, her expression quickly returned to normal, except for the glint of shrewdness in her eyes.

"The old turtle really is looking for trouble," she thought, feeling a bit sorry for Patriarch Reliance. "Naruto conned the entire State of Zhao back then. There are people who still remember that down to this day. And yet the old turtle is still trying to match wits with Naruto? He's simply looking for trouble….

"Although, you can't really blame the old turtle. He's getting old, and his brain is somewhat addled. Perhaps it's because he was beaten in the head when he was young?" The more she thought about the matter, and of all the things that had happened in the past years, the more she couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Patriarch Reliance.

Of course, Naruto had no way to see or even know what was going on in the palace. He looked apologetically at the old man who stood in front of him.

"How about this," he said, sounding a bit embarrassed. "How about I do some work for you? I'm sure that in a few dozen years, I can clear all of my debt! Yeah… I'm pretty good at concocting medicinal pills."

Patriarch Reliance, in the form of the old man, stared fixedly at Naruto. He began to pant, and it almost seemed as if steam was rising from the top of his head…. Inside his mind, two people suddenly appeared. One of them was giving advice, and the other was venting angrily.

"Alright Patriarch, it's time to risk it all!"

"No way! I've worked so hard, and almost pulled it off! I'm just about to succeed! I just have to hold on a little bit more! A little bit more is all! Then, I'll finally be able to gaze upon hope!

"The sunshine always comes after the storm!" Even as Patriarch Reliance was feeling conflicted, Naruto cleared his throat.

"Or, maybe I just shouldn't buy these things," he said. "I think I should

go browse some of the other shops. I'll try to finish going through them all within a year. After that I'll head over to the other cities…."

These words were like a trump card that Patriarch Reliance couldn't match.

"How much money do you have?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Naruto blushed. "I have 5,000 Spirit Stones in my bag of holding."

"You…." Patriarch Reliance almost screamed out that he had just given Naruto 30,000 Spirit Stones. However, he suppressed his heart for a long moment; he felt as if he had just been stabbed through, and there was no blood left to ooze out….

"Ha ha…." he said through clenched teeth. However, to achieve his goal, he had no choice but to continue to endure. Even if it caused Naruto become somewhat suspicious, he had no choice. After forcing out his laugh, he said, "You're… you're really lucky! Today is… our opening-day celebration! We have a huge… sale! 5,000 Spirit Stones gets you everything in the store!"

Eyes sparkling, Naruto quickly placed 5,000 Spirit Stones in front of the old man, then collected together all of the magical items into his bag of holding. Then he smiled and gave a light sigh.

"The people of Saint's Island, and especially the members of the Footloose Sect, are all good people," he said. With that, he spun and left, flying directly up into the air and shooting off into the distance.

When Patriarch Reliance saw this, his deeply injured spirit was finally able to recover a bit.

"As long as you leave, that's all that matters…. Just go!" he said, gnashing his teeth. "You little bastard! I don't ever want to see you ever again in my life!" He gradually calmed his mood, then stopped thinking about Spirit Stones and magical items. If he did, he was worried that he might not be able to take it and then explode with fury.

However, even as Patriarch Reliance struggled to improve his mood, Naruto suddenly stopped flying. He looked down as he noticed a second city down below.

When he saw this second city, a smile appeared on his face.

Currently, it was the middle of the night, and yet, the city was still filled with bright lights and activity. Even at this hour, the shops weren't closed. The whole city was bustling, making the entire city seem like a bright, dazzling pearl.

Patriarch Reliance: "…."

He stared blankly, veins popping up on his forehead.

Then he saw Naruto shamelessly floating down toward the city, and he couldn't take it any more. He finally exploded.

"Ridiculous! Shameless!" he bellowed, causing the entire palace to shake. He waved his right hand in front of him, causing countless streams of Divine Sense to shoot out. They sped toward the city and immediately entered the various shops.

Before Naruto could even get close, all of the shops in the entire city suddenly closed their doors and turned out the lights.

It was the middle of the night, so the previously brightly lit city was suddenly cast into darkness. Of course, everyone within the city noticed this and was instantly alarmed.

Up in mid-air, Naruto's face twitched a bit.

"That damned old turtle," he thought. "All I took was a few Spirit Stones and magical items. In total, it's only worth a few tens of thousands of Spirit Stones!

"The old turtle is far too stingy. After all these years, he still hasn't changed. I bet that right now, he's in such pain that he wants to die.

"He wants me to leave, and is worried that I'll plunder him even more, so he instantly caused all the shops to close. Shameless! Completely shameless!" Naruto hovered indignantly up in the air, staring down at the city for a long moment. Then, he continued to fly.

Back in the palace, an unprecedentedly wide smile appeared on Patriarch Reliance's face, as well as a look of intense pride as he reveled in his superior intellect. Patriarch Reliance currently felt incredibly refreshed.

"Little bastard! No matter how crafty you are, you can't outsmart the Patriarch!

"As usual, the Patriarch is the most intelligent! How else could I come up with so many plans? Hahaha! Let's see what you try to do now!" By now, he had long since forgotten that he was trying to hide. Nor did he consider that such overt actions might cause Naruto to be suspicious.

His complacency had reached the pinnacle, and the feeling of finally being able to vent his frustrations gave him a bit of hope. Hope to see Naruto finally leave!

"No matter where you go, I'll just close all the shops! Let's see what other reason you could possibly come up with to stay here!" Patriarch Reliance's eyes sparkled as he glanced over at Guyiding Tri'rain.

"Well, what do you say? Is the Patriarch clever, or not?"

Guyiding Tri'rain blinked, then smiled. "The Patriarch is definitely brilliant."

Patriarch Reliance seemed more pleased than ever, and his smile grew even wider.

As for Naruto, he frowned as he flew through the air. About an hour later, he suddenly stopped in place, then looked down toward a mountain down below.

As soon as he even glanced at it, a rumbling sound suddenly filled the air as the entire mountain collapsed right in front of his eyes.

Naruto stared in shock. This time, it was true and utter shock.

"Patriarch Reliance!" he thought, "Aren't you being a bit too obvious, bitch? Can't you pretend even a little bit? Dammit! What do you want me to do? Pretend that I don't notice? Pretend that I do?" Naruto was conflicted about exactly what course of action to take.

If he pretended not to notice anything suspicious, that would be too obvious….

But if he pretended to notice something fishy, then it would also tip off Patriarch Reliance. In Naruto's opinion, Patriarch Reliance was so unreliable, there was no way to know how he might flip out if that happened.

"If I scare him too much," Naruto thought, "he might just take this whole place with him and run away at top speed. This time, I have to make sure he doesn't flee." Naruto really was unsure of what to do. Inwardly, he cursed the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. How could a Dao Seeking Cultivator be so slow? Naruto had already let his aura begin to emanate out, and yet the old man still hadn't come looking for him yet.

Naruto was consumed with the desire to beat the living daylights out of the old turtle. Currently, he just couldn't think of how to deal with the unreliable Patriarch Reliance.

Even as he went back and forth in his mind, he continued to proceed forward. However, he quickly found that if he stopped for even a moment, nearby mountains would collapse; even the rivers would change their course.

Almost everywhere he went rapidly turned into flatlands.

"Could there possibly be anybody more unreliable…?" Naruto thought. "If things keep going on like this, even if I really did beat him in the head in the Demon Immortal Pagoda, he should be able to understand that I'll notice things are obviously off." Naruto hesitated for another moment before his eyes began to glitter. At this point, he completely ceased suppressing his internal injuries. He let out a bloodcurdling scream and then coughed up a mouthful of blood.

His face immediately went pale.

"My injury is playing up again!" he cried loudly. Bowing his head, he sank down toward the ground, picking a random area to sit down crosslegged to meditate and treat his injuries.

His injuries truly were not completely healed. They were only healed by approximately seventy percent. The remaining thirty percent were filled with the power of Dao Seeking, which was very difficult to heal with the Violet Pupil Transformation.

According to his calculations, the final thirty percent would take years to completely heal using his current method. Therefore, he didn't mind allowing the old turtle to see that the injuries and the blood were very real.

"In order to deal with this unreliable old turtle," he thought, grinding his teeth, "I just have to be more shameless than him. In that case, you bastard, I'll just stay here indefinitely!"

Now it was Patriarch Reliance's turn to be stunned. He rubbed his eyes vigorously as he watched Naruto sit down cross-legged to meditate. Then his eyes began to shine brightly as he saw that Naruto truly did have serious internal injuries.

Patriarch Reliance began to pant. He stared for a long moment, then grabbed at his long hair and began to pull it hard. He paced back and forth within the palace, his face unsightly to the extreme, looking like a volcano that was about to explode.

"Dammit! Who was it that hurt him!? Why didn't you just directly kill him?! Why leave an injury like that to flare up at a time like this?!

"What do I do? What is the Patriarch supposed to do…? That injury won't be healed for years. After everything I've done so far, just when I was about to succeed, then this kind of thing has to happen!" Patriarch Reliance ground his teeth. Inwardly, his hatred toward whoever had injured Naruto continued to grow.

Guyiding Tri'rain almost couldn't stop herself from bursting out laughing. Right now, she almost couldn't take it any more. She had to know, which of these two unreliable fellows would outdo the other….

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Dan Gabber, Ng Inn Shan, Davis Won,

Patrascu Gabi, Michael Tashkoff, Anonymous, Hal, Kari Yi, Griff-And-Or, Costin C, Arkanth, Sailesh, Tomáš Jílek, Suneil Patel, Alessio Bastardi, and LB

Vol. 5 : Chapter 642

Chapter 642: The Patriarch Flies Into a Rage

"I'll just sit here and wait for the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch to come," thought Naruto complacently. "In the meantime, I'll treat my injuries and just let time pass." He sat there cross-legged in the remote mountain forest, surrounded by silence. The night was dark and charming; a soft breeze brushed gently against his face.

He rotated his Cultivation base as he slowly treated himself. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. A few days passed.

The parrot and the meat jelly emerged during that time, then left to go play on the sea. It was impossible to tell what vices they had indulged in, but they came back smelling like seawater. They made quite the commotion as they returned to perch on Naruto's shoulder.

"You are immoral!" cried the meat jelly, preparing to launch into a speech. "That white crane…."

"SHUT UP!" replied the Parrot, glaring. It was just about to continue speaking when suddenly it made an "eee?" sound and then looked around. Before it could say anything, Naruto's eyes snapped open and he stuffed the parrot and the meat jelly into his bag of holding, then cleared his throat and continued to meditate.

At the moment, Patriarch Reliance was completely torn about what to

do, so he didn't notice what had just happened. He was utterly helpless in terms of Naruto; during the past few days, he had grown increasingly anxious. It was now clear based on Naruto's actions that he planned to stay long term to restore himself to health.

"You little bastard, you just wait. The Patriarch is going to go all out!" Patriarch Reliance lifted his head up and roared. He had been in conflict over the past several days, and at this point, couldn't wait any more. Clenching his teeth, he waved his sleeve, causing his body to grow transparent. It appeared as if he had separated some of his essence, which then began to swirl in the air above his hand, emanated a multicolored glow.

It rapidly turned into what appeared to be a Spirit Fruit, from which a delicate fragrance wafted out. Anyone who looked at it would instantly feel themselves palpitating with eagerness.

Off to the side, Guyiding Tri'rain's eyes went wide and she began to breathe heavily. She recognized this object; it was a strand of essence from Patriarch Reliance's clone form.

Clenching his teeth and enduring the distress of it all, Patriarch Reliance lifted his right foot and then stamped it down onto the surface of the palace. Instantly, a white crane appeared. As soon as it flew out, it began to change shape into a gray eagle, which then grabbed the Spirit Fruit with its talons. After that, it passed through the walls of the palace and shot off into the distance.

Patriarch Reliance watched anxiously as the gray eagle left. He felt distressed, and couldn't stop from stamping his feet back and forth in nervousness.

"Screwed over. I'm screwed over big time…. However, as long as that little bastard leaves, the Patriarch can deal with it!"

The gray eagle shot through the sky with incredible speed toward Naruto

Hao's location. In only the space of a few breaths, it appeared near him.

It kicked up a stiff wind that caused Naruto's eyes to open. He looked up into the sky, and as soon as he caught sight of the gray eagle, his pupils constricted. Clearly, the most important part was the Spirit Fruit it held in its talons.

At a single glance, he could sense the ripples that emanated out from within the fruit, as well as the colorful glow which surrounded it. It almost looked like an Immortal Fruit. Even just glancing at the Immortal Fruit provoked a reaction from his internal injuries.

"This thing can really heal injuries…." thought Naruto. He hesitated for a moment, then smiled bitterly. Patriarch Reliance really had hit him in a soft spot with this particular move. He sighed inwardly.

"But it's such a blatant move…. Well, he is Patriarch Reliance, after all, so I guess it's not that strange." It was with a wry smile and a conflicted heart that he watched the gray eagle start to fly in circles over his head. It seemed as if it was simply waiting for him to snatch the Spirit Fruit.

"Snatch it!" roared Patriarch Reliance. "Come on! Why aren't you snatching it!?" At the moment, he wanted nothing more than to throttle Naruto.

After struggling back and forth for a while, Naruto took a deep breath. His eyes filled with determination. He simply couldn't ignore such temptation. He had just made the decision, and was about to make a move, when suddenly, the gray eagle loosened its talons.

The Spirit Fruit slowly fell down from the sky with great accuracy to land directly in front of Naruto.

Patriarch Reliance burst out with hearty laughter, and he looked extremely proud of himself. Then he harrumphed to express the superiority of his intellect. Finally, he sent his Divine Sense into the gray eagle, causing it to let out a cheerful cry filled with complacent pride.

Because Naruto was staring in shock, he didn't notice that at some point, the parrot had stuck its head out of the bag of holding and was looking intoxicatedly at the gray eagle. Suddenly, it transformed into a black streak of light that shot out at top speed.

Back in the palace, Patriarch Reliance's Divine Sense was still in the gray eagle, controlling it as it flew off into the distance. "You little bastard! The Patriarch has lived for years and years, and you want to try to compete with me? Let's see what reason you can come up with to stay now! Hahaha! The Patriarch is… huh? Ahh? AAGGHHH!" In the midst of his complacency and laughter, he suddenly shuddered, and his eyes went wide with disbelief.

He could clearly see the black beam of light shooting out from Naruto's bag of holding. Then, the black shadow shot through the air to penetrate the rear end of the gray eagle.

"What… what is it doing?" said Patriarch Reliance, trembling.

The gray eagle shook. It was illusory, after all, so it twisted and then transformed into countless dots of glittering light that spread out in all directions.

A tremor ran through Patriarch Reliance and he stared blankly. Because his Divine Sense had been inside the gray eagle, everything that had happened just now… he had also experienced.

His face was filled with disbelief, but it only took a moment for him to react. His eyes went wide and were shot with blood as he lifted his head up and roared.

"You, you, you… you actually….

"Ridiculous! You actually….

"AAAAAGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!" After understanding exactly what had happened, Patriarch Reliance was filled with unspeakable, unprecedented rage and madness.

All of the the lands of Saint's Island shook, and enormous waves rolled out across the sea. The faces of all the Cultivators on the island flickered as they wonder what had just transpired.

Naruto was also a bit frightened. When he saw the parrot returning, that intoxicated look on its face, his scalp went numb.

"Damned bird," he thought, taking a deep breath. "It… it actually did… it did Patriarch Reliance?" The parrot's expression was one of deep emotion as it returned. Everything that had happened completely exceeded Naruto's imagination.

The parrot still seemed to be savoring the aftertaste of what had just occurred. As it returned, Naruto could hear it muttering.

"Strange. How come it couldn't handle being done? I barely started and it disappeared?"

Naruto grabbed the parrot and violently threw it into his bag of holding. Then he smiled wryly and collected up the Spirit Fruit. He quickly popped it into his mouth, then transformed into a beam of light and shot up into the air.

"What's going on in this place!" he yelled loudly. "I can't stay here!" He immediately shot off into the distance. Even as he did, the area he had just been in collapsed into a huge crater.

The ground trembled and shook, and huge waves surged across the sea. Patriarch Reliance was completely in a rage; his fury was burning to a shocking level. Although he couldn't do anything to Naruto, he still couldn't accept such humiliation. He was just on the verge of revealing his true self to swallow up the parrot, when Guyiding Tri'rain came running over. She grabbed Patriarch Reliance's arm.

"Patriarch, calm down!" she said. "Think about what's most important!"

"Go away! The Patriarch is gonna go all out with this guy!" Patriarch Reliance took a few steps forward. A rumbling sound filled the air as the palace opened up to reveal the lands of Saint's Island stretching out below.

"Patriarch, think three times before you act!" urged Guyiding Tri'rain. "Naruto's already gone! If you reveal yourself now, you'll undo all your previous hard work!"

Patriarch Reliance stopped in place with his foot in the air. Veins bulged out on his face, and his entire person resembled a volcano that might erupt at any moment. His face twisted with struggle; on one hand, he was thinking about the happiness he could enjoy in the future. At the same time, he was thinking about the revenge that needed to be exacted for what the parrot had done to him.

In the midst of his struggle, he stomped his foot down. Forcing himself to endure everything, his body trembled and his head seemed about to explode. Clearly, his restraint had reached its very limits.

Patriarch Reliance could feel an indescribable fire burning inside of him. He felt as if he had to find someone to beat up to vent the rage and toxic anger that raged in his heart.

As he forced himself to continue to be patient, Saint's Island ceased trembling, and the sea returned to calmness. Naruto transformed into a beam of light that shot through the air. His face was unsightly, but his internal injuries were now healing at a shockingly fast rate.

In the time it takes an incense stick to burn, all the pores on Naruto's body seemed to have opened. The injuries inside of him were healed, and an intense coldness rushed out through his skin into the air, transforming into flakes of black snow that drifted in the air.

Naruto took a deep breath and increased his speed. His mind spun with countless ideas as he tried to come up with more reasons to stay on the island. However, he knew that Patriarch Reliance's rage had been kindled to its peak, and the slightest mistake on his part could cause it to explode out.

If that happened, Patriarch Reliance would definitely run away again, and that did not fit in with Naruto's plan.

"It's all the fault of that bastard parrot. It ruined my big plan." He sighed as he neared the border region of the island. He decided to slow down a bit, but when he did, the land beneath him would quake and the nearby mountains would collapse.

Naruto smiled bitterly and then continued to speed along. Soon, he saw the sea off in the distance, as well as the last Cultivator city of Saint's Island. Right now it was day, and the city should have been bustling with noise and excitement, but instead, all the shops were closed.

"Patriarch turtle, you've pushed me into a corner!" cursed Naruto inwardly. He clenched his teeth and then suddenly stopped in mid-air. His eyes began to glow with an intense light, and his expression was incredibly grim.

The look on his face caused Patriarch Reliance's fuming heart to suddenly begin to thump.

"I've been hiding in this ancient palace for years," he thought, "completely cut off from anything to do with the Demon Sealers. He shouldn't be able to sense me…. Not good, not good! Maybe what I did just now was too obvious! When you add in the fact that I couldn't control my temper, maybe the little bastard saw through it all!"

Naruto looked around, his face grim. Finally, he spoke in a cold voice: "I'm not sure which member of the senior generation in this place doesn't want Naruto to stick around. Fine, I'm leaving!"

Complete silence was the only response.

When Patriarch Reliance heard Naruto's words, he immediately heaved a sigh of relief.

"So, he doesn't know I'm here. He actually thinks I'm someone else. Alright, that will do."

Naruto glanced around before his gaze finally came to rest on the city up ahead. He lifted his hand up and pointed at it.

"However, I'm lacking in Spirit Stones, and happen to have a random assortment of magical items in my bag of holding. I'll sell them in this city, and as soon as I'm finished, I'll leave this place!" With that, Naruto flicked his sleeve and headed toward the city.

Vol. 5 : Chapter 643

Chapter 643: Plundering

Patriarch Reliance hesitated for a moment. Had Naruto not directly stated his intentions, he would never have allowed him to enter the city. However, Patriarch Reliance couldn't help but glance at the sea, and then back at the city.

Finally, he violently clenched his teeth.

"This is the last time," he said decisively. If Naruto tried to pull any more tricks after this, then he would go for broke and run away with the land on his back.

Naruto headed toward the city at top speed. Inside, the shops had all closed their doors, which left the Cultivators quite confused. Soon, quite a commotion could be heard.

Naruto's arrival didn't attract much attention. He picked a relatively open area where he then sat down cross-legged. Waving his sleeve, he caused a vast quantity of magical items to suddenly appear in front of him. They flew out into the surrounding area, causing a bright glow of light to spread out in all directions.

When thousands of magical items suddenly appeared all at once, glowing and shining resplendently, it instantly caught the attention of quite a few bystanders. When they saw the magical items, gasps could be heard.

The sounds of discussions soon filled the air.

"So many magical items!"

"How can that guy have so many magical items!? He has things from the Qi Condensation stage all the way to the Nascent Soul stage! He has everything!"

"Don't tell me he sacked a shop somewhere?! All of those magical items are clearly new! Not a single one is used!"

Soon, people began to approach to examine the magical items that floated in the air around Naruto.

Naruto's expression was the same as ever as he quickly listed prices for each item, which were based on the original amount he had purchased them for, multiplied several times over. Then he closed his eyes and sat there silently.

More and more people crowded around, their eyes glittering as they occasionally glanced over at Naruto. Some people wanted to buy things, but the prices were clearly quite high. There were even some magical items whose price was several times greater than normal. Because of this, many people began to curse inwardly.

Time passed by, and soon quite a crowd had built up. Right now, all of the shops in the city were closed, so Naruto's flagrant display quickly attracted the attention of the vast majority of Cultivators in the city.

Unfortunately, although there were a lot of people, few people were willing to buy at the exorbitant prices Naruto had listed.

Naruto didn't feel anxious at all. In fact, he wanted to stretch time out as long as possible. Patriarch Reliance, on the other hand, was getting very nervous back in his palace as he watched the scene unfold. Soon, evening was falling. Of the thousands of magical items Naruto had for sale, he had only managed to get rid of a few. Patriarch Reliance was now incredibly worried.

"Well, this is the last time!" said Patriarch Reliance, stamping his foot. He sent his Divine Sense out into several people in the city.

Before long, seven or eight Cultivators approached Naruto's vendor stall. They moved at top speed, causing quite a disturbance as they arrived in front of Naruto.

"I want 500 of these magical items!" said one of their number, an old man. He tossed out a bag of holding. Naruto's eyes instantly opened. He looked at the man, then slowly opened the bag of holding. He then removed all of the Spirit Stones from inside and began to count them one by one. After checking the number thoroughly, he waved his sleeve, causing five hundred magical items to fly toward the old man.

The old man's face twitched as he gathered up the items, then turned and walked off. After he left, another person approached, and, in exactly the same fashion as the man before, began to purchase magical items.

"That was the manager of the Auspicious Pavilion. He has a considerable social standing, and a close relationship with the Footloose Sect…. Why is he here buying magical items from this guy?"

"I've seen that guy before. That's the shopkeeper from Chen Manor!

He's here too…."

The surrounding crowds watched on in astonishment as the seven or eight Cultivators wasted nearly two hours purchasing various items. Soon, all of Naruto's magical items were gone.

Of course, the reason it took so long was that Naruto fastidiously counted every single Spirit Stone. Otherwise, he could have taken care of selling all the items in the space of a few breaths.

Considering how many Spirit Stones Naruto ended up taking, it was no surprise that the crowds eyed him greedily, like hungry wolves.

Naruto calmly secured all of the Spirit Stones into his bag of holding.

In total, he had acquired several hundred thousand, making his trip to Saint's Island somewhat profitable after all.

Finally, he rose slowly to his feet and sighed. Back in the palace, Patriarch Reliance's patience could stretch no longer as Naruto transformed into a beam of light that shot up into the air.

As soon as that happened, four or five Cultivators down in the city took out jade slips that they then used to send voice transmissions.

Moments later, three Core Formation Cultivators flew out from a secret location. At the same time, an old man in a red robe sat cross-legged on a ship near the seashore. Suddenly, his eyes opened and began to glow with a brilliant light. The ripples of an early Nascent Soul Cultivation base emanated out from him.

He was the type of person who was threatening without showing anger.

As soon as his eyes opened, he produced a brightly glowing jade slip. When he sent his Divine Sense into the slip, his eye narrowed.

"A Cultivator flying around with hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones?" said the man coolly, rising to his feet.

"On Saint's Island, only Core Formation Cultivators are permitted to fly….

"He sold a lot of items, most of them suitable for Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment. However, his Cultivation base clearly wasn't Nascent Soul. He must be a Core Formation Cultivator.

"Most likely, he's at the great circle of Core Formation. In my hands, though, someone like that is a mere insect." A slight smile appeared on the man's lips.

"If I can get my hands on a few hundred thousand Spirit Stones, then this trip will have been no waste." The man used minor teleportation to instantly vanish. When he reappeared, he was in mid-air above Saint's Island. After confirming his exact position, he picked a direction and started flying.

Naruto frowned as he flew through mid-air. He really couldn't think of another reason to stay behind, and it almost felt like he was being banished. It didn't make him happy.

After all, the person doing the banishing was supposed to be his Dao Protector.

"If I'd known this was going to happen, I would have thrashed that little turtle a bit more back in the Demon Immortal Pagoda!" murmured Naruto angrily. He proceeded onward, watching the seashore get closer and closer.

By now, Patriarch Reliance was getting incredibly excited. Anticipation filled his eyes as he watched Naruto get further and further away.

"He's leaving! The little bastard is finally leaving! Hahaha! What an excellent feeling!" The more Patriarch Reliance thought about it, the happier he felt. He even started to hum a little tune.

If Naruto were there, he would instantly recognize that tune. It was the very same tune Patriarch Reliance had hummed back in the Reliance Sect. 1

Currently, Naruto's face was unsightly. The sea was clearly visible off in the distance, but he still couldn't think of a reason to stay behind. Even as he was beginning to hesitate, a whistling sound could be heard from behind him.

When Naruto heard the sound, he was instantly both surprised and very happy. He quickly looked back to see three beams of light shooting toward him. An expression of joy appeared on his face.

In the same moment that Naruto turned to look back, a cold voice could be heard coming from one of the three pursuers. "Fellow Daoist, please slow down for a moment!"

The three pursuers were middle-aged men, one of whom was in the mid Core Formation stage, the other two were in the early Core Formation stage. They flew through the air very quickly, and arrived in the blink of an eye.

Back in his palace, Patriarch Reliance watched on in shock.

"What are you people doing!?" Naruto shouted, shrinking back.

The eyes of the three men glittered with killing intent. The mid Core Formation Cultivator looked Naruto over closely. Earlier, he had been somewhat hesitant because of not being able to clearly see Naruto's Cultivation base. Now, though, it was obvious to him that it was at the early Core Formation stage.

Furthermore, Naruto's words and expression seemed to be filled with alarm, which left the man feeling even more calm.

"The three of us would like to borrow something from you, Fellow Daoist," said the man with a false smile. "Hopefully you can help us achieve our aim." With that, the other two moved to surround Naruto.

The eyes of all three radiated ill intentions as they coldly stared at Naruto. The greed in their eyes couldn't be more apparent.

"What… what do you want to borrow?" Naruto replied hurriedly.

"Just some Spirit Stones, that's all," said the man with a smile. "Fellow Daoist, you have several hundred thousand Spirit Stones in your bag of holding. Do you mind loaning them to us?" As he spoke, killing intent glittered in his eyes. Just when he was reaching out to attack….

"Okay! I agree!" said Naruto. He slapped his bag of holding and instantly caused hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones to fly out. The sight of so many Spirit Stones instantly caused the three Cultivators to stare, panting.

For the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, a sound almost like the gurgling of water could be heard as the Spirit Stones poured out onto the ground. Soon, they had formed together into something like a small mountain.

Even though it was evening, the Spirit Stones glittered and shone, causing the eyes of the three men to shine brightly.

However, as Naruto was backed up, the tip of one of the magical items from the Demon Immortal Sect suddenly appeared. Naruto's face fell, and he quickly covered it up.

"Hahaha!" said the middle-aged man, his eyes flashing. He was all smiles as he spoke, although he was working hard to control the excitement inside of him. "Fellow Daoist, you seem to be in such a good mood, so I hate to tell you that in addition to Spirit Stones, I also happen to need some magical items. I noticed just now that you have some inside your bag of holding. Hand it over now for me to take a look."

The other two were palpating with eagerness at how rich they were about to become.

Meanwhile, back in the palace, Patriarch Reliance was panting, his eyes filling with rage as he clenched his fists tightly. He wanted nothing more than for Naruto to leave as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, these blind fools dared to intercept Naruto and delay him. This was enough to cause Patriarch Reliance to explode like lightning.

"Are they looking to die?!" roared Patriarch Reliance, waving his hand out. At the same time, the three people surrounding Naruto, in the very midst of their most ultimate excitement, suddenly began to tremble. The sound of someone roaring exploded out in their minds.

Then, in the blink of an eye, their eyes went wide and their bodies burst into pieces. A haze and blood and gore filled the air, which rapidly vanished into nothing.

Naruto smiled bitterly, then moved to collect up the Spirit Stones on the ground. However, it was at this point that he suddenly smiled excitedly once again. Off in the distance, a beam of light approached him at top speed from the direction of the ocean.

It was the early Nascent Soul stage old man.

"Take out your Spirit Stones and… huh?" Even as the old man's cold voice rang out, he suddenly gasped. He had just seen the huge Spirit Stone mountain laying there on the ground.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Damayne Hyatt

Both Patriarch Reliance and Naruto hummed the same tune back in chapters 84 and 85 ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 644

Chapter 644: Patriarch, Save Me!

"Another one?" Patriarch Reliance's rage once again flared up. He was incredibly indignant. After all the untold difficulties he had gone through to accomplish his goal of sending Naruto away, he had almost reached his goal.

And yet, at the critical moment, one blind fool after another came to stir up trouble. Patriarch Reliance was extremely nervous that Naruto would seize some new chance to stay behind on the island. Thus, his rage burned up into the sky. He was about to reach out and crush the newcomer with a palm, when suddenly, a tremor ran through his body. He looked up, and there wasn't a trace of rage on his face. Gone was the easily changeable mood from when he was dealing with Naruto. Now, his expression was very serious.

He stared off into the depths of the sea.

Next to him, Guyiding Tri-rain also got a strange feeling seemingly from nowhere. She looked up, and her expression flickered. The Boat Spirit appeared soundlessly next to her, and also looked off into the distance.

Meanwhile, the overbearing old Nascent Soul Cultivator saw the huge pile of Spirit Stones, and it caused his heart to tremble. He glanced around the area, and, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, turned to look frowning at Naruto.

Naruto looked back at him, and as their gazes met, he laughed.

The scene caused the old Nascent Soul Cultivator to get a very strange sensation. He suddenly had the feeling that something fishy was going on, and immediately backed up a few paces.

He was just about to say something when Naruto's face suddenly flickered. He jerked his head to look off onto the distance. At the same time, his entire person erupted with an intensely fierce aura. He didn't grow any larger, but in the eyes of the old man, he suddenly seemed indescribably huge. The old man suddenly felt as if he were nothing more than a bug in front of Naruto.

The explosive aura that roiled off of Naruto caused the old man to tremble and pant. His eyes went wide with disbelief, and his mind filled with roaring.

"Great circle of the Nascent Soul stage!" he thought, both his mind and body trembling. The blood drained from his face.

In the blink of an eye, Naruto's aura continued to rise, breaking through a certain barrier that suddenly caused the wind and clouds to surge, and the sky and land to dim. The crackle of thunder could be heard.

His energy swept over everything for thousands of kilometers in every direction, and a vortex appeared. The vortex spun rapidly, rising up to the point where it seemed to connect Heaven and Earth. Rifts appeared in the air, as if the world itself couldn't handle the explosive power of Naruto's Cultivation base.

"Spirit… Spirit Severing!" Being in the middle of the tempest made the old man feel like he was a tiny leaf the midst of the raging sea, or a lone boat on the verge of being crushed into tiny pieces.

His mind buzzed and went completely blank, and his face completely drained of even the slightest bit of blood, until he looked almost dead. His body trembled like a screen, as he stared wide-eyed at the vortex, and Naruto, who looked almost like an Immortal.

"I… I actually tried to rob a Spirit Severing eccentric…." The man's trembling soon was completely replaced by astonishment and indescribable fear. The turn of events left him thoroughly discombobulated. In his estimation, he had just done the most insane thing he had ever done in his entire life.

As he trembled, he was suddenly incredibly glad that he hadn't finished speaking earlier. Perhaps he still had time to turn around and leave.

"Senior…. Senior, I…." Even as he began to stammer an explanation,

Naruto flicked his sleeve. Instantly, all of the Spirit Stones vanished. Completely ignoring the Nascent Soul Cultivator, he flew up into the air and looked off into the distance.

What he saw was a long beam of light shooting across the sky above the sea. It seemed capable of splitting Heaven and Earth as it shot toward him. Rumbling could be heard, and soon, the image of a white-robed Cultivator became visible within the beam. He didn't look old, but rather, middle-aged. His hands were clasped behind his back as he strode through the air inside of the beam.

His hair floated around him, and everywhere he passed, distortions spread out. It seemed as if in every place that he passed, the natural laws of the world would change because of him. Waves surged in the sea down below, roaring and rumbling.

If you looked closely, you would be able to see that in that part of the sea, the waters were sunken down as if by some incredibly shocking pressure.

"He's finally here!" thought Naruto. His eyes glittered brightly, and without hesitation, he entered the Ninth Anima!

Boom!

His body shook violently as an energy even more powerful than before was unleashed within him. He had a Spirit Severing fleshly body, and an energy capable of shaking everything.

Down below, the Nascent Soul Cultivator coughed up a mouthful of blood and sank down to the ground, quivering. To him, it was like the Heavens were crumbling.

Of course, the approaching figure was none other than the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch!

He strode forward, his expression cold, seemingly filled with infinite killing intent. He appeared capable of causing everything around him to collapse into destruction, and each step he took made everything rumble and shake.

"You dared to disseminate your aura to draw me here," he said coolly, his voice crackling like thunder. "Who exactly are you relying on for help? Ask them out immediately." His voice caused the entirety of Saint's Island to shake. Mountains crumbled, and countless people on the island cried out in alarm.

In the Footloose Sect, dozens of beams of light flew up into the air, and the faces of everyone instantly began to flicker with various expressions.

Up in mid-air, the wind and clouds surged into an enormous, rumbling vortex. It looked almost like doomsday had arrived.

As the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch entered the airspace over Saint's Island, waves raged in the surrounding sea, from within which could be heard something like desolate howls that echoed about in all directions.

"If you have nobody to rely on for help, well then, you simply won't be able to escape this time." The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's voice was calm, and did not seem to contain even a scrap of emotion. His eyes were cold as his gaze fell onto Naruto.

As soon as the gaze touched him, a rumbling sound surrounded Naruto. Inside of him, the power of seven Cultivation bases within him exploded out, and the strength of his fleshly body radiated out to slam into the pressure of the gaze.

Boom!

Rumbling filled Naruto's body, and he felt an incredible pressure. This feeling was even more intense than the last time, causing his face to pale. Underneath the pressure, his Cultivation base suddenly condensed from seven parts into six!

It seemed as if the pressure from the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was like a grindstone, and Naruto… was the blade!

At the same time, the intense power of his Cultivation base exploded out and fought back.

RUMBLE!

Blood oozed out of Naruto's mouth, and he was sent spinning backward. However, a bright light shone in his eyes as he relied only on his own power to resist the pressure of the gaze.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's eyes flickered as he gazed deeply at Naruto. This was not the same clone that had faced Naruto back in the Southern Domain. This was a flesh and blood body, a true clone.

It was far, far more powerful than the Divine Clone from last time. After all, the will within its gaze could kill a person.

Down below, the Nascent Soul Cultivator's astonishment had reached a pinnacle. He had no way to even imagine what level of Cultivation base could cause a Spirit Severing expert to be incapable of fighting back.

"This place is a nightmare…." He began to tremble violently, and wished he could simply lapse into unconsciousness.

Meanwhile, back in the palace, Patriarch Reliance's eyes were glittering as he silently observed what was happening.

A look of anxiety appeared in Guyiding Tri'rain's eyes.

Hovering in mid-air in the seaside region, Naruto wiped the blood from his mouth and backed up.

As for the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, he was now even more excited about Naruto's Dao foundation. "It truly is worthy of being called the Perfect Dao foundation…."

He took another step forward toward Naruto.

It was at this point that Naruto suddenly shouted out: "Patriarch, save me!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Patriarch Reliance's face twitched. He pretended as if he hadn't heard, but Guyiding Tri-rain, looking more anxious than ever, quickly turned to look at him.

Boom!

Even as he spoke the words, Naruto fled at top speed, his body flickering with a bloody glow. However, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch instantly appeared in front of him.

"Patriarch Reliance," said Naruto, using his Cultivation base to cause his words to echo out through all of Saint's Island, "I'm the only remaining disciple of the Reliance Sect. Even in the Footloose Sect, considering my level of seniority, I should be considered a respected Elder. Can you really just watch on while I get killed?" Everyone in the Footloose Sect could clearly hear the words he had spoken. Naruto instantly tried to retreat again, but the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch waved his hand out. His shocking killing intent, which contained the will of Dao Seeking, transformed into a black beam that shot toward Naruto.

It moved with incredible speed, but Naruto was on guard. The Immortal's sword appeared, which instantly caused the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's pupils to constrict.

In that instant, back in the palace, Guyiding Tri-rain gritted her teeth and then suddenly vanished. She transformed into a drop of rainwater, which then shot out of the palace. At the same time, the Boat Spirit also vanished.

When the raindrop reappeared, it was in front of Naruto. It instantly transformed into a sheet of falling rain, which blocked the incoming black beam of light.

Guyiding Tri-rains voice suddenly sounded out. "Your fleshly body is strong, but you can't use it now. Rain is water. Water can become a lake, and that lake wishes to transform into sea. The surface of the sea can ripple; vibration can resist countless powers!"

As soon as Naruto heard her, his eyes went wide. Although he recognized the voice, there was no time to reminisce right now. The words seemed to bring him to his senses, and he began to vibrate his body.

All of this takes some time to describe, but actually happened in the blink of an eye.

The black beam neared, and as it passed through the rainwater, more than half of it dissipated. What remained slammed into Naruto, causing a boom to rattle out. The vibrations of Naruto's body, however, transformed into a strange power that caused all the defensive power within his fleshly body to be consolidated into one location. Within the blink of an eye, a hundred vibrations occurred, fighting back against the black beam.

Naruto's body shook, and blood sprayed out of his mouth. As he fell backward head over heels, the rainwater transformed into a young girl who caught him in her arms. The Boat Spirit appeared as well. He waved his sleeve, causing the air to ripple and distort in protection of Naruto as they retreated.

Although they had dispelled the black beam, the ripples that had been sent out as a result had completely destroyed the surrounding land. Everything had been crushed and destroyed, leaving behind a massive crater.

As Naruto retreated, an angry look appeared in his eyes.

"Old turtle Reliance, you're my Dao protector! I can't believe that the restrictive spells placed on you would allow you to just sit by and watch while I perish!" Even as he spoke, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch neared. A look of derision appeared on his face, and he lifted his right hand up. The will of extermination appeared in his eyes as he struck out with his palm.

As soon as the palm began to move, everything grew dark, as if the the entire world now belonged to that palm. As it descended, Naruto, as well as everything in the entire area, began to topple and disintegrate.

Seeing what was happening, Patriarch Reliance lifted his head up and roared. Naruto's words had stabbed him to the heart. He truly couldn't just sit by complacently and watch him die. "Fudge! Fine, the Patriarch is coming!"

When you added in the flames of fury which still raged inside of him, and the fact that the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was destroying the entire land with his palm, it all made Patriarch Reliance howl and finally…

Leave the palace!

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Karen Nguyen, Dennis Liu, and Kristian

Seljevold

Vol. 5 : Chapter 645

Chapter 645: Shameless Old Turtle!

As soon as Patriarch Reliance appeared on the outside, all of Saint's Island trembled. He wore a long azure robe, and his hair swayed in the wind. He looked ancient, but his eyes glowed with a bright light, and veins bulged out on his forehead. The anger and fury within him had reached the point that they absolutely had to be vented.

In a single step, he crossed half of Saint's Island to appear in front of Naruto, directly between him and the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch!

He lifted his right hand, and instantly, a sheet of steam rose up. It emanated shocking Demonic Qi, as well as prismatic light. Instantly, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's palm slammed into it.

"I'm the Patriarch! Now screw off!" he raged, lifting his head up and roaring. His voice echoed out in all directions like thunder.

The mist and the palm slammed into each other, causing an enormous roaring to fill the air. Patriarch Reliance was sent tumbling backward, as if a raging wind had just swept over him. When he looked up, a vicious expression filled his eyes.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch also trembled, and his eyes gleamed brightly. But then, he gave a cold laugh.

"A trifling Spirit Severing Cultivator?" he said coolly. "Child, this is the person you are relying on? Allow me to destroy him, and your hope along with him!" From the way he spoke, destroying Patriarch Reliance would be incredibly easy for him.

Actually, from his point of view, destroying a Spirit Severing Cultivator truly was a simple matter. In fact, normally speaking, Naruto could not have stood up to him for even half a moment. The only reason he could was that the 10th Wang patriarch needed to be very careful not to kill him. If he killed him, it would be impossible to steal his Dao foundation.

Truth be told, the Wang Patriarch had many Daoist magics that could easily destroy everything in sight.

"I am a Patriarch of the Wang Clan. An ancestor of the Clan invented three finger attacks, two of which have since become lost arts. However, the Extermination Finger is still being passed down via legacy." With that, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch waved his finger in the air. It seemed to possess the power of extermination; the life force of all living things instantly began to wither under the power of the finger attack.

Naruto's eyes flickered as he sensed his own life force rapidly fading.

A cold light suddenly appeared in his eyes as he fell back yet again. Having just gained enlightenment regarding the vibration technique, a hundred vibrations instantly appeared within him, locking down his life force so that the withering effect was instantly slowed down.

"Now is not the time to leave," thought Naruto, countless thoughts racing through his mind. "I need to wait a bit longer, until the fight between old turtle Reliance and the Wang Clan bastard reaches the peak. When the true flames of fury flare, that is the time to flee." The entire reason he had stayed on Saint's Island was to attack the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch here, and use Patriarch Reliance's power to destroy him, thus giving himself a way out of his current crisis.

Guyiding Tri-rain stood next to him, a serious look on her face. As for the

Boat Spirit, his eyes shone brightly as he stood protectively off to the side.

Because of the transformations occurring in Heaven and Earth, and the quaking of Saint's Island, the experts of the Footloose Sect sped over as fast as possible. They knew that they were flying into danger, but the rules of the Footloose Sect were very strict. Seniority was the most important thing of all. If the Patriarch was in battle, then it didn't matter that they couldn't match up to him, unless he specifically ordered them away, they were required to come.

Most nervous of all was the Nascent Soul Cultivator down below, the one who had tried to rob Naruto. He was shaking violently, and his eyes were as wide as saucers. Everything that was happening caused him to breath rapidly. His mind spun, and he had lost the ability to even think. It didn't matter if it was Naruto, Patriarch Reliance, or the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, none of them were people that he could even come into contact with. To the Nascent Soul Cultivator, getting involved in this conflict was clearly the most unlucky thing that had ever happened to him in in his entire life.

Heaven and Earth were sinking into extermination. The finger attack of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch caused the entire world to turn gray. The only thing that had color was the Wang Clan Patriarch himself.

The finger descended, and the world shook.

Patriarch Reliance's eyebrows shot up, and he performed an incantation with his right hand. Instantly, Demonic Qi swept out.

"What dog crap Extermination Finger are you talking about?!" he said. "The Patriarch has never heard of any such thing. Demonic Art, Heaven and Earth Cleaving!" Patriarch Reliance also waved a finger. From the look of it, his fingernail became the Heaven, and the flesh of the finger became the Earth. As for the tip of the finger, it transformed into something that looked like a sharp blade which could cleave both Heaven and Earth.

Both finger attacks slammed into each other in mid-air.

BOOM!

The massive explosion caused the Nascent Soul Cultivator down below to cough up blood as he was sent spinning backward. Naruto fell back, his eyes glittering as he saw the plants around him rapidly wilting and drying up. As for Patriarch Reliance, starting with his extended finger, his entire body began to shrivel.

In the blink of an eye, his hair had fallen off, and his entire body was emaciated. He almost looked like a desiccated corpse. Then, a pop could be heard as he exploded, transforming into countless dots of light that floated away.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's expression was the same as ever. He seemed to have utmost confidence in his finger attack just now.

"That's who you were relying on?" he asked coolly. He looked over at Naruto with eyes full of ridicule.

Naruto's expression was calm. Next to him, Guyiding Tri-rain's expression was similar. This caused the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch to gape in shock. He obviously could tell that something was not quite right. Just as he was about to take a step forward, a shocking roar suddenly filled the air.

"Dammit! This bastard actually dared to extinguish the Patriarch's clone!?" Instantly, a pulsing cloud of steam appeared out of nowhere, which gradually reformed back into the shape of Patriarch Reliance.

This new Patriarch Reliance's Cultivation base was a bit weaker than before. As soon as he appeared, his rage boiled up into the sky, and a demented gleam appeared in his eyes. He instantly shot forward.

"With me here," he roared, "nobody can kill that little bas… er, ahem, nobody can kill Naruto!"

If he hadn't spoken such words, then Naruto wouldn't have taken anything to be amiss. However, as soon as the words left his mouth, Naruto's heart started to pound with fear, and his face flickered. He absolutely did not believe that Patriarch Reliance would utter such words and truly mean them.

"Dammit, what technique has the old turtle come up with to get out of the Demon Seal…?

"It must have something to do with the words he just spoke. Don't tell me that whatever technique he's using can actually get out of having to fight here?" Naruto was no longer the unseasoned Cultivator he had been long ago. After everything he had experienced, he had long since honed his powers of reasoning. Based on Patriarch Reliance's words just now, he could obviously pick up on some clues as to what was going on.

Even as Naruto's mind was racing with countless thoughts, Patriarch Reliance neared and then stood between him and the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. He flicked his sleeve.

"Naruto, get out of here!" he said, then charged once more toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

Naruto shivered and then began to pant slightly. The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch gave a cold snort and took a step forward, then once again attacked with his Extermination Finger.

As before, the finger attack caused everything to turn gray, and all life to be destroyed. Patriarch Reliance lifted his head up and let out an indignant howl.

"Life is to be treasured! Promises are even more eternal! I am Patriarch Reliance, and I promised to be Naruto's Dao Protector! Even if I am torn into a thousand pieces, I will abide by my promise!"

Seemingly completely unafraid of death, Patriarch Reliance charged forward. He seemed to prefer to die in battle to block the momentum of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. As he charged forward, he performed an incantation gesture, unleashing a Demonic art as he fearlessly attacked.

Anyone who was watching would definitely feel the complete and utter valiance on display. Giving up one's life to keep a promise; such were the actions of a true man!

However, Naruto understood Patriarch Reliance all too well. He knew that the damned old turtle would never act like this. Sweat began to pour down his forehead as a very bad feeling filled his heart.

Without hesitation, he cast aside his previous plan and began to flee in the opposite direction. Guyiding Tri'rain looked at fleeing Naruto, and then back at Patriarch Reliance as he seemed to face death unflinchingly. Then she sighed.

BANG!

Under the power of the Extermination Finger, Patriarch Reliance's body withered rapidly and then collapsed into pieces.

However, at the same time, a roar suddenly could be heard. The mist formed together again, once more turning into Patriarch Reliance. Yet again, he risked death to block the way of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

"I can die with no regrets, but Naruto… must not die!" cried Patriarch

Reliance. "That is my promise from years ago!"

A strange glow appeared in the eyes of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch as he looked at Patriarch Reliance.

"So, a promise truly can give rise to someone so brave as to use their own essence to come back to life in this way!" From the perspective of the Wang Clan Patriarch, Patriarch Reliance must be drawing on the essence of his true self to return to life.

To Cultivators of his realm, one's essence was the most prized of all possessions. Wasting it could lead to severe injury that would be difficult to recover from. It truly was extremely precious.

A look of respect appeared in the eyes of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. He suddenly realized that if this Patriarch Reliance were a member of his own Clan, then he would definitely make an excellent guard.

Naruto was cursing inwardly. By now, he had realized exactly what Patriarch Reliance was doing. Currently, Naruto employed all the speed he could muster to flee, although he wished he could move thousands of times faster.

"Hahaha!" thought Patriarch Reliance. "It turns out this method is working after all. The Patriarch is the most intelligent yet again! The Demon Seal only requires that I become a Dao Protector. Dao Protector, huh. That just means protecting! And the true meaning of Dao is to temper oneself. Therefore, the identity of a Dao Protector doesn't mean I have to prevent the little bastard from dying. All I have to do is protect him a bit. If any accidents happen, as long as I'm trying hard, then it won't matter.

"And I'm already trying hard! This might just be a clone, but I did have to expend some essence, right?! As for the Demon Seal, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Hahaha! The Patriarch is far too intelligent!

"This time, it won't count as defying the Demon Seal!" Patriarch Reliance felt quite proud of himself. On the outside, though, he looked furious. He seemed to be going all out to block the way of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. Once again, his body withered and then collapsed.

The next time he appeared, he was even weaker than before. By now, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was truly in admiration of Patriarch Reliance's loyalty. This time, when Patriarch Reliance's body withered away, the Wang Clan Patriarch didn't wait for it to reform before shooting off to pursue Naruto.

When Patriarch Reliance reappeared, he was extremely weak. In fact, his body was so shapeless that the illusory image of his true self could actually be seen.

He now looked like a fearsome turtle, who stood there watching as the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch chased after Naruto.

His expression one of incredible grief and indignation, Patriarch Reliance shouted, "Don't kill him! Kill me instead!" Inside, Patriarch was laughing up a storm, but on the outside, his eyes were bloodshot. He lifted his head up to roar, and then offered pursuit.

"Kill me, okay?! I have to keep my promise even if I die. Don't kill him! I'm not just his Dao Protector, I'm his Patriarch! He is the highest ranking disciple in the Footloose Sect next to me! He is my equal, the future and hope of the Footloose Sect. You are not permitted to kill him!"

"Shameless!" growled Naruto through clenched teeth. Without hesitation, he pulled out the good luck charm and was about to press down on it hard, when suddenly…

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch turned his head. There, he saw Patriarch Reliance, looking both complacent and indignant. He was in turtle form now, and his eyes glowed with a strange light.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was moved. "I've seen many Demon beasts in my life, but this is definitely… the most loyal one I've ever encountered!"

Vol. 5 : Chapter 646

Chapter 646: I'll Give You Some Good Fortune!

In order to create the most realistic act, Patriarch Reliance filled his roars with incredible power. Everyone on the island, including the Cultivators of the Footloose Sect, could hear him clearly.

Their faces all flickered with various emotions. The people near the battlefield didn't dare to get too close. Their expressions were that of shock, and they were panting.

"Naruto? Who's that? It sounds like he's really important in the

Footloose Sect!"

"What kind of person would the Patriarch risk his life to protect? He must be the hope of the whole Footloose Sect! He can't die!"

"Naruto? I remember! He was an Inner Sect disciple of the Reliance

Sect! The Patriarch was right! He's the highest ranking member of our Sect next to the Patriarch!" The astonished Cultivators immediately committed Patriarch Reliance's words to heart, engraving them there to remember always.

Actually, Patriarch Reliance's words were filled with such realistic emotion that even he was starting to believe them. Tears appeared in his eyes as he roared out. It was at this point that the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch stopped in mid-air, his eyes wide with shock.

"Why aren't you chasing him?" said Patriarch Reliance, blinking. He was now far larger than the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, and had inserted himself between him and Naruto. He glared angrily. "Kill me, and then you can pass!"

Patriarch Reliance was now fully immersed in the game. To him, it was actually quite fun, and when he spoke, his voice burst with incredible power.

"With me here, nobody can hurt Naruto!" roared Patriarch Reliance.

Of course, inwardly, he was laughing. He wanted the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch to strike him down as quickly as possible, and then go take care of the little bastard. Then he himself would finally be freed.

However, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch didn't seem to have any intention of chasing Naruto. From his perspective, there was no way for Naruto to truly escape; he would catch him sooner or later. However, the Demon beast in front of him was something quite rare.

In fact, it was rare enough that the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch couldn't possibly let it go!

"What an incredible, loyal Demon beast," he said slowly. "In all my life, I've never seen anything like it!" The admiration in his eyes grew stronger as he looked at Patriarch Reliance, nodding and smiling. "For a Demon beast like this to follow that child is a real pity. Demon turtle, I am the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. Are you willing to be my follower? If so, then from now on, you will be the Divine Beast Dao Protector of the Wang Clan!

"The day I achieve Immortal Ascension, I will bring you with me into the Heavens!"

Naruto was just about to press down on the good luck charm when he heard the words of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. He stopped in place and looked back. When he saw the scene, and especially the trembling Patriarch Reliance, he wanted to laugh out loud.

He knew Patriarch Reliance, and that he most valued his freedom. In order to get rid of Naruto, Patriarch Reliance might be able to forget about some other matters, but as for his freedom… talking about that was one good way to really piss him off!

"I never imagined it would play out this way," thought Naruto. "But I like it. Come on, be a bit more realistic, you old turtle. Keep up the act, I want to see more!"

Patriarch Reliance stared with wide eyes for a moment, and then his heart began to pound. He felt like he was about to explode; madness suddenly surged through his mind.

"What did you just say? What did you call me?" He almost couldn't believe that someone would try to turn him into a guard beast. Actually, this was the second time such a humiliation had occurred to him since he grew up.

The first time had been at the hands of the League of Demon Sealers.

To Patriarch Reliance, the level of irritation this caused him exceeded anything else in the world. His body began to tremble and distort, and it was only because of the little bit of rationality left that he was able to suppress his rage.

"You're not pleased, little Demon turtle?" said the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, his face sinking. He had offered this Demon turtle a rare, moving opportunity. Normally speaking, considering his temper, he would have just instantly killed it.

"Fudge! YOU'RE the Demon turtle!" roared Patriarch Reliance. "Everyone in your whole Wang Clan are all Demon turtles, and you're the bastard son of a turtle! Do you really dare to try to make me your security guard!?" Moments later, though, he inwardly urged himself to just hold on a little bit longer. All he had to do was hold on, and then great good fortune would come his way.

By this point, though, his body had grown incredibly blurry. Furthermore, his real body was actually trembling some, causing huge waves to surge out on the sea, along with echoing rumbling sounds.

"Well, it's beyond your control," said the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, his voice cool. "If you're willing, good. If you're not willing, it doesn't matter. When I make a decision, nobody can change it. I'll put some restrictive spells on you, and then from now on, you'll be the Demon turtle of my Wang Clan!" Apparently, he felt his own words to be the will of Heaven, like laws and statutes that couldn't be broken.

Naruto was going wild with joy, and almost started laughing out loud.

He knew that currently, he could leave at any time he wished. Besides, if Patriarch Reliance couldn't endure through all this, then Naruto didn't mind facing a bit of danger just to be able to see that happen.

As the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch spoke, he raised his right hand and performed an incantation. Instantly, thousands of restrictive spell symbols appeared in mid-air. They circulated around in the area to form a huge net, which then shot toward the illusory, turtle-form Patriarch Reliance.

Patriarch Reliance's body was blurry, but it was still possible to see how furious he was. His panting sounded like explosions, and his fury… finally reached the point of detonation!

His eyes were wide; earlier, he had done everything he could to hold back his rage. But now, he couldn't suppress even a tiny bit of it. In the blink of an eye… his fury exploded!

Thunderous booming sounds echoed out in all directions as Patriarch

Reliance lifted his head up and let out an unprecedented howl of rage!

"AAARRGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!" In this moment, he didn't care about Naruto or the Demon Sealing Sect. All he cared about was the towering rage he felt from being offended in such a way.

Such overt humiliation made him think back to how he had felt being restricted by the League of Demon Sealers. It was like an old wound had been ripped open. Patriarch Reliance's rage filled his mind, and he roared again.

"Dammit! Dammit….

"The League of Demon Sealers is one thing, but you, tiny child, you actually dare to humiliate the Patriarch!?"

Patriarch Reliance was so immersed in his rage that he completely forgot about the act from before. His eyes were bright red, and the entirety of Saint's Island was shaking violently. The land quaked, as if some enormous creature were waking up beneath it.

The surrounding seawater was covered with massive, roaring waves, as if the sea in the area was about to explode.

Far beneath Saint's Island, deep in the blackness of the sea, something like two oil lamps suddenly appeared. They were bloodshot, and filled with madness, the madness instigated by old wounds being ripped open.

It was a madness stemming from humiliation.

BOOM!

Huge fissures ripped open in the land. The sky grew dark, wild colors flashed about, and the sea raged. All of these sudden changes caused the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's face to fall.

However, before he could even make a single move, an aura exploded up from deep within the sea. The aura was filled with intense rage, and as soon as it appeared, it caused even the air to be shredded. It seemed as if Saint's Island were being ripped out from the very world.

As soon as the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch sensed the aura, his face completely filled with shock. He immediately took a deep breath and then flew up into the air, his face pale.

"Immortal!" he said, his voice faint.

"This is the aura of an Immortal!

"Demonic Qi like an Immortal. This is the will of a Demon Immortal!"

A deep, growling voice could suddenly be heard from within the ground, causing the earth to shake and mountains to tremble. "You actually dare to call the Patriarch a Demon turtle? You actually dare try to make me your security guard!"

The voice came up from the ground and from within the sea. The seawater churned and seethed and began to spin around Saint's Island until it transformed into a huge vortex.

"You actually dare to try to put restrictive spells on me! Are you… worthy?!"

BOOM!

The sea exploded up, causing water to shower about in all directions. A huge force seemed to shoot up into the sky, and at the same time, a gargantuan head became visible within the sheets of water. It stretched out to blot out the entire sky. Its shadow was so huge that it could obstruct both the sun and the moon. It covered over everything!

It was the colossal head of a vicious turtle, its skin covered with wrinkles. It was pitch black and terrifying, and when it opened its mouth, sharp, yellow teeth could be seen. And then there were the eyes, which seemed blurry at first, but then clearly radiated intense fury and rage.

This was… the head of Patriarch Reliance's real body!

An indescribable energy pulsed out from Patriarch Reliance. His aura emanated out, causing all living things to tremble with fear. Up in midair, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch slowly forced himself to turn around. Then he saw the indescribably gigantic head filling the entire sky.

He gaped, and his mind filled with a roaring sound. His eyes went wide, filled with an expression of astonished disbelief.

He suddenly understood why his opponent could so frivolously waste its essence. It was because, its essence… was incredibly, astonishingly vast….

"You…." stammered the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, his scalp going numb. For years, he had swept across Planet Ninshu, but he had never seen a shocking, terrifying Demon beast like this.

"You want the Patriarch to be your security guard?" raged Patriarch

Reliance. The sound of his voice was like thunder, filled with madness. Countless mountains on Saint's Island collapsed, and huge waves rolled out across the sea.

The Wang Clan Patriarch staggered backward several paces. Patriarch Reliance's roar just now caused him to cough up a huge mouthful of blood. His face was pale white.

Panting, he thought back to what he had said about making his opponent a guard. Then he took a deep breath. Obviously, he had absolutely no qualifications whatsoever to try to make a Demon Immortal act as a guard.

"Senior, please calm your anger," he said quickly, continuing to back up.

"This is all just a big misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding my flipping ass!" roared Patriarch Reliance. The echo of his roar sounded back and forth, causing the sea itself to roar, making it sound like there were countless Patriarch Reliances all roaring at the same time. But then he said, "Allow the Patriarch to bestow you with some good fortune!"

This was the second time that Naruto had seen Patriarch Reliance's real body. It was as shocking now as it had been before. Suddenly, he thought back to how he had vented his spleen on Patriarch Reliance in the Demon Immortal Pagoda, and he felt a little scared. But then he remembered that he could restrain Patriarch Reliance with the Demon Sealing Scripture, and he felt a bit calmer.

It was at this point that Naruto heard the words 'good fortune,' and his eyes began to shine brightly. He quickly began to back up; he knew that now was the time for him to make his exit.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Tommy Tea, Brett Flowers, Beau Greene,

Fabian Müller, and Stefica Hoff

Vol. 5 : Chapter 647

Chapter 647: Patriarch Naruto

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was momentarily stunned by the mention of 'good fortune.' Roaring, Patriarch Reliance's gargantuan head shot toward him at incredible speed.

He moved so fast that ghost images sprang up, and the air itself cracked.

BANG!

Rage flared up in the eyes of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. Blood sprayed out of his mouth, and a glittering shield sprang up. However, cracking sounds echoed out, and it began to shatter into small pieces. His face went pale, and he started performing a double-handed incantation, calling the wind and summoning the rain. Instantly, magical power swirled around him, and an incredible magical art shot toward Patriarch Reliance. The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch coughed up more blood and sped backward, having narrowly escaped complete catastrophe.

His mind was overcome with terror; after reaching Spirit Severing, he had never encountered anything that he had feared. That was not to mention his position after reaching Dao Seeking. In all of the lands of South Heaven, he was afraid of nothing; even the idea of doublecrossing the Hebi Clan didn't get him scared.

Now, though, he was afraid. He fled without even the slightest bit of hesitation, at the same time producing several dozen magical items. Each of these magical items could be considered a treasure of great value. He had spent years collecting them all. Unleashing them caused a bright light to shine out and swirl around his body as he fled.

However, Patriarch Reliance's eyes flashed with killing intent. His head shrank back, but then shot out again as fast as lightning.

A bloodcurdling scream echoed out from the mouth of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. This time, he couldn't dodge. His precious treasures were destroyed, and a crunching sound could be heard as half of his body was crushed and ripped away by Patriarch Reliance.

His scream was matchlessly desolate. The Wang Patriarch continued to try to escape with the remaining half of his body. He was clearly in an unprecedentedly horrific and terrible situation.

Blood sprayed about in all directions, and Naruto's eyes glittered. Without stopping to even look back, he waved his arm, causing some of the blood to swirl over to him. Then he continued off into the distance.

Behind him, Patriarch Reliance wasn't finished venting. Even as his head shot once more toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, he sensed that Naruto was getting further and further away. However, his rage did not lessen. Instead, it boiled up from his insides. He instantly changed directions, moving like a bolt of lightning to suddenly appear right next to Naruto. His enormous mouth opened as if he were about to consume him.

In that instant of malice, though, layers of restrictive spells flared up around him. Countless magical symbols could be seen, connected together like chains that glittered with bright light. They covered Patriarch Reliance's entire body, no matter how he strained against them. Even his shell was affected; cracks spread out, as if he were about to be crushed alive.

The pain caused Patriarch Reliance to let out a miserable cry. His head shot back and he glared hatefully at Naruto.

"Nothing good ever happens when I run into you!" roared Patriarch Reliance.

"One of these days, Naruto's turtle is gonna beg for me to ride him!" Naruto shot back hatefully, looking over his shoulder coldly at Patriarch Reliance as he continued to shoot off into the distance.

Naruto's words seemed to move Patriarch Reliance inwardly. His eyes turned bright red, and he slipped further into madness. However, he didn't try to consume Naruto again. The glowing chains could still be seen on him, causing his entire body to be wracked with pain. The rage inside of him was impossible to describe. Being incapable of doing anything to kill Naruto, all he could do was flash back toward the the Wang Clan Patriarch to continue to vent his anger.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was scared out of his mind. Even in his wildest dreams, he could never have imagined that he would run into a Demon Immortal in this place. It completely exceeded his understanding of Planet Ninshu.

"This is impossible! How could there be a Demon Immortal in the lands of South Heaven?! Dammit! The Hebi Clan is completely useless! How could they permit a Demon Immortal to hide in the Milky Way Sea!?" By this point, having lost half of his body, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch knew deep inside that he was going to die. There was no way that he could flee a Demon Immortal.

"Damnable Naruto! First, the kid pulls out an Immortal's sword to kill my clone, and now he has a Dao Protector like this! Just how lucky can one person be?!" The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch almost felt as if he couldn't accept it. But then, he realized that perhaps it was because Naruto had such luck that he was able to form the Perfect Dao foundation.

"Thankfully, this is only a clone. Granted, it's a flesh and blood clone, and I'll sustain some damage when it dies. However, I don't have any other options right now…. Well then, if I'm going to die, I'll go out fighting this Demon Immortal!" A bright light appeared in his eyes as Patriarch Reliance's head closed in on him. With a roar, the Wang Clan Patriarch spun around and began to perform an incantation.

Naruto was fleeing at high speed. He was going so fast that he barely had time to clasp hands and bow to Guyiding Tri'rain off in the distance. As of now, Naruto's plan had succeeded, and now all that was on his mind was to get away.

Patriarch Reliance's head was now far away from Naruto. He was enraged, and also frustrated. Whenever he encountered Naruto, nothing good happened. The first time, he had been forced to leave with the State of Zhao. Now, he had been humiliated into taking action.

The feeling of vexation only served to kindle his fury. Patriarch Reliance felt the overwhelming desire to vent his rage, so it was with intense killing intent that he shot toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

Booming sounds echoed out along with miserable shrieks. Naruto didn't stop for even a moment. He shot forward at the highest possible speed, transforming into a beam of colorful light. It only took the space of a few dozen breaths for him to reach the border of the sea.

Up ahead were some disciples of the Footloose Sect. When they saw

Naruto, they were instantly shaken inwardly. There were a couple Cultivators among their number who actually recognized Naruto from his time back in the State of Zhao.

"Greetings, Patriarch Naruto!" they said, clasping hands and bowing deeply.

Seeing their actions caused the others to realize that the person in front of them was none other than Naruto, the person their Patriarch was risking his life to protect. This was the person whose seniority was highest in the entire Sect, second only to the Patriarch himself. Of course, because their Cultivation bases were not high enough, they had no way to know about the matter of Patriarch Reliance trying to consume Naruto.

Furthermore, in the Footloose Sect, nothing was more important than matters of seniority. It was built into the Sect rules, and had long since been imprinted deeply in their hearts, and was something that no one would dare to defy. To see Naruto and not immediately bow would be far too excessive.

"Greetings, Patriarch Naruto!" said the group, all of them clasping hands and bowing. Naruto's eyes glittered, and a smile appeared on his face. He nodded to the group as he shot past them.

When Patriarch Reliance saw this happening, he very nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood, and his rage burned even higher than before. He felt as if he had just hoisted up a rock to crush Naruto, only to drop the rock on his own foot. His act from before had been completely convincing to all of the surrounding disciples, leaving them shocked and amazed. It only took a short time for Naruto's name to be spread around the entire area.

"Nothing good ever happens to me around Naruto! DAMMIT!" His rage rocketing to unprecedented heights, Patriarch Reliance bit toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, to begin the torment.

Naruto had originally planned to leave, but then he stopped. He considered the act Patriarch Reliance had put on, the relationship between the two of them, as well as the two displays of killing intent just now. Then he decided to pull a quick little con. He turned back to the Footloose Sect disciples.

"Take out all your Spirit Stones and give them to me," he said. "Later,

Patriarch Footloose will repay you a hundredfold! Don't worry, Patriarch Footloose is willing to give up his life for me, do you really think he cares about some trifling Spirit Stones?" As he spoke, he imbued his voice with his Cultivation base, causing his words to echo about throughout the entirety of Saint's Island.

When Patriarch Reliance heard the words, his anger burned even hotter.

He looked at the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch in front of him, gasping on the verge of death, and had half a mind to go after Naruto once again and try to kill him. However, he knew that if he did that, he would be restrained by the restrictive spells. Furthermore, if he spoke up to contradict Naruto, then it would be a huge loss of face, and people would suspect his previous actions. Right now, Naruto's words were echoing in the ears of the Footloose Sect members throughout Saint's Island; it seemed that in the future, Patriarch Reliance would have no choice but to pay back the Spirit Stones for Naruto.

"Hmph!" he said, comforting himself. "How many Spirit Stones could a few trifling disciples have? Who cares if I have to pay them back a hundredfold! My spit is worth more than that!" With that, he jerked his head to the side. The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, who was currently clasped viciously in his jaw, let out a miserable shriek.

The group of Cultivators stared in shock at Naruto, then produced their bags of holding and gave him all the Spirit Stones therein. These were all Footloose Sect disciples with extraordinary Cultivation bases. They had quite a collection of Spirit Stones numbering in the tens of thousands. Naruto nodded happily as he collected them all together.

"I accept your 100,000 Spirit Stones!" said Naruto loudly, his voice echoing throughout Saint's Island. "Make sure to keep ahold of this receipt!" He quickly tossed out a jade slip, then shot off into the distance.

The group gaped in astonishment. They had clearly handed over less than 50,000 Spirit Stones. How could it have suddenly turned into 100,000? After a moment, their eyes began to glitter as they realized that Naruto had blessed them with good fortune. Their hearts filed with joy, and they all bowed deeply to Naruto's retreating figure.

"We bid you respectful adieu, Patriarch Naruto!"

Patriarch Reliance heard their words, and began to tremble. Then he let out an indignant bellow.

"NARUTO!"

"Patriarch, there's no need to escort me away!" cried back Naruto. "Disciple will take his leave now. Patriarch, you risked your life for me, leaving disciple very moved! I won't put you to any more inconvenience!" By this point, he had flown off of Saint's Island and was over the sea. Further back, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's clone was a mass of blood and gore. He let out a final bloodcurdling screech, and then was shredded into pieces and then swallowed by Patriarch Reliance.

Patriarch Reliance's head swiveled to glare hatefully at Naruto's retreating figure. After a long moment, he lifted his head up and roared. Massive waves seethed on the sea, forming into huge vortex formed. It swept around Saint's Island, and, to the shock and alarm of everyone, caused the entire island to speed away with incredible speed.

Wind swept about, and waves crashed. In the blink of an eye, not even a shadow of the island remained. The only thing remaining on the sea was Naruto, floating in mid-air.

Meanwhile, back in the Wang Clan in the Southern Domain….

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's true self lay in the coffin in his tomb underneath the mountains. He suddenly opened his eyes and then coughed up a mouthful of blood. He sat up, and as he did, his aged figure grew even older. He became more withered, and his aura was thrown into chaos and disorder.

His archaic, wrinkled face was pale as he grasped the side of the coffin. He looked up, and within his pupils appeared an intense, venomous hatred.

After a long moment passed, his eyes glittered.

"So, there is enmity between that Patriarch Reliance and Naruto. He attacked him twice… but was unable to destroy him because of the restrictive spells.

"The only reason he attacked me was because I accidentally offended him.

"In turn, that means that he won't be helping Naruto a second time.

"Next time…. Next time I catch up with him, will be the day Naruto loses his Dao foundation!" The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch breathed heavily as a cold glow appeared in his eyes.

Vol. 5 : Chapter 648

Chapter 648: Third Ring Stormwind Divide

The Milky Way Sea was split up into four rings, outside of which was the Outer Sea, and area mostly made up of small islands occupied by various Cultivator Clans. Among such Clans, the strongest Cultivators were of the Core Formation stage.

To them, the Fourth Ring was an incredibly dangerous place, populated not only by thieves and murderers, but also filled with ferocious sea beasts. In addition, there were powerful Sects and Clans.

Some of those Sects and Clans were led by Nascent Soul Cultivators, which made the whole place very dangerous. However, everyone knew that it was not impossible to scrape out some good fortune there, much like the Zhang Clan had.

Of course, to the Cultivators in the Fourth Ring, the Third Ring… was like a forbidden zone filled with both danger and opportunity!

Any who entered the Third Ring without being in the Nascent Soul stage did so at great risk to their lives. Even Nascent Soul Cultivators could die easily in the Third Ring if luck wasn't with them. That was because the Third Ring was filled with inordinate amounts of sea beasts.

Despite that, there were still many Cultivators who attempted to get into the Third Ring. In fact, there were even some experts who made their home there.

What attracted Cultivators to such a place of profound danger was none other than the potential profits there!

The sea beasts there were known as Sea Demons, and their hearts were considered precious treasures. They were objects similar to Spirit Stones, and served a similar function. A single Demon heart was superior to a low-grade Spirit Stone, and in fact was more similar to a mid-grade Spirit Stone in terms of quality.

There were even some hearts from especially powerful Sea Demons that… could compare to high-grade Spirit Stones. Such things were valuable treasures that no Cultivator could afford to ignore.

After all, the Milky Way Sea had no Spirit Stone quarries, and thus, no way to even produce Spirit Stones. Considering how valuable Cultivators viewed Spirit Stones, it was no wonder that Demon hearts quickly became a trade item in the Milky Way Sea.

In fact, there were even some precious items that could only be acquired by purchasing them with Demon hearts!

In order to acquire Demon hearts, one had to enter the Third Ring and take some risks to earn a chance for good fortune. Of course, the powerful Sea Demons there had fierce and savage dispositions, and regarded all Cultivators with extreme hostility. The two were as incompatible as fire and water!

Even still, there was no way to prevent the thirst of Milky Way Sea Cultivators for Demon hearts!

Many, many tales were told in the Milky Way Sea about people who had struck it rich overnight in the Third Ring. Therefore, throughout the years, countless Cultivators had come to brave the almost certain death of the Third Ring.

Naruto was well aware of this, thanks to the information provided him in the jade slip from the Zhang Clan. Although it didn't contain a wealth of details, there was enough of an introduction for Naruto to gain a basic understanding.

Currently, in a particular part of the Fourth Ring of the Milky Way Sea, a beam of light screamed through the air, causing the seawater below to seethe and churn.

A man could be seen, wearing a green robe, his long, gray hair whipping in the wind. He looked young, but also emanated a faint, archaic air.

His eyes were like stars, and his features were handsome. He looked somewhat like a scholar. This was of course, Naruto.

He was now a month away from Saint's Island. The entire time, he had sped along across the surface of the Milky Way Sea, during which time he had come to a much greater understanding of the entire area.

Currently, his eyes glittered brightly as he proceeded forward, thinking all the while.

"It might not have been the true self of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch that died. It would be great if it was his true self, but if not… then I only have a temporary respite from danger. It won't be too long before I'm in another deadly crisis."

Naruto continued to think as he proceeded onward. The parrot flew nearby. Occasionally, it would dive down into the water and then shoot up again off in the distance. It was clearly having a lot of fun.

Naruto pulled out the jade slip given to him by Zhang Wenfang and closely examined it yet again.

"A never-ending tempest exists between the Fourth and Third Rings," he thought. "It's a windstorm that can shred anything alive. It's like a huge divide that prevents anyone from entering the Third Ring…." The map in the jade slip portrayed the sea, and not much else from the Fourth Ring. It was already relatively useless to Naruto.

His body flashed as he continued on into the deeper regions of the Milky Way Sea.

"Although I don't have a map, the Milky Way Sea is arranged in ring-like areas. All I have to do is keep going deeper." He increased his speed, and the parrot went faster to keep up.

Time continued to pass. Soon, it was two months later.

Naruto was shocked by how large the Fourth Ring was. He had been flying for three months, although he hadn't gone nonstop. Occasionally, he would catch sight of islands populated by various Sects and Clans.

These were groups who had inhabited the Milky Way Sea for generations, and were quite knowledgeable about the area. Considering the level of Naruto's Cultivation base, it was a simple matter for him to acquire maps from such groups. It didn't take long before he had a thorough outline of the entire Fourth Ring area.

In addition, he also learned a bit about the Third Ring.

"There are three Saints in the Third Ring!

"The so-called Three Saints are three Spirit Severing Cultivators who lead three Sects. The Sea Divinity Sect, the Flying Immortal Sect, and the Sun Soul Society!

"Those three Sects determine who is allowed to enter the Third Ring. In addition, they built three Sea Cities in different locations surrounding the Third Ring, where people have to pass through on their way in and out. Anyone who wants to go in must pay a certain amount of Spirit Stones. Furthermore, anyone who leaves must also pay Spirit Stones, based on how long they stayed inside…." Naruto floated there in mid-air thinking about the information gleaned from the jade slip he held in his hand.

"Those three Sea Cities all possess a special method for bringing people in and out of the tempest safely.

"According to the rumors, there wasn't always a tempest surrounding the Third Ring. Supposedly, the ancestors of the Three Saints joined forces to summon it. Then, successive generations of descendants were able to pass through it.

"The three Sects have vast resources, and tens of thousands of members. For unknown reasons, each Sect only produces a single Spirit

Severing expert. However, because of their deep resources, even Dao

Seeking Cultivators would think twice before tangling with them."

Naruto's eyes glittered as he put the jade slip away. After some thought, he decided not to head toward one of the three Sea Cities. Instead, he would use the maps he had acquired to make his way directly through the hurricane.

"If the Wang Patriarch is truly not dead, then getting into the Third Ring via the Sea Cities would leave behind a trail that he could follow. The best method will be to force my way through on my own!

"That way, the three Sects won't have any record of me. Even if the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch comes looking for me, with my altered aura, it will be difficult for him, at least temporarily." Having made his decision, Naruto flared his aura and shot forward at top speed.

A few days later, a gray mass of storm winds appeared up ahead.

Rumbling sounds emanated out, and the closer he got, the more the storm winds resembled a huge wall that stretched up into the Heavens. It was ring-shaped, and seemed to have no end; it stretched off as far as the eye could see.

Fog pulsed in and out, along with howling, screaming sounds. It almost seemed as if devils and fiends lurked inside, waiting to stop any Cultivators who entered, and preventing any Sea Demons from charging out.

"According to the information from the jade slip, though, the Fourth Ring also has Sea Demons. That just goes to show that the storm winds might be powerful, but do contain weak spots." He hovered outside of the storm winds, his hair flying around him, his clothes whipping violently.

Inside the storm winds, lightning crackled. As for the seawater in the area, it seemed to be divided. Although waves surged outside the tempest, they were incapable of entering inside. They could only crash on the outside, which caused the whole area to be filled with an almost permanent blanket of rain.

Naruto examined it for a moment, then looked down at the surface of the sea. His eyes glittered for a moment, and then he rotated his Cultivation base. Soon, the surface of the sea began to grow transparent to his eyes, allowing him to see into the world underneath.

What he saw was that the storm winds actually extended down into the sea. Although they didn't appear to interfere with the flow of the water, when Naruto extended his Divine Sense deep down, he could vaguely sense that there were shocking things in the water that he didn't dare to touch.

He pulled back his Divine Sense, then took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Currently, he fluctuated with only five portions of Cultivation base power inside of him. As time passed, he would slowly be able to fuse them together into one.

After adjusting his aura, Naruto's eyes opened, and they glowed with a light that made it seem as if he was prepared to take Heaven and Earth by force. His aura exploded up, and he entered the Ninth Anima.

Naruto's fleshly body hummed, and in the blink of an eye, reached the pinnacle of his power. A dreary expression of death covered his face, and the energy of his Cultivation base surged out with monstrous power. The air around him shattered and cracked, and any rain that fell near him was instantly pushed three hundred meters away.

Naruto took a deep breath. His body was like an arrow pulled tight against a bowstring. Suddenly, he shot forward; in the blink of an eye, he made contact with the storm winds. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, he entered in.

From a distance, the tempest looked like a vicious, primordial beast that opened its mouth and then swallowed up Naruto.

As soon as he entered the storm winds, he was battered by an intense force. Naruto's expression was the same as ever as he surged forward. Rumbling sounds could be heard as the fog up ahead seemed to be ripped apart. The sweeping wind also seemed to collapse.

They were completely incapable of doing anything to stop Naruto. His hair whipped around, but he didn't sustain even the slightest injury. Compared to the Underworld Wind he had experienced in the Demon Immortal Sect, this was almost nothing.

As he charged forward amidst the booming roars, the fog within the storm winds scattered and seethed. In a very short moment, Naruto had already traveled three thousand meters in.

He was surrounded by screaming winds and pitch blackness, interspersed with flashes of bright lightning. His face was expressionless as he proceeded forward relentlessly. His Spirit Severing fleshly body and terrifying Cultivation base made it possible for him to move further and further in.

Every time he breathed, countless bolts of lightning would shoot toward him. When they struck him, though, he would simply absorb them. If any outsider saw what was happening, they would surely be completely shocked

From ancient times to modern, few people had ever qualified to charge alone through these storm winds on the Milky Way Sea.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Alex Tsue

Vol. 5 : Chapter 649

Chapter 649: Spirits Hide in the Divide

"There's a trick to this Milky Way Sea Stormwind Divide," Naruto murmured. The winds screamed around him, and lightning crackled. The winds could flay any Nascent Soul Cultivator alive, and the lightning could reduce them to powder.

However, all the wind could do to Naruto was blow against his face. It couldn't shake him in the least. As for the lightning, it was like a tonic that helped his Cultivation base rotate a bit faster.

The parrot gripped his shoulder, also completely disdainful of the storm winds. Occasionally it would squawk and fly out into the winds with the meat jelly bell.

Anyone who saw this scene would certainly be astonished. In the entire Milky Way Sea, the only people who would dare to traverse the Stormwind Divide alone were Spirit Severing Cultivators.

And when it came to Spirit Severing Cultivators, there were only three in the Milky Way Sea.

Those were the Three Saints of the three Sects.

Other than those three, no one would dare to try to cross the Stormwind Divide.

The divide was actually huge. Naruto had proceeded forward with arms clasped behind his back for more than thirty thousand kilometers, and still had not emerged from the other side. As he continued onward, the winds raged, carrying whimpering sounds with them through the pitch black darkness. It sounded like countless demons and fiends were howling at him.

Lightning danced in sheets, sending rumbling booms out in all directions.

This was a place where Nascent Soul Cultivators fundamentally couldn't exist. Their fleshly bodies would be destroyed, their Nascent Souls shattered. However, to Naruto, none of it counted for anything.

Two hours later, Naruto had proceeded along even further, although he wasn't sure exactly how far. Within the darkness, the wind was like a sharp blade that forced him to slow down a bit. However, because of the strength of his fleshly body, he was still able to proceed onward.

He pushed through the storm winds for another day. They grew more and more astonishing, and lightning struck down everywhere. There were even flickering magical symbols that could be seen in the area. Naruto's eyes flickered when he felt the pressure exuding out from the magical symbols.

At first they were scarce, but the following day, Naruto couldn't help but frown and slow down. The magical symbols around him were no longer flickering, but rather, glowing brightly. Oftentimes, he would see ten or more magical symbols fused together to create spell formations.

At one point, he eyed one of the spell formation with flickering eyes.

"This spell formation could cause Spirit Severing Cultivators to tremble!" He did nothing to avoid it, but rather, allowed the magical symbol spell formation to touch him.

A boom rattled out, and his body trembled a bit, but he didn't retreat. A smile of confidence broke out on his face as the magical symbol spell formation collapsed into pieces right in front of him.

He brushed off his clothes and then continued onward. A few days later within the Stormwind Divide, Naruto's expression flickered. He transformed into a green smoke and shot past a collection of magical symbols that had been shooting toward him.

Rumbling echoed out; the magical symbols seemed to be imbued with a will that could exterminate anything in Heaven and Earth. As they passed by, Naruto noticed that the fog in the area dissipated slightly because of the domineering air cast about by the ball of magical symbols.

As the ball made its way off into the distance, it encountered other scattered magical symbols and appeared to consume them, absorbing them into itself.

"That thing was made up of hundreds of magical symbols!" A serious look appeared in his eyes. The spell formation made from hundreds of magical symbols caused him to feel a clear sense of menace. He wasn't even sure if he would be able to stand up to it were he hit.

"I really can't afford to underestimate this Stormwind Divide," he murmured. He sent his Divine Sense out as he proceeded forward.

Gradually, he saw more and more spell formations formed from hundreds of magical symbols. Eventually, they became commonplace, and soon, he caught sight of even bigger spell formations.

Those formations were formed from thousands of magical symbols, and no longer looked like simple spheres, but rather, were formed into the shape of magical items. He saw one that looked like a battle-ax sweeping about through the wind. Other spell formations made from hundreds of magical symbols avoided the battle-ax, and didn't dare to get anywhere near it.

The battle-ax was dozens of meters tall, and glittered brightly. A bleak, killing will spread out from it, as if it constantly desired slaughter.

Looking at it, it appeared completely beyond ordinary.

Naruto was able to sense a Spirit Severing aura on the battle-ax, which surprised him. A glow of interest could then be seen within his eyes.

"The magical symbols here are very intriguing. On an individual level, they aren't very powerful, but in groups of ten, they emit powerful pressure. Hundreds together are something Spirit Severing Cultivators wouldn't dare to touch, and when thousands coalesce….

"It emanates the aura of Spirit Severing, and is clearly like a Spirit

Severing Treasure!" Naruto was moved. Based on what he knew of cultivation, after reaching Spirit Severing, in addition to acquiring enlightenment regarding the Domain, one could also create a Spirit Severing Treasure.

This was done by fusing the will of the First Severing blade into a magical item, using the Nascent Divinity to nourish it, and then transforming it into the Spirit Severing Treasure. Such a magical item was created with life force, making it incredibly powerful.

Furthermore, the weakness or strength of the magical item upon its creation would determine the weakness or strength of its later form.

Naruto's eyes glittered, and he did nothing to evade it. After measuring it up for a moment, he lifted his right hand up to perform an incantation. The image of a mountain appeared above his hand, after which he pointed forward. The mountain rumbled out, heading directly toward the battle-ax shaped collection of hundreds of magical symbols.

As the mountain neared, the battle-ax did nothing to avoid it. When the mountain slammed into it, a huge boom could be heard, and the mountain collapsed. There was absolutely no change whatsoever to the battle-ax. However, it suddenly stopped in place, almost as if it had a spirit that was now staring in shock.

It was as if it possessed its own will, and was currently thinking about how nothing in its memory had ever dared to attack it.

Naruto frowned. The battle-ax was far more powerful than he could have imagined. It was in this moment that the battle-ax finally reacted; it instantly shot toward Naruto, blade first.

Furthermore, a black mist rose up around it, within which two eyes were visible, staring dead at Naruto. A furious rumbling sound emanated out from within the battle-ax as it sped toward him.

"Interesting," he said, smiling. His days spent traveling through the Stormwind Divide had actually been somewhat monotonous, so how could he shrink back from something intriguing like this?

Moments ago, he had just been testing it out. Now that the battle-ax was charging toward him, he suddenly lifted his right hand, causing the illusory image of a mountain thousands of meters tall to appear around him. He then waved both hands outward, causing the mountain to grow until it was 15,000 meters tall. Then, the battle-ax slammed into it.

A boom could be heard that resonated up into the sky. The fog in the area churned, and the sound echoed out into the far regions of the storm winds.

In fact, quite some distance away within the Stormwind Divide was a pitch-black ship that flew a pitch-black flag. As it proceeded through the storm winds, it emanated a bloody aura, as if the ship itself were filled with fresh blood.

Blood-colored magical symbols rose up from the blood, which, in combination with the sails of the ship, allowed it to proceed safely through the winds that would cause even Spirit Severing Cultivators to wince.

The wind could do nothing to the boat, and when the lightning neared it, it didn't hit the ship, but actually avoided it. Even the balls of magical symbols seemed shaken when they saw the ship, and would sink into dormancy.

There were a dozen or so Cultivators on the ship, pale-faced and panting as they looked out at the terrifying scene outside. Most of them were Nascent Soul Cultivators, with only a couple being of the Core Formation stage.

In charge of the ship were three old men. They wore haughty expressions, and would occasionally glance over at the other passengers with looks of scorn.

"What's all the fuss about?" said one of them. "We still have a long ways to go. There's at least six months of travel before we reach our destination."

"The Sun Soul Society ferry isn't the fastest in the three Sects, but it's the safest. Your Spirit Stones will not have been spent in vain."

In response to the words of the old men, the passengers on the ship forced smiles onto their faces. They were already scared witless by everything they had seen on their journey. There were only two of their number who had calm expressions; it seemed they were already familiar with the frightening sights of the Stormwind Divide.

All of these people were Cultivators on their way to search for good fortune in the Third Ring. This ship was a special vessel to transport them there, for a certain amount of Spirit Stones of course.

In the Milky Way Sea, there was only one way to get into the Third Ring, and that was to go to one of the Sea Cities of the three Sects, pay the price, and then board one of these special ships.

Of course, Naruto's illegal method did not count as a valid method of entry.

The people on the ship had just squeezed out smiles onto their faces when, suddenly, muffled booms could be heard from off in the distance. Immediately, the storm winds in the area rippled, and the lightning twisted. Furthermore, many of the magical symbols twitched and then seemed to awaken from slumber.

The sight caused the faces of everyone on the ship to flicker as they wondered what had just happened.

As for the two people who previously had completely calm faces, they opened their eyes, and a strange light could be seen therein. They exchanged a glance, and then looked off into the distance.

The three old men from the Sun Soul Society who were piloting the boat also looked up. Strange looks could be seen in their eyes, but only for a moment. Then they began to laugh coldly, and expressions of derision could be seen clearly on their faces.

"Someone is trying to rely on their own power to illegally pass through."

"Whoever it is, they are paying for their unlawful travel with their life!

Serves them right!"

"How could somebody possibly pass through the spell formation set up by the ancestors of the three Sects? That person is simply looking to die. Although, to cause such a reaction shows that his Cultivation base is definitely not weak."

"Who cares? He most likely ran into a ten-symbol formation. If it was a hundred-symbol formation, then he's definitely dead!"

When the other Cultivators heard the words of the three old men, they began to chuckle. Every year there were always Cultivators who tried to get through on their own power, in order to avoid paying the fee to take a ship. However, nobody ever succeeded; they always died inside.

The Cultivators on the ship had never imagined that they would encounter such a person on their own journey.

"It's too bad we're so far away," said one of them. "Otherwise we could personally witness him dying. It must be a spectacular sight."

"It's already perilous enough trying to get into the Third Ring. To place oneself out in the Stormwind Divide is really stupid."

"Now that I think about it, all those Spirit Stones I spent were really worth it."

Everyone on board seemed to be a bit more relaxed now.

Vol. 5 : Chapter 650

Chapter 650: How Happy You Are….

Cultivators were just people, so naturally, they also possessed the seven emotions and six pleasures, and tended to think of themselves as superior to others. Such a feeling of superiority would often turn into a type of happiness.

Oftentimes, that feeling of superiority really is… the source of happiness.

For example, the feeling that you are safe while someone else is not, can be happiness. Another example would be drinking a cup of water when you are thirsty, while someone else has nothing to drink except their own saliva. That can also be a kind of happiness.

The people in the boat were currently experiencing exactly that type of happiness.

Because of such happiness, they were not as nervous about the danger that surrounded them. Instead, they were laughing and chatting about the unlucky fool on the outside who had overestimated himself.

Of course, Naruto was the unlucky fool to whom they referred. Booming surrounded him as the mountain around him collapsed. At the same time, the gigantic battle-ax also started to collapse too.

The backlash rocked the battle-ax, causing it to be torn to pieces right in front of Naruto. However, the magical symbols that had formed it did not disperse; instead, they formed back together into a huge hand. Instantly, the hand grabbed toward Naruto, radiating intense ferocity and hatred.

Naruto's expression was calm as he lifted his hand and pointed forward. Instantly, his finger turned the color of blood. This was the Blood Finger!

Next was a second finger, a third… and finally, five fingers stretched out, turning into the Blood Palm! It was fully thirty meters wide, seemingly illusory, but at the same time, incredibly realistic. Backed by the power of the Ninth Anima, it shot directly toward the ax-cum-hand.

A huge boom could be heard as both the Blood Palm and the huge hand formed of magical symbols both exploded into little pieces. Naruto didn't hesitate for a moment; he instantly moved forward, performing an incantation gesture with his right hand and then waving his sleeve. A killing air immediately spread out. The glow of the Greenwood Tree could be seen, along with the extinction of the Violet Sea, raging flames, and the Frost Soil.

This was a five elements magical technique that instantly caused five characters to appear. They exuded vicious pressure down onto the dissipating magical symbols of the battle-ax.

A rumbling could be heard as the hundreds of magical symbols which had made up the battle-ax began to tremble. They seemed to be struggling to escape, but before they could, Naruto neared. His hand clenched into a fist, which then punched out, backed by the intense power of his fleshly body.

The air vibrated, and a gust from the surrounding storm winds bore down on him. It slashed into the magical symbols, instantly cause them to scatter and disperse.

This time, the magical symbols flashed, but did not re-form back together. Naruto gave a cold snort, then performed another incantation, simultaneously rotating his Cultivation base. Instantly, no less than a thousand tiny mountains appeared and then shot out.

This thousand mountains technique was formed by the Mountain Consuming Incantation, and as it descended, each mountain exerted intense pressure onto a magical symbol. Instantly, they were all suppressed. Naruto waved his hand, and the mountains crushed down onto them.

In the blink of an eye, the mountains began to consolidate together. Rumbling could be heard as a thousand-meter tall mountain appeared, sealed inside of which, shockingly, was a battle-ax.

It struggled, attempting to free itself, but Naruto waved his hand through the air and the mountain shot toward him. As it did, it grew smaller and smaller, until it could fit onto the palm of his hand.

The battle-ax inside was suppressed down, shrunken. It struggled more and more fiercely, until cracking and popping sounds could be heard. After the space of a few breaths of time, the battle-ax successfully destroyed the mountain, and then began to charge out from within.

Naruto's face was calm as the index finger of his left hand pushed onto the mountain.

"Demon Sealing, Eighth Hex!"

His coolly spoken words caused a 'hex' character to appear and cover the mountain peak, sealing it. The battle-ax let out a mournful wail. It was completely incapable of extricating itself now.

Naruto felt a bit relieved, finally. He left behind a strand of Divine Sense, added a few more restrictive spells, and then finally smiled and put the mountain into his bag of holding.

"This will count as a treasure," he thought, his eyes glittering brightly. Although it had seemed a simple matter to subjugate the item, it actually took all the power of his Cultivation base, as well as the support of his incredibly powerful fleshly body. Were it some other Spirit Severing Cultivator along the likes of Patriarch Harishama, they could by no means collect up the battle-ax in the relaxed manner which Naruto just had.

"The more spirit treasures I have like this the better," he thought. "Who knows what kind of price I'll be able to sell them for in the future." Eyes shining brightly, he looked around until his gaze fell upon a group of one hundred magical symbols floating around off in the distance.

The collection of symbols seemed to possess a certain amount of sentience. Perhaps because he had been touched by the aura of the battle-ax, as soon as he looked at the one-hundred symbol spell formation, it instantly appeared to be shocked, and then attempted to flee.

"Since this entire area was planned out like a structure to block Sea Demons, it wouldn't be very reasonable of me to take away all the spell formations. Besides, the one-hundred symbol formations can't even form into anything specific, so it would be mostly useless to try to take them away." Muttering to himself, Naruto turned and flew off into the distance, ignoring the one-hundred symbol spell formations.

Quite some distance away, the passengers on the pitch-black ship could hear the muffled booms off in the distance, and their smiles grew even happier.

"That guy must be dead already."

"He overestimated his own ability, and didn't even have enough Spirit Stones to pay to get on the ship. No wonder he wanted to risk it all in the Third Ring. What a pity he's not very intelligent. Who does he think he is to try to charge through the Stormwind Divide? One of the Three Saints?"

As the others chatted and laughed, the two calm Cultivators closed their eyes and ignored the goings on. The three old men from the Sun Soul Society who were responsible for the boat looked more arrogant than ever. They had been running this boat for a full sixty-year cycle of time, and during that time had never heard of anyone successfully charging through the Stormwind Divide.

However, after a few days passed, the sense of happiness felt by everyone had lessened a bit. But then, more of the magical symbols in the area, as well as the lightning and even the gusts of wind, seemed to be under pressure, even nervous. More explosions could be heard from off in the distance.

The sounds caused the group to grow even more excited. This time, they didn't need any explanation from the three old men. Everyone knew exactly what the sounds were, even if they couldn't see the source. Soon, the sound of their conversation could be heard.

"Hahaha! Don't tell me another person is trying to charge through?"

"Another person who doesn't know their own limits? I never imagined that this trip to the Third Ring would be so fascinating."

"What a pity. I truly wish I could watch with my own eyes."

Everyone was excited, but the three old men were actually somewhat shocked. Just about every time they piloted the ship, they would hear explosions like this. However, it was very rare to hear such a series of explosions twice, like they had this time.

The three old men exchanged smiles, but didn't think too much about it, and focused instead on piloting the ship forward.

The sounds didn't last for very long, only as long as it takes an incense stick to burn. Then they faded away, and another round of talking and chuckling began on the ship.

However, about four days later, the sounds could be heard once again. The passengers on the ship were astonished.

"What's going on? How could there possibly be three people all trying to cross the Stormwind Divide?"

"Something doesn't seem right…."

"Everyone; do you think… that perhaps the person from the very beginning didn't actually die?" These final words were spoken by the person with the weakest Cultivation base of the whole group, the young Core Formation Cultivator.

As soon as he spoke the words, everyone went quiet. The two Cultivators who had sat there calmly the entire time suddenly opened their eyes, seemingly astonished by the implication of the young man's theory.

The three men in charge of the ship also looked shocked, but quickly recovered.

"No unfounded ravings allowed onboard!" growled one of them.

"This is the Stormwind Divide!" said another. "Other than the Three

Saints of the Milky Way Sea, nobody can cross it!"

"Obviously what we're hearing is an entire Sect trying to cross. It's not the first time something like that has happened." The rest of the passengers weren't quite sure whether or not to believe the words of the old men. In any case, the happiness of their mood had clearly lessened by quite a bit.

Meanwhile, Naruto flew quickly through the storm wind gusts. Currently, he faced a 150 meter long whip. The whip was about three meters wide, and completely savage in appearance. However, it was surrounded by an enormous mountain, which was gradually suppressing it.

After enough time passed for half an incense stick to burn, it made an unyielding howl. Then the mountain descended, completely sealing it. It shrank down into Naruto's hand, after which he put it into his bag of holding.

"Number four!" he said, eyes shining brightly. With a smile, he turned and proceeded to speed along his way.

Two more months passed by. During that time, the group on the ship heard one set of explosions after another. Soon, they had heard the sounds seven times. By now, their mood had changed from one of curiosity to shock.

By the time the thirteenth set of explosions rang out, they were filled with dread. Even the three old men were panting.

After the two months passed, and the twentieth set of explosions reached their ears. Everyone on the boat was now completely and utterly dumbfounded. That was especially so after they realized… that the sounds of the explosions were getting closer!

During the two months, Naruto ran into more magical symbols in the shape of treasures. Whenever he did, he would instantly attack and exert full power to subdue them.

By this point, he was in the very depths of the Stormwind Divide, and was getting much closer to the pitch-black ship.

As he got deeper in, his speed was continually reduced. The intensity of the wind was now hurting him, and was even causing his body to start to break apart.

Right now, he had to continuously disseminate power from his Cultivation base in order to hang on.

As for the lightning, it was now possible to see illusory figures within it that apparently possessed sentience. Naruto was shocked.

At one point, he suddenly caught sight of a bright white light in the otherwise pitch blackness. It seemed to be consuming lighting, which caused Naruto to take a deep breath and then change his course.

What he saw was a toad, gobbling up lightning. This was the first time he had seen magical symbols shaped into the form of a beast. The toad was at least three hundred meters long, and in Naruto's estimation, was formed from around ten thousand magical symbols.

"I wonder how far away I am from the edge of this place…." he thought, avoiding the toad. The toad noticed him, but completely ignored him as it continued to consume lightning.

Naruto looked away, and was just about to speed off into the distance when suddenly he made a slight "eee?" sound. He turned his head and sent Divine Sense out. Sure enough, he could sense a ship, speeding along through the air.

"Perfect. I can jump onto this ship and rest a bit while I go the rest of the way." His eyes glittering, he proceeded on toward it.

—

This chapter was sponsored by Edward Smith

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I Shall Seal the Heavens

Wo Yu Feng Tian 我欲封天 (小说)

Synopsis:

If I want something, the Heavens better have it. If I don't want something, the Heavens better not have it! This is a story which originates between the eighth and ninth mountains, a world in which "My fate is to seal the Heavens like a demon!" "I Shall Seal the Heavens" is a new novel from Qidian's Er Gen. It tells the story of a scholar named Naruto, who enters the world of cultivation and slowly undergoes great change of character, eventually becoming an old eccentric. Overall, the story is not depressing like "Beseech the Devil (Qiu Mo 求魔)," but Naruto does have some of Wang Lin's rebelliousness and Su Ming's stubbornness. Author(s): N/A

Artist(s): Er Gen

Year: N/A

Country: China

Genre: Xianxia, Romance, Mature, Martial Arts, Fantasy, Comedy,

Adventure, Action,

Tags: Alchemy, Cultivation, Defiant Male Lead, Demons, Magic Beasts,

Maturing Male Lead, Philosophical Elements, Pill Based Cultivation,

Scholar At Heart, Slow Romance, Smart Male Lead, Strong Male Lead,

Trickster, Weak to Strong,

Translator: N/A

E-Book Maker: .com

Created using Asianovel version v2.5.0 beta

Download the next book in the series for free:

series/i-shall-seal-the-heavens/

Table of Contents

Introduction ... i

Vol. 5 : Chapter 651 2

Vol. 5 : Chapter 652 10

Vol. 5 : Chapter 653 17

Vol. 5 : Chapter 654 24

Vol. 5 : Chapter 655 32

Vol. 5 : Chapter 656 39

Vol. 5 : Chapter 657 46

Vol. 5 : Chapter 658 53

Vol. 5 : Chapter 659 61

Vol. 5 : Chapter 660 69

Vol. 5 : Chapter 661 78

Vol. 5 : Chapter 662 86

Vol. 5 : Chapter 663 94

Vol. 5 : Chapter 664 102

Vol. 5 : Chapter 665 109

Vol. 5 : Chapter 666 116

Vol. 5 : Chapter 667 124

Vol. 5 : Chapter 668 132

Vol. 5 : Chapter 669 140

Vol. 5 : Chapter 670 148

Vol. 5 : Chapter 671 156

Vol. 5 : Chapter 672 164

Vol. 5 : Chapter 673 172

Vol. 5 : Chapter 674 180

Vol. 5 : Chapter 675 188

Vol. 5 : Chapter 676 196

Vol. 5 : Chapter 677 204

Vol. 5 : Chapter 678 212

Vol. 5 : Chapter 679 220

Vol. 5 : Chapter 680 228

Vol. 5 : Chapter 681 236

Vol. 5 : Chapter 682 244

Vol. 5 : Chapter 683 252

Vol. 5 : Chapter 684 260

Vol. 5 : Chapter 685 268

Vol. 5 : Chapter 686 276

Vol. 5 : Chapter 687 283

Vol. 5 : Chapter 688 291

Vol. 5 : Chapter 689 299

Vol. 5 : Chapter 690 307

Vol. 5 : Chapter 691 308

Vol. 5 : Chapter 692 316

Vol. 5 : Chapter 693 324

Vol. 5 : Chapter 694 333

Vol. 5 : Chapter 695 341

Vol. 5 : Chapter 696 349

Vol. 5 : Chapter 697 357

Vol. 5 : Chapter 698 366

Vol. 5 : Chapter 699 373

Vol. 5 : Chapter 700 381

Disclaimer 389

Vol. 5 : Chapter 651

Chapter 651: My Dao Is Nigh!

That ship, of course, was the Sun Soul Society ship who had listened to the ruckus caused by Naruto this entire time. Whether it was the three old men, the two calm youths, or the rest of the passengers, all of them were bewildered and filled with dread. Everyone wanted the ship to emerge from within the Stormwind Divide as soon as possible.

During the past two months, they had heard the sounds of explosions more than twenty times. By now, they had all begun to speculate that it wasn't a group of people trying to pass through the Stormwind Divide, but rather, a single individual!

That person must be incredibly powerful, fearsome to the extreme in order to be able to brave the spell formation and not be destroyed.

Most important of all was that the ship happened to have a Feng Shui compass that the three old men had pooled their power together to use a month previous.

The Feng Shui compass was something rarely used on the ship. It had only one function; it could send out invisible waves into the Stormwind Divide, which would then cause a map of the area to appear on the surface of the compass. The map would reveal the location of any powerful spirit creatures formed of magical symbols.

A month ago, they had used that function of the map to reveal the spirits, which were all represented in by white dots of light. The entire area around them was densely covered by such white dots. However, there in the middle of all of them… was a red dot!

That red dot caused everyone to be filled with horrified astonishment.

A red dot represented an outside Cultivator!

Furthermore, during the past month, the white dots in the area had been significantly reduced. It seemed to indicate that the magical symbol spirits were intentionally avoiding the area. In addition, the red dot that represented the outside Cultivator only continued to grow brighter and more resplendent, like fresh blood. Everyone looked on with wide eyes, panting.

That was even more the case when they realized… that the red dot was actually moving at high speed toward the yellow dot on the map. That yellow dot… represented the ship they were on! Panicked cries of alarm could be heard.

"He's coming!"

"The Cultivator who's crossing the Stormwind Divide, he's… heading right toward us!" The more than ten Cultivators aboard the ship were all pale-faced. Some of them even rose to their feet in terror, their faces filled with fear and awe of the unknown.

The three old men in charge of the boat exchanged pale-faced glances. They could see the bitterness and complex emotions in each other's eyes. The three of them could never have imagined that they would ever witness such a shocking scene.

They didn't know who this outsider was, but the three of them did know with complete certainty that anyone who could survive in the depths of the Stormwind Divide would most definitely be of the Spirit Severing stage!

"Spirit Severing eccentrics have strange dispositions. If he kills all of us, the Sect wouldn't do anything. It wouldn't risk offending a Spirit Severing expert just for the likes of us three."

"Dammit! Why is this happening? If he wants to cross, fine, but why does he have to come after us…?"

They sat there, perturbed. It was at this point that everyone watched in astonishment as a huge gust of wind from the Stormwind Divide suddenly blasted against the right side of the boat, causing the bloody glow that emanated up from the ship to dim, as if it were being completely covered up.

Not a single sound could be heard onboard. Everyone sat there apprehensively, looking out in the direction of the gust of wind. The fog outside roiled, and a stifling pressure began to bear down on them.

Soon, a green figure could be seen, striding forward through the air. His salt and pepper hair floated about him as he laid eyes on the ship. It was, of course, Naruto.

Even as he caught sight of them, everyone on the ship looked at him.

As soon as the three old men saw him, they began to tremble. "Third generation disciples of the Sun Soul Society offer greetings to you, senior," they said in unison. The intense pressure radiating from Naruto caused them all to breath raggedly. They even felt the Nascent Souls inside of them quivering under the pressure.

Intense terror began to build up inside of them, especially when Naruto looked directly at them. His gaze was like a sharp blade. It was almost like he could read their hearts and minds with a single glance. It was as if they were completely transparent in front of him. Without any hesitation, the three old men quickly clasped hands and bowed deeply

At the same time, the more than ten passengers on the ship also clasped hands and bowed to Naruto.

Naruto's face was expressionless as he strode forward toward the ship. As he neared, a red shield suddenly sprang up, a defensive mechanism of the ship.

When the shield sprang up, the three old men felt their hearts starting to pound, and their faces completely fell. Inwardly, they felt intense regret, and were sure that a misunderstanding was about to occur. Obviously, the shield wouldn't be able to do anything to hinder an expert who could survive out in the Stormwind Divide. At the most, it might slow him down for a moment, but in the end, the unlucky ones in the whole matter would be themselves.

They were about to try to lower the shield, but before they could, Naruto pushed directly into it. Zapping sounds could be heard, but his face was the same as usual as he walked through it.

Most of the others on the ship actually couldn't see what was happening, but the three old men couldn't help but gasp with shock. They had never imagined that their shield would be so ineffective in blocking Naruto.

What was happening completely exceeded their imaginations; they instantly dropped to their knees and kowtowed.

There were others who noticed the strangeness of the goings on. The two calm youths had been to the Third Ring before, on more than one occasion. Therefore, they understood quite a bit more about the ship than the others. Currently, their faces flickered, and their hearts began to pound.

Naruto said nothing. He boarded the ship, looked around, and then sat down cross-legged on the prow.

He didn't speak at first, and the rest of the people on the ship were as silent as cicadas during winter. The three old men didn't dare to rise to their feet. The entire ship was quiet.

After a bit of time passed, Naruto casually said, "Do you happen to have a map of the Third Ring?"

Without the slightest hesitation, the three old men produced jade slips from their bags of holding and respectfully offered them to Naruto.

Naruto accepted, glanced at the jade slips, and then eyed the Feng Shui compass off to the side. His eyes glittered, and he nodded.

"You're going to the Third Ring?" he asked.

"Senior," replied one of the three old men, "we are currently under orders to pilot this ship and deliver these passengers to the Seahold in the Third Ring."

"Would it be convenient for you to take me along?" asked Naruto coolly.

"Senior, you are most welcome aboard our ship. Many thanks for staying to watch out for us. We members of the junior generation can't thank you enough." The three old men were attempting to be as respectful as possible, and in their fear of offending Naruto, spoke in a borderline fawning tone.

"Well, let's get moving," said Naruto, closing his eyes.

The three old men immediately voiced their agreement, then carefully rose to their feet. Inwardly breathing sighs of relief, they sent the ship forward at the highest speed possible. As they proceeded onward, no one dared to speak. The ship was completely quiet.

The ship didn't move as quickly as Naruto could move, but the advantage was the ease with which he could proceed. He sat there cross-legged, meditating for a few days. Then, he suddenly opened his eyes and looked over at the Feng Shui compass. There, he could clearly see that a thousand-symbol spirit was floating not too far off in the distance.

After enough time passed for half an incense stick to burn, the thousand-symbol spirit was close enough to see with the naked eye. It looked like an iron chain floating there in the storm winds. It completely ignored the ship, although it occasionally attempted to consume lightning as it drifted about.

Naruto suddenly stood up.

"Stop the ship. Wait for me!" With that, he strode out. The three old men and the other passengers were shocked. They watched on as Naruto left the ship. Immediately, the iron chain appeared to sense him. It whipped around in his direction, and an intensely bleak killing will rose up to the Heavens. Suddenly, the lightning in the area turned red and shot whistling through the air toward Naruto.

However, before the iron chain could even get near him, Naruto performed an incantation gesture. Instantly, the characters for metal, wood, water, fire, and earth appeared. As they surrounded the iron chain, Naruto stepped forward and punched.

The iron chain collapsed, sending a thousand magical symbols spreading out in all directions. He then performed another incantation gesture, and the Mountain Consuming Incantation caused a thousand mountains to appear. They covered the magical symbols, then merged together to form a huge mountain peak. Next, the mountain peak shrank down into Naruto's palm, where he sealed it.

After putting it into his bag of holding, he spun around and returned to the ship.

The entire spectacle only took ten breaths of time. Naruto's actions were as natural and unforced as floating clouds and flowing water. Everything was completely efficient, as if he was completely used to doing such things. Everyone who watched on was thoroughly shaken.

The people on the boat stared blankly, and the two Cultivators who had been to the Third Ring before were breathing heavily. They were well aware of how mighty a thousand-symbol spirit was, which caused their fear of Naruto reach a new peak.

By now, they were absolutely certain the reason they had heard explosions more than twenty times in the past. Back then, they could never have imagined that it was a terrifying Cultivator who could subdue and capture magical symbol spirits.

Most shocked of all were the three old men. They were disciples of the Sun Soul Society, and were far more knowledgeable about the Stormwind Divide than the others.

Although others were unaware that the magical symbol spirits could be subdued, they were well aware of the fact. Every few hundred years, powerful experts from the three Sects would enter the spell formation under the leadership of a Patriarch, with the sole purpose of collecting magical symbol spirits. Such spirits were useful to the Patriarchs.

Although no one knew exactly how the Patriarchs used them, it was known that the magical symbol spirits were the essence of the spell formation. That was especially true of the thousand-symbol spirits, which were comparable to Spirit Severing Cultivators. They were unpredictable and virtually indestructible; only the Three Saints were capable of subduing them.

"S-s-senior… sir… how many thousand-symbol spirits have you acquired during your journey?" asked one of the three old men, his face pale, his voice quavering.

"More than twenty," replied Naruto from his position seated crosslegged on the prow. He glanced at the old man.

"More than twenty!" The old man's face completely fell, and he began to pant. He suddenly turned to look at the other two old men and then roared, "Get the ship moving again! Top speed!"

They actually didn't need any reminders. Having heard what Naruto said, they trembled, as if they had just thought of something even more terrifying than Naruto. They rotated their Cultivation bases at top speed to control the boat and push it forward as fast as it could.

Naruto's eyes flickered as he looked at the old man who had just spoken.

The man looked back with a wry smile, and a face full of anxiety.

"Senior, perhaps you are unaware that in a hundred year period, no more than five of the thousand-symbol spirits can be collected. That number can't be exceeded, or else…. It will cause the yellow springs Underworld Ship to appear….

"The yellow springs emerge, the Underworld Ship appears, Dao Seeking forbidden zone!"

As soon as the old man spoke the words, the storm winds around them suddenly seemed to stop moving. The lightning stopped in mid-air, and the fog came to a standstill!

It seemed almost as if time, as if the very natural laws of the Heaven and Earth, had suddenly become completely motionless.

At the same time, an archaic voice could be heard. It was filled with an air of time; it sounded as if a veil of rot had been lifted. The hoarse voice echoed out from off in the distance.

"Long ago, you chose to continue onward to the end, until there was nothing of you left….

"Long ago, I chose to continue onward to the end, until only I was left….

"Who am I? Who are you…? Unfathomable bleached bones. The beginnings of eras. My Dao… is nigh."

Vol. 5 : Chapter 652

Chapter 652: Underworld Ship

As the voice echoed out, all of the hair on Naruto's body stood on end. An indescribable feeling washed through him, and it felt as if some ancient, icy hand were gently caressing his neck.

An aura of putrefaction filled the area. As for the ship he was on… everything suddenly seemed to slow down. In one fleeting moment, it seemed as if thousands of years had passed.

Everyone on the ship went pale white and began to shiver.

Unprecedented expressions of fear could be seen on their faces. Even those who didn't know of the yellow springs Underworld Ship could tell from the current situation that they were in a situation of critical danger!

Terror filled the hearts of the three old men. They employed all of the power of their Cultivation base, and even consumed medicinal pills, to push the boat forward with all the speed possible.

Naruto took a deep breath and rotated his Cultivation base to dispel the intense coldness. One of the three old men who sat nearby yelled out in a hoarse voice: "Don't look back! All of you, listen to me. Under no circumstances look back!

"One must not gaze upon the path to the yellow springs! If you turn your head, you're done for!"

There were a few people on the ship who had been contemplating turning to look back. However, after hearing the old man's words, they sat there trembling, not daring to turn their heads even a little bit.

Naruto's eyes flashed. Behind him, he could hear sobbing sounds rising and falling. It sounded like the weeping of a crowd of countless people. Gradually, everything around grew even colder. In the dim light, it was possible to make out strands of white fog that looked like hair, swirling about in the air.

"The end of my Dao… is nigh…." said the voice, filled with an aura of decay. It seemed to be getting closer.

A cold gleam gradually appeared in Naruto's eyes as he stood there on the prow. Although he didn't turn his head back, the energy in his body gradually grew more and more focused.

The ship picked up speed, but everything around it was motionless. Even if it moved much faster, it would still be incapable of escaping the white strands that filled the area and were continuing to grow more numerous.

It almost seemed as if the ship itself were mired within a painting, a painting in which everything was motionless. It didn't matter if the three old men went all out with power, they still weren't moving fast enough.

The aura of rot grew closer, as if the Underworld Ship that the old men had talked about was getting closer and closer.

Even though their own ship wasn't moving, the passage of time on board seemed to be speeding up. Everyone trembled, as they sensed signs that their life force was beginning to drain away.

Despair welled up in the hearts of the three old men.

Naruto silently lifted up his right foot and then stamped it down softly onto the deck. Instantly, his Cultivation base rumbled, and power poured into the ship. Much of the deck directly shattered, but at the same time, the ship surged forward with incredible speed.

The speed was such that it seemed they would break free from the world of motionless within which they were stuck. The three old men gasped, and hope appeared in their faces as they assisted with all the power they could muster. It finally seemed that the ship would break free from the painting. Movement in their surroundings even became visible.

Eventually, they reached a speed that was capable of combating against whatever law it was in the area that caused everything to remain motionless. The air began to move, and the stillness seemed to be on the verge of shattering. It was at this point, when everything seemed to be just about to begin moving again, when Naruto heard a sigh in his ear.

Then he heard the voice of a man, a voice filled with boundless love. "Hao'er… have you been safe and sound all these years…? Back then, your mother didn't agree, but as your father, I… I insisted that it must be this way. Don't blame your mother…."

Naruto trembled. He recognized the voice. Bits and pieces of it actually remained in his memories. Even after so many years had passed, he recognized that this was the voice of his father!

He stood there silently. He didn't look back as the ship sped forward.

The motionlessness in the area was rapidly giving way to movement. The white strands that floated in the air were slowly moving backward, freeing the ship.

Just then, though, Naruto heard another voice.

"Hao'er… do you… still remember me? I'm your mother…. Look back, let me see your face. It's been so many years…. We've missed you."

Naruto's entire body trembled, and his head moved slightly. A complex expression appeared in his eyes as he stood there breathing. He didn't look back; instead, he focused all his energy on controlling the boat. A rumbling sound could be heard as the front of the boat finally pierced out of the painting of stillness.

Naruto could see the border of the still region just up ahead; they were almost out of the painting.

"Deep in your heart, is obsession." This voice was not the voice of his parents that existed in his memory. It was the ancient, decaying voice.

The voice seemed confused, as if it it, too, were filled with infinite obsession.

"You are a living being that I have encountered on the path to the yellow springs. I can… help you to fulfill your obsession. Look back, and you will be able to see what your parents look like."

Naruto's Cultivation base suddenly stopped moving. He poured no more power into the ship, but instead stood there on the prow. Directly in front of him was the edge of the painting of motionlessness; after passing beyond that border, they would be free.

Naruto well knew that if he looked back, something untoward would likely happen. However, the words spoken to him just now had left him completely shaken.

No one else could hear the words spoken into his ear just now, not even the three old men. Everyone just sat there, trembling and in a daze. Naruto was the only lucid one among them all.

In his silence, Naruto suddenly smiled. It was an unrestrained smile, a smile filled with a will of purification.

He suddenly murmured, "What's the harm in turning my head? In my life of cultivation, I cultivate my heart. My path is one of understanding and truth.

"If I don't look back, how could I claim to cultivate my heart?" His eyes filled with a bright light as he casually turned to look behind him.

The first thing that caught his attention were the countless white strands that floated in the air, twisting and twining around the ship. The strands originated from an enormous battleship!

The ship was fully three thousand meters long, and radiated an archaic air, as if it had existed for countless ages. It was dilapidated in a way that suggested it had experienced the baptism of war.

At the prow of the battleship, a figure could be seen. It was an old man wearing a pitch-black suit of armor. It was impossible to see his features clearly, but his body looked like it had been rotting inside the armor for innumerable years. 1

As for the white strands, they were actually the man's hair!

As soon as Naruto laid eyes on him, the old man seemed to take notice. His head lifted up, and he looked at Naruto.

As soon as their gazes met, Naruto's mind filled with rumbling. Next, a vision appeared to him. He saw a coffin, its surface covered with carvings of nine butterflies.

The coffin rested on an ancient battlefield. The surroundings were devoid of any colors except for black and white.

The vision lasted for only a few breaths of time. Then it dissipated. Naruto panted as he regained consciousness.

"His… Dao seed…." said the armored figure softly, his voice hoarse as it echoed about. "In all the years, of all the living things I have encountered, I have seen countless Dao seeds…. You, however, are different than them.

"Go." The old man sat there cross-legged in his armor. It looked like he would never, ever stand up. When he spoke, his voice seemed to be filled with reminiscence. Slowly, his hair pulled away from the ship Naruto was on. At the same time, the archaic, three thousand meter battleship slowly began to back away. At the same time, it started to fade, as if it were about to vanish into thin air.

The stillness in the area also began to slowly disappear.

As the ship began to vanish, Naruto suddenly opened his mouth to speak. "Senior, you still haven't fulfilled your promise!" Immediately, the stillness returned. The old man on the battleship gave Naruto a profound gaze.

That gaze seemed to contain the transformations of the entire world. It contained the turnings of time as it poured into Naruto's eyes. Instantly, a roaring sound filled his mind.

This time in his vision, he saw Mount Daqing!

Outside of Mount Daqing was a whistling violet wind. Fog roiled about, covering the entire mountain, and eventually, Yunjie County.

Within the city, the lamps inside the houses were instantly extinguished, except for one house…. Inside that house, the lights danced, illuminating a middle-aged man who stood next to the window. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

The sounds of weeping could be heard within the bedroom. Through the cracks in the door, the silhouette of a woman could be seen. She held a boy in her arms, and tears streamed down her face.

The boy had intelligent eyes, but right now, they were filled with confusion and puzzlement.

The violet wind blew the violet fog until it completely covered Yunjie County. Far up above in the black night sky, a violet sun suddenly became visible.

The violet sun caused an indescribable pressure to suddenly weigh down on Yunjie County.

It was in that moment that the man pushed open the front door and walked out into the violet fog. The woman wiped the tears from her eyes and looked back at the boy for a moment. Then she turned and walked away.

In that moment, Naruto was able to clearly see her face.

She was beautiful, gentle, and her tears seemed to be filled with infinite reluctance to part. However, she left the boy behind in the room, frightened, confused and helpless.

"Dad…. Mom…." cried the boy. He seemed to be growing more frightened. He ran out into the fog.

"Dad…. Mom…. Where are you? I'm scared…." The boy's voice was young and tender, and quavered when he spoke. He seemed terrified. The wind around him was cold, and the fog was all-encompassing. However, it couldn't do anything to suppress the boy's cries, which echoed out into the fog.

His sobbing grew more and more shrill as he ran. He suddenly tripped and fell, scraping his knees and tearing his garment. His hair was in disarray, and tears streamed down his face to fall onto the ground. All he wanted was his dad and mom, but what he didn't notice was that behind him, a black, spectral hand stretched out toward his head from within the fog.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Anonymous and Michael Harrison

This is not the first time an armored figure was mentioned in connection to the Milky Way Sea. Check out chapters 555 and 632 ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 653

Chapter 653: Demons Stir in the Third Ring

Naruto watched the scene playing out with the boy, who was obviously himself. And yet, as he searched through his mind, no memory such as this existed. He remembered that night, and he remembered the violet-colored wind, as well what seemed to be countless bizarre voices.

That was the night his dad and mom went missing. He remembered waking up fuzzily, not quite able to remember what had happened. The only thing he remembered… was that his garment had been torn.

When he saw what was happening in the vision, it felt like lightning was striking through his mind.

Then he saw the spectral hand reaching out toward the boy. In that moment, a man appeared behind the boy. He gave a cold snort as he gripped the spectral hand between his fingers and then snapped it off.

The spectral hand disintegrated into powder, and a bloodcurdling scream could be heard. A ghostly figure flew off into the violet fog.

The boy was alarmed, but then he turned his head, and a look of joy appeared on his face. Tears rolling down his cheeks, he rushed into the arms of the man.

"Dad… where did you go? I couldn't find you. I…"

The man did not pursue the ghostly figure. He knelt in front of the boy, his face filled with both love and doubt. Gazing at the boy, he reached out and tousled his hair.

He was silent for a long moment before he spoke out in a soft voice, "Don't cry, Hao'er. Mom and dad have to go away for a while. We'll all see each other again one day."

As soon as he heard the words, the boy reached out and grabbed the man's robe tightly. "Where are you going? I don't want you to go…."

The man didn't say anything. He patted the boy's head, and then, after another long moment passed, said, "The Eastern Lands."

His expression was filled with intense love, and also pain. Then he reached out to touch the boy. His hand flickered with a glowing light, and the boy's eyes closed and he fell asleep.

The man held the boy in his arms as he turned and walked back into the house. He gently placed the boy down onto the bed, then stood there watching him. Time passed, and he finally sighed.

Naruto was able to see the man's profile, outlined by the lamplight. He was handsome and dignified, and looked both familiar and yet also strange. Looking at him caused Naruto's heart to begin to pound.

After another long moment, the man leaned down and kissed the boy on the top of the head. When he raised back up, his expression was one of both pain and farewell. He left the house, and walked off into the violet wind and fog. He left Yunjie County, left Mount Daqing, and disappeared.

As the vision ended, a tremor ran through Naruto's body and he regained clarity. He stood on the deck of the ship. The only thing around them was storm winds. There were no white strands of hair, no Underworld Ship. There was only the Stormwind Divide.

Everyone else on the boat was asleep.

The surroundings were quiet. Naruto looked around, then sat down cross-legged and stared off into the distance, somewhat in a daze.

After a bit of time, the three old men awoke. Then, one by one, so did the others. They looked at Naruto with a mixture of dread and gratefulness. Naruto didn't speak, so of course, neither did they dare to say a single word.

It was in this manner that the ship continued on its voyage for several more months. Eventually, amidst the silence, it neared the end of the Stormwind Divide.

The entire time, Naruto never rose to his feet. When they encountered symbol spirits, he didn't even look at them. He only stared out in front of the ship; no one had any idea what he was thinking.

After the months passed, and the boat reached the end of the

Stormwind Divide, a dock could be seen through the darkness, their final destination.

Naruto stood up and sent his Divine Sense to spread over the entire ship, and the people on it. This was a minor magical technique that he had picked up in the Demon Immortal Pagoda, a Daoist magic that would erase any trace of him from the minds of these people. After that, he flew out to disappear into the storm winds.

About ten breaths of time after Naruto vanished, everyone on the ship regained their senses. They looked a bit confused, but after a moment, the ship reached the dock. At that point, they seemed to break through some invisible barrier. The previous blackness gave way to a sudden burst of intense light.

It was sunlight shining down onto the sea and the waves. The group on the boat inhaled the salt air, and they knew… that they were now in the Third Ring!

Even as exclamations of joy rang out from the ship, Naruto emerged alone from within the Stormwind Divide. He stood on the surface of the sea, looking up at the sun.

"Whether that vision was real or not, the Eastern Lands… are definitely where I need to go!

"After I resolve this crisis with the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, then I'll definitely be heading to the Eastern Lands!

"I'll visit the Great Tang, I'll visit Chang'an, and I'll fulfill my childhood dream…." He looked off toward the east, wishing that his Cultivation base was sufficient to be able to see the Eastern Lands right now, no matter how far away it was.

"Maybe I can find some clues about dad and mom, and what happened that year. What was the violet wind and violet fog, and what did it have to do with me…?

"And also…" He lowered his head and looked down at the back of his hand. Every time he had a Cultivation base breakthrough into a new stage, there was the symbol that appeared there.

That mark had been with him for a long time, and if he couldn't come to understand what it meant, he would feel as if he had wasted all his years of cultivation.

"It's not like I didn't notice how strange Fang Yu was acting all those years ago…. Am I just unwilling to accept the truth?" In his thoughtfulness, a rare bit of weakness could be seen in his eyes. Finally, he sighed and pushed all the thoughts down into the bottom of his heart.

He suddenly felt very lonely. It was the type of loneliness where you look around and wonder where your home is. He had practiced cultivation for hundreds of years, but right now, had no friends to keep him company.

Such thinking caused the weakness in his eyes to grow a bit stronger.

"Is this cultivation? A path… that a person must stick to alone?" He closed his eyes for a long moment. When he opened them, no weakness was visible. Instead, there was the unswerving determination that usually resided therein.

Naruto took a deep breath and looked around, a sharp gleam in his eyes.

Everything around looked almost the same as the Fourth Ring. However, Naruto could sense that much more Demonic Qi flowed through the Third Ring.

No one else would be able to detect it, but as a Demon Sealer, Naruto could naturally sense it.

What Naruto didn't know was that in this very moment, countless eyes suddenly opened on the seafloor of the Third Ring. All of them stared up in his direction.

In the deepest part of the sea, the undercurrents swirled, and it seemed as if a tempest were forming. Countless red eyes emanated intense desire, as if they had finally seen hope for the first time.

Up above on the surface of the waters, Naruto muttered to himself for a moment and then sped off. After flying for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, he suddenly frowned. The sea up ahead of him suddenly exploded up as a giant tentacle shot out from the water toward him.

It moved with such incredible speed that it looked like nothing more than a shadow. It almost looked like a flaming whip as it ripped through the air.

It was an attack that contained power similar to the Nascent Soul stage. Naruto gave a cold snort, then waved his hand toward the incoming tentacle and made a grasping motion. The tentacle stopped in mid-air just a few feet in front of him, almost as if it had been seized by some enormous, invisible hand.

The tentacle was completely black, and covered with countless suction disks. It squirmed and wriggled, seemingly struggling to free itself. It was sickening to look at, and if you followed it to its source, you could see what appeared to be an enormous creature in the churning waters below.

At the same time, whooshing sounds could be heard as more than ten additional tentacles burst out from the water toward Naruto. He watched on with a cold gleam in his eyes, then clutched out with his right hand and pulled.

Boom!

The sea exploded under the incredible power of Naruto's hand as an enormous, three hundred meter long cuttlefish was wrenched up out of the waters to hover in mid-air.

Naruto relaxed his hand, and then took a step forward. He instantly disappeared, only to reappear directly in front of the cuttlefish. His right hand formed into a fist which he then struck out. A massive boom could be heard as the cuttlefish directly exploded into countless pieces that then rained down onto the surface of the sea.

Within the shredded meat and flesh was a bluish crystalline object about the size of a finger. As soon as Naruto saw it, he grabbed it. When it touched his palm, it let off a gentle glow, along with the ripples of spiritual power.

"This looks like a mid-grade Spirit Stone. It must be a Demon heart." After examining it for a while, he put it away into his bag of holding, then began to make his way off. However, it was then that he frowned. He sent his Divine Sense out, and immediately, his face sank.

Within the range of his Divine Sense, he could sense more than twenty different kinds of Sea Demons in the area. All of them were speeding along through the sea in his direction.

Each one emitted violent auras, as well as intense avarice. They seemed to view themselves as hunters and him as the prey.

"Is this why the Third Ring is so dangerous?" he thought, his brow furrowed. With that, he waved his hand toward the sea down below. Instantly, the surface of the sea rumbled and sank down, forming into what looked like a crater, roughly three hundred meters wide. With another wave of his hand, Naruto caused the crater to begin to rotate.

The rotation caused a huge roaring sound to lift up into the sky. It almost looked like a black hole was forming in the water. Great waves surged about, revealing seven or eight vicious Sea Demons.

These Sea Demons didn't have very high Cultivation bases; all were roughly at the early Nascent Soul stage, and a few even were in the Core Formation stage. They looked at Naruto with red eyes and vicious greed. It seemed that they couldn't wait to consume Naruto, as if even taking a single bite of him would give them some type of enlightenment.

Their gazes caused Naruto to be filled with a sensation of disgust. He almost felt as if he were being looked at by the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

Coldness flickered in his eyes, and he made a cold snort as the fingers of his right hand slowly clenched into a fist.

At the same time, the vortex in the sea slowly constricted, tightening down and closing. The seawater instantly turned red with blood, and miserable howls could be heard. When Naruto opened his fist, the waters spread back out and the vortex resumed spinning.

A moment later, Naruto waved his sleeve, causing more than twenty Demon hearts to fly up from the reddened water. He put them into his bag of holding, then transformed into a beam of light that shot off into the distance.

The only thing that was left behind was the blood, which slowly dissolved into the seawater. Everything was calm and peaceful.

Vol. 5 : Chapter 654

Chapter 654 (Click to show "spoiler" title) Chapter 654: Lily….

The Third Ring was very large and contained a great number of Cultivators. Most organized into groups of three or perhaps five to go hunting Sea Demons in various regions of the Third Ring. To encounter a Sea Demon was a lucky break in and of itself. Of course, there were some powerful Sea Demons who could also bring incredible disaster.

There were even some areas within the Third Ring that were specially noted in jade slip maps. Anyone who wanted to enter such areas had to prepare special items ahead of time.

Furthermore, there was one particular city in the Third Ring called Seahold that had been established jointly by the three Sects, which made it convenient for Cultivators to trade for supplies. The city was enormous, and towered up above the surface of the water like a huge fortress. It was covered with shocking spell formations that had protected it for countless years against the attacks of Sea Demons.

Within the city were garrisoned more than 10,000 Cultivators from the three Sects. In addition, there was always one of the three Saints in command of the city. They rotated every one hundred years.

For years, the three Sects had maintained an incredible reputation, to the point where even the powers in the Southern Domain, Eastern Lands, Western Desert, and Northern Reaches acknowledged them.

Several days later, Naruto flew in mid-air over the Third Ring. He lifted up his right hand, and lightning crackled. Instantly, a thirty-meter long Sea Demon comparable in power to a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, was destroyed.

This particular Sea Demon didn't even have a Demon heart. However, for some reason, as soon as it detected Naruto's aura, it had seemed to go crazy, and had attacked him with complete abandon. Naruto had run into seven or eight other Sea Demons just like this in his travels so far.

"Something's not right!" he thought, frowning. It almost felt as if he were going around the Third Ring with a big target on his back. No matter where he went, Sea Demons would come for him.

His eyes flickered as he thought for a moment, then sent his Divine Sense out. After searching for about three days, he was able to find a group of Cultivators, five of them, who were cautiously hunting for Sea Demons.

He followed them from a distance, and they were unaware of his presence.

However, after only half a day, he sensed eight frenzied Sea Demons closing in. All of a sudden, they burst out from the water, howling. The faces of the five Cultivators instantly filled with shock.

"How could there be so many Sea Demons!"

"Don't tell me some sort of treasure is in the area!?" The five of them began to flee in alarm. Of course, the Sea Demons weren't after them, so they were able to get away easily.

Naruto floated there in mid-air, his brow furrowed. Having observed what was happening, he now understood that it was he himself who was attracting the Sea Demons!

"Is there something special about me that drives them crazy?" he thought, his eyes flickering. Down below, the Sea Demons were charging across the surface of the water at top speed. Naruto let out a cold snort, then waved his right hand. Instantly, the sword tip with 30,000 years of Time power flew out. Under Naruto's control, it turned into a black beam of light that shot directly toward one particular Sea Demon which looked like a crab.

When it shot through the Sea Demon, the creature instantly turned completely gray, as if had just passed through tens of thousands of years of time. In the blink of an eye, it turned into nothing more than ash.

The beam continued on to pierce through six more Sea Demons, all of whom, regardless of the level of their Cultivation base, instantly withered up and turned into nothing more than ash.

As for the final Sea Demon, it looked like a sea turtle. When it saw everything that happened, its eyes filled with terror. Despite that, it didn't seem to be able to resist the urge to charge toward Naruto. It was like an instinct that it was unable to control. With a howl, it charged onward.

Naruto glanced coldly at the sea turtle, which was only a few dozen meters long. He put away the Time Sword tip, then performed an incantation. The Mountain Consuming Incantation appeared, and an enormous mountain peak descended. It smashed down onto the sea turtle, completely sealing it inside. Naruto waved his sleeve to collect up the mountain, as well as the other Demon hearts in the area. Then, he proceeded off into the distance.

Not too long later, Naruto materialized out of thin air to appear near an island. Instantly, roaring could be heard from the island. Naruto frowned somewhat grudgingly. He had no idea what type of ferocious beast or Sea Demon was there, but without waiting to find out, he sent a palm strike down. The entire island shook and trembled as the palm attack slammed into the area where the roaring came from.

The island trembled, and then was completely silent. Whatever creature was there had been killed with a single strike.

Naruto sat down cross-legged, then waved his right hand.

Immediately, the mountain peak flew out from his bag of holding, within which was sealed the body of the sea turtle.

The first thing that Naruto thought about when he looked at the sea turtle was old turtle Reliance. He frowned for a moment, then waved a finger, causing the mountain peak to vanish. The sea turtle glared at him viciously with red eyes. Then it howled and charged in attack. Naruto's right hand instantly waved down.

A boom rattle out as a huge, invisible palm crushed down onto the sea turtle. No matter how it struggled, it was incapable of freeing itself. It could only look at Naruto and roar.

"You want to eat me?" asked Naruto coolly. He sent out some of his Demon Sealer aura, but it didn't seem to provoke any special reaction from the sea turtle. It continued to roar and snap at him as if it wanted to swallow him in a single bite.

"So, it's not because I'm a Demon Sealer?" he thought. He retracted the aura and then started to remove all of the bags of holding he possessed and place them off to the side. What he discovered was that the sea turtle didn't even glance at them. It continued to glare directly at him and him alone.

"It's not anything in my bags of holding either. Could it really be me personally? Is it because of the Fleshly Sanctification?" After a good period of thought, he couldn't come up with any better explanation.

After all, he did have some of the characteristics of the Demon Immortal Body. Naruto found it plausible that it could be attractive in some way to the Sea Demons.

After more thought, his eyes began to shine brightly. He raised his right hand, sliced a cut into the tip of his finger, and then squeezed out some blood. The sea turtle instantly went into a frenzy, howling and writhing as it attempted to charge forward and get at the blood.

"So that's what's going on," thought Naruto. The wound on his finger instantly healed back up, and he rose to his feet. Then, he lifted up his hand to do away with the troublesome sea turtle. However, before he could complete the motion, his hand stopped.

"What if that isn't the complete explanation…?" he thought. He glanced at the turtle again, and then closed his eyes to recall a divine ability he had picked up in the Demon Immortal Pagoda that was similar to the one he had used earlier to erase memories.

Based on his previous Cultivation base, using the ability would have resulted in a backlash. However, if he used it now, he could reduce the effects of the backlash to a minimum. His body flashed, and he appeared directly next to the sea turtle. Even as it eyed him hungrily, his hand pressed down onto the turtle's head.

"Soulsearch!" It was only a light touch, but the sea turtle's body immediately went stiff.

White light emanated out from Naruto's eyes. In a scant moment, his senses entered into the mind of the sea turtle. He sensed brutality, madness, and desire.

There were also a random assortment of memories that flooded into Naruto's mind. Being his first time using this technique, Naruto felt a bit out of sorts. However, his powerful Cultivation base pushed down the ill feeling, and he began to search for an answer in the sea turtle's memory.

He searched for quite some time, until suddenly his concentration peaked. Within the intact memories inside the sea turtle, he had encountered a word.

"… lily …."

Naruto's face flickered and he pulled his right hand away. The sea turtle was now laying prone, gasping for breath. A Soulsearch like the one he had just performed would leave it either dead or injured.

"Lily…." murmured Naruto. With that, he looked down at himself, then used his right hand to violently push down onto his belly. His entire body shook, and then began to grow weaker, both in terms of Cultivation base and in his Qi and blood.

As he grew weaker, he performed an incantation gesture. A seal appeared, which he placed onto himself, causing his energy to fade. Underneath the pressure, his Cultivation base sank to the Nascent Soul stage, then the Core Formation Stage, and then the Foundation Establishment stage….

Now that he had weakened himself to this extent, another bizarre aura silently appeared. This aura was none other than the aura of the Resurrection Lily!

Normally speaking, Naruto was too powerful, and kept the aura suppressed to the point where it wouldn't be easily noticeable. Now, though, by intentionally weakening himself, he caused the aura of the Resurrection Lily to be revealed more openly.

As soon as the aura appeared, something happened that caused Naruto to be deeply shocked.

The sea turtle, which moments ago had been gasping on the verge of death, suddenly lifted its head up. Its eyes focused, it let out a shocking roar and then charged toward Naruto. Its body was being suppressed, but it didn't seem to care. It roared and struggle until its shell began to crack and shatter. Its body began to fall apart, but its eyes were bright red and its head stretched out violently until it literally ripped off of the body. Blood spattered about as the dying head stretched out toward Naruto, its mouth gaping.

Naruto backed up a few paces. He could clearly see the desire and madness in the dying eyes. His face flickered as he looked out at the surrounding sea. Huge waves rolled across its surface, and countless shocking auras could be sensed charging from all directions, filled with madness.

Naruto immediately severed the aura and released the seal. His energy rapidly rose, and the Resurrection Lily's aura was suppressed.

The madness in the sea around him was reduced by a small measure.

Naruto instantly transformed into a green smoke and vanished.

When he reappeared, he was in mid-air off in the distance.

"So, the Resurrection Lily is what's attracting the Sea Demons!

"Now that I think about it, Master told me about someone who came to him looking for medicine to help with the Resurrection Lily infection. As to whether he is alive or dead now, I have no idea. I just remember that he was from… the Milky Way Sea. 1

"If I can find him, maybe he could use his understanding of the Resurrection Lily to help me with mine." After thinking for a moment, Naruto vanished again.

Meanwhile, far from the Third Ring, in the depths of the Second Ring….

The water in this area was black, and everything was quiet. Even the surface of the sea was calm, without any waves or even ripples. There was also a black island, upon which sat a cross-legged figure. He had the physical appearance of a Cultivator, except that a spiraling horn stuck out from his forehead. He was surrounded by vast quantities of bones, many of which were the bones of Cultivators.

His eyes suddenly opened, and within each eye, two pupils could be seen. A savage aura exploded out from him.

"Resurrection… Lily…."

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Charonx

Grandmaster Pill Demon told Naruto about a person from the Milky Way Sea named Reverend Silverlamp, who came to him asking for help regarding the Resurrection Lily. That was in chapter 294 ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 655

Chapter 655: Hunting Sea Demons

A month flashed by.

During that time, Naruto swept freely across the Third Ring.

Considering the level of his Cultivation base, there were no Sea Demons who could stand up to him. The instant any appeared and got close to him, he would destroy them.

Sometimes he didn't actually even need to do anything personally. He would simply send the Wooden Time Sword tip flying out to circulate around him. A mere thought could send the tip speeding to the attack at any time.

Twenty-five days earlier, a group of adventuring Cultivators, roughly a dozen or more in number, had been speeding along, pursued by two roaring Sea Demons.

Even in the midst of their hopelessness, a black beam appeared. It shot through the two Sea Demons, transforming them into ash. The Demon hearts flew out, and then vanished into thin air.

Twenty days earlier, a haughty-faced man was fighting at close quarters with a Sea Demon, when a black beam suddenly appeared out of nowhere to transform the Sea Demon into ash.

Fifteen days earlier, ten days earlier, five days earlier, similar scenes played out in different areas in the Third Ring. In fact, almost every day such things occurred. Gradually, rumors began to spread about the black sword tip.

After a month of domination, Naruto had collected nearly a thousand Demon hearts. Most were low-grade, with only a few being mid-grade.

Naruto wasn't very happy with the results, although anyone else would have been wild with joy.

"Chosen from the Sects and Clans of the Southern Domain, Northern

Reaches, and Eastern Lands all owe me large quantities of Spirit Stones. My gains in the past month have been too negligible. This doesn't compare at all to conning people." He currently hovered in mid-air, looking out at the boundless sea, wondering how many Sea Demons existed underneath the waters.

"If I could get some high-grade Spirit Stones, or even… ultra high-grade Spirit Stones, then things would be worth it!" He had some ultra highgrade Spirit Stones in his bag of holding, but not many. They were incredibly valuable, and every time he thought about how he had wasted two thousand of them all those years ago, it made him sick.

"Short on money again…. If I had enough Spirit Stones, I could copy more Wooden Time Swords, or maybe even the Time Sword tip. Except, I would need, at the least, more than ten million Spirit Stones to do that." He looked down at the surface of the sea, and clenched his jaw.

"If the Wang Clan Patriarch isn't dead, then danger will be coming my way. The most important thing for me to do now is get stronger as fast as possible. I need to go all out!" Determination appeared in his eyes, and then he vanished into thin air.

Several days later, Naruto sat cross-legged on a certain large island within the Third Ring. The entire area around him had long since been cleared, and the Time Sword tip circulated around him. He looked down at his bag of holding as a small mountain flew out.

Sealed inside of the little mountain was a battle-ax, which was none other than the thousand-symbol spirit he had captured.

After looking at it for a moment, he lifted his right hand up into the air, causing the mountain to vanish. The battle-ax instantly began to emit a rumbling sound, and was just about to attack when Naruto waved his wide sleeve, causing a huge pressure to envelop the area. He reached out with his hand, but the battle-ax made a popping sound and transformed into over a thousand magical symbols. Naruto's hand grasped nothing but air.

The magical symbols cascaded about, seemingly quite proud of themselves. They swirled behind Naruto, where they once again formed into a battle-ax, which then chopped down toward Naruto.

"Hex!" said Naruto coolly. He didn't even turn his head to look; he simply pointed backward with his left index finger.

The thousand magical symbols trembled and struggled in mid-air. However, when Naruto punched out, the battle-ax collapsed into a mass of magical symbols. Then he performed an incantation, and the Mountain Consuming Incantation appeared in the form of a thousand mountains, which covered over all the magical symbols.

Naruto performed all these actions smoothly and spontaneously, as if he hadn't been troubled in the least bit. Then, his expression indifferent, he caused the magical symbols to approach him one by one. He imprinted them with Divine Sense, a process that took several hours to complete. After it was all done, his eyes glittered as he allowed the thousand mountains to loosen and free the magical symbols.

The symbols seemed as if they had lost their sentience. They simply floated there, flickering with light, but unmoving.

"Consolidate!" said Naruto coolly. Immediately, the symbols formed together into the shape of a battle-ax, which then rotated around him. After exercising control over it for a few moments, Naruto then used the same method on the more than twenty thousand-symbol spirits in his bag of holding. He finished a few days later, after which, more than 20,000 magical symbols all whistled through the air around him.

They turned into a vortex of storm winds that emanated an incredibly threatening pressure.

A strange light appeared in Naruto's eyes. The incredible power of this treasure was second only to the symbol spirits he had seen in the Stormwind Divide that formed into enormous ferocious beasts.

"However, it wastes too much of my Cultivation base," he thought after a moment. After consuming some medicinal pills, he sat down to meditate. It wasn't until dawn of the following morning that he finally opened his eyes.

"The time has come!" he said. Taking a deep breath, he performed an incantation, placing multiple seals onto his body that caused his energy to rapidly weaken. Soon, the aura of the Resurrection Lily once again appeared.

Previously, Naruto had assumed that only he could sense the aura.

However, after arriving in the Third Ring, he understood that to Sea Demons, the Resurrection Lily was like some hitherto unknown tonic that, if consumed, could provoke incredible transmogrification.

As soon as the aura spread out, the surrounding sea began to churn.

Countless glowing red eyes snapped open in the depths of the sea in the Third Ring. In the blink of an eye, the Sea Demons shot with incredible speed in the direction of something they instinctively knew they had to consume.

Some distance away, a multicolored jellyfish was just under the surface of the water, stalking a group of Cultivators, waiting for the right opportunity to attack. However, just in the moment when it was about to make a move, it suddenly trembled and then shot away under the water.

In another location, a group of a few dozen Cultivators were locked in close combat with three Sea Demons. Suddenly, the Sea demons roared, dove down into the water, and vanished.

Scenes like this played out throughout various locations in the Third Ring. Quite a few Cultivators noticed the phenomenon. Some Cultivators up in mid-air were shocked to see waves sweeping across the sea, and the countless Sea Demons swimming through the water.

"Don't tell me it's a Beast Tide!"

Even while so many people were shocked, Naruto sat calmly waiting on the island. After enough time passed for an incense stick to burn, an enormous pincer suddenly shot out from the seawater toward him.

At the same time, multiple Sea Demons burst out from the water to charge toward Naruto.

His eyes glittered with coldness as he waved his right hand, causing a thousand-symbol battle-ax to fly out. It swept out, filling the area with the sounds of explosions as it destroyed the Sea Demons.

Even as they died, an additional hundred or more Sea Demons emerged from the water, their visages that of wildness and greed. It was almost like Naruto had turned into a whirlpool that caused desire to well up within all the Sea Demons of the Third Ring.

Naruto was calm and unhurried as he manipulated the magical symbols. With the wave of a finger, 1,000 magical symbols flew out, surrounding the island, making it impossible for any Sea Demon to get even more than three hundred meters onto the island.

Four explosion-filled hours passed. More than a thousand Sea Demons had charged out from within the shocking waves. They didn't seem to even understand the difference between life and death; disregarding even their own lives, they charged forward relentlessly.

Booms rang out as Naruto's hands moved even faster to control the 8,000 magical symbols, which whistled through the air. They formed into various magical items, including the battle-ax, and emanated incredible might.

Another four hours passed, during which time, Naruto consumed medicinal pills on three occasions to support the rotation of his Cultivation base. Currently, the island was surrounded by densely packed groups of Sea Demons. There were so many that he almost couldn't see anything else.

The sight was enough to shock anyone who might see it, even Naruto. However, he wanted even more Sea Demons. The magical symbols were now 13,000 in number, whistling about to create a droning sound that filled the ears.

From afar, the island appeared to be surrounded by a vortex of storm winds, and a black fog. Outside of the storm winds were endless amounts of Sea Demons that charged forward in their attempts to get onto the island.

The roaring was astonishing, and blood showered about everywhere. Naruto was unsure of how many Sea Demons he had killed in the relatively short period of time. The only ones who knew were the parrot and meat jelly.

That was because they were flying around, boring their way in and out all over the place. As the Sea Demons died, they gleefully collected up the Demon hearts.

It was in this moment, however, that a howl split the air from off in the distance. This howl was unique; it sounded like a weeping girl, and it instantly caused Naruto to look up. His Divine Sense swept out, and off in the distance, he could see the Sea Demons all trembling and making way for an enormous seven-colored jellyfish which was slowly swimming forward.

On top of the head of the jellyfish, shockingly, was… a white flower!

It was a Whitebone Lily, a flower that looked like bleached bones. It swayed back and forth, causing all the color in the area to vanish and be replaced with only black and white.

As Naruto looked over, he suddenly felt the island shake beneath him, as if some enormous creature down below were attacking it.

His face flickered for the space of a few breaths, but he was powerless to support the island. Cracks spread out on its surface, and then the island simply collapsed into countless pieces.

Huge waves rolled out across the seawater as, in the blink of an eye, the entire island sank down into the water. As for Naruto, he was also pulled down into the sea.

In that instant, the Sea Demons in the area grew even more frenzied. The world underneath the surface of the waters was their domain, so it was with even more madness that they charged forward.

Naruto's eyes glittered. The world underneath the surface might be the domain of the Sea Demons, but it was also his world!

He had formed the water character of the five elements totem, and had also practiced cultivation on the bottom of the Violet Sea for a hundred years. Why would he possibly care about the pressure exerted under the sea? His expression was cold as he lifted his right hand to cause 20,000 glittering magical symbols to circulate out. They transformed into twenty magical items which shot toward the Sea Demons and began to slaughter them.

The explosions did not pass out of the seawater, but they did give rise to enormous waves which swept out through the Third Ring. The Cultivators who saw them were shocked, and intrigued about what was happening.

Furthermore, some of the incredibly powerful Sea Demons of the Third Ring were now in motion, heading toward Naruto, filled with madness.

Vol. 5 : Chapter 656

Chapter 656 (Click to show "spoiler" title)

Chapter 656: The Resurrection Lily Makes a Move!

Naruto was under the water, surrounded by 20,000 magical symbols which swept around him in the form of a tempest. The water seethed, and the Sea Demons were unable to get within even three hundred meters of him.

Of course, the Sea Demons attacked with reckless abandon, impelled by instinct to fight even if they died. Naruto's eyes flickered as the magical symbols surged around him, carrying out an incredible slaughter.

Waves surged out, affecting more than half of the Third Ring, and more and more Sea Demons arrived. Soon, even the Third Ring's Seahold city was affected, causing even more Cultivators to look around in shock and wonder what was occurring.

In fact, the waves even crashed into Seahold, the city created by the joint efforts of the three Sects. The sounds of bugles filled the air, and the Cultivators garrisoned there armed themselves and entered battle formation, as if they were preparing to fight some incredible enemy.

The powerful experts within the city emerged one by one, their faces grim and filled with intense harshness. They looked off into the distance at the countless waves that surged toward them.

"Could it be that the Sea Devils of the Second Ring are on the attack?"

"Impossible! The Sea Devils of the Second Ring are few in number. They rarely appear, and almost never enter the Third Ring. To them, the Sea Demons of the Third Ring are like common animals. They view themselves as the emperors and kings!"

"But if it's not the Sea Devils, then what is causing these great transformations in the Third Ring?!"

Everyone was discussing the matter, and as soon as the Sea Devils were mentioned, faces filled with fear.

Outside the city, crashing sounds could be heard as the waves slammed into the city walls.

The sounds could be heard without cessation, and echoed throughout the city, causing the Cultivator's faces to flicker with various expressions.

In the middle of Seahold was an enormous tower nearly three thousand meters tall. The areas surrounding the tower were a forbidden zone which no one could enter without being invited first.

This was a cultivation area set aside for the three Saints. At the highest level of the tower sat a middle-aged man wearing a voluminous red robe, who happened to be surnamed Lin. He had long black hair, and currently stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking out a window. He was frowning, and it was impossible to tell exactly what he was thinking.

"The waves are higher by three meters, and seemingly for no reason," he said coolly. "It seems something has provoked the Sea Demons. They're all heading in the same direction. Are they going to pay respects, or have they been summoned? Or enticed?" His eyes shone with a brilliant light, and as he spoke, his words seemed to cause ripples to spread out in the air.

"In any case, the Sea Demons are not intelligent. It must be desire which is driving them!" He suddenly took a step forward, and then vanished.

Shockingly, he reappeared outside of Seahold, far off in the distance. Waves surged beneath his feet as he clasped his hands behind his back and strode forward.

With a single step, he vanished and then reappeared far, far off. Then he repeated the process. It was with incredible speed that he moved, a speed that a Nascent Soul Cultivator could never achieve, not even by bringing harm to their own life.

At the same time that the red robed man proceeded forward, Naruto was surrounded by 20,000 surging magical symbols. Blood filled the water around him as countless Sea Demons were completely destroyed. He had no idea how many he had killed, but as he sank down deeper, the Sea Demons that surrounded him seemed endless.

It was at this point that a five-colored bolt of lightning suddenly appeared, shooting through the hordes of Sea Demons. Wherever it went, Sea Demons directly exploded. The lightning itself seemed to be filled with the power to destroy Heaven and Earth. In the blink of an eye, it slammed into the magical symbols that surrounded Naruto.

Boom!

A thousand of the 20,000 magical symbols instantly collapsed. It shot onward toward Naruto, who immediately looked up. When the island collapsed and began to sink to the sea floor, he had already noticed the approaching Whitebone Lily jellyfish.

However, after sinking down, despite being unhampered by the surroundings, he found himself in a different situation than when he had been in the Violet Sea. Here, his Divine Sense had limitations.

Of course, he was as vigilant as ever, so as the lightning bore down on him, he lifted his right hand and pointed forward with his index finger.

The Blood Palm instantly appeared and shot forward.

A boom could be heard as the five-colored lightning bolt spread apart, surrounding the Blood Palm, as if it wished to bore directly into it.

Naruto's eyes glittered, and he let out a cold snort. He flicked his sleeve, performed an incantation, and then pointed forward.

Immediately, a face appeared in front of him. It looked like Naruto's face, although its eyes were closed as it shot forward. This, of course, was the first form of the Blood Immortal divine ability.

Booming filled the bottom of the sea. As the lightning collapsed, the face's eyes opened, and the lips began to speak with a soundless voice.

The soundless voice seemed to rip the jellyfish out into the open. Six ripple-like formless sound waves swept out in front of Naruto. The first of them caused thousands of Sea Demons to instantly explode. The second, third, and fourth sweeping ripples caused more than 10,000 Sea Demons to collapse.

The fourth and fifth ripples seemed to open a path that revealed the enormous jellyfish off in the distance. The Sea Demons in front of Naruto all scrambled clear as the sixth ripple shot directly toward the jellyfish. The water seethed and distorted to form the face of Naruto, which rumbled toward the jellyfish.

A brilliant, five-colored glow spread out from the jelly-fish, which transformed into a five-colored shield that shot out in defense. A huge boom could be heard, which transformed into an even more intense attack that spread out in all directions. Naruto gave a cold snort, and was just about to directly slay the bizarre jellyfish when suddenly, he sensed an incredible force shooting toward him. The intensity of the force caused him to tremble inwardly. The magical symbol tempest around him shuddered, and another thousand symbols instantly collapsed.

As the force neared Naruto, his eyes glittered. Giving up any plans to slay the jellyfish, he spun around. His right hand clenched into a fist, which then punched directly toward the incoming force.

A bang could be heard, and the seawater exploded out in all directions. It was as if two enormous, incredibly shocking fists had slammed into each other in the middle of the water.

A deep growl could be heard as an enormous figure retreated backward from the force of Naruto's punch.

It was at this point that Naruto could clearly see the Sea Demon that was the source of the powerful force from just now.

It was a giant!

A three thousand meter tall giant, with two heads and scale-covered skin that was completely blue. Its eyes, however, were bright red as it stared at Naruto.

This was what had caused the island to collapse!

Shockingly, located behind the giant could be seen a Whitebone Lily, swaying back and forth!

The Whitebone Lily was a ghastly white color, and looked completely shocking. That was especially true because, when he looked at it, Naruto could almost see a human face, staring back at him with a strange expression.

The gaze was filled with many emotions, with avarice and with… concentration, almost as if it were… staring at something like itself.

Naruto's eyes glittered. As of this point, he had seen two bizarre Sea Demons in the Milky Way Sea's Third Ring, both of whom had strange Whitebone Lilies on them.

In fact, when Naruto looked at the Whitebone Lily, he could clearly sense that the Resurrection Lily inside of him felt provoked, and even emanated the desire to attack.

Apparently, the pressure from Naruto, as well as the intensity of the current danger, had caused it to intentionally allow some of its aura to seep out into his blood vessels.

Naruto's mind trembled. He had been fighting with the Resurrection Lily for years, and although he always succeeded in suppressing it, he only did so with the use of force. This was the first time that the Resurrection Lily had given up on any resistance, and merge its aura with Naruto of its own initiative.

As the aura merged into him, a bizarre light appeared in Naruto's eyes. He did not resist, but rather, allowed the aura of the Resurrection Lily to spread out within him. Instantly… a five-colored Resurrection Lily appeared behind him!

The flower formed into a face that was split into two parts. One part looked like Naruto, as mild as jade; the other looked as vicious as a wicked spirit!

Two faces, five petals, five glowing colors. In the blink of an eye, the light spread out to fill the sea floor. As it did, Naruto's mind suddenly trembled, and a strange glow appeared in his eyes. As of that moment, he could… sense the energy of Heaven and Earth!

This was not the first time he could sense the energy of Heaven and Earth, but this was the most direct connection he had ever felt. He almost felt… as if he were favored by Heaven and Earth, as if his existence was approved.

With every breath he took, the power of Heaven and Earth flowed into him. Regardless of whether it was spiritual energy or Demonic Qi, or other types, anything that could be of benefit to him flowed in.

The feeling was indescribable, as if Heaven and Earth would do anything for him.

The power was boundless!

It felt like his destiny grew deeper, as if the Heavens had opened their eyes to gaze upon him. It was like any living thing that wished to harm him would become an object of loathing to Heaven and Earth.

The indescribable feeling was like a mysterious premonition.

"The day the Resurrection Lily blooms with seven colors, flowers bloom and flowers descend, one thousand years…. Don't tell me that it really is impossible to kill it!?" The realization hit Naruto, but he had no time for consideration at the moment.

Almost in the same moment that the five-colored Resurrection Lily appeared behind him, the hosts of Sea Demons around him went into a frenzy. Their eyes were red, and seal marks appeared on their bodies.

The seal resembled the face of a spirit, almost like the earliest version of the Resurrection Lily, except white. However, if you looked closely, you could see that it was not the Resurrection Lily, but, shockingly… a Whitebone Lily!

"This Whitebone Lily definitely has some direct connection with the

Resurrection Lily. But why are there so many Whitebone Lilies in the

Milky Way Sea!? It seems like almost every single Sea Demon has one!" His mind trembled as he looked around at all of the Whitebone Lily seals, and his scalp began to grow numb.

"I wonder if it has something to do with the Reverend Silverlamp of the Milky Way Sea that Master spoke of?!" Naruto's face flickered as he once again looked around at the enormous giant and the jellyfish, and realized that they were different from the other Sea Demons.

What existed on them was not a mark of the Whitebone Lily, but an actual, living flower.

Currently, the two Whitebone Lilies were swaying back and forth, and looked as if they were about to bloom, each of them with three petals.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Dang Quang Tran, John Smith, Sunny

Goela, Dave Berkoh, Eric Layne, and Weevle

Vol. 5 : Chapter 657

Chapter 657: Saint Sun Soul of the Three Sects

"I remember Master told me that Reverend Silverlamp came to him seven hundred years before, asking for help in solving the problem of the Resurrection Lily. Master was able to help a bit, but couldn't truly solve the problem. Then, Reverend Silverlamp returned a few hundred years later, having dispelled the poison of the Resurrection Lily!

"Could it be… that these transformations in the Sea Demons in the Milky

Way Sea have something to do with Reverend Silverlamp?"

Naruto's mind trembled, and his eyes flickered. However, he knew that he could not let himself feel anxious, but rather, needed to allow time for the clues to appear. Right now, the constant slaying of Sea Demons, coupled with the level of his Cultivation base, had left him feeling quite exhausted. Considering how many Sea Demons there were in the area, even if he kept killing them for days, he still wouldn't be able to kill them all.

Also, he knew that since the drastic changes in the sea would cause widespread repercussions, it wouldn't be too long before outsiders came to investigate.

"Well, first I'll just have to kill you!" he said, turning toward the enormous giant. If the giant hadn't destroyed the island, then Naruto wouldn't be in his current situation under the water.

He quickly exercised control of the magical symbols, sending them spreading out to clear a battlefield. The giant approached, roaring, surrounded by bubbles as it charged.

Naruto gave a cold snort and then clenched his right hand into a fist.

"First Heaven Destruction!" he said, his eyes glittering. An illusory image appeared on his hand; it almost looked as if two hands had appeared and merged together. This was a Daoist magic that Naruto had acquired in the Demon Immortal Pagoda, the Nine Heavens Destruction.

After leaving the Demon Immortal Sect, he had occasionally contemplated it inwardly. After that, when he met with Guyiding Tri-rain, he was enlightened regarding the matter of vibrations. That caused the seed to sprout in his mind, and he then thoroughly understood.

The Nine Heavens Destruction was vibration!

The fist descended and water exploded. The bubbles collapsed, and Naruto's fist shot like lightning to slam directly into the giant.

Bam!

"Second Heaven!" Naruto punched again, and the water seethed, exploding out to create gigantic waves.

"Third Heaven!" Killing intent flickered in his eyes as the fist descended. The giant let out a bloodcurdling scream that echoed out despite its location on the seafloor. Naruto's fist slammed into the giant's chest, causing a huge hole to explode out.

Within the mangled flesh, a crystalline stone about the size of an infant's hand could be seen. It almost looked like a heart. Naruto's right hand stretched out to immediately grab the resplendent crystal, then wrench it away. The giant shook violently. At the same time, the illusory Resurrection Lily behind Naruto savagely enveloped the giant and then flickered as a ghost image appeared over the Whitebone Lily. It appeared as if some sort of invisible fight were taking place.

All of this happened in only the space of a few breaths. Naruto grabbed the Demon heart and then backed up. The Whitebone Lily trembled and then shattered into pieces, which the five-colored Resurrection Lily instantly consumed. The Resurrection Lily looked even more ferocious, as if it had been reborn; the five-colored petals all grew even more resplendent.

"Time to go!" Naruto growled. His voice instantly echoed out to the parrot, who had been silently going around collecting Demon hearts. It instantly flickered, returning to Naruto's side. Naruto then transformed into a green smoke and a black moon, which shot up toward the surface of the water.

Hordes of Sea Demons tried to obstruct his path, and the jellyfish went into even more of a frenzy, shooting out countless lightning bolts. However, none of it was able to hinder Naruto even the slightest bit. He quickly performed an incantation, causing the more than 10,000 magical symbols to spin around him into a tempest that emanated black fog. Then, he directly shot out of the water.

In that instant, countless Sea Demons flew out as well. However, they were incapable of stopping him as he shot up into the air, transforming into a beam of light that shot off into the distance.

At the same time, he forcefully suppressed the aura of the Resurrection Lily. It didn't matter whether the Resurrection Lily was willing or not, nor how much it struggled; it was completely pushed down by Naruto.

He moved with incredible speed until he was around 3,000 meters away. Finally, he was about to check how many Demon hearts he had acquired, when suddenly, his expression flickered as he noticed a red cloud speeding toward him from off in the distance.

Shockingly, within the red cloud could be seen a huge face. It rumbled as it shot toward Naruto, emanating an aura of Spirit Severing which seemed to cover everything.

Naruto's eyes glittered and he raised his hand, causing the magical symbols to shoot up into the air in the form of a tempest, which then moved directly to intercept the red cloud face.

A huge boom rattled out. The cloud dispersed, and Naruto's magical symbols collapsed. As they scattered about, Naruto shot backward, his face grim. He looked off into the distance to see a middle-aged man wearing a red robe, striding forward with an expressionless face.

He glanced coldly at Naruto, his gaze sharp. The Spirit Severing aura within Naruto could now be seen, his energy pulsing brightly.

The red-robed man's eyes narrowed slightly. Then he saw all of the tempest magical symbols, and he immediately understood that the person in front of him was not weak.

However, 'not weak' meant little to him.

"Your first offense was to cause chaos in the Milky Way Sea!" he said coolly. "I don't care where you got those symbol spirits, they belong to the three Sects. Outsiders are not permitted to possess them. That is your second offense.

"Two crimes. Allow me to explain your punishment…." The red-robed man waved his hand, employing some special technique that instantly caused all of the magical symbol spirits to tremble and then wrest themselves free from Naruto's control and shoot to the side of the red-robed man.

"I am a Saint, and these objects belong to me. Thus, I will take them back. Now, produce all of the Demon hearts you acquired and then get the hell out of the Milky Way Sea!

"I'll give you three days. If you're still in the Milky Way Sea at that time… well, I happen to be lacking a puppet mount." A cold gleam could be seen in the man's eyes, as well as a look of superciliousness. His aura was one that invoked profound reverence, and made it seem that his words were like the will of Heaven when spoken out on the Milky Way Sea.

Naruto's expression was the same as ever. He had never seen this red-robed Cultivator before, but with a single glance at his Cultivation base, he could tell that he was different from Patriarch Huyan. This man was apparently at the Second Severing level.

In that case, the man's identity was obvious.

"Can't we talk this over?" asked Naruto.

"No. No talking it over," replied the red-robed man calmly.

"But, I don't want to hand over the Demon hearts," said Naruto coolly, "nor the symbol spirits."

The red-robed man responded with a cold snort and a cool detachment. He waved his right sleeve, causing more than 100,000 symbol spirits to rush out from within. In the blink of an eye, they blotted out the sky and cast everything into shadow.

"Well, then you can just stay behind. Whatever Sect or Clan you belong to can come to me and pay a ransom price to get you back." With that, the 100,000 symbol spirits spread out into the air and shot toward Naruto.

As they neared, Naruto slapped his bag of holding, causing an enormous bronze wheel to fly out. It was covered with magical symbols which instantly glowed with brilliant light as it began to rotate.

At the same time, a sense of the power of Time appeared. It spread out to fill the area, causing the magical symbol spirits to suddenly reveal ancientness. They began to move slower, allowing Naruto to casually move forward through their midst.

"A Time treasure!" thought the red-robed man.

At the same time, Naruto performed an incantation and then pointed forward. Instantly, the Time Sword Formation appeared. As it rotated, it transformed into the shape of a lotus, which caused the raging power of Time to sweep out in all directions. It seemed to be working in unison with the Wheel of Time as Naruto flicked his sleeve, causing it to fly toward the red-robed Cultivator.

"A Time treasure…." the red-robed man said coolly. "It seems I underestimated you." He waved his right hand through the air, causing a tremor to run through the 100,000 magical symbols. Instantly, 10,000 of them exploded, causing an immaterial explosion to rip through the power of Time. The rest of the symbols continued to shoot toward Naruto.

"Mountain Consuming Incantation!" Naruto proceeded forward, extending his right hand and then pushing it down toward the sea. Instantly, the seawater roiled, and from its depths rose up a trembling mountain. The mountain shattered into countless fragments which then shot out in front of Naruto, reforming together into the shape of a small mountain.

After coming to the Third Ring, this was Naruto's first time using a real mountain to fight an enemy with the Mountain Consuming Incantation.

As soon as the art appeared, the massive collection of 90,000 magical symbols fought back against the mountain. Booming sounds could be heard, but Naruto continued to proceed forward. He was now roughly three hundred meters away from the red-robed man.

The man frowned, then performed an incantation with his right hand. He pointed up to the sky, causing the bright gleam of swords to shoot up into the sky from nearby Seahold.

Three swords flew through the air, emitting a droning sound. Their incredible speed was such that they rapidly became invisible.

Many of the Cultivators in the Sea City saw what was happening, and were completely shocked. Their faces flickered as they came to the conclusion that the Saint had encountered a formidable foe!

Almost simultaneously, the three swords appeared in front of the redrobed man. They didn't pause for even a moment, but rather, shot directly toward Naruto.

The red-robed man's voice was cool as he said: "These three swords of mine were forged with a Sky-Sun Bone, something rarely seen in the Milky Way Sea, even in ten thousand years. It borrows the power of the stars and refines it into an undying strength that can overcome any obstacle."

As the three swords neared, Naruto waved his right sleeve, causing the Time Sword tip to fly out. It moved with incredible speed, piercing through the air, sending out ripples of Time power as it headed toward the red-robed man.

Shockingly, a strand of silk was connected to the the sword tip, flashing coldly in the sunlight.

"This sword tip of mine comes from a 70,000 year old Spring and Autumn Tree," said Naruto coolly. "The rest of the sword was destroyed by an Immortal, but the tip is eternal. Time did not harm the sword tip, and I refined it into a treasure. It can kill and exterminate countless forms of life, and nothing can stand up to it without withering away.

"The silk behind it is something rarely seen in Heaven and Earth. If the silk remains unbroken, I cannot be killed."

When the sword tip appeared, the red-robed man's three swords seemed to hold back.

The red-robed man's pupils constricted as he stared at the sword tip. He could sense the incredible power of Time emanating off of it. He felt that if he got too near it, he would begin to wither, and his life force and longevity would be reduced.

"You're a Time Cultivator," said the man, looking at Naruto.

"You're Saint Sun Soul of the three Sects!" replied Naruto.

Vol. 5 : Chapter 658

Chapter 658: Hometown Alcohol

The red-robed man was none other than one of the three Saints of the Milky Way Sea, Saint Sun Soul of the Sun Soul Society!

He was fond of red garments, and his three swords could shake Heaven and Earth. The last time the Demon Tide arrived to destroy Seahold, he single-handedly wielded his three swords in defense. The Sword Qi penetrated all the way to the Second Ring.

It was completely shocking, and frightened the Demon hordes into retreat.

Naruto had learned of these things before coming to the Third Ring. Therefore, when the red-robed man appeared, he easily guessed who exactly he was.

At the moment, Naruto's Time Sword tip pressed on toward Saint Sun Soul, even as Saint Sun Soul's three swords stopped 7 inches away from Naruto, emanating a frigid aura.

The two of them stared at each other as they carried out their invisible struggle. This was no battle of magical techniques, but rather, a contest of Divine Will. Any observer would not be able to see or hear anything. However, to the two of them, everything was rumbling violently, lightning crackled, and the world seemed on the verge of collapse as even the wind moved in reverse.

Red-robed Saint Sun Soul looked at Naruto, and his pupils slowly constricted. "You're not a match for me."

"And you can't kill me," replied Naruto calmly.

Saint Sun Soul looked back at Naruto silently. He had to admit that what Naruto said was true. He really had no way of killing him. Naruto's Cultivation base was very strange, and although he couldn't say exactly why, it gave him the feeling that Naruto could trample all of the Sea Cities in the Milky Way Sea.

It was as if… he had some indescribable, unknown connection to the whole place.

Saint Sun Soul suddenly raised his right hand and flicked his sleeve, causing the three swords to instantly vanish. When they reappeared, they were circulating around him.

Simultaneously, Naruto's eyes glittered, and the Time Sword tip flew back to rotate around him.

Saint Sun Soul looked at Naruto and then slowly said, "In the past, I swore an oath to never again kill a Cultivator. My sword will only kill the Outsiders!

"You may stay in the Milky Way Sea, but that aura of yours displeases me. If I discover you have anything to do with the Sea Devils of the Second Ring… well then, I will be forced to use the precious treasure of the Sun Soul Society ancestor and its Dao Seeking power to destroy you."

Naruto looked back at the red-robed man. Although it was only moments ago that they had drawn swords on each other, he didn't find him to be detestable. In fact, he could sense that the man was proud, and not the type to speak falsehoods.

People such as this, while simple, had unshakable principles.

"I'll do as I please," said Naruto coolly his eyes shining with a bright, cold light.

Saint Sun Soul's eyes gleamed with a similarly cold light. His face cold, he gave Naruto a final deep look, then turned to depart.

Before he could leave, Naruto quickly said, "It took a lot of effort for me to collect those magical symbol spirits."

Saint Sun Soul stopped and looked back. "These symbols belong to the three Sects."

Naruto didn't respond immediately. Instead, he slapped his bag of holding to produce a bottle gourd with alcohol in it. He tossed it over.

Saint Sun Soul caught it. When he looked down to examine it, he stared in shock.

"That's bit of alcohol from my hometown," said Naruto unhurriedly. "I took some with me when I left."

Saint Sun Soul looked at the alcohol flagon, then looked back at Naruto. He thought for a moment, his face expressionless. Then he turned to leave. As he did, he flicked his sleeve, causing the 10,000 magical symbol spirits he had taken to suddenly flicker as he severed his connection with them. Then, they flew back to swirl around Naruto.

Naruto looked away, then turned into a beam of colorful light that vanished in the blink of an eye.

Several days later, on a relatively small island in the Third Ring, Naruto sat cross-legged, the 10,000 magical symbol spirits circulating around him like a shield.

The parrot was in front of him, glaring at him angrily, as was the meat jelly, who stood next to the parrot.

The three had been facing off against each other like this for nearly ten breaths of time.

"Five creatures with fur or feathers. No discussions and no wiggle room. When Lord Fifth risks life and limb, it's not for nothing!"

"Yeah. Lord Third wants three bullies! No discussions! When I say three, I mean three!"

Naruto was silent, and a pained expression could be seen on his face. After a long moment, and seemingly completely against his will, he forced himself to nod. Seeing Naruto like this caused the parrot to laugh proudly. Then it tossed out a feather, which flew off not too far into the distance, then exploded with a popping sound. Instantly, it transformed into a heaping mountain of Demon hearts.

The meat jelly also looked extremely proud of itself. It opened its mouth and spit out a multi-colored cascade of lights that transformed into a second mountain of Demon hearts.

Naruto laughed inwardly. He was all too familiar with these two nitwits. Their demands were simple, but Naruto knew that if he agreed too quickly, or gave them the feeling that he didn't care, then it would only lead to more trouble.

Therefore, he intentionally pretended to consider and struggle in order to please the two ninnies.

Having dealt with them, Naruto's eyes shifted to look at the two mountainous piles of Demon hearts. There were clearly well over 100,000 of them.

Furthermore, it seemed that nearly half were mid-grade Demon hearts. There were even some high-grade hearts, which vastly increased the value of the collection.

"I wonder if I can use Demon hearts to duplicate things with the copper mirror?" he thought, his eyes glittering. He lowered his head thoughtfully. Currently, the greatest danger he faced was the deadly threat of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

"That old codger's Cultivation base is just too high, so I'm not a match for him at all. The only thing I can do… is figure out a way to escape from him next time I run into him." He looked over at the Time Sword tip.

"If I had ten or more sword tips, I could form them into the Lotus Sword Formation. With that, maybe I could take him by surprise….

Unfortunately, I don't have enough Spirit Stones." He frowned, but then his eyes began to shine with a bright light.

"I can duplicate Wooden Time Swords, though. Given the level of my

Cultivation base now, I should be able to seal seven sixty-year cycles of

Time into the sword. If I had over a hundred of them…

"Then I could unleash the third form of the Lotus Sword Formation. I wonder how powerful that would be." Having reached this point in his train of thought, Naruto immediately produced a Wooden Time Sword. Then he took a deep breath and began to seal Time into it.

During the half month that followed, rumbling booms occasionally echoed out. Naruto's brow was furrowed the entire time. On the last day, though, his frown disappeared. Floating there in front of him was now the only Wooden Time Sword that he possessed.

The veins of wood were clearly visible on it, and when the power of Time emanated out from within, it contained the ripples of seven sixty-year cycles of time. Naruto had no other magical item that possessed as much power of Time.

"All the other Wooden Time Swords were destroyed in the process. This is my only one left, but it was worth it…. It's a good thing that in the end, I only need one instance of success!" With that, he pulled out the copper mirror and began to duplicate it.

Unfortunately, it required a vast amount of Spirit Stones to duplicate a Wooden Time Sword with seven sixty-year cycles of Time. This time, the pain Naruto felt in his heart was real. By the end, he used all of the Spirit Stones in his bag of holding to make ten copies.

Including the original sword, he now had a total of eleven.

After a moment's thought, he tried to use the Demon hearts to duplicate some things. After putting seven or eight Demon hearts into the mirror and then observing the results, he stopped.

"They're no different than Spirit Stones…" he thought with a frown. Originally, he had assumed that although the Demon hearts seemed very similar to Spirit Stones, they must have some other unique function.

After all, they were Demon hearts, not Spirit Stones.

"I'm able to attract large quantities of Sea Demons here in the Third Ring. But that's unique. Other people would probably be able to save up a few hundred Demon Hearts at the most.

"People really come risk there lives here for a trifling few hundred

Demon hearts?" A contemplative look appeared in Naruto's eyes.

"That Saint Sun Soul also mentioned wanting Demon hearts. Considering the level of his Cultivation base, and his status, he wouldn't care about a few million Spirit Stones, much less a few hundred Demon hearts…. Therefore, Demon hearts must have some use of which I'm unaware!" After further thought, Naruto was sure that there must be something he had overlooked. After a bit more consideration, he rose to his feet, his eyes glittering. He then waved his sleeve to collect up all the Demon hearts.

He remained on the island for a while thinking. Finally, his eyes flashed and flew up into the air, heading off into the distance at top speed.

"Since I don't know," he thought, "I guess I'll need to find someone who does."

As he flashed through the air, he changed his appearance and reduced his Cultivation base to the Nascent Soul stage. After speeding along for a few days, he suddenly stopped and looked off into the distance.

Not too far away, he spotted a several hundred meter wide whirlpool, within which was an enormous seahorse. It roared as pulses of coldness emanated out from it, causing everything around it to freeze.

Hovering in mid-air in front of the seahorse were two people, a man and a woman. The man was old and hunchbacked. He had a Cultivation base at the early Nascent Soul stage, and wizened features. His face was pale, and he clutched a pearl in his hand, which emanated pulses of flame power. It transformed into a rain of fire that filled the entire area, including the spot occupied by the seahorse.

Next to the old man was the woman, who wore a mask that made it impossible to see what her face looked like. However, from the rest of her skin that was visible, it was possible to determine that she wasn't very old.

Her Cultivation base was at the early Core Formation stage, and although she watched intently as the old man fought back against the Sea Demon, deep within her eyes flickered intense hatred.

Seeing the old man's pale face, she said, "Senior, let's just forget about it. Why don't we go find a weaker Sea Demon…."

"We've been out here for months," said the old man through gritted teeth. "This is the first Sea Demon we've found. How could we possibly let it go!?" He spit out a mouthful of blood, causing the pearl he held to turn bright red. Next, a sea of flames exploded out, causing steam to rise up from the seawater below. The seahorse, which was caught up in the flames, roared. Intense coldness exploded out from it as it charged forward into the fire. Immediately more than half of the sea of flames was extinguished.

The old man's face flickered, and he clenched his jaw. However, it was in this exact moment that suddenly, a bright beam of light approached from off in the distance.

Inside the beam, of course, was Naruto.

His sudden appearance shocked the old man. The face of the young woman next to him also flickered. As for the old man, when he saw that Naruto's Cultivation base was at the early Nascent Soul stage, he relaxed a bit, but at the same time, also frowned.

"Fellow Daoist," he said, "please keep your distance. I discovered this

Demon, so according to the custom, it belongs to me."

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Stephen Lucas

Vol. 5 : Chapter 659

Chapter 659 (Click to show "spoiler" title) Chapter 659: I Struck It Super Rich!

With a faint smile, Naruto stopped and didn't get any closer.

The old man frowned and exchanged a look with the young woman. Then he focused his strength on controlling the magical items in front of him, and causing the sea of flames to descend once more.

The seahorse roared, and a blue light spread out from its body. It seemed to be going all out; the light exploded in all directions, and everywhere it passed turned into ice, even the sea of flames. The ice sealing caused the old man's face to fill with shock. His pearl completely froze over, after which he shot backward at top speed. He grabbed the young woman and then made to leave. Unfortunately, he had been injured, and the blue light was too fast. At the moment, he seemed incapable of escaping….

An expression of struggle appeared in the old man's eyes, but it lasted only for the time it takes a spark to fly off of a piece of flint. He looked at the young woman, preparing to throw her back into the blue light to block its way.

In that moment, Naruto lifted his hand up and pointed his finger out.

The expanding blue light suddenly stopped moving, allowing the old man and the young woman to escape from the area.

At the same time, Naruto waved his hand again, causing a Wooden Time Sword to fly out. It shot like lightning toward the seahorse, and stabbed it through in the blink of an eye. It was only one sword with seven sixty-year cycles of Time power, but as soon as it pierced the seahorse, a bloodcurdling shriek could be heard, and the seahorse began to wither up.

Its eyes filled with terror, and it began to sink down into the water. However, even as it did, Naruto let a certain bit of aura seep out, which caused the seahorse's eyes to go red. It instantly charged him again. The old man and the young woman watched on in astonishment as the Wooden Time Sword stabbed it through seven or eight more times.

The howls of the seahorse echoed out in all directions as its body rapidly withered. In a short moment, it was transformed into a desiccated corpse floating on the surface of the sea….

Naruto neared the corpse of the seahorse, then pushed down on it with his right hand. Immediately, a Demon heart flew into his hand. Up in midair, the old man and the young woman looked at Naruto with complex expressions. They looked as if they were on guard, especially when it came to the shocking sword he had used.

When Naruto looked up at them, the old man pulled the young woman into a position behind him, and also began to rotate his Cultivation base. He then clasped hands and bowed to Naruto.

"Many thanks for your assistance, Fellow Daoist," he said, slowly backing up at the same time. He was obviously terrified of Naruto's sword. "That mid-grade Demon heart is yours. If fate ever allows us to meet again, then I'll definitely repay you."

Naruto shook his head. "Don't be in such a hurry to leave," he said.

Then he sent the Demon heart flying toward the shocked old man, who caught it without even thinking about it. He looked at the Demon heart and then looked back at Naruto, his heart filling with anxiety and doubt.

The young woman stared fixedly at the Demon heart in the old man's hand and began to pant. The hatred deep in her eyes flickered again; she was obviously well aware of what the old man had almost done to her earlier.

"Fellow Daoist, you…." the old man said hesitatingly.

Choosing to not beat around the bush, Naruto said, "The two of you have pretty strong Cultivation bases. That Demon heart seems to be virtually the same as a mid-grade Spirit Stone. Why do you care so much about it?"

His words left the old man completely at a loss. The young woman also looked at Naruto with a quizzical expression.

The old man was quiet for a moment, then looked at Naruto and said,

"Fellow Daoist… don't tell me this is your first time in the Milky Way Sea?"

Naruto nodded.

The old man took a deep breath, then muttered a few things to himself as he put the Demon heart away.

"You're right," he then said. "The spiritual energy in this Demon heart is similar to a mid-grade Spirit Stone. However, one mid-grade Spirit Stone couldn't buy you any Demon hearts at all!

"In the Three Sects' Seahold, there are special locations that purchase Demon hearts.

"As for the exact value, it fluctuates. If I recall correctly, when I last left Seahold, one low-grade Demon Heart was worth 500 low-grade Spirit Stones!

"There were even some places that would pay 1000!"

When Naruto heard this, it didn't matter that he had such a high Cultivation base, his mind filled with a roaring sound anyway. His bag of holding contained about 80-90,000 low-grade Demon hearts. If you calculated it out, they were worth… 80-90,000,000 low-grade Spirit Stones.

That number sent great waves crashing about inside of Naruto's mind. His brain trembled, and he almost couldn't believe it. During his entire life, he had never possessed so many Spirit Stones. He immediately began to breathe heavily.

"How much did you say?" he blurted without even thinking about it.

"Low-grade Demon Hearts range in value from several hundred to a thousand Spirit Stones…." said the old man. He didn't seem to think anything about Naruto's reaction was strange. Anyone who heard about the matter for the first time would be astonished.

"What about mid-grade Demon hearts?" Naruto followed up immediately.

The old man hesitated for a moment and rubbed his bag of holding, but continued on with his explanation: "Their value fluctuates too, but not too much. One mid-grade Demon heart is worth about 10,000 low-grade Spirit Stones!"

Naruto's mouth went so dry that he couldn't speak. Within his bag of holding were more than 30,000 mid-grade Demon hearts. After he calculated the number, his mind once again filled with roaring.

Now, he suddenly understood why people risked their lives to come here.

"I'm rich!" he thought. "I really am super rich!" Naruto couldn't control the excitement that exploded out within him. The fact that his lifelong desire had suddenly been fulfilled caused his heart to begin to pound rapidly.

The old man looked at Naruto and continued, "Of course, there are even more rare Demon hearts, the high-grade variety. I'm actually not sure exactly how much they are worth, because they only appear in auctions.

"However, I do remember that at the last auction I attended, a highgrade Demon heart was sold for the incredible price of 670,000 Spirit Stones!"

When Naruto heard that, he went even more wild with joy. He had nearly 10,000 such high-grade Demon hearts in his bag of holding. All of a sudden, he felt as if an enormous golden ingot had fallen directly onto him.

Moments later, though, his face suddenly flickered when he remembered that among the seven or eight Demon hearts he had used to test out the duplication powers of the copper mirror, four had been high-grade Demon hearts.

He suddenly felt a twisting stab of pain in his heart.

"That means… I… yet again wasted more than 2,000,000 Spirit Stones? Fudge! That's…." He had the sudden impulse to scream and curse. After taking a few deep breaths, he told himself that it wasn't any worse than the matter with the 2,000 ultra high-grade Spirit Stones. After a bit of time, he calmed himself.

"Is there a type of Demon Heart even more precious than what you've already mentioned?" he asked. "Something similar to ultra high-grade Spirit Stones?" He happened to have exactly just such a Demon Heart in his bag of holding, the one he had acquired from the Whitebone Lily giant.

The man thought for a moment and then replied, "No such thing exists. Well, perhaps my Cultivation base isn't high enough, or maybe I just have never encountered someone with access to such riches. However, in the Third Ring, there is something called a Whitebone Demon heart. They are incredibly rare precious treasures. Something like that would be priceless."

Naruto's heart trembled. He was almost certain that the Demon heart in his bag of holding, the one that was the size of an infant's hand, was the Whitebone Demon heart that the old man had just mentioned.

"One more thing," said the old man. "And probably the most important. In the Three Sects' Seahold, most items can only be purchased with Demon hearts. That's another reason why I value them so much.

"With this mid-grade Demon heart, I now have enough saved up to acquire Fortification Pill Powder. With that my… my apprentice can safely continue on through the Core Formation stage." Having finished speaking, the old man backed up and bowed once again to Naruto.

Naruto gave a faint smile, and nodded. He was in an excellent mood now, and the only thing he could think about was going to Seahold to trade his Demon hearts for Spirit Stones.

"With so many Spirit Stones," he thought, "I feel quite confident that I can… duplicate a hundred Wooden Time Swords that contain seven sixty-year cycles of Time. Then I can unleash the third form of the Lotus Sword Formation!" He took a deep breath and suppressed his excitement. He well knew that no one other than him would ever be able to possess one hundred Wooden Time Swords. Be it in the past, or in the future, it would be something completely rare, perhaps even absolutely unique.

It was only because of… the copper mirror, and its Heaven-defying duplication ability. Without that, it would be impossible to forge one hundred Wooden Time Swords. Every time he attempted to seal Time into the swords, a failure would leave the sword completely destroyed. Furthermore, the rate of failure was simply far too high.

"Actually, I might even be able to duplicate the Time Sword tip!" he thought, the brightness in his eyes growing even brighter. He was just about to turn and leave, when suddenly, the young woman gritted her teeth and then, seemingly throwing all caution to the wind, clasped hands and bowed toward Naruto.

"Senior," she said, "please allow me to offer my respects."

Naruto had already begun to leave when he heard the young woman's words, and looked back.

Simultaneously, the old man's face flickered, and he reached an arm out to hold back the young woman. A cold gleam of killing intent appeared in his eyes.

"Fellow Daoist, my apprentice is immature, please forgive her. Farewell!" With that, he grabbed the young woman and prepared to leave. He had already sealed her Cultivation base, making it impossible for her to speak. However, her eyes radiated despair, almost as if she wished she could die as the man pulled her away.

Naruto frowned. He had already realized that these two people were not apprentice and Master. In fact, based on his experiences, he had already formed some speculations about the old man's true motivations.

Originally, he didn't want to interfere, but after seeing the despair in the young woman's eyes, he suddenly recalled the image of another woman.

"The look in her eye back in the Black Sieve Sect Blessed Land was exactly the same as this," he thought. 1

"Hold on a moment," he said. Sighing to himself, he suddenly appeared directly in front of the old man.

The old man's face flickered again. He hadn't sensed anything at all just now. Moments ago, Naruto had clearly been behind him, but now, all of a sudden, here he was. The old man's heart began to thump.

"Let her finish," said Naruto. The old man had just given him some valuable information, so Naruto wasn't willing to simply attack him.

The old man stood there silently for a moment, then loosened his grip.

A tremor ran through the young woman as her Cultivation base was restored. An unprecedentedly bright light appeared in her eyes, a light filled with hope. She once again gave Naruto a deep bow.

"Senior, it's your first time to the Milky Way Sea. There are many things you don't know, and the Three Sects' Seahold has very strict rules. Regarding where to stay, outsiders would have a very hard time figuring out matters on their own.

"Senior, I grew up in Seahold, and know the place inside and out. If it would please you, I'm willing to act as your guide. I can save you a lot of time, if you're willing."

It was in the Black Sieve Sect Blessed Land that Naruto arrived just in time to prevent Xu Qing from being raped ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 660

Chapter 660: The Alcohol is Quite Strong

The woman's words caused the old man's face to grow very unsightly. He once again clasped hands to Naruto.

"Fellow Daoist, my apprentice doesn't understand the way of things. Please, don't take offense. Seahold might be large, but everything there is handled in an open and clear way. Once you go, Fellow Daoist, you will naturally understand."

The young woman bit her lower lip, and said nothing more. She simply gazed at Naruto with a pleading look.

The old man was starting to get a bit worried. "Fellow Daoist," he continued, "I answered all your questions without holding anything back. My apprentice is merely homesick. However, if we Cultivators wish to make progress, must step out of our comfort zones. That's why I took her out into the world, to gain some experience."

Naruto looked over the young woman and the old man, and then sighed inwardly.

"In the cultivation world, the law of the jungle prevails. I can't do anything about that. However," he said, shaking his head, "when it comes to our actions and decisions, there is an unwritten truth; habitual unjust behavior can prevent you from reaching Spirit Severing."

"Many thanks for helping me achieve my aim!" said the old man, reaching out to grab the young woman.

"Senior!" continued the young woman, "when you had a weak Cultivation base, didn't you ever have a benefactor that was willing to help you…?" Before she could finish speaking, the old man's hand latched onto her, and she immediately became like a puppet, capable only of shedding tears filled with despair and the desire to die.

When Naruto heard her words, he suddenly said, "Did I say you could leave?"

The words were simple, but as soon as the old man heard them, his mind trembled. The Nascent Soul inside of him began to tremble, and beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. He immediately stopped in place and slowly turned around, an expression of disbelief and shock on his face as he looked at Naruto.

It was in that instant that he realized that the Cultivation base of the person in front of him far, far exceeded his own.

Naruto's voice was cool as he said, "This young woman has a unique physique suitable for certain dual-party cultivation techniques that extract the Yin to strengthen the Yang…. Your goal is nothing more than to use that power to break through a Cultivation base blockage." With that, he lifted his right hand, causing ten mid-grade Demon hearts to fly toward the old man.

"Normally I wouldn't interfere in such a matter," he continued slowly, "but having encountered this young woman, it seems the two of us are connected by destiny. Thank you for answering my questions just now. Take these Demon hearts and leave."

The old man struggled inwardly for a moment, but in the end, released the girl and collected up the Demon hearts. With a bitter smile, he clasped hands and bowed to Naruto, then hurried off into the distance.

Naruto's Cultivation base was beyond his comprehension, and the gap between the two of them far too large. The old man didn't even have the nerve to feel resentment, but rather, simply resigned himself to his fate.

As the old man made his way off into the distance, tears flowed ceaselessly down the young woman's cheeks, and she bowed over and over again to Naruto.

"Thank you for your kindness in rescuing me, Senior. I grew up on my own in Seahold, and will spare no effort to aid you." The gratitude she felt was clearly visible in her eyes. She had just evaded a huge calamity, and as a result, her voice quavered as she spoke. It seemed that all the courage she had shown just now completely vanished, and turned into weakness.

"What's your name?" asked Naruto, looking her over.

"Wei Li…. Junior's name is Wei Li," she replied softly, lowering her head to conceal the sorrow she felt because of her name. 1

Naruto nodded, but did not ask for any further details. Then, he flicked his sleeve, sweeping up the young woman to fly off into the direction of the Three Sects' Seahold, which was notated on the map he possessed.

Wei Li hesitated for a moment as she flew alongside Naruto. She looked around at the mist that surrounded them, and felt the incredible speed with which they were moving, something she had never experienced before. Her voice soft, she finally said, "Senior… are you… are you a rogue Cultivator?"

"Why do you ask that?" replied Naruto calmly.

"In the Third Ring, all the Nascent Soul Cultivators are either rogue Cultivators, or belong to Sects and Clans that provide special flight treasures. Such treasures make it possible to avoid a lot of trouble, and also allow you to meditate and practice cultivation while traveling."

Wei Li hesitated again, worried that she might somehow offend Naruto with her words. "Furthermore, upon entering Seahold, if you have such a flight treasure, you won't be interrogated."

"So that's how it is," said Naruto. After a moment's thought, he said, "Well, after I get to Seahold, I guess I'll just have to buy a few." He realized that he truly didn't have any sort of special flight treasure. Considering that it was possible to practice cultivation while riding such a treasure, Naruto started to feel somewhat excited.

Wei Li's eyes went wide, and she almost went on to tell Naruto that such flight treasures were extremely expensive. However, she didn't dare to actually open her mouth on the subject. Then she thought about how he had casually produced ten mid-grade Demon hearts, and she realized that he most likely had an incredible social standing.

After a long moment, she looked over Naruto's plain and unadorned robe, and then said, "Senior… you should probably change into a different set of clothing. In Seahold, you can purchase Daoist garments crafted from Sea Demons. According to the rumors, the highest quality garments can even resist an attack from the Spirit Severing level.

"If you prefer simple and unadorned clothing, Seahold has those too. However, regardless of whether it's in terms of the quality of material, or the defensive capabilities, such garments are unique to the Milky Way Sea. Every year, people come from various outside Sects and Clans to have them custom made."

Naruto looked down at his robes and nodded. He had never really paid much attention to his attire, but after listening to the young woman's words, he realized that they made sense.

"Hmm, yes. When we get there, I'll buy a few sets."

"Senior, there's also the matter of bags of holding. In the Milky Way Sea, you can get special holding treasures with a capacity a hundred times normal. Some even have other mysterious properties.

"In fact, the highest quality holding items can even store spiritual energy. That way, if you ever run low on magical power, you will have at least one chance to open your bag of holding."

"Such items exist?" asked Naruto. It all sounded so new and interesting to him. He nodded. "Okay, when I get there, I'll buy a few."

"Senior, do you have any voice transmission talismans on you? None? You should definitely buy some of the voice transmission talismans available in the Seahold. That way, you can communicate directly with anyone on the outside, no matter where you are in the Milky Way Sea."

"Alright! I'll buy several!"

"Senior, considering the level of your Cultivation base, you probably don't need magical rings, but I still suggest that you buy a few…."

"Excellent. I'll definitely purchase a handful."

"Senior, if you plan to stay in the Third Ring for a long time, you might want to buy an Immortal's cave in the city. Of course, the prices vary depending on the location…."

"I'll buy the best one!"

As they traveled, Wei Li continued to evaluate Naruto from top to bottom. If it were any other situation, Naruto wouldn't really pay attention. However, considering how many Demon hearts he had in his bag of holding, and the number of Spirit Stones he could trade them for, his heart surged with joy.

Filled with the feeling of being rich and imposing, and accompanied by someone describing all the amazing things he could buy, roused his spirit. He flicked his sleeve and decided to buy everything.

Several days later, Naruto peered at Seahold from some distance away as they approached. He had already lost track of how many things Wei Li had described to him, nor could he remember exactly what he had said he intended to buy.

However, Wei Li was very professional, and she had long since taken out a jade slip to keep meticulous records.

Up ahead, the Seahold looked matchlessly huge. It was like an ancient sea beast, slumbering upon the surface of the water. At the moment, it was evening, and the city was ablaze with lights. A cursory examination left Naruto with the impression that at least 100,000 Cultivators were inside.

The area was surrounded by patrolling Cultivators of the three Sects. Also visible in the middle of the city was a huge tower, adorned with resplendently glowing pearls. They also emanated invisible ripples that no one but Naruto could see, which spread out to cover the entire city.

The entire city was surrounded by a towering wall, part of which stretched down below the surface of the water. The wall was completely black, and looked very somber and ominous. Vicious-looking spikes encircled the city, upon which were impaled the dried-up corpses of Sea Demons.

Naruto's eyes glittered. Within Seahold he could sense, at the very least, hundreds of restrictive spell formations. Clearly, if he attempted to charge directly into the city, it would be impossible.

If they were activated, these restrictive spell formations could easily destroy a Spirit Severing Cultivator.

If that were all there were to it, it might not be a big deal. However, Naruto could also sense an aura deep within the city that caused his scalp to grow numb. It seemed to be partly the aura of a Cultivator, and partly the aura of a magical item.

It was impossible to distinguish clearly, but Naruto was certain that whatever thing emitted this aura… vastly exceeded the power of Spirit Severing.

After glancing the city over, his eyes came to rest on the huge tower in the middle of the city. In that very moment, red-robed Saint Sun Soul sat cross-legged in that very tower, meditating. Suddenly, his eyes opened.

His gaze passed out from within the tower until it reached Naruto off in the distance. Although Naruto had changed his appearance, he still recognized him.

The two of them were separated by quite a difference, but they could both sense each other looking at each other. After a moment, they retracted their gazes.

Seeing that Naruto had stopped in mid-air, Wei Li looked at him and said, "Senior?"

After a moment, she continued, "Senior, do you have an identity medallion?

"If you do, then you can just enter directly. If you don't, well, that will be a bit more troublesome…."

Naruto frowned. He did not have an identity medallion, and currently, they were standing directly in front of the city gate. Inside, three men sat cross-legged, meditating. In front of them stood a dozen or so Cultivators clutching command medallions. Occasionally, they would glance around with cold expressions.

It was already evening, but there was still quite a line of people outside, waiting to enter the Seahold.

When Naruto and Wei Li arrived, the three old men all opened their eyes at the same time. In that moment, Naruto could sense the fluctuating ripples coming from nearby restrictive spell formations.

He knew that if he showed even the slightest bit of malice, those spell formations would activate.

"Senior," said Wei Li, "if you have no identity medallion, then I can go into the city first to buy one for you. Unfortunately, the price will be quite high. Also, I will only be able to get the most common type of identity medallion, which will cause problems later. However…." Even as she was in the middle of speaking, a bright beam of light suddenly flew out from within the city.

Inside was a beautiful woman wearing a pink garment. She was elegant and poised, and as soon as she appeared, the Cultivators in the city gate bent at the waist to bow deeply.

"Respects, Madam Lin!" 2

At the same time, respectful expressions appeared on the faces of the other Cultivators in the area. One after another, they clasped hands and bowed.

"Greetings, Madam Lin!"

The poised and stately woman nodded and smiled. She passed through the crowds of people until she reached Naruto. As for Wei Li, she nervously backed up. Naruto's expression was completely normal as he watched the woman everyone called 'Madam Lin' approaching. She stopped in front of him, and, as everyone watched, gave him a curtseying bow.

She didn't speak, but she smiled and handed a gold-colored command medallion to Naruto.

"Someone asked me to pass you a message. The alcohol is quite strong." She smiled and gave Naruto a deep look, then turned to leave.

As she walked away, everyone in the crowd turned to look at Naruto. Wei Li stared blankly at him, eyes wide.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Ahma Tawfiq Ahmad Fuaad, Gorgonzzz,

Tjandra Johannes, and Frank Anthony

Wei Li's name in Chinese is 唯离 Wéi lí. It's kind of a made up name. Wei means "only." Li means "leave" or "depart." The name sounds sad, perhaps to indicate that some sorrowful event occurred in her past ↩ When addressing a woman as "Madam" in this way, the surname used would be that of the husband. For example, many chapters ago Meng Li was addressed as "Madam Fang." In this case, it indicates that this woman's husband is surnamed Lin. When Saint Sun Soul was introduced in chapter 656, we learned that he is also surnamed Lin. From this, it seems pretty obvious that the woman is his wife. ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 661

Chapter 661: Seeing Xiaoxiao Again

As the elegant woman left, the surrounding Cultivators began to cry out in surprise. "First-rank Seahold medallion!"

All eyes were on Naruto, and especially the gold-colored command medallion he was currently fiddling with.

"A first-rank Seahold medallion… only the Three Saints of the three

Sects can give out such a gift!"

"This is only the second time I've ever seen that type of command medallion. This person must be an incredibly honored guest!"

As the buzz of conversation spread out, Naruto looked down at the command medallion. It was completely gold, and the image of a Seahold was carved on its surface. On the other side were the characters: Sun Soul Society.

A faintly discernible pressure would be felt emanated from within.

Wei Li's eyes were wide and filled with disbelief. She stared blankly as she followed Naruto through the crowd to enter the Seahold. Everywhere they passed, the Cultivators of the three Sects would immediately clasp hands and bow to them with extremely respectful expressions.

Even after they had made their way well into the city, Wei Li's mind was still abuzz. Finally, she took a deep breath and then looked at Naruto. He seemed to get only more and more mysterious to her.

Finally, she couldn't hold back any longer, and asked, "S-senior…. Sir, don't tell me you know Saint Sun Soul?"

"No, not really," replied Naruto casually, who was currently looking around. It was evening, but the city still bustled with noise and excitement, like a boiling cauldron.

Wei Li walked on for a few paces, but didn't seem convinced. "That's impossible. If you don't know him, why did Madam Lin personally give you a Seahold medallion? She's one of the revered Saint Sun Soul's two beloved, and she usually never appears in public."

Naruto looked back at her with an enigmatic smile. "I gave him a flagon of alcohol a while back."

A serious look appeared in Wei Li's eyes. She wasn't quite convinced, but what had happened earlier was just far too bizarre. On the other hand, to believe what Naruto just said, well, it seemed unimaginably fantastic.

"Forget about it," said Naruto, smiling. "Now, why haven't you taken me to one of those places that purchases Demon hearts?" Although he didn't act very imperious, Wei Li started to get a bit nervous. She quickly murmured her assent and then began to give an explanation.

"Senior, there are three locations in the Seahold that specialize in Demon hearts. Those would be the three Sea Pavilions belonging to the Sea Divinity Sect, the Flying Immortal Sect, and the Sun Soul Society.

"The prices they give might not be the highest, but they are always honest with all customers. No matter how many Demon hearts you bring, they can convert them into Spirit Stones.

"In addition to the locations run by the three Sects, there is also the Milky Way Auction House, which of course hold auctions. "Furthermore, there are other random shops throughout the city that buy Demon hearts. Of course, when all is said and done, this is the Milky Way Sea, and usually you can just buy things directly with Demon hearts.

"In fact, Senior, if you plan to purchase a lot of items, I recommend that you… don't exchange your Demon hearts into Spirit Stones right away. The majority of items in the Seahold can only be purchased with Demon hearts."

Naruto thought silently for a moment, then nodded his head. "First, let's go somewhere that sells flying magical items." "Senior, what type do you wish to purchase?" asked Wei Li.

"The best type!" declared Naruto loudly.

Wei Li's eyes began to shine, and she immediately began to lead him off in a certain direction. She really was very familiar with the area. Evening continued to descend as she led him through Seahold for roughly the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Eventually, they came to a stop outside a particularly impressive pavilion.

It was built to look like an enormous, plum-colored airship. Although night was now falling, the entire building glowed with resplendent light. Ripples emanated out, and in front of the doors were two gigantic stone qilins, mighty and extraordinary in appearance.

As for the main door itself, it was roughly fifteen meters tall, and was constructed of deep sea driftwood. Looking at the structure from the outside, it truly seemed as if every bit of building material had been carefully selected, and was imbued with abstruse meaning. There were even magical symbols that were filled with strong spiritual energy. Almost anyone who looked at the building would be shocked by the level of luxury.

"When it comes to magical flight items, there are a total of eleven shops in Seahold where you can find them. The best is the Flying Immortal Sect's Cloudburst Pavilion. The flying magical items here are often sought after even by outside Clans and Sects." Wei Li was starting to get somewhat excited. In her world, the Cloudburst Pavilion was a place she could never step even half a foot into, let alone purchase any of the magical flight items inside.

The cost of such magical flight items far exceeded her imagination. The most she could normally do would be to glance in from outside. Now, though, she had a chance to actually enter, which left her very excited.

Naruto stood outside the Cloudburst Pavilion, studying it. He could see that the interior was decorated with beautiful extravagance. Bright lamplight illuminated everything, and the floors were actually paved with Spirit Stones.

Four or five customers could be seen inside, proud expressions on their faces as they walked about, listening to the Flying Immortal Sect disciples introduce the various magical flight items.

From the clothing they wore, it was possible to tell that they were wealthy and respected people. At a single glance, it was clear that they came from great Sects and Clans; these were definitely not nameless, rogue Cultivators.

Sitting cross-legged next to the entryway were two old men wearing brocaded robes. Their faces glowed with health, and they sat there meditating with eyes closed. Shockingly, their Cultivation bases were at the early Nascent Soul stage. To have Nascent Soul Cultivators acting as door guards would be enough to strike fear into the hearts of any rascals or thieves.

Inside the shop, three more Flying Immortal Sect disciples could be seen, two men and a woman. They were chatting happily, and occasionally, the woman would chuckle lightly. Her eyes sparkled enticingly, and she gave of an enchanting air.

However, they all completely ignored Naruto and Wei Li as they stood there outside the shop. They were used to people standing outside and gazing in with envy and admiration.

Naruto was just about to walk in, when suddenly, the sounds of laughing and chatting could be heard behind him. A group of Cultivators suddenly appeared, clustered around a woman. They made their way directly toward the shop.

Everyone on the road scurried to the side to make way for the group, their expressions filled with respect. Each and every Cultivator in the group were Chosen of the three Sects, figures who the others on the road would never dare to offend.

Regardless of whether you looked at them in terms of the clothes they wore, or their dispositions, they were imposing in all aspects.

Despite that, these Chosen of the three Sects were currently smiling, laughing, and gushing all sorts of flattery regarding the woman that they were escorting.

The woman was beautiful, and seemed incredibly delicate. Furthermore, her eyes occasionally flashed with a captivating look, which filled her with a tempting allure.

When the Cultivators that surrounded her managed to catch a glimpse of her smile, it caused their hearts to palpitate with eagerness.

Next to the woman walked a young man with slanted eyebrows and eyes that sparkled like stars. He was exceedingly handsome, and wore a long white robe. Overall, he looked completely dashing, with an extraordinary jade-like face.

"Xiaoxiao," he said, smiling at the indescribably beautiful and striking woman. "This is the Cloudburst Pavilion of the Flying Immortal Sect. Please, step inside!" As he passed, his cool gaze passed over Naruto and Wei Li.

Immediately, the two old men sitting cross-legged in the shop opened their eyes and rose to their feet. The other three disciples also rushed forward. All of them bowed to the young man with deep respect. "Greetings, Junior Leader."

The young man nodded. His somewhat arrogant and complacent expression became gentle and refined as he turned to look at the woman named Xiaoxiao. As they all entered the shop, the four or five customers inside quickly clasped hands and bowed deeply.

In contrast to the hubbub inside the shop, Naruto continued to stand outside calmly. However, a barely discernible, enigmatic smile tugged at his lips. Next to him, Wei Li had a look of extreme respect as she stared enviously at the woman named Xiaoxiao.

"What a coincidence," thought Naruto. "I never expected to run into her in this place!" This woman was none other than Ji Xiaoxiao, whose promissory Naruto still possessed in his bag of holding. 1

"Come on," he said coolly, "let's go in." Wei Li followed him as he stepped foot into the shop. Nobody paid the slightest bit of attention to them. Everyone circled about the Chosen of the three Sects, respectful smiles plastered on their faces.

Naruto waited for a moment, but no one came over to greet him. In the entire first floor of the Cloudburst Pavilion, not a single person even looked at the two of them. Naruto's expression immediately darkened.

"So, this is how the Cloudburst Pavilion receives customers, huh?!" His voice immediately echoed out through the entire Cloudburst Pavilion, drawing the attention of everyone inside. Even Ji Xiaoxiao looked over, although she couldn't recognize Naruto because of his changed appearance.

The Junior Leader of the Flying Immortal Sect frowned but continued to interact with Ji Xiaoxiao, occasionally pointing out various magical flight items.

Of course, the two old men noticed his furrowed brow. Immediately, their hearts began to thump. Looking a bit impatient, one of them pointed to the female Flying Immortal Sect disciple.

"Go deal with it," he said.

Originally, the woman had been quite excited because of the arrival of the Chosen from the three Sects. She had hoped that her good looks might give her some special opportunities.

But now, having heard the old man's words, resentment instantly bloomed in her heart. She didn't dare to refuse the order, though, so, face grim and heart filled with irritation, she walked over to Naruto and Wei Li.

She glanced over the two of them, and felt more than ever that they weren't even worth looking at, and were here to just cause mischief. "What kind of magical flight item do you want?" she asked coldly. "The cheapest magical item here costs fifty low-grade Demon hearts. If you can't afford it, please leave."

She couldn't see Naruto's Cultivation base, but this was the Cloudburst Pavilion of the Flying Immortal Sect. Even if he did have a high Cultivation base, it would be nothing she would hold in awe.

In this place, nobody would ever dare to make a scene.

Wei Li was a bit upset, but at the same time nervous. She looked over at Naruto.

"Show me the most expensive thing you have," Naruto said coolly, his expression the same as ever.

"The most expensive?" replied the woman with a light laugh. She couldn't prevent the look of ridicule from appearing in her eyes. She had worked in this place for years, and had seen far too many people just like this, people who believed themselves to be incredible. In the end, they would always leave ashen-faced and depressed.

The woman laughed coldly. "The most expensive item we have costs

5,000 low-grade Demon hearts. Fellow Daoist, do you want to have a look?"

Naruto thought for a moment, then nodded. "Sure, why not."

"Well, a treasure like that is not something that anybody can just look at," she replied. "If you want to see it, then according to the regulations, you have to pay a thirty percent down payment. Fellow Daoist, do you really want to look at it?" The ridicule in her tone was quite obvious. At the same time, she noticed that the group of Chosen was heading toward the second floor of the pavilion. Suddenly, she started to get a bit anxious.

"The door is over there, Fellow Daoist," she said suddenly. "You can see yourself out." With that, she turned to catch up with the group of Chosen.

Ji Xiaoxiao is the Hebi Clan member whose chest Naruto face-planted into before going into the Demon Immortal Sect. He met her first when she was facing off against Fang Yu. Later, he blackmailed her into taking him to the corpse of her fellow Clan member who he had killed. Like many other South Heaven Cultivators, she owes him Spirit Stones from the time when they were all descending into the Fourth Plane of the

Primordial Demon Immortal Plane ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 662

Chapter 662: Xu Pingping

To be the subject of such scorn here for no apparent reason caused Naruto to frown. If he revealed his Cultivation base, it would instantly resolve the situation. However, it was with great difficulty that he had managed to strike it rich. Therefore, since he could solve the problem with his Demon hearts, he didn't want to use his Cultivation base to intimidate people.

Almost in the exact moment that the woman went to leave, Naruto slapped his bag of holding. Instantly, a rush of clattering could be heard as 1,500 low-grade Demon hearts piled up in the middle of the pavilion. They looked like a small mountain.

Glittering light flickered out, forming a resplendent scene. In addition, the sound that echoed out, along with the strong spiritual energy, immediately caused all of the Chosen who were about to go up to the second floor, to subconsciously look back. Looks of shock instantly appeared on their faces, after which bright glows appeared in their eyes.

Ji Xiaoxiao looked back at the Demon hearts. Despite her identity and Cultivation base, she was still shaken inwardly. She clearly knew the value of Demon hearts, and couldn't stop herself from looking over at Naruto.

Next to her, the young man also gaped and began to breathe raggedly.

Although he was a Junior Patriarch, the sight of more than a thousand low-grade Demon hearts piled up together was something even he would rarely see.

As for the female Flying Immortal Sect disciple, she was actually the last person to realize what had happened. When she saw everyone looking behind her, she subconsciously looked back. Then she saw the mountain of Demon hearts, and her mind went blank.

Roaring sounds filled her head, and she could scarcely believe what she was seeing. How could she possibly imagine that these two plainly dressed, almost rustic Cultivators, would actually… have so many Demon hearts?!

"S-senior… I…." stammered the woman.

"Is that enough?" asked Naruto coolly. "Now bring out your best product." He waved his right hand.

RUMBLE!

A second mountain of Demon hearts appeared. Then, another rumbling could be heard, and a third mountain could be seen. In total, three small mountains of Demon Hearts now lay on the floor of the pavilion, a total of 5,000 Demon hearts. The resplendent light that shined out from them filled the entire area. Intense spiritual energy made the entire area seem like a Celestial paradise.

The woman's mind was now roaring, and she was almost incapable of standing up straight. Her face was pale and filled with intense disbelief. She was literally incapable of imagining how the person she had just ridiculed could actually be such an ostentatious moneybags.

The other Chosen from the three Sects who currently stood on the stairs were also panting. Their eyes were wide as they stared at the Demon hearts. They dearly wanted to grab them for themselves.

Ji Xiaoxiao also stared in shock. She looked at Naruto, and gradually, a burning fervor rose up in her. As for the young man next to her, he took a deep breath as he stared at the Demon hearts.

The entire pavilion was filled with complete silence.

It was at this point that a peal of laughter could suddenly be heard coming from the second floor. A young woman walked out, wearing a set of revealing clothing. She seemed to be innately seductive; as she walked out, a fragrant aroma preceded her, and her forehead was adorned with a five-colored crystalline pattern. Even before Naruto could say anything to her, a charming smile could be seen on her face. An aura of maturity emanated out from her, filled with an intense attractiveness.

She walked slowly down the stairs, completely ignoring the Chosen as she passed them. In contrast, all of the Chosen bowed their heads and clasped hands to her.

As for the Junior Leader of the Flying Immortal Sect, when he saw the woman, he immediately lowered his head respectfully.

"Earlier today, I heard the magpies calling, so I knew that an honored guest would come to call. I've been waiting all day, although it was nothing more than resting, really. Now the honored guest is here.

"I am Xu Pingping. Greetings, Fellow Daoist."

Naruto glanced at Xu Pingping and saw that she had a late Nascent Soul Cultivation base. She hid it well, but to Naruto's eyes it was clearly visible.

His glance instantly caused Xu Pingping's heart to quiver. His look gave her the feeling that he could see through every defense she had, all the way into her heart. It seemed almost like all her secrets could be thoroughly revealed, no matter how she tried to hold them back.

Instantly, she became nervous, although her expression did not change in the slightest. Her demeanor continued to be one of maturity and charm.

"Fellow Daoist, please come up to the second floor," she said with a smile. "I'm sure that the Cloudburst Pavilion has everything that you need." In both terms of her wording and her inner feelings, she was extremely respectful to Naruto.

He nodded, then walked up ahead to climb the stairs. Wei Li followed, her heart pounding. Everything that she had seen so far today had opened up a new world to her. She was both nervous and excited as she trailed after Naruto.

She was just about to step foot onto the stairs when suddenly she hesitated and quietly said to Naruto, "Senior, the Demon hearts…."

"No one in Seahold would dare to take my Demon hearts," said Naruto slowly, continuing up the stairs. When his words echoed out into the ears of everyone present, their hearts trembled.

Such wording was incredibly domineering.

Xu Pingping's eyes glittered. When she thought back to Naruto's penetrating glance just now, she couldn't help but be a bit more cautious than before.

As for the Chosen on the staircase, be they from the Flying Immortal Sect, or other Sects, without even thinking about it, they backed up to make way for Naruto. When he neared Ji Xiaoxiao, she looked up over curiously.

In return, he completely ignored her and proceeded on to the second floor.

Xu Pingping followed. As she passed the Chosen, she suddenly stopped and looked back at the two Nascent Soul Cultivators, as well as the other Flying Immortal Sect disciples whose job it was to receive guests.

"The two of you screw off," she said coolly. "Go back to the Flying Immortal Sect immediately." The two old Nascent Soul Cultivators tremblingly voiced their acknowledgement.

"The other four of you can also screw off. Go to the Flying Immortal

Dungeon, where you will be punished for half of a sixty-year cycle!" Immediately, the Flying Immortal Sect disciples' faces went deathly pale. They began to tremble, and appeared to be completely filled with terror.

"And as for you…." she said, looking at the dazed female disciple standing in the middle of the pavilion. "If I get in any trouble from the Sect because of you, you pathetic, dog-eyed slut, well, you wouldn't be able to pay me back if you had ten lives. You're expelled from the Flying Immortal Sect. Get out of here. The farther you screw off, the better." With that, she turned and continued on to the second floor. When she passed Ji Xiaoxiao, she nodded and smiled.

The Cloudburst Pavilion only had two floors. The second floor was roughly the same size as the main hall. It was grand and imposing, and had an incense burner directly in the center. It was carved with strange creatures, and the smoke that wafted out from it made the second floor seem almost as if it were filled with mist.

After stepping foot onto the second floor, Naruto sat down in a nearby chair. Wei Li stood next to him, looking around. Her heart was nearly bursting with excitement; she had never imagined that one day she would be able to stand in a position like this.

Naruto's expression was calm. He sat there, eyes closed, unspeaking. Moments later, Xu Pingping approached, her smile seemingly covering up the bitterness she felt inwardly.

"Senior, you left so many Demon hearts sitting in the main hall, I can't help but be a bit nervous."

Naruto opened his eyes and looked at her with an enigmatic smile. As soon as his gaze fell upon her, she got a bit more nervous, and even her smile started to feel a bit forced.

"I want a magical flight item," he said calmly. "The best you have."

"I already have everything prepared, Senior," said Xu Pingping. She clapped her hands three times, after which three women clad in delicate gauze skirts floated out from the smoke of the incense burner. Each of them carried a silver platter, which they held up high as they respectfully approached.

By this point, Ji Xiaoxiao and the others had arrived on the second floor and were looking over from off to the side. Obviously, they were less interested in the magical flight item and more interested in Naruto.

The items on the three silver platters included a reddish, copper short sword, a violet wooden boat, and a flying shuttle.

Xu Pingping looked at Naruto and smiled.

"Red Copper Sword," she said. "It expands when it rushes against the wind, becoming three thousand meters long. Nine levels of ghost images will appear inside of it, and it can accommodate three hundred passengers. It also contains a swarm of 10,000 short swords.

"Violet Wooden Boat. It can accommodate two hundred passengers, and has no offensive spell formations, nor any defensive spell formations.

However, its speed… is similar to a First Severing Cultivator.

Unfortunately, it consumes Spirit Stones at a high rate, one low-grade Spirit Stone for every three breaths of time!

"Soul Flying Shuttle. It is only nine meters long, with average speed. However, its most powerful advantage is its Wind Blade function. Every hour, it can produce a single Wind Blade. As long as you have enough Spirit Stones, there is no limit to the number it can produce.

"These three items are the highest level flying items that we manufacture here at the Cloudburst Pavilion. Which one would you like, Fellow Daoist?"

When the Chosen from the three Sects saw the three magical flight items, their faces filled with longing. They well knew that these items were incredible.

Naruto frowned slightly. Others might view the items as high quality, but considering the level of his Cultivation base, they didn't quite meet up to his expectations.

Seeing Naruto's frown caused Xu Pingping's heart to quiver, and she started to pant a little. His frown, coupled with what had happened earlier, caused her to start to formulate some speculations about Naruto.

She hurriedly continued, "Although, I actually advise you not to purchase these items, Fellow Daoist. They seem incredible, but are actually relatively ordinary. Despite being expensive, they are standard manufacture items; in the lands of South Heaven, you will find quite a few people who own them."

"Oh?" said Naruto, looking at Xu Pingping.

"Senior," she said softly, her eyes glittering, "if you have enough Demon hearts, then the Cloudburst Pavilion can offer you a one-of-a-kind precious treasure!" She raised her right hand and performed an incantation, then pointed at the incense burner.

Immediately, the incense burner began to rumble, attracting all eyes in the room. Suddenly, vast quantities of smoke poured out from inside, within which could be seen, shockingly, an illusory bronze war chariot!

The war chariot emanated an air of ancientness, and was surrounded by crackling lightning. It was also covered with cracks that made it seem as if it had experienced the baptism of flames of war and countless battlefield bloodbaths.

An indescribable pressure spread out from it, and visible on its surface were numerous flying beasts that almost looked alive. Although no one else could tell, when Naruto looked at them, they almost seemed alive.

To his eyes, all of the beasts were living, and struggling, letting out roars that caused his mind and heart to tremble.

He made a slight "eee?" sound, then reached his right hand up to touch his left eye. Then he blinked nine times, causing the Immortal Qi of Immortal Shows the Way to circulate inside of him. When he looked at the war chariot this time, the flying beasts all merged together to transform into a black wing!

Unfortunately, there was only one.

Naruto looked away and closed his eyes. After a moment he opened them again and looked at Xu Pingping.

"How much?" he asked.

Xu Pingping's heart was trembling. Things were not quite going according to her plan for this item. Then she thought of Naruto's actions earlier, and she started to regret.

"Fellow Daoist, this item isn't for sale. It's…."

Naruto's face immediately darkened, and suddenly, a shocking pressure emanated out from him to envelop the entire area. It almost seemed as if a storm were coming.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Malow Kenende, Jonathan, LB and Lim

Derek

Vol. 5 : Chapter 663

Chapter 663: Rich and Headstrong!

Naruto looked at Xu Pingping for a moment, then retracted his energy. The second floor returned to normal. However, the pressure just now had caused sweat to begin to stream down her back. The feeling she got was the same as that you might feel when facing some ancient beast.

However, the only one to feel the pressure had been Xu Pingping, and no one else. Neither Ji Xiaoxiao nor the Chosen from the three Sects had felt anything. The only thing they had noticed was the change in Xu Pingping's expression.

"Name a price," said Naruto coolly. To hear himself saying such words caused Naruto's heart to surge. In his hundreds of years of practicing cultivation, his money purse had always been empty. Even when he occasionally fell into some profit, it would inevitably be sucked away by the copper mirror.

But now, he finally had the confidence derived from achieving the dream he had kept in his heart since childhood….

I'm rich, fools!

Next to him, Wei Li's eyes shone brightly. She continued to have the strong feeling that Naruto was almost glowing, emanating an indescribable aura that battered against her face.

Xu Pingping, feeling somewhat intimidated by Naruto's display, nervously said, "It really isn't an issue of the price…."

"6,000 low-grade Demon hearts," said Naruto, lifting his chin up proudly.

"That's…."

"Not enough? How about 8,000?" Naruto's expression was the same as ever, but inwardly, that surging feeling grew more intense. To suddenly go from being broke to rolling in wealth gave Naruto the feeling that he could buy the entire shop if he felt like it.

This was a confidence that had nothing to do with Cultivation base. The more confident he felt, the more powerful his words became.

I'm REALLY rich, fools!

Even Xu Pingping, who was so experienced and knowledgeable, was shocked by the confidence and power in his words. Her eyes went wide, and she sucked in a deep breath. 8,000 low-grade Demon hearts was an extremely high price!

Wei Li stared blankly at Naruto with wide eyes. Mentally, she was calculating how much 8,000 low-grade Demon hearts were worth in Spirit Stones.

As for the Chosen of the three Sects, and Ji Xiaoxiao, when they heard Naruto's words, their jaws dropped and they stared in shock. As of now, they suddenly realized that he really did exude the air of a rich person….

The eyes of a few of the female disciples began to shine brightly as they looked at Naruto. Although they hadn't noticed before, they could see now… this guy was incredibly handsome and had an extraordinary air. He was elegant and dashing, clearly different from the average person.

Although Naruto's tried to keep his expression the same as usual, anyone who looked at it would feel as if the following characters were clearly written there:

I'm Mr. Moneybags!

Xu Pingping's eyes were wide, and her heart was pounding. "I think…."

"Still not enough?" said Naruto. Waving his hand in imitation of the rich folk he remembered from Yunjie County, he cleared his throat and said. "No problem. 10,000 low-grade Demon hearts works for me."

When he saw the shock on the faces of the bystanders when they heard this, Naruto felt quite pleased inwardly, even more so than if he had just experienced an increase in Cultivation base.

Xu Pingping gasped. Ji Xiaoxiao's eyes were fixed on Naruto. As for the Junior Leader of the Flying Immortal Sect, and the Chosen from the three Sects, all of them gaped with wide eyes and slack jaws.

Xu Pingping struggled visibly for a moment before replying, "Senior, this war chariot was delivered to us only recently. Apparently, it appeared on the border between the Second and Third Rings. I haven't even notified the Sect about it yet."

Naruto's expression was calm, but his eyes flickered. He definitely did not mind being addressed as Senior.

"If my speculations are correct, Senior, you have come to the Milky Way Sea because of the Sea Devils in the Second Ring, as well as… the legendary ancient battleship!

"This bronze war chariot is filled with ancientness, and is obviously an object from ancient times. For it to appear here indicates that there is a high possibility it originated from the ancient battleship.

"I only have one request, Senior. When you go searching for the ancient battleship, can you take Junior with you? You don't have to provide me with any assistance. As long as I step foot onto it, all obligations will have been fulfilled.

"In return, I will sell the item to you for 5,000 Demon hearts."

Naruto's eyes glittered.

"And what if I don't go looking for the ancient battleship?" he asked coolly.

Without hesitation, Xu Pingping replied, "If that is your wish, Senior, then I will have to resign myself to such an outcome." She quickly performed an incantation with her right hand and then pointed toward the incense burner. Instantly, the smoke inside parted, and the bronze war chariot flew out, almost as if it were trying to escape the pavilion.

Naruto waved his right hand, causing the war chariot to immediately stop in midair. It was irresistibly pulled down, shrinking down to the size of the hand of an infant as it landed on Naruto's palm. He immediately put it into his bag of holding.

He stood up, completely ignoring Xu Pingping. Accompanied by Wei Li, and beneath the burning gazes of the Chosen of the three Sects, he walked in the same manner as the number one moneybags of Yunjie County, Steward Zhou. He clasped his hands behind his back and strolled toward the stairs. 1

It was when he stepped foot onto the first stair that Naruto finally looked back at Xu Pingping.

"Give me a voice transmission talisman," he said.

Xu Pingping instantly went wild with joy. Panting, she took out a voice transmission talisman and respectfully handed it over.

Naruto put the talisman away and, escorted by Xu Pingping, walked down the stairs and left the Cloudburst Pavilion.

Outside, the sky was already dark, and the sea breeze blew against his face. Wei Li was sweating, and a bit in a daze as she glanced back and forth between Naruto and the Cloudburst Pavilion.

Considering how late it was, Naruto chose not to go to any more shops, but instead relied on Wei Li's assistance to find a place to stay. In the end, he rented a private residence with its own main gate.

The residence was actually an Immortal's cave, and the most expensive type available in Seahold. It had a defensive spell formation, as well as a passageway connecting it to the seafloor, where there was a special chamber designed for secluded meditation. Despite being on the seafloor, the meditation chamber still fell under the general defensive spell formations of Seahold, which meant that no sea beasts would come near it.

At first, Naruto planned to actually purchase the residence, but after further thought, he couldn't bear to spend so many Spirit Stones, and decided instead to rent it.

The residence had many rooms, which meant that Wei Li had her own private room. As the night wore on, she thought back to everything that had happened during the day, and also about how Naruto had saved her. Subconsciously, she had allowed Naruto's visage to be deeply imprinted into her mind. However, she knew that there was a vast gap between them in terms of status and identity, and after considering the matter for a while, she sighed and then closed her eyes to meditate.

As for Naruto, he sat cross-legged in his own room, surrounded by quiet. Around the time of the third watch, he suddenly opened his eyes.

"I'm finally rich," he murmured. "It's too bad that Steward Zhou has long since passed away. If I have a chance in the future, I'll find some of his descendants and pay back those three pieces of silver that I owe.

"Or… nah, I'm rich now! I'll pay back a little bit extra." He smiled and patted his bag of holding.

Then he lifted up his hand, upon which appeared the bronze war chariot.

It was impossible to tell how many springs and autumns the bronze chariot had passed through, but it was covered with flecks of rust, and filled with an air of ancientness, as if it had been buried in the darkness for countless years.

Looking at it caused a strange feeling to well up in Naruto. It almost seemed as if the bronze war chariot were currently retelling the stories of the bloodbaths it had witnessed, as if it were describing an explosive, bloodthirsty bellicosity of some long forgotten age.

The beasts carved on its surface looked like dead things, but in Naruto's eyes, they were alive. It was as if they had been sleeping for tens upon tens of thousands of years, waiting for the day in which they would awaken and then roam carefree in Heaven and Earth.

Naruto's eyes glittered as he sent out some Cultivation base power through his right hand into the bronze war chariot. Immediately, faint ripples emanated out, and the war chariot began to expand in size.

Naruto was prepared for this, and quickly stepped out into the courtyard. Then he raised up his right hand. With a rumbling sound, the war chariot flew up into the air, continuing to expand until it was roughly nine meters large.

Ripples spread out, and the war chariot glowed with light. The ripples, however, seemed to be filled with decay, and the glow was somewhat dim.

Naruto's body flickered to reappear inside of the war chariot. His right hand touched its side, and he sent out more Cultivation base power. The war chariot trembled and then began to speed up into the air.

It moved with such incredible speed that Seahold quickly became a tiny dot below him. Although the war chariot screamed through the night air, it didn't vibrate or shake even the least bit.

In exactly this same moment, Saint Sun Soul sat cross-legged meditating in the tall tower in the middle of Seahold. Next to him was the elegant and poised Madam Lin, who gripped a huge feather in both hands, which she was using to perform a conjuring. The feather emanated an aura of rot and decay. At the same time, swirling white lights wafted through the air, to be breathed in by Saint Sun Soul, who currently wore a black robe.

Even in the middle of the cultivation, Saint Sun Soul's eyes suddenly opened, and he looked off into the distance.

"What's wrong?" asked Madam Lin, looking over at him.

"Nothing," he replied. "That troublesome fellow from before is testing out a magical item. Hmph. The both of them are equally mediocre." His face grew dark, and it was hard to tell exactly what he was going on in his mind.

"Didn't he give you a flagon of alcohol as a gift?"

As soon as Saint Sun Soul heard the word 'alcohol,' his face twitched.

"He was actually threatening me," he said.

Madam Lin stared in shock, but didn't respond. As for Saint Sun Soul, he didn't bring up the matter of the alcohol again.

Meanwhile, Naruto was up in mid-air, frowning. He stood there in the war chariot, examining it with a puzzled expression.

"This thing is about as fast as a First Severing Cultivator. However, it expends a lot of Cultivation base power. Too bad I can actually move much faster without it.

"Furthermore…." His eyes flickered as he looked at the rust marks on the chariot, which were actually slowly growing larger. "The more I use it, the more the damage spreads. Soon, the rust will fill the whole thing, and it will be useless." With that, Naruto lifted up his right hand and then slapped it down onto the chariot.

A boom could be heard, and the chariot trembled. Low-pitched roaring sounds emanated out from within, and illusory figures began to surge out.

They were the images of fierce beasts, each one unique. There was a giant ape, a horned lion, even a two-headed giant bear. The various fierce beasts all lifted their heads up and roared.

However… they all were restrained by amorphous chains which connected them to the war chariot. Also… all of their eyes were closed!

Not a single one had opened its eyes.

As soon as they appeared, an intense pressure appeared in the area. Even still, the frown on Naruto's face deepened. He had just noticed that the rust was spreading through the war chariot even faster than before.

Steward Zhou was first mentioned in chapter 1 as well as a few subsequent chapters. Naruto owed him three pieces of silver. ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 664

Chapter 664: War Chariot!

"At the most, I can use it only ten more times." Naruto examined the rust. It almost looked like rot, that, wherever it went, caused the bronze to turn into scrap metal.

"I almost feel like I'm not using it properly," he murmured to himself. "If using it damages it, then… huh?" Suddenly, his heart trembled.

"Not using it properly?" His eyes glittered, and the trembling of his heart increased in intensity as he thought back to the scene revealed by Immortal Shows the Way, back in the Cloudburst Pavilion.

After a moment's thought, Naruto once more slapped the war chariot. Instantly, the beasts surrounding the war chariot vanished, and chariot began to shrink down. Soon it was yet again the size of an infant's hand, resting on his palm.

He floated there in mid-air, and after a moment of detailed inspection, he suddenly began to pick up on some clues.

"Its surface is inscribed with ancient magical symbols that don't seem to be an actual part of the war chariot….

"And then there are the chain carvings. They don't seem to merge perfectly with the original chariot, as if they were added later." His eyes glittered for a moment before he suddenly closed his right eye. He blinked nine times and also unleashed the Immortal Qi of Immortal Shows the Way, pouring it into his eye. Immediately, the bronze war chariot's appearance changed.

It was no longer a war chariot, but rather, a mass of ferocious beasts. They were intertwined together such that, from a distance, they looked like a black wing!

The black wing was indistinct, but Naruto was sure that it was actually the wing of a butterfly!

His heart trembled, and he took a deep breath. He circulated some more Qi of Immortal Shows the Way, then focused closely… on the butterfly wing.

The instant he looked at it, a roaring filled his mind. The world in front of him shattered, almost like a mirror breaking. Within that breaking, the mirror turned into countless flickering images that Naruto couldn't see clearly.

However, there was one image that instantly branded itself into his memories!

He saw a land in which clouds roiled in the sky, filled with crackling lightning. A man wearing black garments stood in the war chariot, looking down coldly at the lands below.

It almost seemed as if the man were the Heavens, the will of the sky itself.

An interminably rotating vortex could be seen on his forehead, and in his right hand was a string of blank, white prayer beads that seemed to be waited to receive sealing marks.

As for the war chariot in which the man stood, it looked very similar to the one Naruto had just recently acquired, except that there were no magical symbols on it.

Beneath the war chariot was an endless sea, in the center of which was an enormous tree that towered up into the sky. Sitting at the crown of the tree was a small boy who smiled as he looked out over the world.

Fluttering in the air around the boy were nine butterflies. Off in the distance were countless living things practicing cultivation. 1

Everything was very quiet and peaceful….

Naruto's mind roared, and then the vision faded away. He panted, and a strange light gleamed in his eyes as he looked at the war chariot in his palm.

"That vision…." His eyes flickered, and after taking a few breaths, he lifted up his left hand and pushed it down onto the bronze war chariot to slowly wipe away a magical symbol.

In total, there were ninety-nine magical symbols on the war chariot.

A gentle but also ferocious light rose up from Naruto's hand. He continued to rub the war chariot until he finally succeeded in wiping away a magical symbol. By this point his face was pale. It didn't seem difficult to wipe away the magical symbol, but actually, he had wasted a significant amount of Cultivation base power to do so.

As soon as the magical symbol was wiped away, the bronze war chariot trembled. Sounds like howls erupted out from within, as if some ancient sleeping giant was suddenly beginning to awake.

When the sound reached his ears, Naruto's spirit was shaken.

"These magical symbols and chains were actually added later. If it wasn't done as a seal, then it was a method to try to control the chariot due to a lack of understanding of its proper usage.

"That improper usage is actually the source of the damage!" He took a deep breath, and was just about to wipe away a second magical symbol when suddenly, his hand stopped, and a look of doubt could be seen in his eyes.

"Why is it that only I could see the images on the war chariot? Anyone who saw them would know that something was different about it on the inside." His eyes flickered as he looked down at his own torso.

After a long moment, he slowly murmured, "Immortal Shows the Way….

Choumen Tai!"

The reason he could see the images on the war chariot, and also know the correct way to use it, was all because of the Immortal Qi of Immortal Shows the Way.

"Could it be that this is an Immortal treasure?" He thoughtfully lifted his left hand up again and began to slowly wipe away a second magical symbol.

The bronze war chariot began to glow with even more intensity, and the howling from inside grew clearer.

Next, Naruto wiped away a third magical symbol, then a fourth. When he wiped away the tenth magical symbol, the bronze war chariot began to emit a droning sound, and expanded until it was thirty meters large.

The glow emanated out in all directions, as well as a pulsing pressure. Even Naruto could feel that he was affected by the intense pressure, which made it impossible to get close to the chariot; he was instantly forced back a bit.

His eyes shining brightly; having erased ten magical symbols, his Cultivation base was virtually exhausted. After closing eyes for a while to recover, he frowned.

"The more magical symbols I wipe away, the more difficult it gets." His body flickered as he shot toward the war chariot. As he neared, a ring of yellow light suddenly appeared around the chariot.

It quickly began to expand out, filling Naruto's mind with a sense of danger. He shot backward, quickly emerging from within the yellow light. Then he forced out a bit of the Immortal Qi of Immortal Shows the Way to circulate through his body, then shot back in his original direction.

This time, no circle of yellow light appeared. He moved with incredible speed, arriving at the war chariot in the blink of an eye. He didn't have very much Immortal Qi in his body, and it wouldn't last long before vanishing.

He placed his hand onto the war chariot. After a moment of thought and rest, he rotated his Cultivation base, pouring power into the war chariot. However, the power seemed to disappear like a rock sinking down into the ocean. There was no reaction whatsoever from the war chariot.

Naruto stilled his Cultivation base, and then, without the slightest hesitation, sent out some more Immortal Qi. It was only a sliver, but the instant it flowed out from his hand into the war chariot, the entire world seemed to start rumbling.

A gigantic vortex appeared up in the sky, booming as it spun. Countless bolts of lightning crackled out in all directions. The entire area seemed to have suddenly gone wild, as if all Heaven and Earth were suddenly collapsing.

Naruto suddenly felt as if he were fusing with the war chariot, becoming one with it. Then he saw the image of the black-clothed man with the vortex on his forehead, the one from his vision moments ago.

At the same time, a thrumming sound could be heard from the chariot as the images of countless ferocious beasts appeared up ahead. All of them were fastened with chains, and let out soundless roars. They began to run forward, pulling the war chariot with them through the sky. It transformed into something like a shooting star that flew off into the distance with indescribable speed.

The speed with which it moved caused rumbling booms to fill the sky as it shot forward. Yellow ripples emanated out, sweeping through the night sky, filling it with a yellow glow.

At the moment, black-robed Saint Sun Soul suddenly stood up within the tower in Seahold. A look of astonishment appeared in his eyes as he suddenly vanished and then reappeared outside in mid-air. He looked off into the distance, his expression changing multiple times.

"What magical item is that!?" he gasped. Moments ago, his Cultivation base had twitched with a feeling of terror. The feeling was not something he was completely unfamiliar with; it was something he might experience when facing the Sect's ancestral legacy treasure.

"Is that a legacy treasure?" he thought to himself.

Naruto's heart was filled with shock. The strand of Immortal Qi that he sent out from Immortal Shows the Way caused the war chariot to leave Seahold behind in the blink of an eye. Although there was still seawater underneath him, he had no way to tell whether or not he was still in the Third Ring.

This stretch of sea looked very strange, and the waters, almost black. Everything was quiet; not even a single ripple could be seen on the surface of the water, much less any waves.

"Where… where did that speed come from!?" said Naruto with a gasp. He looked down at the war chariot, a look of shock on his face.

"This is a precious treasure!

"Unfortunately, only the power of an Immortal can make it work. This treasure… will not even recognize my Cultivation base." He sighed. The only Immortal Qi he had was from Immortal Shows the Way. He could use bits of it to employ the Celestial Vision technique, but to use it in battle was like trying to put out a burning horse cart with a single cup of water.

"Immortal Qi…. So this thing really is an Immortal treasure. It only works when fueled by Immortal Qi…." As he considered these matters, his heart suddenly trembled as a bizarre notion appeared in his mind.

"Is the Qi of Immortal Shows the Way really Immortal Qi? Is it possible… that it really isn't Immortal Qi, but rather, something else….?" Before he could consider the idea very much, he suddenly looked down at the sea below.

The previously still waters were now suddenly filled with ripples. A crocodile appeared, three hundred meters long… heading in his direction.

Crocodiles were not something that would normally appear in the sea, but there was one here right now. It was completely black, and its eyes were somber and cold. On its back were countless ferocious looking bumps and lumps.

Sitting cross-legged amidst the bumps and lumps was a man wearing a dilapidated set of clothing. His expression was cold as he… looked up at Naruto.

In the instant in which he looked at Naruto, the man's eyes filled with a bloodthirsty killing intent.

"Cultivator?" he said, his unpleasant voice hoarse and grating. When he opened his mouth to speak, blackened teeth could be seen. To Naruto, his entire person seemed to radiate complete vileness.

An aura of Spirit Severing suddenly exploded out of him. At the same time, the crocodile suddenly lifted its head up and roared, also exploding with a Spirit Severing aura. The seawater was in chaos, and a pulsating, fishy stench rose up.

"This is the Devil Sea," said the man. "Now that you're here, you won't be leaving." With that, he made a grasping motion, causing the air in the area to condense. An incredible pressure then weighed down.

Naruto gaped. "Devil Sea?"

This is not the first time nine butterflies have been mentioned in the story. If you don't remember you can check out chapters 555, 587, 613 and 652 ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 665

Chapter 665 (Click to show "spoiler" title)

Chapter 665: The Dawn Immortal Once Again

Naruto gave a cold snort as he looked at the young man and how he caused the air in the area to seemingly collapse under the pressure of a gesture. Naruto was just about to make a move when he stopped. He stood there in the war chariot, motionless.

He allowed the thunderous roaring to descend upon him, but then, even as it neared, the war chariot automatically emitted a yellow ring of light. The ring expanded out and then slammed into the collapsing air.

A boom rattled out, followed by cracking sounds. Everywhere the yellow ring of light passed was left completely calm and tranquil.

A red glow appeared in the eyes of the man on the crocodile. He then leaped into the air and shot toward Naruto, followed by the crocodile, who opened its gaping mouth as it ferociously charged out of the water.

The man closed in, and he didn't perform an incantation, but instead reached his hand out in a claw-like gesture. Instantly, his fingers all turned pitch black and began to emanate a black fog. The black fog from his five fingers swirled and twisted, transforming into a vicious flood dragon that then charged toward Naruto.

A boom echoed out as the flood dragon slammed into the expanding yellow ring of light, and was deflected away. The snapping crocodile also hit the yellow ring, whereupon it let out a bloodcurdling scream as its teeth were shattered. It then retreated at top speed.

Naruto gave a faint smile. As for his opponent, he retreated backward a bit, a look of anxiety and doubt on his face as he stared fixedly at Naruto.

Naruto's smile turned wide and splendid. As of now, he realized that the war chariot truly was a precious treasure. As long as he was inside it, it would activate defense powers even if he didn't imbue it with Immortal Qi.

"There is neither any enmity nor hatred between us," said Naruto. "Why engage in magical combat? I came here by accident, so I'll take my leave now." With that, he placed his hand onto the war chariot and then circulated Immortal Shows the Way, and was about to send the war chariot speeding away.

Suddenly, though, the expression of man in the dilapidated clothing grew even more vicious. He lifted his head up and let out an ear-piercing shout. At the same time, his body began to distort and expand. In the blink of an eye, his skin was replaced by black scales. At the same time, his shape began to change, until he didn't look like a person, but rather… a black flood dragon!

His body flickered again, and he was now over three hundred meters long. His eyes radiated savagery and avarice as he stared at Naruto there in the war chariot.

"You will stay," said the flood dragon. As it spoke the language of humans, black flames accompanied the words. "Consuming you will help improve my Cultivation base. As for that treasure of yours… that also will stay behind."

The black flames spit out by the flood dragon emanated a green glow along with a rotten stench that seemed to indicate they were imbued with poisons. They shot toward Naruto at top speed.

A sea of flames surrounded him, emanating intense heat and power that caused everything to ripple and distort. Waves undulated on the surface of the sea below, as if it couldn't bear the level of heat. The crocodile had long since retreated off into the distance; it floated there in the water, staring at Naruto.

Naruto's face darkened as he looked coldly at the flood dragon on the other side of the black flames. He lifted up the hand that he had placed onto the war chariot, and ceased to rotate Immortal Shows the Way.

"I thought you were a Cultivator, but it turns out you're a Sea Demon," said Naruto calmly. "Since you're looking to die, I guess I'll help you fulfill your wish." Naruto's personality was fully on display; the calmer he was, the greater his desire to kill.

Even as he spoke, Naruto started to move forward. He stepped out of the war chariot and entered into the black sea of flames. Seeing that he dared to emerge left the flood dragon astonished, and he immediately began to back up.

"I can be crafty too!" said Naruto. He waved his hand, and another sea of flames sprang up. These flames were red, and sprang up high into the sky around Naruto. As soon as the red flames touched the black flames, an intense rumbling sound could be heard. At the same time, Naruto emerged on the outside.

The flood dragon's face fell, and he continued to move backward in retreat. However, before he could get very far, Naruto turned into a green smoke. As for the flood dragon, his heart was pounding in his ears. The fact that Naruto dared to emerge from the war chariot was obviously not a good thing. Even as he retreated, Naruto suddenly appeared behind him.

A hand raised up, and a fist descended.

The fist seemingly landed on nothing but air. However, a huge rumbling could be heard, and the flood dragon felt as if a mountain were crushing down onto him. Blood sprayed from his mouth, and a look of astonishment appeared on his face. He let out a miserable shriek.

At the same time, the crocodile opened its mouth wide and charged, ignoring any danger whatsoever as it shot toward Naruto.

"Trifling First Severing Cultivation base," said Naruto. "You're not the first one I've killed like that." Not even deigning to look at the crocodile, he punched backward.

BAM!

A tremor ran through the crocodile and then, starting from its head, it began to shatter. In the blink of an eye, the shattering spread out through its entire body. A final bang could be heard as it exploded into bloody pieces.

A fist-sized black Demon heart transformed into a black beam of light that flew into Naruto's hand. He put it into his bag of holding and then looked at the flood dragon. The flood dragon's trembling increased in intensity.

He took a deep breath, and then turned around. Clouds suddenly circulated beneath him, a divine ability which would enable him to shoot down into the waters below.

Naruto's right hand flickered in an incarnation gesture, and he pointed out.

"Demon Sealing, Eighth Hex!"

Demonic Qi appeared, transforming into numerous invisible, thin strands that wrapped around the flood dragon. It instantly stopped moving, which left the flood dragon scared witless. Even as he struggled, Naruto waved his right hand, causing ten Wooden Time Swords to fly out one after another and then pierce through the flood dragon.

A bloodcurdling shriek echoed about as the flood dragon began to rapidly wither. His expression was one of intense fear as he could feel his life force rapidly disappearing.

Feeling death approaching, he suddenly shook and then spit a pearl out of his mouth. The pearl was about the size of a fist, and was not black, but completely and utterly white.

As soon as the pearl appeared, it emanated a soft glow, along with a thick, fragrant aroma. The spiritual energy in the area even grew stronger. A powerful shockwave spread out, causing rumbling booms as the dragon shook free of the binding strands, forced back the wooden swords, and then shot down toward the sea, carrying the pearl with it.

In the blink of an eye, he splashed into the water and then disappeared.

A strange light appeared in Naruto's eyes. He looked at the white pearl, and the first thought that ran through his mind was that he was sure he could sell the thing for an exorbitant price.

As soon as the thought entered his mind, the last trace of his hesitation disappeared as he flashed through the air, circulating Immortal Shows the Way as he stepped foot onto the war chariot. His hand touched the chariot, and it instantly began to vibrate and shoot down toward the sea.

In the blink of an eye, he was underwater. Everything around was pitch black, but it only took a moment for Naruto to catch sight of the vicious flood dragon up ahead, feeling quite confident that he had just escaped disaster.

Even as the flood dragon felt as if he had managed to scrape out and extra life, he suddenly heard a rumbling sound. He turned, and his eyes went wide and filled with shock when he saw the thirty meter war chariot!

It wanted to dodge out of the way, but was too slow!

Bang!

The war chariot directly struck the flood dragon, causing it to let out a miserable howl. Then, its body began to break apart into pieces. It exploded, and the white pearl flew out. Shockingly, inside the pearl could be seen a miniature flood dragon, its face covered with terror and astonishment.

The pearl and the miniature flood dragon shot off at high speed, but no matter how fast they could go, it was too slow compared to Naruto's war chariot.

Naruto instantly shot in pursuit. Inside the white pearl, the flood dragon's face was unyielding and filled with madness. It then let out a miserable cry that it amplified with Divine Will.

"Dawn Immortal, save me!"

When Naruto heard the name 'Dawn Immortal,' his mind instantly trembled. It was a name he would never forget. However, this was not the time and place to think about it in detail. His eyes glittered, and he pushed the war chariot in pursuit. His hand stretched out and he grabbed the white pearl.

The struggling of the flood dragon made no difference. Naruto sealed the pearl and then quickly put it into his bag of holding.

However, in that instant… a faint sigh could suddenly echoed about in the darkness of the seafloor.

It was a single sigh, but it instantly caused Naruto's scalp to go numb. Cold sweat broke out all over his body, and his face fell. Suddenly, the Resurrection Lily inside of him seemed to go mad.

It seemed as if, regardless of anything, it wanted to reveal itself and let out a cry to be noticed by whomever had just made the sigh.

Naruto's mind trembled, and he instantly caused the war chariot to begin moving. He began to build up the Immortal Qi, and was just about to speed away when a tentacle suddenly shot toward him from within the deep sea.

Immediately, an intense feeling of crisis rumbled through Naruto. At the same time, the struggling of the Resurrection Lily reached a peak.

BOOM!

Naruto released the entirety of his Immortal Qi, causing it to enter the war chariot. It rumbled, and then shot at incredible speed up and out of the water, transforming into a beam of light that quickly disappeared. Almost simultaneously, a gigantic tentacle erupted from the surface of the sea.

As he shot away, Naruto had just enough time to glance back at the enormous tentacle before the world turned blurry.

What he saw caused Naruto's mind to quiver and tremble with confusion.

"What… what is that…?" His face was pale white, and his expression one of disbelief. Given his Cultivation base, his experiences, his level of focus, in the Milky Way Sea, only the ancient Underworld Ship could cause his expression to change in such a way.

However, there was now something else!

In fact, because of his own condition, what he saw caused him to be even more astonished than the ancient Underworld Ship.

"That's… the Dawn Immortal?"

Vol. 5 : Chapter 666

Chapter 666 (Click to show "spoiler" title)

Chapter 666: The Mother of the Resurrection Lily!

What he saw was a gigantic black tentacle, smooth and glossy, almost whip-like in appearance…. Furthermore, at the very end of the tentacle were a few black leaves.

This was not the tentacle of some beast! It was the branch of a plant!

Anyone else probably would not realize it, but because of his own situation, as soon as Naruto saw it, he knew that this… was… A Resurrection Lily branch!

From this single branch, Naruto had no problem reaching the conclusion that deep in the black, dark depths of the sea was… an incomparably enormous Resurrection Lily!

What he was seeing was simply a branch, but it was able to stretch up from deep within the sea; he could only imagine how large and terrifying its main trunk was. The frightening speed with which it moved caused Naruto to pant. It could even match up to his war chariot!

Furthermore, Naruto knew that the only reason he could get away was that his original position was actually not very far away from the surface of the water. Although it seemed he and the branch had emerged from the water at the same time, the war chariot would have actually been no match for the Lily's frightful speed.

"How many colors does it have…?" thought Naruto, panting. By now, the war chariot had left the black area of the sea. The waters below looked normal, and up ahead, he saw storm winds. Naruto knew that he was now near the edge of the Third Ring, and was not far from Seahold.

He took a deep breath and thought for a moment. The sky up above was turning light as he put the war chariot away into his bag of holding. Then his body flashed as he headed toward Seahold at the fasted speed he could muster.

He arrived back at his residence before the sky was completely lit. He sat down cross-legged, his expression dark and unstable. The events of the night had left him quite shaken.

"That flood dragon called itself a Devil. It must have been one of those so-called Sea Devils.

"A black sea. That must be the Second Ring of the Milky Way Sea…. I never imagined that that… a terrifying Resurrection Lily would be hiding at the bottom of the Second Ring!

"Was that… the Dawn Immortal?

"No wonder the Resurrection Lily inside of me was going crazy!

"How exactly are the Third Ring and the Second Ring connected? The

Third Ring has Demons with Whitebone Lily seals on them. The Second Ring has Devils that can turn into people, and venerate the Dawn Immortal!

"And then, there's that Reverend Silverlamp. Where exactly is he…?

There are so many mysteries in the Milky Way Sea. First, there was the

Underworld Ship and then that ancient battleship. And now, the Dawn

Immortal has made an appearance!" He continued to think, and a complex expression appeared on his face. However, soon his eyes began glittering brightly.

"Things just keep getting more complicated and dangerous. I need to be even more careful regarding the matter of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. I wonder who is more powerful, the Dawn Immortal or the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch?" As soon as the question appeared in his mind, he knew the answer.

"Of course it's the Dawn Immortal!" Although he had no proof, Naruto was sure he was right.

He sighed inwardly, then closed his eyes. He ceased focusing on the frustrating matters, and began to meditate.

It was now early morning, and sunlight flickered down onto the sea. The crystalline, shimmering waters surrounded Seahold, which looked like a giant, slumbering beast that was opening its eyes and awakening. Gradually, the city began to bustle with noise and excitement.

Many people came and went, most of whom were not residents of the city. Some came to recuperate or resupply, some came to sell Demon hearts, others left the city to go hunting. People were everywhere.

When Wei Li came to pay respects, Naruto opened his eyes. After tidying up a bit, he had Wei Li take him to a shop that specialized in clothing.

He was finally able to put aside the worrisome events of the previous night. The feeling of being a rich person once again conquered all. He even considered purchasing a set of clothing for Wei Li.

Although the quality of the clothing was good, when he saw how it didn't match her mask, he decided to save some Spirit Stones and not buy it after all.

Wei Li felt a bit wronged, but she didn't dare to say anything directly to Naruto. She could only follow along irritated as Naruto flaunted his superiority.

Everyone in the shop was in awe of Naruto and his domineering attitude. He walked around with a trail of people following. If he saw something he liked he would simply point, and someone would rush to package it up for him.

"It feels really good to be rich," he thought. He left the store looking completely different than before. He wore a long robe that was as blue as the sky and emanated ripples of magical force. When the sun fell on it, it looked even more beautiful and delicate.

The sleeves were embroidered with silver dragons, and the materials of the entire garment were harvested from an impressive Sea Demon. It had a variety of built-in functions, and overall, made Naruto quite pleased.

He also purchased a gold belt trimmed with violet decorations, as well as some jade pendants. Each and every item was quite expensive. When he walked down the street, the people he passed couldn't help but look at him. Naruto let out a long, emotional sigh.

Wei Li walked along behind him, pouting and glaring at his back.

"Alright, let's go buy a bag of holding!" he said, swishing his sleeve. Internally, Wei Li gave a cold harrumph. Now that she was more familiar with Naruto, little remained of the awe she had felt for him before. Instead, her deepest impression towards him was that he was a haughty moneybags.

When Naruto stepped foot into the shop specializing in holding items, his clothing, coupled with his handsome features, plus the obvious domineering air of a rich person, caused everyone in the shop to immediately look over at him with glowing eyes. They knew that a big spender had arrived, and they immediately greeted him.

Naruto looked around and then immediately voiced his desire to buy ten bags of holding.

After they left the shop, a bit of hope flickered in Wei Li's eyes, and she couldn't hold back from asking, "Senior, why did you buy so many?" "For fun!" replied Naruto earnestly.

Wei Li gaped. She suddenly had the feeling that the person in front of her was not the person who had saved her. He seemed… a different person completely. If he wasn't a different person, how could there be such a disparity?

Naruto cleared his throat, quite pleased at Wei Li's shock. He patted his bag of holding, then waved his hand and lifted his chin in much the way that Steward Zhou used to.

"Okay, let's go buy some magic rings!"

In the magic ring shop, Naruto's domineering air once again shocked everyone present, both customers and employees alike. They gaped in astonishment as, in a single breath, he bought three hundred magic rings.

All of the magic rings had a single function; they could self-detonate.

All you had to do was throw one of the rings out, and it would explode. Furthermore, the cumulative force of three hundred explosions would be incredibly terrifying. Such rings were expensive, and the shop didn't have very many. However, Naruto decided to buy however many they did have.

In the end, he could only sigh and leave, shaking his head the entire time. He glanced around Seahold, thinking about how there was nothing here that he couldn't buy.

It was in such a manner that Naruto spent the entire day, with Wei Li leading him around. Soon, word began to spread. Many people were talking about how an incredibly rich fellow had appeared in Seahold.

Soon, evening was falling. Having accompanied Naruto all day, Wei Li was a bit tired. However, from Naruto's expression, he didn't seem to be any more tired than he had been at the beginning of the day. Wei Li could only smile wryly.

"Senior, NOW where do you want to go?"

"Let's go to the Sun Soul Society's Demon heart exchange shop," he said. The day had passed in a very fulfilling fashion for him, and he had finally fulfilled his desire to live like a rich person.

He hoped that he could continue to live such a life in the coming days, and it was with completely high spirits that he continued to walk along.

"Senior, you're going the wrong way, it's this way," said Wei Li, looking at Naruto a bit grudgingly.

Naruto stopped in place and then turned around.

It was evening, and the two of them walked through the city under the light of the setting sun. Naruto wore his blue robe, and all ten of his fingers were adorned with rings. He stood straight and tall, looking incredibly impressive; obviously he was rich and respectable.

However, it also was also fairly obvious that he had just recently stumbled into his wealth.

The Sun Soul Society's Demon heart exchange shop was located in the city center of Seahold. The structure itself was very strange. It was pure white and looked like a skull. Quite a crowd was gathered inside.

Despite the late hour, people continued to go in and out of the shop to exchange their Demon hearts for Spirit Stones to be used in cultivation.

When Naruto entered, his heavily bejeweled figure immediately attracted a lot of attention.

Instantly, everyone began to talk about it.

"That guy is…."

"I saw him earlier today. He's the super rich guy I was just telling you about. He went to the Magic Ring Pavilion and purchased more than three hundred magic rings in a single breath!"

"So, that's him! I heard that a lot of the shops in Seahold were completely sold out today!"

"Who is he? How could he possibly have so many Demon hearts?!"

Naruto's expression was the same as usual. He entered the shop and looked around, eventually catching sight of a Sun Soul Society disciple. When the man saw Naruto looking at him, he quickly approached, clasped hands, and bowed.

"Greetings, Senior. How many Demon hearts would you like to exchange? If it's a small quantity, I would be happy to help you. If it's a large quantity… well, in that case, I can take you to the second floor, where a Sect Elder will receive you."

"Second floor, then," said Naruto placidly.

The Sun Soul Society disciple's eyes began to shine brightly when he heard this. He quickly transmitted a message to the Elder, at the same time leading Naruto toward the staircase.

Everyone watched on enviously as Naruto and Wei Li walked up to the second floor. As soon as they arrived, a smiling, white-haired old man walked out.

"I am Sun Yunliang. Greetings, Fellow Daoist." When he saw Naruto's clothing, and the rings on his fingers, he knew exactly what kind of person he was dealing with. His smile grew even more resplendent, and he said. "Come come, please, follow me." He led Naruto to a chair, after which two maidservants appeared with teapots to serve him tea.

"This is a local specialty, Skysea Tea," explained Sun Yunliang, smiling. "It grows only in the Second Ring, and there are only seven parent trees that produce it. Please give it a try, Fellow Daoist. What do you think?"

Naruto smiled and then lifted the cup up to examine the tea. He took a sip, after which his eyes misted up, and his expression grew radiant. His scholar's aura suddenly became especially prominent. Despite his current state of luxury, it was impossible to completely block. It was almost like he suddenly became a different person. After a long moment, he put the teacup down. The mistiness in his eyes faded away, and they then began to glow with admiration.

"Ah, the cleansing of disquiets both past and present, the livening of the spirit that can only come from… excellent tea!" said Naruto.

Sun Yunliang smiled broadly, and a strange gleam flickered in his eyes. At first glance, he could tell that Naruto was newly rich. However, when he spoke of the tea, his entire person emanated a light and pleasant air. The air that Naruto now emanated caused the old man to suddenly question his previous judgement.

Wei Li stared in shock at Naruto. What had occurred just now yet again caused her to think that she was yet again dealing with a completely different person.

At this point, Sun Yunliang directly asked, "Fellow Daoist, how many Demon hearts did you come here to exchange? The exchange rate today is one low-grade Demon heart for six hundred low-grade Spirit Stones."

Naruto was just about to reply when suddenly, footsteps and voices could be heard coming up the stairs from the first floor.

"Don't worry, gentlemen. When I, Zhou, make a promise, the results are never disappointing. I can get you seven hundred Spirit stones for one low-grade Demon heart."

When Naruto heard this, he had to bite his tongue to hold back from speaking. He lifted the teacup and took a sip.

Sun Yunliang's face twitched, and glared toward the staircase.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Metalduck, Chi Yip, and Harrison Terry

Vol. 5 : Chapter 667

Chapter 667: Gamble Royale

A middle-aged man was currently smiling as he led a group of seven older men up to the second floor.

The seven old men wore long brocaded robes, and in a single glance, anyone could tell that they were famous and extraordinary figures. Their eyes were bright and shining, and their Cultivation bases extraordinary. All were at the great circle of the Nascent Soul stage. Although they smiled, their smiles were filled with unyielding pride.

"After you, Fellow Daoists!" said the middle-aged man with a sincere smile. His expression was one of excitement as he led the seven old men up to the second floor. He caught sight of Naruto and Wei Li, but after a glance, completely ignored them.

Sun Yunliang was originally frowning, but when he saw the seven old men, his eyes immediately grew bright. Laughing loudly, he rose to his feet and hurried over to receive them.

"So, it turns out to be the Seven Tycoons of Seahold!" said Sun Yunliang, continuing to laugh as he clasped hands and bowed. "Your presence brings light to our humble establishment!"

The seven old men all smiled and clasped hands in return.

Naruto's expression was the same as ever as he continued to sip tea.

As for Wei Li, after she saw the seven old men, her pupils instantly constricted. Her voice filled with awe, she turned to Naruto and said, "Senior, these seven men are all famous shopkeepers here in Seahold. Their Cultivation bases are extraordinary, and they control vast amounts of Demon hearts….

"The Demon heart exchange shops set up by the three Sects here in Seahold do not just cater to the masses of ordinary Cultivators. There is a strict requirement of the various shops in the city that they exchange Demon hearts on a yearly basis.

"Of course, as for which particular Sect they pick to do business with, that is up to them. The three Sects have no say in the matter…."

Naruto lifted his teacup up and took another sip. His eyes seemed a bit clouded, even empty, as if he weren't present mentally. Wei Li wasn't even sure if he had heard her speaking.

Joy filled the heart of Sun Yunliang as he looked over at the middle-aged man, and his eyes flickered with admiration. The middle-aged man looked quite excited, and treated the seven shopkeepers with incredible courtesy.

The whole group laughed and exchanged pleasantries as they walked over to the area with the seats. Sun Yunliang was just about to have one of the maidservants serve some tea when the middle-aged man frowned and looked over at Naruto and Wei Li. Then, he directed his attention to Sun Yunliang and transmitted, "Elder Sun, who are these two?"

"Customers who arrived earlier to exchange some Demon hearts," he responded via the same method.

When he heard this, the middle-aged man felt a bit more at ease. At first, he had taken the people to be friends of Sun Yunliang. "Elder, the Seven Tycoons are honored guests, shouldn't you have someone from downstairs take care of these other loafers?"

Sun Yunliang hesitated for a moment, then turned to Naruto, clasped hands, and smiled.

"Fellow Daoist, I truly beg your pardon. Would you mind going downstairs? I'll arrange for someone to help you exchange your Demon hearts. What do you say?"

When he heard Sun Yunliang speaking, the cloudiness in Naruto's eyes vanished, and he put down his teacup. Instantly, one of the maidservants stepped forward from the group led by the middle-aged man, and collected it up.

Naruto frowned, rose to his feet, and looked over at Sun Yunliang.

"Fine," he said. "By the way, what is the current exchange rate?"

"Set your mind at ease, Fellow Daoist," he said with a smile, "the price is set at six hundred Spirit Stones for one Demon heart." With that, he clapped his hands together, and a Sun Soul Society disciples immediately came up from the first floor. After giving Naruto a respectful bow, he gestured for Naruto to follow him downstairs.

Naruto smiled, albeit faintly, and his expression was calm. First they had taken away his tea and tried to shoo him away. If the price they gave him was acceptable, he could have accepted the matter, but instead, they offered him a different amount of Spirit Stones than the seven old men.

Continuing to smile, he sat back down.

The action caused Sun Yunliang to instantly frown. In his mind, Naruto wasn't acting very sensibly.

The middle-aged man was starting to look a bit impatient. As far as he was concerned, Naruto would surely be exchanging no more than a few hundred Demon hearts at most. "Friend," he said, "this shop is owned by the Sun Soul Society. I myself am an honor guard of that very same Sect. This… is not the place for you to cause a disturbance. To go downstairs of your own accord is much better than being assisted to do so."

He had seen many such people, people who couldn't possibly compare to the Seven Tycoons. Each one of the seven had vast amounts of Demon hearts, and he himself had expended quite a bit of effort in order to attract them here.

"Go ahead and try," said Naruto coolly.

The words instantly caused Sun Yunliang's expression to turn serious. The middle-aged man frowned, suddenly unsure of who exactly Naruto was.

The seven old men didn't look very pleased. They could exchange their Demon hearts at any shop they wished. The main reason they had selected this location was because of the diligent attention paid them by the middle-aged man. Of course, even more important was the fact that the exchange rate here was slightly better than at the other two Sects.

After all, the Saint currently in command of the city was none other than Saint Sun Soul.

The old man who occupied the center position among the seven calmly said, "Elder Sun, Honor Guard Zhou, the seven of us have very limited time. We can't stand around waiting for very long. Why don't we consider doing business another time?"

The words immediately caused the man named Zhou to feel very anxious. He was just about to drive Naruto away forcibly when suddenly Elder Sun stepped forward.

"Fellow Daoist," he said, looking at Naruto, "the Spirit Stones aren't an issue. I make the decisions here, so how about I give you seven hundred Spirit Stones per Demon heart? What do you say?"

Hearing this, Naruto felt a little bit embarrassed. Smiling, he rose to his feet and was about to go downstairs when suddenly, the old man standing in the right-most position among the seven sneered.

"So, it turns out anybody can get seven hundred Spirit Stones," he said.

"Well, then, Honor Guard Zhou. How many Spirit Stones will we be getting?"

Immediately, the other six old men began to nod. The shops run by seven of them were backed by their own various Sects and Clans. Furthermore, they were intelligent people who would definitely take advantage of any opportunity they saw come their way.

"If that man can get seven hundred Spirit Stones," said another of the old men, "then we should get at least eight hundred per Demon heart. In any case, it is unacceptable that we be given the same price as a random passerby. Honor Guard Zhou, that was your promise to us, was it not?"

"Correct," said another man. "Honor Guard Zhou, the reason we demand more Spirit Stones is because we will be exchanging a huge amount of Demon hearts. In fact, we have more Demon hearts than you usually exchange in several months down on the first floor. If someone with a trifling few hundred Demon hearts can get the same price as us, how can we maintain any face?"

Sun Yunliang's face flickered as he realized he was in somewhat of a predicament. As for Honor Guard Zhou, his face was also quite unsightly as he glared over at Naruto and Wei Li.

"Elder Sun, this really is a bit inappropriate, don't you think?" asked another of the men.

Sun Yunliang hesitated for a moment, then sighed inwardly. However, before he could even open his mouth, Naruto began to speak.

"So you guys have a lot of Demon hearts?" he asked the seven men.

"More than you, I can assure you," said the first man who had spoken, his voice cool.

Naruto's eyes flashed. He gave a cold harrumph and then flicked his sleeve. "Do the lot of you dare to have a little competition?" he asked.

"The loser will forfeit all of the Demon hearts to the winner."

His words caused the expressions on the faces of the seven old men to flicker. They looked over at Naruto, and suddenly, the atmosphere grew very stifling. Sun Yunliang hastened to step forward and clasp hands to both parties.

"Gentlemen, there's no need to get angry. All of this is my fault, for not providing proper introductions. Fellow Daoist, these are the Seven Tycoons, who run the seven largest businesses in Seahold. Every year, they exchange a huge quantity of Demon hearts.

"Why don't you give me a bit of face, and just drop the matter? How about it?"

Having heard this, Naruto's face flickered imperceptibly. Yet again, he gave a cold snort. However, this time, his words were a bit softer. "Very well, Elder Sun, for you, I can let the matter drop." With that, he turned to head downstairs.

The eyes of the seven old men flashed as they stared at Naruto.

Suddenly, one of them flickered and reappeared directly in front of Meng

Hao, blocking his way. "Hold it right there!"

"What are you people trying to pull?" growled Naruto. An alarmed and suspicious look flickered in his eyes. From the time he was young, he had grown accustomed to conning people. Furthermore, after all the hundreds of years, he had also grown quite used to putting on an act. It was an ability that had long since seeped down into his bones.

The seven old men might be shrewd and astute, but if they thought they could figure Naruto out by looking at his expression, well, that was simply impossible.

Honor Guard Zhou laughed coldly, his eyes were filled with scorn.

Sun Yunliang frowned as he looked at Naruto, and then turned back to the seven old men.

The old man who blocked Naruto's way stood there, eyes glittering, unspeaking. As for the six other old men, their expressions were that of excitement. Suddenly, one of them said, "You said you wanted to have a competition, so let's compete. The loser will turn over all Demon hearts to the winner."

Sun Yunliang once again clasped hands and bowed. "Seven Tycoons, this Fellow Daoist came to exchange a few hundred Demon hearts. He may have spoken some sharp words, but I implore the seven of you to give me a bit of face…."

Naruto sighed in relief audibly, then walked around the man who blocked his way. Followed by Wei Li, he headed toward the staircase. As for the cold smile which twisted the side of his mouth, nobody could see it.

According to his estimation, the seven old men would definitely fall into his con. As it turned out, he was completely correct. By now, because of their probing for information, the old men were certain that even if Naruto did have a good collection of Demon hearts, it couldn't possibly match up to their own.

Sure enough, Naruto had only walked down six stairs when two of the seven old men suddenly flickered, appearing in front of him to block his way.

"Careless talk can lead to a lot of trouble," said one of them. "Since you brought up a competition, a competition is what will take place."

Naruto's face looked unsightly, and he stood there silently for a moment. His face grim, he turned and headed back up the stairs.

Sun Yunliang smiled bitterly and gave Naruto an apologetic look. As for Honor Guard Zhou, the ridicule in his expression was quite obvious.

Naruto gritted his teeth, and, looking like he was getting ready to go for broke, said, "How do we compete?"

One of the seven men stepped forward, a lofty expression on his face. "I alone will suffice," he said, lifting up a bag of holding.

"Inside this bag of holding are 13,000 low-grade Demon hearts. Fellow Daoist, how many Demon hearts do you have?" With that, he tossed the bag of holding over to Honor Guard Zhou, who accepted in and then scanned it with Divine Sense. He nodded, and then, in order to ensure impartiality, produced a stone slab.

It was three meters tall and carved with nine dragons. When Honor Guard Zhou placed the bag of holding onto the slab, the first dragon began to glow with light, making it look very lifelike. As for the second dragon, it was thirty percent lit.

"On the Nine Dragons Demon Heart Scale," said Sun Yunliang, "each dragon represents 10,000 low-grade Demon hearts." With that, he produced an identical stone slab for Naruto's use.

The old man competing with Naruto loftily said, "I wonder how many Demon hearts you have, Fellow Daoist. Please produce them so that we can widen our knowledge."

The other six old men looked at Naruto with enigmatic smiles, seemingly completely confident of the outcome.

Honor Guard Zhou's smile grew even more radiant. He hadn't liked Naruto from the beginning, and now, the ridicule in his gaze was even more obvious than before. He couldn't wait to see Naruto's expression in reaction to what was happening.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Suneil Patel, Abhishek Aluri, Byron Sego, and Justin Volpato

Vol. 5 : Chapter 668

Chapter 668: It Feels Great

Wei Li looked over nervously at Naruto. She truly was worried about what would happen if Naruto lost. The price he would pay would be incredible….

Naruto's face was expressionless as he pulled out a bag of holding and tossed it onto the Nine Dragons Demon Heart Scale. As soon as the bag of holding touched its surface, one of the dragons carved onto the stone slab started glowing with a bright light.

Everyone watched closely as the scene played out, especially the seven old men. Their expressions flickered, and then quickly began to shine with happiness.

They weren't worried about losing; they were worried that Naruto's bag of holding wouldn't have very many Demon hearts in it. Seeing that it had 10,000, they knew that even after splitting it up, the seven of them would make a tidy profit.

As smiles appeared on the faces of the seven, Honor Guard Zhou's eyes went wide and he felt a bit of regret. Before, he had assumed that Naruto would have a few hundred Demon hearts, or at the most a few thousand. However, it turned out that he actually had 10,000.

His regret quickly vanished, though, as he realized that there was no way Naruto could win. He would lose in the end, and then the Seven Tycoons would have more Demon hearts to exchange.

It was in this moment that the second dragon started to glow, until it was half-lit. That indicated that Naruto's bag of holding had 15,000 Demon hearts in it.

"You lose!" he said immediately. Joy and excitement appeared on his face, although he appeared to be struggling to suppress it.

"Said who?" laughed the old man standing in front of him. "The competition is between you and the seven of us. The contest isn't over until it's over, and no one is allowed to interfere. In this competition, one party must hand over all Demon hearts to the other in the end." The other six men all started nodding.

The first old man walked back a few steps, and a second old man proudly stepped forward. He produced a bag of holding, then looked contemptuously at Naruto as he tossed it onto the stone slab.

A buzzing sound could be heard, and the stone slab began to vibrate. The dragons on its surface almost seemed alive, and were emanating pulsing ripples. The second dragon was now completely glowing, making it look very lifelike. Furthermore, the third dragon was also fully lit.

"A total of 30,000 Demon hearts!" said Honor Guard Zhou excitedly.

"Do you have more?" asked the old man, looking at Naruto.

The other six men were doing the same thing. All of them were imagining a situation in which Naruto had a few more Demon hearts, but not many, and the competition would end on a relatively anticlimactic note.

Naruto's expression was grim as he slowly placed his right hand into his robe. Then, he pulled out another bag of holding, which he threw over to the stone slab. As soon as it landed, the third dragon completely lit up, as did ten percent of the fourth dragon.

Honor Guard Zhou gasped and looked over at Naruto. "31,000…"

Sun Yunliang's eyes were wide, and he almost couldn't believe it. Inwardly, he was laughing bitterly. If he had known Naruto possessed so many Demon hearts, there would never have been such a commotion.

Even the seven old men were shocked. Each of them possessed over

10,000 Demon hearts, but none had an accumulation that exceeded 20,000. And yet, their opponent unexpectedly produced 30,000. As of now, they couldn't help but start to form various speculations about him.

It only took a moment, though, for the seven men to exchange glances. All of their eyes were burning with passion, as they realized that they were actually much more interested in this contest than they had been before. Considering that their opponent had around 30,000 Demon hearts, if they won, it meant each of them would get approximately 5,000. The mere thought of it caused their hearts to begin to thump rapidly.

Then, the seven of them began to chuckle. It was at this point that the second old man stepped back and the third walked forward. He waved his right hand, causing a bag of holding to fly out. Immediately, the fourth and fifth dragons lit up, although the fifth was only ninety percent lit.

"49,000 low-grade Demon hearts!" said Honor Guard Zhou, who then looked over at Naruto. It wasn't just him. Everyone, including Wei Li, were now staring at Naruto.

"I refuse to believe that you can continue to compete," said the third old man, his voice cool.

Naruto said nothing. It seemed as if he had an endless supply of bags of holding in his robe. He produced yet another, which he tossed out, causing the fourth, fifth, and sixth dragons to completely light up!

The bag of holding turned out to have 30,000 Demon hearts in it!

Honor Guard Zhou's mind was spinning, and he was breathing heavily. He stared blankly at the six glowing dragons on the stone slab.

"60,000… Demon hearts!"

The faces of the seven old men flickered, and they stared dead at Naruto. Then they exchanged glances, and reached a consensus. In their opinion, this had to be the last bag of holding their opponent would produce.

"60,000 Demon hearts! No wonder he was so domineering!"

"I never imagined that he would have so many Demon hearts. However, compared to the seven of us, he can't match up!"

"The best would be if he had 70,000, then each of us would get 10,000. That's quite a hefty profit. Well, even if this guy has someone powerful backing him, does he really think he can fight back against the seven of us altogether?!"

The seven old men chuckled as the fourth and fifth of their number stepped forward at the same time. The two of them tossed out bags of holding, which, as soon as they landed onto the stone slab, caused a blinding light to shine out. It wasn't the just the sixth dragon which lit up; the seventh did too, and even fifty percent of the eighth.

"75,000 low-grade Demon hearts!" said Honor Guard Zhou, his amazed voice echoing about.

The fifth old man laughed heartily. "Fellow Daoist, however many lowgrade Demon hearts you have, bring them out. We'll keep up with you until the end." His expression was proud, and his heart was filled with joy that he could not cover over.

The others also smiled complacently as they pondered what it would be like to split up all of Naruto's Demon hearts.

Naruto blinked, and then reached yet again into his robe. The eyes of the seven men narrowed as Naruto produced another bag of holding, which he tossed over to the stone slab.

A rumbling sound echoed out as the seventh and eighth dragons lit up. Only the ninth dragon remained dark.

Seeing this, the seven old men burst into hearty laughter. Even Honor Guard Zhou let out a sigh of relief. Clearly, Naruto only had 80,000 Demon hearts, otherwise, the ninth dragon would already have begun to shine with light.

Sun Yunliang had long since begun to pant, and his heart was pounding. When he saw Honor Guard Zhou's expression, he truly wished he could simply step over and slap the man across the face. "What an idiot! Someone who possesses 80,000 Demon hearts is not someone to provoke lightly. Perhaps he just didn't dare to fight against the power of the seven combined. But now we have this situation here in the Sun Soul Society. He definitely won't give up!"

"This farce is over," said the sixth old man. "Fellow Daoist, it's time for me to teach you a lesson. Never forget, there are always Heavens beyond the Heavens you know, and there are always people out there who are better than you." He didn't even step forward. He simply tossed out a bag of holding. It landed with a bang onto the stone slab, causing the eight dragon to light up completely, along with seventy percent of the ninth dragon.

"87… 87,000 low-grade Demon hearts!" gasped Honor Guard Zhou.

Naruto's brow furrowed, and he felt around in his robe. However, he did not produce another bag of holding. All of the low-grade Demon hearts that he possessed had been there in his robe.

When she saw the expression on Naruto's face, Wei Li's heart began to pound. The expressions on the faces of the seven old men were of completely complacency. One of them stepped forward, and reached out toward the bags of holding which Naruto had placed onto the stone slab.

"Did I say you could touch those?" said Naruto. He waved his right hand, causing a mild attack to fly out that pushed the old man back. The old man's face flickered, and as he looked over at Naruto, the other six old men stepped forward, displeased expressions clouding their faces.

"Being a sore loser, Fellow Daoist?" asked one.

"Even if you are, it doesn't matter," said another. "You must admit your defeat. You lost, so those Demon hearts belong to us now."

Naruto's expression was the same as ever. Then he smiled, a faint, bashful smile.

"The competition isn't over yet, so how could I have lost?" His words caused the hearts of the seven old men to suddenly sink, and they exchanged flabbergasted looks.

"You have more low-grade Demon hearts?"

"Low-grade Demon hearts? No, I'm out," replied Naruto. It was at this point that he slapped the bag of holding at his side, from within which unexpectedly appeared another bag of holding. This was one of the special bags of holding that he had purchased in Seahold.

Hefting it, Naruto looked at the Nine Dragons Demon Heart Scale. "Why don't we use something else other than this slab? It would be a shame for an incredible treasure like it to be damaged."

Hearing this, the seven old men could only stare in shock at the bag of holding in Naruto's hand. Then, however, one of the old men sneered. "The stone slab only has nine dragons, but if the number exceeds 100,000, then they will change color. To date, I have never heard of anyone being able to use Demon stones to damage a Nine Dragons Demon Heart Scale."

Naruto looked over at Sun Yunliang, who hesitated for a moment before smiling wryly and nodding his head.

"Very well, then," said Naruto, tossing over the bag of holding. When it landed on the stone slab, it caused a boom to ring out that was audible even down on the first floor. At the same time, the ninth dragon completely lit up.

Looks of concentration appeared on the men's faces.

Next, the first dragon began to change color, turning blue.

The sight of it caused the faces of the seven old men to fall.

After that, the second dragon, the third dragon, in fact, all of the nine dragons turned blue.

Then they changed color again, starting with the first and going all the way to the ninth, until they all glittered with bright violet light.

The seven old men were trembling, and looks of shock and disbelief covered their faces. A few even said, "Impossible!"

However, the changes didn't stop with the violet light. Once more, the dragons began to change color, this time to orange.

"Orange light… that's… that's orange light!" The minds of the seven old men were spinning, as if they were being struck by lightning. They shook, their eyes blank with astonishment.

However, the light was not finished changed. Once again it began to transform, for the fifth time, causing the dragons, one after another, to shine with a glow the color of blood!

The changes in color left the people in the area completely and utterly shocked. They stared with wide open mouths, their minds roaring, as the nine dragons turned completely the color of blood. And then…

The nine dragons flickered brightly, as if… they were about to change to yet another color.

However, the Nine Dragons Demon Heart Scale had apparently reached its limit, and the color couldn't change. A rumbling sound filled the building, and soon was audible even outside. Shockingly, the sound was coming from the Nine Dragons Demon Heart Scale itself. Cracking noises could be heard as, in the full vision of everyone present, it suddenly… completely disintegrated!

Naruto cleared his throat. As he looked around at the shocked people around him, he thought to himself that being rich… felt great!

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Atettmara

Vol. 5 : Chapter 669

Chapter 669: You Cheated!

In the moment in which the stone slab exploded, Saint Sun Soul sat in his tower in Seahold. His eyes suddenly snapped open, and he sent his Divine Sense down into the city. It immediately locked onto the location where Naruto was.

After examining the situation, his face twitched again.

"Trying to compete in Demon hearts with him? Those seven are courting death!

"He mustn't be given any opportunity to flip out. If he seizes the moral high ground, he's bound to cause a crisis to develop…." Saint Sun Soul looked up at the bottle gourd which was placed off to the side, and felt a bit of a headache coming on. When he thought about the alcohol inside, his face grew unsightly.

He flicked his right sleeve, and immediately, a person approached from outside the tower. Once inside, he immediately dropped to his knees and kowtowed.

"Greetings, Master."

It was a middle-aged man wearing a long, violet gown. His expression was one of veneration, and his eyes sparkled with energy. His Cultivation base was at the great circle of the Nascent Soul stage, not far from Spirit Severing.

"Go to the Sect's Demon heart exchange pavilion," said Saint Sun Soul coolly. "There's a man there I want you to invite here. Remember to be extremely courteous. Treat him as politely as you treat me."

The middle-aged man immediately nodded, but the fact that his Master spoke no more caused him to pause for a moment.

"Master, what is name of this respected member of the senior generation?"

"Just go, you'll recognize him." Saint Sun Soul didn't appear to want to discuss the matter further.

The middle-aged man stood up and, feeling a bit perplexed, left the tower.

Meanwhile, back on the second floor of the Sun Soul Society's Demon heart exchange shop, Naruto stood there with hands clasped behind his back. He looked down at the shattered remnants of the Nine Dragons Demon Heart Scale, and then looked over at the old men, who stood there as dumbstruck as wooden chickens, completely speechless.

They were struck thoroughly and completely senseless. Their heads filled with unprecedentedly large crashing waves, and they felt as if their minds were about to be torn into shreds.

Then, they began to calculate….

"Changing colors once indicates a complete doubling in the number of Demon hearts….

"In total, there were six changes in color, which means that the number of Demon hearts would be six times the amount before…. Before, there were 80,000 demon hearts. Don't tell me that his bag of holding actually has 500,000 Demon hearts!?

"If you changed 500,000 Demon hearts into Spirit Stones, that… that would be….

"Over 300,000,000!" Their minds roared as they looked over at Naruto, terrified.

"No way!

"The Nine Dragons Demon Heart Scale does indeed have a limitation. According to the standard of low-grade Demon hearts, it's supposedly able to accommodate 1,000,000. 500-600,000 wouldn't cause it to shatter. Something's going on here!" The old men gasped and looked over fixedly at Naruto.

However, before they could figure out where the problem lay, Honor Guard Zhou and Elder Sun, despite being thoroughly shaken, also suddenly realized that something was off. They too looked over at Naruto.

The eyes of nine people all turned red.

As of now, the expressions of the seven old men were that of complete exasperation as they finally considered… the possibility of losing.

"You cheated!" they roared, their voices hoarse.

If they lost, their Demon hearts would become Naruto's. It was a vast sum that they fundamentally couldn't accept. After all, these weren't their Demon hearts, but rather, the property of the various Sects and Clans that they represented.

"You definitely cheated! The Demon Heart Scale can accommodate 1,000,000 low-grade Demon hearts. I don't believe that your bag of holding has more than 900,000!

"I don't know how you did it, but it's definitely not fair! Such actions deserve death!" The killing intent in the old men immediately grew more obvious.

"Do you, or do you not, dare to compete one more time!? Take the Demon hearts out of your bag of holding, and we can compare numbers directly!

"If you don't dare, then it proves you cheated! To behave so treacherously in front of us means that you won't step foot alive out the front door of this Demon heart exchange pavilion!"

The seven old men were acting in a very domineering fashion. They strode forward, their Cultivation bases unleashed, transforming into an intangible tempest which spread out in all directions.

Wei Li's face was pale, and were she not hiding behind Naruto, she wouldn't be able to take it, and would directly explode.

The old man who had reached out to take Naruto's bags of holding just now suddenly produced another bag of holding which he tossed onto the stone slab. The nine dragons flickered, and suddenly, a blue light appeared.

However, it wasn't completely blue. Only about half of the first dragon had turned blue.

"98,000 low-grade Demon hearts. This is all the Demon hearts I possess.

Do you dare to gamble again?!"

Honor Guard Zhou and Sun Yunliang stood off to the side silently watching. This time, even Honor Guard Zhou didn't react; he didn't want to be involved with the matter any more.

Naruto coldly looked over the seven old men, then waved his right hand. Instantly, all of his bags of holding flew out from the rubble of the destroyed stone slab. Seeing this, the several old men roared and closed in on him.

However, before they could get close, Naruto opened the last of the bags of holding, and expressionlessly removed a Demon heart. It emanated with bright colors, along with dense spiritual energy. Naruto waved his sleeve, causing the Demon heart to fly over to Sun Yunliang.

"Elder Sun, would you mind appraising that for me?" he said coolly.

The seven old men stopped in their tracks and looked at the Demon heart in Sun Yunliang's hand. Their faces fell. They didn't need to look closely at it. Based on the spiritual energy, as well as its color and size, it was easy to determine….

"Mid-grade Demon heart!" Sun Yunliang gasped. His words instantly crushed any last bit hope the seven old men had to come out on top.

Sun Yunliang took a deep breath and gazed at the Demon heart. His face flickered through various emotions, and then he turned to stare at the bag of holding in Naruto's hand. The seven old men were doing exactly the same. All of them were inwardly forming speculations about what was going on, which caused their faces to become more and more unsightly.

"The price of mid-grade Demon hearts doesn't fluctuate very much," said Sun Yunliang. "A single one is worth 10,000 Spirit Stones, or ten low-grade Demon hearts. Of course, it doesn't work the other way around." He looked up at Naruto and then slowly said, "Fellow Daoist, how many mid-grade Demon hearts do you possess?"

Naruto didn't say anything in response. He simply waved his sleeve, causing a glittering, crystalline waterfall to spill out of his bag of holding. The entire area instantly filled with dense spiritual energy. The second floor turned into something like a land of Immortals.

10,000 mid-grade demon hearts piled up all around. Immediately, everyone present began to pant, and their minds shook.

"10… 10,000 mid-grade Demon hearts. That's equal to 100,000 lowgrade Demon hearts. They could be traded for… 100,000,000 Spirit Stones!" Sun Yunliang struggled to maintain his composure as he spoke.

Honor Guard Zhou, on the other hand, felt his vision growing dim, and he almost passed out. How could he ever have imagined that the person he scorned so openly would end up having so many mid-grade Demon hearts?

As for the seven old men, they trembled in place and looked almost as if they had just aged ten years.

"There is no need to directly compare," said Sun Yunliang, looking over at Naruto. He clasped his hands and bowed courteously. "Fellow Daoist, you are the victor."

Wei Li stood behind Naruto, her mind reeling. She knew Naruto was rich, but she had never imagined that he would be… THIS rich.

Naruto lifted his right hand, collecting up the bags of holding belonging to the seven men. The old men watched on with red eyes. Their killing intent was even more intense now, and seeing Naruto dare to take their bags of holding put them in the mood to go all out and attack.

"Hold on a minute!"

"Fellow Daoist, you certainly do possess more Demon hearts than us.

However, you still haven't explained the matter of the cheating earlier!"

"Even if you do have 10,000 mid-grade Demon hearts, that's still not enough to destroy the Nine Dragons Demon Heart Scale! You cheated, which means the bet doesn't stand! We refuse to accept this!" Of course, the seven old men were now resorting to sophistry, and they knew it. However, what else could they do? There was no way the could simply allow Naruto to take away their Demon hearts.

"Well then, I'll just have to make you accept it," said Naruto calmly. He waved his hand, causing the remaining 20,000 mid-grade Demon hearts in his bag of holding to fly out. They piled up everywhere, nearly completely filling the second floor.

The eyes of the seven old men widened as Naruto then sent the highgrade Demon hearts flying out from the bag of holding. The splendor of the high-grade Demon hearts caused them to instantly become the focus of all eyes on the second floor.

The spiritual energy they produced transformed into a pillar-like aura that shot up into the air above Seahold. Wild colors flashed in the sky, and the wind and clouds roiled.

Every Cultivator in Seahold instantly looked over in stupefaction. The buzz of conversation instantly rose up from all areas of Seahold.

Back in the Demon heart exchange pavilion, Sun Yunliang stared with slack jaw at the high-grade Demon hearts. He picked one up and looked at it closely, then hoarsely said, "This… this… is a high-grade Demon heart!"

Such items were considered treasures, and were rarely seen. A single one would normally be sold at auction, and in all the past years, he had only seen less than a hundred.

"The starting auction price for high-grade Demon hearts is 500,000 Spirit Stones. They can be exchanged for 50 mid-grade Demon hearts, or 500 low-grade Demon hearts…. There are 10,000 here… that means they are worth… worth… 5,000,000,000!"

Honor Guard Zhou's vision now went completely dark.

As for the seven old men, their faces were deathly pale, and their minds filled with roaring. How could they ever have imagined that they were actually gambling with someone so enigmatic and impossible to predict?

They, who had Demon hearts worth a few dozen million Spirit Stones, were betting about who was richer… with someone who had 5,000,000,000.

Naruto cleared his throat, then waved his hand. Immediately, all of the Demon hearts flew back into his bag of holding, including the roughly 100,000 belonging to the seven old men. The seven old men lifted their heads up and roared. Their eyes were red as the complete power of their Cultivation bases exploded out and they charged Naruto.

Naruto's expression suddenly turned cold.

"Screw off!"

Two words caused minds of the seven men to feel as if they were filled with lightning. Blood sprayed from their mouths. They weren't able to even get close to Naruto before they were sent tumbling backward. They looked at him and coughed up blood, their expressions filled with unprecedented looks of astonishment and fear.

"Spirit… Spirit Severing!" Their faces drained of blood, and they began to tremble violently. This time, Honor Guard Zhou really did pass out, falling flat onto the ground.

Sun Yunliang gasped, stepped forward, and then bowed with clasped hands. "Junior offers greetings, senior!"

Vol. 5 : Chapter 670

Chapter 670: Crisis Approaches

Right in the middle of Seahold, Naruto unleashed his aura, causing the seven old men to scatter backward, blood spraying from their mouths. In that same moment, a jagged black cloud filled with crackling lightning flew through the air in the Fourth Ring, right outside of the Flying Immortal Sect.

Then, the cloud dissipated to reveal an old man wearing a long black robe. His features were ancient, and the feeling of time seemed to circulate around him. He hovered in mid-air, looking down at the surface of the sea with an abstruse light glimmering in his eyes.

If Naruto were here, he would recognize him immediately. This old man… was none other than the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch!

"No more delays," he said coolly. "This time… I'll definitely wrest away his Dao foundation. If this clone gets defeated, then I'll simply lock down on the location and come here with my true self via greater teleportation. Even if the Immortality Bestowal Dais does notice, I will achieve my aim!" A sharp gleam appeared in his eyes, which contained both determination and a desire to slaughter.

"There are no traces of him whatsoever in the Fourth Ring. Before coming here, none of my auguries could produce any clue to his position. However, I was able to determine that he is still in the Milky Way Sea!

"If he's neither in the Fourth Ring, nor the Outer Sea, then that means he must be… in the Third Ring!

"The Third Ring… is a forbidden zone for Dao Seeking…." He frowned, then suddenly flew directly down toward the Flying Immortal Sect.

He remained inside for only the amount of time it takes an incense stick to burn. After he flew out, the entire Flying Immortal Sect suddenly burst into activity. Saint Flying Immortal had issued orders. More than half of the Flying Immortal Sect disciples flew toward the Flying Immortal Sect Sea City in the Third Ring.

Tens of thousands of disciples soared through the air, each one of them clutching a jade slip that contained an image of Naruto, along with a bit of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's Divine Sense.

Even as the Flying Immortal Sect disciples entered the Flying Immortal Sect Sea City, checks were made of the Third Ring entrance records.

However, no traces were found of Naruto. After that, the Flying Immortal Sect unleashed all the power it could muster, along with all of its ships, to begin to travel through the Stormwind Divide. They were on their way to the Third Ring to accomplish their task.

Meanwhile, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was paying a visit to the Sea Divinity Sect. Although it was impossible to determine what exactly he promised them, when he left, Saint Sea Divinity issued orders that caused tens of thousands of Sea Divinity Sect disciples to spring into action. They transformed into countless sword auras that shot toward the Sea Divinity Sect Sea City, jade slips in hand. After a thorough check was made of the records of entry into the Third Ring, the tens of thousands of disciples began the process of entering the Third Ring, exactly as the Flying Immortal Sect disciples had.

Even Saint Flying Immortal and Saint Sea Divinity, two Spirit Severing experts, joined the forces who left the Sect and entered the Stormwind Divide.

Two of the three great Sects were driven into action by the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. However, because Saint Sun Soul of the Sun Soul Society was stationed in the three Sects' Seahold in the Third Ring, it was impossible for an agreement to be reached. Therefore, although the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was able to check their records, no forces were mobilized.

After thinking about the matter for a moment, a gleam of insight appeared in the eyes of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. "This kid is extremely cunning. However, the more I think about it, the fact that there are no records makes it even more likely that he's in the Third Ring!"

He left the Sun Soul Society's headquarters and then entered the Stormwind Divide.

"I've already flung out an inescapable dragnet into the Third Ring. I can't believe that Naruto… will disappear under the noses of tens of thousands of disciples from two Sects!

"Saint Flying Immortal and Saint Sea Divinity have already promised to go to the Third Ring. Their Cultivation bases are ordinary, but with their Sect's legacy treasures in hand, they are forces not to be trifled with.

"Nobody understands the Third Ring better than them. Naruto, if you can escape them, then I'll admit your superiority.

"It won't just be them looking for you either. I'm confident that I can win over the Sun Soul Society. Then, a hundred thousand disciples from three different Sects will be looking for a single you…. And as if that weren't enough, I've also posted a handsome bounty. When the time comes, all the Cultivators in the Third Ring will be my eyes and ears!

If only one person tracks you down, then I will know!" The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch strode through the Stormwind Divide. Everywhere he went, the black mists spread away from him, opening a path. It was as if nothing dared to stand in his way.

"This time, I must succeed. Too much time has passed, and the Hebi Clan is growing suspicious…." The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's face was grim. How could he ever have suspected that a trifling member of the junior generation would turn out to be so troublesome, and even defeat him twice in a row?

It was in the same moment that the tens of thousands of Flying Immortal Sect and Sea Divinity Sect disciples flew into the Stormwind Divide that, back in the Third Ring, in the Sun Soul Society's Demon heart exchange pavilion in the three Sects' Seahold, Naruto made a grasping motion that caused all of the Demon hearts to fly into his bag of holding.

The seven old men were as mute as cicadas in winter. Their faces were pale, and they didn't dare to do anything to hinder Naruto. The pain that filled their hearts had long since seeped out to completely inundate them.

Panting, and eyes burning with passion, Sun Yunliang suddenly spoke up. "Senior, if you wish to exchange those Demon hearts, please rest at ease, the Sect will definitely give you a satisfactory price!" He knew that if he personally could handle the exchange, it would count as an incredible meritorious service to the Sect.

Such meritorious service might even prompt a personal reaction from Saint Sun Soul, and could potentially affect his Cultivation base. He might even have a chance to enter the Spirit Severing stage!

Even if he couldn't, he would definitely become famous within the Sect.

"Can your Sun Soul Society alone handle this many Demon hearts?" asked Naruto, looking at him.

Sun Yunliang gaped for a moment, then made some calculations. His face looked a bit unsightly as he realized that even employing all the resources of the Sun Soul Society, it still might be a difficult task to exchange Spirit Stones for so many Demon hearts.

In his moment of hesitation, a bright beam of light flew urgently toward the pavilion. It was Saint Sun Soul's apprentice, who, with a flash of minor teleportation, appeared on the second floor. As soon as he arrived, he saw the seven ashen-faced old men. Then his gaze fell upon Naruto.

All it took was one glance for him to ascertain that this was definitely the member of the senior generation to whom his Master had referred.

The reaction was a type of intuition on his part. After a sharp intake of breath, the middle-aged man instantly clasped hands and bowed.

"I am Han Feng of the junior generation. Greetings, senior. I come on orders from my Master to invite you to have a chat with him."

As soon as the man arrived, Sun Yunliang's face flickered and he clasped hands in greetings. When the seven old men saw him, looks of awe appeared on their faces, and they also bowed.

Naruto looked at the middle-aged man, and his eyes narrowed slightly. Then he turned his head to look at the tower that rose up in the middle of Seahold.

"Your Master is Saint Sun Soul?" he asked coolly.

"My Master is indeed Saint Sun Soul," replied the man, his tone respectful.

Naruto looked back at Sun Yunliang. "I'll be with Saint Sun Soul," he said. "You get the Spirit Stone situation sorted out and then come looking for me. How many Demon Hearts I give you will depend on how many Spirit Stones you can afford offer." Saint Sun Soul's apprentice gaped in response to Naruto's words, and Wei Li stood there nervously.

Sun Yunliang immediately sent a message. He didn't provide specific details; he just related the information about how many Demon hearts Naruto had. The apprentice's eyes went wide, and he gasped.

Now he understood why his Master had sent him here.

"How could he possibly have so many Demon hearts?" he thought. It was with even more reverence that he escorted Naruto as they flew off toward the tower.

Wei Li was with them, and the closer they got to the tower, the more nervous she got. In the short period of time in which she had followed Naruto, she had seen more incredible things than she normally would have seen in her entire life.

That was especially true of the scene that had just played out regarding the Demon hearts, which seemed as if it might cause her heart to stop beating entirely. She had known Naruto was rich, but could never have imagined… that he was THAT rich.

Perhaps his wealth couldn't compare to that of an entire country, but it was no exaggeration that it could rival a great Sect.

Soon, the three of them reached the tower. Naruto turned to look back at Wei Li.

The apprentice immediately clasped hands and bowed.

"Senior, don't worry. I, of the junior generation, will arrange accommodations for this Fellow Daoist."

Naruto nodded. Seeing that Wei Li did not object, he turned and flew directly toward the top level of the tower, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

When he reappeared, he was inside the tower.

Black-robed Saint Sun Soul sat cross-legged behind a wide table, his face expressionless. Next to him was the elegant and poised woman, his wife. She was sniffing a flagon of alcohol when Naruto appeared. She looked at him and smiled warmly.

"You offered me some alcohol," said Saint Sun Soul. "Now, I'd like to offer you some in return." Even as he spoke, his wife brought the alcohol flagon over. She then produced two glasses, into which she distributed the alcohol. After that, she sat down next to Saint Sun Soul and looked over curiously at Naruto.

Naruto said nothing as he sat down directly across from Saint Sun Soul. He picked up the glass of alcohol, looked it over, then drank it in one mouthful.

When the alcohol entered his mouth, it felt freezing cold, and made his entire body feel as if it were being frozen. It even seemed as if the alcohol were about to extinguish the flame of his life force.

The coldness entered his Qi passageways and spread throughout his entire person. Even his Cultivation base was frozen in the blink of an eye. His Divine Sense slowed down, and he almost began to slip into slumber. It was even hard to think.

He was so cold that frost appeared on his skin; it almost seemed like the alcohol in the cup could turn him into a statue of ice.

This alcohol would most certainly kill any ordinary Spirit Severing Cultivator who drank it. However, Naruto's fleshly body was far too powerful for that. Although his Cultivation base and Divine Sense had been frozen over, his fleshly body only vibrated slightly. In a short moment, thousands of these vibrations occurred. The frequency of the vibrations seemed to accord with some great Dao, and within the space of about ten breaths, white steam began to rise up from the top of his head. It filled the entire top level of the tower, and even caused the walls to make cracking sounds as they frosted over.

A serious expression appeared in the eyes of the elegant woman, and although Saint Sun Soul's face was expressionless, his eyes were cold as he stared at Naruto.

"Your alcohol isn't very strong, at least, not as strong as mine." Meng

Hao slapped his bag of holding to produce, not another gourd bottle, but Han Shan's bronze alcohol flagon. He also pulled out a glass which he then filled with alcohol and slid across to Saint Sun Soul.

"Please, be my guest," he said coolly.

Saint Sun Soul's face twitched as he looked down at the glass. He hesitated, which was something he rarely did.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Vong Her, Yanuar Yaputra, Michael

Michalczyk, Panusit Chomanan, David How, Nikita Belyaev, and

AdiNugraha Tawakal

Vol. 5 : Chapter 671

Chapter 671: Cooperation

After a few breaths of time, a look of determination filled the eyes of Saint Sun Soul. He lifted up the glass of alcohol and then tossed it down his throat.

After it went down, his body suddenly started shaking, and veins bulged out on his face. A pained expression appeared but he doggedly endured, raising his hand to rotate the full power of his Cultivation base. His wife's face flickered, and she was about to rise to her feet when Saint Sun Soul stopped her with a look.

He panted for the space of about ten breaths, then suddenly pointed out with his right index finger. A blue aura appeared, filled with an intense sharpness. It shot out through the wall of the tower, after which, a monstrous Sword Qi sped off over the horizon.

Saint Sun Soul breathed deeply, and his face was pale white. He looked over at Naruto.

"Does everyone in your hometown drink this type of alcohol?"

His expression the same as ever, Naruto lifted up the bronze alcohol flagon and took a long drink, all the while staring Saint Sun Soul in the eye.

Saint Sun Soul's face twitched again. He watched as Naruto had no reaction whatsoever to the alcohol, and in fact, even took another drink. He sighed.

"In all the years I've practiced Cultivation, this is the first time someone has ever threatened me with some alcohol."

"How could treating you to some alcohol be a threat?" asked Naruto, sounding a bit hurt. "In my hometown, everyone really does drink this. It's just that when I left, I was in a bit of a hurry, so I didn't bring very much with me. Next time, I'll make sure to bring you a bit more."

Saint Sun Soul sat there quietly. He wasn't quite sure what to make of Naruto's arrival. The Sword Qi in the alcohol was very strong, and moments ago he had actually been rocked both physically and mentally. Then he saw Naruto drink it without any reaction at all. He couldn't help but think that Naruto was even more mysterious than he had seemed at first.

"He can attract Sea Demons to the point of driving them crazy," he thought. "He has this strange sword alcohol and a shocking fleshly body, and even canceled out my freezing Qi…. On top of that he's also a Time Cultivator. So… why exactly is he here?" He lifted up the glass with the freezing alcohol and took a drink.

"Why don't you exchange your Demon hearts with the Sun Soul Society? The exchange rate won't be incredibly high, but neither will it be very low."

Naruto looked back silently at Saint Sun Soul for a moment. Then he asked, "Why do the three Sects value Demon hearts so much?"

"Generally speaking, that is a secret," replied Saint Sun Soul coolly. "However, considering the level of your Cultivation base, you'll figure it eventually on your own.

"The history of the three Sects go back a long way," he continued. "As for how long exactly, even I'm not too sure. I only know that the first generation of Patriarchs of the Sects jointly summoned the Stormwind Divide. After that, this area was sealed off all the way down until this day.

"As to whether those Patriarchs are still alive or dead, nobody knows. However, they left behind a legacy treasure that requires Demon hearts to ensure that it will continue to exist. Furthermore, the cultivation techniques of the Cultivators of the three Sects are different from that of outsiders. To us, Spirit Stones are only moderately effective. Demon hearts, on the other hand, are a different story.

"Furthermore, and most importantly, every rotation of the great spell formation that protects the three Sects requires a shocking amount of Demon hearts. Without the Demon hearts, it can't be operated."

Having heard all of this, Naruto chuckled a bit. "I suppose there is another reason, isn't there?"

"Yes, but I can't tell you," replied Saint Sun Soul, staring at Naruto.

"It has something to do with the yellow springs Underworld Ship in the Stormwind Divide," said Naruto, smiling and eyes glittering.

Saint Sun Soul looked back at him expressionlessly. "There's no need for you to probe for information. That matter is a secret of the three Sects, which cannot be told to outsiders. However, you know of the yellow springs Underworld Ship…. That's a bit unexpected."

Although his tone of voice was the same as ever, inwardly, Saint Sun Soul was shocked to hear Naruto mention the yellow springs Underworld Ship. Yet again, he found himself more in awe.

It was at this point that a jade slip suddenly began to glow inside Saint Sun Soul's bag of holding. He took it out and looked it over, then placed it down onto the table.

"If you don't want to tell me, then forget about the matter," said Naruto, giving up on his efforts to probe for information. "As for the Demon hearts… as long as you give me a huge enough quantity of Spirit Stones, then of course I'll exchange them with you!" He pulled out a bag of holding, which he loosened and then placed on the table.

Glancing at the jade slip on the table in front of Saint Sun Soul, Naruto smiled and said, "You most likely know exactly how many Demon hearts are inside. Name a price."

"5,000,000,000 low-grade Spirit Stones," replied Saint Sun Soul. He waved his hand, causing a ring to fly out which Naruto then snatched.

He scanned it with Divine Sense, whereupon he saw that the inside of the ring was densely packed with a vast quantity of Spirit Stones!

They were not low-grade, nor even mid-grade. No, all were high-grade Spirit Stones!

Naruto's pupils constricted. According to his understanding, even great Sects and Clans would have a hard time accumulating so many high-grade Spirit Stones. And yet Saint Sun Soul's attitude was… relatively cavalier.

Naruto muttered to himself inwardly about how this cold-faced man turned out to be the truly rich one. However, he still couldn't wrap his mind about why the trifling Sun Soul Society would have so many Spirit Stones.

His eyes flickered as all of a sudden, he thought about Demon hearts.

"Could it be that there is something about the Demon hearts themselves that cause the Sun Soul Society to be so rich?" he thought.

"Our transaction is complete, you can take your leave now." Saint Sun Soul closed his eyes and paid no more attention to Naruto, as if even looking at him caused him to feel somewhat annoyed.

Naruto smiled, clasped the ring in hand as he stood up and prepared to leave. However, after taking only two steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back.

"Considering how many Spirit Stones your Sun Soul Society has," he said, "perhaps you would be interested in forming a cooperation." Saint Sun Soul opened his eyes and looked at Naruto.

"What sort of cooperation?"

"The two of us join forces to kill Sea Demons. I'll help you to draw them out."

Saint Sun Soul's eyes glittered, and after a moment of silence, he said, "What's the split?"

"For every ten we acquire, you keep nine and I keep one. Furthermore, when it comes to exchanging the Demon hearts for Spirit Stones, I'll give you a ten percent discount!" 1

"Fifty percent!" retorted Saint Sun Soul.

"No way," said Naruto, shaking his head. "It's not easy to attract the Sea Demons, and that's my responsibility. It's just that with your help things will go a bit faster. Also, the Third Ring belongs to your three Sects. If it weren't for that, I could just do it all myself."

"Oh, so you do know what it means to be in the Third Ring after all!" shot back Saint Sun Soul. The two of them continued to negotiate the terms of their cooperation. Off to the side, Saint Sun Soul's beautiful wife covered her smile with her hand as she watched on. She hadn't heard Saint Sun Soul speak so much in years.

She understood her husband well. He seemed cold on the outside, but he viewed the people he approved of as close friends. As for the people he didn't approve of, even people who were incredibly powerful, they would not hear more than three sentences come out of his mouth.

She could see that although her husband and Naruto didn't seem to get along, in truth, they both admired each other.

Naruto slapped his hand down onto the table, causing the jade slip to fly up into the air. "You listen to me, swindler, I've been going easy on you so far, don't make me get serious! You've tasted my hometown alcohol, so you know that a fifty percent discount is not going to happen!"

Saint Sun Soul gave a cold snort. "For hundreds of years in the Third Ring, the Saints have controlled everything! Without my permission, will you be killing any Demons at all?"

The two of them faced off angrily. Smiling, Saint Sun Soul's wife rose to her feet to refill their glasses of alcohol. Her voice soft, she said, "There's no need to act like this, you two. Instead of sticking to fifty percent or ten percent, why don't you both back down a bit and settle on thirty percent?"

Naruto thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement. "Fine, thirty percent it is!" After all, this was the Third Ring, and when it came to Saint Sun Soul, unless he used some of his trump cards, he wouldn't quite be a match. Although the two of them didn't quite know how to deal with the other, Naruto couldn't help but think about how annoying it was to try to earn his Spirit Stones only to be interfered with by other random people.

Saint Sun Soul hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

Naruto rose to his feet, "Alright, swindler. Since we're in agreement, then we'll head out in a few days."

"I'm a Saint and my name is Lin Tao!" said Saint Sun Soul through gritted teeth.

"Thanks for telling me, swindler," replied Naruto, flicking his sleeve and preparing to leave.

It was at this point that Saint Sun Soul's eyes flickered, and he suddenly swept his sleeve across the jade slip sitting on the table, sending it flying toward Naruto. Naruto turned and grabbed it, then looked at Saint Sun Soul.

"Saint Flying Immortal and Saint Sea Divinity sent me some news. Take a look." He took another drink of alcohol, then closed his eyes and said nothing further.

A serious expression on his face, Naruto sent his Divine Sense into the jade slip. After looking at the information therein, a tremor ran through him. According to the jade slip, Saint Flying Immortal and Saint Sea Divinity were currently on their way to the Third Ring, along with seventy thousand of their disciples.

In addition to that information, there was also a picture of Naruto, as well as an message to Saint Sun Soul, inviting him to join in the search.

Finally, there was a message indicating that the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was coming personally to meet with Saint Sun Soul to explain the rewards he would receive for participating in the search.

Naruto's face was expressionless as he tossed the jade slip back, where it hovered in the air in front of Saint Sun Soul.

Saint Sun Soul took and put it away, then coolly said, "Han Feng."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Han Feng teleported into the room to stand in front of Saint Sun Soul. He clasped hands and bowed.

His voice calm, Saint Sun Soul said, "Go out into Seahold and get rid of any information about Master's friend here. It doesn't matter how many people saw him or had dealings with him, go take care of everything. Spare no cost.

"That includes people who have left the city in the past few days. Clean it all up."

Han Feng gaped for a moment, then bowed his head and voiced his assent. He glanced over at Naruto and then turned and left.

Naruto's eyes glittered as he watched these things happen, but he didn't speak.

"Saint Flying Immortal and Saint Sea Divinity are passing through the Stormwind Divide. Given the speed they can attain, it will take them two months to get here. As for that 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, even if he does have a Dao Seeking Cultivation base, it will also take him about two months.

"I will agree with the requests of the other Saints, as well as of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. That way, it will be much harder for traces of your passage to be picked up in my territory."

Naruto was silent for a moment before clasping hands and bowing. "Many thanks!"

"I'm not helping you, I'm helping our business," replied Saint Sun Soul coolly. Then he cleared his throat and looked at Naruto. "Eighty percent discount!"

Naruto gritted his teeth. Although his expression was the same as usual, he glared at Saint Sun Soul, who was beaming in self-satisfaction. "Forty percent, that's the most you'll get!"

—–

Please e-mail typos and mistakes to [email protected]

Just to forestall any questions, Naruto's offer is translated correctly.

He gives Saint Sun Soul nine for every one that he gets ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 672

Chapter 672 (Click to show "spoiler" title) Chapter 672: Duplicating the Sword Tip!

A short while later, Naruto left the tower, his face grim and unsightly. In the end, he had been conned by that swindler; they ended up agreeing to a fifty percent discount.

Naruto had always felt as if he lived a life in which he conned others. Rarely did others con him. He especially never imagined that he would be conned by such a solemn-looking, unprincipled swindler like Saint Sun Soul. The whole matter left him feeling extremely exasperated.

"I can't believe that swindler conned me like he did…." sighed Naruto. Saint Sun Soul's apprentice led him, not to the city area, but to a private villa nearby.

That was the arrangement set up by Saint Sun Soul. By staying in this private district belonging to the Sun Soul Society, contact with outsiders could be kept to a minimum, which would make it much easier to get rid of any traces of his presence.

When Wei Li saw the look on his face, she didn't dare to speak. Every time she looked over, he seemed to have a different expression. Sometimes he gritted his teeth, sometimes he sighed, sometimes he seemed to be in indescribable pain.

"What's wrong with him?" she thought in astonishment. What she didn't know was that to Naruto… Spirit Stones had long since become his entire life! For someone to, in one blow, reduce the number of Spirit Stones he could earn, was like a knife stabbing through his heart.

After Naruto left the tower, Saint Sun Soul Lin Tao began to chuckle complacently. Feeling quite happy, he raised the alcohol glass to his lips and took a long drink.

His wife sat off to the side, shaking her head. She was also very happy, not because of how much her husband had managed to take advantage of Naruto, but rather, the fact that a friendship was slowly developing between the two of them.

Her husband had never had any friends, and she could sense how happy he actually was.

Later that night, Naruto sat cross-legged in his room, thinking over his current situation. He still felt a bit of pain in his heart; the feeling of turning from the con-man into the conned left him repeatedly sighing.

"Wang Clan Patriarch, you bastard. Just you wait and see!" Naruto had always felt himself to be quite a reasonable person. After thinking the matter over, therefore, he came to the conclusion that the one responsible for these crimes was actually the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto probed his Cultivation base. Currently, only three majestic portions of Cultivation base power remained, and they were in the process of fusing.

"The more progress I make, the slower it goes," he thought, retracting his Divine Sense. This was his path to Spirit Severing. Eventually the three portions would become two, and finally one. When that happened, he would be able to enter Spirit Severing.

"I wonder what I will Sever for the First Severing…?" He was a bit hesitant about this point. Despite having thought about the matter quite a bit recently, he still hadn't received any sort of enlightenment. The entire matter was still somewhat blurry to him.

Lost in thought, he produced the ring of holding and looked over the Spirit Stones inside. When he saw them glittering and shining, it made him feel a little bit better.

"So, that bastardly Wang Clan Patriarch isn't dead, and he's working incredibly hard to track me down. It seems he really thinks he's going to take my Dao foundation this time." A cold glint appeared in Naruto's eyes as he took out the Wooden Time Sword and the copper mirror, then began to make copies and refine them with further Time sealing marks.

"Just wait until I get a hundred Wooden Time Swords. They'll make a huge formation that will give me the power to defend against even the Dao Seeking stage, at least to some extent!"

Now that his Spirit Stones had been completely replenished to the pinnacle, Naruto could immerse himself in duplication. Gradually, more and more Wooden Time Swords began to build up.

Several days later, he finally produced the one hundredth copy. All hundred of the swords contained eight sixty-year cycles of Time power.

He wanted to keep working, but there wasn't enough time. His meeting with Saint Sun Soul was set for dawn of the following morning. He glanced over the one hundred Wooden Time Swords with their eight sixty-year cycles of Time power, and his eyes glittered. But then, he gritted his teeth and examined the vast quantities of Spirit Stones in his ring of holding.

"Spirit Stones are very, very, very important. However, if I die, they'll end up belonging to someone else…." His eyes flickered, and he took out the Time Sword tip.

He stared at it for a moment and then began to breathe heavily.

"I don't need many copies of this sword tip, only ten…. then, I can create the first form of the Lotus Sword Formation. The power of such a sword formation would be equivalent to 100,000 years of Time." He looked at the sword tip, and then the ring of holding. Finally, he began to work with the copper mirror.

Before beginning to duplicate the sword tip, he braced himself mentally. He knew that once he started, he couldn't stop until the duplication was complete. Therefore, he prepared to go all out. Spirit Stones began to pour into the copper mirror.

Ten Spirit Stones, one hundred Spirit Stones, one thousand Spirit Stones….

Naruto's movements were somewhat wooden. He watched the accumulation of Spirit Stones in the ring of holding getting smaller and smaller. Two hours later, the copper mirror suddenly began to emanate bright light in all directions. Naruto's eyes burned with passion as the mirror's pupil-like surface slowly seemed to turn into a watery film, from which two identical sword tips immediately appeared.

Naruto was panting as he picked them up. Then, he raised his head and started to laugh.

The power of Time within both sword tips was completely identical!

However, even as he laughed, he started to calculate how many Spirit Stones he had spent and he felt a sharp pain stabbing through his heart.

"I actually spent 1,000,000,000!

"Dammit, it's ridiculously expensive!" Pain filled him.

"Wang Clan Patriarch, you bastard, things aren't over between us!" His eyes were red and he felt deep pain, all of which transformed into rage toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. Then, gritting his teeth, he began to make another duplicate.

With his original accumulation of 5,000,000,000 Spirit Stones, Naruto was only able to copy four Time Sword tips. Including the original, he now had five. As for the remaining Spirit Stones, he used them to duplicate medicinal pills, Wooden Time Swords and other miscellaneous objects.

Eventually, he was absolutely and completely equipped for battle. However, his bag of holding was virtually empty. The ring of holding was also empty. To Naruto, even though it was early morning and the sun was shining brightly in the sky, everything seemed dark.

The night before, he had been unbelievably wealthy. The next morning, he was back to normal. Other than smiling bitterly, the only thing Naruto could do was… well, smile bitterly.

"Perhaps I'm just not destined to be rich…. To me, Spirit Stones are just something I need to copy magical items and other things. Besides, if I chose to cultivate the Nine Heavens Treasured Body Seal, which absorbs magical items into my body, then the Spirit Stone wastage would be virtually endless." He sighed. The Nine Heavens Treasured Body Seal was the Daoist magic he had acquired in the Demon Immortal Pagoda, the one that could be used to temper his fleshly body!

It was a Daoist magic that, even in the ancient Demon Immortal Sect, could be considered a famous Dao. In fact, the only reason it was ranked behind the art of Fleshly Sanctification was because the latter was a secret art. The Nine Heavens Treasured Body Seal required cultivation year in and year out, and the sealing technique was not difficult. However, the resources that ended up being wasted was something that most Sects could not afford.

The combination of both the Daoist magic and the secret art could be used to temper the body to an ultimate level. It was only by combining them that their true power could explode out.

"Fleshly Sanctification is a secret art, which means that it most assuredly has other functions. My Cultivation base just isn't sufficient to invoke them.

"Cultivating the Nine Heavens Treasured Body Seal… is a shortcut to improving my fleshly body. For others, it would be too difficult. However, as long as I have enough Spirit Stones, there is no end to the number of magical items I can duplicate. Therefore, I could continue to cultivate the Nine Heavens Treasured Body Seal indefinitely." Naruto sighed. The entire reason he hadn't begun to practice the Nine Heavens Treasured Body Seal was because of not only matters of enlightenment, but, more importantly, the fact that he was poor….

"Spirit Stones. I need Spirit Stones!" 1 Naruto's eyes were red as he lifted up his head; his thirst for Spirit Stones had reached a pinnacle. His entire person radiated a somber aura as he flew out.

When Saint Sun Soul Lin Tao arrived and saw Naruto, he was instantly astonished.

"Who pissed you off?" he asked.

Naruto didn't say anything, but the somber air grew even more obvious. His body flashed as he flew off into the distance. Saint Sun Soul followed, even more perplexed. The two of them moved at top speed, and within the blink of an eye, were gone from Seahold.

When they were quite some distance away from Seahold, Naruto stopped in mid-air and then glanced down at the sea.

"Alright, swindler, are you ready?" he said, looking over at Saint Sun Soul.

"You have no respect for your superiors," replied Saint Sun Soul, frowning. "How old are you again? Come on, stop wasting time. Let's get started."

Naruto took a deep breath. Saying nothing further, he began to suppress his Cultivation base. As for the Resurrection Lily, it had become much more active after the encounter with the Dawn Immortal. As soon as it saw an opening, it made its appearance.

When the aura appeared, Saint Sun Soul's eyes flickered and he backed up. He looked at Naruto suspiciously.

"That aura…." he thought. "It's similar to that of the Sea Devils…. However, he's clearly a Cultivator." It was in that moment that the sea suddenly began to churn, and great waves began to roll across the various sea districts of the Third Ring. One Sea Demon after another trembled, then began to head toward Naruto, eyes red.

In the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, hundreds of Sea Demons were already in the area, closing in.

"No, it's not a Sea Devil aura," he thought. He could sense that something about it was different. "If the aura of a Sea Devil appeared, it would cause most Sea Demons to capitulate. But in this case, they are attacking him as if they are archenemies. It looks like they want to eat him even if they destroy themselves in the process."

RUMBLE!

Hundreds of Sea Demons burst out of the water to savagely attack Naruto.

He gave a cold snort, then raised his right hand. Immediately, 10,000 magical symbols appeared to sweep about the area. Even as the booms rang out, thousands more Sea Demons appeared off in the distance.

"Not very many," mocked Saint Sun Soul.

Naruto didn't reply. He sank down to the bottom of the sea and allowed the aura of the Resurrection Lily to spread out even more. The entire sea trembled as if it were on fire.

Of course, that fire was none other than countless Sea Demons, burning their own life forces in exchange for shocking speed to rush toward the aura of the Resurrection Lily. In the blink of an eye, tens of thousands of Sea Demons appeared off in the distance. Even further off were hundreds of thousands, causing the sea to swell into towering waves.

In addition, there were seven or eight especially shocking roars that echoed out from over the horizon.

Face flickering, Saint Sun Soul sank down into the water, whereupon he saw Naruto surrounded by one hundred wooden swords, which were formed into ten shapes like lotuses. As they swirled around Naruto, it became clear that each of the flowers was actually a petal, all of which formed together… into an enormous spell formation that looked like a lotus!

The formation swept about for three hundred meters around Naruto, and any Sea Demons that got close withered up and disappeared. It was as if in the blink of an eye, they had passed through an entire life's worth of time.

In fact, even the water in the area seemed to show signs of wastage. Apparently there was nothing that could escape the power of Time!

The scene caused Saint Sun Soul's heart to tremble.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Vong Her

I'm not sure if it was intentional or not, but this line is an exact repeat of what he said in chapter 7. In fact, it was the title of the chapter. ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 673

Chapter 673 (Click to show "spoiler" title)

Chapter 673: The Call of the Dawn Immortal

"Ten swords constitute a lotus," thought Saint Sun Soul. "Ten lotuses constitute a formation!

"One hundred swords, and an enormous formation, all filled with the power of Time. When the power ripples out, nothing remains unwithered!

"Most intriguing of all is that every sword flower contains thousands of variations. When the ten lotuses turn into the massive formation, the variations increase exponentially. There must be tens of thousands of variations hidden within!

"Such a large formation requires a shocking level of Divine Sense to control. All of that, however… is merely secondary. Most importantly, the formation requires both a physical form and an internal spirit. His Lotus Sword Formation has both of those things!" Saint Sun Soul's mind trembled. He already had a high opinion of Naruto, but now, he couldn't stop his pupils from constricting as he realized that he actually had underestimated him.

"So, it turns out that he was actually only using a portion of his power in our initial fight. If he used this sword formation, then even I… would have a hard time extricating myself from it!

"Time Cultivators are inherently rare, but he is even more shocking than I expected. And then there's that flagon of alcohol…. I think there's an eighty percent likelihood it really is from his hometown. The only problem is that I don't know where exactly that is!" Having personally witnessed the power of Naruto's sword formation, Saint Sun Soul was inwardly shaken. Currently, hundreds of thousands of Sea Demons were now rushing toward them.

In the blink of an eye, the sea was completely thrown into chaos. Roaring sounds echoed out as Naruto's sword formation rotated at an incredible speed.

Naruto was mentally calculating how many Demon hearts were building up with each Sea Demon he killed. Seeing Saint Sun Soul standing there in a daze, he couldn't help but get annoyed. "Hey, swindler! If you don't make a move soon then I won't even give you a thirty percent discount!"

Saint Sun Soul gave a snort and then waved his right hand. Instantly, 100,000 magical symbols flew out from his sleeve, swirling around to form into ten magical symbol beasts. They roared as they charged into the surrounding Sea Demons and began to slaughter them.

Now that Naruto and Saint Sun Soul were working together, the speed of the massacre increased rapidly. Without the stimulus provided by the Resurrection Lily, it would be impossible to kill so many Sea Demons in the Third Ring. Right now, the Sea Demons seemed to have lost any ability to reason and were filled with madness.

Blood dyed the sea red as the slaughter continued for approximately an hour, when suddenly four earth-shattering roars echoed out from the surrounding area.

It was at that point when, shockingly, four enormous Sea Demons with Whitebone Lilies on them approached, one from each direction.

One of the four Sea Demons was a huge jellyfish. Of the other three, one was a gigantic violet sea turtle, and the other two were sea dragons that looked completely identical.

As they neared, huge waves rolled out across the sea as the aura of Spirit Severing rippled out.

"Two for each of us, huh?" Naruto said as quickly as he could. "You want to have a little competition to see who can kill them faster? If I win, the discount will be ten percent. If you win, I'd be willing to set it at forty percent. What do you say?"

Saint Sun Soul blinked. He had never met someone so shameless. After directly refusing Naruto's offer, he waved his sleeve, causing two illusory, glowing swords to appear in front of him. They scraped against each other, causing ghost images to appear. Hundreds of swords turned into a sword rain that shot toward the two sea dragons.

Seeing that Saint Sun Soul couldn't be easily fooled, Naruto said nothing more. He turned back around and then performed an incantation gesture with his right hand. Immediately, five Time Sword tips flew out, shooting with incredible speed toward the gigantic violet sea turtle. At the same time, the Time Sword Formation vanished and then reappeared, surrounding the jellyfish.

Naruto was located in the middle of the two formations, surrounded by a tempest of 10,000 magical symbols.

"Attack!" he growled. Instantly… the five Time Sword tips circulating around the gigantic sea turtle began to rotate and emit a shocking power of Time. The gigantic sea turtle howled, and the Whitebone Lily on its back began to sway. It was about to rush forward, but when the aura of Time power entered it, it shuddered, and then a look of astonishment appeared on its face. Without any hesitation, it retracted its head into its shell to defend itself.

Unfortunately, nothing can remain unwithered under the power of Time!

Five sword tips emanated a power of Time exceeding 100,000 years. As the power circulated out, the body of the giant sea turtle rapidly withered. A bloodcurdling shriek could be heard, then a boom. A giant sea turtle which possessed the power of Spirit Severing was instantly turned into nothing but ash and smoke….

The speed and savagery of the kill caused even Naruto to suddenly focus in concentration. His eyes gleamed with a brilliant light.

"My Spirit Stones were not spent in vain!" he thought.

At the same time, the jellyfish was trapped in the Lotus Sword Formation. It struggled, but its body was beginning to wither. After the space of about ten breaths, a bang could be heard as the sword formation transformed it into nothing more than ash drifting about in the seawater.

By this point, Saint Sun Soul had only managed to kill one of the sea dragons. He jerked his head to look over his shoulder and saw the impressive power of Naruto's Time treasures. His pupils constricted, and suddenly he found Naruto to be even more profoundly enigmatic.

Time passed. Several hours later, they were still surrounded by densely packed groups of Sea Demons, who charged at them one after another. The seawater was stained red. Even Saint Sun Soul was shocked at the level of carnage.

However, as they continued to kill and kill, his excitement only grew greater. He even summoned the three swords of Seahold; wherever they passed, they left nothing but death in their wake.

In the end, Naruto actually didn't need to do anything. He just stood there, maintaining the circulation of the sword formation and the magical symbols. Saint Sun Soul was in a frenzy as he slaughtered the Sea Demons. It was almost like he had turned into a different person, flying back and forth and crying out at the top of his lungs.

"DIIIIEEEE!" he shouted, laughing the entire time. Despite being under the water, his Cultivation base caused his muffled laughter to fill the entire area.

Naruto looked at blood-soaked Saint Soul Sun and thought. "In the future, I definitely shouldn't provoke this guy…." The man's formerly somber face was twisted ferociously, and his previous taciturn personality was now deranged with madness as he continued rant and rave.

"He's gone crazy…." thought Naruto, blinking. "Could it be that the little swindler has just repressed himself for too long?" The more he watched, the more he got the impression that Saint Sun Soul really was a bit crazy.

At some point the parrot appeared and perched on Naruto's shoulder. Its eyes went wide when it saw the slaughter being carried out by Saint Sun Soul. "He really has gone crazy…." it said.

The meat jelly was off to the side, nodding vigorously. "Don't offend that lunatic, Naruto. I've seen people like him before, and they're all psychos!"

"Why aren't you out there collecting the Demon hearts!?" snapped Naruto. The parrot and the meat jelly, eyes glittering, immediately flew out and began to make their way back and forth across the seafloor to pick up the Demon hearts.

Saint Sun Soul saw this, but didn't pay any heed. At the moment, he was happy to be killing things.

More time passed. Saint Sun Soul was thoroughly engrossed in the slaughter. He even employed a multitude of magical items, causing the sounds of explosions to fill the air. As for Naruto, he was even more idle than before. He finally just sat down cross-legged inside the spell formation and closed his eyes to meditate, focusing on fusing the three portions of Cultivation base power within him.

Time passed by. The slaughtering continued for four more hours. Saint Sun Soul's voice was getting hoarse, and yet his desire to kill had not lessened, but rather, had increased.

After a while, Naruto opened his eyes. The seawater that surrounded them was now thoroughly red. After glancing at Saint Sun Soul, he closed his eyes again.

After enough time passed for an incense stick to burn, a tremor ran through him. He suddenly stood up and turned his head to look at the seafloor off in the distance. A feeling of imminent disaster suddenly washed over him.

At the same time, the Resurrection Lily sprang into action, and a feeling of excitement radiated out from it, as if it desired to burst out from inside. Such an omen filled Naruto's mind with a roaring sound. He suddenly strode forward toward Saint Sun Soul and then waved his hand, causing the war chariot to appear.

"This is fun!" laughed Saint Sun Soul, his eyes completely bloodshot.

"Fun my ass," Naruto immediately growled in exasperation. "Let's go!" With that, he reached out to grab Saint Sun Soul. Saint Sun Soul's eyes went wide, but he did nothing to stop Naruto, allowing himself to be pulled onto the war chariot.

RUMBLE!

The war chariot shot out, smashing into countless Sea Demons. After it broke through them and charged towards the water's surface, a sinister aura rose up from deep within the sea that caused Saint Sun Soul to feel incredibly cold.

A faint voice could suddenly be heard within the cold and sinister aura. "My son…. come back… come back…."

As the voice echoed out, a huge tentacle shot out from the depths of the sea, like an enormous black shadow. In the blink of an eye, it was upon them.

It moved with such incredible speed that it seemed to be on the verge of wrapping around Naruto's war chariot. Naruto's eyes instantly went bloodshot. As fast as possible, he circulated the little bit that remained of the Qi of Immortal Shows the Way.

The power of the Qi caused Saint Sun Soul's eyes to go wide. Then he looked back at the enormous tentacle, and his scalp went numb. However, at the same time, an even stronger desire to go to battle welled up within him.

He waved his right hand, causing the three swords that circulated around him to shoot toward the tentacle.

Naruto looked up, and his eyes flickered with killing intent. He also waved his right hand, causing five Time Sword tips and the one hundred sword Lotus Sword Formation to appear and follow the three swords.

A huge boom could be heard. Blood sprayed from the mouths of both Saint Sun Soul and Naruto. However, the combined power of the two, and their shocking magical items, caused the tentacle to suddenly pause.

Even in the instant in which they called back their magical items, the war chariot started to move. It shot out of the ocean at incredible speed, and then vanished.

The Resurrection Lily branch exploded out from the red seawater, but then slowly descended back down. Red waves spread out for a while, but then the water grew calm again.

Far away, closer to Seahold, a swishing sound could be heard as the war chariot suddenly appeared. Naruto's face was pale, as was Saint Sun Soul. The two of them exchanged a glance.

"Dammit, what the hell was that?!" said Saint Sun Soul through clenched teeth. "And how did you manage to attract its attention? You're simply too adept at causing trouble. First there's the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, and now that damned thing!?"

Naruto didn't hesitate at all in responding, "I seem to remember you saying something about you controlling everything in the Third Ring. If you don't know what it is, then how do you expect me to know?!"

The two snorted and then stared at each other angrily. For a moment, neither spoke.

Finally, Saint Sun Soul said, "How many Demon hearts did we get?"

Naruto did some calculations, and then his eyes began to shine. "About twice as many as last time," he said.

When Saint Sun Soul heard this, he instantly smiled. "Let's go back to Seahold and rest for a few days, then we'll do it again, alright?"

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Kevin Ram Mayo, Jules Wada, and XYY

Vol. 5 : Chapter 674

Chapter 674: The Wang Patriarch Cometh

Saint Sun Soul watched enviously as Naruto put away the war chariot. After holding back for a long moment, he finally said, "That treasure of yours is pretty nice, want to sell it?"

"NO," replied Naruto without hesitation.

"Fine, forget about it!" replied Saint Sun Soul with a cold harrumph.

"Crappy thing. I wouldn't take it if you gave it to me for free." "If you give me one for free, I'll take it," said Naruto, blinking.

"Screw off!" replied Saint Sun Soul angrily.

"Look, swindler, the Demon hearts are all in my bag of holding. Say 'screw off' one more time and see what happens!" A bright gleam appeared in his eyes, as if he looked forward to finally be on his own again.

Saint Sun Soul opened his mouth, but struggled to control himself and didn't say anything in response.

A long moment passed, and when he finally did speak again, he changed the subject. "Alright, no screwing around. What was that thing back there?"

"A damnable, accursed Resurrection Lily," replied Naruto frankly. "Assumably, it resides in the Second Ring."

"Resurrection Lily!" Saint Sun Soul's eyes narrowed and flickered.

Shortly thereafter, the two arrived back at Seahold, undetected. Back in the tower, they divided their spoils. Although Naruto frequently conned people, when he gave his word, he would never go back on it. Therefore, he wouldn't be secretly stingy. Although he was responsible for collecting the Demon hearts, he didn't hold even a single one back.

According to their previous agreement, Naruto got ten percent of the Demon hearts and the rest he sold to Saint Sun Soul at a fifty percent discount. A vast amount of Spirit Stones poured into his bag of holding. Naruto once again was struck with the realization that Saint Sun Soul… was filthy rich!

As he left the tower with his Spirit Stones, Naruto once again adopted Steward Zhou's manner of carrying himself. He returned to his own residence, then gritted his teeth for a long moment. Then he considered how incredible the Time Sword tip was, and finally pulled out the copper mirror to make a duplicate.

This time, he made five in one go. Altogether, he now had ten Time Sword tips, which meant that he could utilize the first form of the Lotus Sword Formation!

Now that the form was complete, its power was increased exponentially. Naruto sent the formation flying back and forth a bit, his expression one of excitement.

Then he retrieved his Wooden Time Swords and began to imbue them with more Time power.

Several days later, he and Saint Sun Soul once again snuck off to a distant area of the Third Ring and used the same method as before to slaughter Sea Demons. They worked together even better this time. Saint Sun Soul grew more and more excited at the killing, and Naruto sat there with eyes closed in meditation, remaining on guard against the Dawn Immortal.

A month passed by, during which time the two of them ran amok in the Third Ring. Other Cultivators in the Third Ring were shocked to suddenly find that there were virtually no Sea Demons around.

Furthermore, the Third Ring was so often filled with enormous waves that it made it impossible to go out.

Of course, the profits made by Naruto and Saint Sun Soul Li Tao were incredible. In addition, Naruto's Cultivation base had now been reduced from three portions to two.

The day that he could perform his Spirit Severing was just around the corner.

Furthermore, the one hundred Wooden Time Swords in his Time Sword Formation were now filled with ten sixty-year cycles. When the formation was unleashed, its power was incredible. Of course, his most deadly killing move was the ten Time Sword tips.

Even alone, they were enough to shock Saint Sun Soul. However, if he combined them with the Time Sword Formation, making them the nucleus of the lotus, then Sword Qi would fill the surrounding thousand meter area of Seahold.

Naruto also purchased a large amount of self-detonating magical items from Saint Sun Soul. Such items were now piled up like a mountain inside his bag of holding.

He was now armed to the teeth, and his overall strength was far more than before.

They didn't encounter the Dawn Immortal again, although Naruto's vigilance in keeping guard never lessened.

Currently, Naruto sat cross-legged within the spell formation. Countless Sea Demons filled the area around them, and Saint Sun Soul was engaged in slaughter. "Just how many Sea Demons are there in the Third Ring?" asked Naruto. "We've killed so many, and yet every time there are still tons of them."

Saint Sun Soul killed eight Sea Demons with a sweep of his sword and then looked back at Naruto. "They're endless. Actually, there was once a legend floating around the three Sects that three Star Portals exist underneath the Milky Way Sea!

"Supposedly, the Star Portals connect to the Ninth Sea, and that's where most of the Sea Demons come from. Of course, the Star Portals have limitations preventing any incredibly powerful Sea Demons from entering."

A month before, Saint Sun Soul would never have told Naruto about the Star Portals. However, they had been working together for a whole month now, and despite their daily bickering, their bond of friendship had actually grown stronger.

"Three Star Portals?" said Naruto, staring in shock.

"One in the Third Ring, another in the Second Ring, and a third in the Inner Ring!" replied Saint Sun Soul.

Naruto sat there thoughtfully for a moment, and was just about to ask some more questions when suddenly, he sensed a cold, evil aura. Without hesitation, he rose to his feet and started walking forward, pulling out the war chariot at the same time.

When Saint Sun Soul saw this, his face flickered and he instantly headed toward Naruto, who grabbed him and pulled him into the war chariot.

Naruto was about to send the war chariot flying off, but then, his eyes flickered. He had just noticed that the reaction of the Resurrection Lily inside of him was strangely different this time.

It did not seem active and excited like before. Rather… it was trembling, as if it were terrified. It was almost like it had run into something it considered deadly; it even began to retract its own aura, not letting a scrap of it emanate out.

Naruto made a light "eee?" sound, and then spurred the war chariot into movement. It was in that moment that he suddenly heard an ancient voice in his ear.

"The day the Resurrection Lily blooms in seven colors, the flower blooms, Immortal Ascension, one thousand years….

"Immortal Ascension failed, and a Whitebone Lily appeared…."

When he heard the voice, Naruto's mind trembled. The Resurrection Lily inside of him trembled even more violently. At the same time, the war chariot shot up out of the sea and then flew at top speed through mid-air.

"I was unable to sever the Resurrection Lily," continued the voice, "so I could only sever myself…. From then on, the Resurrection Lily was no more, and the Whitebone Lilies bloomed from shore to shore …."

Naruto took a deep breath and then looked down at the sea beneath him. Then the war chariot split the air as it vanished off into the distance.

When it reappeared outside of Seahold, Saint Sun Soul's face was a bit unsightly. He had been in charge of the city for many years, besides which, the three Sects called themselves the Lords of the Milky Way Sea. However, in recent days he had come to the realization that there were secrets lurking in the depths of the water that even he wasn't aware of.

The voice which Naruto had heard just now, he had also heard. Furthermore, every time he and Naruto came back from their journeys, he had gone to search through the ancient records. Gradually, he had come to an understanding of the Resurrection Lily.

Naruto and Saint Sun Soul were silent as they returned to the tower, where they sat down cross-legged on either side of a table.

After a moment of silence, Saint Sun Soul looked at Naruto. "That Resurrection Lily has most likely been here for many years, but has never made an appearance. Why would it suddenly emerge after you show up?"

"Because I have a Resurrection Lily inside of me," replied Naruto coolly. He tossed a bag of holding filled with Demon hearts over to Saint Sun Soul.

Saint Sun Soul's pupils constricted. Naruto's answer to his question was a conclusion he had already speculated about.

A long moment passed, after which Saint Sun Soul took the Demon hearts and then produced Spirit Stones to give to Naruto.

He was just about to say something else when a jade slip began to glow inside his bag of holding. He took it out immediately and glanced it over, then frowned. He looked up at Naruto.

"Saint Flying Immortal, Saint Sea Divinity, the seventy thousand disciples… even the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch are all emerging from the Stormwind Divide and are on their way here!"

Moments ago, countless ships had begun to emerge from the Stormwind Divide that separated the Third and Fourth Rings. Sitting cross-legged atop the ships were crowds of Cultivators. Rumbling sounds filled the air.

They were densely packed together, and from a distance their numbers almost seemed endless.

Flying in mid-air were two middle-aged men. One wore a blue robe, the other, a white one. Their auras were bright, and their Cultivation bases were shocking enough to fill the sky with a riot of colors. Next to the two flew an old man.

That old man was none other than the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

As soon as they emerged, they contacted Saint Sun Soul, and then began to speed toward Seahold. Behind them, seventy thousand disciples charged along, blotting out the sky.

Back in Seahold, Naruto's expression was the same as ever as he listened to Saint Sun Soul. However, deep in his eyes, a bright glow appeared. He stood up.

Saint Sun Soul muttered to himself for a moment then waved his right hand, causing a jade slip to fly out, which Naruto grabbed.

"I'll do my best to help you," said Saint Sun Soul. "This jade slip describes an area controlled by the Sun Soul Society. You can hide there temporarily with no problems. After everyone heads out to start searching for you, I'll arrange for someone to get you out of the Third Ring.

"That will make it harder for them to track you down."

Naruto looked at the jade slip, then turned to leave without saying another word. Saint Sun Soul looked at his retreating figure, a complicated expression on his face.

Just as he was about to step foot out of the tower, Naruto stopped.

He had suddenly thought of a question he had been contemplating for over a month. "There's something I've been wondering about for a while. Is it just the Sun Soul Society that has such a shocking amount of Spirit Stones, or is it all of the three Sects?"

Saint Sun Soul gave a faint smile.

"Are you aware of what exists in the Stormwind Divide? A quarry. Inside that quarry are three astonishing veins of Spirit Stone deposits. The Sun Soul Society… doesn't care at all about Spirit Stones!"

"That make sense," said Naruto. "But, would it be possible for you to tell me why you buy so many Demon hearts? What do they do?"

This time, Saint Sun Soul hesitated for a long moment. He didn't really need to answer the question, but after looking at Naruto for a long moment, he finally said, "Demon hearts have a far more important function. Actually, it would be best for you not to sell the Demon hearts that remain in your bag of holding. As for what exactly they do, even my understanding is incomplete. However, I can tell you that seventy percent of the Demon hearts collected by the three Sects… end up being sent away from the lands of South Heaven. We use a special method to deliver them to a Sect in the stars who specially collects them.

"The price we purchase them for… is actually far lower than the price we sell them for."

Naruto nodded, and then his body flickered as he left the tower.

Before departing, he found Wei Li and gave her a large sum of Spirit Stones. Then he took out the war chariot and disappeared over the horizon.

Not too long after Naruto left, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch arrived, along with Saint Flying Immortal and Saint Sea Divinity. They moved with incredible speed; in one breath, they were far off in the distance, in the next breath, they were in Seahold.

Saint Sun Soul strode out from within the tower, his expression cold. He now looked exactly the same as he had when Naruto first met him as he glanced over the three approaching Cultivators.

Vol. 5 : Chapter 675

Chapter 675 (Click to show "spoiler" title) Chapter 675: Reverend Silverlamp!

The next day, something completely shocking rocked the Third Ring. 100,000 disciples from the three Sects left Seahold to spread out throughout the entire Third Ring. Each one held a jade slip within which was the picture a person for whom they searched!

The entire Third Ring was shaken by the event. Even the Three Saints emerged to join the rigorous search. If that were all, it might not be a big deal. However, the next thing that happened was that notices appeared in all the shops of Seahold, offering valuable treasures to any Cultivator who joined the search.

Thus, Cultivators could be found virtually everywhere, searching on the surface of the sea. The Third Ring was in a state of complete lockdown.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch stayed in Seahold. He had divided his Divine Sense up into countless strands which were imbued into the jade slips. If anyone even got near Naruto, he would instantly be able to sense it.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was even prepared for the possibility that Naruto had changed his appearance and aura. He would rather kill the wrong person by mistake than let Naruto escape.

Even as the Third Ring boiled into a frenzy, Naruto sat cross-legged on an island, his face grim. In his hand was the jade slip that Saint Sun Soul had given him.

"I don't want to put someone else's loyalty to the test," he murmured softly, "nor do I want to place my hope in the hands of others." He crushed the jade slip, then stood up and flew down into the sea. Since he couldn't hide on the surface of the sea, then he would conceal himself in its depths.

In the moment that the jade slip was crushed, Saint Sun Soul was flying along in mid-air. He suddenly stopped in place, then smiled broadly. He understood Naruto's decision, and that was because… he had been waiting to make his own decision.

"This way works, too," he thought. "I have one more friend and one less enemy." He sighed inwardly, thinking back to everything that had happened in the past month, and all of their battles with the Sea Demons.

At the same time, Naruto sped along at the bottom of the sea. The aura of the Resurrection Lily was completely suppressed, with not a bit emanating out. Occasionally he would look around the area; if anything abnormal appeared, he was ready to take out the war chariot the instant anything abnormal appeared.

"To leave the Third Ring would require passing through the Stormwind Divide. However, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch is no doubt prepared for that. Going to the Stormwind Divide would be casting myself into his net.

"However, I definitely can't stay in the Third Ring. If I do, then I'll definitely be found eventually, and then…." His eyes flickered.

"But the Second Ring… is where the Dawn Immortal lurks." He thought silently for a moment.

"A fiend up ahead, and an army chasing from behind. Ah, who cares!" His eyes shone with a cold gleam.

"In life, one can only hope to have freedom and independence; in life, one can only seek his own happiness! I knew all along that the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch would be coming. Therefore, what's the point in hesitating?

"My only option is the Second Ring. That's where the Dawn Immortal lurks, and that's where I'll lure the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. It is only within ultimate danger that I can go all out to snatch a chance to survive!

"Although, for the Flying Immortal Sect and the Sea Divinity Sect to choose to help the Wang Clan Patriarch so quickly indicates that the compensation they were offered was incredible!" Killing intent flickered in his eyes. He had already had enough of hiding and fleeing.

After returning from the Demon Immortal Sect, all he had done was flee nonstop. The resentment and desire to kill had reached a peak of intensity. It was something that killing no amount of Sea Demons could resolve. He needed to kill… people!

"First sow chaos in the Third Ring, then lure the 10th Wang Clan

Patriarch to me. After that… determine victory or defeat in the Second Ring!" Naruto was just about to carry out his plan when suddenly, he stopped in mid-stride.

A sinister, vicious aura was once again approaching him. Yet again, the Resurrection Lily was nervous and trembling with terror.

The terror of the Resurrection Lily shook Naruto; he took out the war chariot, but didn't immediately spur it into action. Instead, he looked down toward the bottom of the sea.

This place was actually the same location where he had heard the voice last time.

The same ancient voice once again spoke, shattering the stillness. "Immortal Ascension failed, and a Whitebone Lily appeared….

"I was unable to sever the Resurrection Lily, so I could only sever myself…. From then on, the Resurrection Lily was no more, and the Whitebone Lilies bloomed from shore to shore…."

As he listened to the voice for a second time, Naruto could sense grief, indignation, and monstrous resentment in it. Others who heard the voice would be so terrified their hair would stand on end. Naruto, on the other hand, actually felt twinges of sympathy.

He stood there silently for a moment before determination shone in his eyes. He sent the war chariot forward in the direction of the voice. Not much time passed before Naruto caught sight of the nearby region on the seafloor that was the origin of the sinister and vicious voice.

It was an area filled with countless white bones. They were the bones of both Cultivators and Sea Demons, and seemed never-ending. From a distance, all of them seemed to form the shape of a lily.

A Whitebone Lily.

At the very center of the Whitebone Lily was a patch of black seaweed, within which was a skeleton, sitting there cross-legged. Its skin had long since rotted away, and it floated there gently amidst the seaweed, which curled and wrapped around it.

Naruto's mind trembled as he slowly neared. The closer he got, the more the Resurrection Lily trembled. In fact, it had even started to emit terrified shrieks inside of him. When he got within 300 meters of the Whitebone Lily, veins bulged out all over his body. A five-colored Resurrection Lily appeared behind him, and it appeared to be going mad.

In the exact instant in which the five-colored Resurrection Lily appeared, the skeleton swaying within the seaweed suddenly stopped moving. It looked up, staring at Naruto with its empty eye sockets.

Naruto's mind roared as what seemed to be memories from the corpse poured into him from the corpse's empty eye sockets.

He saw an old man wearing a long golden robe, sitting cross-legged at the bottom of the sea. In front of him was a silver-colored lamp that emanated a gentle glow. Even at the bottom of the sea, the lamp's flame could not be extinguished, and its light enveloped the old man.

The old man's face was twisted ferociously, and occasionally twitched as if he were struggling against something. It seemed that he was experiencing an indescribable pain. Veins bulged out on his face, and he suddenly lifted his head up and roared angrily.

"I am Reverend Silverlamp! I have practiced cultivation for a thousand years, and am at the peak of Dao Seeking! How could I possibly lose to a trifling Resurrection Lily!?

"I clearly succeeded! I clearly expunged it! How could it have come back to life!?" As the man howled, an enormous illusory image appeared around him.

It was nearly a thousand meters tall, and shockingly, had six colors…. This was… a six-colored Resurrection Lily!

When it appeared, the old man began to tremble, and his body started to wither. It was as if all of his life force, all of his Cultivation base, all of his memories, were all being sucked away by the Resurrection Lily.

"Immortal Ascension…. If the Resurrection Lily achieves Immortal

Ascension, it sucks away the life force of the host. If I want to reach Immortal Ascension, then I must make use of the destiny of the Resurrection Lily!

"I will not yield!" As the old man howled, his eyes filled with hatred and determination.

"I shall reach Immortal Ascension!

"It is all for Immortal Ascension!

"I am destined to be Immortal, and I have my path to Immortality. I was an Immortal in my last life, how come… I cannot continue as an Immortal in this life?!

"If I cannot sever the Resurrection Lily, then I must sever myself! Sever my Immortal destiny, sever my path to Immortality! Use the cultivation of my past life to transform my resentment into a sea of white bones!

"Henceforth, my bones will float at the bottom of the Milky Way Sea, and my blood will stain the waters. I will use my bones to disperse the will of the Resurrection Lily, and cause countless Whitebone Lilies to bloom!" With that, the old man lifted his right hand and slapped his own chest. Blood sprayed from his mouth, and his body withered rapidly. However, his blood oozed out into the water, spreading out in the currents and attracting large numbers of Sea Demons.

"From this day on, my soul will become white bones, which will live as parasites in countless other life forms, and will be… the archfoe of the Resurrection Lily!" The old man began to laugh maniacally, and then once again spit out blood. His blood and even his flesh began to balloon outward, and at the same time, countless Sea Demons pounced on him.

The sounds of crunching and tearing could be heard, as if countless fangs and mouths were consuming the old man's flesh and blood. Naruto couldn't see the old man, but he could hear his voice, filled with enmity and hatred.

"Archfoes!"

At the same time, the six-colored Resurrection Lily behind him began to wilt. It was one with the old man, so as the old man was consumed, it too was devoured. It struggled, but to no avail.

After a certain amount of time had passed, a rumbling boom echoed out and the Sea Demons were all driven away to reveal a white skeleton completely devoid of any flesh or blood. It slowly sank down into the seaweed below. The black seaweed encircled it, wrapped it up, and then it began to float there back and forth.

As for the Resurrection Lily, it had completely vanished. Everything in the area grew quiet. As for the Sea Demons that had consumed his flesh and blood, suddenly they began to explode. Their flesh and blood attracted more Sea Demons, which consumed the flesh and blood, and in turn, exploded.

The process repeated for a full sixty-year cycle. By this time, the Third Ring of the Milky Way Sea was filled with the aura of the old man's flesh and blood. Because of that aura, all of the Sea Demons in this part of the sea were branded with the Whitebone Lily.

Naruto's mind trembled as the vision faded away and everything returned to normal. He was still surrounded by countless white bones. The skeleton in the seaweed lowered its head and once again began to sway back and forth.

Naruto began to pant, and his face was ashen.

"The Resurrection Lily…. It seems I've underestimated it!

"That skeleton is Reverend Silverlamp. He once traveled to the Violet Fate Sect, and Master said that he helped him dispel the Resurrection Lily!

"And yet… in the end, he died here, perishing together along with the Resurrection Lily to become its archfoe, the Whitebone Lily!

"And he… didn't have a seven-colored Resurrection Lily, but rather, a six-colored one!

"Reverend Silverlamp was unable to control a six-colored Resurrection Lily, and the Resurrection Lily inside of me already has five colors!" When he thought about this, Naruto's face fell.

He once again realized that he had made a serious misjudgement when it came to understanding the Resurrection Lily.

"If my Resurrection Lily blooms with six colors, then my fate will be exactly the same as Reverend Silverlamp's!" His face flickered, and his eyes flashed as he looked around.

"The Resurrection Lily inside of me is currently terrified to the extreme…. I might not be able to thoroughly dispel it using my own power, but that doesn't necessarily mean it would be impossible if I borrowed the power of Reverend Silverlamp!" His eyes narrowed and then began to shine with a bright glow. His body flickered as he headed directly toward Reverend Silverlamp.

Allowing the Resurrection Lily inside of him to struggle madly, it was without hesitation that he crossed his legs and sat down next to the seaweed. In that instant, a faint, sinister voice could suddenly be heard drifting toward him from far off in the distance.

"Leave that place, my child…."

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Brett Flowers, Bjorn Jeune, and Roderick

Sinnamon

Vol. 5 : Chapter 676

Chapter 676 (Click to show "spoiler" title)

Chapter 676: Spirit Severing – First Severing!

As the voice drifted out, Naruto suddenly looked slightly distracted, as if he were suddenly empty inside. He slowly rose up from his crosslegged position.

"Leave that place, my child…. Come to me….

"I've been waiting for you for over two hundred years….

"Come. Come….

"Your blood is most suited to reach maturity, and your soul… needs to slumber….

"Come…. I'm waiting here for you…."

Naruto's expression grew more blank, and he began to walk away from the seaweed. When he was about thirty meters away, the Immortal Shows the Way inside of him suddenly began exude a faint stream of Qi that bored into his Nascent Soul. Immediately, his Nascent Soul grew faint, and then suddenly, deep inside, a Flying Rain-Dragon became visible!

It was very small, and seemed to be sleeping. However, the stream of Immortal Qi found it and bored directly into the Flying Rain-Dragon.

In that instant, the Flying Rain-Dragon opened its eyes and roared.

As the roar sounded out, an enormous Flying Rain-Dragon fully 30,000 meters long appeared around Naruto. Shocking ripples emanated off of it as it roared.

ROOOAAARRRRR!

The Dawn Immortal's aura vanished, and a tremor ran through Naruto. His eyes suddenly became clear, and looked up at the astonishing Flying Rain-Dragon.

The Flying Rain-Dragon turned its head to look at him, and in that instant, Naruto felt as if he were looking at himself.

Then, the Flying Rain-Dragon vanished. Naruto's face was pale white as he thought back to what had just happened. Then he cast his vision inside of himself, to find that the Resurrection Lily had sent countless tendrils throughout the entirety of his body.

Naruto's eyes flashed with killing intent, and he returned to his original spot next to the seaweed. The Resurrection Lily trembled and shrank back, and by the time Naruto sat down cross-legged, it had completely hidden itself.

"Right here, right now, I'm going to borrow the power of Reverend Silverlamp to thoroughly sever away the Resurrection Lily!

"The method I will use to do so… is the power of Spirit Severing! My path of Spirit Severing… my First Severing, will be of the Resurrection Lily!

"I wish to be the master of my own life. I will not allow any outsider to control me. What I want is freedom. My path in life is a journey, and my Dao is a direction! I will continue on in that direction and pursue truth. I will exercise control over my own freedom, and live with independence!

"That is my will of Spirit Severing! I will crush all obstacles, and destroy anything that blocks my way. Whatever stumbling blocks I encounter will be trampled underfoot!

"Fearful of nothing! Freedom! Independence!

"The Heavens will not obscure my gaze, and the Earth will not shackle my feet!

"For freedom, I can pay any price!

"For independence, I will sever anything!

"The Resurrection Lily is like a mountain obstructing my way on the path of life! When I pass it, then my path will stretch out into the distance!

"The Resurrection Lily is a fetter, a cage restricting my freedom. I will sever it… and in the instant of that severing, I will have my independence, and can practice cultivation in freedom!

"This is my First Severing!

"This is my Spirit Severing Domain!

"This is my Dao of Spirit Severing!"

Naruto's eyes glowed with enlightenment. He had remained submerged in the great circle of the Nascent Soul stage for too many years. He had undergone the baptism of the Demon Immortal Sect and had been doggedly pursued by the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. All of that left him feeling as if he had been reborn, purified by fire. Finally, in this moment, he reached complete understanding.

In the moment that he was enlightened, Naruto's Cultivation base began to rumble. The two Cultivation base portions within him that were struggling to combine, suddenly began to fuse together at high speed.

It seemed that his thinking just now had governed the rotation of his Cultivation base. In that instant of realization….

RUMBLE!

Naruto's entire body began to tremble, and the two portions of Cultivation base instantly merged together. His Nascent Soul vanished, and at the same time, Naruto's body began to shine with brilliant, multicolored light.

The light circulated around the area, swirling about to slowly form together in front of Naruto, transforming into a blade as he opened his eyes.

A multi-colored blade that contained a great Dao of Heaven and Earth!

The blade contained the full power of Naruto's Cultivation base, which was the combination of his nine Nascent Souls, including the five elements of Heaven and Earth.

It also contained the memories and experiences of his two hundred years of cultivation. When Naruto looked at the blade, it was like looking at himself!

In this moment, Naruto's heart contained neither joy, nor sorrow. It was as if he had forgotten everything except for his thirst for freedom, and his desire to pursue independence.

The Resurrection Lily inside of him seemed to sense that it was in danger. It could hide from his Divine Sense so that Naruto couldn't sense it, but it could not hide even the slightest bit from this blade.

The intense sense of impending death caused the Resurrection Lily to begin to struggle, as if it wished to burst out from inside of Naruto. It wanted to once again wrest away the initiative, and yet, as soon as it moved, a dim light began to emanate out from the skeleton floating in the seaweed. Up above, the surface of the sea in the Third Ring began to surge.

Next, imprints of the Whitebone Lily began to shine on all of the Sea Demons in the Third Ring. The marks looked like grotesque faces, and emanated ghastly auras.

Those auras combined to suppress the Resurrection Lily.

Boom!

The Resurrection Lily struggled, and then began to shriek with a voice that no one except Naruto could hear.

What was more, the illusory image of a five-colored Resurrection Lily sprang up behind him. It was in a completely frenzy, and struggling madly. Naruto's expression was calm, although his body was withering rapidly, as if his life force and Cultivation base were being sucked away by the Resurrection Lily.

Nevertheless, he remained there motionless, staring at the blade in front of him.

The Resurrection Lily screamed and shrieked, and its struggles grew more intense. However, the suppressive power coming from the Reverend Silverlamp's Whitebone Lily rushed in. It seemed to deal a severe blow to the five-colored Resurrection Lily. Its body was on the verge of dissipating, and it had no choice but to once again attempt to absorb Naruto.

Some time afterwards, when Naruto's body had shriveled and become almost skeletal, the blade in front of him jerked slightly, then slowly rose up.

As the blade lifted up, an immeasurably powerful, heaven-shaking aura arose with it. Instantly it pierced through the surface of the sea and up into the skies, forming a connection with the vast heavens!

From a distance, the Third Ring seethed and churned as a beam of light shot up into the dark night, making it seem like daytime.

In that moment, as Saint Soul Sun hovered above the Milky Way Sea, his face flickered and he suddenly turned his head to gaze at it.

"Someone is performing Spirit Severing. But how could this Spirit

Severing provoke such transformations in Heaven and Earth!?"

At the same time, Saint Flying Immortal and Saint Sea Divinity also got the same feeling. They looked at the beam of light, and how the sky was being illuminated, and their faces filled with astonishment.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch currently sat cross-legged in meditation in Seahold. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and he looked off into the distance, an expression of joy appearing on his face.

"Those… are the ripples of Spirit Severing. It's him! So he is here! He truly is exceptional! His Spirit Severing can connect with the Heavens of Ji, and provoke changes in the sky!

"However, you dare to perform Spirit Severing in front of me? Let's see how you escape this time!" The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch gave a cold snort and stood up. It was at this point that his face suddenly flickered with an expression of disbelief. Even with his level of willpower, what he saw left him speechless.

"Impossible!"

The beam of light shooting up from the sea did not stop in the sky. It shot out into the starry sky, causing the heavenly bodies themselves to emanate bursts of starlight as they suddenly changed position to form an astral blade!

The blade shined down on the lands of South Heaven, and soon, everyone therein could look up into the sky and see the image of the massive blade.

It was almost as if it had shattered the sky above the lands of South Heaven and was now descending upon it.

Simultaneously, the aura of a great Dao descended from the sky toward the Milky Way Sea. It penetrated the surface of the waters and fell on the blade floating in front of Naruto.

"The blade of the First Severing actually provoked transformations among the stars!" exclaimed the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. "What Dao did he gain enlightenment of?!

"Daos have rankings, they can be great or small. This Naruto's Dao… just what is it? It can cause the stars to transform into a Heavenly Blade that will assist him in Dao Severing!

"The Heavenly Blade is a Heavenly Dao. The blade of the First Severing is also the first Dao of Spirit Severing!" 1 The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's face filled with complete astonishment, and he stopped moving. As of this moment, he didn't dare to get even close to Naruto's location. A great Dao was coming, and with his Cultivation base, if he got near, he would die for sure.

Meanwhile, the State of Zhao floated in the Milky Way Sea on top of Patriarch Reliance. The entire island suddenly rumbled, and an enormous head stretched out from the water to look up into the sky.

"That little bastard is performing Dao Severing…. Dammit. The little bastard is an inhuman among inhumans! The Patriarch needs to get out of here! Fudge! You really piss me off, you little bastard!"

In the lands of the Southern Domain, Xu Qing was in the midst of cultivation when suddenly a tremor ran through her, as if she had just sensed something. She rushed out of her Immortal's cave and looked up into the sky. It seemed as if she could actually see Naruto.

In the Violet Fate Sect, Pill Demon was concocting pills when he suddenly froze. He looked up into the sky, and his face broke into a smile.

Next to him was Chu Yuyan, who also seemed to sense something. She looked up, and seemed to lose herself staring at the sky.

In the same moment, Fatty, Chen Fan, and all the other people in the Southern Domain who knew Naruto, all had different reactions. However, none came close to those of Xu Qing and Pill Demon.

With one exception.

In the Blood Demon Sect, a middle-aged man wearing a red robe was surrounded by a blood-colored glow. He stood on the peak of a mountain, looking up into the sky, a faint smile on his face.

"You and I are connected by destiny. The Blood Demon Sect… is definitely the home you shall return to." 2

Please note that in Chinese, the words for "blade" and "Dao" sound almost exactly the same. ↩ If you're interested in reviewing chapters that may or may not have to do with the Blood Demon Sect and Meng

Hao, check out chapter 34, 93, 94, 95, 582-583 ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 677

Chapter 677: The Great Dao Resonates!

The first blade of Spirit Severing!

The first Dao of Spirit Severing!

Naruto sat cross-legged at the bottom of the Milky Way Sea. Around him stretched skeletal remains that formed the outline of a flower. Amongst the swaying seaweed, the skeleton pulsed with a faint light, which gradually turned into a ghastly white color, like that of bones.

It weighed down on the five-colored Resurrection Lily, suppressing it so that its struggling turned into a frenzy.

Naruto's body withered, continuing to look weaker and weaker, until he looked like a bag of bones. However, his eyes shined with an unprecedented life force.

It was as if he was embodying the Dao; all of his mind and heart and will were focused in his eyes, which rested on the multicolored blade in front of him.

He completely ignored everything in the outside world. His entire focus was that blade!

The blade moved!

It slowly raised up! As it did, the blade in the Heavens above, which contained innumerable constellations, also rose high, casting its light down onto the lands of South Heaven as it did.

Immediately, gigantic waves swelled up across the entirety of the Milky Way Sea, crashing and thundering far and wide. The movement of the blade even caused the Violet Sea in the Western Desert to begin to roil violently.

All of the Cultivators, and in fact, all living things, in the Outer Sea, the Fourth Ring, and the Third Ring, were all flabbergasted.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's face was unsightly to the extreme as he stared up into the sky. Although his face flickered with various emotions, he didn't dare to take even a step forward toward the area where Naruto was performing his Spirit Severing.

He well knew that a great Dao was nearing. Were he to step foot into that area, that great Dao would exterminate him in body and spirit. The reason was that this Dao… was not his Dao.

"Dammit!" he cursed, killing intent growing with intensity in his eyes. "Well, eventually your Spirit Severing will come to an end. You absolutely must not kill yourself in the process, child, otherwise I'll never acquire your Dao foundation!

"However… I still want to know, just what Dao did you come to understand?"

Within the Third Ring, the Three Saints' faces also flickered. In contrast to Saint Flying Immortal and Saint Sea Divinity, Saint Sun Soul's eyes glowed with a strange light. He was instantly able to determine that the Spirit Severing was being performed… by Naruto!

"So, it turns out you were actually only a half a step into Spirit Severing!" he thought, taking a deep breath.

Meanwhile, as the astral blade slowly rose up, the struggling, illusory image of the Resurrection Lily had reached the point of insanity. It quivered in terror because of the unprecedented feeling of deadly crisis; this was the first time it had ever truly experienced dread.

It could clearly sense that the blade in front of Naruto had the power to sever it away. That blade was backed by the power of a great Dao, something it was powerless to resist.

A faint voice could suddenly be heard coming from the skeleton in the seaweed, and the eyes of the long dead Reverend Silverlamp suddenly glowed with lucidity. "The Dao of freedom, of independence…."

He looked at Naruto sitting in front of him, and murmured, "Were it not for the fact that he was steeled by the Resurrection Lily, this kid would never have been able to comprehend such a great Dao of Heaven and Earth….

"Sever the fetters, and achieve true independence…. The interesting thing is that it's impossible to tell whether he was tempered by the Resurrection Lily, or whether the Resurrection Lily was tempered by him.

"I can just barely sense that both he and the Resurrection Lily each have someone watching over them…. One is the Dawn Immortal of the

Second Ring, mother of the Resurrection Lily who exists in the lands of

South Heaven. The other… is in the Eastern Lands."

Even as Reverend Silverlamp was looking at Naruto, a sinister gaze shot out from the black depths of the sea in the Second Ring, bearing a boundless evil. Despite the evil, it still exhibited a trace of Immortal Will as it peered towards Naruto.

"I bloomed at dawn," thought the owner of the voice, "and my consciousness emerged…. On the day of vicissitudes, I achieved Immortal Ascension, and met someone I should not have met.

"Shui Mo stole away my heart, a heart… that contained all of the longing from my previous life…. It sank down into the Milky Way Sea and was sealed in a formation of stone, locked away in a copper coffin… restrained by countless chains.

"What was locked away was my goodness. Eventually, it transformed into a roc, which now weeps in the Rebirth Cave.

"The League of Demon Sealers. The Ninth is the pinnacle. Is he your hope…? I knew long ago that if I could not find you, then I would destroy the hope of the League of Demon Sealers."

The gaze coming from the Second Ring looked at Naruto with complex emotions. There was coldness, confusion, hatred, and viciousness.

Meanwhile, in the Great Tang of the Eastern Lands, a woman was looking in the direction of the Milky Way Sea. Her gaze penetrated through the air, through the Milky Way Sea, all the way to Naruto.

It was a gaze filled with concern, worry, nervousness, and anxiety. All of that transformed into an endless love that wrapped up her heart.

She stood atop a lofty Tower of Tang, gazing far off into the distance. Next to her stood a man who silently clasped her hand. He could feel her trembling, and could feel the dampness of sweat in her palm. 1

"This is Hao'er's tribulation," he said softly. "I just wanted him to be able to live a normal, mortal life. And yet, he ended up choosing the path of cultivation…. Now there's no looking back.

"If he fails," he murmured, "then the both of us can go receive him when he is reincarnated. We can spend a whole life with him, walk a whole sixty-year cycle of springs and autumns…." He seemed to be speaking both to the woman, and himself.

"You know, you're very cold-hearted," said the woman. Tears flowed down her cheeks.

A tremor ran through the man, and he closed his eyes. Deep in his heart existed bitter pain, which spread out to fill his entire being. He seemed to be recalling the fragile child running through the fog that year, weeping as he cried out to his father and mother. He remembered how the boy limped about trying to find him. When the boy caught sight of him, he could see the tears in the boy's eyes, and he realized how much the boy relied on him.

"Li, you don't understand…." The man did not speak these words, but rather, whispered them in his heart. 2

RUMBLE!

At the bottom of the Milky Way Sea, Naruto's eyes shined with an intensely bright glow. He slowly looked up at the blade in front of him as it rose ever higher. In the Heavens far above the sea, the astral blade also reared up simultaneously.

As they moved toward an apex, the blades seemed to be building up power. By the time they reached that apex, all living beings in the Milky Way Sea were watching on….

The astral blade then suddenly began to slash down toward the Milky Way Sea.

Rumbling filled the sky, and the sea suddenly started to split apart. The seafloor, which throughout countless ages had never been touched by sunlight… was revealed to the world for the first time.

Exposed therein was Naruto, as well as the Resurrection Lily, struggling in all of its madness.

Also visible was the multicolored blade hovering in front of Naruto.

The first blade of Spirit Severing!

"Heaven and Earth are just resting places for the myriads of living creatures," he murmured. "Time represents the passage of hundreds of generations of passing travelers." A glow of determination appeared in his eyes, and the blade descended. 3

"My life is just such a resting place. Wherever my footsteps lead, that is my direction!" His voice echoed out, softly at first, then louder and louder.

"Sever the fetters, and achieve true independence, acquire true freedom!" The sound of his voice caused everything in the area to shake and rumble. The parted sea water roared, and the glow of the astral blade increased tenfold!

It almost seemed to have formed a resonance with Naruto!

That resonance caused Heaven and Earth to dim. The wind whipped and the clouds churned. The glow of the astral blade spread without end, and the multicolored blade in front of Naruto emanated a shocking will.

This was… the resonance of a great Dao!

The glow grew more intense, transforming into ripples and then vibration. The air around Naruto twisted and distorted, and countless ghost images sprang up. When the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch felt it, his face fell.

"The resonance of a great Dao!"

In the Second Ring, the eyes of the mother of the Resurrection Lily went wide. As for the couple in the Great Tang of the Eastern Lands, both of them trembled.

Only great determination and incredible enlightenment could form a resonance like this!

Spirit Severing is not difficult when compared to causing a Dao…. But even more difficult is to form a resonance!

Naruto's heart, will and mind all fused with the descending great Dao. They became indistinguishable!

I am the great Dao, and the great Dao is me!

In that moment, be it in the Southern Domain, the Northern Reaches, or the Eastern Lands, the Patriarchs and almighty members of all the Sects and Clans could all sense the resonance of the great Dao.

The resonance formed the first blade of Spirit Severing, a blade that would sever, not Naruto's life or existence, but rather… any flaws within him that did not conform to his Dao!

Use the Dao to sever the Dao. It was like a baptism that cleansed any disharmonies, that purged the self. Any nonconforming Dao was absolutely unnecessary.

And of course, the Resurrection Lily was just such a flaw, just such a disharmony, just such a nonconforming Dao. It was absolutely unnecessary!

"Free and unconstrained, at liberty to walk about anywhere in Heaven and Earth! No one can restrict me! Heaven cannot impede me and the Earth cannot restrain my heart! This is my Dao!

"Freedom! Independence!" Naruto's voice was like that of a god, each word cracking like thunder. The Milky Way Sea rumbled. The Dawn Immortal shook. The couple in the Eastern Lands trembled, as did the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

The words he had spoken just now were filled with Naruto's great determination!

Everything trembled as the astral blade arrived. It merged with Naruto's multicolored blade, transforming into a Dao blade that slashed down into the top of his head in the exact moment that he finished speaking.

The blade moved with incredible speed; no sooner had his words finished than it had pierced the top of his head into his neck, and then his heart. It passed through his dantian region, and then all the way through him, completely bisecting him!

However, Naruto didn't move a muscle, and his face even showed hints of a smile. In contrast, the five-colored Resurrection Lily behind him let out an unprecedentedly bloodcurdling scream. It trembled violently as any connection it had to Naruto… was instantly broken! Five colorful strands were snapped, and the five-colored Resurrection Lily began to wither up rapidly. It was not willing, and it virtually exploded with resentment and madness. But unfortunately, there was nothing it could do. In that moment, its will completely vanished.

Vanished for all eternity.

Naruto's first blade of Spirit Severing severed the fetters, carving out his freedom. He had obtained independence!

In that moment, he erupted with a boundless, endless life force. His previously withered fleshly body was restored. Naruto looked up, and even as the image of the Resurrection Lily was about to completely dissipate, he reached out and grabbed it.

"You lived in me for 200 years, parasite. Do you really think the old scores could be settled so easily! From now on, you are my Spirit Severing Treasure. The day I get you to bloom with seven colors… is the day I reach Immortal Ascension!"

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Mototsugu Oba

A Tower of Tang was first mentioned in chapter 1. Naruto eventually visited it in chapter 59, which culminated in his vision of Choumen Tai, and then Choumen Tai's corpse falling into the Southern Domain. Later, in chapter 138, when he went to the Black Sieve Sect for the first time, he found out that such towers exist in other places. He also saw a Tower of Tang in the illusory life he lived in the trial by fire to become a Violet Furnace Lord in chapter 289. ↩ The "Li" character here is 丽, the same character as in Meng Li's name 孟丽. ↩ Here he is quoting the words originally spoken in chapter 291 in the illusory life, and then repeated in chapter 626 when he was talking to the Demon Mountain in the Demon

Immortal Sect ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 678

Chapter 678: Intrepid Naruto!

Spirit Severing Treasures were items that every Spirit Severing

Cultivator had. They were refined in the actual moment of Spirit Severing, created from an object unique to the enlightenment of each individual.

As for Naruto, he chose to use the fading five-colored Resurrection Lily as the basis of his Spirit Severing Treasure, which conformed with his Dao.

The soulless Resurrection Lily was incapable of struggling. As soon as he grabbed it, it merged into his palm, transforming into the mark shaped like a flower.

He took a deep breath as he rose to his feet, his Cultivation base flaring. This was a true Spirit Severing Cultivation base, with a three thousand meter Area that belonged solely to Naruto.

Of course, all Spirit Severing Cultivators had their own Area.

Naruto was more slender, and having immersed himself in the great Dao, his fleshly body was now stronger and taller. In the blink of an eye, he reached the absolute pinnacle of the Spirit Severing fleshly body. It was actually impossible for it to progress any further. If it did, it wouldn't be a Spirit Severing fleshly body, but that of Dao Seeking!

His Cultivation base rocketed up; all the years of practicing cultivation while restricting himself to the Nascent Soul stage had created a buildup that could now explode out.

In an instant, he was at the limit of the First Severing, a breakthrough which gave him the power of a Second Severing Cultivation base. Now all he lacked was a Second Severing Domain.

Once he received enlightenment, and actually performed the Second Severing, Naruto was confident that he would instantly be… at the peak of Spirit Severing.

His longevity also increased under the powerful life force. His hair turned black, his physique matchless. He looked younger than before, although, his features also radiated a certain ancientness that was clearly visible.

His entire person experienced a tremendous, earthshaking transformation as he was completely and thoroughly reborn!

Some distance off in the Milky Way Sea, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was panting as he stared off into the distance. His eyes shone with a bizarre light and intense avarice.

"With latent talent and good fortune like that, no wonder he has a Perfect Dao Foundation. It's mine! Definitely mine!" In that instant, he vanished.

At the same time, in the black depths of the Second Ring, the Dawn Immortal's eyes closed. When they opened again, infinite coldness could be seen therein.

In the Great Tang of the Eastern Lands, the couple stood there. Tears streamed down the face of the woman, tears of joy.

"Without Severing the Spirit, one cannot live past one thousand. My son practiced cultivation for only two hundred years and succeeded in Spirit Severing. He even provoked the descent of a great Dao." She turned to look at the man. "How does such latent talent compare to the people of your Clan, huh?"

The man stood there silently for a long moment before sighing. "I'm not worried about him having poor latent talent. Even if it was worse, he's still our son. Is Immortal Ascension that difficult? What I fear… is that his latent talent will be too good. The path of cultivation is not easy to tread. How many people perish upon it? How many people are completely eradicated? How many people are destroyed in body and soul…?"

The woman shivered and didn't say anything.

"He also has to deal with his Spirit Severing Tribulation," continued the man softly.

The woman's face flickered, and she took a step forward. The man grabbed her arm.

"This is his real Tribulation, and there is Karma in everything. If you help him, it will cause the sown Karma to grow greater. When the time comes to reap it… the reckoning will also be greater.

"In cultivation, you cannot build up without first tearing down. If he can transcend the Tribulation, then when his day of Immortal Ascension comes, I will take him to the lands of East Victory!" The man spoke with determination that could chop nails and sever iron. However, what the woman couldn't see was that concealed in his hand was a medicinal pill.

It was a type of medicinal pill that was rarely seen in the lands of South Heaven, to the extent that it could be considered a precious treasure.

"Hao'er," thought the man, "if you fail, father will come to look for you in the cycle of reincarnation. Even if you perish, this medicinal pill can bring you back to life…. However, I truly wish that you… can transcend the Tribulation on your own."

Back in the Milky Way Sea, Naruto lifted his head up and roared in laughter as his Cultivation base exploded up. The sensation of the power he now grasped filled him with passion. The feeling of finally acquiring freedom made it so that his thinking was suddenly incredibly clear. His Divine Sense spread out. It could now reach the 300,000 meter

mark. Hosts of magical techniques and divine abilities flashed through his mind, many of which he instantly gained enlightenment of.

Even as he began to fly up into the air, two beams of light appeared from off in the distance. As they sped toward him, two middle-aged men could be seen, Saint Flying Immortal and Saint Sea Divinity.

As soon as they caught sight of Naruto, they knew that this was the person they were searching for.

In the success of his First Severing, not only was the Resurrection Lily severed, but also his false appearance, revealing his true features.

"Naruto!" cried Saint Flying Immortal, his voice rumbling like thunder. The sea churned in response, as if it were about to explode.

A cold radiance appeared in Naruto's eyes. As soon as he looked at the two men, he knew who they were.

In the moment that Saint Flying Immortal spoke, a glittering glow covered the body of Saint Sea Divinity. Instantly, a set of armor appeared on him, and he strode forward. Even he couldn't help but be moved by the reward promised by the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch; if he could capture Naruto, the greatest benefits would go to him.

He shot with incredible speed directly toward Naruto, performing an incantation gesture to summon an enormous trident. Shockingly, the sea stirred, and then vast quantities of seawater shot up into the air to circulate around. As he neared, he pointed out with the trident. The seawater roared as it formed together into the shape of an enormous hand that reached out to grab Naruto.

"Are you looking to die?!" said Naruto. He was already somewhat displeased at the behavior of the Flying Immortal Sect and the Sea Divinity Sect. Now that Saint Sea Divinity was attacking, Naruto's killing intent flared. He did nothing to evade, but simply took a step forward.

That step caused him to slam into the incoming seawater hand. A huge boom echoed out, and the hand collapsed. Naruto wasn't harmed in the slightest, and when he emerged from the water, he was directly in front of Saint Sea Divinity. He reached out with his right hand, upon which the Mountain Consuming Incantation manifested. The wave of a hand caused a thousand mountains to appear, all of which smashed down toward Saint Sea Divinity.

Saint Sea Divinity's face fell and he retreated, waving his arm to cause 100,000 magical symbol spirits to appear. They formed into ten symbol beasts, all of whom radiated the power of a Spirit Severing Cultivation base as they charged Naruto.

Naruto gave a cold snort, but didn't dodge. A thousand mountains sent out shocking ripples, and the symbol beasts made from 100,000 magical symbols immediately exploded. It was as if they weren't qualified at all to stand up to the thousand mountains, which then shot toward Saint Sea Divinity.

Everything was happening too quickly. Saint Flying Immortal had no chance to even react, and Saint Sea Divinity's mind filled with an intense feeling of deadly crisis. He suddenly shouted out, causing his trident to begin to flicker and glow. It instantly transformed into an enormous wall of black sea water in front of him.

Boom!

The wall exploded. At the same time, Naruto's thousand mountains also disappeared. However, the aftershock of the explosion caused Saint Sea Divinity's face to go pale. As he retreated backward, Naruto strode toward him.

He raised his hand, killing intent flickering in his eyes. He did not use any sort of magical technique or divine ability, but instead, punched out directly.

As the fist descended upon Saint Sea Divinity, it seemed to blot out the sky. Energy like that of Heavenly might surged, causing Saint Sea Divinity to feel intense fear. He quickly spit a glowing, blue pearl out of his mouth, which then shot toward Naruto. Naruto's fist slammed into it, and the pearl shattered; it was completely incapable of standing up to Naruto's fist, which continued onward to connect with Saint Sea Divinity.

BAM!

As the sound echoed out in all directions, blood sprayed from the mouth of Saint Sea Divinity. Cracking sounds could be heard as his armor shattered into pieces. His terror had now reached a pinnacle.

"Flying Immortal, help me!"

Saint Flying Immortal's face flickered, and he took a deep breath. He had never imagined that Naruto, having just stepped into Spirit Severing, would be so terrifying.

"Dammit, even if his Spirit Severing caused strange phenomena in Heaven and Earth, and even if he caused a great Dao to descend, there's no explanation for him to be so inhuman!" He was still in the midst of feeling shocked when Saint Sea Divinity called for his help. Gritting his teeth, he shot forward, raising his right hand toward the sky. Instantly, a sword of light appeared, which he grasped in his hand. At the same time, his speed increased rapidly.

In the blink of an eye, he was upon Naruto.

"Area," said Naruto coolly, not even turning back to look at Saint Flying Immortal. In that instant, a three thousand foot Area sprang up, a world that contained Naruto's Dao and will.

The Area world!

Saint Flying Immortal's speed was suddenly reduced. His mind trembled as Naruto once again punched out.

"Nine Heavens Destruction!" The first punch of the Nine Heavens Destruction, the First Heaven, caused a boom to rattle out. Blood poured out of Saint Sea Divinity's mouth, and his body seemed to be on the verge of exploding. Even as he let out a bloodcurdling scream, Naruto stepped forward and punched out with the Second Heaven.

Then the Third Heaven, and the Fourth Heaven. Saint Sea Divinity's body was blasted apart . His Nascent Divinity flew out, screaming miserably.

"Legacy treasure!" he howled, instantly causing a statue to fly out from inside the Nascent Divinity. The statue was pitch black, and depicted a faceless figure.

As soon as the statue appeared, it let out a pulsating aura of Dao seeking, which transformed into a wall that expanded out to surround Saint Sea Divinity.

"Legacy treasure?" said Naruto. He punched out with the Fifth Heaven and the Sixth Heaven. Booms filled the area, and the statue trembled. Then the Seventh Heaven and the Eighth Heaven. The statue shook, and the wall trembled. Inside, despair filled Saint Sea Divinity's face.

"Ninth Heaven… Destruction!" said Naruto calmly. He lifted his right hand, and this time, it wasn't a fist, but a palm that softly pushed out.

BANG!

The wall collapsed, and the statue was sent tumbling back. Inside, Saint Sea Divinity's Nascent Divinity let the last scream it ever would. He was now destroyed in body and spirit!

"How can he be so strong!?" thought Saint Flying Immortal. Having personally witnessed Saint Sea Divinity perishing, his scalp went numb, and his heart filled with astonishment. He quickly bit down on the tip of his tongue and spit out a mouthful of blood. He burned life force, not hesitating to waste longevity to struggle free from Naruto's Area world. He transformed into a beam of light that fled at top speed.

Naruto turned back to look, and his eyes flickered. He raised his hand to collect up Saint Sea Divinity's bag of holding, then waved his arm to summon the war chariot.

"Anyone who chased me along with that 10th Wang Clan bastard will have to pay the price!"

Vol. 5 : Chapter 679

Chapter 679: Battle!

"How can he be so strong!?

"A great Dao descended, making it a great Dao Spirit Severing, different from mine. But, it still doesn't make sense for him to be so terrifying!

"He hasn't even used any magical techniques or items! He's only relying on his fleshly body!

"Dammit! Just what level is his fleshly body at? Magical items are completely ineffective, nor could it be shaken by divine abilities! What type of fleshly body is it!?" Saint Flying Immortal's fear had reached the pinnacle. In his entire life of practicing of cultivation, he had never encountered a Cultivator of the same stage who caused him to be so terrified.

"Damn you, 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, you conned me! If I'd known this Naruto was so inhuman, you couldn't have said anything to convince me to join you…." He flew forward at top speed, fearful of being pursued. He even spit out some blood and burned more life force to go faster.

But it didn't matter how fast he went, he couldn't go faster than the war chariot.

Naruto was mounted on the war chariot, fueling it with a sliver of the Qi of Immortal Shows the Way. Thrumming, it caught up with Saint Flying Immortal in only a moment. Then it slammed violently toward him.

Saint Flying Immortal's face fell. He was incapable of evading; he only had time to wave his sword of light behind him to block. A huge boom could be heard as the sword of light shattered into pieces. Saint Flying Immortal's body then directly exploded.

His Nascent Divinity flew out, clearly in a sorry state. Naruto exited the war chariot and waved his hand, employing the Eighth Demon Sealing Hex. Saint Flying Immortal didn't even have a chance to move before countless invisible strands of Qi seemed to entwine his quivering Nascent Divinity.

His mind was instantly inundated with a profound sense of imminent death. His eyes bulged and he struggled violently, but he could do nothing as Naruto waved his hand, causing a hundred Wooden Time Swords to fly out. They circulated around Saint Flying Immortal to form a swirling Lotus Sword Formation.

A miserable shriek could be heard as Saint Flying Immortal's Nascent Divinity rapidly began to wither up. In the space of about ten breaths, it shrank, much like it would if it was being refined. Then, it withered into nothing; he was dead in body and spirit.

Naruto waved his hand to collect up Saint Flying Immortal's bag of holding, and then looked over the Lotus Sword Formation.

"The lotus is also like the act of refining…." he thought. 1

It was at this point that the crackling of thunder could be heard in the sky off in the distance. The wind whipped about, and in the blink of an eye, the sunny day turned dark. Countless pitch-black clouds surged up, forming a dense mass that looked like a gigantic face. It was none other than… the face of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

The face was surrounded by crisscrossing bolts of lightning and heralded by peals of thunder; on the forehead of the face, an old man could be seen, his eyes glittering brightly.

"Naruto!"

The voice drowned out the thunder, like a Heavenly being's majestic roar, blasting an enormous craterous depression into the Milky Way Sea down below, which rapidly transformed into a rumbling, spinning vortex.

Naruto took a deep breath and looked coldly at the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

"Another clone," he said. His Divine Sense was much more powerful than before, and he understood a lot more about the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch now that he had fought two of his clones before. How could he not notice that this was indeed just a clone?

Naruto raised his right hand into a fist, and the Mountain Consuming Incantation appeared. One thousand mountains appeared around him, then more, until tens of thousand of mountains could be seen. The mountains were not small, and appeared to contain seawater. These represented all of the underwater mountains that existed in the range of Naruto's Divine Sense.

"The Mountain Consuming Incantation is divided into three aspects; the mountain, the soul, and the will!

"Along with my Cultivation base breakthrough, I was enlightened regarding the soul.

"This soul aspect more or less can be controlled by means of my Demon Sealing powers. With the art of Righteous Bestowal, I can extract the souls of mountain and insert them into my mountains. That is the complete second stage of the great art of Mountain Consuming!"

Naruto's eyes shone with a strange light. As he faced up against the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, he felt pressure bearing down on him, but at the same time, an intense desire to do battle. He raised his hand and then pushed it down toward the sea.

"Righteous Bestowal!

"Mountains of the Milky Way Sea, you are sunk beneath the waters, living in a world without daylight. Today, I, Naruto, will borrow your souls. I will split open the Heavens and Earth and allow you to bathe in the sunlight!

"EMERGE!"

In response to his shout, the sea began to seethe as, one by one, the mountains within the sea began to tremble. At the same time, an invisible aura began to spread up from them toward the surface.

As the sea blustered, the souls of the mountains appeared, merging into the mountains summoned by Naruto's divine ability. Thousands upon tens of thousands of mountains, a world-shaking sight, completely incomparable!

As the mountains spun around Naruto, he stretched his arms out wide. Hair flying around him, and eyes blazing with the desire to do battle, he suddenly swept his hands out in front of him. The tens of thousands of mountains all shot through the air with shocking rumbling sounds heading directly toward the gigantic face floating in mid-air.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's face flickered as he performed an incantation gesture. The face that surrounded him immediately sped toward the mountains. They neared each other, and then slammed into each other, giving rise to a rumbling boom that filled the entirety of the Third Ring.

One mountain after another collapsed, and the face was riddled with gaping wounds. A moment later, amidst deafening roars, all of the mountains collapsed, and the face fell apart into pieces.

Naruto didn't pause for a moment. He flew up into the air, waving his arm to cause one hundred Wooden Time Swords to appear and form into the Lotus Sword Formation. Instantly, the formation shot toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

At the same time, he began to clench and unclench his fist. Every time he did this, his energy would redouble. It was none other than the Nine Heavens Destruction!

Now that his Cultivation base was truly in the Spirit Severing stage, he had gained complete enlightenment of it.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's pupils constricted. He could clearly sense that Naruto was completely different than he remembered, and was far, far more powerful.

"And yet, you are still… an insignificant bug!" he said with a cold snort. He waved his right hand, causing a red glow to appear in the cloudchoked sky.

It was a sun! A red sun!

"Setting Sun!" he said coolly. The red glow spread out to fill Heaven and Earth, instantly causing Naruto's one hundred Wooden Time swords to slow down.

"Time Combustion!" growled Naruto.

In response to the words, the one hundred Wooden Time Swords and their ten sixty-year cycles of Time power, instantly began to burn. The combustion of Time caused their speed to increase dramatically. They pierced through the layers of redness to appear near the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, where they spun around him slowly.

Merely a single rotation caused the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's face to flicker. He could sense that his clone had, in the blink of an eye, lost several thousand years of longevity.

"A trifling Time treasure? Shatter!" He gave a cold snort, and the red glow grew even more shocking. It now emanated intense heat that spread out and began to shatter the Wooden Time Swords.

Naruto was already moving forward. "Detonate!"

BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!

Of the one hundred Wooden Time Swords, seventy simultaneously exploded. When the Spring and Autumn trees detonated, they unleashed an insane power of Time that turned into a Time vortex. The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's face fell as the rumbling echoed out. His body began to wither, and he was just about to retreat when Naruto shot forward as fast as lightning. His right fist had already clenched eight times in a row; now it clenched for the ninth time and then punched toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

"Nine Heavens Destruction!"

"Setting Sun, Falling Clouds!" The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's body emanated a monstrous red glow that billowed out.

Naruto faced it head on, and his body ignited into flames. However, his fist still struck its target.

A huge boom rattled out, and the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch fell back, his face pale. Killing intent radiated from his eyes as he saw that Naruto, blood pouring from his mouth and body in flames, was actually pursuing him.

Naruto's hoarse voice once again rang out: "Detonate!"

The detonation from before had been that of seventy Wooden Time Swords. There were still thirty left, all of which exploded at the same time. A tempest of Time was created in the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's path of retreat, finally managing to wound him.

Blood sprayed from his mouth, after which he lifted his head up and roared with rage. Of three clones, two had been slain. This third clone was somewhat weak, was not carrying any magical items, and was limited in the divine abilities it could use. However, it had a Dao Seeking Cultivation base! How could it be injured in this way?

To the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, it was a humiliation!

After panting a few times, he stifled his rage and then looked at Meng

Hao approaching him. "He's intentionally trying to exasperate me. I must under no circumstances come here with my true self. He may still be able to use that Immortal's sword, and the threat that could pose to me… must not be underestimated!"

Glaring at Naruto, he cried, "Call the Wind, Summon the Rain!"

Black clouds containing black dragons whistled around him as a deluge drenched the vicinity, each raindrop contained killing intent. The raindrops seemed to cover Heavens and Earth as they headed straight for Naruto.

"Even if I have to sacrifice this clone, I need to draw out that Immortal's sword. After he uses it, then my true self can come!"

Naruto, his body in flames, quickly retreated. A violet glow appeared in his eyes, and he burned life force to restore his flesh, which visibly healed at a rapid rate. Even as the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch neared him, Naruto stepped into the war chariot.

It was in that moment that the black dragons roared, and the dense rain of killing intent began to close in.

Naruto pushed down onto the war chariot with his hand. Even while continuing to heal himself, he sent the Qi of Immortal Shows the Way into the war chariot. Then, instead of fleeing, he shot toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch with all the power the war chariot could muster.

Outside of the war chariot, one vicious beast after another materialized, roaring. The sounds of their chains echoed about as they charged at top speed toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, whose face immediately flickered. He hadn't sensed earlier that the war chariot was extraordinary, so seeing what was happening now left him shaken inwardly. He instantly moved to evade.

However, his speed was no match for the war chariot!

A boom could be heard as it slammed into him. Any black dragons along the way collapsed and the rainwater was destroyed. A massive energy swelled up, slamming into the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. Blood poured from his mouth as he performed a double-handed incantation and then shoved his hands out forward. His face was twisted ferociously as he utilized the entire power of his Cultivation base.

Even still, he was shoved backward by three hundred meters. By the time he came to a stop, blood was gushing out of his mouth, but his body had not been destroyed.

"Before Spirit Severing, he was no weakling. However, I never imagined that after reaching Spirit Severing, he would be so swift and fierce.

"I must have this Perfect Dao foundation!"

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Mototsugu Oba, Junior Fortytwo, and

Seena Amidhozour

In Chinese the world for lotus and the word for "refine" sound very similar ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 680

Chapter 680 (Click to show "spoiler" title) Chapter 680: The True Self Arrives!

Naruto stood in the war chariot watching as the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch fell backwards swiftly. Killing intent flickered in his eyes, and he waved a hand, causing Han Shan's bronze Immortal's sword to suddenly appear.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's pupils constricted, and he did nothing to dodge or evade. In fact, a cold gleam appeared in his eyes, and he fully rotated his Cultivation base, causing his aura to surge with scintillating brightness. Nascent Divinity flames even began to burn his body.

"So, he finally drew the sword," he thought. "From the look of it, he can only use it one more time. I'll use this clone to make him use all of its power. When he slays my clone, then my true self can teleport here!" A strange gleam appeared in his eyes.

Just when it seemed Naruto was going to attack with the Immortal's sword, the sword suddenly vanished. Then, ten glowing beams flew out of his bag of holding. The power of Time roiled off of them as they sped toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

They moved with incredible speed, plus, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was mostly focused on the Immortal's sword. Therefore, Naruto was once again able to take advantage of a critical moment. Ten Time Sword tips flew forward with shocking speed, as well as over 100,000 years of Time power.

As they neared the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, his face flickered as his body rapidly withered, and he retreated immediately at top speed. Of course, the faster he moved, the faster the war chariot moved.

Naruto was racing against the clock, so he didn't hold back any of the Qi of Immortal Shows the Way. He pushed the war chariot until it rumbled, shooting toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

The Wang Patriarch let out a furious roar, and then, all of a sudden, his right arm directly exploded. This was a type of self detonation that pushed him away violently, enabling him to sidestep the attack. As he did, Naruto's eyes flickered with killing intent.

"Detonate!" One Time Sword tip, worth 1,000,000,000 Spirit Stones, exploded. It transformed into a tempest of Time Power that spiraled toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, who was still in the middle of dodging away from the war chariot.

He let out a desolate roar and caused his Cultivation base to explode out with full power within the tempest. When he finally managed to completely dissipate the tempest, his body was incredibly withered, and his face ashen. He looked like nothing more than skin and bones. He let out another furious roar.

Naruto had no time to feel any pain in his heart because of the loss of

Spirit Stones. His ability to defeat this clone of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch depended, not just on his Cultivation base, but also… his wealth!

He had Spirit Stones, and he had the Heaven-defying Time treasures. Detonating the one hundred Wooden Time Swords was only the beginning. The Time Sword tips were his trump card.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's clone was being defeated by Naruto's Spirit Stones!

"Detonate!"

As the words left Naruto's mouth, a second Time Sword tip blew up. A massive explosion ripped out, and a Time tempest surged out in all directions. The air aged, the sea dried up, in the blink of an eye, everything seemed to pass through ten thousand years.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's clone exploded, and a Nascent Divinity flew out, screaming shrilly.

"Naruto! You're DEAD!" The Nascent Divinity suddenly began to spin, transforming into an enormous vortex, within which flickered countless magical symbols. As it rotated, it turned into a spell formation.

At the very center of the spell formation appeared a black hole, a passageway leading to the unknown. A pressure that Naruto had never experienced before then emerged from within.

It was an aura that caused cracking sounds to fill the air around the black hole as multiple fissures suddenly appeared.

When he saw the fissures, Naruto's pupils constricted as he watched the fissures spread out to fill what looked like an elliptical shape.

From a distance, it actually looked like an eye!

The spell formation vortex was the iris, the black hole was a pupil, and the area around it was the white of the eye. As for the fissures, they were… veins of blood!

Naruto's entire body went cold; the intense pressure weighing down on him made it feel like he was about to explode. What was even more shocking was that the eye seemed to be fixed on him…. He could clearly sense something inside his body, something that had long since fused with him, begin to tremble, as if it was being forcefully extracted.

Naruto wasn't sure how exactly to describe what it was, but he could vaguely sense it. Finally, he realized that it was his foundation. It was his stable, solid foundation, built up after two hundred years of cultivation!

"Dao foundation…." he thought, panting. He could almost hear his heart pounding; everything around him was now completely silent.

The only thing that moved was the vortex….

Naruto wanted to struggle, but at the moment, it felt as if his body wasn't under his own control. He couldn't move a muscle, and it felt as if his internal foundation was about to separate from him. In fact, he could even see what appeared to be white mist seeping out from his nose and mouth. Not just his nose and mouth, but also, his eyes, ears, and in fact, all of the pores that covered his body.

This was not life force, this was his Dao foundation!

"My Dao, is freedom and independence!" Naruto's eyes went red as, in that very moment, his Cultivation base suddenly flared up. It was a forced eruption that caused him to cough up three successive mouthfuls of blood. His body also wasted away. But in exchange, he was now able to move again.

In that moment, though, a sigh could be heard from within the vortex.

The sound of it stabbed into Naruto's ears, causing him to tremble. He coughed up another mouthful of blood, and his face went deathly white as he saw a coffin slowly emerging from within the vortex.

As soon as the coffin appeared, and ancient aura seeped out to fill the entire Third Ring. All of the Sea Demons underneath the water instantly went motionless. Even the Sea Devils in the Second Ring trembled.

Throughout all of the Milky Way sea, all of the Cultivators, all life forms, suddenly went still and quiet.

The sea did not move. The world was still. There was only the ancientness, roiling out to fill everything.

This was Dao Seeking!

The true peak of Dao Seeking!

Naruto did not need to speculate. He immediately knew that this… was the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's true self.

The true self had finally arrived!

Naruto's scalp went numb, and his eyes were completely shot with blood. Without the slightest hesitation, he waved his hand, immediately causing seven of the remaining eight Time Sword tips to fly toward the vortex.

"DETONATE!" he roared, his voice hoarse. A huge boom rattled out as the seven Time Sword tips exploded, transforming into a terrifying storm of Time power.

At the same time, Naruto didn't hesitate for even a moment to pull out Han Shan's sword. He hefted the bronze alcohol flagon and took a drink, then spit it out. Sword Qi billowed up, and the Immortal's Sword surged with the last bit of Sword Qi that he had kept, just in case.

A tempest of Time ripped into the vortex, and even the coffin began to wither. In the blink of an eye, cracks appeared all over it. However, even as the tempest raged, a withered hand suddenly stretched out from inside the coffin. It began to clench into a fist, and the violent Time tempest immediately began to shrink down into the fist. When it was completely inside, the fist clenched tightly.

BOOM!

The tempest vanished, and an old man slowly rose up from within the coffin. He wore burial garments, and looked emaciated and frail. His face was a bit flushed, but the flush rapidly disappeared, leaving his face pale white.

His eyes were not large, but the feeling of ancientness that emanated out from him was intense to the extreme. He looked at Naruto and grinned. But then he noticed the Immortal's Sword that Naruto held, and his pupils constricted.

The grin caused Naruto's hair to stand on end. It was a grin that revealed no teeth whatsoever in his mouth; this man was ancient to the extreme.

Even as he smiled, Naruto raised up the Immortal's sword. Sword Qi raged up, filled with a song, shocking to the extreme. However, before the sword could slash down, a tremor ran through him, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"Dammit!" His face was pale white as he sent Immortal Qi out of Immortal Shows the Way. The chariot rumbled and shot off into the distance. A gleam of foresight appeared in Naruto's eyes, and he panted. He had intentionally not struck down with the sword, purposefully making it seem like the sword was without power. He could tell from his encounter with the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's clones that the man was wary of the sword.

Since that was the case, Naruto refused to believe that he wasn't prepared for it. Everyone knew that the best time to use something was when you could do so along with the element of surprise.

"This guy is a wily old fox. He's definitely prepared for the sword. If I want to use it, I have to catch him off guard. My Cultivation base isn't a match for his; if I want to transcend this Tribulation, I have to use my wits!

"Using the Immortal's sword at the right time… is the key to victory!" Naruto's face was grim as he thought about how this opponent had crushed the Time tempest with a single fist. That left him trembling in fear.

"This is the peak of Dao Seeking, the power of a False Immortal!" Meng

Hao had personally felt the terrifying power of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, and he well understood the vast difference between the two of them. He was also well aware that the white mist that had begun to emanate out of him was the Perfection that was part of him. By now, it had been loosened and was being forced out of him. The thought of it was frightening.

"There's no need to run," said a hoarse voice from behind Naruto. "Your life has been prepared for me. It's your destiny…." The ancient voice echoed about in all directions. It seemed as if the wind was rotting, and when Naruto heard the voice, his entire body went as cold as ice.

He didn't turn to look back, but poured all the power of Immortal Shows the Way into the war chariot. In the blink of an eye, he had shot off into the distance with shocking, incredible speed.

"I knew about you way back when you were in Foundation

Establishment. I've been waiting for many years for the opportunity to reach Immortal Ascension, and you are that opportunity." The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's voice seemed nearer this time. Veins bulged out of Naruto's pale face. He could push no more power out of Immortal Shows the Way. Immortal Qi tore through his Qi passageways as it flowed out into the war chariot.

The speed with which he moved was incredible. The seawater down below was no longer that of the Third Ring. It was black, indicating that he had entered the Second Ring.

"This is the Dao of Karma. It is a decision made by destiny. You can't refuse.

"Do you think you can refuse the Dao of Karma? Do you think you can you refuse the choices of destiny? Since you can't refuse, why not just willingly give me your Dao Foundation? On the day that I reach Immortal Ascension, you will be in the underworld of the Fourth Mountain. Even after you have drunk the tea of old lady Meng, and forgotten everything about your past life, you will still have a feeling of glory and honor." This time, it sounded like the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was right next to him. 1

Old Lady Meng, or Meng Po, is a figure from Chinese mythology. She works in the underworld and gives people a tea to drink that makes them forget everything about their past lives. The "Meng" character is the same as Naruto's ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 681

Chapter 681: Foundation Seizing Grand Magic

"What glory and honor, bitch!?" raged Naruto from within the war chariot. He was originally a scholar, and was not the type of person to curse at others. However, after the parrot awakened, it had quite a wicked influence on him, and he had inevitably learned to swear.

Unfortunately, after all the years, he had only mastered this one curse.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch laughed hoarsely. The sound of it was filled with ancientness, like a cold wind blown from somewhere amidst countless years of time.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but all the women in my immediate family are dead. If you'd like, we could make a deal. I'd be happy to deliver their skeletons to you. What do you think?"

Naruto's face was extremely unsightly as he sped along in the war chariot. The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch continued to follow, and actually gained on Naruto. Naruto could clearly sense that his own body was continuously emitting white mist. He was filled with the pain of having something within him forcefully separated, which caused anxiety to fill his eyes.

"It's still not time to use the Immortal's sword!" he thought.

"Foundation Seizing Grand Magic!" said the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

His voice echoed out in all directions, but Naruto was incapable of looking back. However, he could sense the speed with which the white mist poured out of him suddenly increase by severalfold. An indescribable pain filled him, and he couldn't hold back from letting out a despondent shout.

Shockingly, something that looked like red veins could be seen pulsing on his face, and in fact, his entire body. It almost appeared as if he was about to be torn to pieces, from the inside out!

Naruto began to shake, and blood sprayed from his mouth. He was now unable to continue to employ the qi of Immortal Shows the Way, so the war chariot came to a stop and shrank down. He put it into his bag of holding and then, enduring the intense pain, lifted his right hand to produce the flag of three streamers. He waved it out in front of him, and instantly, dense fog billowed up.

Down below, the seemingly never-ending black seawater seemed almost to be congealed in place. Not a single ripple could be seen on its surface!

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch floated in the air some distance away, grinning at Naruto.

It was a ghastly grin, filled with greed, almost as if to him, Naruto was food. His expression caused Naruto's scalp to go numb. He waved the flag of three streamers, causing the monstrous black mist to sweep toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

"That magical item… looks a bit familiar," said the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, his eyes glittering. He performed an incantation with his right hand, and then pointed forward.

"Moonrise Over the Sea ," he said in his hoarse voice. Down below, the black seawater immediately turned violet. Then a red-colored moon suddenly rose up from within. The appearance of the red moon caused flames to fill the world. They transformed into a massive fireball that shot toward Naruto's flag of three streamers.

When they slammed into each other, the flag wasn't damaged, but the black mist immediately fell apart. The red moon, on the other hand, faded like an extinguished lamp, completely defeated and dispersed.

Next, the flag of three streamers expanded, spreading out to blot out the sky and also push Naruto and the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch apart.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's face flickered, and he said, "This treasure… is very familiar. I'm sure that I've seen it somewhere before!"

Looking very serious, he performed a double handed incantation, then raised his hands high above his head and touched his ten fingertips together.

"Power of the rising sun, disperse all darkness of night!"

At the moment, everything was pitch black, with no light existing anywhere. The flag of three streamers seemed to have become part of the darkness of night.

But then, a beam of light appeared, shooting out from the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch to swirl around him. It was almost like… he had turned into a rising sun in the middle of the dark night!

The rising sun had appeared, and a bright glow began to spread out in all directions. Its power began to dispel the power of the dark night. The boundless blackness vanished under the light, and was completely cast away!

Naruto couldn't take it, and blood sprayed out of his mouth. The flag of three streamers rumbled and began to glow blurry. It spun backward, shrinking down at the same time. The entire world filled with brightness, and the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch floated there in mid-air. If you looked at him, it was impossible to tell whether he was a person or a sun!

Naruto's mind trembled. This was a divine ability, a Daoist magic that he had never even heard of!

"What divine ability is this!?" A tremor ran through his body, and blood poured from his mouth. When the sunlight had dispelled the darkness of night, it seemed he was considered to be part of the night. His body burst into flames, and he let out a shrill cry. Violet light flickered in his eyes as he frenziedly healed himself. However, it was still amid thunderous rumbling sounds that he fell down toward the black sea below.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's voice was filled with pride as he said, "That was another art personally created by the Wang Clan ancestor. For you to have seen it with your own eyes means that you can wear a smile on your face as you go to the underworld." His face was a bit paler than before; clearly it was not a simple thing to use the art he just had. Were it not for the fact that he needed to end the battle, he wouldn't have used it.

The bright glow filled a vast area, and the seawater was turning violet. As Naruto splashed into the water, the Wang Clan Patriarch's eyes flickered.

"Even now, he still doesn't unleash the power of that Immortal's sword?" he thought. "When I first arrived, he could only use about half of the power. Now, on the verge of death, he still doesn't utilize it…. I can thus be seventy percent certain that the Immortal's sword is now useless!" He suddenly flashed through the air, stretching his right hand out to grab at Naruto.

"Foundation Seizing Grand Magic!" A black glow spread out from the five fingers of his right hand. The light transformed into something like a black hole that emanated a shocking gravitational force.

Naruto's entire person appeared to be decaying. His flesh split and tore, his hair fell out, and he looked withered to the extreme. His life force faded rapidly. Compared to the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's peak Dao Seeking cultivation base, Naruto's own cultivation base… was too weak.

Even as the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch closed in, madness suddenly burned in Naruto's eyes. Despite the fact that his blood vessels were shattered, and he was gravely injured, he still managed to slap his bag of holding with his right hand. The alcohol flagon appeared, and he took a drink. Then the Immortal's sword could be seen, and he spit the alcohol out of his mouth.

Immortal qi exploded out, swift and fierce to the extreme. When the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch saw that it was about to slash toward him, his heart trembled, but after only a slight moment, he smiled coldly. He had long since prepared for exactly this situation. He immediately began to perform an incantation that would cause a body double to appear in his exact position. However, it was at this point that a violent tremor ran through Naruto. Apparently, he couldn't keep his grip on the Immortal's sword. Blood sprayed from his mouth, and his entire right arm instantly exploded into a haze of blood and gore. The Immortal's sword tumbled down into the sea.

No matter how you looked at it, it seemed clear what had happened. Naruto was not capable of handling the power of the sword, and yet had still tried to forcefully control it. His right arm couldn't sustain the power, and had exploded.

Naruto laughed bitterly, and a look of despair appeared on his face.

"I can't accept this!" he howled, his voice filled with extreme grief and indignation.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch watched on smiling. As of this point, he was now eighty percent certain that the Immortal's sword could be of no more threat to him. A ferocious expression appeared on his face.

Of course, having lived for so many years, he was wily and cunning, and even more so, cautious. Despite the current situation, and Naruto having lost an arm, he was still not off guard regarding the Immortal's sword.

Instead of trying to lay hands on the Immortal's sword, he headed toward Naruto.

When Naruto saw this, anger sprang up in his heart. However, it only took a moment for a completely ruthless idea to spring up in his head. The ruthlessness of the idea actually did not target the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, but rather, himself!

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch neared. Hovering in front of Naruto, he lifted his right hand up and pushed the shimmering blackness onto Naruto's chest. Then he dug his hand into Naruto's flesh, his fingernails literally ripping through Naruto's flesh.

"Your skin is thick and your body tough," grated the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. "Not bad. If you were able to take your fleshly body to the next stage, then perhaps I wouldn't be able to deal with you. But right now… it's just not quite good enough." His fingernails stabbed deep into Naruto's chest.

"Foundation Seizing Grand Magic!" A strange light appeared in the eyes of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, a thirst, a desire, and an excitement. His fingers tightened viciously, and a rotating black hole appeared inside of Naruto.

The gravitation force it exerted was shocking, and completely filled Naruto.

His body began to tremble as unthinkable pain filled him. Countless blood-colored strands appeared all over his body. These strands had long since fused into him; this was his Perfect Dao foundation!

It was the foundation upon which he would achieve his Dao in the future!

Now, though, the blood-colored strands twisted and distorted as they shrank down, relentlessly sucked toward the black hole in his chest.

They were sucked toward his chest from his legs, his arms, his head, from every position in his body.

"From now on, your Perfect Dao Foundation belongs to me!

"Henceforth, my path to Immortal Ascension will be open!

"I will no longer be a false Immortal, but rather, a true Immortal!

"I will pursue the path of the ancestor and become an almighty expert of Heaven and Earth!" The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was so incredibly excited that he lifted his head up and laughed out loud. He slowly pulled his right hand back, and as he did, countless red strands stretched out between it and Naruto's body.

The red strands shone resplendently, and anyone who saw them would think of Perfection. Absolute Perfection without blemish!

Naruto's body withered and grew old. His cultivation base also fell. He could feel his Qi Condensation foundation vanish. His Dao Pillar foundation disappeared. His Perfect Core also faded away.

His expression was hollow, as if he had lost all power to fight back. He lay there blankly, bitterness filling his face. Pain wracked his body, although it couldn't even come close to matching the pain he felt in his heart.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch looked at the red strands that were building up in his hand, and intense desire built up in his eyes. His heart filled with excitement and elation. In fact, he was more excited now than he ever had been in his entire life.

In this moment, he completely set aside any preparations he had made to defend against the Immortal's sword. His entire heart and mind was completely focused on extracting the Perfect Dao foundation.

It was then, after he had abandoned his defenses, that grim coldness suddenly appeared in Naruto's blank eyes.

"Anybody who wants to take my Dao foundation must first pay the price!

"Immortal's sword!" Naruto's eyes were filled with madness that caused the Wang Clan Patriarch's mind to tremble. Suddenly, the Immortal's sword that had sunk down into the sea exploded with an earthshaking Sword Qi. It shot out from within the water, moving at incredible speed.

—–

Note from Deathblade: Starting with this chapter, I am making some changes to capitalization of various terms. Some things that I did capitalize, I won't from now on. There are also some things that I didn't capitalize that I will. For example Spirit Stones will be spirit stones, yellow springs will be Yellow Springs. If you pay attention to that sort of thing you'll probably notice right away. Eventually, I will go back to adjust previous chapters.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Wong Jing, Gyan Kapur, Donatas

Azaravicius, and Gregor Kolm

Vol. 5 : Chapter 682

Chapter 682: I Will Become Immortal!

Shocking sword qi billowed out as the Immortal's sword flew up from the bottom of the sea, moving with indescribable speed.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's face fell, and an intense sense of deadly crisis filled him. He was about to dodge to the side when Naruto's left hand suddenly stretched out and grabbed down onto the Wang Clan Patriarch's arm.

Naruto's eyes were shot with blood, and his expression was one of utmost ferocity, as if he were a devil or a fiend. He glared at the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, his hand filled with the power of his life force, his stubborness, and his madness.

"You…." said the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, his face flickering as he sent the power of his cultivation base bursting out in all directions. His mind trembled with the sense of impending doom. He knew that he could not make any mistakes, but because the sword aura completely filled the entire area, he could not tell where exactly the Immortal's sword was coming from.

What he could do, though, was completely lock down the entire area.

RUMBLE!

The Immortal's sword did not fly up out of the sea to attack the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch! That would slow it down a bit, and right now… at this juncture, each moment counted for everything!

In his madness, Naruto had been waiting for this very moment. In the end, he used the Immortal qi and the Immortal's sword to…

Stab himself!

The sword pierced into his back to appear directly in front of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch!

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch had locked down all other avenues of approach, but he had forgotten about… Naruto's body.

There was no way he could ever have imagined that Naruto would possibly be so ruthless. This was not a ruthlessness toward enemies, but a ruthlessness toward himself. The Immortal's sword stabbed through his body with lightning-like speed, then shot out from his chest toward the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's mind spun. His first mistake was not realizing that Naruto would actually wait until the very last possible moment to unleash his desire to kill. The second mistake was not realizing that Naruto would use his own body as the vessel with which to deliver the blow of the Immortal's sword.

He wanted to defend himself, but could not! He wanted to ward off the blow, but was unable!

"If I can't live, then we will perish together!" said Naruto. "What's to fear in death? Mortals can live for a hundred years at most. I, Naruto, have already lived more than two hundred years. What's the harm in dying?!

"From the moment I stepped onto the path of cultivation, I was prepared. I don't care about dying, but what I do care about… is living a life of freedom and independence!

"The Resurrection Lily turned into fetters that held me back. And as for you, 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, you want to do the same? Well then, I'll just have to sever you!"

Naruto's level of determination and decisiveness could shake Heaven and Earth!

BAM!

The Immortal's sword and its shocking sword qi stabbed directly into the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. He let out a bloodcurdling scream, then jerked his right arm to shake off Naruto's hand. Naruto's body lurched up as vast quantities of red, Perfect Dao foundation strands were wrenched out of him. They transformed into a resplendent red cloud that hovered up above.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch immediately pulled the brightly shining red strands of Perfection into his body. It was a moment in which he should have been extremely smug.

Instead, he screamed in miserable and shocking fashion.

The Immortal's sword pierced through his chest, exploding his heart and sending blood spraying about in all directions. He retreated, his mind filled with astonishment and terror. The wound to his body was secondary to the unbridled Immortal qi which tore through his body.

But all of that was actually not even worth mentioning when compared to the trembling of his soul.

That was the most terrifying thing to him; his soul shook to the point where it felt as if it were going to be torn to shreds.

"NOOOO!"

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch howled as he sensed that the three spiritual aspects and seven physical aspects of his soul, which formerly had been fused harmoniously, were now being ripped apart by the stabbing of the Immortal's sword. In fact, all aspects of his soul were rapidly beginning to fade.

"Naruto! DIIEEEEE!" Unprecedented madness filled the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. He lifted his head up and howled as his entire body filled with rumbling sounds. Blood and gore oozed out from his mutilated chest. Suddenly, his withered body expanded as the red strands of the Perfect Dao foundation fused into his arm and the rest of his body. Suddenly, a trace of his own Immortal qi bloomed inside of him.

Unfortunately, it didn't matter that Immortal qi had appeared, he was unable to prevent the collapse of his soul.

"Immortal! I will become Immortal!" he raved. Shouting, he flew toward Naruto, his expression vicious. He raised his right hand into the air; everything shook, Immortal qi rose up into the sky, and the seawater vibrated.

Naruto had lost his Dao foundation, and his cultivation base had fallen. He no longer looked like a young man. He was old now, withered, with only a single breath of life left.

And yet, he smiled, a smile filled with contentment, freedom, and viciousness.

"If you want to take away my Dao foundation, you have to pay the price."

As the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch's massive palm strike descended, the sky grew dim. Just as the power of the attack was about to envelop him, suddenly, a sigh could be heard coming from within the sea. Black fog roiled out, covering over Naruto. In the blink of an eye, the fog ebbed and he vanished from beneath the Wang Clan Patriarch's palm.

Something else appeared at the same time as the fog. A ship.

Its aura was ancient, and it was filled with the vestiges of the passage of time. The deck was dilapidated, and the entire ship seemed completely ancient. This was none other than… the ancient Underworld Ship!

At the prow of the ship, a man sat cross-legged, wearing a dilapidated suit of armor. Next to him lay Naruto; his eyes were closed, and it was impossible to tell whether he was alive or dead.

The Wang Clan Patriarch's palm strike slammed into the sea, sending water splashing everywhere as a huge depression appeared. The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was screaming and going crazy. Although the aura of an Immortal grew more clear on his body, his expression was one of madness. His soul was on the verge of dissipating. He had already lost one physical aspect of his soul, leaving him with only three spiritual and six physical aspects.

"I won't accept this!" he roared. His hatred toward Naruto had reaching the pinnacle. His mind and thinking were no longer clear, and the only thing on his mind was that before he died, he needed to kill Naruto.

He charged forward, but at the same time, the Underworld Ship began to drift away. No matter how the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch pursued it, he couldn't catch up. He could only watch as the Underworld Ship disappeared off into the sea.

"DIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!" roared the Wang Clan Patriarch. Blood oozed out of his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. He violently slammed his palm onto the top of his head, causing blood to spray out. However, in that moment, he suddenly regained some of his clarity.

"I will reach Immortal Ascension! My soul must remain complete! I can't die! I haven't reached Immortal Ascension yet! I'm just on the verge!" His eyes bloodshot, he opened up a rift in the air and then vanished.

Shockingly, when he reappeared, he was back in the Southern Domain, in the Wang Clan.

"I will reach Immortal Ascension! I will become Immortal!

"I cannot die! I will not die!

"I have the Perfect Dao foundation, and am destined to be Immortal!

Immortal qi has already appeared!

"How could I possibly die!?" As he raved, his mind was thrown into complete chaos. Right now the only thing he could think about was reaching Immortal Ascension. His eyes were completely bloodshot as he flew down toward one of the cities of the Wang Clan.

The city was populated completely by members of the Wang Clan. There were mortals and cultivators, elderly people and children. As he shot toward the city, several hundred cultivators flew out. When they saw the appearance of the 10th Patriarch, their faces fell.

"Patriarch!"

"Patriarch, you… AAIIEEEEE!" Even as the people opened their mouths to greet him, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch grabbed one of the Wang Clan members and then crushed his fingers down. The cultivator's head exploded, and his soul flew out to be inhaled by the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

The other Wang Clan members were shocked, but before they could react, the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch turned into a black wind that whistled toward them. Miserable shrieks began to echo out in all directions as hundreds of people were all eradicated, their souls absorbed by the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

"I will reach Immortal Ascension!" he raved. "I will not die!" His eyes red, he shot down toward the city. Everywhere he passed, bloodcurdling screams rang out. Countless souls flew toward him, which he absorbed.

In the space of only about ten breaths, the entire city was deathly silent. Everyone in the city… was dead!

Only the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch remained. He flew up into the air, howling.

"Return to me, my soul!" he howled.

There were a total of three such cities within the Wang Clan. The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch suddenly vanished, to reappear outside the second city.

The scene that played out was exactly the same as before. Miserable shrieks could be heard as countless lives met heartrending ends. A black cloud covered the entire city as all members of the Wang bloodline had their souls consumed by the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. It all happened in the blink of an eye.

And yet, the spiritual and physical aspects of his soul were still dispersing; of the original ten total, one spiritual aspect and two physical aspects had already vanished.

"NOOOO!" he howled, shooting toward the third city. This city was the location of the Wang Clan's ancestral mansion in South Heaven. As he neared, thousands of cultivators shot out from within, including two Spirit Severing experts. Their faces were filled with shock.

"The Patriarch has gone mad!"

"He massacred two cities full of clan members! He's insane!"

BOOM!

Within the the territory of the Wang Clan were the mountains in which successive generations of Patriarchs were buried. Seven mountain ranges in particular suddenly emanated shocking roars. In the blink of an eye, seven coffins appeared, from out of which exploded seven emaciated old men. Each and every one was in a rage.

"10th Patriarch, what are you doing!?"

"10th Patriarch, stay your hand!"

Their shocking roars rose up like thunder, causing a bit of lucidity to suddenly appear in the eyes of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. In that moment, he realized everything that he had done, and his body began to tremble. In his heart, he felt pain from having slaughtered countless members of his own clan.

Intense pain filled him, but only for a moment. Then, his eyes shone with determination.

"I'll kill you and consume your souls too! Then, I will achieve Immortal Ascension! The whole clan can die, as long as I remain alive!"

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Donatas Azaravicius, Rafał Mojza, Hieu

Phan Trung, Stefan Strindin, and XYY

Vol. 5 : Chapter 683

Chapter 683: Henceforth

He was willing to sink into depravity!

All for Immortal Ascension!

All to avoid death!

Tears streamed down the face of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch. He howled, and his eyes were completely bloodshot. He no longer even had a heart, but he still felt a sense of belonging to the clan and the bonds of kinship toward his fellow clan members. But now… it was too late to turn back.

He was not willing to die, especially not after he had acquired the Perfect Dao foundation and his body was filled with Immortal Qi. The only thing he could do was sink to the lowest level.

Regret? He did not know the meaning of the term. He could only consume. Consume the souls of his own bloodline. Only those souls could save his life.

This was… the only thing he could do!

All for Immortal Ascension!

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch howled hoarsely as his consciousness grew murky. He slipped further into madness. KILL! KILL! KILL!

He had no idea how many people he killed, nor how many souls of fellow clan members he consumed. In one night, all the members of the Wang Clan in the clan's third city… died.

The Patriarchs buried in the various mountain ranges were destroyed amidst rumbling booms. The seven Patriarchs had incredible cultivation bases, but the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch now possessed Immortal qi, as well as a Perfect Dao foundation. They simply couldn't compare to him, and were no match at all.

One by one, they all died!

Mountains crumbled, and everything shook. In one night, the Wang Clan's entire foundation in the lands of South Heaven… was uprooted. This was genocide!

He was the 10th Patriarch, who had existed for ages in the lands of South Heaven. He was the Patriarch with the highest cultivation base in the clan, a person the clan members looked up to like a god.

But on that day, the god became a devil, and carnage reigned. During the massacre, he regained lucidity three times.

The first time was when he killed his younger brother, the 11th Wang Clan Patriarch who had stayed by his side for countless years. He ripped his soul out, then, tears streaming down his face, laughed maniacally and consumed it.

The second time was when he killed his most beloved member of the junior generation. The man cried, begging the Patriarch to spare his life. He crushed the man's skull, then, his hand still covered with blood and brain, grabbed the soul and consumed it.

The third time was when the world had grown completely silent. Beneath his feet was nothing but wreckage and bodies. No living person existed. At that point, he regained clarity.

However, that clarity only lasted for a few breaths of time. Then he slipped back into madness. By this point, his body was no longer injured.

He was recovered. However, the souls that he had lost… would remain forever lost. Two spiritual aspects and three physical aspects were gone forever.

He now had only one spiritual aspect and four physical aspects.

This was a result bought by the lives of all the Wang Clan members in the lands of South Heaven. His soul did not dissipate, and he did not die. However… with only one spiritual aspect and four physical aspects to his soul, who knew if and when he would ever become lucid again.

For the most part, he was descended into madness and carnage. Before he completely sank back down into the depravity, he shed some tears, which spattered down onto the ruins of the Wang Clan. Perhaps years later, a field of blood colored flowers would bloom in that very spot….

He raised his head and let out a mournful, bitter laugh. Then he turned into a bright beam of light that shot off into the distance.

"Immortal Ascension!

"I will become Immortal!"

He left, forever submerged within his insanity.

Henceforth, there was no Wang Clan in the lands of South Heaven. In its place, a lunatic existed who constantly raved about Immortal Ascension. Of course, few people dared to provoke the madman.

That was because… he was halfway into Immortal Ascension. He possessed Immortal qi and only needed to pass through Immortal Tribulation to become a true Immortal!

Unfortunately, his soul was not complete, and he was eternally sunken into depravity. His day of Immortal Tribulation would never come.

…

In the depths of the Second Ring of the Milky Way Sea was an enormous

Resurrection Lily, drifting back and forth in the water. It was impossible to see the number of colors, but what could be seen was the figure of a woman sitting on the flower. She almost seemed to be using the petals as a swing as she swayed back and forth.

"No Dao Foundation. He likely perished….

"In the League of Demon Sealers, the Ninth is the pinnacle. It seems the league… is broken."

Outside the Fourth Ring of the Milky Way Sea, an island sped across the surface of the water. Suddenly, a tremor ran through it, and it stopped moving. After a long, long moment, an enormous head rose up out of the sea and looked off into the distance.

"His aura… is gone….

"The little bastard is full of schemes and wickedness. He's dead? Good! Great! Wonderf… wait, he died?!" He head quivered slightly. Patriarch Reliance wanted to feel happy, but for some reason, he actually wasn't.

"Dead…. Dammit, who killed him? He's the Patriarch's only Inner Sect disciple! The little bastard is endlessly scheming, how could he have died?!"

On the island, Guyiding Tri-rain also seemed to have sensed something, and her face paled. She leaned up against the old Boat Spirit, sorrow filling her eyes.

"Didn't you promise me that you would help me turn into a sea…? You broke your promise…."

In the lands of the Southern Domain, in the Violet Fate Sect, Pill Demon was smiling as he concocted a batch of pills especially for Naruto. Recently, he'd gotten the feeling that Master and apprentice would be reunited before too long.

He wanted to finish concocting the special batch of pills before they met in person. However, it was in that moment that the pill furnace suddenly exploded. Pill Demon suddenly seemed to age by hundreds of years. He silently looked off into the distance for a long, long time.

Chu Yuyan was sitting cross-legged in meditation, practicing cultivation in her Immortal's cave. Then, for some unknown reason, her heart suddenly felt troubled. Her eyes opened, and she looked up into the night sky. A shooting star flew by.

"When I was young, my dad always said that when you see a shooting star, it means someone just perished."

In the Black Sieve Sect, Xu Qing sat with eyes closed, seeking enlightenment of a Daoist magic she had acquired in the Demon Immortal Sect. Suddenly, a tremor ran through her body, and her eyes opened. Her face was deathly pale, and she lifted her hand up to her chest.

An intense, uneasy feeling made her suddenly stop cultivating. She walked out of her Immortal's cave, her face growing even more ashen.

"Pain. This is the second time I've felt pain like this…. The first time was the time by the Rebirth Cave.

"Naruto, is it you? What… happened? Why am I suddenly so frightened?" Xu Qing didn't know why, but she suddenly found herself weeping. She didn't dare to think too deeply about her sudden premonition. Trembling, she flew up into the sky.

Although she didn't know the source of the feeling, for some reason she looked toward the Milky Way Sea and then began flying.

On that day, Fatty was very irritable. He violently lost his temper countless times in the Golden Frost Sect, although he wasn't sure why.

On that day, Chen Fan killed. Although he looked calm, deep in his heart existed a boundless desire to slaughter. He flew out of the sect and killed numerous villainous cultivators.

On that day in the Blood Demon Sect, Wang Youcai made a cultivation base breakthrough into the Nascent Soul stage. However, he felt no joy.

He looked in the direction where the State of Zhao used to exist, and thought of his childhood, and of his old friends. 1

On that day in the Northern Reaches, a Blood cultivator rose to prominence. Acting alone, he slaughtered an entire small-scale sect, then occupied the location. He was young, but unfeeling and coldblooded. In his blood-soaked hands, he held a magical item, a pearl. The young man had a name, too. Dong Hu. 2

On that day, in the Great Tang of the Eastern Lands, in a tall tower, a husband and wife got into an argument the likes of which was virtually unprecedented. The woman eventually stormed off, her eyes filled with tears. The man looked silently off into the distance. There was no one to see it, but tears streamed down his face.

Time slowly passed by.

Xu Qing arrived in the Milky Way Sea. No matter how she searched, she found nothing. An entire sixty-year cycle passed before she silently picked an area on the border of the Southern Domain where she sat down to meditate. Every day she would look out at the Milky Way Sea. She had the feeling that out there somewhere, was Naruto.

It was only a feeling, but she believed it.

As for the couple who had argued, the woman also reached the Milky Way Sea. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she went to the Third Ring, to the Second Ring, to everywhere. She found nothing. She searched and searched, and even fought a battle with the Dawn Immortal in the Second Ring.

The battle shook Heaven and Earth. All of the Sea Devils in the Second

Ring were killed, and black seawater spread out to cover the entire Third Ring. Heaven and Earth grew dark, and as for who won the battle, and who lost, nobody knew.

One hundred years passed….

In the Inner Ring of the Milky Way Sea, the water was red. An ancient battleship floated across the surface of the water, at the prow of which sat an old man in a suit of armor. He sat there cross-legged, apparently looking off into the distance. It was impossible to tell what exactly he was looking at.

Next to the old man rested a body. It was a man with no hair or eyebrows; he was completely shriveled up. Wrinkles covered his skin, and he looked as if he had just climbed up out of a grave. The entire body stank of putrefaction.

He had no right arm, and a gaping hole could be seen in his chest, where there existed… no heart whatsoever.

A flame burned above him, casting out a gentle light that covered over his body. As the light was cast out, it transformed into glittering dots, within each of which could be seen flickering, incomprehensible magical symbols. Oh so slowly, those dots of light bored into the hole in Naruto's chest.

Inside of Naruto's chest, the flesh and blood writhed, as if it were slowly growing.

The years seemed as if they would flow by in this manner forever, and because they were in the Inner Ring of the Milky Way Sea, there was no one who could find the ancient ship, or Naruto.

On one particular day, the armored old man slowly opened his eyes. Hidden within them were the sun, the moon, and the stars. Endless years of time permeated those eyes, as if the man could see into their boundless depths.

He turned his head, and his abstruse gaze fell onto Naruto.

When that happened, Naruto's body seemed to experience the passing of thousands of years. The fire burned intensely, emitting more crystalline dots of light that merged into the hole in his chest. The wriggling of the blood and flesh increased, and soon the healing process was visible to the naked eye. A new heart formed, and the wounds were healed. Even the bones and flesh of the right arm slowly began to grow out.

In what seemed like the blink of an eye, Naruto was completely restored. Not a wound could be seen on him. However… his hair was pure white, and he looked incredibly old, as if he were an elderly man.

Weakness radiated out from him as he opened his eyes.

His eyes were filled with confusion. He lay there thinking for a long time before memories started to trickle into his brain. He thought of the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch, and how he had chosen to end in common ruin with him rather than give up his freedom. In the end, he had landed a sword blow on the Wang Patriarch's soul!

"My cultivation base…." He closed his eyes and cast his senses inward. After a while, he slowly rose into a sitting position and looked at the armored old man, who sat with his back to him. The old man seemed as if he would sit on this ship for all eternity as it roamed about.

Naruto clasped hands and bowed deeply. "Senior, thank you for your kindness in saving my life!"

Wang Youcai was one of the group of four boys who were taken to the Reliance Sect by Xu Qing in the first chapter. Although Naruto came to the conclusion that he was killed, he reappeared later as a member of the Blood Demon Sect. He has popped up at various times throughout the story such as the Blood Immortal Legacy tournament and the Song Clan search for a son-in-law ↩ Dong Hu, a.k.a. Little Tiger, was another of the group of four boys who joined the Reliance Sect at the same time. Naruto encountered him again in chapter 71, where he had a pearl. During Naruto's fight with Shangguan Xiu in chapter 75, Dong Hu loaned him the pearl, which allowed Naruto to temporarily break into the tenth level of Qi Condensation. Naruto returned the pearl to him in chapter 76. You might also be able to deduce that the pearl was even alluded to vaguely in chapter 19. In chapter 613, Naruto saw a similar pearl in the Fourth Plane of the Demon Immortal Sect ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 684

Chapter 684: On Board

The old man didn't say anything in response. It almost seemed like he didn't even know who Naruto was; he was simply roaming about, and happened to encounter him. Spurred by some distant memories, he had randomly reached out to save him.

"Heaven and Earth… have their end….

"But what about me? Where is my end?" The old man's murmuring voice was hoarse, and incomparably ancient. He finally sighed and closed his eyes, seemingly slipping into a state of lifelessness. Naruto could clearly see the old man sitting there with his back to him, but he couldn't sense his existence at all. In fact, he couldn't even sense the existence of the ship.

"Senior?" he said, gaping. Finally, he realized that the old man was immersed in his own world. Naruto crossed his legs reticently and then looked off into the distance and began to think.

"My Dao foundation… is gone." He felt empty inside, and could not sense a cultivation base. It was as if it had vanished like mist or smoke. An intense weakness filled him, and he felt so incredibly old that it seemed that death was just around the corner.

He now had absolutely no cultivation base whatsoever.

Filled with bitterness, Naruto tried to begin to practice cultivation, but his entire body was like a sieve. No matter what breathing exercises he did, he couldn't build up even a bit of spiritual energy.

However, he wouldn't give in so easily, so he produced a bag of holding. Although he himself had no spiritual energy, bags of holding from Seahold could be opened once without any spiritual energy.

He had bought quite a few such bags in the past. The parrot and the meat jelly were inside the bag, sleeping. It seemed Naruto's weakness had caused them to lose their own vitality.

He took a medicinal pill out from the bag of holding, then consumed it and started meditating. After attempting Qi Condensation techniques for a moment, he trembled, and his face went pale. Once again, he looked listless and dispirited.

"I can't practice cultivation," he murmured. "I have no foundation whatsoever to build on." As of now, Naruto was certain that his Dao foundation was completely and utterly gone.

Still not able to accept it, Naruto tried again. Time passed, and soon a month had gone by. Naruto tried a variety of methods, but none of them formed even the slightest bit of a cultivation base.

It was a complete failure.

He tried over and over again, but his body only continued to grow weaker. After another month, he finally accepted that he was in a hopeless situation.

Bitter laughter rang out, growing louder and louder, breaking the silence of the Milky Way Sea's Inner Ring as it echoed out from within the ship.

The laughter also contained intense hatred. "10th Wang Clan Patriarch!"

He wasn't sure if the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch was dead, but as of now, that didn't matter.

"I have no cultivation base, but I'm still alive…. However, considering my current life force, who knows how many more days I can stay alive…." His bitter laughter gradually grew weaker, and finally, he stared off into the distance, empty and numb.

He wasn't even sure what he was seeing. His mind was blank. He thought of nothing. He looked at nothing. Eventually, his gaze turned to fall on the armored old man, and hope suddenly flickered in his eyes.

His life had been saved by this old man, and considering how mystical he was, and how bizarre the ancient Underworld Ship was, Naruto was confident that if the man did something, his own cultivation base could potentially be restored.

Naruto stood, clasped his hands, and bowed deeply.

"Senior."

The old man didn't speak. He seemed as lifeless as ever.

Naruto hesitated for a moment, then walked around to stand in front of the old man. He was just about to bow again, when suddenly his eyes went wide with disbelief.

The old man's face was filled with boundless ancientness and time. However, when Naruto looked at it, his heart and mind trembled. The man's body was actually not material, but rather, faint and translucent.

Except, Naruto clearly remembered that the old man wasn't like this before.

After a moment of thought, he slowly reached up his right hand and attempted to touch the old man. His hand passed directly through him as if through empty space, and when he tried it a second time, the same thing happened. Finally, he stepped forward, and ended up walking directly through him. He turned his head to look back, and his eyes were filled with a complex expression.

"Was I simply mistaken before? Was he always like this? Is his existence tied into the meaning of the ship's name? Underworld Ship…. Ship of the Underworld Specter?" Naruto laughed bitterly as he began to look around. The ship was broken down, dilapidated, filled with an aura of rot.

Several days later, he finished exploring the ship in its entirety, and never found anything out of the ordinary. Everything he saw and touched was ancient and archaic.

He stood at the prow and looked out as the Underworld Ship slid noiselessly across the water. Everything was quiet; the sea rose and fell, although there were no waves. They never encountered any other living things.

It seemed that wherever this ship went, everything became completely quiet.

"Well, this is fine, too….

"I can spend the last years of my life on an empty ship, all alone.

"I bet nobody knows that I'm about to perish," he murmured. "At least that way, Master won't be sad, nor will Xu Qing feel too much grief. Fatty, Elder Brother, and all my other friends… none of them will know." He sat down cross-legged in the place where he had woken up earlier and looked off into the distance.

As he did, his heart slowly became peaceful. He no longer burned with resentment, nor did he ponder any more mysteries. He was left with only a bit of ruefulness. He regretted not being able to visit his Master ever again. He regretted not holding Xu Qing in his embrace just once. He regretted not returning to the Southern Domain and gathering with the friends of long ago.

Even more so, he regretted never being able to visit the Great Tang in the Eastern Lands. He regretted not being able to see his father and mother again.

"Old turtle Reliance, from here on out, you're free….

"Ancestors of the Demon Sealing Sect, it seems that from now, there will be no more League of Demon Sealers." Naruto sighed. He was now slowly growing calmer and feeling less restrained.

Death was something that could not be avoided, so he would not take it to heart too much.

"It's too bad I have so many Spirit Stones in my bag of holding…. What a pity that I never got to spend them.

"And then there are all those debts people owe. Those people have gotten really lucky…. After the creditor dies, they won't have to pay back their debts.

"Hmmm, I guess I really don't have to pay those three silver pieces back to Steward Zhou after all.

"It's such a pity I still have so many treasures. Well, some little bastard in the future is sure going to get lucky." When he thought of this, he could only sigh.

"Perhaps my death will spare the world a bit of calamity. To all of you who would have been conned by me in the future, you don't know how lucky you are!

"So, so lucky!" Naruto thought back through his life, to his youth spent studying and participating in the Imperial examinations. Then he ran into Xu Qing and joined the Reliance Sect. He stole Wang Tengfei's good fortune and became an Inner Sect disciple. Patriarch Reliance conned him, so he conned back. Eventually, he made it to the Southern Domain, where he joined the Violet Fate Sect and then rose to prominence.

"Poor Xu Qing…. She loves me, and I love her. What a pity we won't be able to get married now…. I've never actually even been with a woman…." When he thought of this, Naruto suddenly felt especially sad.

"And then there's Chu Yuyan. She was definitely interested in me…." Naruto continued to sigh and sigh.

He thought of how he had killed the Chosen from the Hebi Clan, then escaped to the Western Desert. He recalled everything that happened with the Crow Divinity Tribes, and then couldn't help think of Han Shan, Demoness Zhixiang, and everything that happened in the Demon Immortal Sect.

"Senior Han Shan, I won't be able to keep my promise…

"Demoness Zhixiang, don't worry about that favor you owe me."

Then there was Ke Jiusi and Ke Yunhai. Naruto thought about many things, and eventually started thinking about his First Severing.

"I didn't even practice cultivation for three hundred years, and yet completed my First Severing. A great Dao descended, and the Resurrection Lily became my Spirit Severing Treasure. For me, Naruto, to live a life like this, well… it's enough for me!

"In all the lands of South Heaven, few people could even come close to comparing to me!" He suddenly felt very proud of himself. The laughter, the bitterness, the fury, and the memories of his entire life became images that flashed through his mind.

More time passed. Another half month went by, during which time Naruto continued to look off into the distance, thinking about the past. Finally one day, the illusory, armored old man suddenly caught his attention.

For months, the old man hadn't moved at all, and seemed completely empty. Now, his right hand raised up, and a sealing mark appeared. He performed an incantation, and gradually, two colors appeared in his hand, black and white.

However, when Naruto went over to try to touch the old man, he was as illusory as ever.

As more time passed, Naruto began to pay attention to the way in which the old man meditated. He observed his emptiness, and his incantation gestures, along with the blackness and whiteness that they summoned.

Gradually, he focused more and more on the black and white. It seemed to contain something important, although he wasn't sure what.

The white seemed to contain all of the colors in Heaven and Earth. It seemed to assimilate everything around and transform it into a similar whiteness. As for the black, it was incredibly potent and domineering, as of no colors were qualified to stand in its presence.

Gradually, Naruto immersed himself in observing the old man. Without even realizing it, he began to mediate in the same way, including the breathing exercises and the hand gestures.

Eventually, he even decided that he might as well sit in the exact same position as the old man, superimposing with his illusory form. That way, all of his motions would be exactly the same as the old man's.

He closed his eyes and immersed himself in the process. Time passed. In the blink of an eye, three years had gone by.

During the three years, Naruto grew weaker, and his life force gradually withered away. He didn't care about that, though. The only thing he was interested in was copying the movements of the old man, and finding a way to keep on living.

One day, he suddenly experienced an emptiness in which he found that neither life nor death were important. As he performed an incantation with his right hand, whiteness became visible.

Suddenly, an ancient voice filled his mind: "When you reach the end of your path, then you will have lost yourself."

Next, blackness appeared in Naruto's palm.

The ancient voice once again echoed in his mind. "When you reach the end of your path, then all you will have left is yourself." Naruto had the faint sensation that he was in the process of grasping enlightenment.

It was an enlightenment of an unimaginably vast and mysterious great Dao.

"White and black are like the daytime and nighttime…. 1" he muttered. He looked at his right hand and then slowly lifted it up toward the sky. He could sense that if he had a cultivation base, then considering his enlightenment of this Dao, he could turn the sky as dark as night or as bright as day. The interlocking of black and white could unleash a supreme power.

"Too bad I don't have a cultivation base," he thought, shaking his head. "Even if I completely understood this Dao, I still couldn't use it." He was just about to stand up when suddenly, the ship… stopped moving.

Naruto looked up, his eyes wide.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Mads Hansen

In Chinese, these words for daytime and nighttime also have the characters for white and black in them. Daytime is literally "white day" and night time is literally "black night" ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 685

Chapter 685: Traversing the Path

Up ahead, the Milky Way Sea could no longer be seen. It was as if the ship was passing through a river of time. All that could be seen were endless multicolored shards.

Within those shards existed endless worlds.

Naruto watched as the ship entered one of the shard worlds. It was a world of flames, filled with countless cultivators who kowtowed to the ship and offered up tribute.

They cultivated a fire technique that seemed to be linked to their bloodline. It seemed to supersede all of the other flames Naruto could see, and he could hear the people saying that their flame was the essence of all flames.

He couldn't interact with the world; it was as if he were simply an observer. The ship passed through the flames for an indeterminable period of time until finally it pierced into another period of time.

Here, the starry sky looked unfamiliar, completely different from the sky of Planet Ninshu. It seemed like a vast and infinite expanse.

Occasionally strange life forms would pass by. Each one would drop to their knees and offer of bizarre and fantastic objects….

Naruto felt like he was a sightseer, a tourist hitching a ride on this ship. He saw a fluttering butterfly that was incredibly enormous. It was far off in the distance, and yet still clearly visible. When it neared, it could be seen that its beauty was actually formed by the combination of countless worlds.

"Are these things that have already happened, the recollections of this ship? Or is it something else…? What is happening?" Naruto wasn't quite sure exactly what it was that he was seeing. The butterfly flew off into the distance, and the ship once again disappeared into the vastness.

When it reappeared, a boundless sea stretched out in front of Naruto. In the middle was an enormous tree stretching up into the Heavens. The tree had golden leaves, and was incredibly beautiful….

Down below sat a person, looking up silently at the tree. He stared for a long, long time, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. Finally, he smiled, and his body began to glow with a boundless light, as if he had just achieved enlightenment.

Naruto did not attempt to disturb him, but rather remained seated on the ship, as if this was simply a journey through life. Eventually, the man was left behind.

Naruto saw many, many worlds, and countless cultivators. He saw wars, and once, he even saw someone pointing at the ship and raving madly.

Naruto was somewhat at a loss. He had lost track of how many years had passed, and he also forgot that he was hovering on the verge of death. As the ship continued onward, he saw a featherless bird, a weeping crane.

A voice suddenly murmured in his ear, seemingly filled with a sense of time: "So many years. I think of you often…."

Naruto looked at the featherless, weeping crane, and for some reason, it seemed familiar.

"Don't tell me I've seen it before?" he thought hesitantly.

Time changed again, and the scenery interweaved. He saw an enormous, cultivating tree, as large as the sky. It swept amongst the stars, running amok. However, when it saw the ship, it trembled.

Naruto was confused and at a loss.

He saw many types of cultivation, and countless Daos. He saw the cause and effect of Karma, he saw life and death, he saw the Yellow Springs, he saw eternal life and… he saw true and false. He saw a person walked down a path until he became a world. He buried himself to accompany others. 1

He saw a man who eternally roamed the starry sky, continuing onward, with his destination unknown. That person… appeared to be the armored old man.

A while later he saw another land where a man held the corpse of a woman in his arms. He lifted his head up and wailed, and within his eyes burned an insanity and a stubborness that Naruto found shocking.

"The Heavens allowed you to die, but I WILL bring you back to life!" The man's echoing voice filled Naruto's heart with unprecedented waves of shock. 2

That shock was not because of the story of the man and woman, but rather, because the determination in the man's words seemed indestructible. Even if Heaven and Earth collapsed, the steadfastness of his words could not be destroyed.

"I used to think I had determination," though Naruto, "but compared to that, I don't know….

"I've lost my cultivation base, and my life is waning away. However… can I really give up, just like that?" Naruto sat on ship, thinking about the question.

His eyes slowly began to burn with a spark of life. The flame was weak, as if it might flicker out at any moment. But right now, that flame… was resplendent. It was almost as if there was a will that burned within the fire.

Even as Naruto was lost in thought, the ship suddenly trembled again. The world around changed again, and nine mountains appeared out in the starry sky.

The nine mountains were lofty and ancient, filled with endless time. It was as if they had existed even if the primordial, distant past…. It was impossible to describe exactly how large they were, but they were enormously bigger, exponentially bigger than all of the other worlds he had seen up to this point.

Also in the starry sky were nine seas.

Nine mountains and nine seas, and in the middle of them all was a sea of stars formed by all the nine seas.

The first mountain had four planets. The sun and moon… rotated around the first mountain, sending sunlight and moonlight throughout the starry sky. The light spread out boundlessly, covering each mountain, illuminating all the seas.

It was like a beautiful painting that filled Naruto's heart with intense waves of shock.

After seeing the nine mountains, a fantastic notion welled up within

Naruto. "Don't tell me… that these… are the Nine Mountains and Seas? If I can use the Mountain Consuming Incantation to consume these nine mountains, would it restore my cultivation base?"

It was an audacious idea, but as soon as it appeared in his brain it rooted itself in deeply. Naruto began to pant as he thought of the scene of the man swearing his oath to the Heavens as he held the woman in his arms. Then he thought of his own path.

"Am I really going to give up?" The flame in his eyes grew more resplendent. His gaze swept over the Nine Mountains and Seas, and eventually fell onto the Ninth Mountain.

He took a deep breath, and then without hesitation… began to employ the Mountain Consuming Incantation!

The incantation actually did not require a cultivation base, only heart. He studied the Ninth Mountain, branding the image of the mountain into his heart and mind. It was as if every aspect of the mountain remained inside of him, and that he could take it with him.

His gaze remained locked on the Ninth Mountain. He became lifeless, and even forgot about the passage of time, and everything around him. The only thing that existed was the Ninth Mountain.

Losses come with rewards. He had lost his cultivation base, but in return had received the sublimation of his spirit. Right now, amidst the silence, he slowly gained enlightenment about the Ninth Mountain.

Gradually, the image of the mountain grew clearer and clearer in his mind. One year. Two years….

Perhaps it was a hundred years, or a thousand, or ten thousand…. Naruto was in a trance as the Ninth Mountain grew clearer and clearer.

Eventually one day, the image of the Ninth Mountain became completely clear in his mind. A tremor ran through him. The image disappeared, transforming into countless magical symbols, each one of which seemed to contain a multitude of Daos.

He did not understand these Daos. However, from the perspective of the Mountain Consuming Incantation, they could be considered the mountain soul of the Ninth Mountain. Absorbing these Daos could be considered consuming the soul of the Ninth Mountain.

Naruto focused on the magical symbols; each one contained infinite profundity and possibility. Naruto proceeded onward, losing himself in their midst. As this happened, he didn't notice that during the process of his observation of the mountain, various auras had appeared on his body that were different from before.

It was at this point that suddenly, a vast, archaic will stirred in the Ninth Mountain.

"Who… is gaining enlightenment of my Ninth Mountain?!

"I am Ji Tian, the Heavens of Ji, the Lord of the Ninth Mountain and Sea!" 3

When the archaic voice thundered out, the entire Ninth Mountain instantly turned blurry. Massive ripples spread out through the world, and Naruto's mind trembled, instantly causing him to regain his senses.

The will swept about, but did not find Naruto or the ship.

The ship suddenly began to move forward. It left the Ninth Mountain and proceeded to the Eighth Mountain. Maintaining its speed, it went to the Seventh Mountain, then the Sixth Mountain….

Naruto was unable to see each mountain clearly. When the ship arrived at the Fourth Mountain, a gloomy aura suddenly spread out to cover everything.

An ancient voice suddenly could be heard.

"What is life? What is death…?

"If the lives in the underworld do not transcend, then I will not live!

"In the cycles of reincarnation, if laughter does not sound out from the underworld, then I will not die!

"Returning souls, souls leaving to be reborn, your paths go through here…. Why not return?" A rumbling filled the Fourth Mountain, and suddenly an enormous temple soared out toward Naruto. 4

From within the temple emerged an ox and a horse, completely pitch black. Massive ripples spread out from them, and their energy surged. An aura of death spread out from them to shoot toward Naruto. 5 As soon as he saw the ox and horse, he began to tremble. He felt as if he were about to fall asleep, and his soul were about to fly out….

"What is life? What is death?

However, before the ox and horse could get close, the ship had already moved off into the distance.

From behind Naruto, a sigh could be heard from the Fourth Mountain.

"Almighty one, you do not wish to rest…. Reincarnation is the end of the Dao. Although you do not wish to rest, why must you take this person along with you on your journey through your life?" 6

When Naruto heard this, his mind trembled violently. The ship passed the Third Mountain, then the Second Mountain and finally it reached the First Mountain. As for what happened next, Naruto couldn't see clearly. Everything turned black and white, becoming two spheres of mist. They swirled around, and it looked as if two pearls were forming inside of them.

Naruto looked down at his right hand. There on his palm were two pearls, not corporeal, but formed of mist.

The Black White Pearls floated up from his hand and began to rotate, seemingly containing the secrets of Heaven and Earth.

Naruto watched on thoughtfully. He could sense that the enlightenment he had received from the armored old man regarding the black and white Pearls embodied a great Dao. Perhaps it was not the path of freedom, like his own Dao, but it could definitely extend that path further.

"Within this black and white exists all of the worlds that I saw, and all the Daos….

"What is life? What is death…?" Naruto closed his eyes. It was at this point that he suddenly thought about Ke Jiusi's shocking… Soul

Divergence Incantation! 7

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Tugene Lee, Christopher Choi, Thomas

Kho, Nguyen Thanh Tung, Michael Fiddes, and Hoang Nguyen

This seems to be a reference Su Ming, the main character of another Er

Gen novel, Beseech the Devil ↩ This seems to be a reference to Wang

Lin, the main character of yet another Er Gen novel, Renegade Immortal

↩ Ji Tian in Chinese is 季天. Ji is the name of the Hebi Clan, and Tian means "Heaven." Literally, this could be "Heavens of Ji," but it is in fact someone's name. In the past, I translated it as "Heavens of Ji," and if you go back to some instances where it came up before, it suddenly makes much more sense now that you know it's a name. At the same time, it could still mean simply the Heavens of Ji. Going forward, will alternate between Ji Tian and "Heavens of Ji," depending on the context. In Chinese, it would be pretty much impossible, or at least very difficult, to guess that it's someone's name, so all previous version will remain as "Heavens of Ji." Some of the places the term appeared before include chapter 319, 321, 339, 378, 433 ↩ These words closely echo the real life Sutra of The Great Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, a hint that

Ksitigarbha is apparently a character in the novel, and has something to do with the Fourth Mountain ↩ The ox and horse seem to be a reference to Ox-head and Horse-face, guardians of hell in Chinese mythology ↩ It should be noted that in Chinese, the number 4 sounds very similar to the word for "death." Many elevators in China skip the fourth floor because it could be considered unlucky ↩ The Soul Divergence Incantation was mentioned several times throughout the Primordial Demon Immortal

Plane arc, and was elaborated on most fully in chapter 577. ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 686

Chapter 686: Homeland

The Soul Divergence Incantation allowed one to cultivate an undying soul. Once that soul appeared, the cycle of reincarnation in Heaven and Earth could not destroy it. Even if you died, your flesh and blood would be reborn years later.

It was not one of the three thousand great Daos of the ancient Demon Immortal Sect, but rather, something that Ke Yunhai had acquired by chance and taken to be a priceless treasure. Because he could not cultivate it successfully, he passed it on to Ke Jiusi.

However, it was too difficult for Ke Jiusi, despite his incredible latent talent. He could not acquire full enlightenment; in the end it had required the precious treasure that Ke Yunhai had forged before his death, coupled with the vast changes Ke Jiusu experienced, in order to comprehend it and form an undying soul that the cycle of reincarnation could not destroy.

"Life and Death," murmured Naruto. "The Soul Divergence

Incantation…." He seemed to have gained partial enlightenment, but the matter was still hazy. It was like he had grasped a vague direction, but when he examined it closely, there was nothing there.

Eventually, Naruto opened his eyes and looked down at the black and white pearls in his hand. He gazed at them for a long time, until it seemed that his will itself was fusing into the blackness and whiteness.

The black and white seemed to transform into a vortex that could consume everything. As it rotated slowly, a vision appeared in Naruto's mind. In the vision, he stood there, his cultivation base fully active. His right hand stretched up, and the Black White Pearls rotated in his palm.

Indescribable ripples spread out from the two pearls, filling the entire world. Countless living things all prostrated themselves, and Naruto could easily decide whether they lived or died. It was as if the two pearls contained a great Dao which could determine and control life and death.

One day, the ship finally stopped moving. Naruto was in a bit of a daze as he opened his eyes and caught sight of a familiar body of water. It was the Milky Way Sea. He also saw a familiar land mass, the Southern Domain.

The ship had stopped at the border of the Milky Way Sea and the Southern Domain, and it was at this point that Naruto fully regained his senses.

Everything he had experienced seemed like a dream. The dream had been a dream of a journey, or perhaps a search for the Dao.

"The truths of life and death are something that cannot be understood by someone who has not died."

Naruto sat there silently for a long time before finally rising to his feet. He turned to look back at the Milky Way Sea. Its surface was calm, and no waves could be seen. He took a deep breath.

"It seems the time has come for me to leave, and so the ship has delivered me here.

"Through the Soul Divergence Incantation, I could gain enlightenment about the difference between life and death. Yet even now I'm standing outside of the door, pacing back and forth in hesitation.

"Well then, am I willing to pass into death so quietly?

"No! I'm not willing!" His eyes filled with intense determination that burned like a fire. It kindled the flame of life inside of him, incinerating his confusion and a bitterness regarding his future.

"I still have hope. My Dao Foundation may be gone, but I still have hope!

"And my hope… lies in the Rebirth Cave!" His eyes shined with an intense glow. The Rebirth Cave was where his hope lay, and it was his last resort.

Although he didn't understand much about the Rebirth Cave, there were many, many legends about the place in the Southern Domain. Most spoke of powerful experts who, when their lives were reaching the end, when they were about to die, would enter the Rebirth Cave, hoping that inside, they would somehow be able to find a way to cause their life force to burn bright once again.

If you likened birth to a starting point and death to a finish line, then life and death form a cycle. As for the Rebirth Cave, according to the legends… it allowed for a second cycle, almost like a second life.

Naruto had heard many such legends in the Southern Domain. Actually, he had personally stepped foot into the region of the Rebirth Cave, although only the outer area, not the cave itself.

To experience rebirth, one's body must first die. Only after death could one have life in defiance of the Heavens!

"According to the legends, not just anyone can enter the Rebirth Cave," he thought, "only people who have an overwhelming desire to live, people who are pervaded by an aura of death, who have incredible determination and willpower. Only people like that can enter.

"Otherwise, one will automatically perish along the way." He looked in the direction of the Southern Domain, and the brightness in his eyes grew more and more intense. It was filled with stubborness, with the unwillingness to accept what the future seemed to hold. He took a deep breath.

"I, Naruto, will enter the Rebirth Cave! I will see what exists inside, and will find out whether or not I can acquire that second cycle, and live a second life!" He walked across the deck of the ship, then disembarked. When he stepped onto the sandy shore, he looked back to see the ancient Underworld Ship slowly drifting away. Fog spread out over the sea, covering the ship up.

In the moment before it vanished, the armored old man's eyes suddenly flickered with profundity as he looked at Naruto.

Naruto looked back, and their gazes met through the fog. What the old man saw was not Naruto's world, and what Naruto saw was not the old man's world.

Gradually the ship disappeared into the fog. Eventually, the fog dissipated. The ancient Underworld Ship was nowhere to be seen.

If the ship did not wish to be seen, then no one would ever be able to see it.

On the border between the Southern Domain and the Milky Way Sea there was a barren beach. Occasionally, the remains of various birds or beasts could be seen, but there was no sign of human habitation.

Naruto's hair was gray bordering on white, and although he wore the robe of a cultivator, his features were elderly. No matter how you looked at him, he appeared to be nothing more than an ancient, mortal man.

"I wonder how far away I am from the Rebirth Cave…." he thought as he trudged up the beach, his feet sinking into the sand with each step he took. After a time, he reached the end of the beach, where it turned into forested mountains. He glanced around, then continued to walk.

He had not walked on foot through mountainous forests for a very long time. He thought back to the time before he reached Foundation Establishment, when he had often traveled through mountainous forests like this. After Foundation Establishment, however, he had always flown up above in the air.

The mountains were not easy to travel through. There were thorns and thistles everywhere, and the sun was already beginning to set by the time he passed over the top of the first mountain. He gasped for breath the entire time, and his body ached. As evening fell, he sat down crosslegged beneath a tall tree to meditate.

Meditation was something that had become a force of habit. Although he had no cultivation base to rotate, simply meditating left him feeling calm and relaxed.

The sky grew darker, and then black. It was at this point that howling drifted through the trees, along with an acrid odor. Next, a savage threeheaded dog appeared in front of him. One of the three heads was withered, another emanated a chilling cold Qi, and the last appeared to be extremely foul-tempered.

Obviously, these mountains were the domain of this creature, and Naruto's incursion caused its eyes to be filled with killing intent.

However, it did not near him, but merely circled around him. Its cultivation base was profound; it was already at the ninth level of Qi Condensation. It had the faint sensation that Naruto was filled with boundless danger. Yet, within that sense of danger, it could also sense that he was as weak as a mortal.

The contradiction caused it to hesitate.

However, it could only be so patient. It managed to restrain itself for the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, then let out a vicious howl and transformed into a beam of colorful light that shot toward Naruto.

The two non-withered heads opened their vicious mouths, and an acrid odor filled the air as they closed in on Naruto. It was at this point that Naruto's eyes opened.

His body was weak, but when his eyes opened, they were filled with a cold gleam.

The cold gleam contained all of Naruto's killing intent. In his years leading the Crow Divinity Tribes in their migration, he had killed countless numbers of cultivators. The killing intent that existed in him was something usually suppressed by his cultivation base. But now, there was no way to suppress it, and it exploded out fully.

"Screw off!" said Naruto with a cold snort. Although he was incredibly weak, some of his energy could still turn into a pressure that bore down onto the three-headed wild dog.

The wild dog trembled, and its fur stood on end. It stopped in mid-air, its expression one of terror. When it heard Naruto speak, it instantly turned and sped away.

After scaring the wild dog away, Naruto stood up. It might be evening, but he still wanted to hurry on his way.

He was exhausted, but within that exhaustion, he found power, despite the weakness of his body. That was the former power of his fleshly body.

Of course, he couldn't utilize all of that former power. Because his life force was wasting away, he was incapable of supporting the previous level of power.

Even still, that made him like a strong, young man who caught a disease. Although he could only wield ten percent of his previous incredible power, it was still enough to give him hope. Of course, Naruto's situation was far worse than some sort of disease. His life force was wasting away, and he knew that if he allowed the power of his fleshly body to explode out, then he would surely perish.

Traveling took great effort. However, regardless of whether the sun rose or the sun set, he continued onward. The hope he placed in the Rebirth Cave was as strong as ever.

One day, he reached the end of the mountain range. As he stood at the top of one particular mountain peak, he looked out and saw a huge lake.

It was at this point that he gaped.

That lake was actually large enough to be called a sea.

It was impossible for Naruto to forget that this place… was his former hometown.

This was where the State of Zhao had once existed. When Patriarch Reliance left, it turned into a huge pit. By now, hundreds of years had passed, and it had turned into a lake.

"So, that ship delivered me here…." he murmured. He kept walking until he reached the edge of the lake, where he stood looking out at the water. Finally, he understood.

"I was born here, and this was my starting point…." He sat down crosslegged next to the lake, stared at the water, and thought of home.

There was a boat floating next to the shore, old and dilapidated. There was also a log cabin, ancient in appearance. It didn't look like anyone had lived in it for a long time.

Dark clouds filled the sky; thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. Rain… began to fall.

Naruto walked over to the cabin, sat down under the eaves, and looked out at the rain. His back was stooped, his face ancient. The rain pattered onto the lake and tapped onto the roof of the cabin. Those were the only sounds he could hear.

When evening fell, the sky turned dark. The crescent moon was mostly hidden by the clouds; only a tiny corner was visible. As the sibilant rain continued, a cold wind sprang up, blowing across the lake and causing the old, dilapidated boat to rise up and down. When the wind brushed against Naruto, he tightened his robe and looked out over the lake. There, he saw a white-robed woman walking across the water.

The instant he saw her, his eyes went wide. Then, he lowered his head.

Vol. 5 : Chapter 687

Chapter 687: You Live, I Live

The woman walked until she reached the shore. The rain fell around her, but didn't touch her clothing at all. She was beautiful, and had the aura of a cultivator, which gave her an otherworldly grace.

Her face was cold, and she was frowning. A bitter look could be seen in her eyes, and she seemed to be concealing great anxiety and confusion within her heart.

She was Xu Qing.

She had been searching for Naruto for many years, but had found nothing…. She was thinner than before, more lean.

She had followed her heart until she found this lake, which was also her former hometown.

When Naruto saw her, she also caught sight of aged Naruto. There was something strangely familiar about him, so she changed directions and headed over toward the log cabin.

"Are you the boatman here?" she asked, looking him over. Her face was filled with an expression that could cause one's heart to tremble. Naruto lowered his head and sighed inwardly.

Xu Qing's voice was calm, and just as cold as it had always been.

However, Naruto's appearance had changed far too much. Even people very familiar with him would have a hard time recognizing him based on his physical appearance.

After a long moment, Naruto nodded.

Xu Qing's frown deepened. "Have you seen anyone else pass through here?" she asked. She had searched for a hundred years, and had failed repeatedly, yet had never given up. If he was alive, she wanted to see him. If he was dead, she wanted to see the corpse. If she couldn't find him… then she would just keep on searching.

Her personality was simple, but it was that very simplicity which gave her such determination.

For some reason, she had the feeling that if she couldn't find Naruto, then perhaps…she wouldn't ever be able to find her way in life again.

"I haven't seen anyone," replied Naruto levelly, shaking his head. His voice was hoarse, and sounded nothing like it had before. He was happy to be able to see Xu Qing, but he didn't want her to realize who he was, not when he looked like this.

What was the point? It would just lead to her waiting for him outside once of the Rebirth Cave. Then, if he never came back out, she would become a woman sorrowed because of a lifetime of gloom and listlessness.

Wouldn't it be better to forget about each other….?

Xu Qing looked around the area, and then sighed inwardly. After scanning Naruto with Divine Sense, all she had seen was a mortal man. And yet, she also felt something familiar that made her give him a second look over.

"Have we met before?" she asked.

"No," he replied with the shake of a head.

She gazed at him for a very long moment, and a complex look appeared in her eyes. The intense complexity turned into sorrow, and a slight tremor ran through her body.

"I'm looking for someone," she said. "My beloved. If you see him, please pass a message along for me. In this life… if he lives, then I live. If he dies, then I die!"

Bitterly, she turned and began to walk off into the downpour. Surrounded by the rainfall, wearing her white robes, she looked like a white lotus, beautiful, unsurpassed, and yet also poignant and sad.

Naruto looked at her walking away, and a gentleness appeared in his eyes. He could see her exhaustion and anxiety, and it made him sigh.

"Some people," he thought, "chose not to let anything encumber their cultivation, and are thus able to do so with minds and hearts free of obstruction. Others have hearts filled with obsession, which enables them to achieve great Daos of Heaven and Earth.

"She… started out incorruptible. It was me showing up that changed everything…"

Finally, he spoke up, his voice soft. "Hold on."

Xu Qing stopped in her tracks, surrounded by rain. She turned back to look at him sitting there in the shadows of the wooden eaves, ancient, old, decaying.

He continued, "Is the person you're looking for a twenty-something scholar, wearing a long green robe…?"

Xu Qing trembled, and after a moment of silence, she nodded.

"I saw someone who looked like that many years ago," he said, his voice hoarse. "He lived here for about a year, after which… he died and was buried. He said this place was his home.

"Before he died, he gave me a bag. He said that if anyone came looking for him, then I should give them the bag." With that, he pulled a bag of holding out of his robe and placed it off to the side.

As Xu Qing stood there in the rain, the water began to seep past the invisible barrier and soak her clothes. She stared deeply at Naruto, then walked back and looked blankly at the bag of holding. As she picked it up, tears filled her eyes.

Of course, it was impossible to tell how much of the water flowing down her face was rain, and how much was tears.

A bitter smile appeared on her face, and she looked back at Naruto. Finally, she turned and headed once again out into the rain, taking the bag of holding with her.

As he watched her leaving, his expression was complex, but he said nothing.

Xu Qing walked about seven steps before she stopped. She didn't look back, but when she spoke, her voice echoed out in all directions.

"I might be not be very smart, but… I'm not an idiot."

Naruto didn't say anything for a moment. He knew that his words couldn't fool Xu Qing. However, sometimes it doesn't matter what is true and what is false. Sometimes… the result is all that matters.

Naruto had hoped that instead of tormenting herself by searching for him through all eternity, she could at least cut him off. After that, she could return to her incorruptible self, simple and pure.

It is better to forget….

He closed his eyes, and his heart filled with pain.

Xu Qing was quiet for a while, but finally, she smiled. It was a smile of determination and resolve that contained no regret….

She lifted her hand, and the glow of a sword flew out. It stabbed into the ground, sharp and powerful, rapidly carving out a deep, rectangular pit.

At the same time, mountain crag flew out from the nearby mountainous forest. When it arrived in front of her, she waved her hand, causing it to spin in the air. The sides were then shaved away until the crag turned into a stela.

She then rubbed her hand gently across the surface, causing words to appear.

Grave of Naruto and Xu Qing.

A bang rang out as the stone stele sank down into the ground next to the pit. She looked back at Naruto, her eyes filled with staunchness and determination.

We met on Mount Daqing.

Because of the Cosmetic Cultivation Pill in the Reliance Sect, and the way you called me Elder Sister, our fate was sealed forever.

That time in the Blessed Land in the Southern Domain, in my moment of despair, even the tears in my eyes could not obscure the image of you and your burning rage.

That time in the Black Sieve Sect, you appeared and helped me when my soul was on the verge of fading away. The way you smiled before we parted made my heart tremble.

That time by the Rebirth Cave, when you turned back to look at me, your image had already long since been imprinted in my heart…. I will never forget you, never!

I looked for you in the Western Desert Violet Sea. I searched for a long time, until finally my teardrop fell into the water. I don't know if you were able to feel it.

I don't know if you realized how happy I was when we met again in the Demon Immortal Sect. Those were the happiest days I've ever experienced. Life was calm, and we accompanied each other as we practiced cultivation. I was there at your side, you by mine.

Eventually, a day came in which I was incapable of practicing cultivation.

My heart was in chaos, and an indescribable unease filled me. That was when… I went to look for you.

"You live, I live. You die, I die!" she said softly.

Naruto's mind trembled, and he suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes were murky, but not murky enough to hide the intensity of his gaze.

He looked at Xu Qing, and he looked at the gravestone. He could see her determination, and he could see her sorrow written on the surface of the gravestone.

You live, I live. You die, I die!

These were not words of endearment, they were a promise….

"I'm a simple person," she said softly, "but just because a person is simple doesn't mean they lack determination. When a person has determination… then they will never forget. The path of cultivation is a long one, and I can't keep going on alone.

"Since that's the case, let's go together to the Yellow Springs. What do you say? I can only hope that if there is another life after this one, then we will meet again." Although her voice was not loud, and the gurgle of rain filled the air, Naruto could hear her words clearly.

The trembling of his heart increased, and he stood up. He walked out from under the eaves, allowing the rain to drench him as he walked over to stand in front of Xu Qing.

The ground was slippery, and the wind cold. Naruto was freezing, and he looked more elderly than ever.

Xu Qing looked at him. To her, it didn't matter how much he had changed. To her, he was still that young man from Mount Daqing, her Junior Brother.

Rain fell onto them, and even between them, but it couldn't stop them from looking into each other's eyes.

"Take me to the Rebirth Cave!" Naruto said. The determination in his eyes grew more intense. He wanted to keep living, and he wanted that second life from the Rebirth Cave.

He was doing it for himself, for the obsession in his heart, for Xu Qing, and for all of his friends and family!

Xu Qing smiled and nodded. She stepped forward and took hold of his hand. Despite Naruto's weakness, her face still flushed when she found herself up against his chest.

Time seemed to slow down for an eternity.

At some point, it stopped raining. A rainbow appeared in the morning sunlight, and it was beneath that rainbow that Xu Qing and Naruto transformed into a beam of light that shot off into the distance.

Naruto could not fly, but he did have magical flight items. Under the control of Xu Qing, the flying shuttle transformed into what looked like the eighth color of the rainbow.

Time passed by. The flying shuttle was powerful enough that it only took ten days to fly from the State of Zhao to the Rebirth Cave. When they finally landed outside, Naruto's face was even more ashen than before.

The closer they got to the cave itself, the more Naruto felt his life force withering away. He was shriveling up, and the death aura that surrounded him only grew stronger.

Things were different than they had been last time he was here. Perhaps then, Choumen Tai's presence had caused things to change from their normal state, and now that he had entered the Rebirth Cave, everything had returned to normal.

Life was prohibited.

This was the Rebirth Cave.

Living beings were not allowed.

The aura of death in the area made Naruto feel even weaker. As it thickened, however, Naruto could sense that a trace of opportunity existed within.

To experience rebirth, one's body must first die. Only after death could one have life in defiance of the Heavens!

Naruto took a deep breath and walked forward. Even as he took his first steps forward, Xu Qing reached out to support him. He looked back at her, and she returned the look but didn't say anything. The determination in her eyes said what thousands and thousands of words could not.

"Living beings cannot enter this place," he said softly.

She smiled faintly and then led Naruto toward the inner region of the Rebirth Cave.

As soon as they entered, Naruto became weaker than before. His body withered even faster, as if he were burning with an invisible fire. Every step forward, every step closer to the Rebirth Cave, caused his body, his soul, his everything… to waste away rapidly.

At the same time, more than ten streams of will spread out from within the Rebirth Cave. They looked coldly as Naruto and Xu Qing approached.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Robert Funk, Markus Drabek, Tracy

Guirnela, Oluetemiri Okunnuga, Jonathan Valentin, and Xenaca

Vol. 5 : Chapter 688

Chapter 688: Together

The Rebirth Cave was one of three Danger Zones in the Southern Domain. However, it ranked above the Dao Lakes and the Ancient Temple of Doom in terms of how mysterious it was!

That was because the Dao Lakes could be viewed as having been formed by ancient almighty figures who passed away in meditation. After they perished, their Daos dispersed, then experienced the vicissitudes of time, leaving behind countless shadows.

As for the Ancient Temple of Doom, its history was also a matter of record.

The Rebirth Cave was unique. To say that it was the number one Danger Zone in the Southern Domain was no exaggeration. In fact, if you looked at the entire Southern Domain as a whole, nothing was more shrouded in mystery than the Rebirth Cave. Throughout countless years, innumerable people had studied it in an attempt to pierce it secrets.

It was said that inside, one could be reborn to live another life!

For ages, many almighty experts came to the Rebirth Cave as they neared death. Not willing to follow the precepts of fate, they entered the cave to search for that opportunity. Unfortunately, those who actually succeeded were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.

One thing was certain: cultivators who entered the Rebirth Cave either succeeded, or remained inside forever as nothing more than skeletons.

The Rebirth Cave was surrounded by a forest of stones, which was a bit different than how Naruto remembered it from the first time he was there. The stones were scattered haphazardly in all directions, and seemed to be imbued with ancientness and mystery, as if they passed through time in some strange and unique way.

In the very center of the forest of stones was a squat mountain, seventy percent of which was made up by the entrance to the cave. It looked like a ghastly mouth, waiting to swallow up anyone who neared.

The entire area was gloomy and cold, and the ground was covered with bluish, frosty ice. Everything was quiet, a quiet that for countless years had almost never been disturbed by anyone.

With the exception of Choumen Tai….

There were cultivators scattered around the region of the Rebirth Cave. Most were alone, or perhaps in small groups. Such people were here to try to get close to the Rebirth Cave and use its bizarre power to cultivate certain unique techniques.

Most of them were rogue cultivators, and none dared to get too close to the cave. When Naruto and Xu Qing entered the area, there was a group of three such people sitting cross-legged not too far off, meditating. Their eyes opened and they looked at Naruto.

When they saw how weak he was, and the aura of death that surrounded him, their eyes glittered.

They could immediately discern exactly why he was there.

"His aura of death is thick, and he clearly has no cultivation base…

Rebirth… how could it be that simple!?"

"Another person here attempting to be reborn. Although, why does that woman next to him seem so familiar?"

"That's Goddess Xu Qing from the Black Sieve Sect!"

Naruto left the Southern Domain hundreds of years earlier, and during that time, Xu Qing's name had long since spread near and far. Not only were many people familiar with her personally, she was also the focus of quite a bit of public attention because of her position within the Black Sieve Sect.

For her to appear at the Rebirth Cave was shocking to these three cultivators, and they immediately began to pay close attention. They also produced jade slips that they used to send messages and notify others of what was happening.

It took only moments for large numbers of rogue cultivators to hear the news, who then rushed over to that area of the Rebirth Cave to watch Naruto and Xu Qing.

The sounds of discussions echoed about, and soon, people began to speculate who the man next to Xu Qing was.

Xu Qing completely ignored all the people watching on. In her world, there was only Naruto.

It was difficult for Naruto to continue walking, but his eyes were filled with determination. His gaze was focused on the path ahead, and on Xu Qing, who held his arm to support him. Together, they proceeded onward.

Occasionally they would look at each other and smile. Naruto's expression was gentle; Xu Qing's eyes were filled with tenderness. If this path were the road of life, then the two of them walked it side by side.

It was not an easy path to follow. They were 30,000 meters away from the Rebirth Cave itself when Naruto began to shiver. The death aura now covered his entire body, and he looked almost exactly like a corpse.

His face was ancient, and his eyes deeply clouded. Next to him, Xu Qing was also showing signs of aging.

Her eyes were as resolute as ever, though, and every time Naruto looked over at her, his heart filled with pulses of tender affection.

30,000 meters. 25,000 meters. 20,000 meters…. When they were only 15,000 meters away, Naruto's mind filled with intense exhaustion. He knew that by this point, the aura of death had entered into his soul.

Xu Qing was trembling, and her face was pale. Her life force had once been vigorous and strong, but now, it was rapidly fading, to the extent that random streaks of white could be seen in her long black hair.

She looked at least five years older than she had before, and the further along she proceeded, the more she seemed to wilt.

Naruto stopped walking and looked over at her. It was clear that he didn't want her to proceed along any further.

"If you grow old, then I'll grow old with you," she said softly, gazing at him with a tender expression.

He closed his eyes for a moment. When they opened, they glowed with a brilliant light. His withered body suddenly seemed to be filled with energy, as if the last sparks of his life force had been unleashed. He lifted his right hand, and power surged within him.

This was the last bit of power that he could unleash from his Spirit

Severing fleshly body. He waved his sleeve, and power wrapped around Xu Qing, sending her flying out from within the Rebirth Cave area.

She was powerless to even struggle. Naruto's Spirit Severing strength sent her away in the blink of an eye. When she reappeared, she was outside of the region of the Rebirth Cave. She bit down on her lip.

She couldn't help but think back to the last time she and Naruto were here by the Rebirth Cave. She had only been able to stand there alone off in the distance, struggling inwardly as she watched him depart.

"This time, I won't sit by idly!" she thought, her eyes filling with determination.

Meanwhile, Naruto's aura had exploded out, filling the rogue cultivators in the area with complete shock. They instantly felt an incredible, indescribable pressure weighing down on them.

Their minds trembled and their faces fell. One by one, they looked in the direction of the Rebirth Cave.

"Is this being caused by that old man?"

"Is it that guy who was walking with Goddess Xu Qing?"

"What cultivation base is that? Don't tell me… it's Spirit Severing!"

At the same time, Naruto's body transformed into a prismatic beam of light that shot toward the Rebirth Cave 15,000 meters away.

In the blink of an eye, he passed the 10,000 meter mark, and was at the border of the forest of stones. It was at this point that Naruto's body trembled as the last bit of his cultivation base power scattered thanks to the power of the stones in the forest. He dropped to the ground and leaned up against one of the stones. His face was deathly pale, and his eyes blurry.

He felt an indescribable aura of death in the area. It was so strong that it turned into a white mist that covered the ground in all directions. Every inhalation and exhalation was filled with death and decay.

After a long moment, he struggled to lift up his head and then looked at the remaining 5,000 meters that lay between him and the Rebirth Cave. He gritted his teeth and slowly began to walk forward, one step at a time….

Never before in his life had 5,000 meters been such a difficult distance to cross. After walking only about 1,500 meters, he coughed up a mouthful of blood, which was purplish-black and exuded an aura of rot.

His eyes were even more cloudy than before, and his body was ice cold and stiff. His consciousness was fading, and the only thing he could think about was walking forward….

He proceeded on toward the Rebirth Cave, where he would struggle for his chance to be reborn.

He didn't know how much time had passed. He walked on, trembling, his death aura growing stronger with every step. In the end, his consciousness grew even weaker. Behind him, the path he had walked was stained with the purplish-black blood that he had coughed up, although he couldn't see that.

Everything was quiet, as quiet as a world of death….

Inside the Rebirth Cave, the ten streams of will stared at him coldly. From further within the depths of the cave, eight other streams of will emerged to sweep over him. They were filled with the feeling of ancientness and time, as if they were archaic divine beings.

As Naruto got closer and closer. He walked on further until he was only 500 meters away. It was at this point that a single stream of will silently appeared deep within the Rebirth Cave. When it did, all the other streams of will scattered, trembling.

The solitary stream of will focused on Naruto, 500 meters outside of the cave.

Eventually, Naruto reached his limit. A tremor ran through him; his head began to sag, and his knees were so stiff they couldn't bend. He looked almost like a dried up corpse.

There was no life force left in him, only a tiny strand that was his stubborn determination to resist fate!

However, as his consciousness faded, even that strand turned dark. He fell to the ground, 250 meters away from the Rebirth Cave.

"Is it over…?" he murmured as his consciousness disappeared.

In the moment that he fell, a sigh could be heard echoing out from within the cave. All of the wills present slowly retracted, apparently no longer interested in what was happening. Only the solitary will from earlier remained, looking at something behind Naruto.

Then, the wills which had retreated just now slowly began to tremble. All of them appeared once again, to look at what was behind Naruto.

Within the white mist of death, a woman could be seen trudging along. Each step was taken with difficulty as she entered the forest of stones. Her life force seemed to be filled with determination, dredged up from some unknown place within her.

Her body was slowly withering, her cultivation base dim, and her previously lovely features now elderly as she walked slowly toward Naruto.

This was Xu Qing.

She was different than Naruto, who had lost his Dao foundation. Her once flourishing life force had been fused with the soul of Matriarch Phoenix. Therefore, she could proceed further in toward the Rebirth

Cave than he could. To her, it was just a matter of struggling forward.

When she looked down at fallen Naruto, within whom no life force existed, tears began to stream down her face. She gently lifted him up so that he lay against her, then tenderly kissed him.

A strand of life force emerged from within her, passing through her lips into his mouth. Her face flushed with an unusual redness, within which would be seen weakness, but also life.

"This is a secret art from the Demon Immortal Sect… I give you my life…." As she watched Naruto once again filling with a bit of life, she smiled. Then she thought back to the time they had walked through the Reliance Sect in the moonlight, watched by everyone.

She looked up toward the Rebirth Cave 250 meters away, and then began to walk forward, carrying him in her arms.

Her face continued to grow more wrinkled, and her body trembled. Her life force was fading away, and yet with every step she took, she continued to pass some of it to Naruto.

Every time she did, she grew weaker and older. Yet no regret existed in her heart whatsoever.

Carrying Naruto, she walked the entire 250 meters, all the way to the entrance of the Rebirth Cave. Then, without any hesitation…

She walked in.

You live, I live. You die, I die!

If you grow old, then I'll grow old with you….

Vol. 5 : Chapter 689

Chapter 689: Is There Really Such a Thing as Rebirth?

Xu Qing was smiling, and it was beautiful. Although her hair was white and her face covered with wrinkles, her smile was as beautiful as ever.

She gazed softly at Naruto, and a glow filled her face that could almost be described as holy. She appeared to be seeing everything that had happened on Mount Daqing and in the Reliance Sect. Each scene ended with Naruto, and when that happened, her eyes seemed to fill with all of the love that existed in her life.

She had a simple personality, and was not the type of person to allow the seeds of love to be planted easily. However, once those seeds were planted… they existed for a lifetime.

She held Naruto in her arms as she walked forward step by step, directly into the ghastly cave mouth in the side of the mountain, the Rebirth Cave.

Stepping into the cave was like passing through the barrier that existed between life and death. In that instant, everything turned black, and no more warmth existed. There was not even a scrap of the life that existed in Heaven and Earth. The only thing that remained was stifling death and infinite coldness.

The outside of the Rebirth Cave, and the inside of the cave, were two different worlds.

One was a world of life, the other was a world of death.

When Xu Qing carried Naruto inside, all of the wills inside the cave retreated back into the recesses of the cave to watch from afar.

To them, when Naruto and Xu Qing were on the outside, they were people from a different world. Not only were they envious and jealous of them, they also scorned and disdained them.

But now that Xu Qing had carried Naruto into the Rebirth Cave, they were all the same, and all existed in the same world.

Here, there was no power of Heaven and Earth. When living things entered the cave, their life force would fade away even more rapidly than before. When it disappeared, when they were inundated with death, then all they could do was wait for the supposed… awakening.

Xu Qing walked onward with Naruto, her face pale, her body trembling. Her life force was rapidly fading away, and as for the single strand that existed within Naruto, it would soon be completely gone.

In the moment when Naruto's strand of life disappeared, Xu Qing kissed his lips again, delivering more of her own life force… into him.

By the time she had walked a few dozen meters into the cave, Xu Qing's face was completely ancient, and her body was extremely withered. She was thin and emaciated, with no trace of youth left in her at all. She had lost everything.

She sat down cross-legged.

"Naruto," she murmured, "I can't go any further…." He now lay resting across her legs, his face devoid of blood, his features ancient. She looked down at him. "When I joined the Reliance Sect, I had already promised myself that I would never marry anyone, not for my entire life. I would not become someone's beloved. Instead, I would focus solely on cultivation…." She stroked his face with a hand that had once been as lustrous as jade, but was now dried up and old.

"But then you came along…." she said. Her face flushed a bit as she looked at him for a long moment. Then she leaned down and kissed him again, delivering more of her life force.

As the life force entered him, a bit of color returned to his face. On the other hand, Xu Qing's only became more withered. The amount of life force she had was only growing less and less.

"You had only been in the sect for a short time when you happened to get that medicinal pill," she murmured. "When you ended up giving the pill to me as a gift… my face was calm, but my heart was actually filled with joy.

"Not because of you, but because of the pill." She smiled. "I gave you the Immortal's cave because I figured it would make us even. But then, you crafty little fox, you managed to entangle me even further. You got your hands on a Cosmetic Cultivation Pill…." When she thought back to everything that had happened back then, her smile grew sweeter, and she gently stroked Naruto's cheek.

"Did you know that when you killed Zhao Wugang, I secretly helped to make sure no one found out? Down to this day, I don't think you ever realized that.

"And then you opened your shop in the sect…. Ai. If I wasn't there… well, let's just say that by that time a lot of people had taken an interest in you." Xu Qing wanted to smile, but suddenly was overtaken by a fit of coughing. Fearful of disturbing Naruto, she covered her mouth. When she lowered her hand, it was covered with purplish blood.

"If the Reliance Sect hadn't been destroyed, I wonder how things would have turned out…. When I was taken to the Black Sieve Sect, I was met with coldness. Everything was strange, and I had to deal with that malicious Elder Brother….

"Back then, I really missed the Reliance Sect, and I missed the State of Zhao. I missed… you." She looked down, and delivered another strand of life force to Naruto.

Her face was pale white, and her body frail and withered. She looked like a lamp that was on the verge of flickering out, and she was well aware that every bit of life force she gave to Naruto caused her own death to approach even more quickly.

Right now, she could still abandon Naruto. If she left the Rebirth Cave, because of her special soul, she could easily return to the outside world and recover all of her life force.

But she did not do that. Nor did she regret the decision.

"You don't know it," she murmured, "but when I saw you in the crowds of people, at first, I thought I was dreaming…. Then, in my moment of despair in the ancient Blessed Land, you appeared. From that moment on, you were in my heart.

"Not long after, you saved me again, from the discarnate soul of Matriarch Phoenix.

"Later, outside the Rebirth Cave, I could only weep as I watched you disappear into the distance. My heart hurt so bad….

"When I went to the Violet Sea, I couldn't find you, but I could sense that you were so close….

"Finally, I saw you again in the ancient Demon Immortal Sect. Naruto… I was so happy then. Thank you." She looked down at him for a long moment.

She didn't speak very often about how she felt, but her actions showed how deeply her love went. Anyone in Heaven and Earth who could have a companion like this could die without any regrets.

"Naruto, I can't hold on much longer…." She was not a flickering lamp any more. She had reached the end of the road. If she closed her eyes now, then she would never open them again.

Perhaps if she closed her eyes, then years later, someone would come into the Rebirth Cave to find their bodies. A woman, sitting cross-legged. A man, reclining across her legs.

One sleeping. The other smiling. Through all eternity….

"You live, I live. You die, I die….

"If you grow old, then I'll grow old with you.

"If you slumber here, then I will accompany you…." Xu Qing lowered her head and began to deliver the last bits of life force she had to Naruto through a kiss.

As the life force left her, she shivered, and her hair began to fall out. Everything started to go blurry. However, she gritted her teeth and once again prepared to give some more.

By this point, even all of the observing streams of will were shaken by what they saw. It was then that the stream of will that belonged to the roc suddenly emerged, transforming into a woman.

She stood there in front of Xu Qing, indescribably striking and matchlessly beautiful.

She was the embodiment of the roc. She came from the bones that existed in the coffin in the Milky Way Sea. She was… the goodness of the Resurrection Lily that had reached Immortal Ascension at dawn.

Back then, she had fallen in love with a man. From that moment on, she willingly sank into depravity. Because she faced pain and sorrow, she took her goodness and severed it away. Then she became the Dawn Immortal.

That goodness now appeared in front of Xu Qing, in the form of this woman.

"If you keep that up, your soul will scatter," said the woman softly.

Despite her muddled consciousness, Xu Qing heard the woman's words and looked up.

"If you keep it up, you will lose your life for all eternity…." The woman looked down at Xu Qing, and almost seemed to be looking down at herself. "From time immemorial, the League of Demon Sealers have been heartless. Is it really worth it to do what you're doing?"

"I don't know if it's worth it or not," murmured Xu Qing. "I only know that without him in my life, then I can only live a life of pain. In that case, why not die together? I don't fear death. What I fear is the pain of being alone."

The woman seemed to shiver, and she looked down thoughtfully at Xu Qing. Finally, she sighed softly. "You'll regret it."

Xu Qing smiled but didn't say anything. She was confident in her heart.

"Don't believe me, huh…?" said the woman. "I didn't believe either. Well, in that case, I'll help you to see. We will find out who is right, you, or me." A strange light began to glow in the woman's eyes.

"You have the vestiges of a discarnate soul on you," continued the woman, "as well as the Daoist magic of the Black Sieve Sect. Within the Black Sieve Sect is a precious medicinal pill. It's called the Soul Birth Pill. If you can get that pill, then he will have a chance to live." With that, the woman waved her sleeve, causing an cold wind to spring up around Xu Qing. It picked her up and carried her far off into the distance, out of the Rebirth Cave and into the world of the living, all the way to the vicinity of the Black Sieve Sect.

When the wind faded away, Xu Qing stood there ashen-faced. Her consciousness was no longer muddled, and she looked like her old self. She turned her head to look back toward the Rebirth Cave, and began to breathe heavily. Then she turned and headed toward the Black Sieve Sect.

Back in the Rebirth Cave, the woman stood next to Naruto, looking at him.

"Is there really such a thing as rebirth…?

"I have been to every corner of this cave. I left no rock unturned. And I can tell you… there is no rebirth in this place.

"The only thing here is a Ninth Mountain and Sea lodestone. It fell here countless years ago, and enables souls around it to exist forever and cultivate Ghost Immortality.

"Rebirth, ah, rebirth…. It's a beautiful dream, and nothing more. It's merely a fiction, invented by people who aren't willing to die.

"The rosy picture such stories paint gradually obscured the truth, from one generation to the next…." The woman's voice was strange and filled with bitterness, as well as exhaustion. As she lost herself in memories of the past, her body gradually faded away.

Naruto lay there in the silence. He had no more consciousness, and everything around him was still. It was so quiet that it seemed as if no voices had existed in the area since ancient times.

Without the support of Xu Qing's life force, Naruto's own life force was rapidly diminishing. After enough time passed for half an incense stick to burn… it had completely vanished.

Within him, Immortal Shows the Way also withered, and gradually lost any usefulness to him. When that happened, a tall man sitting crosslegged deep within the Rebirth Cave looked up and sighed.

"There really is no rebirth in this place," he said. "There is only a Ninth Mountain and Sea lodestone….

"So, he is not the one who can help me…. Who have I been waiting for, then?"

"Where is the person I've been waiting for…?" This man was none other than Choumen Tai.

—–

Note from Deathblade: This chapter and the past few chapters have made many, many references to past chapters. So many references, in fact, that I gave up on trying to make footnotes for them all.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Felix

Vol. 5 : Chapter 690

Chapter 690: The Chapter that Never Was!

Note from Deathblade: Er Gen actually made a mistake when posting his chapters, and skipped from 689 directly to 691. I guess that means ISSTH is technically 1613 chapters long, not 1614!

Vol. 5 : Chapter 691

Chapter 691: Extend the Broken Bridge of Life Force

Half a month passed by.

Xu Qing did not return.

Naruto lay surrounded by coldness and deathly silence. He did not decompose, nor would he for some time. His body lay there, completely lacking any life force whatsoever.

He was dead.

Normally speaking, his soul could enter the cycle of reincarnation. However, because of the Ninth Mountain and Sea lodestone that existed in the Rebirth Cave, the soul was sealed, and could not dissipate. Furthermore, his soul did not leave his body, preventing the souldevouring entities from doing anything other than look at him.

As time passed, they were able to see that within Naruto was a strand of silk wrapped tightly around his soul.

As long as the silk did not break, the larva could not be destroyed. As long as the larva was not destroyed, the silk could not break!

Life or death hung by a thread… the thread of the eyeless larva! It allowed the existence of Naruto's soul to be forever preserved, even if his body perished. From these seemingly contradictory circumstances arose a state of undeath which was virtually unheard of in Heaven and Earth!

In some ways, it conformed with the Soul Divergence Incantation. However, it was not rebirth.

Another half month passed, and finally, someone appeared outside of the Rebirth Cave.

It was not Xu Qing. It was a fat, middle-aged man. He had a somewhat bawdy look to him, and his body was almost like a sphere. He had freckles on his face, and the Daoist robe he wore was a bit too tight. The way his body bulged out of it made his whole image seem disharmonious.

Apparently, however, he thought of himself as burly and muscular. A greatsword could be seen strapped to his back, and it glittered with golden light.

This was the same Fatty from years ago, Li Fugui.

He was alone, shivering as he moved at high speed into the region surrounding the Rebirth Cave. His face quickly turned pale.

"Dangit, I'm gonna be dead meat! Naruto, you jerk, your cons are going to be the death of me!

"And Elder Sister Xu, aiiiii…" Fatty looked upset, but his steps didn't pause for even a moment. Even though his life force was dissipating rapidly, he shot forward at top speed.

When he reached the 3,000 meter mark, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Immediately, multi-colored beams of light shot out from inside of him. Within each beam of light could be seen the image of a meditating old man.

"I'm the only heir of my bloodline in the Golden Frost Sect, fools!" bellowed Fatty. "I might not have many kinds of treasures on me, but there's one thing I have a lot of, and that is life-saving treasures!" It was impossible to say how many life-saving treasures Fatty actually had on his person, but as of this moment, vast amounts appeared as he passed into the 1,500 meter area.

By this time, the glow that surrounded him was starting to fade away. His body no longer looked like a sphere. His flesh withered, and in the blink of an eye, he was suddenly much skinnier.

"Naruto is my big bro. For him, all of my precious flesh is disappearing… Uh… well, a bit of gorging will restore it." With a howl, Fatty shot into the 1,000 meter mark. By now, he was was so skinny that he looked like a normal person. At the same time, cracking sounds could be heard coming from his body.

Those would be his numerous lifesaving treasures treasures being destroyed.

"Dammit, still 1,000 meters to go. The only reason Elder Sister Xu is in such a heartbreaking situation is because of Naruto. I don't even know if she's still alive…. Everything is up to me now. If I can't get through, then I'll regret it for the rest of my life!" Li Fugui's eyes were completely bloodshot. Roaring, he pulled out more life-saving treasures and, ignoring the rapid withering of his body, continued on, pushing forward another 250 meters.

By that point, his life force was reaching the limit. His vision was growing blurry and dark. If he went any further, he would die.

Actually, the only reason he was able to make it this far was because of all the magical items, and the fact that earlier, he had consumed vast quantities of medicinal pills designed to invigorate his life force.

"750 meters!" Tears welled up in his eyes as he looked at the squat mountain up ahead. Although he seemed unaffected on the outside, the truth was, when he learned about Naruto's situation, he had dropped everything to rush to this place where life was prohibited. Clearly, in his heart, Naruto really was his big bro!

Naruto was the same big bro from back in the Reliance Sect, when they had first started practicing cultivation together.

"Naruto, I've done my best!" Tears began to roll down his cheeks as he lifted up his right hand. In his palm rested a black pill bottle, which was surrounded by a rotating black halo. As soon as the pill bottle appeared, the death aura in the area rapidly increased.

At the same time, the wills that lurked in the depths of the Rebirth Cave emerged. They swirled about inside the cave, staring at the pill bottle in Fatty's hand.

Fatty gritted his teeth and then hurled the pill bottle toward the Rebirth Cave. It transformed into a black beam that shot directly into the mouth of the cave.

Fatty coughed up a mouthful of purplish-black blood. His body continuing to wither, he turned and transformed into a beam of light that shot off into the distance. Tears continued to stream down his face as he flew away.

"Naruto, you have to be reborn…. You must come out of there!"

Back in the Rebirth Cave, the pill bottle landed on the ground. The wills approached and were about to begin fighting over it when the cold snort of a woman could be heard. Although no outsider would be able to detect it, the wills could hear it clearly, and they instantly began to tremble.

At the same time, an overbearing will emerged from the depths of the cave to sweep up the pill bottle. It then transformed into the very same woman who had sent Xu Qing out of the cave.

She looked around, and the other streams of will scattered, returning to their various places of origin within the Rebirth Cave. The woman turned back around and walked up to Naruto's corpse. She looked him over and then looked at the pill bottle.

She said nothing for a long moment.

Xu Qing had not returned, which was something the woman assumed would happen when she sent her away. Except, she had assumed that love-smitten Xu Qing, after regaining some clarity and having more options to pick from, would hesitate about the difficult decision.

She had assumed that Xu Qing would choose to protect her own life.

But now that the pill bottle had appeared, this woman, the embodiment of the goodness of the Resurrection Lily, suddenly felt her heart trembling.

"She didn't come," the woman said softly, "but she sent someone in her stead to deliver the pill. And that person had strange, incredible treasures to prevent his soul from dissipating…." Although she didn't know the details, she could guess what had happened. Poor Xu Qing had paid an indescribable price to get her hands on the medicinal pill.

The woman sighed.

"My life has been one of sorrow….

"There is no rebirth here. Perhaps there is no rebirth at all. But I did give her my promise, after all….

"I have already existed for far, far too long, and no longer desire to live.

"Since that is the case, why not help her achieve her aim?" The woman looked at the pill bottle in her hand. After a long moment, she suddenly clenched her hand into a fist. The pill bottle shattered with a bang, and a medicinal pill flew out, which the woman immediately consumed.

Instantly, her previously illusory body suddenly became material. Shockingly, she now possessed flesh and blood.

"It feels good to have a flesh and blood body again, even if it's temporary…." she said softly. This time, her voice was real.

"I will help her achieve her aim. Then she will see whether faithful people truly exist. She will see what decision this final successor of the

League of Demon Sealers will make when it comes time to sever emotion.

"The reason I am saving you is not for your sake, but for her," she said softly. "When the time comes, we will see whether or not she will become like me.

"I take my promises very seriously. It is with the same faithfulness that I treated HIM, all those years ago, that I will treat this girl who wishes to follow in my footsteps.

"I did not come to the Rebirth Cave to look for death, but rather, rebirth. I wanted to have a chance at a new self. I wanted to sever the past, and finally be free when I emerged.

"But this place… has no rebirth!

"What does exist here, though, is my long life… which I can use to extend the broken bridge of your life force!" The woman made a grasping gesture toward the depths of the Rebirth Cave, toward a three hundred meter wide black boulder, half of which was buried in the dirt.

The black rock trembled and shook until a piece of it tore off of the top, which then flew toward the woman.

She grabbed it and crushed it, transforming it into a black powder that she sprinkled over Naruto's body.

At the same time, she performed an incantation gesture. Her eyes filled with a look of reminiscence as she recalled beautiful memories. After a long moment of silence, she pushed two fingers down onto the forehead of Naruto's stiff, withered corpse.

As soon as her fingers touched his forehead, his previously unmoving body suddenly spasmed. In the same moment, the woman began to slowly wither, starting with her feet.

Her life force, her vitality, her everything, poured through her two fingers into Naruto.

She looked up into the blackness around them, and images appeared in her mind. She saw herself, and the man who she could never forget.

"You live, I live. You die, I die…. I spoke words like that too," she murmured. Her body continued to wither, whereas Naruto's was recovering. He was no longer ancient, and signs of life could be seen within him.

"Back then, I looked at you and you looked at me….

"From that day on, I accompanied you. I followed you through so many deadly situations….

"Every time you were hurt, I felt pain. Every time you smiled, I was happy. I know… that you tried to part with me on more than one occasion, but your reluctance held you back." Her legs were now withered, almost like roots connected to the ground. Her life force poured into Naruto, causing his hair to grow long, his face to flush with life. He was not old any more, but rather, middle-aged.

The life force gathered up in Naruto, filling up what had once been empty.

"I also know that you had your wife, your Sect, your responsibilities, and your mission. You had everything that was yours.

"But I… really only had you.

"Even my name was given to me by you. I liked it when you called me

Da Nu…. 1

"If you grow old, I'll grow old with you. I also said the same thing." The woman's voice was soft as she spoke, filled with beauty and mystery and pain. By now, her body was almost completely withered. Because of the life force she was giving to Naruto, he was now a young man again. Except for the fact that his eyes were not open, he looked exactly as he had so many years ago.

"There is only one thing that I said which she didn't.

"If you reach Immortal Ascension, then I… will become Immortal with you!

"I never broke your heart. I would never, ever hurt you. But on that particular dawn, on the day of vicissitudes, when I saw you severing your emotions, I wept….

"I took all the goodness that was in me, and left it in a coffin in the Milky Way Sea. I don't blame you….

"If something is to blame, it is that I am not a real woman, but only… a

Resurrection Lily who fell in love with you."

The image of herself in her eyes suddenly was that of a beautiful Resurrection Lily, planted deep within the body of a man. After being inside of him for countless years, she… fell in love with her own host.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Seanl, Robert Funk, Peter Johansson, and Fabian Müller

The name Da Nu was first mentioned in chapter 101 ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 692

Chapter 692: A Promise to Keep

Far away in the Great Tang of the Eastern Lands, in a random village, a somewhat sloppily-dressed painter was looking askance at a rich man who fawned over him with endless words.

"Immortal, sir, I beg of you to paint me. I'm willing to pay any price." "My paintings are very expensive," was the response.

The rich man nodded enthusiastically, then waved to his retainers to carry over several large chests.

The old painter glanced at them out of the corner of his eye, then cleared his throat. "Well, it seems that the two of us are connected by destiny. Because of that, I'll paint something for you."

He was just about to begin painting when a frown appeared on his face.

"Something just came up," he said. "I need to take a mental journey. Please wait for a moment." With that, he sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.

The rich man didn't dare to disturb him, and simply stood there off to the side, waiting.

Back in the Southern Domain, in the Rebirth Cave, Da Nu looked off into the nothingness, lost in her memories.

She was a lily that had bloomed with seven colors. On the day of vicissitudes, she had reached Immortal Ascension. However, she mistakenly fell in love with her host. When she reached Immortal Ascension, she severed her goodness and buried it at the bottom of the Milky Way Sea.

On that day, her tears had merged into the Milky Way Sea, and she became… the Dawn Immortal.

As for her goodness, it remained at the bottom of the Milky Way Sea, the same Da Nu as before.

Many years later, she emerged from the coffin and entered into the body of the fish. When she splashed out from the water, she became a roc that flew toward the Rebirth Cave, emanating an intense aura of death. 1

That aura of death came from her dead heart.

In the Rebirth Cave, she had hoped to experience a baptism, a rebirth, to become new. But no matter how she searched, there was no rebirth to be found in the Rebirth Cave. It was then that she understood. The Rebirth Cave was nothing more than a fantasy.

She could not achieve rebirth, so she remained there, submerged in her memories. No one in the world could understand her pain. But then she saw Xu Qing, and when she did, she realized that Xu Qing was just like herself all those years ago.

She sighed. The memories flashing in her mind's eye seemed to grow more beautiful. In contrast, her body was already more than half withered up, like a dying flower.

The hand that touched Naruto's forehead was visibly draining as her boundless life force poured into his body. He was now completely recovered, and didn't look old at all.

Inside of him, glowing motes of light appeared. They packed together densely, interlocking to form into the shape of an arched bridge.

However… the bridge was incomplete. In the very middle, there was a broken section, making it impossible for the bridge to be whole.

Those motes of light were the life force that Da Nu was sending into Naruto, and that bridge was none other than the Bridge of Life!

"I don't blame you…." murmured Da Nu softly. Her eyes were blank, her mind submerged into memories that no one could see.

Her entire arm was now dried up. The withering spread to her neck. It looked almost like tendrils, climbing up to her forehead, and eventually covering her entire head. When the tendrils reached her eyes, she was thinking about the first time she had met her host.

In that moment, he had looked at her, and she him. It was a moment that seemed as if it would last an eternity.

"I have never blamed you…." When the withering took Da Nu's eyes, two teardrops fell. They rolled down her withered face and then landed on the ground with a soft patter.

Her eyes grew listless, and she closed them. Then she lifted up the hand that was pushing down onto Naruto's forehead. After a moment, she softly struck his head.

The blow seemed light, but the force hit him like lightning. He trembled violently, and roaring filled his mind.

The countless nodes of light inside of him that formed the Bridge of Life suddenly vibrated and then expanded. In that moment, the two sides of the bridge linked together, and it was whole.

When the Bridge of Life was complete, Naruto's body spasmed in unprecedented fashion. He suddenly breathed again. His previously still heart began to emit a thumping sound.

When his heart started beating, the powder Da Nu had created from the Ninth Mountain and Sea lodestone swept toward his chest and fused into his heart.

Ba-dump. Ba-dump!

His heart continued to beat, and the sound of it echoed throughout the Rebirth Cave. Suddenly, an incredible gravitation force exploded out inside of his heart.

At the same time, his soul, which had been wrapped up by the Eyeless Larva silk, was caught up by the gravitational force. It merged into his heart, and then was superimposed over his body.

In this moment, the Bridge of Life was thoroughly linked and whole. Blinding light shone out to fill the Rebirth Cave, dispelling all of the darkness. The resplendent light was dazzling to the extreme.

Naruto's blood began to flow. His life force was vigorous! His soul was back in place! He had returned to life!

His eyes snapped open.

The first thing he saw was Da Nu. He saw her withered body, and felt his own surging life force. He could immediately sense the connection between it and the woman.

His mind trembled. If by this point he couldn't understand what had happened, then his over two hundred years of life would have been lived in vain. It was obvious that this woman had given him her own life force.

"Senior…."

Da Nu looked at him, and her eyes suddenly flickered open. "I gave you life, not for you, but for her."

An image suddenly appeared in his mind.

He saw himself fall down outside the Rebirth Cave, and he saw Xu Qing arrive. She picked him up and struggled to carry him forward. She had once been beautiful, but now, her hair was white and she was ancient. Purplish-black blood oozed out of the corners of her mouth.

And yet, no regret could be seen in her eyes. She looked at Naruto with gentleness and determination.

He watched as Xu Qing used her own life force to sustain him. Every time she delivered her life force to him, it would keep him alive for a bit longer, and make her weaker.

However, her smile never faded.

When he saw these things, Naruto trembled. He watched Xu Qing carry him into the Rebirth Cave and sit down cross-legged. He watched her stroke his face.

Xu Qing was ancient, her hair white, and yet she continued to give him her life force, one bit at a time, no matter the consequences to herself.

"You live, I live. You die, I die!"

Tears streamed down Naruto's face. Next, he saw Da Nu appear. She sent Xu Qing away…. And then Fatty came to deliver the medicinal pill.

All of these things struck into his heart and mind like lightning. He trembled violently, and an intense dread suddenly filled him.

"Why… why didn't Xu Qing bring it herself?" Naruto didn't dare to think about it. He jerked his head up to look at Da Nu.

At the same time, he rose to his feet. Inside, he knew… something bad had happened to Xu Qing!

He had to go find her! He had to find Xu Qing!

However, in the moment that he stood, his face suddenly fell, and he stood there, terror-stricken and motionless. His hands clenched tightly into fists as he realized that he was constrained to the absolute limit.

He shivered ceaselessly as he remembered that he had no cultivation base. He was completely empty….

"There is no such thing as rebirth…." murmured Da Nu to herself. Her body was almost completely withered. She looked at Naruto and was just about to deliver the last of her life force to him, and then slip into death, when…

Suddenly, everything began to shake and rumble!

A black mist sprang out from within the depths of the Rebirth Cave. It quickly filled every corner of the cave, as well as the area hundreds of thousands of meters surrounding the cave, turning it all into a world of black mist.

The black mist rose up into the sky, shockingly transforming into an enormous head. The head had black hair, and its facial features were blurry, but it was clearly immeasurably ancient.

"Who said there is no such thing as rebirth!?" growled the voice.

Da Nu looked up, and her eyes filled with a strange light. She had lived inside the Rebirth Cave for many years, and had visited all the areas within, but she had never sensed anything like this black mist.

Even more shocked was Choumen Tai. He could hear the voice from his position deep in the cave, and it filled his mind with roaring. He shot to his feet, his face covered with astonishment. He had also been concealed in the cave for many years, and was very familiar with every inch of the place. However, he was completely unaware that anything like this existed inside!

"Who is this?" he thought with a gasp. He suddenly realized that the Rebirth Cave… was not at all how he had believed it to be.

There were mysteries here… that even he couldn't detect.

"The Dao of rebirth exists outside of the laws of Heaven and Earth. You can't feel it, that's all….

"On this day, you chose death to help this person. That… is true rebirth!

"Rebirth is a death and a life, a cycle. Henceforth, he will represent you on the path of cultivation. You die for him in the cycle of reincarnation.

That… is true rebirth!

"If you understand, then you can free yourself from your worldly concerns. If you don't understand, then… your next life will be one of darkness."

Da Nu's body quivered in shock and her breathing grew ragged. She listened to the voice's words and her eyes gradually flashed with signs of comprehension.

"Rebirth…. Senior, please instruct me." She slowly closed her eyes, and in that moment, completely withered up, transforming into a Resurrection Lily, right there in the Rebirth Cave.

"Goodness personified, and in the end you still perform good deeds, imbuing your very breath into his body. You are the embodiment of truth and law…. Because of this, I will help you this one time!" Even as the voice echoed about, the black mist contracted. It began to congeal inside of the Rebirth Cave, next to the Resurrection Lily, where it turned into a brush. The brush moved about, seemingly using the air as its canvas to paint an extremely realistic Resurrection Lily.

The brush swished, and the illusory Resurrection Lily settled onto Da Nu's withered body.

"Sleep for 10,000 years. After that, if you can awaken, then you will be reborn." As the voice echoed out, the black mist seemed to turn its attention onto Choumen Tai, who was deep in the recesses of the Rebirth Cave.

Choumen Tai's mind trembled.

"You are a soul who has experienced many years of life, and many reincarnations. You have relied on your persistence to reach this day…. Continue on. I can sense something very familiar about you."

Choumen Tai began to pant. "Are you…."

Before he could finish speaking, the mist seethed, and Choumen Tai was suddenly swept up. He had no control over his body as he was ejected out of Planet Ninshu and sent out into the starry sky.

"Regardless of whether or not the person you are waiting for is here," said the voice, "if all you know how to do is use others, then if the time ever comes in which you can bring back to life that person who exists in your heart, well… you will feel only regret. Leave. When the time comes that you understand, you can return here."

Back in the Rebirth Cave, everything was quiet. The mist spun around and around, and a figure seemed to become visible, looking at Naruto.

Trembling, Naruto rose to his feet and walked to the mouth of the Rebirth Cave. Although he was merely alive as a mortal now, he still… had a promise to keep.

You live, I live. You die, I die!

In the moment in which Naruto was about to step foot out of the Rebirth Cave, the blurry figure behind him coolly said, "Why do you care about the Perfect stratum so much anyway?"

A fish turning into a bird-like creature is a common part of Chinese mythology. I've seen a few comments that I should translate "roc" as "peng." Sorry to say, that would only be partly correct. Er Gen consistently uses the full term "鲲鹏," which combines the fish character "kun" and the bird character "peng." If I were going transliterate it, the most accurate term would be "kunpeng," not simply "peng." Also, in ISSTH, unlike the "kunpung" mythology, it is never described as a "kun" which transforms into a "peng." It's described as a fish "yu" that transforms into a "kunpeng." ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 693

Chapter 693 (Click to show "spoiler" title) Chapter 693: Eternal Stratum!

A tremor ran through Naruto. He turned around and looked at the misty figure behind him. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was on the verge of insanity, albeit a silent insanity.

"Do you remember me?" The misty figure gradually grew clear to reveal an old man. He looked ordinary, and yet, within the ordinariness was an indescribably extraordinary disposition.

"Senior Shui Dongliu?" said Naruto, trembling. Of course, he instantly recognized that this man was Shui Dongliu. 1

Shui Dongliu. Whoever existed in his memory could not be destroyed by the Karmic Severing of the Hebi Clan.

"The Perfect stratum is great and all, but it's only a foundation. The ignorant masses think that the Perfect Foundation is the most supreme. It comes from the three classic scriptures, and can qualify you to become a Doyen!

"But! As far as I'm concerned, the Perfect stratum is like a leafy branch.

It spreads throughout your body and eventually blooms with flowers that turn into Dao Fruit. That fruit is the key to being truly supreme!

"You may have lost your foundation, but the Dao Fruit is still there. Why are you acting like what you lost was the important part?!"

Naruto was startled, and his mind filled with an intense roaring. "Dao Fruit?!"

"Of course, Dao Fruit," replied Shui Dongliu coolly. "The whole purpose of the Perfect stratum is to solidify the Dao Fruit of Perfection!

"That Dao Fruit of Perfection is none other than the Supreme stratum. And yet, that stratum also counts for little!" He swished his sleeve.

"Above the Supreme stratum is the Eternal!

"That is the true pinnacle of these strata. Shattered, Fractured, Flawless, Perfect, Dao Fruit, Eternal. These are the six great strata of any stage of cultivation. You only reached Perfect. 2

"To achieve the Dao Fruit, you need to sever your Perfection!

"As for the Eternal… you already meet the requirements; someone even severed your Perfection for you already. Why is your heart… still imprisoned? Why… don't you just go ahead with your Second Severing?" Shui Dongliu's voice echoed like thunder in Naruto's ears, giving rise to enormous waves within his mind.

Naruto's brain reeled, his body shook, and an unprecedentedly bright light shone in his eyes. Shui Dongliu's words thoroughly crushed all traces of his muddlement. It was as if in the darkest of nights, a ray of bright light suddenly pierced through the blackness of his world.

"Dao Fruit…. Dao Fruit…." thought Naruto, panting. "Sever Perfection, achieve Dao Fruit!

"The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch took away my Perfect Foundation. However, that Perfection… completely preoccupied my heart! Therefore, this time, I will Sever… my heart!

"Sever away the Perfection in my heart!

"When I had my cultivation base, I could sever it. Without a cultivation base… who is to say that… I can't still Sever it!?

"Spirit Severing. Spirit Severing. What is Severed is the spirit. What is Severed is the heart. This… is my second blade of Spirit Severing!

"Sever away the Perfect stratum. Sever the past. Carve out my Perfect Dao Fruit!" A boom could be heard in Naruto's mind as he gained enlightenment. Although he clearly possessed no cultivation base, a billowing aura shot towards the sky.

Within that aura appeared Heavenly transformations, roiling clouds, and seething winds. Shockingly, precursors of the descent of a great Dao's reverberated out, something he had previously experienced in the Milky Way Sea.

In that instant, the sky above all regions of the Southern Domain exploded into motion. Winds surged, lightning cracked, thunder boomed. Every expert in the Southern Domain was shocked, and countless people looked up into the sky in amazement.

At the same time, in the starry sky outside of Planet Ninshu, from inside the Ninth Mountain, a shocking will suddenly appeared. It swept out over the Ninth Mountain and Sea, after which it zeroed in on the lands of South Heaven.

This was the will of the great Dao of the Ninth Mountain and Sea! It was the natural law of Heaven and Earth, the basis upon which the Ninth Mountain and Sea operated.

This will itself was also a great Dao! Its appearance filled the sky of

South Heaven with a boundless light. Even the Hebi Clan's Immortality Bestowal Dais outside of Planet Ninshu was shaken, and ceased functioning.

In the lands of South Heaven, the Hebi Clan elders, as well as countless powerful experts from other sects and clans, fell to their knees in shock and began to kowtow.

In the sky above South Heaven, the will of the Ninth Mountain and Sea suddenly solidified into a blade that shot down toward Naruto in the Rebirth Cave.

This descending will far exceeded the first blade of his First Severing. All of the lands of South Heaven were shaken.

The Heavens opened up, revealing the heavenly bodies. Countless rivers of stars glittered and shined, seemingly prepared to bear witness to what was happening.

In the Rebirth Cave, a blade appeared in front of Naruto. This was his Spirit Severing blade, floating there in front of his head, glowing with shocking light.

Hair in disarray, he lifted his head up and roared: "SEVER!"

As his voice echoed out, the great Dao blade descended, slicing into the Rebirth Cave, fusing into the blade above Naruto's head, then slashing into the top of his head.

As soon as the blade touched Naruto's head, it sliced through him all the way to the ground. His body looked as if it had been cut in two.

Shattering sounds could be heard, not from his body, but from the fetters inside him, the shackles created by his reluctance to accept the loss of the Perfect stratum!

All such restraints were completely Severed!

Naruto instantly began to shake violently. Then, he experienced a sensation of relaxation, an incredible calm that filled his entire body. It felt as if moments before, the weight of an entire mountain was crushing down on him. Then, that mountain disappeared.

At the same time, shockingly, an image of a fruit appeared on his forehead, emanating a glow like that of a magical item.

This was… a Dao Fruit!

It was made up of countless magical symbols, and looked perfect in every aspect.

The 10th Wang Clan Patriarch could steal away Naruto's Dao Foundation, but he could not take away his Dao Fruit. The Dao Fruit belonged solely to Naruto, and could not be taken away by anyone.

In the moment that the Dao Fruit appeared, a cultivation base suddenly exploded out in Naruto. First it was Qi Condensation, then Foundation Establishment, then Core Formation, and after that, Nascent Soul.

After the peak of Nascent Soul, Naruto's desire for freedom and independence caused his First Severing to reappear.

His cultivation base was completely restored!

Tribulation can also be good fortune!

Naruto's energy was like a multicolored beam of light. His optimism for what would happen after severing the Perfect stratum caused his body to tremble again. An even more powerful cultivation base aura suddenly spread out from his body.

This was a Second Severing cultivation base!

"Dao Fruit Paragon!" A strange light gleamed in Naruto's eyes, and he began to breathe heavily. His fleshly body returned to the Heavendefying state it had reached because of the art of Fleshly Sanctification. Furthermore, because of the indescribable boundless life force imparted to him by Da Nu, it was even more powerful than before.

"Dao Fruit is good," said Shui Dongliu levelly, "but since you qualify for the Eternal, why don't you sit down and try to gain enlightenment!" He flicked his sleeve, causing Naruto instantly drop cross-legged to the ground. "Ask yourself, what is the Eternal?!"

"What is the Eternal?" The question echoed out in Naruto's mind.

The Eternal….

The Eyeless Larva was eternal. If the larva was not destroyed, the silk could never be broken. If the silk was never broken, the larva could not be destroyed!

That was an eternal cycle!

The Soul Divergence Incantation was eternal. An undying soul could be created. Once that happened, the cycle of reincarnation of Heaven and Earth could not destroy it. Even if you died, years later, your flesh and blood would be born again.

"The Eternal is something that exists eternally within me. No living thing in Heaven and Earth can do anything to take it away from me. Even the will of Heaven and Earth itself would be incapable of wresting away the Eternal which belongs to me!

"The Eternal is a type of determination, an overbearing attitude!

"What is mine, belongs to me alone!" Naruto suddenly looked up at Shui Dongliu.

"Did you figure it out?" said Shui Dongliu, looking at him.

"Yes!" In the instant in which he replied, a rumbling sound filled his body. The Dao Fruit shattered into pieces, causing countless magical symbols to scatter about. They filled his entire body, then fused into his cultivation base, his flesh, and his soul.

At the same time, the Soul Divergence Incantation began to rotate in Naruto's mind. After only a single rotation, Naruto suddenly understood the true meaning of the incantation.

It was a supreme Daoist Magic that could lead people to an understanding of the Eternal stratum!

To cultivate the Soul Divergence Incantation, one needed to experience death, to have incredible willpower and unusual good fortune, and most importantly, to experience hanging onto life by a thread, a razor's edge between life and death where a single misstep would lead to either truly perishing or failing to cultivate this magic.

As for Naruto, the reason he could gain enlightenment was because of the Eyeless Larva. Its thread of life and death had thoroughly entwined his soul so that it could not depart. His soul had been alive while his fleshly body was dead.

In that space between life and death, Naruto's soul… earned the qualifications for the Eternal!

All those years ago, the coffin prepared for Ke Jiusi by Ke Yunhai served just such a function. That was how Ke Jiusi ended up succeeding in cultivating the Soul Divergence Incantation.

Naruto trembled as the magical symbols penetrated every part of his body. Because of the fusing of these symbols into him, although his cultivation base was only at the Second Severing level, his level… was that of the Eternal!

He was no longer Perfect, but rather, far above Perfect, in the Eternal stratum!

The Eternal stratum! What's mine is mine, and no one can steal it from me!

Naruto rose to his feet. His energy surged with power. Because of the Eternal stratum, his Second Severing cultivation base could far exceed the gap between it and the Third Severing. In fact, in combination with his Fleshly Body, he was now… the number one person beneath Dao Seeking!

Naruto turned to Shui Dongliu, clasped hands, and bowed deeply.

"Senior, many thanks for your kindness in pointing out the correct path!"

Shui Dongliu looked at him for a moment and then said, "There's no need to thank me…. I only hope that from now on, you don't hold any grudges against the Wang Clan. If you wish, you can kill the person who stole your Dao Foundation, but not others. Don't be a monster who kills those who haven't provoked you.

"Now, go. You have something bothering you, I won't keep you any longer."

Naruto stared back at him, then nodded silently. He clasped hands and bowed again, then turned and shot out of the cave like an unsheathed sword, radiating intense killing intent.

Shui Dongliu watched Naruto leave, then, after a long moment, turned and walked back into the depths of the Rebirth Cave. To people like Choumen Tai and Da Nu, the Rebirth Cave wasn't very big. But to Shui Dongliu, it was limitless.

He walked and walked until finally he reached a room carved from stone.

The stone room was empty except for a half-painted canvas.

The painting depicted a countryside village. A white-haired old man stood there with his hands clasped behind his back, looking off into the distance. Next to him was a boy who appeared to be pleading for something. In return, the man shook his head.

Shui Dongliu looked at the painting, and a look of reminiscence appeared in his eyes. Finally, he closed his eyes.

In that instant, the old painter sitting cross-legged in the Eastern Lands suddenly opened his eyes. He smiled at the rich man standing in front of them, and then cleared his throat.

"My mental journey went well. Now, let me start that painting for you."

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Rafael Ramirez

Here is a brief refresher about Shui Dongliu. He was introduced in chapters 194 and 197 during the Song Clan search for a son-in-law. He helped Naruto seal the Resurrection Lily into a painting in chapter 208. Er Gen joked about him in the interlude after chapter 222. He made a super brief appearance in chapter 383, when Naruto refined the Eyeless Larva. He prevented Ji Nineteen from severing Naruto's

Karma in chapter 425 ↩ I believe "Shattered" is what I translated as "Cracked" in the early chapters. Better late than never to fix it, so I'm calling the lowest stratum "Shattered." Earlier chapters will be edited at some point ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 694

Chapter 694: He Came!

Naruto emerged from the Rebirth Cave.

In that instant, his cultivation base exploded out. He really was like a bared sword emanating monstrous sword qi. His killing intent radiated out, causing the air in the area to freeze.

Frost spread out across the ground, covering stones in the nearby stone forest with sheets of ice. As he walked forward, his divine sense spread out until it encountered a familiar figure, standing outside of the Rebirth Cave Region, looking on anxiously.

"Fatty…." thought Naruto. He changed directions and, a moment later, reappeared directly next to Fatty.

"Who's there!?" cried Fatty, clearly scared half to death and on the verge of fleeing. He backed up nervously, and popping sounds could be heard as several dozen magical items suddenly appeared.

When he saw Naruto, he stared in shock. Then he started hollering at the top of his lungs. "Naruto! Naruto!"

A smile appeared on Naruto's face. It had been many years since he last parted ways with Fatty, but as of now, he could clearly sense the feelings of friendship that existed in Fatty's heart. Neither of them said anything more. They strode forward and shared a manly embrace.

Fatty's heart was completely filled with joy. He looked at Naruto and then thought back to everything that had happened in the Reliance Sect. All of a sudden, he remembered Xu Qing, and his face fell. "You have to go save Elder Sister Xu!"

When Naruto heard this, his eyes flickered. "What happened?" Fatty hesitated for a moment and then shook his head. "N-nothing…." It almost seemed like he wasn't willing to explain.

Naruto was silent for a moment. He didn't ask any further questions, but instead, flew up into the air. Actually, he didn't need to ask anything else. All he had to do was go to the Black Sieve Sect, and he would naturally find the answers he sought.

Fatty understood Naruto quite well, so seeing him flying away like that, it wasn't hard to guess what he was thinking. Fatty gritted his teeth and then yelled out, "Naruto, go save Elder Sister Xu. Because she got that medicinal pill for you, she's now suppressed at the bottom of the Black Sieve Sect. The entire sect is working to dissolve her alive!"

Naruto jerked to a halt in mid-air, his eyes instantly turning bloodred. "What did you say?"

A preternatural fury and desire to kill roared through him. His body trembled and the air around him rumbled as if it were about to shatter.

Fatty clenched his jaw. Having spoken up, he decided that he might as well explain everything. "Hurry up and go save her! Soon… it's going to be too late!

"News leaked out that she is the first person in countless years to emerge from the Rebirth Cave! She risked everything to steal that medicinal pill, which she entrusted to me. I brought it here for her.

"In the end, the Black Sieve Sect captured her. They say that because she came out alive from the Rebirth Cave, her body is infected with its aura. The Black Sieve Sect Patriarchs want to refine her into treasured medicinal pills, which they hope to consume and thereby acquire the aura of rebirth."

The roaring in Naruto's mind was like that of millions of thunderbolts, all striking and exploding at the same time. Heaven and Earth shook, and it felt as if his mind were about to explode into pieces.

Naruto's killing intent exploded out with incomparable intensity. He thought back to what he had seen, to Xu Qing delivering her life force to him. He thought about everything that had happened in their homeland, the State of Zhao. He thought about the grave she had dug, and the gravestone.

He thought about the determination in her eyes when she looked at him and murmured, "You live, I live. You die, I die!"

No other woman had ever treated him in such a way. No other woman cared about his life so much. Never….

Naruto lifted his head up and let out mournful roar that caused the colors to fade away from Heaven and Earth. The clouds and wind churned, and the power of his cultivation base exploded out. A tempest kicked up, which swept out in all directions. The air in the area seemed about to collapse.

"BLACK SIEVE SECT!

"If you dare to harm a hair on her head, I, Naruto, will tear your bodies to pieces and crush your bones into powder! I will not rest until you are exterminated!" He waved his right hand and slapped his bag of holding, causing the war chariot to appear. He stepped inside. Immortal Shows the Way had also been restored to normal; he rotated it and sent some Immortal qi out. The war chariot instantly vanished.

Fatty watched him leave, and then murmured, "Naruto, after everything Xu Qing did for you, if you let her down… it will be an intolerable injustice!"

Naruto's eyes shone with a horrific balefulness. His rage and insanity fused into his killing intent, which exploded with monstrous intensity. "Xu Qing, wait for me. I'm coming to save you.

"Xu Qing, just hold on. I'm coming, I'm coming!"

His cultivation base was at the Second Severing stage, and he was in the Eternal strata. He was the number one figure under Dao Seeking!

He was qualified to do whatever he wished. And he was even more qualified to fight back against an entire sect!

Even if it was the Black Sieve Sect!

Even if it was the countless discarnate souls that existed in the depths of the land!

Even if it was a super sect of the Southern Domain, the Black Sieve Sect!

Naruto didn't consider those things. They weren't worth even thinking about. In a situation like this, if a man worried about whether or not he would win or lose, worried about his own life, then he… was not even human!

The war chariot sped along, screaming through the air. The wind itself seemed to be filled with memories. Naruto saw the events at Mount Daqing. He saw the Reliance Sect. He saw the things that happened in the Blessed Land. He saw the Black Sieve Sect and the Rebirth Cave.

He saw all of the times he and Xu Qing had been together. The images floated there in the wind in front of him. He saw Xu Qing's gentleness, her simplicity, her determination.

All of those things were now rooted deeply in Naruto's heart.

Most moving of all was how she had sacrificed her own life force for him. It caused his heart to fill with stabs of pain. As of this moment, the killing intent he felt was greater than at any point in his entire life.

"Xu Qing, if you can sacrifice your life for me, then I can do the same for you!

"From this day forward, you are my beloved. Heaven and Earth can bear witness to my words. You live, I live. You die, I die!"

The Black Sieve Sect was a grand place. The Hundred Thousand Mountains surrounding it served as a foil to the Ninety-Nine Mountains within their center. Above the Ninety-Nine Mountains floated the First Mountain, upturned to create something that was almost a continent. On its underside, willows draped down, some a few dozen meters long, others hundreds. Clouds curled up around this massive land, giving it a truly celestial feeling.

Richly ornamented buildings, pagodas, and temples covered it. Beneath it, the Ninety-Nine Mountains were all connected with colorful arching bridges. It was extraordinarily beautiful.

Gurgling water dripped off of the ragged rocks on the bottom of the floating mountain, making the sect a place of indescribable beauty. The faint sound of bells filled the air, creating an incredibly serene air.

Currently, the entire Black Sieve Sect was enveloped in a thick, black fog. Outside of the black fog were Black Sieve Sect spell formations, all in full rotation. They let out pulsing ripples, filled with crushing energy that formed the shape of a lotus.

The lotus had ninety-nine petals, each one of which was made up of ninety-nine lotuses. The entire thing formed into a gigantic, shocking lotus.

Inside the formation were the disciples of the Black Sieve Sect, sitting cross-legged in meditation. From up above in the sky, it was possible to tell that of the hundreds of thousands of disciples of the Ninety-Nine Mountains, all disciples were participating in the meditation, regardless of the level of their cultivation bases.

As for the Ninety-Nine Mountains themselves, they formed a central spell formation within the larger spell formation. They too rotated, combining their power with that of the hundreds of thousands of cultivators, all of the Black Sieve Sect's resources, to pour into the First Mountain… into the sect's legacy precious treasure.

It was a gigantic incense burner that existed on top of the First

Mountain, which was so high that it seemed connected to the Heavens. The enormous incense burner was the subject of generation after generation of worship and sacrifice. Three huge sticks of incense eternally burned inside of it, and the smoke that rose up into the sky was blown by the wind into wisps that resembled willow branches. It was as if within these strands, one could see visions of fleeting, everchanging lives that belonged to spirits from the underworld.

Sitting cross-legged around the incense burner were three old men. Each one had ancient features, and rarely stepped even half a foot outside of the Black Sieve Sect. As for their cultivation bases, all were in the Spirit Severing stage.

These were the Dao Reserve of the Black Sieve Sect, its very foundation.

The strongest of the three was the ruddy-faced old man in the center position, Murong Duo. His cultivation base was at the Third Severing level.

Of the other two, one was in the Second Severing level, the other the First.

These were the Patriarchs of the Black Sieve Sect!

They sat cross-legged, using the power of the spell formation, and thus, the power of all the cultivators of the sect, to operate the sect's precious treasure, and refine the person inside of it into medicinal pills!

This was a magical technique known as Heaven and Hearth Reincarnation Refinement, in which the subject was dissolved over a period of forty-nine days. No one could hold out for any longer than that. Eventually, the subject would melt into blood, which would then congeal into the medicinal pill.

An indistinct figure could be seen within the incense burner. It was only possible to tell that it was a woman; her face was not clearly visible, and her body was covered with countless magical symbols. The symbols were deeply imprinted into her flesh and blood, and glittered with bright light as they slowly worked at dissolving her.

The woman was trembling, gritting her teeth as she continued to endure. It seemed that her body might be fully dissolved at any moment.

The aura of the Rebirth Cave pulsated off of her. Every time it did, it would be absorbed by the incense burner, which would then burn hotly and send out a shocking red glow.

The three old men began to discuss the matter.

"So, it turns out that she has been able to endure for thirty-seven days!"

"This Xu Qing sure has unswerving determination. Sadly, her body is infected with the aura of the Rebirth Cave. She's the first person in years to emerge alive from the Rebirth Cave….

"In that case, she is simply destined to be refined into Rebirth Pills. With such medicinal pills… the slumbering ancestor of the Black Sieve Sect will have a chance to be reborn!"

"It's a real pity she has the soul of Matriarch Phoenix within her.

Unfortunately, her Dao of Nirvana will be lost, never to be handed down. However, sacrificing her and losing a single legacy to improve the entire sect means that her death will be worth it!"

"This matter is not just something that must be done by the Black Yang Sect, but also your Sieve Yin Sect. After all, our ancestor is your emperor!"

The three old men looked at the incense burner, and their eyes burned with passion.

At the same time, the trembling, indistinct figure inside of the incense burner let out a quavering murmur.

"Naruto, are you okay…? If you ever are reborn, by the time you emerge, it will be too late…. Well, I was the one who failed to keep my promise, you're not to blame….

"If it turns out that you weren't reborn, well then… I'll be going to accompany you soon.

"As we said. You live, I live. You die, I die…."

In that exact moment….

An incredible boom could be heard outside of the Black Sieve Sect spell formation. It was far more shocking than thunder; an ancient war chariot appeared, emanating intense killing intent and madness. The air shattered as it appeared!

Naruto stood in the war chariot, clothed in a green robe. He gripped the flag of three streamers in his right hand, which he waved out in front of him. It stretched out, creating a black screen that seemed capable of blotting out the entire sky. At the same time, Naruto's eyes flashed with an unprecedented desire to slaughter.

He came!

He came to keep his promise!

Vol. 5 : Chapter 695

Chapter 695: Attack the Black Sieve Sect!

Naruto's appearance on the scene shook the Heavens and rocked the Earth. Everything trembled, and enormous, endless ripples spread out.

A massive roaring echoed out as the war chariot appeared, shattering the air. Naruto stood in the middle of the war chariot as cracking sounds filled the air; countless fissures sprang into being.

The entire sky was like a mirror that someone had punched their fist into. Although it was not completely shattered, shocking cracks could be seen spreading out in all directions.

That was especially true because of the flag of three streamers that he wielded. This was his first time truly and intentionally unleashing the full, incredible power of the flag. It whipped about, its blackness covering everything, splitting the sky into two worlds, one of light, one of darkness.

Naruto's eyes were completely bloodshot as his gaze swept over the scene in the Black Sieve Sect; he saw the black mist, and he saw the domineering lotus flower!

He sent his divine sense out, but the lotus spell formation and the black mist therein formed a great spell formation that completely protected the mountains of the Black Sieve Sect. This was no ordinary spell formation; even Naruto's powerful divine sense could not penetrate inside.

His killing intent instantly surged.

"Black Sieve Sect!" he shouted. The sound rumbled about, more intense than lightning. His fleshly body was at the peak of Spirit Severing, and his cultivation base was at the peak of the Second Severing. This was the first time he had ever shouted in such a way after entering the Eternal stratum. He pushed his hand down onto the chariot, and instantly, the flag of three streamers swished. The blackness, which was like nighttime consuming light, swept toward the huge lotus that surrounded the Black Sieve Sect. Booms could be heard echoing out.

Heaven and Earth trembled, and the sound of explosions filled the air. The lotus instantly collapsed, but then reappeared. Apparently, the aura of the Hundred Thousand Mountains was sustaining what would be an endless succession of enormous spell formations.

Because of Naruto's shout, as well as the collision between the flag of three steamers and the great spell formation, the ground quaked violently. The sounds merged together, creating a shocking barrage that rattled out in all directions, even into the black mist within the Black Sieve Sect.

The disciples of the Black Sieve Sect suddenly could all hear Naruto's enraged voice.

"Hand over Xu Qing!" he said. This was his second sentence. The power of his words far exceeded that of his first sentence. An even more shocking rumbling shook everything; the lotus dimmed and the mist seethed. All of the Black Sieve Sect disciples felt their minds trembling violently.

The beautiful palace buildings began to shake, and some even collapsed under the power of Naruto's voice. The eyes of the Black Sieve Sect disciples in the Ninety-Nine Mountains went wide with shock.

The three old men who sat cross-legged around the incense burner on the First Mountain opened their eyes. Bright glows could be seen.

"Spirit Severing!"

"Second Severing!"

"A powerful expert!"

When they exchanged glances, they could all see the serious look in each others' eyes.

"We only activated the spell formation to be prepared for all contingencies and to prevent other sects from detecting what was happening. Who is this stranger?"

"It doesn't matter who he is. Even if he's a Spirit Severing expert, now that he's come to the Black Sieve Sect, he'll be forced to drop to his knees in front of us!"

The three men muttered to themselves for a moment before the Third Severing old man gave a cold snort. "He can't even get inside! Continue with the dissolving!"

Surrounded by rumbling sounds, the hundreds of thousands of Black Sieve Sect disciples once again continued with their refinement, causing the incense burner glowed bright red. As for the figure inside, when she heard Naruto's voice, she suddenly trembled.

"He… came…."

Outside of the Black Sieve Sect's spell formation, Naruto's eyes were completely shot with blood. He raised his hand and caused the flag of three streamers to swish through the air. Blackness roiled out to slam into the Black Sieve Sect's spell formation.

The incredible booms continued to rattle out. The great lotus spell formation suddenly rotated, causing the power of Heaven and Earth to emanate out. The power was indestructible, seemingly eternal. No matter what Naruto did to cause the formation to collapse, it would instantly restore itself.

A short period of time passed in which it seemed nothing would work.

The disciples of the Black Sieve Sect were now starting to calm down and focus on their orders from the sect. The dissolving continued. As for the old men surrounding the incense burner, cold smiles twisted their lips as they proceeded with the refinement.

They were not worried. The protective spell formation was so powerful that nothing could compare to it, except perhaps a Dao Seeking cultivation base. Any Spirit Severing expert who tried to break through the formation wouldn't be able to do so unless they spent months trying.

As for the refinement process, they only needed a few more days to finish…. Then they would be able to go against this opponent with the full strength of the sect. Even if he was a Second Severing cultivator, he would be dead for sure.

"How rash and ridiculous," said the Third Severing old man, his voice cool.

Naruto stood in the war chariot glaring at the enormous lotus. He had already destroyed the damnable thing at least a hundred times with the flag of three streamers.

However, no matter how many times he shattered it into pieces, it would completely recover, seemingly completely undamaged.

"They mustered all the power of Heaven and Earth from all Hundred Thousand Mountains of the Black Sieve Sect to back this spell formation…. What I'm fighting against is not the formation, but the power of Heaven and Earth from these Hundred Thousand Mountains!

"If the power of Heaven and Earth doesn't break up, then the formation cannot be pierced!

"If only… I could use just a bit of Dao Seeking power to force the spell formation to reach its limit. Break it at least ten times in a row, to the point where the spiritual energy from the Hundred Thousand Mountains can't keep up. Then I can see its weak points!

"One point of weakness is all I need to completely shatter it." Naruto lifted his right hand and made a grasping motion, causing the flag of three streamers to return to him. It swirled through the air around him, almost like a black cloak that covered his green robe.

He placed his hand onto the war chariot and rotated Immortal Shows the Way, sending pulses of Immortal qi into the chariot.

"Unfortunately, I don't have the power of Dao Seeking!

"Even the flag of three streamers can't smash through this succession of spell formations. Well then… I'll just have to bash it head on!" A light of madness shone in Naruto's eyes.

He would not attempt to pierce it; he would smash head on into the formation!

The war chariot began to thrum, and countless magical symbols appeared, along with numerous roaring wild beasts that began to pull it forward into a charge.

The incredible speed was difficult to describe. In the blink of an eye, the war chariot had left its original position and… was shooting like a meteor directly into the lotus, bashing into it.

The lotus instantly fell apart, but almost at exactly the same time, began to reform.

However, the war chariot continued onward, charging forward without stop. It was like a sharp sword, stabbing madly, allowing no time for the spiritual energy of the Hundred Thousand Mountains to rush forward.

"Ninth Anima!" roared Naruto. His body was powerful to the extreme, and his Cultivation base exploding with full power. Although this was not the power of Dao Seeking, he was emminently qualified to be called the number one figure under Dao Seeking.

BOOM!

The war chariot shot forward another three hundred meters. Naruto's body trembled, and vast pressure bore down on him. However, nothing could prevent him from advancing. Nothing could stand in the way of the war chariot; it was like caged animal that roared as it charged forward.

The further they got, the greater was the pressure that weighed down on them. The interior of the lotus collapsed, but as before, began to heal. The Hundred Thousand Mountains rotated, and the spiritual energy poured out boundlessly. Naruto raised his hand up and then pointed out.

"Demon Sealing, Eighth Hex!

"Seal the spiritual energy of these hundred thousand mountains!"

An incredible roar filled the air as the Hundred Thousand Mountains shuddered. Naruto shouted out as the war chariot charged forward madly, another three hundred meters. It was now only about six hundred meters from the position where the black mist began.

It was at this point that violent shaking overtook the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Some of the outermost mountains, perhaps a thousand in total, began to split and crack and then directly exploded.

They simply couldn't endure the way Naruto fought back against them. After having their spiritual energy sealed, a backlash occurred that instantly shattered them!

As thousands of huge mountains collapsed in the Black Sieve Sect's

Hundred Thousand Mountains, the faces of the disciples of the Black Sieve Sect fell. As for the three old men who sat next to the incense burner, their pupils constricted.

One of them gave a cold snort, then lifted his hand up and pointed out.

"Send 10,000 disciples to form a spell formation. Use deadly force. If they're capable of killing him, kill him. If they can't kill him, delay him for three days."

In response to his words, a group of 10,000 disciples flew up into the air. They shot through the black mist and then entered the lotus spell formation to sit down cross-legged on the lotuses inside. They unleashed their cultivation bases as they took control of the lotus spell formation.

In unison with their actions, the lotus spell formation began to rotate, sending out pulses of killing will. In the blink of an eye, innumerable lotus petals flew out, sweeping toward Naruto like sharp swords.

The lotus petals almost looked like rain, filled with a desire to kill. However, before they could even get near to Naruto, his eyes radiated murder and madness. He pushed the war chariot onward, then waved his wide sleeve. The flag of three streamers shot out, sweeping out with echoing booms. The 10,000 disciples who had just emerged from the black mist trembled and began to cough up blood.

As for Naruto and the war chariot, they shot forward with urgency, fighting back against the pressure which weighed down. They moved another three hundred meters. By this point, Naruto felt as if a hundred thousand mountains really were pressing down onto his body.

They would soon crush him into a pulp.

As for the Immortal qi inside of him, he couldn't control it any more. It would be difficult to push the war chariot through the final three hundred meters. A bright glow appeared in Naruto's eyes as, without hesitation, he put the war chariot away and then relied on the strength of his fleshly body to continue on through the last three hundred meters.

As soon as he proceeded forward, the pressure from the Hundred Thousand Mountains bore down. Naruto trembled, and cracking sounds could be heard. He stopped in place. Seeing him stop moving caused the 10,000 disciples to feel a bit more confident. They all began to perform incantations, causing the lotuses they were sitting on to teleport forward toward Naruto. Shockingly, the lotuses started forming together into a huge statue of a three headed, six-armed god.

The statue was incredibly formidable. Not only did it have three heads and six arms, but lotuses swirled around it, and it was formed from 10,000 people! The three heads all looked at Naruto, and the six arms all pointed directly at him.

"Screw off from this place!" roared the statue with the combined voices of 10,000 people. Naruto looked up with a vicious smile. The killing intent in his eyes was thick, and his desire to slaughter suddenly surged even higher.

Ninth Anima. Second Spirit Severing cultivation base. Eternal stratum. All of this thrummed inside of Naruto. He strode forward, clenching his right hand into a fist.

One man versus a great spell formation, and 10,000 enemies.

"Time to break you!" he cried.

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Sid from India, Roman Cvijanovic, Hieu

Phan Trung, Joenathan Tanumihardja, Christopher Choi, and Daniel

Jackson

Vol. 5 : Chapter 696

Chapter 696: Breaking the Formation

Naruto's fist connected. It was powered by the rage and frustration of having his Perfect Foundation stolen, as well as all the regret that he had severed away.

One fist connected, and everything exploded!

A huge boom filled the air as the statue's six arms burst into pieces, and its three heads crumbled. The entire statue exploded like a bomb!

It was impossible to describe exactly how much power was unleashed. Blood sprayed from the mouths of the 10,000 Black Sieve Sect disciples as they were sent spinning backward into the spell formation. The galeforce wind generated by Naruto's blow then smashed into them, shredding their bodies to pieces, killing them instantly.

Naruto's eyes shined with determination as he strode forward and punched a second time.

Then a third time, a fourth time and a fifth time!

Every time a blow landed, more of the surrounding lotus spell formation crumbled. With each strike, Naruto proceeded forward another thirty meters. By the time the ninth blow landed, he was already at the very edge of the spell formation. The final blow… was the Nine Heavens Destruction!

The lotus collapsed into fragments, and a massive boom rocked Heaven and Earth.

The sound of it filled the Hundred Thousand Mountains, roughly 10,000 of which directly collapsed into pieces. Finally, the Black Sieve Sect's mountain-protecting spell formation was broken.

In that moment, Naruto emerged from the spell formation and entered the black mist.

"Give me Xu Qing!" he said. His tone of voice made him sound like he was the ruler of the entire world. It was filled with an indescribable potency and madness that filled the entire Black Sieve Sect.

As his voice resonated out, the surrounding mist seethed, and narrow gaps formed. Through one such gap, Naruto caught a glimpse of the Ninety-Nine Mountains on the other side of the mist, and the incense burner on the First Mountain.

Sitting cross-legged inside the incense burner was a trembling figure, indistinct, but with a very familiar aura….

Xu Qing!

It was Xu Qing, who would live and die with him!

Hundreds of thousands of Black Sieve Sect disciples were refining Xu Qing!

Naruto's mind felt as if lightning bolts were striking it. An indescribable fury rose up inside of him, transforming into an inexhaustible desire to slaughter.

KILL! KILL! KILL!

In that moment, Naruto's hatred for the Black Sieve Sect reached the degree where it could never possibly be reconciled. Every single last disciple of the Black Sieve Sect HAD to die!

"Kill him!" cried the centermost of the three old men by the incense burner. The faces of all three were currently filled with shock; how could they possibly have imagined that Naruto would be able to break through their great lotus spell formation?

The First Severing cultivator immediately rose to his feet. He had a violent temper, and his face was grim as he flew up into the air.

"Disciples of the rear twenty peaks of the Hundred Mountains," said the old man, "follow me into the Sieve Yin Formation. We will kill this drudge!" With that, he entered the black mist. Simultaneously, 30,000 disciples flew to follow him. The weakest among them were Foundation Establishment cultivators, the strongest were Nascent Soul.

Even as they entered the mist, Naruto's voice, filled with unprecedented bereavement and anger, suddenly sounded out.

"Black Sieve Sect! I hereby vow that… I will eradicate your entire sect! The lands of South Heaven will have either you or me, not the both of us!"

Naruto's desire to kill had reached a heinous level. He lifted his right hand and produced the flag of three streamers. It swept out in all directions, causing the mist around him to roil, and rumbling sounds to fill the air. As for the Black Sieve Sect First Severing Patriarch, as soon as he stepped into the mist, it seemed to come alive, as if it were sentient.

"Will of the Black Sieve, understanding of all creation! I shall go to battle, and pluck the stars from Heaven! First formation!" The voice of the First Severing Patriarch echoed about as the 30,000 Black Sieve Sect disciples entered the mist one after another. Shockingly, the mist condensed into eight formations that resembled black dragons.

The black dragons looked incredibly ferocious. Roaring with rage, they circulated around each other and then shot toward Naruto, attempting to devour him.

Naruto's eyes flickered with a cold glow as he looked at the eight dragons. His desire to kill had reached a level it never had before. From the day he had begun practicing cultivation until now, he had never felt a stronger desire to slaughter.

As the eight dragons neared, Naruto strode forward and waved the flag of three streamers. Blackness spread out, sweeping over three of the black dragons. The flag began to glow with a bizarre light, and on its surface appeared countless faces, their features twisted as if with greed and the thirst for blood.

At the same time, Naruto's body flickered and then reappeared in front of one of the other dragons. Without the slightest hesitation, he punched. A boom echoed out and a huge spasm ran through the black dragon. It began to break apart in layers, accompanied by miserable shrieks. Behind Naruto, three more black dragons roared and charged. They moved with such incredible speed that even in the moment in which he turned to look at them, they were directly in front of him.

"Demon Sealing, Eighth Hex!" he said, pointing out his right hand. Instantly, the three black dragons trembled, as if countless invisible bonds were tying them up.

"Demon magic, art of Righteous Bestowal, soul extraction!" Naruto performed an incantation, and a vicious gleam appeared in his eyes as he pointed forward.

The gesture instantly caused the indescribably shrill cries to echo out from within the dragons. Inside the dragons were over 10,000 cultivators, their faces twisting and distorting as they screamed. Ghost images appeared, which were their souls being extracted from within!

The three dragons instantly collapsed; over 10,000 corpses suddenly fell to the ground.

The art of Righteous Bestowal was a magical technique of the Demon Sealers. Righteousness came with a thought, bestowal came with a thought. Life came with a thought, death came with a thought!

In the same moment, the three dragons caught up by the flag of three streamers trembled violently and collapsed into pieces. As for the final dragon, it froze in mid-air. The image of the First Severing Patriarch magically appeared in the head position of the dragon, and his face was filled with shock.

"Second Formation!" he cried. Immediately, what remained of all the dragons fell apart and turned into black mist that shot toward the First Severing Patriarch. Within the mist were the rest of the disciples who had not been killed, about 10,000 of them.

In the blink of an eye, the black mist transformed into a three hundred meter tall giant. It wore black armor, and looked like a god. As soon at appeared, it charged toward Naruto.

"DIIEEE!" roared the giant, the combined voice of 10,000 people echoing out to shocking effect. At the same time, the Hundred Thousand Mountains suddenly released a boundless aura that enveloped the giant, causing its body to grow. All of a sudden, it was 1,500 meters tall!

Compared in size to the giant, Naruto was nothing more than a bug.

Naruto looked up at the approaching giant, and the coldness in his eyes grew stronger. Then he suddenly realized that he wasn't sure whether or not Xu Qing was alive or dead inside of the incense burner, and his heart grew even more anxious. At the same time, he understood that if he didn't destroy this spell formation, then he would be unable to enter into the Black Sieve Sect.

"DIE!" the giant roared, stretching its arms out to either side and then smashing them together toward Naruto, as if to crush him between its palms. They moved with incredible speed; in the blink of an eye, the hands were almost upon Naruto.

He did nothing to evade, allowing the hands to smash into each other around him.

To anyone observer, it would appear as if Naruto was completely enveloped by the hands of the giant. However, if you looked closely, you would see that… the giant was trembling.

Not only was it trembling, its expression was one of disbelief and shock.

"What… what fleshly body is this?!" said the Second Severing old man next to the incense burner. He rose to his feet, his face filled with astonishment.

"Calm down. There's no need to get agitated," said the Third Severing Patriarch, his voice cool. "That's only the second transformation out of three total."

Even as they exchanged words, the giant's hands suddenly exploded. Black mist spread in all directions as Naruto walked out, not harmed even in the least bit. He stepped up to the giant and then instantly punched out.

A huge boom could be heard as the giant opened its mouth and expelled a mouthful of mist to block Naruto. At the same time, it retreated at full speed. On the giant's forehead, the image of the First Severing Patriarch appeared, his expression one of terror and astonishment.

Instantly, he shouted, "Third formation!"

In response, the body of the giant fell apart into boundless black mist that shot toward Naruto and surrounded him. It seethed and spun as it then formed into an enormous globe. Rumbling sounds filled the air as black fire erupted out. Then the globe began to shrink, as if it intended to refine Naruto inside of it.

It shrank relentlessly. 300 meters. 150 meters. 100 meters. 30 meters….

Next to the incense burner, the Third Severing Patriarch coolly commented, "The third transformation, in combination with the power of Mo Li's cultivation base, can easily kill an expert of the Second Severing level. It doesn't matter how powerful his fleshly body is, the soft can defeat the hard. He will not escape."

The other Spirit Severing Patriarch next to him smiled in agreement. "The Sieve Yin Formation can refine all living things. The only sad thing is that… it can't produce medicinal pills. Otherwise, that person could be refined into a pill that would definitely be considered a precious treasure."

As the two of them chatted, a huge rumbling sound suddenly rang out. Their faces flickered as they looked up. Down below, hundreds of thousands of Black Sieve Sect Disciples all had similar reactions.

What they saw was an enormous black globe of mist, shrunken down to only 10 meters in size. Then, a matchlessly vicious aura was released from within the mist globe.

The viciousness of the aura was difficult to describe, as was its incredible coldness. Everyone watched on as, in the blink of an eye, a ferocious figure appeared inside the 10 meter mist globe.

I was not a person, but rather, a flower!

A multi-colored flower!

Its branches and leaves swayed, its petals fluttered. When its aura spread out, the mist globe was incapable of enduring. It exploded with a boom. As it did, blood and gore splattered everywhere, from the corpses of the Black Sieve Sect disciples. In addition, an old man emerged, his face covered with fear, shock, and disbelief as he retreated at top speed.

That old man was none other than the First Severing Patriarch.

"Save me!" he howled as he fled.

However, before he could get very far, and before anyone could even do anything in response, a black branch snaked out at high speed. It wrapped around the old man and violently dragged him back. The old man screamed miserably as the branch hauled him down toward Naruto, who then grabbed him by the neck.

Naruto strode forward. Behind him was a five-colored Resurrection Lily, fully sixty meters tall, swaying about with unbridled fury as it floated along.

This was Naruto's Spirit Severing Treasure, his Resurrection Lily!

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Steven Hirsch

Vol. 5 : Chapter 697

Chapter 697: Hundred Thousand Mountains!

The black mist spell formation was broken!

Naruto was enveloped by killing intent as he emerged. He violently twisted his right hand, instantly crushing the life out of the Black Sieve Sect First Severing Patriarch. Bones shattered, and then Naruto loosened his grip, sending the old man's body tumbling down to the ground.

Naruto didn't even think about the man's bag of holding.

Behind him, the Resurrection Lily swayed about, emanating its vicious aura, making it seem as if Naruto were silhouetted against a terrifying, pitch-black backdrop. The Resurrection Lily had actually been ready for use as soon as he completed his Second Severing.

Furthermore, the life force inside of him came from Da Nu, a sevencolored Resurrection Lily. Because of that, although he had long been long locked in a life-or-death entanglement with the Resurrection Lily, after erasing its will, it was now fundamentally amiable.

Such amiability made it so that there was an unbreakable connection between the two of them.

Such a connection superseded that of the Spirit Severing Treasures created by most cultivators.

As of this moment, there was no one else in Naruto's world except for the figure inside the incense burner. The instant he emerged from the spell formation, he transformed into a green smoke that shot directly up toward the First Mountain.

Looks of shock could bee seen on the faces of the two Spirit Severing cultivators next to the incense burner. The Second Severing Patriarch flew up into the air and shouted, "Stop him!"

At the same time, all of the Black Sieve Sect disciples down below flew up to form a huge spell formation. The power of Heaven and Earth descended, and the Hundred Thousand Mountains emitted spiritual energy. The spell formation surged with power.

The Third Severing Patriarch didn't fly up, but rose to his feet and put his hand onto the incense burner. His eyes flickered as his cultivation base rotated. He was using only the intense power of his cultivation base to perform the refining!

"This man is not weak," he thought. "The fact that he made it this far leaves me uncertain of whether or not I can defeat him. Therefore, I will disturb his emotions. Considering Zhou Tie's cultivation base, and the spell formation formed by the other disciples, if his heart is in chaos, then there is a high likelihood that he can be defeated."

As soon as Naruto emerged, he met the resistance of the Second Severing Patriarch. Dense killing intent filled Naruto's eyes, especially when he saw the Third Severing Patriarch next to the incense burner attempting to hasten the refining process. Naruto's eyes turned completely red.

"SCREW OFF!" he roared, waving his sleeve. Instantly, the Second Severing Patriarch was sent tumbling back, blood pouring from his mouth. Astonished as he was, his attempt to block Naruto's path had actually slowed him down a bit.

Simultaneously, the hundreds of thousands of cultivators down below were rapidly unleashing the power of the spell formation. Bright light shot up into the air and then completely enveloped the area. Shockingly, glowing figures shot up into the air, one after another. They resembled shining souls, and represented all of the countless Black Sieve Sect disciples down below.

They quickly shot in tight formation toward Naruto in an attempt to block his path.

"Let's see how you break through that!" said the Second Severing Patriarch malevolently. As his voice echoed out, the spell formation rotated, causing the colors in the sky and on land to fade. Wind spun, and spiritual energy from the Hundred Thousand Mountains surged out.

"Are you people looking to die?" said Naruto, his killing intent surging. He shot forward and lifted up the flag of three streamers. In addition, Blood Immortal divine abilities appeared, instantly wreaking death and destruction.

Miserable screams echoed out constantly. The incredible power of Meng

Hao's cultivation base made these enemies like nothing more than bugs. However, the sheer number of Black Sieve Sect disciples was such that it was impossible to kill all of them in a short period of time.

The Second Severing Patriarch ambled over to cautiously make sneak attacks when possible. Whenever he and Naruto exchanged blows, incredible booming sounds echoed out. Each time, the Second Severing Patriarch would cough up blood, and his heart would fill with astonishment.

Outside of the spell formation, the Black Sieve Sect's Third Severing Patriarch pushed the refining process even faster. Then Xu Qing's plaintive cry rang out from within the incense burner, filled with resigned weakness, and Naruto went crazy.

"All of you, DIE!" He suddenly jerked his hands up, then pushed them down toward the ground. When that happened, the land below began to quake. Naruto's hair flew about wildly, and blue veins bulged out on his forehead. He seemed to be slipping into a hitherto unseen type of insanity.

"Mountain Consuming Incantation! Hundred Thousand Mountains, RISE UP!" Naruto tilted his head back and let out a violent roar. Down below, the ground churned like liquid, and the Black Sieve Sect's Hundred Thousand Mountains began to shake.

They seemed on the verge of breaking away from their foundations, as if some indescribably powerful force had transformed into a hundred thousand hands that were now trying to rip the mountains up from the earth.

This… was the Mountain Consuming Incantation!

The Mountain Consuming Incantation, powered by Naruto's Second Spirit Severing Eternal stratum!

When the incantation was unleashed, it was shocking to the Heavens and could cause the Earth to tremble!

"RISE UP!" roared Naruto. The Hundred Thousand Mountains trembled again, and this time 10,000 mountains were violently torn away from their bases. Rocks and stone showered down as the mountains rose up into the air.

At their jagged bottoms, plants and roots were snapped and hung down, some only a few meters longs, some dozens.

This sight left everyone in the Black Sieve Sect completely and utterly flabbergasted. That included ordinary disciples, Nascent Soul Elders, and even the two Spirit Severing Patriarchs. Their astonishment had reached the complete, ultimate pinnacle.

"Who is this?! How come he looks so familiar…?"

"He looks familiar to me too! What exactly is he doing!?"

"Dammit! What divine ability is that?!"

Rumbling sounds filled the air, and everyone was dumbstruck. The Hundred Thousand Mountains of the Black Sieve Sect were being uprooted. By now, quite a few people realized that Naruto looked familiar, as if they had seen him somewhere before. However, considering how quickly everything was happening, they couldn't recall exactly when they had seen such a fearsome expert.

"Stop him!" bellowed the Third Severing Patriarch. The Hundred Thousand Mountains were the foundation of the entire Black Sieve Sect, what it relied on to ensure long-term growth. In addition, the protective spell formations in the sect required their spiritual energy to operate.

As such… if the Hundred Thousand Mountains really were ripped out of the ground… even though the sect couldn't be considered completely destroyed… essentially, it would be!

By this point, the matter of refining Xu Qing was relatively insignificant. The Third Severing Patriarch immediately strode forward and shot toward Naruto. Any other Black Sieve Sect disciples who hadn't done so already also disregarded all danger to charge at Naruto.

Naruto was now surrounded by the flag of three streamers, the vicious Resurrection Lily, as well as 10,000 magical symbols which had just flown out from inside his bag of holding. The spirits of the magical symbols formed together into a tempest that swept out in all directions. RUMBLE!

Thousands of mountains among the Hundred Thousand Mountains were severed from their bases. They floated up to hover in mid-air, their auras shocking, leaking spiritual energy chaotically in all directions.

"Tell me, you people, do you know fear now?" He lifted his head up and laughed maniacally. His eyes were red, and his killing intent monstrous.

Gritting his teeth, he once again roared: "Mountain Consuming

Incantation! RISE UP!"

RUMBLE!

Another 10,000 mountains were ripped up to and began to float in midair. By now, more than 20,000 mountains were floating there. The remaining 80,000 mountains trembled violently and let out ceaseless, deafening rumbles. Occasionally, the very peaks of some of the mountains would break off and fly up.

Naruto was surrounded by divine abilities as the Black Sieve Sect disciples, including the Second and Third Severing Patriarchs, nearly went mad in their attempts to get to him. Blood sprayed from Naruto's mouth, but then, the power of his Eternal stratum erupted, leaving everyone else in shocked disbelief.

Naruto's wounds all healed up immediately!

He possessed the Eternal stratum, and a virtually undying soul!

With an undying soul, as long as a sliver of the soul remains, then death can be overcome, and one can come back to life!

With the Eternal stratum, as long as only a drop of blood remains undestroyed, one can live again!

"Still haven't risen up yet?!" Naruto roared. Rumbling filled the air as the bases of another 30,000 mountains crumbled, and they rose up into the air. Currently, more than 50,000 now floated in mid-air.

More than half of the mountain range was now afloat. Without their pressure to suppress the veins of spiritual energy that ran through the earth, the spiritual energy in the area was now in complete chaos. Spiritual energy pulsed out, smashing vegetation and trees, causing the entire land to look as if it had been scraped clean!

By now, the violent developments had attracted the attention of the whole Southern Domain.

In the Violet Fate Sect, Pill Demon was in the midst of meditation when suddenly his face flickered. He rose to his feet and jerked his head up. What he saw was a drop of blood hovering in the air above the Violet Fate Sect.

The drop of blood was bright red, and as soon as it appeared, it spread out to form a blood shield that covered over the entire Violet Fate Sect.

"Patriarch Blood Demon, what are you doing?!" cried Pill Demon, flying up into the air. Simultaneously, countless other cultivators flew up from inside the Violet Fate Sect.

Pill Demon waved his sleeve, and the world shook. A massive power shot toward the blood shield, causing an enormous boom. The blood shield trembled, but remained in place.

An ancient man wearing a red robe appeared outside of the shield. He looked down at the Violet Fate Sect. "Fellow Daoist Pill Demon, this blood is from the ancient Demon Immortal Sect. Do you really think you can break through the blood of a Demon King?"

This old man was none other than the Patriarch of the Southern

Domain's Blood Demon Sect! 1

According to legends, deep within the Blood Demon Sect lurked a greater Demon of Heaven and Earth. It had been asleep for many years, and only occasionally awoke. That greater Demon was the Dao Reserve of the Blood Demon Sect!

Normally speaking, what people saw outside of the sect was this Patriarch Blood Demon.

"I bear you no ill will," continued the old man. "I have utilized this blood, a special treasure, for the purpose of restraining you for seven days.

"After the seven days are up, the shield will fade away. As for the drop of blood… you can keep it as a form of apology."

"You!" said Pill Demon, his face turning grim. Outside the blood shield, the red-robed old man turned and disappeared off into the distance.

Similar scenes played out at the same time in the Golden Frost Sect, the Solitary Sword Sect, the Li Clan, and the Song Clan. In total, five drops of blood appeared across the Southern Domain to cover over the headquarters of all the superpowers.

The drops of blood became seals, preventing anyone from emerging from the sects, and even preventing their Dao Reserves from awakening!

"Just what is the Blood Demon Sect up to?!"

That was what everyone was wondering. However, what shocked them even more was that the sky… suddenly turned completely red!

Moments ago, 100,000 Blood Demon Sect disciples had appeared in the air above the Southern Domain. Each and every one of the disciples cut open their arms, causing blood to spurt out. Li Shiqi, who floated in their exact center, lifted up an austere magical bottle up into the air. Within this bottle was a drop of golden blood that flew out and soaked up all the fresh red blood. The golden blood then turned bright red, after which all of the drops began to spread out, forming a huge glowing red shield that covered the entire Southern Domain.

The Southern Domain was sealed!

Such a huge seal could not be preserved for very long. At the most… seven days!

In the moment that the sealing occurred, Naruto was in the Black Sieve Sect, having just ripped up 50,000 enormous mountains. The spiritual energy was now in chaos, and spreading out through all of the Southern Domain.

The blood-colored shield prevented the ripples from escaping out. None of the super sects or clans of the Southern Domain would find out… nor any of the powerful experts.

Meanwhile, in the depths of the Blood Demon Sect, there existed a blood-colored pond.

Within the pond, a man sat cross-legged in meditation. He was extremely withered, and looked almost like a corpse. Suddenly, his eyes opened, and they were filled with boundless ancientness.

"I've been waiting for such a long time. Finally… the day has come!"

If you're interested in reviewing chapters linking the Blood Demon Sect and Naruto, check out chapter 34, 93, 94, 95, 582-583, 676 ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 698

Chapter 698: Deranged

In the Southern Domain's Black Sieve Sect, Naruto was surrounded by a bright red glow. The crowds of Cultivators from the Black Sieve Sect were sending all sorts of divine abilities and magical techniques against him, as well as magical items. Even with his incredible fleshly body, it was something he couldn't stand up against for long.

The flag of three streamers was in full retreat, and even the Resurrection Lily was falling back. The Black Sieve Sect disciples had gone mad.

There was not a single one who could watch the Hundred Thousand Mountains, the very foundation of their sect, being pulled up by the roots, and not go mad.

"No time to wait for all 100,000," thought Naruto. "50,000 will do!" With that, he suddenly stretched his right arm out and pointed up to the sky. The 50,000 mountains began to rumble, and then descended with shocking speed.

They shot directly toward the spell formation made up of the hundreds of thousands of Black Sieve Sect cultivators, then began to slam into it. Miserable shrieks filled the air one after another. Naruto's eyes suddenly flickered with burning madness.

"Explode!" he said. It was only a single word.

That one word caused everything to shake. One by one, 50,000 mountains exploded. They sky ripped and the land quaked. Even the Ninety-Nine Mountains were severely affected, and began to crumble.

Blood sprayed from the mouths of hundreds of thousands of cultivators as the spell formation collapsed into pieces. At least half of the people who made up the formation let out bloodcurdling screams as they were destroyed in body and spirit.

"NOOO!" roared the Second Severing Patriarch. He unleashed a divine ability, causing a gigantic Xuanwu turtle with a viciously spiked shell to appear. As it shot toward forward, Naruto waved a finger, causing portions from five enormous, crumbling mountains to crush down toward the old man. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he was sent tumbling backward. At the same time, Naruto pushed his hands down toward the ground another time, causing the ground within the Black Sieve Sect to split open.

Spiritual energy surged out, mountain peaks crumbled, the sky dimmed. Naruto strode forward toward the First Mountain.

However, even as he stepped foot onto it, the air in front of him rippled, and the Black Sieve Sect's Third Severing Patriarch stepped out.

A ferocious expression could be seen on his face, as well as surging hatred. The moment he appeared, he waved his sleeve. Shockingly, nine white tigers appeared, each of them fully thirty meters long.

Behind the white tigers, the Third Severing Patriarch let out a roar and then raised his hand up. A seal mark appeared from within, which rapidly increased in size as it shot toward Naruto.

Off in the distance, the Second Severing Patriarch gritted his teeth because of the injuries he had sustained, but approached nonetheless. His hand flashed in an incantation gesture, causing black mist to swirl around him and then turn into a statue of a Xuanwu turtle. It emitted a mysterious glow, and also emanated the sounds of wailing, which shook everything in the area.

Naruto's eyes flickered, and he slapped his bag of holding. Immediately, the only Time Sword tip he still possessed appeared. He grabbed it with his fingers and then suddenly vanished. When he reappeared he was directly in front of the Second Severing Patriarch. He waved his hand, and the sword tip flew out.

When it slammed into the Xuanwu turtle, the beast instantly began to wither. It let out a miserable shriek and then began to collapse and dissipate. The Second Severing Patriarch's face fell as the sword tip neared him. He was just about to attempt to dodge to the side when Naruto stretched out his finger.

"Hex!"

It was a single word, but it instantly caused the Second Severing Patriarch to tremble to a stop. The sword tip stabbed through him, causing not only blood to spurt out, but also 10,000 years of longevity!

"AAHHH!"

Physical pain didn't count for much, but the pain caused by the destruction of longevity cause the old man to let out a miserable shriek. By this point, Naruto had already turned around. He flicked his sleeve, and a gale-force wind sprang up to send the nine white tigers sprawling backward. Then he looked up at the sealing mark that was bearing down on him. By now, it was already three hundred meters tall, and causing everything to rumble as it neared.

"Suppress!" roared the Third Severing Patriarch, gesturing with both hands, sending the seal mark smashing down toward Naruto.

"Anywhere that mountains exist, that is my Area world!" said Naruto.

He performed an incantation with his right hand and then pointed out.

Shockingly 50,000 illusory mountain suddenly appeared around him. These were the 50,000 mountains that he had just destroyed!

As the mountains made their appearance, they turned into Naruto's

Area world. It spread out toward the incoming seal, causing rumbling to fill the air. It also shot toward the Second Severing Patriarch, who was already injured. This new attack caused him to let out a scream of defiance as his body trembled and then exploded. He was dead in body and soul.

At the same time, Naruto borrowed the momentum of the blast to shoot at high speed past the Third Severing Patriarch. In the blink of an eye, he was on the First Mountain, next to the incense burner.

Without the slightest hesitation, he anxiously approached and reached out his right hand. Just as he was about to lay hands on the trembling figure inside, an enraged roar echoed out behind him.

The roar spread out, and it contained something that caused Naruto's scalp to go numb with a sense of crisis.

"You want to save that girl? I'd rather let the Rebirth Pill refinement fail than let you succeed! Heaven and Earth furnace, shatter the pill and destroy the body!"

The instant the voice rang out, the incense burner trembled and began to emit intense heat.

"If you fall back, your beloved in the furnace will be killed. If you don't fall back, then you will die together!"

Naruto's face flickered as he eyed the leaping flames in the incense burner. Critical danger was also approaching him from behind. His eyes flickered with determination. Without hesitation, he stopped in place. He did not fall back.

His two hands flickered in incantation pattern and, ignoring both the danger from behind and the blistering heat from incense burner, he shot forward. He entered the incense burner and wrapped his arms around the stiff figure inside.

His body was instantly attacked by the intense heat. His hair burned, and the flesh of his face was charred black. His fingers dried and withered, revealing bones. Even his chest was eaten away until his heart was visible.

However, he still entered the incense burner to wrap his arms around Xu Qing. In that instant, a tremor ran through him as the danger from behind finally arrived.

Whhhzzzzzzzzzzz….

Naruto trembled as the eight white tigers, which had transformed into eight white spikes, stabbed into his back.

Actually, as far as physical pain went, he didn't even notice it. Currently, he was staring blankly at Xu Qing as he held her in his arms. She was not beautiful like he remembered. Her body was emaciated and withered, her features ancient. She had no life force in her, no soul.

She had… nothing.

Naruto quivered, and his eyes filled with tears.

"Elder Sister Xu…." Stabs of pain filled his heart, as if it were being ripped directly out of his body. He instantly fell completely into his madness. At this same time, the voice of the Third Severing Patriarch rang out behind him.

"Eight Tigers Immortal Extinguishing Tribulation!"

In coordination with the words, the eight spikes that had stabbed into Naruto began to emanate an indescribably terrifying power. It instantly filled every corner and recess of his body.

Naruto's eyes were crimson as he looked at Xu Qing. He laughed bitterly, doing nothing to prevent the Third Severing Patriarch from approaching and attacking with a divine ability.

Blood sprayed from his mouth, only to be instantly incinerated.

"First Tribulation!" said the Third Severing Patriarch. Booming filled Naruto's body.

"Second Tribulation!

"Third Tribulation!"

Booming rang out constantly as, one by one, the eight spikes inside of Naruto shattered. They battered his soul and shredded his body, but he didn't care. The only thing he cared about was the corpse of the woman he held in his embrace.

He felt hatred, madness, insanity, and regret.

He had arrived too late….

"You live, I live. You die, I die….

"If you grow old, then I'll grow old together with you…." Naruto heard the words from the past echoing in his ears. He laughed bitterly as the explosions wracked his body.

"Fifth Tribulation!

"Sixth Tribulation!

"Seventh Tribulation!

Suddenly, an intense hope filled Naruto's face. He began to breathe raggedly, and even as the words 'Eighth Tribulation' rang out behind him, he realized that there was a problem.

"Xu Qing's soul…. Her soul is not in her body any more. Her soul….

"Bodies can be restored. As long as her soul has not dispersed, she isn't dead. However, there are no traces at all of a soul within her. It's almost like… someone extracted it!" Naruto's entire body trembled, and roaring sounds filled his whole body. He slowly put Xu Qing's corpse into his bag of holding. As he did, his Eternal stratum, seemingly in unison with his sudden lucidity, exploded out along with the Eighth Tribulation.

It was at that point that roaring flames suddenly burst out all over Naruto's body. The more than 100,000 remaining Black Sieve Sect disciples saw this, as did the Third Severing Patriarch.

They saw flames, and inside of the flames, a person. Everything else above and below faded, and the Black Sieve Sect disciples' faces filled with excitement.

The Third Severing Patriarch finally breathed a sigh of relief. The menace of Naruto was something he couldn't quite handle, and he had even been worried that, because of Xu Qing, he wouldn't be able to kill him.

"Finally, the matter is ended…." murmured the Third Severing Patriarch. And yet, even as the words left his mouth, his face suddenly flickered and filled with shock. Without hesitation, he shot backward.

Even as he fell into retreat, Naruto strode out from within the raging flames, which were then immediately extinguished. Naruto was eternal, and what is eternal cannot be exterminated!

The only way to kill him was to simultaneously exterminate him in both body and soul. Using any other method would be very difficult.

As for the Third Severing Patriarch, he was obviously not qualified to do something like that!

Even as the man began to retreat, Naruto's killing intent exploded out in shocking fashion.

"Where is Xu Qing's soul!?" he said, glaring directly at the Third Severing Patriarch. He spoke slowly, and his eyes were thoroughly bloodshot. His voice was filled with the thirst for blood and slaughter, and anyone who heard it would feel an incredible sense of danger.

The more than 100,000 surrounding Black Sieve Sect disciples were trembling. By this point, there were a few who finally realized why Naruto looked so familiar. Before, they had sensed the familiarity, but didn't have time to think deeply about the matter. Now, though, they suddenly thought of a name from the past.

"Naruto!"

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Alex Tsue

Vol. 5 : Chapter 699

Chapter 699: Sieve Yin Sect

"That's Naruto!"

"Violet Furnace Lord Naruto of the Violet Fate Sect! He even came to the Black Sieve Sect once to give a lecture about the Dao of alchemy!"

It had been silent before, but suddenly, the sound of gasping filled the air as everyone suddenly thought the same thing.

"Two hundred years ago he was in Core Formation…. But now, he can slaughter Spirit Severing Patriarchs!"

Naruto completely ignored the astonished buzz of conversation. He stared straight at the Third Severing Patriarch and slowly walked forward.

As he neared, an enormous, energy rose up from Naruto's body, which transformed into an incredible pressure that covered over everything. The hubbub instantly died down, and even the wind ceased to blow. The only thing left behind was the indescribable pressure.

At the moment, it was evening, and the sky was just starting to turn dark.

"The Sieve Yin Sect! Her soul is in the Sieve Yin Sect!"

When the Third Severing Patriarch felt the pressure, and saw Naruto's gaze fixed upon him, his heart grew numb, and a sense of despair filled him. He was certain that if he didn't tell Naruto what he wanted to know, he would die this day. It was then that he remembered that the Sieve Yin Sect was actually the true Dao Reserve of the Black Sieve Sect, so he quickly blurted out the name.

The Black Sieve Sect was divided like Yin and Yang.

In accord with that division, it was split into two factions. On the surface was the Black Yang Sect. However, beneath the Hundred Thousand Mountains was the Sieve Yin Sect!

The two factions were inextricably linked, which was how the name of the Black Sieve Sect came to exist in the Southern Domain.

Of course, Naruto was not aware of this, but he did know a bit about the Black Sieve Sect. He knew about the countless discarnate souls that existed underground. It was years ago that he had first sensed the discarnate soul of Matriarch Phoenix in Xu Qing.

He also knew that some Chosen of the Black Sieve Sect had Sieve Yin Sect souls hidden within them.

As for which of the two factions occupied the position of leadership, and which was subservient, well… no outsider knew the answer to that question.

Naruto said nothing in response. He simply lifted his right hand up, performed an incantation and then pushed his hand down toward the ground.

As he did, his Demon Sealer's aura exploded out. As a result, the Demonic Qi of Heaven and Earth in the area surged toward him in a constant flow. It swept about, causing his view of the entire world to change instantly.

Shockingly, he could see that the land was covered with boundless auras of sinister death. The auras swirled together to form a vortex that actually existed in the ground deep beneath the Black Sieve Sect.

Gradually, he could also make out what appeared to be a turbid river flowing underneath the surface of the ground. It was surrounded by countless discarnate souls. Surrounding the river were ten enormous, illusory palaces that floated in the air, which seemed to be guarding the river.

In the center of the ten palaces was an altar formed from bleached bones. It was filled with a bizarre, awe-inspiring aura, and above it floated a black, crystal ball. Within that crystal ball was a soul, apparently sleeping.

As soon as he saw the soul, Naruto's entire body began to shake.

It was… Xu Qing.

Beneath the crystal ball were four blurry figures sitting there crosslegged. A sinister aura of death radiated off of them, which made it clear that these four figures were corpses that had been there for countless years.

The moment in which Naruto saw the four corpses, they all lifted their heads. Bizarre, underwordly light shone in their eyes as they looked at Naruto.

There were four corpses, but it was three wills that suddenly exploded out in Naruto's mind.

"Screw off!"

"Get the hell out of here!"

"This is not a place you can enter. If you don't screw off within three breaths of time, you'll end up remaining here forever!"

In response, Naruto lifted his foot up and then stamped it down onto the ground. The surface of the land rumbled, and a huge fissure opened up. Determination filled his eyes as he shot down into the fissure.

As soon as he entered, a sinister, cold aura rose up. Furthermore, countless discarnate souls emerged from within the river. Their eyes glowed with strange lights, as well as greed, as they shot toward Naruto.

An archaic voice echoed out from the turbid waters below: "In the Yellow Springs, the discarnate souls of Heaven and Earth see not the sun. They wish only to remain buried in the depths!"

The countless discarnate souls shot forward, causing an evil wind to spring up.

A strange light gleamed in Naruto's eyes as he proceeded onward three hundred meters. He slowly extended his right hand toward the tens of thousands of incoming discarnate souls. Then, he chopped his hand down, creating an illusory blade imbued with his Dao.

The slash of this blade was like the slash of the Dao! 1

This blade contained Naruto's Dao of freedom and independence. His life was a journey, and he would be free and unfettered! This Dao was a severing of fetters!

Rumbling filled the air as, in the blink of an eye, the blade grew to 3,000 meters in length. It slashed down, sending out monstrous ripples that swept about in all directions. As the blade swept out, countless discarnate souls let out miserable shrieks, and burst into flames.

Naruto proceeded forward another measure, advancing six hundred meters. He was now only 1,500 meters from the altar. At the same time, ten streams of divine will appeared from within the ten palaces that surrounded the altar. They shot forward, carrying with them auras of death. Shockingly, they transformed into 100,000 discarnate souls, all of them with eyes full of avarice. As they flew through the air, they merged together to form what appeared to be a waning moon that sped toward Naruto.

Naruto lifted his hand again, and when it descended, a second blade appeared!

This was his second Dao, the severing of Perfection and the acquisition of a new life. It contained his determination, his will, and his enlightenment. As the blade descended, Heaven and Earth shook, as if a great Dao were arriving. In front of Naruto, it transformed into a blade that exceeded the 3,000 meter length of the previous blade.

The blade slashed toward the moon!

Booming sounds rattled out in all directions!

Wherever the ripples of the blade passed, the discarnate souls screamed miserably. The waning moon emitted a bright glow as it attempted to fight back.

When the two slammed into each other, the waning moon trembled.

Naruto's blade slashed directly into its center, completely slicing it in two. It instantly shattered into pieces.

When the waning moon exploded, the ten temples trembled. All of the discarnate souls in the area looked completely astonished. Even as the waning moon began to reform, Naruto waved his hand and pointed.

"Demon Sealing, Eighth Hex!"

RUMBLE!

Demon Sealing magic was incredibly potent when used against the discarnate souls; the waning moon shuddered, and instantly began to disperse. At the same time, countless disconsolate wails could be heard echoing about.

"It's him!"

"It's the Demon Sealer from that year!"

"He's a Demon Sealer!"

Even as the voices rang out, Naruto advanced a third time, crossing a span of 1,500 meters to directly near the altar. At the same time, three of the four figures opened their eyes and lifted their hands to point toward Naruto.

"Discarnate Soul Dao! Dao of Soul Destruction!"

Shockingly, these three corpses had cultivation bases at the Third Spirit Severing level. When they attacked simultaneously, the power was shocking, causing the surroundings to suddenly sink into an illusory world where it seemed Heaven and Earth were transposed. In front of Naruto, a vortex appeared.

The vortex, which seemed capable of consuming anything living or dead, sped directly toward Naruto.

If that were all there were to it, it wouldn't be a big deal. However, before Naruto could employ any divine abilities, the fourth figure on the altar opened his eyes, rose to his feet, and began to walk toward Naruto.

"I am the Yin Divinity. I neither descend to the underworld nor ascend to the shining Heavens. I control my own reincarnation. I possess the Yellow Springs of the Ninth Mountain…." As he spoke, he passed through the vortex to appear in front of Naruto. He lifted his hand and pointed out.

The gesture caused what appeared to be an illusory, yellow-colored river to appear above his hand. Something appeared to exist inside the illusory image, and it struggled to emerge, releasing an incredible will of death.

The finger attack caused Naruto's entire body to fill with rumbling, along with an intense sense of deadly crisis. In his estimation, this person… was even stronger than the three people from moments ago!

"Back on that ancient ship, I came to understand two types of Daoist magic…." Naruto's eyes glittered as he took a deep breath, and then began to perform an incantation. In the blink of an eye, the Mountain Consuming Incantation appeared.

This incantation was something he had acquired in the ancient Demon

Immortal Sect. It was not the most powerful magic, however, as far as Naruto could tell, the limits of its power likely depended on which mountain was being replicated!

Ordinary mountains, such as the Black Sieve Sects' Hundred Thousand Mountains, or perhaps other mountains in the Southern Domain, would be incapable of fighting back against this vortex.

"The most powerful mountain that I have had a chance to study… is the Ninth Mountain!" Naruto's eyes went blank. One breath of time later, shockingly, the image of a mountain appeared in his pupils.

It was a mountain that towered among the stars, a boundless, enormous mountain that defied description.

The Ninth Mountain!

As soon as the Ninth Mountain appeared in his eyes, it also manifested in his palm. He lifted his hand up, and the Ninth Mountain grew in size. Along with it, indescribable ripples began to flow out from within it.

The self-proclaimed Yin Divinity discarnate soul in front of Naruto suddenly looked shocked, and it began to tremble involuntarily.

"That's… the Ninth Mountain!

"To produce a copy of the Ninth Mountain requires incredible destiny and good fortune!

"Not only have you summoned an image of the Ninth Mountain, but you've summoned it into your palm! Such an action requires incredible luck, as well as… vast audacity!

"How are you capable of all of this! How could you possibly have had a chance to lay eyes on the entirety of the Ninth Mountain?!"

He was shocked, as were the three discarnate souls on the altar behind him. Their faces filled with complete disbelief as they looked at the Ninth Mountain.

It must be said that South Heaven is only one of the four planets that orbited the Ninth Mountain. That made the Ninth Mountain… something of supreme importance, above all living things!

To summon an image of the Ninth Mountain, was like summoning Heaven and Earth!

"If he can summon the image of the Ninth Mountain, that means that if he can achieve Immortal Ascension he will have a Mountain Consuming qi! This man cannot be allowed to develop any further!

"He only has the image of the mountain, not the will! Destroy him, seize his blood, wrest away his fortune! Transform this into a great success for the Sieve Yin Sect!"

Instantly, the three discarnate souls on the altar shot out.

It seemed that they were just about to slam into Naruto, when suddenly a vast power from the Heavens above suddenly descended to the lands of the South Heaven. As it neared, South Heaven shook and trembled.

This was a great Dao. This was the arrival of the will of the real Ninth Mountain!

The will arrived because Naruto replicated its image. It descended because of the mountain in his hand!

Don't forget that "blade" and "Dao" have almost the same pronunciation ↩

Vol. 5 : Chapter 700

Chapter 700: True Patriarch Six-Daos

In almost the exact moment in which Naruto used the Mountain Consuming Incantation to summon the image of the Ninth Mountain, far out in the starry sky outside of Planet Ninshu, the indescribably majestic Ninth Mountain suddenly trembled.

Along with the trembling, the will of the mountain, as if in response to some mysterious call, neared South Heaven and descended into Naruto's palm, onto the rapidly expanding image of the Ninth Mountain.

It was only a sliver of will, but to Naruto and the surrounding discarnate souls, it was shocking to the extreme.

The astonishment of the discarnate souls was at a pinnacle.

"Resonance!"

"He… actually formed a resonance with the Ninth Mountain!"

The discarnate souls trembled, and Naruto's eyes were now anything but blank. He suddenly waved his right hand, and the Ninth Mountain in his hand shot forward.

As it bore down on the self-proclaimed Moon Divinity, the discarnate soul defended with every bit of power it could muster. Countless heavenly bodies appeared around its and shot forward to block the mountain.

BAM!

The heavenly bodies collapsed, and the Moon Divinity discarnate soul let out a disconsolate shriek as the Ninth Mountain slammed into it, completely destroying it in all aspects….

Then the Ninth Mountain smashed into the enormous vortex, shattering it into pieces. It seemed as if the mountain was completely unstoppable. The other three discarnate souls on the altar retreated in complete terror, but they were too slow for the Ninth Mountain.

Amidst the rumbling, one managed to dodge to the side. The other two, however, howled miserably. They unleashed all of their divine abilities and magical items, but in the end… they were completely destroyed.

At this point, Naruto, his face pale, coughed up some blood. The Ninth Mountain slowly faded away.

As it disappeared, weakness surged through Naruto's body. He had never imagined that the image of the Ninth Mountain would be so shockingly powerful; just now, he had used it to resist Dao Seeking!

Unfortunately, the price paid was something his cultivation base couldn't handle. Although his soul contained an undying will, the backlash had still injured him. He now knew that if he used this particular divine ability for too long, it would wither his soul!

As for the discarnate soul who had escaped, it was now fleeing in horror.

It had completely lost all its nerve, and was panic-stricken because of Naruto.

Naruto completely ignored it as he strode forward onto the altar. He raised his right hand and was just about to grab the crystal ball when suddenly, a desiccated hand appeared out of nowhere in front of his face.

It pointed at him, and as it did, Naruto could see an incredible ancientness emanating off of the finger and its blackish-yellow fingernail.

The finger did not send out any ripples, nor did it emit any of the power of Heaven and Earth. However, it gave Naruto the sense of a great Dao, almost like natural laws of Heaven and Earth.

He was incapable of evading or dodging. He could only watch as the finger tapped him gently on the chest.

In response, he heard an incredible roaring, and blood sprayed out of his mouth. He spun up violently into the air, as if he had been delivered a huge blow. He slammed into one of the huge temples, which then shattered into pieces, incapable of sustaining the force of Naruto smashing into it.

He shot through the wreckage of the temple and then slammed into the roof of the cave up above. The ground trembled, and roaring echoed out in all directions. The earth split and Naruto shot up into the air above the Black Sieve Sect. It was almost like he was passing from the dark of Yin into the light of Yang. When he reached the end of his trajectory, his chest finally exploded into a cloud of blood.

Immediately, his undying soul and Eternal stratum surged into action, causing the wound to begin to heal. And yet, even after it healed, it exploded once again, a vicious cycle. Naruto coughed up blood continuously until his green robe had turned violet.

Down below, the disciples of the Black Sieve Sect watched on with expressions of shock on their faces.

At the same time, coughing sounds could be heard from deep within the ground.

A black mist began to rise up from down below, which then flooded out to cover the entire Black Sieve Sect.

The coughing sound grew louder, as if someone were lurching out from within the depths of the ground.

All of a sudden, an ancient voice could be heard. "I was just sleeping for a bit and you had to go stir up such a ruckus!"

A skinny, shriveled old man appeared. He wore a black robe, as well as a hat. His features were wizened and ancient, pale in a way that was frightening to look at. His eyes were vacant, and his entire body radiated an aura of death, almost like a vampiric zombie.

As he walked out, everything around him became freezing cold, and black snowflakes began to drift about.

When the Third Severing Cultivator saw the zombie-like man appear, he immediately began to tremble and sweat. Without even thinking about it, he dropped to his knees and kowtowed. "Greetings from the junior generation, true Patriarch Six-Daos!"

Simultaneously, the discarnate soul expert who had survived Naruto's attack earlier immediately flew out trembling. He, too, dropped to his knees and kowtowed.

"Greetings from the junior generation, true Patriarch Six-Daos!"

Back underground, countless discarnate souls all dropped to their knees to kowtow, their faces filled with awe and terror. At the same time, their voices echoed out in greeting. As for the Black Sieve Sect disciples standing on the ground, they shook uncontrollably, and although they actually didn't know who this old man was, they kowtowed nonetheless.

Naruto's face was unsightly, and he could feel the wound in his chest continuing to fight against his Eternal stratum. He stared fixedly at the old man for a moment before realizing that the man's cultivation base… Was at the peak of Dao Seeking!

Naruto could also tell that this man seemed to be slightly stronger than the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch.

This was the true Dao Reserve of a great sect. Any of the five great sects or three great clans in the Southern Domain would have a similar Dao Reserve. Were it not for that, how could they possible pass their legacies down for ten thousand years or beyond?

The old man coughed a bit, then stretched a stiff hand out and made a claw-like gesture toward the ground. The turbid, underground river suddenly surged and then flew up out of the ground. As it did, it shrank down until it could circulate in the air around the old man.

At the same time, the old man pointed toward the incense burner on the First Mountain, causing it to shudder and then fly through the air toward him. It shrank down until it was the size of a fist, and then opened up, after which the turbid river flowed inside. Finally, the incense burner came to rest on the old man's palm.

By now it didn't look like an incense burner, but rather, a flagon of alcohol.

The old man raised it up to his lips and took a sip. Then, his eyes glowing with a strange light, he looked over at Naruto.

"You have a pretty good cultivation base," he said. "If it weren't for me, the Black Sieve Sect's foundation of ten thousand years would actually have been destroyed." The old man then pointed toward the ground, causing the crystal ball with Xu Qing's soul in it to fly out. He clasped it between two fingers. "Do you want her?"

Wisps of black mist circulated out from the old man's hand to encircle the crystal ball. They transformed into vicious, wicked spirits who peered into the crystal ball with greed and avarice as if they wanted to rush inside.

Xu Qing's soul immediately began to tremble, as if it was experiencing intense fear.

Naruto's heart also began to quiver.

"I can sense the aroma of rebirth," the old man said hoarsely. "My disciples and apprentices must have been refining her for my use. What is she to you? Your beloved?"

Naruto glared at the old man, but didn't respond. Pain stabbed through his heart, and his entire body was trembling.

"Not going to say anything?" The old man gently squeezed his fingers down. Cracking sounds could be heard as fissures appeared on the surface of the crystal ball.

"She's my beloved!" Naruto took a deep breath and continued to stare at the old man.

"Then it's proper for you to have come," the old man said calmly, the aura of death around him growing thicker. "If you didn't show up, her soul would have become nourishment for me, and her body would have been refined into a medicinal pill to add to my collection."

By now, the sky was completely dark, and the moon was out. As its rays shone down, the old man looked up for a moment, then caused the black mist to cover it up.

"Unfortunately, you coming here was useless. Although, I might as well give you a chance." His murky eyes began to glow with a strange light. "Go ahead and use your best divine abilities and magical techniques. If you can handle one blow from me, then I'll let you leave with her soul. What do you say?"

Naruto stared at this true Patriarch of the Black Sieve Sect, the most powerful person in the entire sect. Inside, he smiled bitterly. In actuality, he knew before coming here that things would probably not go smoothly. However, he had come anyway.

Not coming would have violated his own Dao!

Furthermore, he came without the intention of leaving!

"You live, I live. You die, I die…. That is a promise." Naruto took a deep breath and then lifted his hand up. In his left eye, a bright glow like day gradually appeared. In his right eye could be seen a darkness like night.

This was his most powerful divine ability, which he had acquired after gaining enlightenment about darkness and light from the armored man on the Underworld Ship.

In his right hand, a black mist appeared, along with a white mist.

As soon as the two streams of mist appeared, the Black Sieve Sect's true Patriarch, Six-Daos, stared in shock.

"So, it's this…." he said.

The reason he hadn't killed Naruto immediately was because he had sensed some type of good fortune on him. Considering the level of true Patriarch Six-Daos' cultivation base, he could feel premonitions for both crisis and good fortune.

He was now eying Naruto in much the same way that the 10th Wang Clan Patriarch had eyed Naruto for his Perfect Foundation. He could faintly sense that Naruto had something that could be considered incredibly useful good fortune.

A stiff smile appeared on the face of true Patriarch Six-Daos. His eyes flickered as he watched the black and white mists grow rapidly thicker until they finally formed into two pearls.

Black Pearl!

White Pearl!

The instant the two pearls appeared, true Patriarch Six-Daos' pupils constricted. Despite his cultivation base and level of power, his face still filled with disbelief.

"This is… a Dao!

"It's not an ordinary Dao, either. These black and white pearls give me a sense of limitlessness, as if they contain…."

Naruto's eyes flashed and he suddenly stretched out his right hand. He actually didn't know how to use the two pearls, but they were definitely his most powerful magical technique.

As he waved his hand, the two pearls transformed into two beams, one black, one white, that shot toward true Patriarch Six-Daos.

In that instant, the sky suddenly changed colors. The entire world became one of black and white. There was no third color that existed!

"Heavenly Dao!

"This is a Heavenly Dao, not of the Ninth Mountain, but from outside the great Nine Mountains!"

—–

This chapter was sponsored by Carlos Cardenas Jauregui, Lorenzo

Ibarria, Tanawut Pitchayaboonwong, Patryk Czajczyński, and Mustaqeem

Ahmed

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