Chapter 1151 (Click to show "spoiler" title) Chapter 1151: Questioning Sea Dream!
The Windswept Realm was gone, no longer a part of the Mountain and Sea Realm. It had departed for all eternity!
Naruto looked out into the void, and a profound gleam gradually rose up in his eyes. Then he turned his head as Paragon Sea Dream's convergence light pulled him over to the rest of the group, which was congregated outside of her Immortal's cave.
No one spoke to each other. They watched the Windswept Realm vanish, and then looked on as the void returned to its placid, normal state. There was not a calm heart to be found in the entire lot. Everything that had happened in connection to the Windswept Realm had left deep impressions on them.
They had started out fighting and killing each other, and had ended up working together. When they thought back to everything they had experienced, they sighed ruefully.
Thinking back, their so-called enmities and grudges from before now seemed insignificant.
Lin Cong felt that way, as did Han Qinglei. Even Dao-Heaven felt exactly the same.
As for Yuwen Jian, he had originally come to hate Dao-Heaven because of the death of Hong Bin. However, after seeing Hong Bin's soul, he understood that Hong Bin's true killer was the Emperor.
They stood there thoughtfully, the events that had just occurred playing out in their minds. Those things were not matters which could be easily forgotten; they were now branded into their souls. After all, they had just witnessed something completely unheard of: an outright rebellion!
Nothing like this had happened in the Mountain and Sea Realm for countless years. However, all the people present had just gone through that very experience. In fact, had Paragon Sea Dream not used her convergence beam just now, all of them would have been taken along with the Windswept Realm to the 33 Heavens….
The Echelon cultivators were able to wrap their minds around the events better than the others. After all, their understanding of matters regarding the Mountain and Sea Realm exceeded that of ordinary cultivators. However, the other cultivators present were shaken to the core.
Heavens existed beyond what they imagined could exist. Any person who came to know about such a thing would definitely be struck by massive waves of astonishment.
Naruto turned away from the void to look at Sakura. She looked away, and even backed up a few steps, acting as if she had no desire to have any contact with him. He stood there silently for a moment, until all of a sudden, footsteps could be heard from within the Immortal's cave. A woman walked out, and that woman was not Paragon Sea Dream. It was Li Ling'er. She looked different than she had before, more elegant, as if she had cast off all mortal elements.
When she walked out, Lin Cong and the others solemnly clasped hands and bowed deeply. Even Dao-Heaven bowed. However, Fan Dong'er's and Sakura's eyes went wide, and they stared at Li Ling'er in disbelief.
Naruto didn't bow. After all, he had essentially handed Li Ling'er over to Paragon Sea Dream. How could he possibly bow to her?
Li Ling'er glared grudgingly at Naruto for a moment, then swept her gaze over the others.
"Hear Paragon Sea Dream's orders," she said coolly. "What occurred with the Windswept Realm is no business of yours. News of this matter must not be spread beyond this group. Not one scrap of news! To have been able to witness these events counts as amazing good fortune for all of you. She hopes that all of you will continue to practice cultivation and find the proper path. When all of you have entered the Ancient Realm, the time to carry out the plan will have arrived!" Then she waved her hand, and a white vortex appeared off to the side.
"Enter the vortex and you will return from whence you came!"
There were quite a few people present, including Dao-Heaven and the Echelon cultivators, as well as Fan Dong'er and the others. However… of the original group of nearly one hundred people, there were now barely over a dozen left.
All of them clasped hands toward the Immortal's cave and bowed silently. Lin Cong was the first to approach the vortex. He stopped in front of it and turned back to look at Naruto.
"Naruto," he said, his voice calm and sincere, "I'll be waiting for you in the Fourth Mountain. Xu Qing… is there too. When you come, I'll definitely challenge you to a fight. Afterward, you and I will be friends!
"When I get back to the Fourth Mountain, the first thing I'm going to do is go find Xu Qing, and tell her… that I saw you. Is there… anything you'd like me to tell her?"
"If it's not too much trouble, Elder Brother Lin," Naruto replied softly,
"please tell Xu Qing… that I haven't forgotten our agreement!" He waved his hand, causing a medicinal pill to fly out toward Lin Cong.
It was a Cosmetic Cultivation Pill.
"Please give that to her for me."
Lin Cong grabbed the pill and nodded. Then he turned, stepped into the vortex, and vanished.
Next was Han Qinglei. He looked over at Naruto with a complex expression, then shook his head, chuckling bitterly.
"You might be surnamed Uzumaki, but thankfully you aren't connected to the Uzumaki Clan from the Eighth Mountain…."
"Perhaps… I am," Naruto replied, a strange expression on his face.
Han Qinglei blinked in shock, staring back at Naruto for a moment. Finally, he sighed, unsure of what else to say. He clasped hands, then stepped into the vortex and disappeared.
After that was Yuwen Jian. He walked up to Naruto, clasped him by the shoulders, and looked him in the eyes. Naruto laughed and pulled him into a bear hug.
"Don't forget to come to the Seventh Mountain to see me," Yuwen Jian murmured. "I'll take you to the Vale of the Godgrave, where you can find… God's Blood!" Laughing, he turned and headed toward the vortex.
Just before stepping in, he shouted: "Oh, I'm taking this battle-axe with me!"
Then he jumped into the vortex and vanished, as if he were worried that Naruto would veto the idea.
Naruto stared in shock. He had completely forgotten about that battle-axe, and now that it had been brought up again, a wave of pain washed through him. However, he could do nothing but chuckle wryly.
"Naruto!" Dao-Heaven said, looking Naruto in the eyes.
"I'm happy to have come to the Windswept Realm, to have been able to bear witness to Heavens beyond what we imagined could exist. Furthermore, you have helped me to understand… that a person exists beyond what I imagined could exist.
"You wiped away my Paragon magic, and after a lot of thought, I've come to realize that the reason… is because I wasn't qualified to control it!
"In the end, you saved me. And yet, I will still challenge you to a fight one day. If you beat me, I'll challenge you a second time. If you beat me again, I'll challenge you a third time. I'll keep on challenging you forever until I defeat you!
"Also, don't think that you're really the number one cultivator in the Echelon. The Echelon originally had thirteen members. However, even including Hai Dongqing, only ten came to the Windswept Realm.
"There are another three, and they… are people you need to watch out for. Those three… are completely… terrifying!" Dao-Heaven had to pause for a moment before uttering the final word, 'terrifying'.
Considering how arrogant he was, it was obviously difficult for him to say such a thing.
Naruto stared in shock.
"Completely terrifying?"
"To be more accurate, they are not of the current generation of the Echelon…." Dao-Heaven looked over at the Immortal's cave with what seemed like fear, as if he had just realized something important. Then he looked back at Naruto, and their eyes met. Naruto could clearly see a certain helplessness in Dao-Heaven's eyes, as well as a smoldering fury. Finally, Dao-Heaven stepped into the vortex and vanished.
Fan Dong'er left, as did Bei Yu and everyone else. Sakura left too; the entire time, she avoided Naruto's gaze and wouldn't even speak a single word to him.
Finally, Naruto stood there alone. Instead of leaving, though, he turned toward the Immortal's cave.
"Paragon Sea Dream, you owe me an explanation!" His tone of voice was both awe-inspiring and icy. He had never spoken to her in such a way before. The previous two times they had met, he had been cautious and solemn. Now, though, his heart burned with fury, and therefore, the words he spoke to Paragon Sea Dream didn't contain any of the respect that they had in the past.
"How dare you!" Li Ling'er said, clearly shocked by his words. Her eyes went wide as she stared at Naruto. Despite the fact that she had just shouted, she quickly gave him a series of very meaningful looks, as if to remind him not to offend Paragon Sea Dream.
Naruto completely ignored her hints, and glared icily at the Immortal's cave.
After a long moment, Paragon Sea Dream's icy voice rang out from within the Immortal's cave. It sounded merciless and cold. "You forget your true standing. There are a lot of Chosen in the Mountain and Sea Realm. Perhaps I should get rid of you."
"Naruto," exclaimed Li Ling'er, "what makes you think you can talk to Paragon Sea Dream like that!? Apologize immediately!" She anxiously turned to the Immortal's cave and clasped hands. "Master, please calm yourself. After the drastic upheavals in the Windswept Realm, Naruto was just confused and made a slip of the tongue. Please forgive him this once."
"Consider that Ling'er has interceded, I'll ignore this matter, Naruto," Sea Dream said calmly. "However, if it happens again, then I'll strip away your Echelon mark. If you still have the gall, try to speak to me like that a third time, then I'll cut you down where you stand."
Li Ling'er breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to glare at Naruto.
She was just about to say something, when Naruto laughed. It was a loud laugh, filled with pride, and lacking the slightest tone of compromise. In fact, it even seemed domineering.
"I forgot my standing? You know full well where I stand, Paragon Sea Dream!
"You also knew exactly what was going on with the Windswept Realm. I don't mind being used, but when I get used… it better not be for free!
"Even more intolerable was that when I was trying to acquire some good fortune that was mine by right, you tried to stop me!
"Paragon Sea Dream, why exactly do you think it's unreasonable for me to ask for an explanation!?" As Naruto's voice rang out, Li Ling'er's eyes widened with shock. His words left her completely speechless.
A long moment passed in which no voice came out of the Immortal's cave. Finally, a white light began to shine as Paragon Sea Dream emerged in her white robes. As she stepped out, the void grew brighter, and a pressure radiated out that Naruto hadn't felt the previous two times they had met.
That pressure was the pressure exuded by a Paragon. It was as if a single thought from her could cause Heaven and Earth to collapse, or cause eras of time to pass. She looked coldly at Naruto and said, "You really do have some guts."
Her words caused Naruto's heart to tremble. He staggered backward several steps, and blood sprayed out of his mouth. However, azure light suddenly exploded off of him, stimulating the blood of Paragon Nine Seals inside of him. The entire Mountain and Sea Realm trembled, and the sun and moon stopped in place. In that instant, a will of slaughter seemed to lock onto Paragon Sea Dream!
"That's right, I do!" Naruto said through clenched teeth.
A tremor ran through Paragon Sea Dream, and she couldn't prevent her expression from turning serious as she looked at him.
"Well, I don't know what you're talking about," she said calmly. Off to the side, Li Ling'er's heart was pounding wildly. Although she hadn't been accompanying Paragon Sea Dream for a long time, she was well aware of how easily her temper flared. She never took time to explain herself to people, and now she had uttered this one sentence. Although it didn't seem like an explanation, the fact that she said it spoke volumes.
Naruto looked at Paragon Sea Dream for a moment, then suddenly said, "I met a young woman who called herself the successor of Immortal Ancient. Her name was Xue'er. I would very much like you to explain, Paragon Sea Dream, why… you didn't extract her from the Windswept Realm! Why did you… let her go with the Windswept Realm into the 33 Heavens!?"
Chapter 1151: Questioning Sea Dream!
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1152Chapter 1152: An Act!
Paragon Sea Dream's response to Naruto's words was an icy face. She didn't speak, and in fact, almost seemed indifferent.
"Perhaps the Door of Immortality collapsed because of the power of that black hole," Naruto said, looking calmly at Paragon Sea Dream. "However, the moment it did collapse, the power of your convergence beam definitely grew stronger." Clearly, Naruto had no intention of backing down. That was Naruto: you could use him, but you had to pay the price. He didn't do things for free!
"In fact, when I decided to go after the Traitorous Sutra of the Rebel Dao, your main intention lay in obstructing my way!
"If you try to tell me that you didn't know that the rebellion was going to happen, Paragon Sea Dream, well then let me tell you, I wouldn't believe you for a second!
"Perhaps the Emperor's betrayal was real, but don't try to convince me that the Windswept Imperial Lord was also a traitor!" Naruto spoke with decisiveness that could sever nails and chop iron, and his eyes flashed like lightning. Even still, he carefully observed Paragon Sea Dream's expression in response to his words. Although he spoke very decisively, he actually wasn't completely confident. There had definitely been signs here and there that something strange was going on. In fact, Dao-Heaven had also picked up on them. In the moment before he left, when he looked at Naruto, both of them had understood the deeper meaning in his eyes. However, there was no hard evidence.
"Hogwash!" Paragon Sea Dream said. She extended her right hand, causing a fierce wind to pick Naruto up and carry him toward the teleportation vortex. Clearly, she meant to send him away.
As he was forced back, azure light sprang up, and his eyes glittered. His cultivation base erupted with power as he fought back. However, despite being an Allheaven Dao Immortal, when tangling with a Paragon, he was simply incapable of doing anything. As he was swept closer to the vortex, he roared and called upon the blood of Paragon Nine Seals. The Mountain and Sea Realm shook. The sun and moon trembled, and Naruto ground to a halt at the edge of the vortex. Even so, he was still being pushed inexorably back.
"It wasn't just me who didn't believe it all," he continued immediately. "Even the 33 Heavens probably didn't believe. That's why, from beginning to end, they just sat around watching. Not a single one of them made a move.
"It wasn't until the Traitorous Sutra of the Rebel Dao appeared that they got excited. That was when they started getting greedy. Considering their cultivation bases and how intelligent they are, the Windswept Realm will surely be put under strict oversight." However, Paragon Sea Dream had already turned to head back into her Immortal's cave. It was as if she was certain the flick of her sleeve would send Naruto into the vortex and away from this place, as if it were completely impossible for him to remain behind.
She saw him inching closer and closer to the vortex, and could sense the teleportation power building up. Naruto's eyes flashed with determination.
"Battle Weapon!" he said, smacking his bag of holding and causing the copper mirror to fly out. Although the copper mirror seemed completely ordinary, as soon as it appeared, Naruto rotated his cultivation base, causing azure light to stream into the mirror. Instantly, the mirror… began to melt!
It became a bronze liquid which then began to flow out to cover Naruto's hand. 1 Seemingly sentient, the liquid continued to expand until it reached his elbow. In the blink of an eye, his entire forearm and hand transformed into a meter-long blade!
It was bronze, and radiated an archaic air, as if it had existed for countless years. Gradually, it began to emanate starlight, almost like a gem, as if it were the most important object in the world!
The surface of the blade was as shiny as a mirror, and shone with icy light that seemed capable of slicing through all living things. It also emanated an air of incredible mystery.
An indescribable aura erupted from his forearm, a subtle aura that caused the teleportation vortex to emit cracking sounds, as if it were icing over and couldn't operate.
All of the natural law and Essence in the nearby void was shattered. Invisible ripples began to emanate out, with the sharp blade being at the center. It was if wherever the ripples passed, the void was still the void, and yet, was also no longer the void!
The strangeness of what was happening caused Paragon Sea Dream to suddenly stop mid-turn. A tremor ran through her, and she turned back to look at Naruto's right forearm. Her face flickered through several emotions.
"Allheaven Dao Immortal," she murmured. "So you've already reached the point of activating the second state!" Her words caused Naruto's eyes to flicker imperceptibly, although, he had long since come to suspect that she actually knew about the copper mirror.
Li Ling'er's eyes were wide as saucers, and she slowly began to back up.
The sharp blade on Naruto's right arm filled her with shock. It was
like looking at countless stars falling from the sky, and at the same time, hearing innumerable voices roaring angrily in her ears.
Naruto's right forearm had transformed into a sharp blade, with nine serrations that looked like waves. It was a shocking sight, a blade that essentially had nine tips!
This was the second state of Naruto's copper mirror, the Battle Weapon!
As the parrot had said before, once Naruto reached the Allheaven Dao Immortal Realm, he could cause the copper mirror to reach its second state. Now Naruto had reached exactly that stage, although the fusion with his third Nirvana Fruit was only fifty percent complete, not one hundred percent!
An explosive sensation radiated out from Naruto's right hand, something almost beyond his control. He began to pant as he suddenly realized that it now felt possible for him to slash open the 33 Heavens!
It was a feeling of intense and shocking power, a feeling that caused him to tremble, and made him feel like he was about to lose control. He forced himself away from the vortex, and then, the Battle Weapon vanished, transforming once again into a copper mirror which came to rest on Naruto's hand.
He knew that although he could now turn the copper mirror into a Battle Weapon, he was still incapable of unleashing a single strike from the blade. Perhaps… that would only happen when he was equipped with the full power of the Allheaven Dao Immortal. Maybe then he would be qualified to wield the blade!
Perhaps swinging that blade would completely drain his cultivation base. However, a single swipe would definitely cause all the Heavens to lose their light, and would eradicate all life. It would shatter natural laws and crush Essences.
Naruto almost couldn't wait for that time. Panting, he waved his
hand, sending the copper mirror away and looking at Paragon Sea Dream, who wore a complex, confused expression.
Paragon Sea Dream had been staring at the copper mirror, and after he put it away, she continued to stand there silently.
Naruto took a deep breath. Eyes shining brightly, he once again spoke: "Paragon Sea Dream, I hadn't finished speaking yet. Now that the Windswept Realm has entered the 33 Heavens, the person who will be most suspect is the Windswept Imperial Lord. In fact, I'm afraid he will lose any and all freedom. To him, having the Windswept Realm become the 34th Heaven is… a huge gamble!
"In fact, it seems almost a certainty that the gambit will fail. And yet, he still went through with it!
"And that's because the entire thing was an act!
"Presumably, the reason you didn't bring Xue'er back is because she is your ace in the hole!"
Paragon Sea Dream watched the copper mirror vanish, then looked at
Naruto with a strange, complex expression. A long moment passed. Finally, she said, "Well then, why do you think I would have done all those things?" This was the first time she directly responded to his questions!
Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly and he took a deep breath.
"The reason for your actions, Paragon Sea Dream, most likely has something to do with the plan you mentioned. I am quite confident that the Windswept Realm, and Xue'er, have been sent off for one purpose and one purpose only!
"To create a teleportation portal!"
After a moment of silence, Paragon Sea Dream said, "You are both right and wrong."
She gave no indication as to which part of what he had said was correct, and which was not. However, despite the fact that she had only responded with a single sentence, it still went to show that Naruto had forced her to provide an explanation.
She could not ignore Naruto's existence. Regardless of whether it was because of his status as Nine Seals' successor, or because he was the future Lord of the Mountain and Sea Realm, or because… the Battle Weapon had appeared. All of those things caused her to look at Naruto with a profound gleam in her eyes.
Although she didn't care much about him in terms of cultivation base, there was too much Karma on him that forced her to provide a word of explanation.
Naruto didn't ask any followup questions. He didn't actually want to know what part of what he had said was correct, and what was incorrect. Eyes glittering, he clasped hands and bowed to Paragon Sea Dream.
Clearing his throat, and also looking a bit uncomfortable and bashful, he then said, "All of that was merely speculation on my part, Senior. I was acting a bit emotionally earlier, and said some offensive things. Please don't take offense, Paragon Sea Dream. However, all of that was because I very nearly died on numerous occasions, and something like that is very difficult to deal with. Junior faced many life-or-death situations in the Windswept Realm, and each time, there were nineteen lamentations that flashed through my mind. Each time I thought of those nineteen lamentations, it felt like my heart was being stabbed by a knife. The first lamentation has to do with the fact that I haven't been able to get a piece of the Ruins of Immortality to take with me. If I had, I could have died in the Windswept Realm without any regrets." His expression now was completely different than before.
It was as if he had just traveled in a big, meandering circle, as if he had shown fury, indignation, and even allowed his energy to surge, all for this moment, all for setting up the words he had just uttered.
Paragon Sea Dream had a strange expression on her face as she said, "A piece of the Ruins of Immortality?"
Naruto cleared his throat again. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he sighed.
"Paragon Sea Dream, I would like to request that you help me with this first lamentation of mine. Every time I see the Ruins of Immortality, I can't help but consider the past magnificence of the Paragon Immortal
Realm. Then I started thinking that, if I could just have a piece of the Ruins of Immortality as a keepsake, then it would really be a big motivation in my cultivation. It would help me to progress, and to–" Before Naruto could finish speaking, Paragon Sea Dream waved her hand through the air, causing massive rumbling sounds to fill the air. At the same time, a giant rift was torn open.
That rift appeared to lead to another world.
It was one of the Ruins of Immortality. The Ruins of Immortality were huge, and were scattered throughout the Mountain and Sea Realm. Each and every part of was swathed in mystery. Right now, the piece Naruto was staring at looked almost like a continent. Suddenly, on one corner, it appeared as if an enormous hand were ripping off one section. Rumbling sounds echoed out as a 30,000-meter section of land slowly separated, and then flew toward the rift.
An ancient aura spread out, along with ripples of Time. There was also a one-of-a-kind Immortal air that caused Naruto's heart to thump with excitement!
When you combine the character azure with copper, you get the word for bronze ↩
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1153Chapter 1153: Too Kind-Hearted, Too Honest!
The Ruins of Immortality were crumbled remnants of the Immortal World. They were a place that even ordinary Dao Realm experts couldn't make budge, let alone carve up to take away as a keepsake. All they could do would be to look at the ruins floating there for all eternity.
Only powerful experts like the Lords of the Nine Mountains and Seas might be qualified to take a chunk of the Ruins of Immortality. For example, the first generation Patriarch of the Namikaze Clan had taken a piece of the Ruins of Immortality to house his mausoleum.
When Naruto saw a 30,000-meter chunk of the Ruins of Immortality floating his way, his heart began to palpitate with eagerness, and his throat went bone dry. This piece wasn't as big as the one taken by the first generation Patriarch, but it was still about thirty percent as large, which was huge.
Forgetting anything else about it, the sheer size was such that, if you used it to crush someone, the effect would be monumentally shocking.
"What a treasure!" Naruto immediately stretched out his hand to grab it.
In almost the exact same moment, as the chunk of the Ruins of
Immortality flew toward him through the void, causing everything to rumble and shake, and sending out shocking ripples, the piece began to shrink.
Naruto's eyes gleamed, and he murmured inwardly that Paragon Sea Dream really was considerate. His heart was going wild with joy. It flew down toward him, shrinking until it was the size of a hand, that then floated down toward his palm.
Then it landed, and an expression of delight appeared on his face. However, an instant later, his expression fell as he realized that he couldn't hold it. It immediately began to drop down; although it had changed in size, its weight was exactly the same as when it was 30,000 meters wide!
This was no ordinary piece of land, it was a remnant of the Immortal World! You could say that it was… a continent from the Immortal World!
A huge rumbling sound echoed out, as the incredible weight caused cracking sounds to ring out from Naruto's hand. Suddenly, the land mass fell out of his hand, spinning down into the void below. Although the void seemed bottomless, as Naruto saw the precious treasure of the Ruins of Immortality getting further and further away, his eyes became shot with blood. Without the slightest hesitation, he flew downward in pursuit.
"Just because you can't keep ahold of it doesn't mean I never gave it to you," said Paragon Sea Dream. "The land in the Ruins of Immortality is imbued with the power of the former Paragon Immortal Realm. It is inherently… a precious treasure. That part I gave you wasn't even very big, and yet it weighs about as much as… one tenth of Planet East Victory!
"Consider that your reward for what happened in the Windswept Realm. As for whether or not you can keep ahold of it, that will depend on you." As soon as her cold words entered his ears, Naruto started feeling incredibly irritated.
Li Ling'er stood next to Paragon Sea Dream, a strange expression on her face. She looked at Naruto disappearing down below, and then back at Paragon Sea Dream. After blinking a few times, she smiled, but held back from laughing.
Naruto was extremely angry, and his heart fairly dripped with blood. If that piece of the Ruins of Immortality had never belonged to him to begin with, then it wouldn't matter if it were lost. But Paragon Sea Dream had actually given it to him; the problem was that he couldn't hold onto it. Seeing it fall away into the distance felt like a knife slashing at his heart.
There was little time to consider matters carefully. Azure light sprung up around him, and he even used the Allheaven Dao Immortal power from the third Nirvana Fruit in his forehead. He shot down with incredible speed…. As he pursued the piece of the Ruins of Immortality, he transformed into an azure roc, increasing his speed until he sped down like lightning.
"Get back here! You're mine. MINE!" Naruto's eyes were bright red, and his heart was wracked with intense pain. Perhaps because of his intense, unyielding attitude, and his incredible frustration, he shot along with explosive, incredible speed that he couldn't normally match even if he were fleeing for his life. Rumbling sounds could be heard as he got closer and closer to the descending piece of the Ruins of Immortality.
As of this moment, he was completely focused on the piece of the Ruins of Immortality. Booms echoed out as he unleashed various divine abilities and Daoist magics. He went all out for the time it takes an incense stick to burn before finally catching up. Then, he stretched out his hand and made a grasping motion toward the descending piece of the Ruins of Immortality.
Rumbling sounds echoed out as the descending piece of the Ruins of Immortality stopped in place. With rapid speed, and not holding back the slightest bit of power, he did the same thing over and over again. It wasn't easy, but eventually, the piece of the Ruins of Immortality transformed into a beam of light that flew into his bag of holding.
Although Paragon Sea Dream hadn't warned Naruto about how heavy it was, she had said that she would give him the piece of the Ruins of Immortality, and she wouldn't lie. Thus, although it was incredibly heavy, it had been changed by her powerful magic so that it could be stored inside his bag of holding.
Thanks to Paragon Sea Dream's magical alteration, the land mass which weighed as much as one tenth of Planet East Victory didn't weigh anything at all inside his bag of holding.
Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, then flew rapidly back up. Soon, he was back at his original altitude, only to find that Paragon Sea Dream was long gone. Both Li Ling'er and the Immortal's cave were nowhere to be seen, and the only thing that remained behind was her echoing voice.
"That mirror is inauspicious. It will harm its owner. It appeared first in ancient times, and now it appears again."
Other than the voice, the only thing in the area was the lone ice-bound teleportation vortex, which slowly started spinning as the ice thawed, waiting for him to enter. Naruto looked around in shock.
The Immortal's cave was gone, Li Ling'er was gone, and Paragon Sea Dream was actually… gone!
"Where are they? They left? She did this on purpose! Definitely on purpose!" From Naruto's expression, it looked like he was about to blow his top.
"I had nineteen lamentations! I, I… I only got to the first one! Paragon Sea Dream, where did you sneak off to? Huh? This is wrong, you hear me!? This is so unreasonable! It's not like I was being greedy! I only had nineteen lamentations, that's not very many!" Naruto was very depressed, and then, he was filled with regret as he realized that he hadn't spoken quickly enough. If he had known things would turn out this way, he would have mentioned all the other eighteen lamentations at the same time. That would have been the best thing to do.
"She's a Paragon, a majestic Paragon! It wasn't easy to gain this chance to ask for reasonable compensation, and in the end, she pulled a fast one!
"If I was acting super greedy, that would have been a different story, and I couldn't hold it against her for leaving. But I wasn't being greedy at all! The only thing I mentioned was nineteen lamentations! Anyone else would probably have mentioned a hundred, or even a thousand!
"Ai. The world nowadays doesn't have as many people as honest and dependable as me. That's why I end up getting bullied. These people are ridiculous! It's like they specialize in picking on honest people!" Naruto was furious, but there was nothing he could do other than let out continuous sighs of regret.
"Well, at least I was able to get some of the Ruins of Immortality. When the time comes, I'll head back to Planet East Victory and finally be able to safely take away the battle golem Stepdad Ke gave me." Having reached this point in his train of thought, Naruto felt a bit better. However, he still couldn't stop thinking about how unfair it was for Paragon Sea Dream to bully an honest person like himself.
Frowning resentfully, he stepped into the vortex, which rumbled with the power of teleportation for a moment before he vanished. Then, the vortex slowly faded away, leaving behind not a single trace.
The matter of the Windswept Realm was now completely concluded.
Henceforth, there would be no Windswept Realm in the void of the
Mountain and Sea Realm. It had vanished for all eternity. The Nine Seas
God Worlds would no longer be able to host trials by fire in the Windswept Realm.
Only the Immortal Ancient Daoist Rite and the Sublime Flow Sword Grotto retained their unique worlds.
Meanwhile, a black-robed figure was strolling thoughtfully through the starry sky in the Mountain and Sea Realm. He passed cultivators, passed Mountains and Seas, passed through the void, and yet, no one could see him. He was like a lonely soul drifting about through the Mountains and Seas….
In the moment that the Windswept Realm entered the 33 Heavens, in a location far out in the boundless starry sky, the stars in two different areas were trembling violently as two powerful forces rumbled along.
They were far, far away from the Mountain and Sea Realm. However, the exact distance away didn't matter, as they were… getting closer and closer!
Meanwhile, back near the border of the Ninth Sea of the Mountain and Sea Realm, ripples suddenly spread out. They grew more intense, gradually forming together into a vortex. Naruto stepped out and looked around. Based on the familiar sights around him, he instantly recognized the Ninth Sea.
"Finally… I'm back," he murmured. He thought back to everything that had happened in the Windswept Realm, and he sighed inwardly. Then he looked up into the void and thought about Zong Wuya.
"I wonder whether or not he found his true Dao…." he thought, shaking his head slowly. After standing there for a moment, his eyes glittered.
"The Ninth Mountain and Sea is my home. Unfortunately… I need to leave now. Xu Qing is in the Fourth Mountain and Sea, and I need to go find her, fulfill our agreement, and bring her back here!" His eyes shone with a bright light. His trip to the Windswept Realm had brought him incredible good fortune. He had fully absorbed a Nirvana Fruit, begun the process of becoming an Allheaven Dao Immortal, and gotten some important clues about Xu Qing. Along with all of that came the qualifications to leave the Ninth Mountain and Sea.
His path, and his world, was no longer limited to the Ninth Mountain and Sea. He would go… to see a much wider and larger world!
"I need to make my stack of promissory notes MUCH thicker!" he thought, his passion rising.
"Echelon cultivators. Chosen. It doesn't matter who. I'm going to make everyone in my generation in the Mountain and Sea Realm all owe me money! And then… I'll get to work on the older generation! I'll… get them to owe me money too!
"Then I'll have become the Lord of the Mountain and Sea Realm in my own style!" Naruto felt as though his ambitions were definitely set high. He had a huge task ahead of him, but he was sure that he could succeed.
Eyes shining, he flickered as he flew off into the distance.
"Ever since leaving Planet South Heaven, I haven't had a chance to go back and visit mom and dad. Plus there's my big sister…. I definitely have to go to Planet South Heaven to say bye to mom and dad before I leave.
"Planet South Heaven…. There's also the Essence of Divine Flame there. I'm definitely going to go back to challenge that place again!" Naruto shot forward at top speed, a bright streak of light that headed in the direction of Planet South Heaven.
"Besides, now that I've decided to leave the Ninth Mountain and Sea, I should go settle some debts. I have a lot of promissory notes, and now's the time to collect on them all!" Naruto was starting to feel like he was too softhearted. Whenever he saw people with no money, he would always take pity on them, and wouldn't force them to pay back what they owed him, except perhaps some interest.
"This time, no more Mr. Nice Guy!" he berated himself. "Ah, Naruto, you really are far too kind-hearted!"
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1154Chapter 1154: Heavencloud Bazaar
Feeling extremely idealistic and kindhearted, and sighing at how honest and sincere he was, Naruto looked around without the slightest flush on his face. Of course, there was no one to see him. After clearing his throat again, he turned into a bright beam of light that shot off into the distance.
What Naruto didn't know was that in the very instant in which he had returned to the Ninth Mountain and Sea, all of the members of the Namikaze Clan on Planet East Victory felt their hearts tremble. It was as if some indescribable pressure had suddenly descended upon them. Even the Dao Realm Patriarchs who were meditating awoke from their trances.
It was a tug that came from their bloodline. It was… a power that existed in Naruto's blood now that he was the true Patriarch of the Namikaze Clan, a power that caused faint and yet unmistakeable pressure within the clan members. With that power, Naruto truly controlled the fate of the Namikaze Clan!
As of now, Naruto was so powerful that it was impossible to even compare to how he was when he had first left for the Windswept Realm. He had begun to absorb his third Nirvana Fruit with the help of the Traitorous Sutra of the Rebel Dao, although the fusion wasn't complete, and would take more time.
It wouldn't take too long, though. At the least, a few months, and at the most, a year. When that time came, he would truly be in the Allheaven Dao Immortal Realm. Quasi-Dao experts wouldn't faze him, and he would even be qualified to fight early Dao Realm experts!
From the creation of the Mountain and Sea Realm until this day, he was the first… to take the Immortal Realm to the ultimate pinnacle. He was the only person who, while in the Immortal Realm, could actually fight someone in the Dao Realm!
His eyes filled with anticipation, and his speed increased. Rumbling sounds surrounded him as he sped through the starry sky in the direction of Planet South Heaven.
"My third Nirvana Fruit will definitely finish fusing. Now I need to start thinking about my fourth Nirvana Fruit. When I fully absorb that one, then I'll be in a position to try to step into the Ancient Realm!
When I open the Door of the Ancient Realm and summon Soul Lamps, then both my fleshly body and my cultivation base will be in the Ancient Realm. Then… I won't just be able to fight evenly with experts of the early Dao Realm. I'll… be able to beat them!" Naruto was starting to feel more and more confident about himself, and become even more domineering.
Although he did not quite exude a natural air of dignity, this domineering confidence gave him a distinctive awe-inspiring demeanor.
His speed gradually increased as he shot through the starry sky. Back when he first started his journey among the stars, if he had tried to travel from his current location all the way back to Planet South Heaven, it would have taken far, far too long. Even using teleportation portals, it would have taken several months.
But now, even without the use of teleportation portals, it would only take about a month. However, Naruto didn't plan to do that. Naturally, using teleportation portals was the best thing to do.
Three days later, he found himself just outside of an asteroid field. Some of the asteroids were large, some were small. The largest were hundreds of thousands of meters wide, the smallest didn't even measure a few hundred meters. There were several hundred in total, all densely packed together.
Asteroid fields like this one were relatively common in the starry sky of the Ninth Mountain and Sea. The asteroids tended to group together, making them very suitable, naturally-occurring locations to set up teleportation portals.
Because of that, the big asteroid fields tended to become places where cultivators did business. Usually, they were busy places with lots of people coming and going, bringing goods from near and far.
This particular location was a mid-sized bazaar. Although it wasn't very large, there was still quite a crowd of cultivators present. The most prominent sight was the central-most asteroid, the largest of the group, upon which sat a huge city which could be seen even from a great distance.
People flew in and out occasionally, and a buzz of activity could be heard inside. There was even a glowing shield, forming a defensive barrier that surrounded the entire place.
The Namikaze Clan had a teleportation portal set up on one of the asteroids, which was guarded round the clock by members of the Namikaze Clan. Clan members could use the portal for free, of course, whereas non-members had to pay a fee.
Virtually all of the asteroids had similar teleportation portals set up. The
Four Great Clans, Five Great Holy Lands, and the Three Churches and Six Sects, all had teleportation portals set up. Occasionally, the ripples of teleportation could be seen coming from those areas.
Some locations in the Ninth Mountain and Sea were controlled by various powerful organizations who restricted access; anyone who wanted to go to such places had to use one of the designated teleportation portals to do so. Such arrangements were important sources of income for many of the powerful groups in the Ninth Mountain and Sea, even the Ji Clan.
Because Planet South Heaven was such a unique and important place, virtually all of the powers had teleportation portals that went in that direction. However, considering how much Naruto hated to waste money, he would naturally choose to use the Namikaze Clan's teleportation portal.
He was just about to skirt the main bazaar and head toward the Namikaze Clan's asteroid when he glanced at the markets and, all of a sudden, his heart trembled. It was clearly a bustling place, filled with all sorts of shops. Some cultivators even had stalls set up to sell hand-crafted items.
In the brief time that he had been watching, numerous people had come and gone via teleportation portal, numbering into the thousands.
In addition to all that, there were also cultivators who patrolled the area and maintained order. They wore magenta robes, and all of them had significantly powerful cultivation bases, being stage 6 or 7 Immortals.
Magical combat was not permitted inside the bazaar. If conflicts broke out, the violators would be immediately expelled. In extreme cases, they might even be executed. Those were the rules in all bazaars like this one.
Of course, for such rules to be accepted by the general public, and to be able to enforce them, required significant power!
Neither the Four Great Clans, the Five Great Holy Lands, nor the Three
Churches and Six Sects would interfere with the interests of the bazaars. After all, most of them were occupied by extremely powerful rogue cultivators. The weakest among them would be in the late Ancient Realm, and there were even some bazaars who were occupied by Dao Realm rogue cultivators.
This particular bazaar was formally called the Heavencloud Plaza. It was controlled by an almighty peak Ancient realm expert, who was only a half-step away from the Quasi-Dao Realm. He was known as Guru Heavencloud, and everyone knew that he could easily break through to being Quasi-Dao, or even to the Dao Realm!
However, Guru Heavencloud was very wishy-washy regarding the whole matter, and didn't dare to try to break through. He knew that if he made a mistake, he would die. The end result was that Heavencloud Plaza remained a place that no one dared to offend. Even the Four Great Clans were careful not to do anything to disturb him. After all… even if he failed in his breakthrough, he would still end up as a Quasi-Dao cultivator.
If a conflict arose, and he broke through to the Dao Realm to deal with it, it would actually be an easier situation to handle. But if he failed and became a Quasi-Dao expert, his life expectancy would be very limited. With such a short time to live, he would go mad, as if he didn't fear death at all. A situation like that would be a big headache for all the major powers.
"I haven't been home for a long time," Naruto thought. "After I go back this time, who knows when the next time will be…. Dad and mom are stuck on Planet South Heaven, so I really should bring them some nice gifts…." With that, he shot toward the bazaar. As soon as he passed through the protective shield, he felt pressure weighing down on him.
At the same time, he also felt numerous streams of divine sense lock onto him. Those would be from the cultivators in the magenta robes. He could tell that if he tried to do anything untoward, they would immediately take action against him.
Of course, no matter how they analyzed Naruto with their divine sense, all they could sense was that he was in the Immortal Realm. They could detect an impenetrable aura on him which indicated that he was hiding something about himself, but cultivators possessed all sorts of magical techniques and items which made it impossible for others to tell everything about them with a simple scan of divine sense. Besides, it would be difficult for them to imagine that Naruto could possibly be a person who even their Patriarch, Guru Heavencloud, would fear.
Of course, Naruto was already quite famous in the Ninth Mountain and Sea. However, there were few people who would recognize him on sight. Most people had only seen his images on projection screens, and weren't too familiar with what he actually looked like up close.
These magenta-robed cultivators were no different. Some of them thought that he looked familiar, but none of them could place where exactly they had seen him before.
Naruto's expression was the same as ever as he sensed the pressure weighing down on him. If he wanted to, he could easily push back against it, and even destroy the entire shield. However, he had merely come here to buy some gifts, so there was no need to act presumptuously. Therefore, he allowed himself to be pushed down onto the ground.
As soon as he did, the gazes which had been fixed onto him vanished, to observe other incoming cultivators. They paid no more attention to Naruto.
Naruto patted his bag of holding and cleared his throat. After winning the bet with the Demonic Cultivator Horde in the Nine Seas God World, he had quite a few pieces of Immortal jade, and had unknowingly adopted the manner of a rich person. He looked around for a moment, then began to stroll around. For the most part, he knew what kind of place this bazaar was. There were various shops and auction houses, and as for the auction houses, they didn't have membership requirements; anyone could participate in the auctions.
In addition to the shops and auction houses, there were vendor stalls, which actually made up the majority of the establishments in the bazaar. Just about everything you could imagine could be found for sale.
After sizing the place up, Naruto entered one of the shops. The first thing he saw was four or five other cultivators, all of whom were accompanied by salespeople who were introducing the various magical items for sale.
As soon as he stepped in, a young woman walked up. However, before she could even speak, Naruto flicked his sleeve the way he remembered Steward Zhou used to do. Lifting his chin up, he coolly said, "Take me to your luxury goods section."
The young woman looked at him for a moment, and almost immediately began to look down on him inwardly. She had seen a lot of people like Naruto in the past, people who thought they were rich, but, once they saw how expensive things were, didn't actually buy anything.
Expression the same as before, she nodded and led him to one particular corner of the shop, where she clapped her hands, causing the wall to suddenly swirl. Moments later, a collection of dozens of unique magical items appeared.
"This one," Naruto said, pointing at a bell. Then he pointed at another item. "And this one. That one too, and that one. These seven…."
"You have a good eye, Fellow Daoist," the young woman said coolly. "Those seven items are all high-grade magical items. The total cost for them would be about 6,000,000 spirit stones. If you want to pay with Immortal jade, I can give you a bit of a discount…." She looked at Naruto, wondering whether he would dare to try to buy all seven items after hearing how expensive they were.
"Those seven… I don't want," he said calmly.
Inwardly, the young woman was chuckling coldly. Expression the same as usual, she was just about to continue speaking when Naruto said,
"But I'll take all the other ones."
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1155Chapter 1155: Mr. Moneybags!
"Fellow Daoist, w-what did you just say?" The young woman's eyes went wide, and her heart began to thump with disbelief.
"I said those are the seven I DON'T want. The rest, I'll take." Naruto remained as cool as ever, but when he saw the look on the young woman's face, a feeling rose up in his heart that he had never felt before. He thought back to one time in Yunjie County when he had happened to walk by a shop and catch sight of Steward Zhou buying things in just the same way he was doing right now.
The expression on that salesperson's face, and his tone of voice, was exactly the same as this young woman's right now.
She was panting, and even felt a bit dizzy. Throughout all the years she had worked at his place, she had seen many, many types of cultivators. However, this was the first time she had encountered anyone like Naruto.
"S-Senior… not including those seven, there are a total of 124 magical items on display." Without even thinking about it, she began to explain further. "If you bought them with spirit stones, it would cost at least 40,000,000…. That would be about 4,000 in Immortal jade…."
Naruto lifted his chin and asked, "Well, are you selling, or not?" He currently had hundreds of millions of Immortal jades in his bag of holding, which meant that, if he wanted to, he could buy not only this collection of magical items, but actually, the entire shop, or even, the entire bazaar. He even had enough to buy the whole asteroid field.
After his escapades in the Nine Seas God World, Naruto was probably one of the richest individuals in all of the Mountain and Sea Realm. However, even that level of wealth didn't provide him with any comfort. When he thought about how much the copper mirror liked to consume spirit stones and Immortal jades, he was left with a constant feeling of anxiety.
Even still, the look on the young woman's face made him feel wonderful.
Finally, he could enjoy the life of a rich person. Waving his hand, he sent 4,000 Immortal jades flying out, where they piled up into a small mountain on the ground.
Immortal Chakra instantly swelled out, filling the entire shop, making it like a celestial paradise, complete with floating mists and clouds.
To see so much Immortal jade nearly caused the young woman's eyes to pop out of their sockets. This was the most wealth she had ever seen in one place. At the same time, the other people in the shop stared over in amazement, and even greed.
There were a few cultivators who first started trembling at the sight of the Immortal jade, then looked over at Naruto's bag of holding. Eyes glittering, they quickly scurried off.
Naruto glanced at them out of the corner of his eye, and then a slightly bashful expression appeared on his face.
"Senior, please wait a moment. Just one moment, sir. This… this exceeds my authority. Junior will go ask the shop Elder himself to come over." Panting, the saleswoman quickly edged backward. However, before she could even turn, a blast of wind flew in from the courtyard behind the shop, which quickly materialized into an old man.
He was dressed in extravagant, luxurious clothing, and had the demeanor of a transcendent being. He quickly clasped hands and bowed to Naruto.
"I am Shui Motian. Greetings, Fellow Daoist. Please, consider me a good friend, and allow me to throw in those seven extra items as a gift." The Elder laughed heartily, quickly performing an incantation gesture and pointing. Instantly, the invisible restrictive spells on the wall vanished, and the magical items flew over to circle around Naruto, who instantly began to radiate the aura of jewels and treasures.
Naruto glanced at the Elder and nodded slightly, then made a grasping motion, causing the items to fly over into his bag of holding.
"Shui Motian, I'll remember that name," he said, turning to leave. The Elder nearly went wild with joy at the last of Naruto's words, and he quickly followed, escorting Naruto all the way out of the shop, bowing and scraping the entire time.
To see him acting like this left all the salespeople in the shop in complete and utter shock. Although the transaction they had just witnessed involved a sum of money that was completely unheard-of, they still found it hard to believe that Elder Shui Motian, who was an Ancient Realm expert, would be so polite to a mere Immortal Realm cultivator.
The pretty young woman, who happened to be very close with Shui Motian, leaned over and whispered: "Elder Shui, if that guy easily forked over 4,000 pieces of Immortal jade, then his bag of holding must–" Before she could even finish her sentence, Shui Motian suddenly turned, eyes burning with rage as he slapped her across the face. Blood sprayed out of her mouth, and she staggered backward.
"Shut your mouth!" he said icily. "Do you know who that was? If you dare to say things like that, then considering his status, he could kill you, and me, and even the whole Heavenly Ink Sect! He could even obliterate the entire Heavencloud Bazaar in the blink of an eye!" He ended with a cold harrumph.
As soon as Naruto had produced the 4,000 pieces of Immortal jade, he had been certain of his identity. Although he had felt a sense of familiarity when he had scanned him with divine sense earlier, it took him a while before he had sudden realized who he was. It was then that he decided to offer the seven magical items as gifts.
"Who… who is he?" asked the pretty young woman.
Were it any other person, Shui Motian wouldn't even answer her question. However, considering that she had attended to Naruto, he leaned over and whispered into her ear: "The Crown Prince of the Namikaze Clan, the only joint disciple of all of the Three Great Daoist Societies.
He's in the Immortal Realm, but can slaughter Ancient Realm experts.
That was… Naruto!"
"That was him!?" The young woman gasped, and her eyes went wide. She turned her head to look for Naruto, but he had already disappeared from sight outside.
Suddenly, the young woman seemed to think of something, and she blurted, "Oh no, this is bad! Just now, there were some customers who snuck out after seeing his Immortal jade. They're probably planning some sort of treachery!"
"Don't worry about it," said Shui Motian with a cold chuckle. "They're just digging their own graves." Shui Motian knew that considering Naruto's identity, not even Guru Heavencloud could afford to let anything bad happen.
Meanwhile, in a relatively remote location within the bazaar, there was a building that few people liked to go near. When people did pass by it, they would glance over with anxiety and dread, then quickly bow their heads and hurry past.
Four middle-aged cultivators sat cross-legged outside the building, all of whom wore garish red robes and had cultivation bases at the peak of the Immortal Realm.
Inside the building, it was very quiet, and the only thing that could be heard was measured breathing. The cadence of the breathing made it seem as if it were in sync with Heaven and Earth, and caused the entire building to occasionally become blurry.
Currently, two cultivators were hurrying toward that very building. They stopped in front of the red-robed cultivators and kowtowed, and when they looked up, one of the two men said something to one of the redrobed men.
The red-robed cultivator immediately stood and entered the building, eyes glittering. After a moment, he emerged and said, "Go shadow him secretly, no matter where he goes. Let's see exactly how much more Immortal jade he has. If it's under 10,000, then it's not worth it for his
Majesty to get involved."
The two cultivators who had just arrived looked very excited. They quickly bowed, then hurried away.
The red-robed men continued to sit there in meditation, and everything was quiet once again. On the second floor of the building, an old man sat there cross-legged. He had some brown blotches on his face, but when he opened his eyes, they glittered brightly, and the fluctuations of the late Ancient Realm rolled off of him.
"Elder Brother runs things too carefully," he said coolly. "The whole purpose of the Heavencloud Bazaar is to make it convenient for us to practice cultivation. Since Elder Brother is in secluded meditation, I'm in charge. 4,000 Immortal jades, huh…. I don't care who he is, with that much Immortal jade, he… will have to fork some over if he wants to leave alive!" With that, he closed his eyes again.
Naruto continued to stroll through the bazaar, acting very rich and imposing. He walked into every shop he saw and bought anything that looked good. Magical items, medicinal pills, medicinal plants, magical technique manuals, and all sorts of other items. He even bought things that weren't for sale. One such item was a huge, paneled room screen decorated with a White Tiger, which he liked mostly because it looked amazing and exuded spiritual energy. He waved his hand, sending out so much money that the shopkeeper could only stare in shock.
Naruto pointed at a throne made of numerous flying swords and said, "This thing looks nice! I bet dad will like it. I'll take it!"
He saw a statue made entirely from spirit stones, which in itself was actually a magical item. "This is wonderful too. I'll take it!"
"This too!
"This armor looks pretty good. I want a thousand sets!
"These Daoist robes are nice. I'll take them!
"How much for all of the jade scrolls in your whole shop? I want them all." When Naruto thought about how his father couldn't leave Planet South Heaven, he decided that buying him a whole scroll-shop worth of reading material would make it very easy for him to keep up on his reading.
Naruto wasn't too confident when it came to things that female cultivators liked. Since he wasn't sure what things his mother preferred, he also decided to buy an entire shop!
"This is a pretty good set of puppets. I'll take them!"
Wherever he went, the shops nearly went mad with joy. Soon, everyone in the entire bazaar knew about the young, rich cultivator who was making the rounds.
Some people even began to follow him and keep track of how much he had spent. Eventually, he had spent the equivalent of about
1,000,000,000 spirit stones, which was about 100,000 Immortal jades.
The cultivators who had been sent to shadow him had eyes bloodshot with madness. They began to report back to their superiors, and soon, the sensation that a storm was brewing spread out through the whole bazaar.
Naruto apparently didn't notice, and continued to rampantly sweep through the shops and buy everything he fancied. He even started looking through the various vendor stalls, and whenever he saw something he liked, he took it, which sometimes even included entire stalls.
He was exactly like a Mr. Moneybags. Normally, spending money gave him a big headache, but considering he was buying gifts for his parents, he didn't mind at all.
He also bought some gifts for his sister. Soon, he had bought up nearly a third of all the items available at the bazaar, and had spent nearly 300,000 pieces of Immortal jade.
As for the two cultivators who had originally been sent to shadow him, they returned to the distant building and reported in. The old man who sat there cross-legged opened his eyes, and they shone with killing intent.
"300,000 Immortal jades…. For him to be willing to spend so much indicates that he must have more than 1,000,000 total in his bag of holding. Heavens! 1,000,000 Immortal jades…." The old man started panting, and a look of mad greed appeared in his eyes. However, he immediately began to doubt himself. Considering this mark had so much money, he was clearly someone with an extraordinary background, a person not to be trifled with casually.
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1156Chapter 1156: Blood-stained Jade Medallion!
The old man was somewhat conflicted. On the one hand, he felt deeply greedy, but on the other hand, Naruto's background caused him to waver and suppress that greed to a certain degree. After vacillating for a moment, his eyes suddenly glittered, and he looked outside the building.
Currently, a red-robed cultivator was out there, bowing deeply with clasped hands.
"Patriarch, the mark is currently on his way to an auction. It seems he plans to participate."
The old man's eyes flickered with determination, and he shot to his feet. He then strode out of the building and headed in the direction of the auction, flanked by four red-robed cultivators. All of them had fierce expressions and radiated killing intent.
"It doesn't matter who you are or where you're from, if you have less than 1,000,000 Immortal jades, I'll leave you alone. Until I know more about your background, I won't touch you…." Having made his decision to go observe Naruto a bit further, the old man's eyes flashed.
Just as the red-robed cultivators had said, Naruto had finished his shopping spree in the shops and vendor stalls, and was now in the main auction house in the middle of the bazaar. He stood off to the side, looking at the main stage, and the items being auctioned off. Not many people were calling out bids. There were quite a few magenta-robed figures in the area, keeping track of the bids, and generally looking very threatening.
No one was allowed to make fraudulent bids, and anyone who did make a bid was required to be able to purchase the lot at the said price. Anyone who tried to cause problems would run the risk of being chased down and killed by the forces of the Heavencloud Bazaar.
Naruto's expression was the same as ever as he stood there watching. People in the area almost immediately noticed him, and were visibly excited. Word began to spread, and soon everyone in the auction house had become aware of his presence.
After all, having been in the bazaar for a short half-day, he had already bought nearly thirty percent of all the available goods there. He was obviously incredibly rich. It would have been impossible for him not to attract attention, and that was especially the case with the female cultivators. Whenever they looked at him, their eyes gleamed, and they tried to look as pretty as possible. Obviously, they were hoping to catch his eye and have the chance to strike it rich themselves.
There were a few people who seemed to find him familiar. After a moment, their eyes would widen as they realized who he really was.
That was even true of the auctioneer, who couldn't help but glance at him occasionally and pay special attention to him.
Naruto seemed indifferent to the commotion as he stood there calmly; however, inwardly, he was actually feeling quite puzzled.
"Why haven't they come yet? Something's off. They followed me for a long time, and keep coming and going. After reporting back in, they should have told someone all the details.
"Maybe these people aren't that adept at robbery?" He frowned. He didn't have the time to sit around waiting. After a bit of thought, he came to the conclusion that perhaps because he hadn't left the bazaar itself, the people who were after him felt it wasn't convenient to make a move….
"In that case," he thought, "I might as well just leave. That will at least give them a chance." Having made up his mind, he was just about to leave, when suddenly, the auctioneer produced a jade tray which he held aloft.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Fellow Daoists, the next lot has a mysterious background," he said, his voice proud. "For the sake of ensuring that our bazaar remains a flourishing place, and for the purposes of gaining fame for our auction house, Patriarch Heavencloud has decided to offer up one of his rarest heirlooms!
"This is none other than a jade pendant, a medallion that is not from the
Ninth Mountain and Sea. No, this medallion comes from the Eighth Mountain and Sea. On one side is carved a lightning bolt, and on the other side, the character Uzumaki 孟. According to our Patriarch's speculations, this is none other than… a command medallion belonging to a member of the Uzumaki Clan from the Eighth Mountain and Sea. Although it's impossible to tell who exactly it belonged to, clearly, they had a high status!
"How do we know? Because this medallion, despite being an Ancient Realm treasure, is stained with blood, sealing it completely, and ensuring that it can only unleash Immortal Realm power….
"Although our Patriarch is unable to remove the seal, there are many almighty entities in Heaven and Earth. Surely someone exists out there who CAN unseal it!" He held the jade pendant out in his right hand, and it glittered with green light. Furthermore, the sound of thunder rattled out from it in all directions. It was even possible to just barely make out a green lightning bolt building up within the light that emanated out from the pendant.
Although it seemed incredible, the sensation it gave off was only that of the Immortal Realm. Even still, the pendant would clearly count as a valuable treasure to any Immortal Realm cultivator.
There was also a deep gash on the surface of the pendant, which had turned a dark purple color, as if it were filled with congealed blood. Its overall appearance was very bizarre.
"The starting bid for this item is 8,000,000 spirit stones!" the auctioneer cried out in a loud voice.
Naruto had originally intended to leave. But then he stopped and looked at the jade medallion, and immense waves of shock smashed through his mind.
As he looked at the jade pendant, he began to pant. How could he ever have imagined that he would run into this object at a bazaar like this?!
It was most certainly a command medallion of the Uzumaki Clan from the Eighth Mountain and Sea. Furthermore, it was not the command medallion of an ordinary clan member. Naruto all of a sudden recalled the visage of an old man, an old man who had come to stand by the side of his heartbroken Grandpa Namikaze when he had experienced his first Seventh Year Tribulation.
That old man was no stranger. It was his Grandpa Uzumaki!
He was the Grand Elder of the Uzumaki Clan from the Eighth Mountain and Sea!
Naruto remembered playing with his command medallion as a child, a medallion had looked exactly like the one on the auction stage right now!
Naruto was panting, and his mind was spinning. He would never be able to forget how his two grandfathers had left looking for an Outsider, all to save him. That Outsider eventually came, and had explained to Naruto's parents what they needed to do. However, his Grandpa Namikaze and Grandpa Uzumaki… never returned.
Naruto would never be able to forget those matters, and he had always hoped that one day, he would be able to find them, or at least some clues regarding what had happened.
Now, looking at the jade medallion, he was filled with the intense sensation that it… was none other than his Grandpa Uzumaki's command medallion.
That thought caused his heart to tremble. He wasn't sure whose blood it was that had stained the pendant, but it filled him with intense concern for his grandfather.
"50,000,000 spirit stones!" he cried out, his voice decisive enough to sever nails and chop iron. "Give me that pendant!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, deathly silence filled the air. Others who had been about to call out prices first gasped, then closed their mouths and refrained from speaking out any bids. One by one, everyone turned to look at Naruto.
Even the auctioneer stared in shock. In his estimation, the jade pendant was worth no more than about 30,000,000 spirit stones. However, Naruto had unexpectedly cried out a bid of 50,000,000.
"Um… are there any other Fellow Daoists who would like to make a bid?" he asked without even thinking about it. Nobody responded. All of the surrounding cultivators were simply awestruck by the price which Naruto had just bid.
The auctioneer swallowed hard and said, "Very well, since that's the case, this lot goes to–"
He had been just about to strike down the auctioneer's hammer, when all of a sudden…
"I bid 100,000,000 spirit stones." An ancient voice rang out as if from the Heavens above. Everyone turned their heads to see an old man stride into the auction house, flanked by four red-robed cultivators.
He had brown blotches on his face, and he seemed threatening without looking angry. His cultivation base was in the late Ancient Realm, and he almost seemed to be at one with his surroundings. His sudden appearance on the scene caused shock among the surrounding cultivators.
"It's Guru Heavenwind!"
"That's Guru Heavencloud's Junior Brother, one of the Patriarchs of the
Heavencloud Bazaar!"
"What's he doing here? And why did he just make a bid? 100,000,000…. Could it be that this jade medallion has some shocking power or ability?!" The crowd immediately went into an uproar. The auctioneer stared in shock and immediately shut his mouth. Instead of striking down with the hammer, he clasped hands and bowed respectfully to Guru Heavenwind.
It wasn't just him. All of the magenta-robed cultivators, as well as all of the other auction attendees, clasped hands and bowed in greeting.
Guru Heavenwind smiled and nodded. Then he turned to Naruto, his expression one of kindness and even regret. When he looked at him, he realized that he seemed familiar, and his heart began to pound. Then, his eyes went wide as he suddenly realized who Naruto was.
But then he pretended to be unaware of his identity. "Young friend," he said, "I offer my sincere apologies. My Elder Brother sent his item here to be auctioned completely on accident. It should never have been put up for sale. However, the reputation of the Heavencloud Bazaar is of the utmost importance. Rather than cancel the auction, I will purchase it. I hope you can understand the situation, young friend."
Upon hearing his words, everyone in attendance laughed inwardly. Although the explanation seemed reasonable on the surface, considering that he owned the auction house, it meant that he could bid whatever price he wanted.
Naruto's gaze turned icy. After looking at the old man for a moment, he completely ignored him and said, "100,000 Immortal jades."
His words immediately caused everyone to gasp. 100,000 Immortal jades was equivalent to 1,000,000,000 spirit stones. Such a sum caused every to begin to pant. Although they all knew Naruto was rich, to hear him mention a number like that left them flabbergasted.
Guru Heavenwind trembled inwardly, but he put on a calm front and said, "We can't sell it to you, young friend. I'll offer one more Immortal jade than you."
"500,000 Immortal jades," Naruto said, his voice calm.
"Young friend, please, don't make trouble for–"
"1,000,000 Immortal jades," Naruto said coldly, flicking his sleeve and rotating his cultivation base. "Give me that medallion!" His cold voice was like an icy wind that swirled from all directions, causing everyone to instantly feel colder. However, even if they were colder, they would still be thoroughly shocked by the price Naruto had just named.
"1,000,000 Immortal jades…. that's equivalent to 10,000,000,000 spirit stones…. Heavens! J-just what kind of jade medallion is that!?"
"Crazy! They're all crazy…."
As the crowd burst into an uproar, Guru Heavenwind felt his heart pounding, and he began to pant. The longer he looked at Naruto, the less he was able to control his emotions. Finally, his eyes went bloodshot.
"The Heavencloud Bazaar doesn't allow fraudulent bidding!" he said, his voice hoarse. In response, Naruto slapped his bag of holding, causing one Immortal jade after another to fly out. In the blink of an eye, a mountain of 1,000,000 Immortal jades had piled up next to him.
The towering mountain caused everyone to stare in complete shock.
Their minds were blank, filled with nothing but a roaring sound.
As soon as the Immortal jades appeared, Naruto flickered toward the main stage, and reached out to grab the jade medallion from the auctioneer.
It was at this point, however, that Guru Heavenwind, eyes bloodshot, suddenly flew into the air to stand in his way. He glared at Naruto and, voice hoarse, said, "10,000,000 Immortal jades and you can have it!"
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1157Chapter 1157: I Won't Buy It!
To most of the people present, a jade medallion like the one in question might be worth 20-30,000,000 spirit stones at most. Since one Immortal jade was worth 10,000 spirits stones, that put its value at a few thousand Immortal jades at most, and definitely less than 10,000.
However, Guru Heavenwind had just mentioned 10,000,000 Immortal jades, a sum equal to 100,000,000,000 spirit stones….
It was difficult to imagine or even describe that much wealth. It would be an extraordinary sum to even an entire sect or clan. As for the Heavencloud Bazaar… it would take hundreds or perhaps thousands of years to accumulate 10,000,000 Immortal jades.
For him to demand such a price… was equivalent of bald-faced robbery.
Everyone in the audience gasped in response to what was happening. They were both shaken by Guru Heavenwind's words, and also astonished at Naruto's display of wealth.
"10,000,000 Immortal jades and you can have the medallion!" Guru Heavenwind said. "Otherwise, it belongs to the Heavencloud Bazaar, and it's none of your business what we do with it, even if we crush it to bits!"
Guru Heavenwind's eyes were completely bloodshot. He knew who Uzumaki
Hao actually was, and if the sum involved was less than 1,000,000 Immortal jades, then after mulling it over, he would likely have held back from doing anything to offend him. However, the amount of wealth involved pushed him to the point where he didn't care about who Naruto was.
Wealth can drive people crazy, can make them lose their minds, especially when combined with strong desire. To Guru Heavenwind, 10,000,000 Immortal jades was worth risking his life for. Considering he had reached this decision, it was obvious that he had passed the point of considering whether or not it was worth it to offend Naruto, and had chosen to actually threaten him!
In fact, he no longer even cared about the Heavencloud Bazaar as a whole. From his perspective, if he could get his hands on that much money, he could flee to the furthest corners of the universe. Furthermore, he was sure that even if his Elder Brother came out of secluded meditation, he would be so moved by the amount of money involved that he would not interfere. After all, Guru Heavenwind knew Guru Heavencloud better than anyone else.
"Today, he'll buy this thing… whether he wants to or not!" he thought. His four red-robed followers were all panting the same as him as they joined in to intercept Naruto.
Naruto hovered in midair, staring at Guru Heavenwind, his face turning cold.
"You shameless old fart!" he said with a cold snort. "I offered 1,000,000 Immortal jades, yet you won't accept? Fine… I won't buy it!" He looked over at the auctioneer, who was rushing to leave. Being in no mood to pay any heed to Guru Heavenwind, his body suddenly flickered. He moved with such speed that Guru Heavenwind and his four red-robed followers saw nothing but a blur. Then, a moment later, Naruto was behind them, speeding forward to appear on the main stage, right in front of the auctioneer.
"Give that to me!" he said, stretching his hand out. Trembling, the auctioneer unhesitatingly threw the jade medallion toward Naruto and then fled, unwilling to be involved in the chaos.
Guru Heavenwind's face fell. "Naruto, what are you doing!?" he roared, speeding directly toward Naruto, eyes flashing with killing intent, energy surging.
"What am I doing? Are you blind?" Naruto replied coldly. "Can't you see that I'm robbing you!?" He made a grasping motion with this left hand, and the jade medallion flew toward him. As soon as it landed in his palm, he put it into his bag of holding.
The eyes of every member of the audience went wide, especially in response to Naruto's thunderous words that echoed out in all directions.
This was their first time ever hearing someone talk about robbing others with such confidence, as if it were the most righteous and proper thing to do.
Guru Heavenwind's rage towered into the sky. As he and his four redrobed followers closed in on Naruto, they extended their hands to unleash divine abilities and magical techniques that combined to form a pagoda of magical treasures, which then smashed down toward Naruto.
"Naruto, how dare you throw a temper tantrum here!" Guru Heavenwind raged.
Naruto stood in place, neither dodging nor evading. His eyes flickered with coldness, and he waved his right hand, causing his cultivation base to erupt with power. A massive blast of force exploded out in front of him.
Rumbling echoed out, and Guru Heavenwind's face fell. The pagoda trembled for a moment, and cracks spread out across its surface. Then it simply exploded, as if some giant, invisible hand had crushed it to pieces.
The crushed pagoda transformed into countless chunks of ash which then shot backward in a backlash attack, rushing toward Guru Heavenwind, whose face fell as he realized he was facing a power that he couldn't fight back against. A sensation of deadly crisis instantly filled his mind.
"Impossible!" Guru Heavenwind was completely astonished. He was in the late Ancient Realm, and in the Ninth Mountain and Sea as a whole, could be considered a powerful and important figure. And yet, when facing Naruto, he was filled with terror.
Earlier, he hadn't been able to see through everything about Naruto, although he did know that he was a mere Immortal Realm cultivator with the backing of a large clan. But now Naruto seemed incredibly powerful and even… almighty!
He was so strong that Guru Heavenwind could barely evade his attack.
Furthermore, even his cultivation base had been thrown into chaos. Naruto made his eyes go wide and his entire body tremble. His heart was pounding so hard it seemed like it might simply stop beating.
He had never felt such intense pressure, not even from his Elder Brother Guru Heavencloud. Blood sprayed out of his mouth as he fell back at top speed.
He just barely managed to evade the main force of the blow.
Unfortunately for the red-robed cultivators, they were not qualified to do so. A boom rang out, and blood sprayed out of their mouths. It was as if a wind of destruction swept across them, shredding their flesh and blood, turning the wind into a haze of red that left behind only their skeletons.
The skeletons remained for only a single extra breath of time before they became ash. Even their souls were completely wiped away.
Everything happened too quickly. With the simple wave of a hand, Uzumaki
Hao killed four Immortal Realm cultivators and seriously injured Guru
Heavenwind. The surrounding cultivators gasped in shock, then looked over at Naruto with expressions of disbelief.
"This… this…."
"What cultivation base does he have? He actually forced Guru
Heavenwind into retreat!"
"But from the look of it, he's clearly in the Immortal Realm…."
"Guru Heavenwind just called him Naruto… Naruto…. I remember! He's Naruto, Crown Prince of the Namikaze Clan! He's the sole joint disciple of all of the Three Great Daoist Societies! B-but… how could he be so strong!?"
Everyone was in an uproar.
Guru Heavenwind's heart trembled as he came to the realization that he was simply incapable of fighting Naruto alone. Although his cultivation base appeared to be in the Immortal Realm, after he attacked, Guru Heavenwind could see that he was far, far stronger than he appeared.
Even as he fell back, blood oozing from the corners of his mouth, he suddenly roared: "All disciples of the Heavencloud Bazaar, hear my command. Kill this man at all costs!"
The surrounding magenta-robed cultivators hesitated. Then, a few mustered their courage, roared, and charged Naruto.
Guru Heavenwind took advantage of this opportunity to attempt to escape.
With a cold harrumph, Naruto began to advance. When the magentarobed cultivators tried to block his way, he said, "Screw off!"
His voice echoed like thunderclaps, slamming into the cultivators' ears, causing their minds to reel and their cultivation bases to become unstable. Vision swimming, their minds went blank momentarily.
As for Guru Heavenwind, the words caused blood to spray out of his mouth, and he pushed himself faster as he fled.
"Damnation! How could he be so strong!?" His face was deathly white, and his heart overflowed with regret. Sweat poured down his face as he realized that, considering how viciously he had offended Naruto, there was no way that he would let him go.
Naruto sped through the air in an azure beam of light that transformed into an azure roc. An explosive wind kicked up as the distance between him and Guru Heavenwind was reduced from a few hundred meters to less than thirty.
"Elder Brother, save me!" Guru Heavenwind cried shrilly. By now, his heart was filled with terror.
The entire Heavencloud Bazaar had been thrown into chaos. When the cultivators heard Naruto exploding into action, and then Guru Heavenwind screaming for help, they were shocked to the core.
Everyone in the shops and stalls where Naruto had shopped could see what was happening. They were shocked to hear who he was, but were even more shocked to discover that, not only did he have an incredible background, he was also terrifying in terms of cultivation base.
Of course, what they knew now was only the tip of the iceberg. If they knew that the Namikaze Clan was now an Allheaven Clan, and that Naruto was the true Patriarch of that clan, then their shock would reach a level that would be impossible to describe.
By now, the cultivators manning the various teleportation portals in the asteroid field had sensed the chaos erupting in the bazaar. Many of them were now flying over to see what was happening.
At about that time, Naruto in azure roc form appeared in front of Guru Heavenwind and slashed out with razor-sharp claws.
However, even as he did, a cold and sinister voice echoed out through the bazaar, filled with power, dissatisfaction, and rage.
"Harm him not, lad. I can provide an explanation for everything!" Along with the voice came a beam of sword light, bursting with killing intent. It transformed into a waterfall-like stream that surged toward Naruto.
It was almost as though… if Naruto dared to continue his attack, the waterfall would slash him to pieces!
The words implied a discussion was to be had, but from the type of attack being leveled against Naruto, it was clear exactly how domineering the true lord of the Heavencloud Bazaar was. This was Guru Heavencloud, who was domineering to the extreme!
However, when people tried to be domineering in front of Naruto… then, he would be even MORE domineering!
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1158Chapter 1158: Guru Heavencloud!
When Guru Heavenwind heard the voice of his Elder Brother, Guru Heavencloud, he was instantly enlivened. Believing himself to finally have hope, his eyes flickered with killing intent, and he thought of using the opportunity to try to cut Naruto down in a counterattack.
However, even as the idea flitted through his mind… Naruto snorted coldly. The sound slammed into Heavenwind's ears like an explosive bolt of lightning. His body shook violently, and his mind was thrown into chaos.
At the same time, Naruto in azure roc form didn't slow down, but instead, bore down on Guru Heavenwind, slashing downward into the top of his head. A crunching sound was heard as his entire head was shredded to pieces.
There was no time for him to scream, nor his soul to flee. The azure roc's talons slashed again with obliterating power down into the rest of Guru Heavenwind's body.
A boom rang out as Guru Heavenwind exploded into pieces. Even his soul was destroyed!
Naruto normally didn't attack with such deadly force. However, Guru
Heavenwind had been too greedy. Naruto had offered 1,000,000 Immortal jades in good faith. However, instead of quitting while he was ahead, Guru Heavenwind had used the sum of 10,000,000 Immortal jades as an obvious extortion, and had even threatened to destroy the jade medallion….
Were it any other object, that wouldn't have mattered. But this jade medallion was an important clue regarding his two grandfathers. How could he possibly restrain his killing intent? And then there was the way Guru Heavencloud had spoken to him. Had he been even a bit more polite, Naruto might not necessarily have resorted to deadly force.
However, Guru Heavencloud's words, despite seeming polite, were actually extremely domineering. Clearly, the man was used to running his own personal little fiefdom here at the bazaar. Unfortunately for him, Naruto wasn't used to restraining his temper around people like that.
Neat and tidy. That was how he killed. A moment later, an enraged roar echoed out, causing everything to shake. A figure appeared, flying through the air; simultaneously, the waterfall of swords fell onto Naruto.
A boom rang out as Naruto hovered in midair, completely unmoving. In fact, it was the waterfall of swords that shattered into fragments with a boom, completely incapable of harming him at all!
As the shocking roar echoed about, an old man appeared. He wore a violet robe, and looked extremely dignified. As he flew forth, boundless ripples rolled out. As soon as the magenta-robed cultivators caught sight of him, they dropped to their knees and kowtowed.
"Greetings, Patriarch!"
This was none other than the Patriarch of the Heavencloud Bazaar, Guru Heavencloud. He looked awe-inspiring, and also enraged. However, inwardly, he was shocked. The sword waterfall from moments ago had been unleashed in anger upon Naruto, and yet hadn't even fazed him. However, Guru Heavencloud kept his astonishment hidden, allowing no hint of it to show on his face.
Cries of shock rang up from cultivators in the bazaar. They were amazed by the energy and pressure radiating from the violet-robed old man. These were the ripples of power of someone who could step into the Dao Realm at any time. Even if he failed, he would still be a shocking QuasiDao expert.
The air around him twisted and distorted, and the faint manifestation of numerous natural laws and Essences could be seen. He was boundlessly domineering, causing colors to flash up above, and the starry sky to tremble.
"You have robbed my Heavencloud Bazaar, lad, and also killed my Junior Brother. I don't care if you're the Crown Prince of the Namikaze Clan! It wouldn't matter if your father Namikaze Xiufeng personally showed up, or even the Namikaze Clan's Dao Realm Patriarch, Namikaze Shoudao, you had better provide me with an explanation, right now!" His voice brimmed with Heavenly might, booming out in all directions, shaking all of the asteroids in the asteroid field.
"I killed your Junior Brother because he tried to kill me!" Naruto retorted coolly. "Furthermore, he greedily tried to use something that didn't belong to him to threaten me! That's exactly the type of people I like to kill!
"As for robbing your Heavencloud Bazaar, I put 1,000,000 Immortal jades onto the table, and in return, you people tried to extort me! In that case… yeah, I robbed you! So what!?"
"No matter how you justify it, no matter what reasons you cite, you killed one of my people and stole my property. You have committed a grave crime. The Heavencloud Bazaar doesn't fall under the jurisdiction of any of the sects or power groups. We are eternally neutral! However, if people try to bully us, then I, Heavencloud, can't possibly stand idly by!" Guru Heavencloud's voice boomed out, and his energy rocketed up. A windstorm sprang up to spin around him in all directions.
His voice fairly burst with a domineering air, as if his words were natural laws of Heaven and Earth. Here in the Heavencloud Bazaar, his words bore the power of the Heavens, and he wrote the rules!
If he said you were in the wrong, you were in the wrong! If he said that you had committed a crime, then you were guilty, whether you had actually committed the crime or not!
His echoing voice filled the surrounding cultivators with shock. They could sense his domineering air, and as for the magenta-robed disciples, they were starting to get excited.
Their eyes filled with ardor; this was their Patriarch, who brimmed with a domineering aura no matter who he was up against.
"Immediately produce the item you stole from my Heavencloud Bazaar, surrender, and admit your fault. Then send for the leadership of your clan to come and personally take you away. That is your only option here!" Guru Heavencloud spoke as coldly and as domineeringly as ever, and his strength could definitely back up this attitude. Normally speaking, he was very cautious in everything, but when he encountered situations like this, he always acted this way.
It didn't matter who was actually in the right or wrong. As long as he was in his own domain, he was ALWAYS right!
One of the reasons why the Heavencloud Bazaar had been able to survive for so long, and even thrive, was because of this combination of a cautious and yet domineering attitude. After all… few powerful groups would be willing to force Guru Heavencloud into a corner merely because of some unimportant matters. He could step into the Dao Realm at any time, which was a huge trump card.
Furthermore, being able to step into the Dao Realm so easily meant that any powerful group would jump at the chance to recruit him, which was another trump card.
Although he could see that Naruto was powerful, he also believed that such power had limits. Therefore, he still looked down on him. His Junior Brother had been in the late Ancient Realm, but his cultivation base had been jumbled. If Guru Heavencloud had wished it, he could have killed him easily at any time.
It might be true that his sword waterfall hadn't hurt Naruto, but considering his years of experience, he was still confident in being able to handle him. After all, he was merely the Crown Prince of the Namikaze Clan, which wasn't actually a very powerful position.
Although the title sounded prestigious, all it did was make Naruto a figurehead. Guru Heavenwind couldn't bring himself to believe that after the war on Planet East Victory, the Namikaze Clan, having suffered so many casualties, would allow a blood feud to erupt just because of a measly Crown Prince.
He simply didn't believe Naruto to be so important. Even if he was the joint disciple of the Three Great Daoist Societies, he couldn't possibly be important enough that the Namikaze Clan would actually go to the lengths of offending Guru Heavenwind in a way that could result in casualties.
The Namikaze Clan might be a big clan, but considering Guru Heavencloud's position, he naturally knew that any sect or clan took the interests of the group into consideration, and didn't make decisions based on one individual.
When it came to insults or backing down, the interests of the clan would be put before the interests of one person.
His analysis was actually correct, and had these events played out before Naruto went to the Windswept Realm, then the Namikaze Clan might have shown up and made a scene, but would have resolved the situation quietly in the end. That would have saved face for both parties. In the end, the jade medallion would have gone to the Namikaze Clan, and the Heavencloud Bazaar would have ended up with all the Immortal jade.
Guru Heavencloud had gone through similar situations before, and the end result was always the same.
Unfortunately for him, there was one thing he didn't understand. And that was… what it meant to be the true Clan Chief of an Allheaven Clan!
Seeing Guru Heavenwind acting in such a domineering way caused Naruto to chuckle. Then his eyes flickered with coldness, and he glanced over to the Namikaze Clan teleportation portal. It was being manned by six members of the Namikaze Clan, all of whom looked familiar, although he couldn't recall their names.
He could sense the faint presence of a Dao seed in all of them, although in most of them it was very faint. Only one of their number seemed to have a somewhat flourishing Dao seed; the others did not.
The entire group was in a state of shock. They had recognized their Crown Prince at first glance, and the current friction between him and Guru Heavencloud left them shaken.
"The six of you heard what Guru Heavencloud said just now, right?" Naruto asked coolly. "Immediately take this information and report back to the clan. Ask Patriarch Shoudao whether or not he's interested in taking the Heavencloud Bazaar and changing its name to the Namikaze Clan Bazaar." Naruto's words were actually even more domineering than
Guru Heavencloud's. Originally, he had planned to visit Planet South
Heaven first, and then go back to the Namikaze Clan on Planet East Victory.
However, considering how events had developed, he had come up with a new plan. Since he was already planning to go pay respects to his parents, he figured he might as well bring the Namikaze Clan with him!
His parents couldn't leave Planet South Heaven, but he could still honor them by having the clan itself go to them offer greetings!
As their son, this was… a truly great gift that he could offer!
By means of their son, they would receive honor and glory from the entire clan!
The six members of the Namikaze Clan exchanged glances, then clasped hands and bowed to Naruto. Three of them backed up and departed for the Namikaze Clan via the teleportation portal.
Guru Heavencloud did nothing to stop them. He hovered in midair, smiling coldly, waiting for the influential members of the Namikaze Clan to arrive. In his mind, once the entire Namikaze Clan got dragged into the matter, the situation would have devolved to the point that Naruto couldn't resolve it alone.
Naruto looked at Guru Heavencloud, and his eyes suddenly gleamed with the desire to fight. Voice cool, he said: "Well, while we wait for them to arrive, I'd like to see how the great circle of the Ancient Realm… measures up to me in terms of strength!"
Voice cold, Guru Heavencloud said, "How barbaric of you, lad. You–"
However, before he could finish, his face fell as Naruto took a step forward.
Everything began to shake, and cracking sounds echoed out in all directions. The tempest swirling around Guru Heavencloud immediately shattered. The interference to the natural laws and Essences caused the air around him to distort.
In the blink of an eye, Naruto appeared directly in front of Guru Heavencloud, azure light shining. He waved a hand, causing numerous Immortal mountains to descend.
Guru Heavencloud's mind trembled as he sensed the incredibly threatening pressure radiating off of Naruto. Without hesitation, he lifted his right hand and waved it out in front of him. Instantly, all of his Soul Lamps appeared around him, moving in a pattern that resembled a spell formation. They instantly began to rotate, and the pattern erupted with the power of natural law, transforming into countless threads that shot toward Naruto.
"Alter Heavens, Transform Earth. Wind-Cloud Tribulation!" he roared. As the sound boomed through the air, Naruto's Immortal mountains crumbled into pieces. However, by this time, Naruto had taken a second step, whereupon he waved his right index finger!
The air in front of him was ripped open by a huge rift, from within which stretched out a blood-colored head. This was none other than the Blood Demon Grand Magic. However, this time, it was not just a head which appeared, but an entire Blood Demon!
It tore open the rift, causing blood-red light to spill out. Then the Blood Demon charged forward, its hands snatching out toward Guru Heavencloud.
Guru Heavencloud's expression instantly flickered with shock.
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1159Chapter 1159: Forced Backward, Over and Over!
Before fusing with his third Nirvana Fruit, he could only materialize a head when using the Blood Demon Grand Magic. After everything he had experienced in the Windswept Realm though, his Blood Demon Grand Magic had advanced to an astonishing degree, thanks in large part to the third Nirvana Fruit. As the void ripped open, a full Blood Demon emerged, roaring.
The hand which stretched out toward Guru Heavencloud sported razorsharp claws, and radiated boundless blood-colored light. Guru
Heavencloud's blood suddenly seemed to be incited to the boiling point, causing his face to flicker as he waved his finger toward the Blood Demon.
As his finger waved through the air, his forehead split apart, causing a drop of black blood to fly out. It wriggled and twisted as it sped through the air, emitting a shriek like that of a baby as it rapidly grew larger, transforming into a mosquito!
The mosquito was only the size of a hand, but it radiated a boundless murderous aura as it buzzed through the air toward the Blood Demon.
One was gigantic, the other was minuscule. However, when they slammed into each other, a huge boom rang out; apparently neither of the two could overcome the other.
The blood-colored light around the Blood Demon transformed into a sea of blood, but the mosquito was incredibly agile. It dodged to the side, and then stuck its mouthpiece in and started sucking up the blood.
"Interesting," Naruto said with a chuckle. He had never seen a beast like this particular mosquito before. He quickly raised his right hand and performed an incantation gesture, then pointed in Guru Heavencloud's direction.
Numerous Immortal mountains descended, spinning around the area and crushing down toward Guru Heavencloud. Their mere appearance on the scene caused the entire asteroid to begin to tremble.
If you looked closely, you would be able to see that on the peaks of the Immortal mountains were cross-legged figures, meditating. Those figures looked almost exactly like Naruto!
This was a divine ability manifested because of Naruto fusing with the third Nirvana Fruit and reaching the Allheaven Dao Immortal Realm.
Guru Heavencloud's heart began to pound. The increasing threat posed by Naruto caused him to suddenly realize that he had acted a bit presumptuously before. However, he was still fully confident in himself.
With a cold harrumph, he waved his sleeve, causing a beam of sword light to fly out, within which was a black flying sword that fairly dripped with deadly poison. As it whistled through the air, the black sword split apart into numerous ghost images. Hundreds of beams of sword light shot toward the Immortal mountains, each one of them filled with the astonishing power of Guru Heavencloud's full circle Ancient Realm cultivation base.
Booms rang out as the sword light closed in on the Immortal mountains. Distortions spread out, and as the Immortal mountains began to collapse, the images of Naruto opened their eyes and looked around with cold gazes. They were like clones of Naruto, all of whom rose to their feet and flew directly toward the sword light.
A huge boom rang out through the air.
"I'm very curious to see how many magical items you have tucked away!" Naruto performed an incantation gesture and pointed out, causing beams of violet light to shoot out into the air and rapidly form into the outline of a moon!
It was… a violet-colored moon!
The moon transformed into an illusory shadow which shot toward Guru Heavencloud, rapidly shrinking down until it landed on his forehead and sank down inside. Moments later, the mark of a violet moon began to form in that very spot!
It was in that moment that the magic of the violet moon exploded out!
An intense sensation of crisis swept through Guru Heavencloud, causing him to gasp. However, he had no time to consider the situation. Something inside him was telling him that he could under no circumstances allow the violet moon to fully form on his forehead. He immediately fell back, waving his sleeve, causing a white banner to unfurl around him. The banner transformed into numerous Cloud Dragons, which roared viciously as they shot, not toward Naruto, but toward Guru Heavencloud's own forehead.
In the moment before the moon fully formed, nine Cloud Dragons transformed into a protective force that exploded toward the violet moon.
Massive rumbling sounds could be heard as the nine protective dragons caused the violet moon magic to gradually dissipate.
A strange gleam appeared in Naruto's eyes. This was the first time he had encountered someone who primarily used magical items in battle, with few divine abilities. He took a step forward, making a snatching motion, which caused the previously pitch-black void in the area to suddenly erupt with white beams of light.
Numerous intense beams flew out of the ground of the asteroid, and shockingly, even the distant sun!
They rapidly coalesced into a hand-sized image of a sun!
This was Naruto's own divine ability… the Supernova Magic! 1
He tossed the sun out, sending the blinding globe of light shooting toward Guru Heavencloud. As it neared, it continued to suck in more light, growing larger and larger, until it began to send out shocking ripples that caused Guru Heavencloud's face to fall.
Naruto was actually very curious about this battle style which used so many magical items; it was as equally shocking as his own numerous divine abilities.
"How could he have so many divine abilities and Daoist magics!?" he thought, his face falling. "Plus, each and every Daoist magic seems completely extraordinary!" As of this moment, he no longer dared to underestimate Naruto. As the globe of light bore down on him, intense feelings of crisis filled him once again. He suddenly lifted his right foot up into the air and took a step forward. Rumbling filled the air as an enormous Feng Shui compass appeared, spinning through the air and shining with boundless light. Shockingly, numerous ghostly images appeared inside the light, howling viciously as they shot toward the light of the Supernova Magic.
"Lad, I have more magical items than you can even imagine!" Guru
Heavencloud said, his voice dark and sinister. What he said was true. After all, he owned the entire Heavencloud Bazaar for years, giving him access to extraordinary amounts of cultivation resources and magical items.
Rumbling filled the air as the light of the Feng Shui compass slammed into Naruto's Supernova Magic. A boom echoed out, and a huge tempest exploded between the two of them. The entire asteroid field trembled violently, and the cultivators in the area gasped and retreated at full speed.
"Naruto!" roared Guru Heavencloud, waving his left hand to send nine stone statues flying out of his sleeve. Their appearance was completely bizarre; they all looked like old men who, after flying out into the air, opened their eyes and began to shine with brilliant light as they shot murderously toward Naruto.
Guru Heavencloud's eyes flickered, and he smacked his bag of holding. Immediately, a crimson dust appeared, which had apparently been refined from blood. The dust writhed, causing blood to immediately begin to spread out in all directions.
However, Guru Heavencloud wasn't done. He stepped back, waving his sleeve again to send three violet medicinal pills flying out, which radiated boundless pressure as they flew through the air toward Naruto.
All of this takes some time to describe, but actually, Guru Heavencloud completed all of these numerous actions in the time it takes to blink. All of a sudden, Naruto was faced with a raging, murderous aura. The light from all the various magical items interlocked to create a multicolored wave of light.
"You certainly do qualify to run a bazaar like this in the middle of an asteroid," Naruto said coolly. "And no wonder the other sects and clans don't want to offend you…. You have a lot of magical items. Well, now I'm looking forward to seeing how many Daoist magics you have." He took a step forward, and the starstone in his eye melted. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a shooting star!
One Thought Stellar Transformation!
He immediately sped through the air, shattering the void, causing strange colors to flash. Booms could be heard as all the magical items which blocked his path were crushed as easily as weeds or twigs!
It started with the nine statues of the old men, who roared in unison and tried to block Naruto in planet-form as he closed in on them. They began to tremble, and cracks spread out across their bodies. In the blink of an eye, they shattered into countless pieces.
Next was the blood-colored dust which had transformed into a sea of blood. It rumbled toward Naruto, sending tendrils of blood out to try to bind him up. However, as soon as the tendrils appeared, cracking sounds could be heard, and they collapsed into pieces.
They were completely incapable of causing Naruto to falter even half a step!
As for the three medicinal pills, they exploded with electricity, transforming into three violet lightning bolts. However, when they landed on Naruto in planet-form, the only effect was that the planet shrank down and eventually vanished, revealing Naruto himself, who shone with azure light as he transformed into an azure roc. With a flash, he shot forward, arriving directly in front of Guru Heavencloud!
The speed with which all of this happened is virtually impossible to describe.
"Have any more magical items?" Naruto asked, clenching his hand into a fist and unleashing the Life-Extermination Fist.
A massive boom rang out, and the Heavens trembled. The void shattered, and the Life-Extermination Fist, backed by the power of Naruto's cultivation base, instantly caused the sensation of deadly crisis that filled Guru Heavencloud to peak.
And yet, he didn't retreat. Instead, his eyes began to shine with a bright light.
"So, I underestimated you…." he said. Then he exhaled sharply. There was no visible reaction to his exhalation, and yet, the natural laws around him suddenly changed, and the Essences around him gradually formed together into his own personal Daoist magic.
One Breath Shatters the Heavens!
RUUUUUUMMMMBLLLLE!
Naruto's Life-Extermination Fist slammed into the breath of air, giving rise to shocking vibrations. Naruto's eyes suddenly gleamed with a vicious light as he also declined to retreat. Instead, as the backlash power hit him, he took another step forward.
BOOM!
He sent the backlash attack spinning backward again, toward Guru Heavencloud, whose face fell as he suddenly fell back.
Every step that he fell back, Naruto took another step forward. One was forced backward over and over, the other advanced step by step!
So far, Naruto had seemed to control the entire battle! He was completely and utterly domineering!
Naruto created the Supernova Magic in chapter 942 ↩
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1160Chapter 1160 (Click to show "spoiler" title) Chapter 1160: The Namikaze Clan Arrives!
In the blink of an eye, the two of them exchanged over a hundred blows. The more Guru Heavencloud fought, the more shocked he became. He discovered that he had lost the initiative, and had no way to get it back. Even more surprising was that he was constantly being forced into retreat by Naruto.
Naruto's domineering style was on full display as he advanced with relentless attacks. This time, he waved his hand, causing the Ninth Mountain to materialize and crush down toward Guru Heavencloud.
Everyone watching down below was astonished.
"How could Naruto be so strong!?" Astonished, Guru Heavencloud fell back, eyes flickering coldly as he prepared to launch a divine ability. However, it was at this point that Naruto suddenly stopped his current action and then unleashed a punch, staring coldly at Heavencloud the entire time.
When their eyes met, Guru Heavencloud's heart went cold. He tried to dodge back, but was too late.
"Destroy!" Naruto said coolly.
Instantly, colors flashed and the wind screamed. Heaven and Earth shook as an indescribable force was unleashed, the explosive destructive power of Naruto's fist strikes which he had been holding back until now.
Rumbling sounds echoed up into the air as Naruto flashed through the air like lightning. When he appeared in front of Guru Heavencloud, he used the Bedevilment Fist for the first time in the fight.
This was the fist of Self-Immolation, the Bedevilment Fist!
Blood sprayed out of Guru Heavencloud's mouth as he was sent tumbling backward. However, even as he fell back, Naruto followed after in pursuit. A moment later, though, he stopped in place and dodged backward at high speed.
In that same moment, the space he had just occupied exploded in a mass of destruction. Had Naruto not fallen back just now, he would likely have been mortally wounded.
Seeing Naruto evade his killing blow caused Guru Heavencloud's brow to furrow.
"Naruto, you qualify to see my most powerful state!" he said. Then he raised his right hand and pushed it down onto his forehead, causing a rumbling sound to echo out as two magical symbols appeared.
Shockingly, he was currently in a sealed state, something he did to delay stepping into the Dao Realm, and in fact, made it possible for him to attempt to step into the Dao Realm at any time he wished.
The first seal faded away rapidly, and as it did, Guru Heavencloud's energy suddenly exploded with increasing power. He quickly surpassed the ordinary great circle of the Ancient Realm, rising up to a shocking degree.
He had no choice but to admit that Naruto was strong, perhaps even stronger than himself. Because of that, he had to go all out, and even go to the lengths of removing the seals and removing the pressure that kept his cultivation base restricted.
"Great!" Naruto said with a cold snort. "Now that the warmup is over, I guess I'll kill you. Shouldn't be too hard." With that, he extended his right hand and pointed toward Guru Heavencloud, unleashing the Eighth Demon Sealing Hex.
Rumbling could be heard as Guru Heavencloud suddenly lurched to a halt. His eyes went wide with shock as Naruto waved his finger a second, a third, and even a fourth time.
The Seventh Demon Sealing Hex, Karmic Hexing, immediately caused Karma Threads to appear on Guru Heavencloud. They were already twisted because of his self-sealing, and now, rumbling sounds could be heard inside of him. Stabs of pain shot through him, and he felt as if he were suddenly losing his perception of the world. Even his memories began to grow fuzzy. His cultivation base began to sink down beyond his control, and apparently, his Karma Threads could be severed at any time.
The Sixth Demon Sealing Hex, the Life Death Hexing, caused magical symbols to appear all over him. Unfortunately, Naruto didn't succeed in turning Guru Heavencloud into a puppet, but the resulting failure caused Guru Heavencloud to cough up a mouthful of blood. His Karma was collapsing, and his cultivation base was in chaos.
Next was the Fifth Demon Sealing Hex, the transposition of inside and outside. A rift appeared, both absorbing and erupting, creating a sharp blade that slashed at Guru Heavencloud, provoking a bloodcurdling scream as he was directly sliced in half!
Everything happened with shocking speed. Four waves of a finger caused Guru Heavencloud, who was still in the middle of powering up, to be cut down by Naruto!
This was the true strength of Naruto; to him, the great circle of the Ancient Realm wasn't even worth paying attention to!
However, Guru Heavencloud wasn't actually dead. Despite being cut in half, he was able to merge his two halves back together. And yet, Naruto didn't give him a chance to do anything with that opportunity. He waved his right hand, causing the bone-tip spear to appear. Whistling sounds could be heard as the spear stabbed directly toward Guru Heavencloud.
A boom rang out as Guru Heavencloud exploded. His Nascent Divinity flew out of the wreckage of his body, heading down toward one of the magenta-robed cultivators. It stabbed into the man's forehead, causing him to let out a miserable shriek. His facial features twisted for a moment, then went calm, after which he looked up furiously at Naruto.
"Naruto!" That cultivator was now Guru Heavencloud. He flew up into the air, roaring in rage. To have been cut down the way he had just now was a complete humiliation. How could he ever have imagined that he would be slaughtered so quickly?
In fact, he had even been forced to use a trump card that nobody had known about, his life-saving magic of Instantaneous Possession!
It was a possession-type Daoist magic that was extremely rare, and allowed him to instantaneously possess the body of another person. Unfortunately, it was an incomplete magic, making it difficult to utilize without great difficulty.
However, in the current situation, he had been left with no choice.
Naruto's eyes flickered with a strange light as he looked at Guru Heavencloud. Then he smiled slightly and began to walk forward, once again on the offensive.
Guru Heavencloud was incensed. Gnashing his teeth, he shoved down on his forehead again, wiping away the second sealing mark.
In that very instant… an incredible energy suddenly exploded out within Guru Heavencloud. All of a sudden, all of his Soul Lamps appeared!
The Soul Lamps were all extinguished, and shockingly, as they circulated around him, it was obvious… that each of those Soul Lamps was made of a tiny person who looked exactly like Guru Heavencloud!
Even more shocking was that each tiny individual had a sealing mark held in its left hand. It was as if each of those symbols contained different Daoist magics, which were being fed by the tiny figures. Furthermore, each figure also had a magical item floating above its right hand!
There were more than ten different magical items, including flying swords, shields, pearls and tiny pagodas. From the feeling they gave off, all of them were high-grade Immortal treasures.
If that were all there were to it, it might not be a big deal. However, now that Guru Heavencloud had been forced into a corner, he slapped his bag of holding to produce a violet helmet.
It looked like a helmet which might be worn by an ordinary mortal soldier. However, it seemed incredibly ancient, as if it had passed through countless years of time. As soon as it appeared in Guru Heavencloud's hands, he put it onto his head.
Almost immediately, his power skyrocketed to a shocking level, and his divine sense experienced explosive growth.
Shockingly, this helmet… was an Ancient Realm magical item!
"Naruto! This is my most powerful state. This… is the true great circle of the Ancient Realm. If you can defeat me like this, then I will immediately summon the Door of the Dao Realm!
"If I successfully step into the Dao Realm, then I will cut you down where you stand…. If I fail… then I will be an almighty Quasi-Dao expert. At that time, my life force will begin to dissipate, and the end of my longevity will be within sight. However, killing you in that state… will still be a simple matter!
"You need to think long and hard about whether you wish to continue to fight, or back down!" Guru Heavencloud's heart was filled with regret. He could tell that Naruto was extraordinary and shocking, and now he wasn't so certain about his judgement regarding the Namikaze Clan.
The words he had uttered just now had been spoken grudgingly. Originally, he had planned to save those words for someone of his own generation as a coldly uttered ultimatum.
But now, he had no choice but to speak them to Naruto, in order to remind him that he shouldn't continue to act provokingly….
It was at this point that Naruto's expression suddenly flickered, and he looked in the direction of the Namikaze Clan's teleportation portal asteroid. Guru Heavencloud sensed the same thing Naruto had, and looked over to see that several figures had appeared. He finally sighed inwardly with relief.
He didn't want to admit to himself that he had even done such a thing, but he had no other option. He would rather clash with the Dao Realm experts of the Namikaze Clan than face Naruto. The four finger attacks Naruto had just unleashed filled him with the utmost fear.
Although he was still confident, he couldn't shake the fear that lurked in his heart. Besides, it would be a great, unrecoupable loss to be forced into an attempted breakthrough right here and now.
Despite being enraged, Guru Heavencloud seemed to force himself remain under control. He immediately clasped hands and bowed to the figures who were emerging from the teleportation portal.
Namikaze Shoudao strolled out from the glittering lights, his grim.
Guru Heavencloud's expression flickered, and he suddenly chuckled coldly, projecting his booming voice out to say, "Heavencloud of the Heavencloud Bazaar offers greetings, Senior Shoudao!
"Not only have I never offended the Namikaze Clan, I've never skimped in my yearly tribute, not even by a little bit. Normally speaking, I
accommodate the requirements laid out by your clan without hesitation. I truly respect the Namikaze Clan!
"Although other clans and powers have tried to recruit me, I haven't joined any of them. I'm always respectful to all of the sects and powers, and even more so when it comes to the Namikaze Clan.
"And what do I get in return for all of that? My Junior Brother was brutally slaughtered, and others of my disciples were violently killed. All because someone ignored the laws of the bazaar, laws which expressly forbid robbing and stealing!
"What is the meaning of such humiliation!? Senior Shoudao, could it be that the Namikaze Clan… really wishes to annihilate the Heavencloud Bazaar? After all, moments ago, it was your own Crown Prince who said that he wants the Heavencloud Bazaar to be renamed as the Namikaze Clan Bazaar!
"I could do nothing in the face of such provocation, because he's nothing but a young lad, and the Crown Prince of the Namikaze Clan. Then he attacked me, and considering the level of my cultivation base and my status, I had to endure for a while. I didn't want to hurt him, and thus, didn't use divine abilities, only magical items.
"However, your Crown Prince was extremely overbearing and menacing. He used sneak attacks to push me into a corner until I could fall back no further. I could have retaliated with deadly attacks on numerous occasions, but didn't, all because I wanted to avoid creating deadly enmity with the Namikaze Clan!
"However, everyone has their limits, and finally, I retreated far enough to reach mine!
"Senior Shoudao, I've already been forced to the point of having no choice but to make a breakthrough. Success would place me in the Dao Realm, failure, the Quasi-Dao Realm. Therefore, I want to know exactly what I did to offend the Namikaze Clan? Why do you want… to exterminate me!?
"The Heavencloud Bazaar might be small, but we're no pushovers! Senior, please take the lead in presiding over justice!"
Chapter 1160: The Namikaze Clan Arrives!
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1161Chapter 1161: The Old Fox
Naruto's expression was the same as ever. He ceased any pursuit of Guru Heavencloud, and looked extremely innocent and charming as he clasped hands and bowed to Patriarch Namikaze Shoudao.
"Junior offers greetings, Patriarch," he said, clearing his throat, as if he wasn't the instigator of the current predicament, and was very curious to see how Namikaze Shoudao would resolve the situation.
What he actually wanted to know, though was… exactly how important he was to the Namikaze Clan, and to Namikaze Shoudao.
He wanted to know if the title of Crown Prince… was actually worth something! Perhaps it was just a title, and wasn't worth anything. Naruto's attitude would be dependent on how the question was answered.
If the Namikaze Clan handled the situation with no regard for him, then he would simply attack. He would show the Namikaze Clan the true meaning of what an Allheaven Clan Patriarch was!
Namikaze Shoudao sent a vicious glare in Naruto's direction, but then, a moment later, his eyes widened almost imperceptibly. Behind him were five or six clan Elders, including the Grand Elder Namikaze Tongtian, all of whom heard Guru Heavencloud's enraged words as they walked out of the teleportation portal.
Once again, Guru Heavencloud said, "Senior Shoudao, please take the lead in presiding over justice!"
At the same time, the magenta-robed cultivators in the bazaar all clasped hands toward Namikaze Shoudao and joined their voices together to say, "Senior Shoudao, please take the lead in presiding over justice!"
Their conjoined voices boomed out like crashing waves, causing an unsightly expression to appear on Namikaze Shoudao's face. Inwardly, he was slightly suspicious about exactly what was happening. He once again looked over at Naruto, expression grim.
After a long moment passed, he gave a cold harrumph and said, " Namikaze
Tongtian, you and the other Elders resolve this situation."
Namikaze Tongtian looked back at him in shock. Even as he stood there hesitating, one of the other Namikaze Clan Elders stepped forward, clasped hands, and bowed toward Guru Heavencloud.
"Fellow Daoist Heavencloud, please calm yourself. This truly was an instance of carelessness on the part of the Namikaze Clan. We can explain." Naruto had seen this old man before. He was an Elder from one of the neutral bloodlines. As the words left the man's mouth, Naruto's expression remained completely calm. However, his eyes turned icy cold.
"Naruto, immediately apologize to Guru Heavencloud, and give back the thing you stole!" the Elder said harshly. "As the Crown Prince, you must set a proper example for others! What you've done here is simply outrageous!" There were two reasons this Elder rushed to be the first to speak. The first was that he sensed that Patriarch Shoudao wasn't very pleased with the situation. The second was that he had many connections with the Heavencloud Bazaar, and wished for the situation to be resolved as quickly as possible.
From his perspective, his decision not to side with Naruto was quite proper. After all, the Namikaze Clan wasn't in a position to be antagonizing too many people, not even for the sake of the Crown Prince. Although Naruto had performed some incredible services for the clan, personal interests should never be placed above the interests of the group. Sometimes, it was simply necessary to back down.
He wasn't the only one who had similar thoughts. The other Elders, even the two who were members of Naruto's bloodline, all felt that the best way to resolve the situation was to chide Naruto.
One by one, the Elders began to chime in.
"Hao'er, you shouldn't have killed anyone here. Apologize immediately!
Fellow Daoist Heavencloud, this was just a matter of the Namikaze Clan's
Crown Prince acting a bit impulsively. Let's drop the matter, alright?"
"That's right. Hao'er, what are you doing just standing there? Apologize right now!"
As the Elders spoke one after another, Guru Heavencloud began to laugh coldly in his heart, and also sighed with relief that the Namikaze Clan members were reasonable people.
In his mind, after Naruto apologized, there would be no way for him to pursue the matter further. He himself would be able to sell the jade pendant to the Namikaze Clan, although for a higher price than before. After all, he couldn't quite resolve himself to the idea of letting Naruto away completely scot-free after what he had done.
He felt certain that the Namikaze Clan wouldn't be willing to antagonize people like himself lightly. After all, his cultivation base was at the point where all he had to do was make a breakthrough, and he could be a powerful enemy to any sect or clan.
Once that happened, unless they went all out to exterminate him, he would be able to cause them unending problems in the future.
Similarly, he didn't dare to deeply offend any of the powerful clans. That was why he always tried to maintain a certain level of imperiousness in his actions. He would never exceed that level too much, but he would likewise never become more submissive.
As soon as he heard what the Elders were saying, his face relaxed, and he clasped hands and bowed to the Namikaze Clan Elders.
"Since this was a misunderstanding, then I'll let it go," he said with a light, casual sigh. "We can simply blame my Junior Brother for being too boorish, which led him to an unfortunate and terrible death…. As for the stolen item, since the Crown Prince of the Namikaze Clan took a liking to it, then please, take it. In fact, I don't even want to have it returned. I just hope that the Namikaze Clan… won't slaughter me and my people!" Although he was smiling bitterly, his heart was filled with venomous malice. In this situation, he was using a tactical retreat to advance his interests, using weakness to defeat strength. He couldn't go so far as to demand that they strip Naruto of his title, but he could certainly get them to punish him. He wouldn't just deal him a flesh wound, he would stab him to the bone!
After all, he viewed himself to be the reasonable one. The people who had died were from the Heavencloud Bazaar. Not only had Naruto killed them, he had also stolen their goods. Guru Heavencloud was counting on all of that to lend weight to his demands.
In the end, it seemed to work out exactly as he had expected. In response to Guru Heavencloud's words, the group of Namikaze Clan Elders frowned and began to rebuke Naruto even more harshly.
"Hao'er, this is disgraceful!"
"Apologize right this instant, Hao'er! Do you really want to humiliate the entire clan because of your personal affair!?"
"Naruto, get down on your knees!" The last sentence was uttered by the first Elder who had begun speaking moments ago, the one from one of the neutral bloodlines.
Naruto's face had remained placid from start to finish. He offered no explanations, instead choosing to stand there looking coldly at the other members of the Namikaze Clan. To all the other cultivators looking on, Naruto seemed to be holding himself in a way that implied that even the Senior members of his clan weren't qualified to talk down to him.
But then Naruto heard that one particular Elder say the words 'get on your knees,' and his eyes flickered coldly.
"You're Namikaze who?" he said. "I forget your given name. In any case, I dare you to repeat what you just said about me kneeling. Go ahead and try it!"
The Elder's eyes flickered with rage, and he was just about to speak when….
"Enough!" said Grand Elder Namikaze Tongtian, his face darkening, his voice echoing out in all directions. Although his cultivation base was not as high as Guru Heavencloud's, it was still high enough that Guru Heavencloud wouldn't look down on him.
"Elder Namikaze Shuidan, what you said just now was completely inappropriate," he said, his voice crackling like thunder. "Have you forgotten that you are also surnamed Namikaze ?!
"As for you, Fellow Daoist Heavencloud, don't try to take a mile when we give you an inch. Naruto is the Crown Prince of the Namikaze Clan. You say he killed some people? Well, even if he killed the entire Heavencloud Bazaar, what would it matter?!
"You say he stole something from you? How absurd! The Namikaze Clan lacks nothing! We have no need to go around robbing people! Besides, Naruto is our Crown Prince, the future Clan Chief! If he did rob you… then you should think of it as an honor!" All the surrounding cultivators' eyes went wide when they heard Namikaze Tongtian's words. Guru Heavencloud's eyes gleamed brightly as he glared back at Namikaze Tongtian.
"Don't be such an aggravating smart-aleck," Namikaze Tongtian continued, his eyes flickering with killing intent. "And don't put on such a show of histrionics. The Crown Prince of the Namikaze Clan apologizing to you would be giving you plenty of face as it is. Let's drop the matter here. And if you disagree… go ahead and say so, then see what happens!" Although Namikaze Tongtian was no match for Guru Heavencloud, his status in the Namikaze Clan was such that he could easily cow Guru Heavencloud with his words.
Namikaze Tongtian's diatribe caused the other Namikaze Clan Elders to stare in shock. The other surrounding cultivators were even more astonished.
Even Naruto had a strange look in his eyes as he looked over at Namikaze Tongtian. If he remembered correctly, Namikaze Tongtian had been punished, locked away in secluded meditation because of the chaos that had broken out on Planet East Victory on his watch. For him to appear here now indicated that he must have been pardoned.
Guru Heavencloud glared at Namikaze Tongtian, then began to laugh in fury. He had never imagined that the Namikaze Clan's Grand Elder would dare to speak to him in such a way. He was so disrespectful that it almost seemed as if he didn't care at all about Guru Heavencloud.
He had practiced cultivation for ages, and in the many years after taking control of the Heavencloud Bazaar, he had had dealings with all the major sects and clans. They were always amiable, and neither he nor they ever tried to offend or antagonize each other.
They always spoke very politely to him, so this was the first time he had ever heard any person from any sect or clan talk to him in such a way.
As his angry laughter rang out, Guru Heavencloud seemed to struggle to control himself. He took a deep breath and then clasped hands and bowed deeply to Namikaze Shoudao.
Gritting his teeth, he angrily said, "Senior Shoudao, is this the Namikaze Clan's stance in this matter? You kill my disciples and steal my belongings. Do you want to force me into a corner?!
"Senior Shoudao, I once again ask for you to take the lead–" Before, Guru Heavencloud could even finish speaking, Namikaze Shoudao suddenly flicked his sleeve.
"Shut the hell up!" he said, his voice booming like thunder. The entire asteroid field shook, and the Heavencloud Bazaar trembled on the verge of collapse.
Numerous surrounding cultivators coughed up blood, and Guru
Heavencloud was shoved backward, blood spraying out of his mouth, his eyes shining with shock and disbelief.
It wasn't that he had never encountered Dao Realm experts before. On the contrary, he had actually met most of them. Considering his status and cultivation base, Dao Realm cultivators usually treated him very respectfully and even kindly.
This was the first time that anyone in the Dao Realm had ever disregarded him in this way.
When Namikaze Tongtian saw Namikaze Shoudao's burst of anger, his eyes flickered, but he didn't say anything. However, the other Elders' faces fell, and their hearts suddenly seized with fear. That was especially true of the Elder who had rebuked Naruto and told him to get on his knees. That man's heart began to pound with confusion. From his perspective, Naruto had performed services for the clan, but even the Crown Prince, a direct bloodline descendant of the Namikaze Clan, would be forced to back down in the face of the interests of the clan as a whole. And yet… Namikaze Shoudao's attitude seemed to be the opposite of that.
Namikaze Shoudao suddenly turned to look at the clan members responsible for maintaining the teleportation portal. "Let me ask you, when Hao'er sent word to us, what exactly did he tell you to say?"
The clan members immediately began to tremble, and one of them responded, "The Crown Prince… he said… to ask the Patriarch, you sir, whether or not you wanted to change the name of the Heavencloud Bazaar to the Namikaze Clan Bazaar…."
Namikaze Shoudao paused to think for a brief moment, then looked up and spoke, his booming words echoing out through the entire asteroid field, and even echoing out into the void beyond. "The Heavencloud Bazaar is in collusion with enemy clans! They plotted to harm the Crown Prince of the Namikaze Clan in order to foment civil war in Ninth Mountain and Sea. They even falsely accused our Crown Prince of robbing them, all with the intention of provoking us. This crime cannot be forgiven! Transmit orders to the entire Namikaze Clan. Exterminate the Heavencloud Bazaar. Leave no one alive! Henceforth, this place will be called… the Namikaze Clan Bazaar!"
Guru Heavencloud's mind spun, and his face was filled with an expression of shock and disbelief.
"Senior Shoudao!" he cried.
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1162Chapter 1162 (Click to show "spoiler" title)
Chapter 1162: Heavencloud Steps into the Dao!
Guru Heavencloud wasn't the only one who was shocked. All of the cultivators in the Heavencloud Bazaar were completely shaken by Namikaze Shoudao's words, and could scarcely believe what they were hearing.
The title of Crown Prince was simply that, a title. And yet, the Namikaze Clan seemed ready to go to war, and even make an enemy of someone who could step into the Dao Realm at any time.
It completely defied reason!
Even the other Namikaze Clan Elders gasped in response.
"Patriarch, this…." The Elder who had reprimanded Naruto the most severely began to speak, his voice hoarse. However, even as the words left his mouth, other Namikaze Clan disciples stepped into the teleportation portal to go spread word to the Namikaze Clan on Planet East Victory.
"Senior Shoudao, sir, what's going on?" asked Guru Heavencloud, his face flickering. "This was just a misunderstanding. Didn't we already make that clear…?" His heart was now starting to thump; he actually didn't want to be forced to break through to the Dao Realm. After all, it was a critical matter of life and death.
"The only thing that was explained clearly was why the Crown Prince of the Namikaze Clan attacked you," Namikaze Shoudao responded immediately. "What will happen now is that you will be punished for daring to use deadly force to try to punish the Crown Prince!
"My Namikaze Clan's Crown Prince, Hao'er, has incredible latent talent, and is matchless in the entire world. He is a qilin of the Namikaze Clan, and of all the members of the Junior generation, I favored his grandfather the most. His father, is also one of the young lads I look most kindly upon. And as for Naruto himself, I will risk my life for him, for the sake of protecting a Chosen of the Namikaze Clan!
"He is our future Clan Chief!
"He is our future Patriarch!
"He is the most, most precious person in the entire clan! The most, most, most cherished one of us. The most, most, most, most important person!" Namikaze Shoudao's proud voice echoed out in all directions, causing the other members of the Namikaze Clan to stare with wide-open mouths. All of the other cultivators in the area were also looking on in shock.
Even Naruto had to clear his throat. His face was a bit flushed, not with bashfulness, but with true embarrassment….
"Anyone who dares to provoke him is provoking the entire Namikaze Clan!" Namikaze Shoudao declared. "Anyone who dares to harm him, will provoke the Namikaze Clan into instant action, even if that action is a war of mutual destruction!
"Hao'er is absolutely one-of-a-kind in the Namikaze Clan, and there's not enough time in the day to show our care and affection for him. Heavencloud, you brat, I can't believe you actually dared to berate Hao'er, much less slander him! I'm going to kill you!" His voice echoed out in all directions, pouring into the ears of every person present, causing them to stare in shock.
Virtually everyone who was listening got the impression… that he was actually ingratiating himself to Naruto. For him to say such things in this situation really seemed strange….
In fact, it was obvious that he wasn't making this speech to the bystanders. It was clear that he was… speaking directly to Naruto.
However, this in itself caused everyone to be even more shocked than before. To hear such fawning words coming out of Namikaze Shoudao's mouth, especially to a member of the clan's Junior generation, actually revealed an even more stunning truth!
Guru Heavencloud's heart was pounding, and from Namikaze Shoudao's words, he could tell that there was something he didn't know about. Obviously, Naruto's status far exceeded that of a simple Crown Prince. He was obviously so important that Namikaze Shoudao was willing to publically brown-nose him. This left Guru Heavencloud shocked to a profound degree.
"And you!" Namikaze Shoudao continued, turning to glare angrily at the Elder who had reprimanded Naruto earlier. "How dare you ask the future Clan Chief, the future Patriarch, the clan's current immaculate qilin, our matchless Chosen… to kneel! Are you really surnamed Namikaze ? Fudge! If I'd known you were this kind of person, I wouldn't have arranged a beloved partner for your grandfather all those years ago! If your father hadn't been born, then I wouldn't have to deal with you, you spineless coward!"
The Elder began to shake, and the blood drained from his face. He was just about to offer an explanation when Namikaze Shoudao turned back to Naruto, a kind, albeit strange, look in his eyes. Seemingly excited, he laughed loudly and said, "Hao'er, how do you think we should punish this bastard?" "Patriarch–"
Before Naruto could say anything more, Namikaze Shoudao glared at him. "Don't call me Patriarch," he said. "Call me Great-Grandpa. That's a bit more cordial."
Naruto cleared his throat. "Great-Grandpa, allow me to take care of him."
With that, he waved his finger toward the Elder, causing the old man to instantly tremble. Although nothing happened visibly, the Dao seed inside of him suddenly vanished. Instantly, the man seemed to grow older, and his vitality seemed to wane.
Although his cultivation base was not harmed, the wave of Naruto's finger had cut off his path to the Allheaven!
Even the old man didn't really understand what he had lost. However, in an Allheaven Clan, what Naruto had just done was actually the most severe type of punishment!
Namikaze Shoudao's heart flip-flopped, and he took a deep breath. After taking a close look at the Elder, all of his previous suspicions were dispelled, and he looked back at Naruto with indescribable excitement.
Then he waved his sleeve, causing the whole asteroid field to shake as a beam of light spread out to cover the entire area, completely locking it down.
At the same time, light began to rise up from the Namikaze Clan's teleportation portal as hundreds of figures began to emerge. This was the Namikaze Clan. Even Namikaze Wei was present, along with Ancient Realm experts of the Elder generation.
"Wipe out the Heavencloud Bazaar!" Namikaze Shoudao said, waving his sleeve. Heaven and Earth rumbled, and wild colors flashed. Instantly, all of the teleportation portals on all of the asteroids were sealed, regardless of which sect or clan they belonged to.
It was now impossible for anyone from outside the asteroid field to interfere.
The cultivators who were not affiliated with the Heavencloud Bazaar were shocked, and did nothing to fight back against the Namikaze Clan. They were merely passers-by, and as long as they did nothing to help the Heavencloud Bazaar, they would not be affected.
The magenta-robed cultivators' faces turned deathly pale. It was hard to say who did it first, but they all began to flee. However, the Namikaze Clan cultivators immediately flew out to give chase, cold smiles on their faces.
"Surrender and we won't kill you!" Threatening voices immediately rang out from the Namikaze Clan, causing everything to shake, and the void to vibrate. Surprisingly, azure light was emanating out from the members of the Namikaze Clan. Although it was faint, everyone could see it, and it caused them to feel a pressure and a trembling within their souls. It was as if… that azure color commanded the ultimate respect!
When Guru Heavencloud saw what was happening, his face fell, and he backed up. However, even as he did, Namikaze Shoudao snorted coldly and prepared to attack. However, Naruto stepped forward first.
"Great-Grandpa, allow me," he said, his voice echoing about. Then he shot forward and resumed fighting with Guru Heavencloud. Within a few breaths of time, the two of them had already exchanged hundreds of moves, causing rumbling sounds to echo about. Naruto performed an incantation gesture with his right hand, unleashing the Essence of Divine Flame, a flame sea that engulfed Heavencloud's Soul Lamps and magical items.
Guru Heavencloud's Ancient treasure was then hit by the azure light from Naruto, causing it to tremble and crack. Naruto charged forward, blasting out with the God-Slaying Fist.
Wild colors flashed, and a screaming wind kicked up. All of the other fighting cultivators in the area began to tremble, and when they looked over, they gasped.
It was as if all the energy of Heaven and Earth in the entire area was being sucked into Naruto's fist. As his fist descended, it felt as if the will of Heaven were descending.
No matter what Guru Heavencloud tried to do to fight back, it was useless. The magical items held by his Soul Lamps shattered and transformed into ash, and his helmet was crushed. Blood sprayed out of his mouth as he tumbled backward, his body half pulverized.
When Namikaze Tongtian saw this, his eyes went wide, and as for Namikaze Shoudao, a strange light could be seen in his eyes. Although he mostly understood what had happened, and had braced himself for something like this, to see Naruto wielding this type of strength was shocking.
" Namikaze Clan, you're forcing my hand!" roared Guru Heavencloud. Looking around, he saw that most of his Heavencloud Bazaar disciples had surrendered, and that he had essentially lost control. More members of the Namikaze Clan were pouring out through their teleportation portal. Guru Heavencloud began to laugh bitterly, even crazily. By now, he realized that he had offended someone who he could not afford to have offended. Regret was useless, so he roared and, without any further hesitation, pointed his finger up toward the Heavens.
"Dao!" he roared. It was only a single word, but when it left his mouth, everything shook violently. An indescribable energy of Heaven and Earth descended, swirling around him, creating a force that pushed Naruto away, making it impossible for him to get close.
Everyone around Guru Heavencloud was trembling under the incredible pressure that pushed down from the starry sky.
Namikaze Shoudao approached Naruto, looked up at Guru Heavencloud, and then slowly began to explain: "Watch closely. This is what it's like to step into the Dao. I forced him into this so that you could have a chance to see for yourself what it's like. When your time comes, this experience will prove to be quite helpful. Your future is tied to the future of the entire clan."
"Dao!" Guru Heavencloud roared again. Rumbling sounds echoed out, and the pressure from up above grew more intense. The void vibrated, and ripples spread out in all directions. Layers of natural laws became visible, as well as numerous Essences.
Beams of light shot up from Guru Heavencloud, rising higher up, growing more numerous and scintillating….
Guru Heavencloud's energy rose, and the pressure of Heaven and Earth grew stronger. As of this moment, it was as if he were the center of attention of all the starry sky. Currently, not even Namikaze Shoudao could have tried to fight him.
Whenever someone in the great circle of the Ancient Realm stepped into the Dao, they were essentially invincible. At the same time, that person could do nothing to interrupt the process; any attempt to do so could influence their chances of success!
Failure… could not be endured!
"It's hard to say whether he'll succeed or not…." Namikaze Shoudao said with a sigh. "Stepping into the Dao is very difficult."
Naruto's eyes glittered as he looked at Guru Heavencloud. It was almost as if he were watching himself in the future, trying to step into the Dao.
"Dao!" Guru Heavencloud's final shout caused the starry sky to tremble and roil as a huge vortex formed. Within that vortex crackled countless lightning bolts, and just beyond it was what appeared to be a path.
It was impossible to tell exactly where that path led….
"That is the Dao, and also… a path!" 1 As Namikaze Shoudao's voice echoed out, Guru Heavencloud shot forward, going for broke as he charged into the vortex and stepped onto the path.
Chapter 1162: Heavencloud Steps into the Dao!
Don't forget that the character "Dao" also means "road" or "way" ↩
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1163Chapter 1163 (Click to show "spoiler" title)
Chapter 1163: Failing To Step Into the Dao!
A flash of concentration appeared in Naruto's eyes as he looked closely at everything that was happening. The Dao Stepping Path was a critical juncture when stepping from the Ancient Realm into the Dao Realm. Despite all of his experience with cultivation, Naruto had never seen anyone step into the Dao before.
Guru Heavencloud had offended someone he should never have offended, and now had no choice but to challenge this path. That was his only chance at getting out of the situation alive.
Heaven and Earth rumbled, and the starry sky shook. Most of the magenta-robed cultivators in the Heavencloud Bazaar had chosen to surrender. Those who had not were easily swept over by the Namikaze Clan. By now, the Heavencloud Bazaar had truly become the Namikaze Clan Bazaar!
Guru Heavencloud himself was the only survivor. He was now charging toward the vortex at high speed. However, as he neared, countless lightning bolts converged and shot toward him.
It was a majestic sight. Shocking peals of thunder echoed out as the lightning bolts fell. If you looked closely, you would be able to see outlines of people inside the lightning bolts.
Although it was impossible to make them out clearly, they were clearly mighty…. Naruto's pupils constricted the moment he saw them.
A boom rang out, and Guru Heavencloud shuddered, blood spraying out of his mouth. However, he was currently in a strange and bizarre state; natural laws and Essences swirled around him. He roared as he slammed through the lightning bolts and attempted to step into the vortex.
He knew that doing so was the first task he had to accomplish in order to step into the Dao. Although even greater dangers would arise after he did so, taking that first step was what would qualify him to take a second.
"If I step into the Dao successfully, then I'll use the power of the Dao Realm to flee this place. I'll go join the Ji Clan, and afterward, my enmity with the Namikaze Clan will be irreconcilable!
"If I fail, I won't be able to flee. Therefore, I will stay here and slaughter as many members of the Namikaze Clan as I can. I'll make sure they're buried with me!" Guru Heavencloud's plan was set. At the moment, he chose not to contemplate exactly why everything had turned out the way it did, nor did he consider that it was actually his own actions which had led to this series of events.
There was only one thing on his mind!
Kill Naruto!
All of his rancor was focused completely on Naruto, and whether or not he succeeded in stepping into the Dao, his main desire was that before he died, he be able to kill him.
He roared as he sailed toward the vortex. Booms rang out and lightning crashed. The speed of his charge gradually lessened.
Naruto's expression was the same as ever as he stood off in the distance, watching the scene thoughtfully.
Namikaze Shoudao stood next to him, eyes also focused on the vortex up in the void.
"Guru Heavencloud has been ready to step into the Dao for years now," he said coolly as he watched Guru Heavencloud approaching the vortex. "He just never dared to take that first step. Instead, he used his situation as a form of protection…. Perhaps you could say that I'm helping him out, helping him to take that first step. Of course, there are a total of nine tribulations when stepping into the Dao. This is merely the first tribulation, the Lightning Tribulation."
Guru Heavencloud was spattered in blood, and his aura was weakening. However, the feeling he gave off was that he would burst out with power on the verge of death. He roared, and shockingly, layers of mist and cloud formed around him, which alternated between transforming into rainwater and mist. Those were… his Essences!
As for what Essences they were, nobody could tell, since they were still in the process of brewing. However, if Guru Heavencloud stepped into the vortex and then walked the path to the end, then his Essences would fully and truly form.
How far one could tread on the path, and the final Realm one ended up in, was dependant on how many Essences one possessed. Of course, the further one walked, the higher the chances of failure.
A boom echoed out, and blood sprayed out of Guru Heavencloud's mouth. At the critical moment, he performed a double-handed incantation gesture, then pushed down on his forehead. Immediately, his cultivation base erupted, and he grew rapidly until he was several dozen meters tall. Then, he shot onward toward the vortex. More lightning fell, and as it slammed into him, he began to shrink back down in size. Soon, he was only about thirty meters away from the vortex, and was already back to his normal height.
His eyes shone with a light of madness. Roaring, he went all-out, holding back nothing to charge forward. However, in the instant that he stepped into the vortex, a blast of mist shot out from inside. It transformed into a pike which pushed toward Guru Heavencloud. It barely poked him, but he let out a bloodcurdling scream nonetheless as he was sent tumbling backward.
"NO!" As he fell back, countless lightning bolts descended, completely inundating him.
Namikaze Shoudao shook his head. "The second tribulation is coming, the Weapon Tribulation. This Heavencloud… has an unstable Dao heart. His essences are not converged, and his willpower is shaky. It's not likely that he'll succeed in the Weapon Tribulation." Guru Heavencloud screamed as the mist pike continued to pursue him. The Heavens trembled, and Guru Heavencloud began to laugh with bitterness as he fought back desperately. At the same time, more mist shot out from within the vortex.
This time, the mist formed into eight sharp weapons: saber, spear, sword, halberd, axe, hatchet, hook and trident. As soon as they appeared, they joined with the pike, transforming into nine beams of light that shot toward Guru Heavencloud.
By this point, the surrounding cultivators were all coming to the same conclusion: Guru Heavencloud… was not going to succeed!
"I refuse to accept this!" he shrieked, fighting back with all his might. He refused to back down, despite the blood spraying from his mouth. With every wound that was inflicted on him, some of the mist of natural law and Essence that surrounded him would merge into his body, restoring him. However… that restoration ate away at his power of natural law and Essence, causing them to grow weaker and dissipate.
When they fully disappeared, then that would indicate… that his attempt to step into the Dao… had failed!
"The third tribulation is coming…." Namikaze Shoudao said, looking into the vortex.
Almost in the same moment that he spoke, shocking rumbling sounds could be heard from within the vortex, and four figures appeared.
Each of these figures wore a black suit of armor. It was impossible to see their facial features, but all of them emanated indescribably murderous auras that caused the faces of all onlookers to flicker with shock.
"The Mountain and Sea War Generals!" Namikaze Shoudao murmured, his eyes burning with fervor.
As Naruto looked at the four figures, all of a sudden, the Demon Sealing Hexing magic inside of him began to stir.
"Life Death Hexing?" he thought. Almost as soon as he noticed the connection, the four figures suddenly turned toward him. Within their helmets, their eyes suddenly flashed with a strange light.
As their gazes met, Naruto's mind trembled. Suddenly, it wasn't just the Demon Sealing Hexing magic that stirred inside of him, the Paragon's blood inside of his Nirvana Fruit was also affected!
Gradually, he realized that there was some strange connection between himself and these four figures.
"It's almost like… I can control them…." he murmured, shaken.
"What did you just say?" Namikaze Shoudao asked, looking at him with wide eyes.
In the same moment that Naruto was mentally shaken, Guru Heavencloud laughed shrilly, a laughter filled with desperation and madness. By now, he had also realized that he could not succeed. Stepping into the Dao was a difficult thing. To any cultivator of the great circle of the Ancient Realm, it was a deadly test that far exceeded the previous challenges of lamp extinguishing.
The Ancient Realm was a terrifying place for any cultivator to be. After reaching that Realm, they faced one deadly crisis after another. The only way to be free of such an existence was to successfully step into the
Dao Realm.
"Naruto, all of this is your fault!" Heavencloud raged. His bitter laughter was tinged with even more madness than before, and his eyes were bright red. As of this moment, he chose… what every person who failed to step into the Dao chose to do.
Instead of hopelessly trying to continue to break through, he sucked the remainder of his natural laws and Essences into his body, which would form his life force in the Quasi-Dao Realm!
Anyone who failed to step into the Dao, and instead became a QuasiDao cultivator, would have a severely limited longevity, which usually was linked to how many natural laws and Essences remained after their failure.
The more they had, the more longevity they would possess. If they had too few… then the number of years they had left could be counted on a single hand.
Laughing bitterly, Guru Heavencloud sucked his breakthrough aura back into his body, along with the surrounding mist of natural law and Essence.
As he retracted the aura, the nine mist weapons suddenly halted in place, ceasing their attack.
Guru Heavencloud's body emitted rumbling sounds as the natural laws and Essence merged into him. Then, his power erupted, passing the great circle of the Ancient Realm and reaching… the Quasi-Dao Realm!
He was now in a Realm which was still half a step away from the Dao Realm, and yet vastly exceeded the great circle of the Ancient Realm. After all, he still had natural laws and Essences.
Although they were incomplete, they were still shocking, to the point that… even single-essence Dao Realm experts would find it troublesome to fight him. After all… Quasi-Dao experts were people who lived without hope, and descended into madness!
They knew exactly when they would die, as did everyone around them. And thus, they were insane!
Bitter laughter echoed out as Guru Heavencloud's body trembled and his aura changed. His life force faded away, and he was quickly surrounded by an aura of death!
His longevity was consumed by the natural laws and Essences. Assuming he didn't use damaging divine abilities, or engage in combat, he would live at most about one hundred years. When that time passed… he would be dead in body and spirit, without the slightest remnant of his existence left in the world.
To mortals, a hundred years was an entire lifetime. But to cultivators, a hundred years would pass very quickly.
Of course, if he ended up fighting in battle, his remaining time would decrease even more quickly.
"Limited longevity! Enmities must be avenged! Grievances must be requited!" Guru Heavencloud laughed. It was a laughter more ugly than weeping. His eyes bulged, and the aura of death surrounding him grew even stronger. Madness filled his eyes as his deranged laughter echoed out in all directions, transforming into a tempest that caused all light to dim, and the Heavens to tremble. Boundless ripples spread out.
Guru Heavencloud's energy was now greater than it ever had been in his entire life.
"Naruto!" he cried venomously, looking over at Naruto with boundless killing intent.
Chapter 1163: Failing To Step Into the Dao!
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1164Chapter 1164: Eternal Patriarch!
In the next instant, Guru Heavencloud stepped toward Naruto. Before he could get close, Namikaze Shoudao snorted and prepared to make a move. But then, Naruto reached out and blocked his path.
"Hao'er, you…." Namikaze Shoudao looked at Naruto, and noticed the strange look in his eyes as he looked up at the vortex.
The vortex was slowing down, apparently having lost interest in Heavencloud. It began to dissipate, the nine sharp weapons having already returned back inside.
However… the four black-armored figures were still standing outside, almost as if they had forgotten about the vanishing vortex. They were all looking at Naruto, as if he was of incredible interest to them.
Naruto's heart was pounding. He didn't have time to pay any heed to Guru Heavencloud. The sight of the four black-armored figures caused the Paragon's blood inside of him to seethe, and the Demon Sealing Hexing magic to churn. Shockingly, he was somehow connected to those four figures.
It was an invisible connection, but Naruto was clearly able to sense the confusion which existed in the four of them.
He took a deep breath and said, "Come…." The instant the word left his mouth, the black-armored figures began to move. In the blink of an eye, they appeared directly in front of Naruto!
Their speed vastly exceeded that of Guru Heavencloud with his towering murderous aura. Before he could even get close, the four black-armored figures were directly in front of Naruto.
This development caused Guru Heavencloud to stare in shock. He might only have one hundred years of longevity left, but he still believed that there was nothing left in the world that could shock or astonish him. However, as of this moment, his heart was pounding.
"This…."
He wasn't the only shocked one. Namikaze Shoudao gasped, and his eyes filled with an expression of disbelief. The other surrounding cultivators, including the members of the Namikaze Clan, were all gaping in astonishment.
How could they not be, considering that these four black-armored figures were… the third tribulation when stepping into the Dao!
Now, that third tribulation wasn't dissipating, but listening to Naruto's words as if they were orders. The scene that was playing out left everyone's minds reeling.
"This is a trick!" Guru Heavencloud roared, continuing to charge toward
Naruto. "There's no way that you can control the Mountain and Sea War–" However, before he could even finish speaking, he suddenly shivered as if he had just seen an evil spirit.
That was because he was currently witnessing the four terrifying armored figures suddenly… kneeling to Naruto!
They bent down on one knee and lifted their right hands high into the air. That was… the most respectful form of salute that could be given in the ancient Immortal World. Anyone who used such a form of salute was showing that they were a complete inferior offering wholehearted respect to a superior!
Massive waves of shock battered Namikaze Shoudao's mind as he gaped at the scene. He simply couldn't believe what he was seeing. Actually, he knew a bit about the history of his clan, and knew of the word 'Allheaven'.
However, there were still many aspects of the matter that were unclear to him. Even his own cultivation base had been affected by the momentous bloodline changes not too long ago. A Dao seed had appeared inside of him as well, prompting an investigation by himself and Namikaze Yanxu. They had even gone to pay respects to the clone of the first generation Patriarch, and that was where they had gotten their answer.
"The clan's blood has changed; the will of the Patriarch has come. He is the source of the Dao, the Namikaze Clan's eternal Patriarch!" That was what the first generation Patriarch's clone had said. At the time, Namikaze Shoudao didn't quite understand what he meant. But as soon as he laid eyes on Naruto earlier, his heart had been shaken to the core. There was something completely shocking about Naruto, some aura that filled Namikaze Shoudao with fanaticism, and the desire to offer worship.
Naruto could control the life or death of every member of the Namikaze Clan, and could also control the Dao seeds within their blood!
Even more astonishing to Namikaze Shoudao was that Naruto was clearly not an ordinary clan member any more. He was like a shining light, and the closer Namikaze Shoudao got to him, the more he felt as if his blood were boiling. Furthermore, that desire to offer worship increased dramatically!
In that first moment of shock, he thought back to what the first generation Patriarch's clone had said.
Shortly thereafter, Naruto had wiped away the Dao seed in the Elder, and Namikaze Shoudao's doubts were completely dispelled. At that point, he was certain… that Naruto was the reason for all the transformations that had occurred in the Namikaze Clan. He was what the first generation Patriarch's clone had referred to as… the source of the Dao in the bloodline, the Namikaze Clan's eternal Patriarch!
All of that was shocking in and of itself. But even more shocking was what had happened just now with the black-armored figures. Namikaze Shoudao took a deep breath, and his eyes shone with a strange light.
Hao'er can actually make the Mountain and Sea War Generals kneel before him…. He can actually control them…. That means that from now on, whenever someone from the Namikaze Clan tries to step into the Dao, the third tribulation… will be much easier to pass!
The surrounding cultivators and Namikaze Clan members were all staring in shock at the scene playing out in front of them. It was something which they would never forget.
"Hao'er, you… you can control them?" Namikaze Shoudao asked, sounding uncertain.
"Kill him!" Naruto said suddenly, wanting to know the answer himself. Eyes flashing, he pointed directly at Guru Heavencloud, his killing intent swirling.
Naruto's action caused Guru Heavencloud's scalp to feel like it was about to explode, and he fell back. He might only have a hundred years of longevity left, and was already mad, but that didn't mean he actually wished to die.
Dying in this moment, and dying a hundred years from this moment, were two very different things. He obviously wanted to live as long as possible, so therefore, when he saw the black-armored figures rising up in response to Naruto pointing, when he sensed their towering murderous auras, when they began to head in his direction, Guru Heavencloud was finally… afraid.
All of the fear and terror of Naruto that he had been keeping under control until now finally exploded out!
"Who… who is he really? He can mobilize the entire Namikaze Clan for war, he can make Namikaze Shoudao suck up to him, and he can actually control the third tribulation Mountain and Sea War Generals!"
The last part was the most critical aspect as far as Guru Heavencloud was concerned. When he saw that Naruto could control the very Dao Tribulation that he himself had failed at, his entire world was overturned. It was as if everything he knew had crumbled away.
Even as he fell back, the four black-armored figures closed in. Heavenshaking, Earth-shattering murderous auras exploded out from them. It was merely energy, and yet colors flashed and the starry sky shook. Blood sprayed out of Guru Heavencloud's mouth, and he instantly grew five or six years older.
A strange light appeared in Namikaze Shoudao's eyes as he murmured, "According to the legends, the Mountain and Sea War Generals were cultivators who served the Paragons, and killed hosts of Outsiders on the ancient battlefields. Supposedly, they built up stupendous killing intent, to the point where they controlled the will of death! Obviously, the legends are true!"
Quasi-Dao experts were incredibly powerful, and under normal circumstances could never be taken lightly. But when fighting the Mountain and Sea War Generals… it was a completely different matter!
Their energy alone was enough to reduce Guru Heavencloud's longevity by five or six years. That alone attested to how terrifying they were, and left Guru Heavencloud in complete terror. He performed a doublehanded incantation gesture and waved his finger in front of him, causing Essence power to erupt out. Just as he was about to begin fighting, one of the black-armored figures lifted its right hand and then made a chopping motion.
That chopping motion caused the starry sky to rumble, as if it were about to be ripped apart. All of Guru Heavencloud's defenses crumbled. His body trembled, and in the blink of an eye, he aged by another twenty years!
Blood sprayed out of his mouth as the second black-armored figure
made a chopping motion as well, followed by the third figure. The fourth black-armored figure followed up with a fourth fluid chopping motion!
Guru Heavencloud was completely incapable of evading these three strikes, nor could he resist them or fight back. Rumbling sounds filled the air, and more blood sprayed out of his mouth. He immediately aged by twenty years, forty years, sixty years, eighty years!
By this point, he had only a few dozen years of longevity left. He now looked completely ancient, and was surrounded by an aura of death.
"The Mountain and Sea War Generals rebuke the Quasi-Dao Realm!" Namikaze Shoudao observed the four black-armored figures with gleaming eyes. He could almost see images from some ancient era, in which a vast number of these Mountain and Sea War Generals had fought with the Paragons on countless battlefields.
Naruto's mind also trembled as he watched the scene play out.
Suddenly, Guru Heavencloud threw his head back and laughed bitterly.
"Naruto, do you dare to fight one-on-one with me? If I die in this battle, at least I can die with no regrets!" He feared the Mountain and Sea War Generals, and how easily they could defeat him. He knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was going to die, but before that happened, he wanted to cut down Naruto!
Naruto looked away from the four black-armored figures toward Guru Heavencloud, and his eyes flickered with the desire to fight.
"You want to fight!? Allow me to fulfil your desire!" He began to stride forward, causing rumbling sounds to shake the starry sky. Shocking azure light rose up, and in the blink of an eye, he was in front of Guru Heavencloud. Immortal mountains descended, and the Supernova Magic exploded out, along with a Violet Moon. The Ninth Mountain appeared, and the Blood Demon roared. It all transformed into a maelstrom which rumbled out toward Guru Heavencloud.
He attacked relentlessly and with a completely domineering air. The wave of a hand caused the Essence of Divine Flame to rumble out, creating a burning sea of flames. Guru Heavencloud's face went pale, and he performed an incantation gesture, summoning countless divine abilities. In the blink of an eye, he and Naruto exchanged hundreds of blows.
The battle was shocking, causing numerous asteroids in the asteroid field to shatter. The void vibrated, and the starry sky rumbled. At the same time, Guru Heavencloud's longevity continued to waste away.
Thirteen years. Nine years. Six years. Three years… One year!
Ten months. Seven months. Five months. Three months…. One month! Twenty-seven days. Twenty days. Thirteen days. Six days…. One day!
Naruto's Chakra and blood surged, and his desire to fight soared. He took a step forward and punched out.
It was the Life-Extermination Fist, followed by the Bedevilment Fist, and then the God-Slaying Fist!
"DIE!" he roared, his killing intent surging.
These three fists strikes filled Guru Heavencloud with a sense of impending doom that was no weaker than what he had felt from the black-armored figures. He threw his head back and roared bitterly, attacking with all his strength. Naruto was half a step into the Allheaven Dao Immortal Realm, and Heavencloud was a gasping, seriously wounded Quasi-Dao cultivator!
They were like two meteors which slammed into each other, causing colors to flash up above, and a huge wind to blast out.
A massive tempest sprang up, obscuring everyone's vision. However, when it cleared, Naruto was hovering there in the starry sky, looking every bit like some sort of celestial warrior!
In front of him was Guru Heavencloud, blood oozing out of his mouth as he looked at Naruto, his expression conflicted. He was filled with regret as his body cracked into pieces and transformed into ash that… faded out into the starry sky!
It was at this point that the four black-armored figures clasped hands and bowed deeply to Naruto.
Namikaze Shoudao and the other members of the Namikaze Clan suddenly felt something inside of them, an azure light which shone out, just like Naruto's!
"Eternal Patriarch of the Namikaze Clan…." Namikaze Shoudao murmured excitedly.
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1165Chapter 1165: The Whole Clan Pays Respects!
Guru Heavencloud was destroyed in body and soul!
When he died, the four black-armored figures bowed to Naruto and then transformed into beams of prismatic light that shot back into the vortex. The vortex had long since ceased rotating, and now looked like a black hole in the void. The four figures disappeared inside, and the black hole vortex vanished.
As it did, the ripples in the starry sky faded away, and the void ceased to tremble. The pressure that came with stepping into the Dao disappeared, and everything returned to normal.
However… the Heavencloud Bazaar forever had a new name. It became a new stronghold of the Namikaze Clan.
Namikaze Shoudao took a deep breath and concealed the expression of shock which had been pasted onto his face. He looked deeply at Naruto for a moment, then waved his hand, causing the shield to be removed from around the asteroid field. The teleportation portals were no longer sealed. Immediately, the terrified cultivators in the area began to leave.
As they did, they glanced over at Naruto with fear and dread. To them, Naruto was not some Immortal Realm cultivator, but instead a powerful expert of the Senior generation. He was an almighty figure who was completely removed from them.
As can be imagined, the departure of all those cultivators almost immediately caused the news about Guru Heavencloud offending Naruto, and the resulting carnage, to begin to spread throughout the Ninth Mountain and Sea.
It also ensured that Naruto's name once again was talked about far and wide. All clans and sects were shaken, and everyone realized that Naruto was a person who could not be considered to be in the Junior generation anymore. He was on the same level as Quasi-Dao experts, or perhaps needed to be treated as even higher than that.
The Namikaze Clan's attitude in the whole matter explained everything. Everyone knew that if someone dared to treat Naruto with hostility, the entire Namikaze Clan would respond with explosive violence.
As for the magenta-robed cultivators who used to be disciples of the Heavencloud Bazaar, they stood there trembling, having long since surrendered. They were assimilated into the Namikaze Clan, who had numerous ways of ensuring their future loyalty and devotion.
The crowds departed, and soon, the only people left behind in the asteroid field were members of the Namikaze Clan. There were a few hundred in total, all of whom were now looking toward Naruto with fanatical devotion.
This was… their Crown Prince!
He could fight with Quasi-Dao experts, and could even kill them. With a cultivation base and an identity like that, it was enough to cause the whole clan to be shaken and filled with zeal.
Most important was the Dao seed inside all of the Namikaze Clan cultivators.
That naturally caused them to be even more respectful toward Naruto, although it was on a subconscious level that most of them weren't aware of.
It was a strong subconscious desire, but after witnessing the grand display of Naruto slaughtering a Quasi-Dao cultivator, it erupted out, causing their eyes to overflow with fanatical approval of Naruto.
The handful of Elders present were completely shaken. After exchanging glances, they looked around at the former Heavencloud Bazaar. Because of the scale and history of the place, it was a potential goldmine, and whichever clan member was assigned to watch over it would receive untold benefits.
It was at this point that Grand Elder Namikaze Tongtian spoke up, immediately addressing the most important issue at hand regarding the bazaar. "Hao'er," he said, "who in the clan do you think would be best suited to running this bazaar?"
His words also indicated to the other Elders that Naruto… had the ultimate authority.
Naruto looked at the place in which Guru Heavencloud had vanished, then slowly turned around, clasped hands, and bowed to Namikaze Shoudao and Grand Elder Namikaze Tongtian.
"Great-Grandpa, Grand Elder, I feel that Namikaze Xi would be best suited to manage this bazaar," he said with a smile. "After all, he has had limited chance to gain experience in the clan. This would be an excellent place for him to grow and mature." Almost as soon as he had decided to rename this place as the Namikaze Clan Bazaar, he had thought about Namikaze Xi. Considering how much the place was worth, it would be far better to give it to him than anyone else. 1
" Namikaze Xi's a wonderful kid," Namikaze Shoudao said with a kind smile. "Let's give it to him, then." To him, this place was just a mere bazaar, so he didn't even consider refusing Naruto. That wasn't even to mention Naruto's status, which caused even his heart to tremble.
However, it seemed that Naruto wasn't interested in publically revealing the matter of his status in the clan. If word spread about that, it would send the entire Ninth Mountain and Sea into an uproar. In fact, it could even influence the balance of power in the entire Mountain and Sea Realm as a whole.
In a similar vein, Namikaze Shoudao understood a bit about Allheaven Clans, but not too much. He would need to confer with Naruto about the subject, and decide on the best way to use it to lead the Namikaze Clan to prominence as quickly as possible, and become a true Allheaven Clan. When he thought about that matter, it caused Namikaze Shoudao to treat Naruto with even greater regard.
"Hao'er, let's go," he said with a laugh. "It's been a long time since you've been back to Planet East Victory. Why don't you let your GreatGrandpa here test out your cultivation base and battle prowess?"
Naruto clasped his hands respectfully, looked at Namikaze Shoudao and said, "Let's not rush back to Planet East Victory, Great-Grandpa. Junior would like to head to Planet South Heaven first, to pay respects to father and mother."
Namikaze Shoudao stared in shock for a moment, then looked at Naruto thoughtfully. Finally, he smiled and nodded.
"You truly deserve to be called the qilin of the Namikaze Clan. Not only are you matchless and unrivaled, you're also a filial son. Your idea is an excellent one. How careless of me! Of course we should go to Planet South Heaven first.
"Your father is the one who raised the qilin son of the Namikaze Clan, and even agreed to be dispatched to Planet South Heaven to stand guard. His service and contribution to the clan has involved numerous hardships. In fact, the Namikaze Clan… would be hard-pressed to be able to repay him.
"In fact, I hereby issue new orders. Namikaze Xiufeng will be the new Clan Chief! It doesn't matter that Xiufeng is not on Planet East Victory, all cultivators of the clan should show their respect to him!
"I will personally act as Dharma Protector to help Xiufeng make a cultivation base breakthrough, to step from the Ancient Realm into the Dao Realm!" Namikaze Shoudao flicked his sleeve to make the order official.
"Tongtian, send orders to the clan. Any clan member who is a stage 5
Immortal or higher will prepare to immediately leave for Planet South Heaven. All Elders will go as well, to bear witness to the bestowing of the gift of Clan Chieftainship!
"All sects and powers in the Ninth Mountain and Sea will know that Namikaze Xiufeng is the new Clan Chief of the Namikaze Clan, and demands a show of respect from the entire Ninth Mountain and Sea!"
Namikaze Shoudao's proclamation caused rumbling sounds to fill the minds of all members of the Namikaze Clan. The Elders gasped in shock. For Namikaze Xiufeng to be named the Clan Chief was a huge matter. After all, even Namikaze Shoudao was only the acting Clan Chief.
A Clan Chief was the leader of an entire clan. Both in terms of position and status, it was an exalted rank. In terms of the Ninth Mountain and Sea as a whole, such a figure was a person of extreme importance.
This act was an extreme show of goodwill on the part of Namikaze Shoudao toward Naruto. It was a way of making up for past issues, and to show how important Naruto was now.
In this way, Naruto would well and truly be the legitimate Crown Prince!
And that was just the first great gift being given. The second was that Namikaze Shoudao, with the help of Namikaze Yanxu, both of whom were powerful Dao Realm experts, would assist Namikaze Xiufeng to step into the Dao Realm himself!
With their help, and assuming the clan itself did not hold back any expense, it would be possible to significantly reduce the danger he would face when attempting to step into the Dao. If at that point he was still unable to succeed, it would not be the fault of the Namikaze Clan, but rather, Namikaze Xiufeng himself.
Regarding how many clans in the Ninth Mountain and Sea could afford to offer such complete support such as this, well, that number could be counted on a single hand!
These two gifts were so incredible that they caused even Naruto to gasp in surprise. Then he turned to Namikaze Shoudao, clasped hands, and bowed deeply.
The other direct bloodline Elders were very excited, and also bowed to Namikaze Shoudao, then turned and flew toward the teleportation portal along with Namikaze Tongtian.
Before entering the teleportation portal himself, Namikaze Tongtian turned and gave Naruto a deep look. He knew he had made mistakes in the past, and hoped that his current actions would make up for that.
Namikaze Shoudao laughed and looked over at Naruto. "Hao'er," he said, "there's no need to be in a rush. Come come, let's you and I head off first. Once the rest of the clan mobilizes, we can all meet at Planet South Heaven to pay our respects to the Namikaze Clan Chief!"
Naruto immediately joined Namikaze Shoudao to enter a teleportation portal, upon which they vanished.
Naturally, Namikaze Shoudao had many things to discuss privately with Naruto, many questions that needed answering.
Despite their departure, the Namikaze Clan was just as aboil as before. After the clan members returned to Planet East Victory, word rapidly spread, and the entire clan surged into motion.
Although some people questioned the decision, no one dared to violate the orders given by Namikaze Shoudao. Furthermore, Namikaze Yanxu emerged from secluded meditation and used his status to oversee the unification of the clan. It didn't take long before the Namikaze Clan was organized, and over 1,000,000 clan members formed ranks and entered the teleportation portals that led toward Planet South Heaven.
News about the buzz of activity spread off of Planet East Victory and quickly came to be known by all the sects and clans, leading to quite a stir.
Seven days later, the glow of teleportation rose up outside of Planet South Heaven. Numerous shining lights filled the air as the members of the Namikaze Clan emerged, faces solemn. As they organized themselves in the starry sky outside of Planet South Heaven, their numbers swelled until it became virtually impossible to see the group from beginning to end.
All of them wore the ceremonial attire of the Namikaze Clan as they hovered there, facing Planet South Heaven.
Namikaze Yanxu was at their fore, joined by Pill Elder. Behind them were the Elders, then the direct bloodline clan members. Last were all the other ordinary clan members, arranged in ranks. It was a grand sight that caused the starry sky to tremble and the void to shake.
It was at this time that Naruto and Namikaze Shoudao emerged from the glow of another teleportation portal. Namikaze Shoudao's expression seemed the same as ever, but his eyes glowed with joy and excitement that were impossible to cover up. Namikaze Yanxu could see it clearly as Namikaze Shoudao approached. When Namikaze Shoudao saw him, he nodded.
One thing that Namikaze Yanxu immediately noticed was that Namikaze Shoudao was actually positioned behind Naruto. He was only about half a step back, which might not seem like much, but to Namikaze Yanxu, it was very telling.
His eyes suddenly gleamed with excitement.
Naruto hovered there, backed by what seemed like all of the most powerful experts of the Namikaze Clan. His heart surged with pride. He… had come home!
Namikaze Xi appeared too many times for me to include links. Also of the direct bloodline, he helped Naruto with his escapades in the Dao of Alchemy Division, and also had some interaction with the parrot and meat jelly ↩
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1166Chapter 1166: Dad, Mom, Hao'er Has Come Back!
When Naruto left, it was as a Spirit Realm cultivator, taken away by Namikaze Xi's father. Back then, he was a stranger without any reputation, someone the Namikaze Clan barely noticed. Neither did the Ninth Mountain and Sea pay him much heed.
At that time, few people cared whether or not he lived or died.
He left quietly, his parents looking on sadly. Upon leaving Planet South Heaven, he had told himself something….
"One day I'll come back, and I'll make dad and mom proud of me!"
Today, he had come back!
His cultivation base was no longer in the Spirit Realm. Instead, it was at the point where he could shake those of the terrifying Quasi-Dao level. Even powerful experts of the Senior generation would have to take him seriously, and treat him as an almighty member of their own generation.
He was no longer a stranger without any reputation. Naruto was so famous that his name came up in conversation virtually every day in the Ninth Mountain and Sea. After all, he was also Crown Prince Namikaze Hao!
Nobody could afford to disregard him, not the Ninth Mountain and Sea, not Paragon Sea Dream, not the Mountain and Sea Realm as a whole!
He had come back, not alone, but rather, with a host of Namikaze Clan experts, all there to pay respects!
Naruto hovered in the starry sky, looking in the direction of Planet South Heaven, thinking about many things. Finally, he called out in a loud voice: "Dad, mom, Hao'er has come back!"
As his voice rang out, all of the cultivators in the sects and clans of Planet South Heaven trembled. They could all sense the massive pressure weighing down from the sky, and although they couldn't clearly see what was out there, they felt as if they were suffocating. It was as if countless beings were up above, emanating pressure, pushing Heaven and Earth to the point of collapse.
In the Great Tang of the Eastern Lands, in a tiny city controlled by the
Namikaze Clan, was a Tower of Tang. That was where Namikaze Xiufeng and Uzumaki Li often went to look out into the starry sky and observe their children.
That was where they had watched Naruto rise to prominence on Planet East Victory, something which had filled them with happiness, anticipation… and hope.
"Did you hear that?" Uzumaki Li asked, quivering slightly. She looked at her husband, who looked as somber as ever, and yet at the same time, was radiant with joy.
"I heard," Namikaze Xiufeng said, his tone extremely calm as he stood there. "You women are too excitable. You know how worldly-wise I am, so this is nothing new. Isn't it just a big crowd? Why'd the kid have to make such a big deal over coming home? What a racket!" As he straightened out his clothes, Uzumaki Li glared at him, clearly not very happy with his attitude.
"Oh be quiet," she said. "Don't tell me you're not pleased that your son got your whole clan to come pay respects. Stop pretending you don't care, you think I don't know you?" The two of them emerged from their house and flew up into the sky.
"Women," Namikaze Xiufeng muttered coolly, ignoring his wife's words. They had just barely begun to fly up into the air when Namikaze Xiufeng suddenly blurted, "Wait, is this outfit alright?"
He looked down and straightened out his garments one more time.
"All we're doing is going to greet some Elders and Patriarchs, right?" Uzumaki Li said, tongue in cheek. "Aren't you the top Chosen of the last generation in the Namikaze Clan? Didn't you just say that you're worldlywise? Why are you suddenly so nervous?"
"Who said anything about being nervous?" Namikaze Xiufeng retorted, coughing dryly. "I've been the top fighter for years, I don't get nervous at anything. I was just thinking that I need to look good for Hao'er's sake, now that he's back. The younger I look, the better."
Uzumaki Li covered her mouth as she laughed. Her laughter made Namikaze Xiufeng even more embarrassed than before. It was actually just as his wife had said. Although he maintained a calm exterior, inside, he was bubbling with nervousness and excitement.
The Namikaze Clan was his family, and although he had been willing to be stationed on Planet South Heaven for Naruto's sake, he had never forgotten that he was part of them. Not once.
Therefore, to see virtually the entire clan here to pay respects was incredibly moving.
Naruto's parents turned into two streaks of light that shot up into the starry sky outside of Planet South Heaven, which was the border between it and the rest of the Ninth Mountain and Sea. This was the furthest they could go from the lands of South Heaven. As soon as they arrived, Namikaze Xiufeng looked at Naruto, at the two Patriarchs standing behind him, and all the other countless clan members arrayed further back.
Namikaze Xiufeng could keep his composure no longer. His face reddened as he clasped hands and made to bow. However, Naruto hurried forward and prevented him, then knelt down in front of him.
"Hao'er pays respects to dad and mom!" he said. Even as his voice echoed out loudly, all of the Namikaze Clan cultivators, including the direct bloodline clan members, all clasped hands and bowed deeply.
"We offer greetings, Clan Chief!"
As their voices echoed out in all directions, Namikaze Xiufeng stared in shock and disbelief. He looked at Naruto, and then all the familiar faces further off. Finally, his gaze came to rest on Namikaze Shoudao.
"Patriarch… this…."
"Xiufeng, you are rendering a great service by standing guard here on Planet South Heaven. Furthermore, you have made many other great contributions to the clan. I have already discussed the matter with the leadership in the clan, and from henceforth, you will be the Clan Chief of the Namikaze Clan!" Namikaze Shoudao gazed deeply at Namikaze Xiufeng, his expression somber as he also clasped hands and bowed.
" Namikaze Shoudao offers greetings to the Clan Chief!"
" Namikaze Yanxu offers greetings to the Clan Chief!" As soon as the two Patriarchs bowed, the direct bloodline clan members immediately lowered their heads and bowed.
"Greetings, Clan Chief!"
"Greetings, Clan Chief!"
Their voices echoed out like thunder, causing the starry sky to tremble, sending ripples out into the void. The chorus of a million voices could even be heard down on the lands of Planet South Heaven.
Namikaze Xiufeng was trembling, and Uzumaki Li gaped in shock. Naruto finally rose to his feet and walked over to his father and mother. He gazed at his mother for a moment, then gave her a big hug.
"Hao'er, this…." Uzumaki Li was shocked at everything that was happening and looked at Naruto questioningly, unable to wrap her mind around what was happening. Previously, both she and her husband had assumed the clan coming to pay respects was a mere formality, an outward display of respect shown as a gift from the clan.
However, despite guessing that there was another reason for the visit, neither of them could ever have imagined that… it was to make Namikaze Xiufeng the Clan Chief!
"Mom," Naruto said, smiling, "I'm the Crown Prince of the Namikaze Clan. It's only natural that dad should be the Clan Chief. I wouldn't accept anyone else but him." Although his words seemed casual, in truth, they carried a domineering air that only a select few could detect.
Namikaze Xiufeng's eyes shone brightly, and he looked at Naruto with a somber expression. His lips moved slightly as he quickly transmitted some questions to Naruto.
Naruto hid nothing. He briefly responded with a description of
Allheaven Clans and Dao seeds, after which, Namikaze Xiufeng trembled.
"So, it's called a Dao seed…." Namikaze Xiufeng murmured. He had realized earlier that his energy was noticeably different than before, something he had previously found hard to believe. It had seemed completely outlandish. But now that he knew both the cause and the effect, Namikaze Xiufeng suddenly realized that it was just as Naruto had said; other than himself… Naruto would never have approved of anyone else being the Clan Chief.
That was one area that Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu had been worried about.
"Many thanks, Patriarchs Shoudao and Yanxu. Since the clan wishes that I be the Clan Chief, well then… I will do everything in my power to live up to the duty and obligation." Namikaze Xiufeng did not refuse. Suddenly, his energy grew more awe-inspiring. His eyes shone like lightning, and as he looked around at all the members of the Namikaze Clan, his cultivation base erupted with power.
In the blink of an eye, it turned into a tempest which shook the entire starry sky, causing all hearts to tremble. At the same time, Soul Lamps appeared around him, instantly revealing his cultivation base to be at the great circle of the Ancient Realm!
He seemed not a bit less powerful than Guru Heavencloud; he was just a single step away from the Dao Realm. Furthermore, that step could be taken at any time he wished.
However, if he failed, he would end up in the Quasi-Dao Realm. The main reason he wished to avoid such an outcome was not because he feared death. No, he wanted to live as long as possible, so that he could strike fear into the hearts of any enemies of his son and daughter.
As his energy surged out in all directions, the clan members who had previously been hesitant to accept this new development could suddenly sense how powerful Namikaze Xiufeng was.
Furthermore, Namikaze Xiufeng was a sword cultivator. Sword cultivators were inherently powerful, so that, coupled with his cultivation base, made it so that at his full power Namikaze Xiufeng was clearly strong enough to fight with Quasi-Dao experts!
Even more shocking was that natural laws and Essence also swirled around him. Although it might have seemed like he didn't practice cultivation while on Planet South Heaven, the truth of the matter was that his cultivation had long since ceased to be practiced externally, and was all performed internally. The focus was no longer his fleshly body, but his heart.
Up to this day, he had never revealed the full extent of his shocking power to anyone.
Naruto's eyes glittered, and he suddenly waved his finger casually. No one other than Namikaze Shoudao could detect the meaning of that seemingly random act.
As soon as Naruto's finger waved through the air, the Dao seed in
Namikaze Xiufeng suddenly exploded with power. The azure glow which already existed inside of him grew more dazzling, until it was like a beam of azure light shining up into the starry sky.
As soon as that beam of azure light appeared, Namikaze Xiufeng's energy grew even more powerful. Strange colors flashed, and all of Planet South Heaven rumbled. Shockingly… the power of an Allheaven Immortal was… awakening in Namikaze Xiufeng!
Because of that, the azure light in him grew even stronger. His cultivation base rotated and his blood surged. At the same time, an Imperial will suddenly flickered in his eyes.
When the members of the Namikaze Clan saw this, they were completely shocked. As for Namikaze Shoudao, his eyes gleamed with a strange light, and with excitement.
Apparently because of the power of the bloodline, the initial awakening of the Allheaven Immortal within Namikaze Xiufeng caused azure light to also shine up brilliantly from all the other members of the Namikaze Clan.
The starry sky shook, and the lands quaked. It was as if the entire Ninth Mountain and Sea was being shaken. Even the Mountain and Sea Realm trembled. Apparently… they were all bearing witness to the rise of an Allheaven Clan!
"Greetings, Clan Chief!"
"Greetings, Clan Chief!" It was hard to say who began crying it out first, but soon the noise of the voices was even louder than before, echoing out like a storm.
Naruto, on the other hand, looked exhausted. Although the wave of his finger had seemed simple, it left him feeling drained. However, to see his father looking so powerful, and his mother so excited, made it all worth it.
Naruto smiled, a charming, happy smile.
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1167Chapter 1167: Get Back Here, Naruto!
Decorative lanterns and brightly colored banners could be seen everywhere on Planet South Heaven. The members of the Namikaze Clan flew down from the starry sky into various districts of the Great Tang of the Eastern Land, where they used various magical powers to erect huge temple halls and altars.
Over the course of an entire month, they transformed the Great Tang into a palatial temple complex befitting of the Clan Chief of the Namikaze Clan. They even created numerous Immortal's caves for the insurge of cultivators from off of South Heaven.
The Great Tang of the Eastern Lands was where the grand ceremony to appoint the Clan Chief would be held.
Furthermore, because Namikaze Xiufeng would stay on Planet South Heaven after his coronation, it became the Namikaze Clan's second planet. It went without saying that it was now a very important place for the Namikaze Clan.
Namikaze Shoudao immediately issued orders that all available clan members participate in the renovation of Planet South Heaven. At the same time, numerous teleportation portals were set up, which connected to the enormous main teleportation portal on Planet East Victory.
You could say that Planet South Heaven was being completely transformed. Not only was the Great Tang of the Eastern Lands mobilized, the other lands were included in the great changes as well, including the Northern Reaches, the Southern Domain and the Western Desert.
Soon, the entire planet was essentially part of the Namikaze Clan. There wasn't a single person who could disagree with the matter, because… once Namikaze Xiufeng officially became the Clan Chief, it meant that the Clan Chief was standing guard over Planet South Heaven. That in turn meant that the entire Namikaze Clan was standing guard over it as well.
Numerous incredible changes began to occur to the four great continents on Planet South Heaven, especially the Southern Domain. Because of Naruto's connection to the Southern Domain, it would eventually become second in importance only to the Eastern Lands, and the cultivators there would be given an enormous amount of special assistance in terms of cultivation and in various other ways. After all, although most sects there had connections to the larger powers out in the Ninth Mountain and Sea, in the Southern Domain, Naruto occupied the highest position!
To the cultivators of the Southern Domain, Naruto was more aweinspiring than even their own sects!
As for the Blood Demon Sect, that was the place where Naruto and Xu Qing had been married. In accord with Naruto's wishes, the areas surrounding the Blood Demon Sect had been kept exactly the way they always had.
Beams of colorful light could be seen streaking through the skies of
Planet South Heaven constantly as more and more members of the Namikaze Clan arrived. Their arrival caused the spiritual energy on Planet South Heaven not to lessen, but to grow stronger.
Regarding the Planet South Heaven division of the Ji Clan, they had long since been cowed by Namikaze Xiufeng. Now, they were forced into an even more subdued position.
As the members of the Namikaze Clan began fixing up Planet South Heaven, Naruto, Namikaze Shoudao, Namikaze Yanxu and Namikaze Xiufeng entered a long session of private talks, during which Naruto explained to them everything he knew about Allheaven Clans. That included the source of his own Dao, as well as the effects of the Dao seeds. He explained everything in detail and left nothing out.
Although Namikaze Shoudao had heard about these things once already, he got excited all the same. As for Namikaze Yanxu and Namikaze Xiufeng, both were impassioned by the things they were hearing and coming to understand.
"The Namikaze Clan is destined to rise to prominence," Namikaze Xiufeng said. "We won't just lord it over the Ninth Mountain and Sea, we will grow beyond it and become the most powerful clan in the entire Mountain and Sea Realm!
"For now, all these things about Hao'er must remain top secret. Only members of the Dao Realm are qualified to know the truth!" After reaching a decision on the matter, Namikaze Xiufeng made the suggestion to have Naruto stay put on Planet East Victory.
Naruto smiled wryly and tactfully refused. Were it anyone else who had made the suggestion, he would have just ignored it. However, since it was his own father, he could only politely make his case from every possible angle, after which Namikaze Xiufeng frowned, but agreed.
It took a while, but he finally managed to finish persuading his father and then slip away to find his mother. He quickly brought out all of the things he had bought at the bazaar and handed them over. Uzumaki Li was very pleased. To her, it didn't matter what Naruto bought for her, the expression of the feelings in his heart was the most important thing.
"Oh you!" she said warmly, tousling his hair. "You always throw your money away! You need to learn to be frugal! Don't you remember what I taught you when you were young about saving money? If you have a single copper coin, cut it in two before you spend it. The same principle applies to spirit stones.
"Furthermore, you're too kind and considerate. Too honest! You're a smart kid, but you need to remember what I've taught you. Never let yourself get the short end of the stick!
"The cultivation world is a dog-eat-dog place, and you have to be on guard at all times. That's what I worry about the most, you know. You take after me, too kind-hearted and too honest. Not like your sister. She's a lot more like your father, always suspicious about everything." Uzumaki Li shook her head, and her eyes filled with concern.
Naruto had a strange expression on his face, and as he listened to her talk, his face started to redden. He had to look at her closely to make sure that she wasn't being sarcastic with him.
"Mom, I… I never get the short end of the stick," he explained.
"Never get the short end of the stick?" Uzumaki Li responded lovingly. "Look at all these things you got for me. I can tell from a single glance that you must have spent a fortune. Obviously you got conned."
"I didn't get conned! I…" Naruto quickly explained about everything that happened with Guru Heavencloud. Not wanting to get his mother's hopes up only to dash them later, he left out the part about the jade command medallion. He would wait until he gathered some more clues about the matter before breaking that news to her. After he finished, Uzumaki Li frowned at him, looking even more worried than before.
"Silly boy, why did you go and do things that way?" she said with a sigh. "You shouldn't have just straight-up killed Guru Heavencloud. You little dummy, that's exactly what I'm talking about when I say you get the short end of the stick. Everyone has friends and family, including that Guru Heavencloud. Even I've heard of him before. He had lots of rich friends. All you had to do was let him go, and he would have gone to get help from his friends. Then you could have followed him to see who his friends were.
"Then you could have robbed all of them without even having to come up with an excuse why. How great would that have been? Ai. You're just like me, child. Too honest." His mother finished with a bitter chuckle.
Naruto's eyes widened, and he stared in shock.
"Oh, there's another reason you shouldn't have killed him," she continued. "Do you know how much Quasi-Dao experts are worth? Take him to the Eighth Mountain and Sea, and you could have gotten a mindboggling price for him. You're just too inexperienced. Not far-sighted enough. All you could think about was some crappy bazaar. That place isn't worth squat.
"See, when you analyze it carefully, you'll see that you really were conned. Don't you remember what I taught you when you were young? When you go out and see something valuable, if you don't pick it up, it's the same as if you lost it!
"Another thing is that the entire body of a Quasi-Dao expert is a magical treasure unto itself. Even if you killed him, you could have delivered his body over to the Fourth Mountain and Sea and earned a huge profit.
"Also, the bones of a Quasi-Dao expert can fetch a high price in the Seventh Mountain and Sea. After all, those aren't things you run into all the time. But you went and threw all that away! Ai. Honey, you're really too honest and straightforward." By the time Naruto's mother finished speaking, her voice was like droning in Naruto's ears, and he was staring at her in shock.
After a long moment passed, he suddenly slapped his thigh. Looking extremely annoyed, he said, "You're totally right! Dammit! How come I didn't think of those things!?" Stabs of pain filled his heart as he thought about the vast amount of spirit stones he had lost out on.
Uzumaki Li sighed and tousled his hair, looking just as worried as before.
"You need to think more. If you keep going on the way you are right now, I'll constantly be worried about you being out on your own." Even as she spoke, Naruto's face suddenly twitched, and then an unsightly expression could be seen. Uzumaki Li also seemed to notice whatever it was that Naruto had, and a smile broke out on her face.
"Your sister's back. Honey, this is the first time you've come back since you left. You need to be more like your sister. She comes back all the time to visit, and she's always asking if you've been by. Oh right, every time she comes to visit, she brings her little hubby with her." Uzumaki Li's eyes suddenly flickered with a crafty gleam. Just as she finished speaking, the front door of the building they were in collapsed inward with a booming crash.
"Naruto, you Heaven-damned bastard! At long last I've managed to track you down!" A young woman flew in through the rubble of the door, looking like an explosive dragon. Her cultivation base was profound; apparently she was a stage 5 Immortal. This was none other than Naruto's sister, Namikaze Yu!
Thanks to Namikaze Xiufeng's connections to the Emperor Immortal Sect, she had been given a spot there. After joining, she continued to grow and progress. Although she couldn't be considered extraordinary among the members of her generation, she ascribed to the notion that slow and steady wins the race. With every breakthrough she made, her foundation grew stronger and more stable.
The blow she had just delivered caused the entire building to shake. A look of astonishment appeared on Uzumaki Li's face, and then suddenly she flashed off into the distance.
"You two haven't seen each other for years," she called out. "Why don't you take some time to catch up? Hao'er, your sister had a fiery temper, but you're a big boy, so just grin and bear it, alright!?"
"Grin and bear it, my ass! Get back here Naruto! I promise I won't beat you to death! I can't believe you foisted that bastard Sun Hai on me to get back at me. Y-y-you…. Am I your sister, or is he your sister!?" Rage burning, Namikaze Yu roared and shot toward Naruto.
"YOU'RE my sister! He's a guy, he couldn't be my sister even if he wanted to!" Naruto shot backward immediately. He actually felt a bit guilty, especially when he saw the fawning, servile baldy Sun Hai following close behind Namikaze Yu. Naruto's smile grew even more bitter.
Back when he'd collected some interest from Sun Hai, he had loftily explained to him how to win over a girl that you had a crush on. How could Naruto have ever known at the time that the girl Sun Hai was talking about was actually his sister?
After finding out, he'd been planning to teach Sun Hai a lesson or two, but other matters had intervened. By the time he'd returned, Sun Hai had been nowhere to be found, which left Naruto with a sinking feeling.
From the way Namikaze Yu was yelling at him, Naruto instantly realized that Sun Hai had sold him out.
"Sun Hai!" he roared. He didn't dare to raise a hand to Namikaze Yu, but had no such misgivings when it came to Sun Hai. As he closed in, just when he was about to make his move on Sun Hai, Sun Hai suddenly clasped hands and bowed deeply.
"Sun Hai offers greetings, Brother-in-law. I will never forget the kindness you showed to me back in the day." With that, Sun Hai pulled out a bag of holding.
"Brother-in-law, these are all the spirit stones I owe you from years ago. I've even included the interest, sir. Brother-in-law, please kindly accept my payment." Sun Hai quickly tossed the bag of holding toward the shocked Naruto. This was the first time ever in which someone had proactively paid back the money they owed him. Without even thinking about it, he caught the bag.
Sun Hai immediately retreated to stand in front of Uzumaki Li. With a plop, he dropped to his knees in front of her.
"Sun Hai offers greetings and well wishes, madam," he said, kowtowing repeatedly. "The trip here was made in haste, but I managed to bring a small gift. Please accept it, madam. I hope it brings you eternal beauty and never-ending youthfulness." With that, Sun Hai rose to his feet and handed a bag of holding to Uzumaki Li.
Uzumaki Li accepted it, looked it over, and then smiled warmly.
"You always bring me gifts when you come to visit, child. In the future, you don't need to be so courteous!"
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1168Chapter 1168: Settling Karma with Old Friends
Naruto glanced at the bag of holding, and then looked over at the similar bag of holding in his mother's hands. All of a sudden, he realized that Sun Hai wasn't as annoying as he had previously thought.
However, Namikaze Yu was still cussing him out, causing Naruto to tremble in fear. He suddenly shot forward to appear directly in front of Sun Hai.
"Sun Hai, how dare you call me Brother-in-law!" he roared, his eyes flashing. "My sister is as lovely as a flower, tender and refined, unique and incomparable. If you want to fall for her, fine, but without my approval, NOBODY can marry my sister!" His hand shot out like lightning, his index and middle fingers stabbing toward Sun Hai's forehead. Considering the level of Sun Hai's cultivation base, if that blow landed, he would be dead beyond the shadow of a doubt.
Naruto attacked with such speed that even his mother was shocked. However, she quickly realized that something else was going on. She understood how her son thought, and knew that Naruto wasn't the type to randomly kill people. His finger attack surely had a deeper meaning.
Seeing Naruto lunging toward him caused Sun Hai's face to go pale and his mind to spin. He immediately fell back, but considering the difference in level between their cultivation bases, he was like a firefly trying to compare with the shining moon. It was basically impossible for him to evade Naruto. At the same time, Namikaze Yu was closing in on Naruto, looking like an explosive dragon.
"Naruto, stay your hand!"
"Don't worry, sister," Naruto replied, "I'll cut down this pervert for you. From now on, you'll finally have some peace and quiet. This is merely the duty of a younger brother."
Namikaze Yu suddenly started to get even more anxious. "Naruto, you scoundrel, I forbid you from harming him!"
Almost in the same moment that her words rang out, Naruto's fingers touched Sun Hai's forehead. Sun Hai immediately began to shake. However, it was at this point that he suddenly received a message transmitted by Naruto, along with a wink.
"Elder Brother Sun, this is your chance. Go!"
Sun Hai wasn't a stupid person, so he instantly bit down on his tongue, causing blood to spray out of his mouth. Then he let out a miserable shriek. He suddenly flew backward, intentionally sending his cultivation base into chaos to add to the effect, which caused blood to spurt out from the pores on his skin.
"Sun Hai!" Namikaze Yu cried, shooting toward Sun Hai and catching him in her arms. Her expression was one of extreme anxiety and guilt.
"I… I can't hold out much longer," Sun Hai gasped, trembling. "Before I die… I only have one wish. I–" Namikaze Yu suddenly frowned, and then a dark expression covered her face.
"Bastard!" she growled through gritted teeth. Then she raised her hand to slap Sun Hai. Sun Hai immediately dodged to the side to avoid the blow; obviously he wasn't injured at all. Namikaze Yu was now even angrier than before. She glared at Naruto for a moment and then began to chase after Sun Hai.
Seeing that Namikaze Yu's anger was no longer fixed on him, Naruto sighed in relief. Even if his cultivation base was more powerful than it was, he would never dare to raise his hand to his parents or his sister. Furthermore, he could tell from the way his mother treated Sun Hai that she and his father must approve of their relationship.
Although you couldn't see it from how she spoke to Sun Hai, Namikaze Yu clearly liked him, at least mostly. Apparently, all the pain and suffering he had gone through over the past years had finally touched her heart.
Uzumaki Li appeared next to Naruto and watched as the enraged Namikaze Yu chased Sun Hai off into the distance. Uzumaki Li's eyes shone with warmth and kindness as she said, "Your father and I both approve of them. Sun Hai might not be incredibly exceptional, but he's not bad. Most important is that he truly loves your sister. The past few years, she's constantly bullied him, but he actually seems to like it. He's got a good temperament, that kid.
"Your father and I talked about it, and unless something unexpected happens, they should become official beloved partners in a few years.
"Now that I think about it, Sun Hai is very respectful. He's mentioned over and over again how thankful he is for the support you showed that year." She looked over at Naruto and smiled.
Naruto actually felt a bit embarrassed. He had been trying to pull a fast one on Sun Hai, and had never imagined that he was actually conning himself at the time. However, now that he thought about it, if Sun Hai and Namikaze Yu did end up getting married, and it was because of him, then that could be seen as a truly beautiful thing.
"I'm not worried about your sister," Uzumaki Li said, her voice soft. "But you…."
After a moment of silence, Naruto took a deep breath and said, "Mom, I'm planning to leave the Ninth Mountain and Sea. I'm going to go find Xu Qing… and bring her back."
Uzumaki Li didn't say anything at first. However, after a moment, she nodded.
Burying her worry and anxiety, she said, "Go, as soon as your father's ceremony is over. It's your choice to make, and if you're sure that's what you want to do, then… you need to bring my daughter-in-law back here to meet us."
A sudden breeze blew through the building, causing the leaves to rustle and lifting Uzumaki Li's hair. Naruto looked over at his mother and noticed some new wrinkles on her forehead. She was by no means old, but she definitely looked different than he remembered her looking in the past.
Not even cultivators could completely escape the effects of the passing of time.
Naruto suddenly reached out and hugged his mother.
"Aw, honey," she said, smiling warmly, suddenly recalling what Naruto used to look like as a child. The two of them chatted until evening fell, whereupon Naruto finally took his leave.
"Mom, there's still some time before dad's ceremony. I'm going to visit a few places. I've been away a long time."
The evening wind was picking up, and dark clouds were gathering in the sky. As Naruto left the courtyard of the Namikaze Clan, the rumble of thunder could be heard, and great bean-sized raindrops began to pour down.
Naruto used no magic to block the rain. Soon, he was soaked through and through, and as he walked down the street, he looked around at the people scurrying about to avoid the rain. He shook his head and smiled. The rain made him think about the Five elemental Nations, Mount Daqing, and everything that had happened back in those days.
Sighing, he continued along. As he walked, he could sense the boundless
Immortal power filling the lands of Planet South Heaven. That came because of all the visiting Namikaze Clan cultivators, who radiated an intangible energy.
Among all that energy were two auras that shone as prominently bright as lanterns on a dark night. Those two auras belonged to Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu. Planet South Heaven was a unique place that Dao Realm experts could not enter, so they had restricted their cultivation bases to the great circle of the Ancient Realm.
As he sensed all of these things, Naruto's heart gradually grew tranquil. There was a lingering question that his mother had not asked him, and that he himself had not brought up. That was, if he left… when would he return?
He didn't know. He had absolutely no idea how long it would be from the time he left the Ninth Mountain and Sea until he would be able to bring Xu Qing back to Planet South Heaven to meet his parents.
"Maybe it will happen quickly. Or maybe… it will take a very, very long time." Naruto had a strange premonition that caused him to brood silently as he walked through the rain. He had lost track of time, and eventually he stopped and looked up, whereupon he noticed a distant wall. A huge gate could be seen in that wall, hanging outside of which was a lantern.
The lantern swung back and forth in the heavy wind, and the heavy, driving rain plopped onto the canvas canopy which covered the lantern, flowing together into a solid stream that then splashed onto the ground.
However, the wick inside was of unconventional design and, although the flame flickered wildly, it didn't fade. It continued to burn, illuminating the character which was written on the canopy. It said… Ji 季.
This was the location of the Ji Clan on Planet South Heaven.
This was the exact place where he had once broken down a gate to collect debts…. 1
He had never imagined that his strolling would subconsciously lead him here.
"I guess it's just destiny," he thought. "I wonder if my old friends from all those years ago are still here." He walked up to the door and looked at the iron rings, thinking about how he had ripped the rings off of the doors back then. He chuckled, then reached up and knocked. The sound of the knock echoed out into the courtyard of the Ji Clan.
He only knocked once, then stood there waiting patiently.
Almost immediately, the sound of a commotion could be heard inside the Ji Clan ancestral mansion. Before long, the door slowly swung open, and Naruto could see several hundred members of the Ji Clan lined up inside. At their head was the local Ji Clan Patriarch.
He was no longer young like he had been before. He looked much older, and as he stood there looking at Naruto, a strange look could be seen in his eyes. After a long moment, he sighed, clasped hands, and bowed.
"We offer greetings to the Crown Prince of the Namikaze Clan."
All of the other Ji Clan cultivators bowed in unison with him. Ji Xiaoxiao was there in the crowd, wearing the clothes of a married woman. She was no longer young and pretty like she had been before. She looked old now, and she also had a conflicted look in her eyes as she looked at Naruto. 2
It had been years since their last meeting, and yet, Naruto looked as dashing as he always had, or perhaps even more handsome than before. Every move he made caused an indescribable energy to spread out, creating a pressure that weighed down on everyone. It was as if he, standing there outside the door, were the center of the entire world.
And yet, there stood Ji Xiaoxiao, long since married. An inexpressible bitter feeling rose up in her heart, and she bowed her head.
Naruto looked around at the various members of the Ji Clan and saw only a few familiar faces. A couple of the people he remembered fighting with in years back, plus there was Ji Xiaoxiao and Ji Tianyi.
Ji Tianyi was now middle-aged, and his cultivation base was in the early Dao Seeking stage. He had since become an elder in the clan. He looked at Naruto with a complicated expression.
"Ji Xuelin?" Naruto asked.
"He failed in Spirit Severing seven years ago. He's dead." The person to answer Naruto was Ji Tianyi. 3
Naruto stood there silently for a long moment. In the end, he decided that since he had just happened across this place while strolling about, he wouldn't enter. Looking at the familiar faces one more time, he clasped hands and bowed, then turned to leave.
"Wait a moment!" Ji Xiaoxiao said through clenched teeth. As Naruto looked back, she threw a bag of holding over to him, which he caught.
"Those are all the spirit stones I owe you. The debt is clear now."
"Here's mine." Ji Tianyi also threw over a bag of holding.
Naruto scanned them, then looked back at Ji Xiaoxiao and Ji Tianyi, and nodded.
"Henceforth, the debt is clear," he said softly. The Ji Clan paid special attention to Karma. Were his cultivation base lower than theirs, they would be able to take the initiative in manipulating it. But now Naruto's cultivation base had long since reached the level that all they could do was look up at him from far below. They no longer had the initiative when it came to Karma. He did.
If Naruto wanted, he could refuse to clear the debt. As his cultivation base grew higher, the Karma would grow even stronger, and the pressure on them greater. However, with the debt clear, they were finally free.
Having settled the Karma, Naruto turned and walked off into the distance.
The rain began to fall harder.
—–
Note from Deathblade: In this and some subsequent chapters, it clearly indicates that many years have passed since Naruto left Planet South Heaven. According to the descriptions, it would have to have been decades. Although no major time skip was described that I can recall, there have been several instances in which we don't know exactly how much time passed. One example would be when Naruto wandered around alone in the Ruins of Immortality.
Naruto came to collect debts from the Ji Clan in chapter 803 ↩ Ji Xiaoxiao was the girl he met in the Ancient Demon Immortal Sect.
Because of their mutual secrets, she helped him out a bit in the end.
Later, he saw her in the Milky Way Sea, but didn't reveal himself to her. When he came back to collect debts, she wasn't present ↩ Ji Tianyi was one of the people who ended up owing money to Naruto in the Ancient Demon Immortal Sect. He was never named in that arc itself, but was mentioned by Naruto in chapter 803. Ji Xuelin was also mentioned in that same chapter, and you might remember that it was his brother Ji Xueming, who initially tried to stop Naruto from taking the door hoops ↩
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1169Chapter 1169 (Click to show "spoiler" title)
Chapter 1169: Returning to the Crow Divinity Tribe!
Naruto felt somewhat like a stranger on Planet South Heaven as he looked around at all the familiar sights. In his heart, this was his home, the place where he had grown up, and the place where he learned about cultivation. This was where he had laughed, developed his ideals, and thrived on his youthful energy. This was also the place where he had married Xu Qing.
The rain passed, and a rainbow appeared up above in the dawn sky. Naruto went to various places in the vast Eastern Lands. He went to the mountains where lay the Immortal Ancient Daoist Rite temple. Long ago, it had been a place of extreme danger to him. Now, nothing there was even worth paying attention to.
He walked through the mountains, through that long, narrow path, and then finally reached the edge of the crater where the temple had once stood. He stood there for a long time, thinking.
He recalled everything that had happened here, how he had taken the bronze lamp, and how everyone had chased him. The events in the subsequent days and nights had been like a sort of baptism.
That was his first time he had truly become embroiled in the affairs of the Ninth Mountain and Sea.
As he stood at the edge of the crater, he sighed. Much time had passed. The mountains were still the same mountains, and there was grass everywhere just like before. However, the trees and other vegetation had changed. Although they seemed the same at first, their colors had deepened from the ones that he remembered.
After a long while, he left.
He went to the Northern Reaches, and from there, to the Milky Way Sea. As he passed over the water, he looked down at the waves, and recalled everything that had happened there. He thought about Patriarch Reliance, the 10th Uchiha Clan Patriarch, and the Resurrection Lily.
After crossing the Milky Way Sea, he found himself in the Western Desert. It was a vast place, and was still mostly submerged by violet seawater. The Violet Sea was tranquil and lifeless.
He proceeded along over the Violet Sea, eventually reaching the area the Crow Divinity Tribe had once called home. He sank down into the water there and looked at the mountains and valleys in the area, all places with which he was familiar.
From there, he proceeded along under the water, telling himself that he was going to take all of the details about Planet South Heaven and place them in his heart, in order to never forget. As he sped along under the surface of the Violet Sea, he eventually reached the South Cleaving Mountains, which seemed to stretch out endlessly.
Eventually, he reached something that looked like a huge wall, or a city gate. It kept the Violet Sea out of… the Black Lands.
The Black Lands were now very different from how Naruto remembered them. They bustled, even thrived. Numerous cultivators scurried back and forth between there and the Southern Domain. Apparently, the Southern Domain was very accepting of the Black Lands cultivators.
Over the years, the former powerful tribes of the Western Desert, as well as the native Black Lands power groups, had all thrived and grown powerful.
Many Northern Reaches cultivators had settled down in the Black Lands, and had come to call the place home. Their path of cultivation had been cut off by Naruto years ago. No matter how they cultivated, they could only reach a certain height. Their fates were sealed, and they were forced to atone for the crime committed by their ancestors from the Northern Reaches, when they had invaded the Southern Domain.
The Crow Divinity Tribe was now the largest tribe in the Black Lands and also the number one power, with many other sects and clans subservient to them.
Almost as soon as Naruto entered, he realized that there were statues everywhere. Some were large, some were small, but all of the important groups in the Black Lands had them.
Those statues depicted… Naruto!
The largest of the statues was covered in spirit stones. When the sunlight fell onto it, it glittered resplendently with a multitude of colors. That statue was located on the highest mountain in the Black Lands, which belonged to the Crow Divinity Tribe.
That statue was the symbol of the Black Lands, and represented the spirit of the cultivators there.
Every so often, the members of the Crow Divinity Tribe would gather around the statue to offer worship and sacrifices. As it happened, that was exactly what they were doing when Naruto arrived.
He hovered there above the huge statue, looking down at all the Crow Divinity Tribe members gathered around the mountain. There were tens of thousands of them, all prostrating themselves in worship.
No one could sense Naruto's presence. It was as if he existed in a different world.
Ten old men in resplendent robes stood apart from the tens of thousands of tribe members, eyes burning with passion. Raising their hands high into the air, they cried out, "Crow Divinity Tribe, bow to the Sacred Ancient!"
In response to their call, tens of thousands of tribe members bowed low and joined their voices together in worship. As the sound echoed out, the tribe members looked at the statue with gazes of awe. From the look of it, if this statue were alive, and gave them orders, they would follow those orders without question.
Naruto's statue had replaced totems as the symbol of the cultivators of the Black Lands.
Naruto hovered there in midair, looking down at the scene playing out below. He heard the voices of the crowds, and was also just able to detect that their worship contained vestiges of the power of Joss Flame. It was faint, but it was there.
The ten old men once again cried out with loud voices, "Crow Divinity
Tribe, bow to Patriarch Fifth and Patriarch Third!"
Again, the crowds bowed in worship. A strange expression appeared on Naruto's face. He had noticed earlier that this particular statue belonging to the Crow Divinity Tribe had a parrot attached to its shoulder, upon whose ankle was a tiny bell.
The ceremony of offering worship continued.
Naruto sighed, and was just about to leave, when all of a sudden, he said, "Eee?"
Eyes glittering brightly, he hovered in place and looked back down below him.
What he saw was that the Joss Flame power which emanated off of everyone because of their fervent worship, was gathering around the statue. It then blasted up into the sky, where a vortex appeared.
Although the cultivators down below couldn't see that vortex, Naruto could see it clearly.
As it spun silently, a figure slowly appeared within it. It was a young man in a black robe, whose appearance… looked very similar… to Naruto's!
The main difference was that he had two black wings sticking out of his back. His expression was lofty as he descended from above to land upon the head of the statue. There, he sat down cross-legged, whereupon he began to breathe in the power of the Joss Flame.
He could not see Naruto, but Naruto could see him, and knew exactly who he was. This was the creature which had been his follower for a brief period of time, the black bat!
Although he now maintained human form, he still looked the same as before. Clearly, he was here to steal away the Joss Flame sacrifice from the Black Lands.
Naruto glared at the bat creature coldly. At the same time, he realized that the mastiff in his bag of holding had suddenly twitched, and opened its eyes. A blood-colored gleam appeared, as well as an icy-cold aura.
"You're interested in him, huh?" Naruto thought. He then recalled the so-called renegade spirit that the mastiff had absorbed back in the Windswept Realm, which had also been a bat.
The black-winged young man was sitting there in meditation, absorbing the Joss Flame power when, all of a sudden, he shivered. His eyes opened, and he looked around suspiciously. Although he didn't see anything, he still felt incredibly frightened, as if Naruto's presence caused him to be jumpy.
He suddenly let out a bellow, causing ripples to spread out in all directions. As they neared Naruto, he waved his finger, which produced no reaction from the ripples, and in fact, caused them to pass right through him.
The black-robed young man frowned. Despite using a divine ability to check the area, he hadn't been able to identify anything suspicious. He wanted to just ignore the matter, but the sense of crisis he felt only continued to grow stronger.
He had been absorbing the Joss Flame here for years, and had never felt anything like this before. Finally, he gritted his teeth and flew up into the air to leave. He would rather abandon the Joss Flame than run into any dangerous situations.
However, in the same moment that he flew up, Naruto's eyes gleamed with a bright light, and he snorted.
The sound seemed to reach out past the illusion that masked him, transforming into lightning which crackled in the sky. The world trembled, and the black-robed young man let out a shriek. Blood sprayed out of his mouth, and he was no longer able to keep himself hidden from the people down below. Almost immediately, everyone caught sight of him hovering there in the air.
Everyone was shocked, especially the ten old men. Then they saw his face, and their expressions flickered with disbelief.
"Who's there!?" cried the black-robed young man, coughing up some more blood. "Who's ambushing me!?" He was completely shaken, and yet, all he had heard moments ago was a clap of thunder, not a cold snort from Naruto.
If he had heard Naruto, then he would never have been able to muster the courage to speak.
"Sacred Ancient!"
"It's the exalted Sacred Ancient! Heavens, it's a manifestation of the
Sacred Ancient!"
"Greetings, exalted Sacred Ancient!" The tens of thousands of Crow Divinity Tribe cultivators down below were trembling in awe. The ten old men gasped loudly.
"I'm Naruto, the Sacred Ancient of this place!" the black-robed young man shouted. "Whoever's trying to ambush me had better show their damned face right now!" He took a deep breath, sucking in the Joss Flame, causing a bright glow to rise up from him, and making him look every bit like a majestic Immortal.
"Well that's funny," Naruto said coolly, strolling out into the open air. "If you're Naruto, then… who am I?" Everyone down below could now see him.
The cultivators of the Crow Divinity Tribe stared in shock, confusion, and disbelief. They looked at Naruto, and then back at the black-robed young man, clearly unsure of who was real and who was not.
Actually, there was no need for them to try to guess. As soon as the black-robed young man caught sight of Naruto, his face fell and his eyes went wide. He began to pant with disbelief, and he let out a shout of alarm.
"Naruto… you… when did you get back?!" The black-robed young man's scalp was tingling. He suddenly realized that the thunder from just now had not been thunder at all, but rather, Naruto. He began to tremble and back up, and then fled with all the speed he could muster.
Naruto's expression was calm as he took a step toward the fleeing young man. Then, he vanished, to reappear directly in front of him.
Down below, the tens of thousands of Crow Divinity Tribe cultivators were shaking as they realized that this second Naruto was their true Sacred Ancient.
"Greetings, Sacred Ancient!"
"The Crow Divinity Tribe offers greetings, Sacred Ancient!"
As their voices rang out, the entire Black Lands trembled.
Chapter 1169: Returning to the Crow Divinity Tribe!
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1170Chapter 1170: This Place Is My Home
As the sound echoed out, the Black Lands trembled. In another location in the Crow Divinity Tribe was an enormous altar which was permanently guarded by a massive military force. Other than their Holy Mountain, it was the most sacred place in the Crow Divinity Tribe.
Few people knew the special reason why that altar had been erected. Tribal law in the Crow Divinity Tribe dictated that the successive generations of tribe members were required to offer worship at both the Holy Mountain and that altar.
Next to the altar was a courtyard residence that seemed very ordinary, and not the least bit luxurious. However, in the hearts and minds of the Crow Divinity Tribe, that residence was just as special as the altar and the Holy Mountain.
An old man lived in that courtyard dwelling, a man who was infinitely wise, and was in fact the pillar and strength of the entire Crow Divinity Tribe. With him, the Crow Divinity Tribe occupied the utmost position of authority, and none of the other powers in the Black Lands would ever dare to offend them.
He was the former Tribe Lord of the the Crow Divinity Tribe, and although it had been some time since he had occupied that position, whenever the current Tribe Lord encountered a difficult situation, he would beg an audience with this old man.
In fact, his authority exceeded any Tribe Lord. You could say that he was actually the true power of the Crow Divinity Tribe.
When the sound of the collective voices of the Crow Divinity Tribe echoed out, shaking the Black Lands, that ancient old man was sitting in his room in the courtyard residence, meditating. Suddenly, a tremor ran through him, and he opened his eyes. His eyes were cloudy for a moment, but quickly sharpened, and he took a deep breath. He walked out of his room and into the courtyard, where he looked up towards the figure which was floating in midair above the Holy Mountain.
Simultaneously, the huge altar next to the courtyard began shaking violently, as if something inside was waking up and preparing to emerge.
Up in the air, Naruto looked coldly at the black-robed young man, whose face flickered as he tried once again to escape. Naruto waved his sleeve, causing colors to flash in the sky and a wind to kick up. A power swept over the black-robed young man, a power that he could not fight back against. The power crushed down onto him, and he let out a bloodcurdling scream. Finally, a popping sound could be heard as his body exploded, revealing a struggling black bat.
"You can't get away," Naruto said coolly, making a grasping motion with his right hand. His fingers seemed to become like five mountains that rumbled through the air toward the bat.
As the bat screeched in terror, red and black light flickered around it, apparently some sort of teleportation power. It shot off rapidly, but no matter how it tried to flee, it always found five enormous pillars closing in on it. Finally, the bat laughed miserably; it had no further means to fight back as the pillars crushed down onto it.
The pillars vanished and turned into Naruto's hand, which was now holding the bat tightly. Naruto's expression was calm as he looked down at the crowds below.
An ancient voice echoed up from the courtyard residence next to the altar, an ancient voice filled with excitement. "Naruto, your excellency, is it… is it really you, sir…?"
At the same time, a boom could be heard as the entire altar exploded, revealing a white wolf, which flew into the air. It threw its head back and howled, and when it saw Naruto, tears began to stream out of its eyes. It immediately flew toward him, letting out yips of delight.
"Big Hairy…." Naruto murmured, looking at the enormous white wolf. Then he looked down at the old man in the courtyard, who was none other than Wu Chen.
"Wu Chen…." he said. An image appeared in his mind of the young man who had followed him through the great migration in the Western Desert. Now he was an old man. As he thought about all the things that had happened back in those times, his expression softened, and he floated down toward the Crow Divinity Tribe.
"Wu Chen offers greetings, Sacred Ancient!" he said, excitedly dropping to his knees to kowtow. All of the other members of the Crow Divinity Tribe stared blankly at Naruto. To them, Naruto was no stranger. After all, for their whole lives they had offered worship to his statue.
"Offer greetings to the Sacred Ancient immediately!" Wu Chen roared. Instantly, the rest of the tribe dropped to their knees to kowtow.
The Crow Divinity Tribe was completely shaken, and soon word spread of Naruto's return, and all of the Black Lands were aboil. Numerous elders and Tribe Lords from countless tribes mobilized, traveling to the Crow Divinity Tribe to pay respects.
The Crow Divinity Tribe hosted a huge banquet that lasted for three days. When it came time for Naruto to leave, he gave a vast quantity of medicinal pills and magical items to Wu Chen. He wanted to take Big Hairy with him, but after some hesitation, decided against it.
The Crow Divinity Tribe had been worshiping Big Hairy for far too long now, and deep feelings had long since taken root. Big Hairy's wish was to stay here to guard over them. What Naruto did do was help Big Hairy to increase his cultivation base to a higher level, which gave him much more longevity.
Then Naruto left the Black Lands to go to the Southern Domain.
Of all the places on Planet South Heaven, the Southern Domain was the place that held the most unforgettable memories for Naruto. It was where he had grown up, where he had fought and killed, and the place where he and Xu Qing had become a couple. It was really where… everything had happened.
He had even fought a war for its sake!
The moment Naruto left the Black Lands and entered the Southern Domain, memories bubbled up. He saw mountains and rivers that he remembered from the past, and everything even smelled familiar.
It was the smell of home.
"The Southern Domain…." he murmured softly. Then, he traveled about just like any other cultivator. He went to the Rebirth Cave, the Ancient Temple of Doom, and to many other places where he had once been, including various sects and even the Song Clan.
He went to those places, but only looked around quickly, and did not stay.
Eventually, he went to the former location of the Five elemental Nations. The huge lake there was now surrounded by countless buildings and structures. This place had become a Holy Land, and was constantly guarded by numerous cultivators. There were even sealing spells in place to prevent people from entering.
Of course, those seals couldn't do anything to prevent Naruto from entering. He appeared on the little island in the middle of the lake, where he looked around at the grass and rippling blue lakewater. Images of Xu Qing floated up in his mind as he thought back to the time they
had begun their marriage ceremony on this very island.
Pill Demon had presided over it, and even Sakura had been in attendance. All of the sects and clans came to offer congratulations, and there were even many rogue cultivators who packed the area. It had been an incredibly noisy and exciting occasion.
Back then, the island had been decorated beautifully with lanterns and banners. The joy and happiness had been palpable….
Naruto thought about these things as he strolled around. Memories upon memories flitted up, almost as if… he had traveled through his dreams back to that jubilant day.
"Qing'er…." he murmured, his heart stabbing with pain. His vision swam for a moment, and he suddenly saw a young woman clad in bright red clothing. She stood there in front of him, looking a bit shy, but with eyes that shone like sparkling autumn rainwater. She was looking into his eyes, her gaze soft.
Naruto smiled back at her, and then continued to stroll around the island. Every place he went on the island was familiar, and reminded him of the home he and Xu Qing had originally planned to make here.
Time passed, and soon it was evening. The setting sun reflected on the lakewater, creating a scene of dazzling beauty that turned the island golden. Naruto stood on the shore, looking at the water, his expression somewhat melancholy.
All of a sudden, he heard a voice from behind him.
"Excuse me! What sect are you from? What are you doing here?" The voice sounded surprised, and also suspicious. Naruto turned to find himself looking at three cultivators approaching him.
Two were men and one was a woman, and Naruto had seen them earlier as they went about their work of maintaining and tidying the island. Considering the pious expressions on their faces, he had chosen not to disturb them, and had made his way about the island alone. "This is a Holy Land!" the young woman said, doing nothing to mask the harshness of her tone. "You're not allowed to be here without permission! If you're trespassing, you'll be severely punished. Take out your identity medallion immediately!" As she spoke, the two men fanned out to surround Naruto, their eyes glinting sharply.
Suddenly, the setting sun illuminated his face, and one of the men suddenly stared in surprise. He had the feeling that he had seen Naruto somewhere before, but wasn't sure where. The other two had similar reactions. However, it was at this point that Naruto shook his head and said, "I don't have an identity medallion."
The three cultivator's faces instantly darkened.
"What gall!" the woman said. "This is the Sacred Ancient's former residence! Every cultivator in the entire Southern Domain knows that it's forbidden to step even half a pace onto this island. You think this is just some random place? Sneaking in here is sacrilege!" Incensed, the woman performed an incantation gesture with her right hand to unleash a magical technique. Simultaneously, she crushed a jade slip to notify her fellow sect members on the shore of the lake.
"I never took this to be just some random place," Naruto replied softly. "This… is my home."
"Your home?" said one of the men, laughing coldly, his hand flashing an incantation gesture. "Is that supposed to be a joke? This is the Sacred Ancient's former residence, it's…."
Naruto wasn't interested in giving explanations. Shaking his head, eyes still flickering with memories, he sighed and then took a step forward, vanishing into thin air.
Almost in the same moment, three magical techniques shot forward, but hit nothing more than air. The three cultivators looked wide-eyed at the spot in which Naruto had vanished, then exchanged shocked glances.
"Did he look familiar to you guys?" the young woman asked.
Almost at the same time, the man standing next to her said, "Did he say this place is his home? But this is the Sacred Ancient's former residence! Who does he think he is, the Sacred Ancient himself?" As soon as the words left his mouth, his eyes went wide.
The other man's face fell, and he gasped with disbelief. Voice hoarse, he said, "Sacred Ancient! He… he looked exactly the same as the Sacred Ancient!"
Even as they stood there in shock, dozens of beams of light suddenly shot in their direction. An intimidating old man led them, and as he neared, his eyes flashed with anger.
"Who had the outrageous gall to break into the Sacred Ancient's former residence!?"
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1171Chapter 1171: I'm Naruto!
The old man immediately waved his hand, and in response, the dozens of people following him split up and began to search the island. He also sent his divine sense out, but came up with nothing. Frowning, he turned to the three cultivators who had sounded the alarm and began to question them.
When they told him that the intruder looked exactly like the Sacred Ancient, the old man's face flickered. Then they recounted how the intruder said this place was his home, he gasped.
It was at this point that a glittering jade slip flew out of his bag of holding. He grabbed it and scanned it with divine sense, whereupon a look of bewilderment appeared on his face. Gritting his teeth, he said, "We found him. He's… in the Sacred Mansion at the center of the island!"
The old man disappeared toward the center of the island in a flash, simultaneously sending orders to his subordinates. Soon, all of the other cultivators who had spread out across the island were heading toward the building in the middle.
The three cultivators followed along nervously. They were anxious, not because someone had come to the island; rather, they were anxious about who that person was!
It didn't take long before the old man arrived at island's center, where he caught sight of the disciple who had just notified him about Naruto's location. That disciple was kneeling on the ground in front of the Sacred Mansion, trembling.
The structure itself was actually little more than a log cabin, and didn't look unusual in any way. In fact, many of the cultivators who had come here in pilgrimage throughout the years had often wondered why this seemingly ordinary log cabin was referred to as the Sacred Mansion. 1
Naruto was currently standing in the doorway, facing away from everyone on the outside, examining the inside of the cabin. Two statues could be seen inside, sitting there looking at each other.
They were dressed in long red wedding gowns, and they were holding hands and smiling. The statues had been carved with incredible grace and skill, making them look extremely lifelike.
One depicted Naruto. The other depicted Xu Qing….
Naruto stood there looking at the statues in somewhat of a daze. Memories poured into his mind like floodwaters.
Outside of the Sacred Mansion, the old man looked at Naruto and could sense the terrifying, indescribable pressure that existed within him. However, that pressure was not radiating out; if it were, the old man was certain that everything in the surrounding area would be instantly transformed into ash.
He took a deep breath, but didn't dare to say anything. Instead, he stood there respectfully. At this point, it didn't matter who this trespasser was; considering the level of his cultivation base, it would be impossible to do anything to stop him. However, the old man secretly crushed a jade slip, sending a notification to the powerful experts in his sect, telling them to hurry over.
The other disciples who had been searching the island had arrived, and stood nervously outside of the Sacred Mansion, not daring to speak.
After a long moment passed, Naruto asked, "Who carved these two statues?"
The old man's heart thumped, and without even thinking about it, he replied, "It, it… was carved by all of the members of the Senior generation in the Southern Domain, people who actually knew the Sacred Ancient."
Naruto turned and looked at the old man.
"And you people? Are you disciples of the Blood Demon Sect?" he asked.
The old man nodded, and was about to say something else, when he saw Naruto's face. He felt as if lighting were crashing around in his mind, and he stood there in a daze. It wasn't just him. All of the other disciples around him were also staring in shock.
Subconsciously, they all looked away from Naruto toward the statue behind him.
The two of them looked exactly the same!
The only difference was that somehow, the person standing in front of them seemed to have an ancientness to him, and wasn't a youth like the person depicted on the statue.
Panting, the old man murmured, "Sir… are you…."
"I'm Naruto," was the calm reply.
"Sacred Ancient!"
"I can't believe… it's the Sacred Ancient. How… how could this be possible?!"
In the midst of the exclamations of shock by the old man and his subordinates, an enraged roar echoed out off in the distance. Several hundred beams of light shot through the air, the leader being a middleaged man. At first his face was twisted with rage, but as soon as he caught sight of Naruto, it filled with shock.
"Sacred Ancient!"
Everyone was in a tumult, so Naruto waited in silence for a moment before saying, "I want to spend the night here alone. I would like to thank all of you for keeping this place in order for all these years."
With that, he waved his hand, sending hundreds of bottles of medicinal pills flying out to those present.
Then he turned and walked into the log cabin, slowly closing the door behind him. Soon, lamplight could be seen in the oilpaper windows.
Outside the log cabin was deathly silence. The middle-aged man and the hundreds of other cultivators he had led here could hardly believe what was happening. Exchanging glances, they transmitted messages to each other, not daring to speak out loud. Then they all fell back a short distance and sat down cross-legged, whereupon they began to send messages via jade slip back to Mount Blood Demon. From there, word quickly spread to the rest of the Southern Domain.
As far as Naruto was concerned, this was one of the few occasions since he had left Planet South Heaven in which he had shown so much emotion. It was also one of the few nights he could spend in complete peace and calm. He sat in the log cabin, looking at the statue of Xu Qing, and he soon lost track of time.
In contrast, that night was a sleepless one for the entire Southern Domain. News spread to all the sects and clans that Naruto had been seen on the Holy Island. Soon, countless cultivators of the Senior generation, veterans who had fought alongside Naruto in the wars of the past, were completely shaken.
It had been years since Naruto had left, and although people had seen images of Naruto in his various escapades, this was different. The news from the Blood Demon Sect said that this was the real Naruto, and that his cultivation base was unfathomably high.
Most importantly, he was on the Holy Island. It didn't matter if it was really him or not, all of the powerful experts of the Southern Domain unhesitatingly made their way there. If it was the real Naruto, then they would offer worship to him. If it was not him… then whoever the blasphemer was would face the wrath of the entire Southern Domain.
It was during the great war of the Southern Domain that Naruto had truly risen to the level of being a Sacred Ancient. In fact, he was one of three Sacred Ancients, the other two being Pill Demon and Patriarch Song.
They had been the only three peak experts left alive at the end of that war. Later, Pill Demon reached Immortal Ascension and left Planet South Heaven, becoming nothing more than a figure of legend. As for Patriarch Song, he ended the war having been seriously injured, after which he went into secluded meditation and never came out.
Later, Naruto also left. However, it was because of how he had sealed the experts of the Northern Reaches into the mountain called Sin of the North that the spiritual energy of the Southern Domain was gradually restored. That mountain still stood, and it was because of it that his name had reached such heights of glory.
After the war, the Violet Fate Sect and the Song Clan became Holy Lands, and along with the Blood Demon Sect, became the most powerful forces in the Southern Domain. As for the island, because of the wedding which had begun there all those years ago, the Southern Domain cultivators made it their Holy Island, a place to commemorate Naruto and Xu Qing.
On this night, all of the sects in the Southern Domain mobilized. The war veterans from the elder generation flew toward the Holy Island, as did people who had been born since then.
Even more surprising… deep in the Song Clan, Patriarch Song, who had been in secluded meditation for years, suddenly opened his ancient eyes. When he heard the reports of what was happening, he sat there silently for a moment, then slowly rose to his feet. Filled with ancientness and exhaustion, he left the Song Clan, taking his fellow clan members with him to the Holy Island.
The emergence of Patriarch Song sent the whole Southern Domain into a huge commotion. Overnight, all cultivators were either thinking about the Holy Island, or talking about it!
Patriarch Song arrived on the island at around midnight, flanked by numerous members of the Song Clan. One of them was a middle-aged woman. She was beautiful, but old, and it was obvious that when she was young, she would have been considered one of the top beauties of the land.
It was none other than Song Jia. 2
Because of what had occurred with Naruto, Song Jia had a special position in the Song Clan. She had chosen to never officially take a beloved partner, and had remained single, focused on cultivation.
As soon as the word about Naruto began to spread, she also emerged from secluded meditation and calmly joined Patriarch Song to come to the Holy Island.
The arrival of Patriarch Song sent all the cultivators on the island into an uproar. They bowed in respectful greeting, simultaneously clearing a path for Patriarch Song to walk directly up to the log cabin.
Patriarch Song looked at the lamplight flickering in the oilskin windows, and his dim eyes gradually sparkled with bright light. Gradually, he began to emanate a powerful energy like that of an unsheathed magical sword.
The other cultivators in the areas were now staring nervously at Patriarch Song.
"Is it my old pal Naruto?!" Patriarch Song suddenly asked, his voice booming like thunder. A huge wind sprang up in the sky, and the land quaked. Massive waves rolled out across the surface of the water.
After a moment, Naruto's voice could be heard from inside the log cabin, sounding somewhat emotional. "Senior Song, please come in."
The door of the log cabin slowly opened, revealing Naruto, looking out at Patriarch Song. His eyes seemed to be filled with memories as he recalled their times fighting together against the invading Northern Reaches army.
The instant Patriarch Song caught sight of Naruto, his eyes began to shine brightly. He trembled slightly, then threw his head back and laughed. It was a laughter filled with joy, and the excitement of seeing an old friend.
He walked forward, entering the log cabin, after which the door slowly closed.
"It's really him…." Song Jia murmured, a complicated look flickering in her eyes.
The night passed slowly. More and more cultivators gathered outside the log cabin. There were cultivators from the Violet Fate Sect and the Blood Demon Sect, as well as others who had fought with him against the Northern Reaches. There were even cultivators gathering on the shores of the lake, packed tightly, their eyes filled with awe and reverence. To them, this was like a holy pilgrimage.
The fact that Patriarch Song had entered the log cabin made it clear to everyone… that this really and truly was the Sacred Ancient Naruto!
The news filled everyone with excitement and anticipation. The veteran cultivators who had fought with him recalled their old comrade-in-arms. As for those who had never met Naruto before, they merely hoped to catch a glimpse of the majestic Sacred Ancient.
No one spoke. They simply sat there quietly, waiting for the door to open.
Naruto built a log cabin in the Blood Demon Sect in chapter 705.
Later, when he moved to Blood Prince Gorge, he also lived in a log cabin, presumably a newly constructed one, or the original cabin which had been moved. He spent a lot of time with Xu Qing there, and later, it was where he stayed with her as she neared death. Since this cabin is in a different location, I think it's safe to assume at this point that the original cabin was either moved here, or this one is a replica. ↩ Song Jia appeared on several occasions in the story so I'm not going to include links. She became Naruto's official fiance after he won the contest in the Song Clan's search for a son-in-law ↩
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1172Chapter 1172: A Sermon On The Dao, By The Sacred Ancient!
Gradually, the light of dawn filled the air. The door opened, and Patriarch Song walked out. He looked different than before. He didn't seem like an ancient old man; he was younger, and his eyes flickered with excitement. The injuries he had sustained during the war were now healed, and he looked far more energetic than before.
He subconsciously patted his bag of holding. Inside… was an Immortality Illumination Vine, a gift given to him by Naruto which gave him the hope of reaching Immortal Ascension….
A few paces outside of the log cabin, Patriarch Song turned, clasped hands and bowed deeply. Then he looked back up for a moment before leaving. The members of the Song Clan were shocked at the appearance of their Patriarch. They quickly realized that a Heaven-shaking, Earthtoppling transformation must have occurred.
Just as the Song Clan cultivators were about to leave with their Patriarch, a beam of light suddenly shot out from the log cabin toward Song Jia.
Naruto's voice could then be heard once again. "It's nice to see you, old friend. Please accept this parting gift. Use it to nourish your spirit. It will make cultivation base breakthroughs much smoother."
Song Jia looked at the light floating in front of her. It was an emerald green magical jade which emanated Immortal qi, and was clearly not an ordinary item.
Then she looked back at the log cabin, a complicated expression on her face. Finally, she took the piece of jade and left with the other Song Clan cultivators.
The Song Clan left, but other Southern Domain cultivators continued to arrive. By noon, there was no room left. Crowds of cultivators blotted out the sky and stretched out in all directions.
Naruto was done reminiscing. Sighing, he walked out of the log cabin. As soon as he appeared, the surrounding cultivators excitedly clasped hands and bowed.
"Greetings, Sacred Ancient!"
"Greetings, Sacred Ancient!" Their voices echoed out in all directions, reaching other cultivators who couldn't even see Naruto, who in turn bowed, and began to cry out the same thing. The sound of all the voices was like thunder booming everywhere.
One by one, the most powerful experts of the various sects stepped forward to offer excited greetings.
"The Sect Leader of the Violet Fate Sect offers greetings, Sacred Ancient!"
"The Sect Leader of the Blood Demon Sect offers greetings, Sacred Ancient!"
Naruto looked around at all the cultivators, many of whom he recognized. Smiling, he sat down cross-legged on the stone steps leading up to the log cabin.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Fellow Daoists, welcome to my home. I'm pleased you could come. I haven't been back for many years, and would like to sincerely thank all of you for your care and concern. You kept this place exactly as I remembered it.
"It is a great kindness shown to me by all cultivators of the Southern Domain. Therefore, I will speak of the Dao here, for seven days. During those seven days, all Southern Domain cultivators are welcome to stay and listen.
"I will explain how my understanding of cultivation has evolved through the various stages, and will explain how I have been enlightened." With that, he flicked his sleeve, causing the clouds to part, brilliant sunlight to flow down, and an aura of Immortality to spread out. Almost instantly, the entire area seemed like a celestial paradise.
"After careful study," he began softly, "I have come to find that the Dao of Heaven and Earth, and one's own Dao, is a willful return to one's natural state…." He had chosen to bestow some good fortune upon the cultivators of the Southern Domain, both as a means of thanking them for caring for his former residence, and also… for the mere fact that he felt this place to be his home. It was different than Planet East Victory. 1
"Therefore, cultivation is also known as 'cultivating truth.' Of the two characters which make up the latter term, the first refers to the method, the second refers to the mental state…." His voice seemed to contain a bizarre power that caused it to spread out in all directions, causing every audience member, regardless of the level of their cultivation base, to slip into a strange, trance-like state. 2
"Simply put, it is very similar to how I once described to someone the different Realms of life.
"In the past, various people have asked me what the Dao is…. My responses have varied depending on the occasion, the circumstances, and the level of my cultivation base. In fact, every single time, I gave a different answer. I'm not even sure what my answer will be the next time someone asks me.
"However, there is one thing that will never change, as far as I can tell. And that is… that I don't know what the Dao is. There are too many answers to the question. All I know… is that what I am pursuing is freedom and independence. To be free and unconstrained. That is my truth, and that is my Dao!
"In cultivating truth, what we cultivate… is the heart." Naruto's voice reverberated out as he expounded upon his understanding of the Dao, and the enlightenment he had gained regarding cultivation. The words he spoke were like seeds that became buried in the hearts of the various cultivators.
Perhaps most of them would never feel that seed for the rest of their lives. Or perhaps… some would reach a certain point in their cultivation or receive a sudden epiphany which would allow them to acquire the good fortune contained within the seed planted in them by Naruto.
You could say that what Naruto was giving them… was not just a chance at enlightenment, but also… a path to follow to Immortal Ascension. Given the right chances, it wouldn't be impossible for them to follow a similar path to Naruto's, and reach… true Immortality.
But even if they couldn't, they could gain enlightenment from that seed, and break out of the Spirit Realm to become… false Immortals!
Although it could be said that this Immortal seed which Naruto was bestowing upon the cultivators of the Southern Domain was not at all like the Dao seed in the blood of his clan, in any case, it was a benevolence on his part. He simply hoped that the cultivators from his home could become more powerful.
"If your heart is steadfast, it cannot be trampled by Heaven or Earth, nor can it be broken by any living thing. You will never bow your head in acquiescence, and you will be able to advance without hesitation, and you will never stop moving forward. This is the meaning of cultivating the heart and cultivating the truth. It is traveling along the path of cultivation itself.
"My life has been spent practicing cultivation. I started in the Chakra Condensation stage, and now here I am, having experienced numerous twists and turns. I will merge my body, my mind, and my soul into an image which will become like a spirit in your heart. Observe it. Contemplate it. It can become the truth, the path, and the heart which you cultivate!" Naruto's voice seemed profound and ancient. The surrounding cultivators, be they on the island itself or elsewhere in the area, were all shaken and many were instantly enlightened.
Time passed. As Naruto sat outside his log cabin speaking of the Dao, more and more Southern Domain cultivators arrived. People even came from the Black Lands. Over the course of the seven days, the island became the complete focus of the entire Southern Domain.
As Naruto spoke, it seemed as if every sentence and every word that he uttered originated from nature itself, and contained a great Dao. In fact, there were even some extraordinarily talented listeners who made immediate breakthroughs.
Because of that, the spiritual energy in the area grew stronger, and more Immortal Chakra built up. Cultivating in that area for one day was like cultivating for a year elsewhere.
The place now truly deserved to be called… a Holy Land!
By the third day, it wasn't just cultivators who could be seen gathered in the area around the Holy Island. Numerous wild animals appeared. Normally they would be fierce and violent, but right now they were strangely docile. They soon filled the area, and it almost seemed as if they could understand what Naruto was saying, and were being enlightened.
Cultivators and wild beasts could both gain Dao enlightenment at the same time; everything was peaceful and calm.
If you looked around, you might see a huge python gaining enlightenment, or an enormous liger prostrating itself in worship. Some of the powerful beasts were rarely seen in the open, but here they were, as if participating in some naturally-occurring rite, gaining enlightenment from Naruto's Dao-filled voice.
Birds circled in the sky overhead, and fish leapt out of the water of the lake as they attempted to hear more clearly. Even the grass and vegetation benefited from the Dao, and began to sway gently and emanate spiritual energy.
The Southern Domain was as shaken as if it had experienced a massive earthquake.
As Naruto gave his sermon on the Dao, the Namikaze Clan cultivators buzzed about in preparation for the Clan Chief coronation ceremony. Preparations were completed first in the vast Eastern Lands, where numerous altars and palaces were set up. Teleportation portals were also erected.
The ceremony was set to begin in three months, and invitations were already being sent out through the teleportation portals to the various sects and clans in the Ninth Mountain and Sea. The entire Ninth Mountain and Sea was abuzz with the news about Namikaze Xiufeng becoming the Clan Chief.
It wasn't just an important matter for the Namikaze Clan. It was a big event for the Ninth Mountain and Sea as a whole. The decision of who was to be the Clan Chief could affect everyone. For example, if the Clan Chief was a person fond of fighting and warfare, then it would be possible to predict that war would soon strike the Ninth Mountain and Sea.
If the Clan Chief was weak and docile person, then other inescapable problems could arise.
However… before Namikaze Xiufeng was sent to stand guard over Planet South Heaven, he was well-known in the Ninth Mountain and Sea. He had many friends, as well as many enemies.
Virtually all of the sects and clans had interacted with him in the past, and knew him well. He was known as someone who didn't speak much. However, when he did speak, he always followed through on what he said. He was tough and unyielding, and an old hand when it came to scheming.
He had lots of tricks at his disposal. He fought decisively, and was never sloppy. Back when Naruto had been small, certain clan members who coveted his Nirvana Fruit had once looked at him almost as if they wished to eat him. Naruto had run to his father in tears to tell him about what had happened.
That night, Namikaze Xiufeng drew his sword and went on a rampage. That night he killed dozens of subversive clan members, which shocked not only the Namikaze Clan, but the Ninth Mountain and Sea as a whole.
From that point on, everyone knew that Namikaze Xiufeng… was a very protective person, protective to an indescribable degree.
With a personality like that, Namikaze Xiufeng ended up having many friends, and at the same time… many enemies.
It could well be imagined how busy and exciting it would be on the day of the ceremony, when the various sects and clans of the Ninth Mountain and Sea came to pay their respects. It was even likely that some of his enemies would come and challenge him to battle, on the pretense of sharing fighting tips.
That was something that was permitted whenever anyone rose to the rank of Clan Chief or Sect Leader. After all, when the ceremony was over, that person could no longer pursue personal matters, but instead, had to be focused on the clan or sect as a whole.
After that day, all grudges would be dissolved.
Of course, it was only a formality. Unless there was some sort of life-anddeath enmity, no one would choose to issue a challenge. Anyone who had become a Clan Chief or Sect Leader had to have an incredibly powerful cultivation base, one powerful enough to support everyone around him. Therefore, such customs also served to allow him to demonstrate his battle prowess and strike awe into the hearts of all onlookers.
In Chinese, he literally uses the word "hometown" to refer to the Southern Domain. That word has a slightly different meaning in Chinese than English, and doesn't necessarily refer to where you grew up, but rather, your ancestral home. For example, even though Baby Deathblade was born in China, his "hometown" would actually be San
Diego, since that is where I am from ↩ In ISSTH, Er Gen usually uses the Chinese word 修行 xiūxíng to describe cultivation, although technically speaking this term emphasizes one's actions. However, there is another word which is often used in xianxia, 修真 xiūzhēn, which essentially means the same thing and emphasizes truth. Both are "real life" words that can be used to describe real Buddhist or Daoist cultivation practices, although the latter is more associated with the xianxia fantasy world ↩
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1173Chapter 1173 (Click to show "spoiler" title)
Chapter 1173: Another Encounter With Shui Dongliu!
The seven days passed by in a flash. After Naruto concluded his sermon outside the log cabin on the Holy Island, the surrounding cultivators, beasts, birds, and even the vegetation and fish seemed to be completely absorbed in the process of being enlightened, even though he had already stopped talking.
Naruto slowly rose to his feet and looked around at all the beings surrounding him. After a moment of thought, he murmured, "Since we're connected by destiny, I might as well help all of you one more time."
He waved his right hand, causing the Immortal Chakra and spiritual energy in the area to churn. It then poured into the soil of the Holy Island, nourishing it, bolstering it for all eternity.
Now it was really and truly a Holy Land. For years to come, practicing cultivation for a single day there would be like cultivating for a year elsewhere. Even the land beyond the shores of the lake was affected. The effect wasn't as strong, but it still made the entire area incredibly suitable for cultivation.
When he finished, Naruto looked back at the log cabin, then turned and vanished into thin air. The door closed, leaving behind the two statues in their red robes, which would remain sealed there forever, smiling and looking into each other's eyes.
From that day forth, the Holy Island was open for all to visit. However… the log cabin was a place that could not be entered by anyone whose cultivation base was lower than Naruto's.
Naruto left the island and went to Blood Prince Gorge in the Blood Demon Sect, which was now a restricted area that no one was allowed to enter. If the island was a Holy Land for the Southern Domain, then Blood Prince Gorge was a Holy Land for the Blood Demon Sect.
Patriarch Blood Demon had long since passed away into meditation.
Naruto stood outside of his cave, clasped hands and bowed deeply.
He stayed in Blood Prince Gorge for seven days, although no one in the Blood Demon Sect was aware of that fact, ensuring that the seven days passed very quietly.
During that time, he removed the black bat from his bag of holding. He performed a soulsearch, but even with the current level of his cultivation base, he was still unable to uncover any useful information. All he knew was that the black bat was consumed with a powerful desire to possess him.
In addition, he was clearly able to detect the aura… of a renegade spirit. He even called the parrot out to check.
After a bit of curious investigation, the parrot told Naruto that the black bat… definitely had the soul of a renegade spirit somewhere in its bloodline. That information confirmed Naruto's suspicions that the renegade spirit bat the mastiff had possessed in the Windswept Realm might not have been complete. After a bit of thought, he gave the black bat to the mastiff, who was clearly ravenous.
The mastiff howled and began to absorb it.
Seven days later, Naruto left Blood Prince Gorge. He also… imbued the place with Immortal qi, making it a extremely suitable place for cultivation, similar to the Holy Island. He also sealed the log cabin in Blood Prince Gorge.
He wasn't sure when he might be able to return, and deep in his heart, he hoped… that when he returned with Xu Qing, everything would be the way he left it.
After leaving the Blood Demon Sect, he went to the Ancient Temple of Doom, where he waved his hand to create a statue. It was a statue… of the mastiff.
The mastiff was a blood spirit which had originated with the Blood Immortal. If that Blood Immortal were in Naruto's presence right now, she wouldn't be a match for him at all. However, Naruto felt it was still appropriate for him to help the mastiff create this statue, as a way of connecting it to its original ancestor.
After seeing the statue of itself, the mastiff looked around at the Ancient Temple of Doom with a complicated expression.
Eventually, Naruto left for the Rebirth Cave, taking the mastiff with him.
Throughout the years that Naruto had been away from the Rebirth Cave, cultivators continued to travel there to attempt rebirth. Unfortunately, none had succeeded, as was evidenced by the fact that there were more bones there than the last time he had been here. He proceeded in toward the depths of the cave until he found the same wall he had stood in front of the last time he had been here. He studied it, his eyes flickering.
Never for all eternity would he forget the door he had seen in this location last time, just as he had been about to leave. In that moment, it had almost seemed like an illusion which instantly faded away. However, Naruto was sure of what he had seen. 1
Because of the level of his cultivation base at that time, he had been unable to get an answer to the puzzle of that door. Now he was back, standing in front of that same wall, his eyes gleaming.
"I wonder if I'll be able to unearth any more clues, given the current level of my cultivation base…." He unleashed his cultivation base, causing scintillating azure light to shine out. His Allheaven Dao Immortal Realm was more refined than before, and the fusion with his third Nirvana Fruit was now more complete.
As the power of his cultivation base spread out, he waved his finger in the direction of the wall, causing the azure light to spill onto the wall, illuminating it completely.
He stared at the wall as it began to transform. It seemed to wriggle and writhe, and gradually, an archaic and ancient door appeared.
However, the door seemed unstable, as if it were shifting between being illusory and corporeal. It appeared to be exuding a sinister air, and Naruto was even able to detect a bit of wild energy that seemed to seep into him.
It was as if someone were erupting with rage, screaming words that he didn't understand. It sounded like the murmurings of all living things crying out in his ears. With a cold harrumph, he said, "Illusions and lies!"
He reached out and pushed down onto the door, causing a rumbling sound to echo out. However, the door didn't even budge.
He frowned and pushed on the door again more forcefully, but the result was the same.
All of a sudden, an archaic voice spoke from behind him. "You can't open it…."
The voice spoke completely abruptly, and despite the level of Naruto's cultivation base, he hadn't been able to detect anyone behind him at all.
He spun around and saw an old man standing there. The old man had the demeanor of a transcendent being, and wore a slight smile on his face as he looked at Naruto.
Naruto gaped in shock; he instantly recognized this old man. It was none other than the man who had once painted him… Shui Dongliu!
"Senior Shui Dongliu!"
"You cannot, and must not, open that door," Shui Dongliu said, looking at Naruto, his eyes beaming with admiration.
"What's behind it?" Naruto didn't take the time to think about why Shui Dongliu was here. Years ago, he had told Naruto that anyone who existed in his memory could not have their Karma severed by the Ji Clan. At that time he had guessed that such an ability revealed how incredibly powerful Shui Dongliu's cultivation base must be.
In fact, Naruto could tell that Shui Dongliu… was probably even more powerful than he had imagined, although he had no proof to back up that feeling other than a hunch.
"It leads to another world," Shui Dongliu said slowly. "Do you… want to have a look?" He waved his hand, causing a vortex to appear on the door. "Place your hand on the vortex, and you'll be able to see."
Naruto's eyes flickered. After a moment of thought, he extended his hand and placed it onto the vortex. In the instant that he touched it, his vision suddenly swam.
When it became clear, he was looking at a starry sky. It was vast and boundless, and there were no Mountains and Seas, nor were there any planets. There was only a boundless void, within which Naruto saw several gargantuan butterflies. The butterflies were so indescribably large that entire worlds existed on their wings!
There weren't just worlds, there were cultivators!
As the butterflies flew through the starry sky, it was possible to detect lines stretching out behind them, connecting them to an enormous land mass, which they were dragging behind them.
That land mass was shaped like a person!
The butterflies dragged the land mass through the starry sky, and as they passed through the void, the stars shattered, and the Heavens collapsed!
Naruto took a deep breath as the vision of the world faded away, and everything returned to normal. The door on the wall was still there, but the vortex was gone.
"They're going to be here soon…." Shui Dongliu said, his voice reverberating through the Rebirth Cave.
"They're coming from outside the 33 Heavens. When they arrive at Planet South Heaven, then South Heaven will be displaced. In that moment… the catastrophe will begin." Naruto turned around again, and Shui Dongliu had vanished without a trace, although the echoes of his voice could still be heard.
Naruto stood there silently for a moment, looking at the door as it slowly faded away. The wall returned to normal, and Naruto stood there, lost in thought.
Naruto knew a lot about the history of the Mountain and Sea Realm, and knew that it was facing a grave crisis and catastrophe. He was also aware that… it had something to do with the copper mirror in his bag of holding.
"It's coming, and there's no hiding…." he murmured. "However, before it comes, there's still time to get stronger." Then he turned his head in the direction of the Ancient Dao Lakes, and his eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Beneath the Dao Lakes was the Divine Flame world, a place he very much looked forward to visiting again. The last time he had been there, he had braved great danger to extract a bit of the Essence of Divine Flame. In fact, that Essence of Divine Flame had become one of his trump cards.
Now, he would go back to visit the Ancient Dao Lakes again, and the Divine Flame world underneath them. This time… he would not only take away a sliver of the Divine Flame, he planned to take away more, whatever he was capable of laying hands on….
To him, it was a location where he could vastly increase his battle prowess.
Naruto left the Rebirth Cave, filled with anticipation. He and the mastiff transformed into a beam of light that shot through the air at top speed. The clouds trembled, and colors flashed in the sky, and in the space of a few breaths of time, he had appeared in the air near the Ancient Dao Lakes.
He looked down at all the lakes, and his eyes came to rest on the largest of them. Eyes flickering with an intense, sharp gleam, he shot down from the sky like a meteor, kicking up a huge wind as he shot toward the central lake.
Closer and closer!
Chapter 1173: Another Encounter With Shui Dongliu!
He saw the door in the wall in chapter 886 ↩
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1174Chapter 1174: Dismemberment by Five Dragons! 1
The last time Naruto had come here, cultivators had been gathering in a search for good fortune. Occasionally, Dao Lakes would erupt. If Dao projections appeared, they offered a chance at enlightenment. Or if the surrounding cultivators were lucky, magical items might shoot out, which would be true good fortune.
Just as at that time, there were cultivators present at the lakes, searching for opportunities for good fortune. It was at this point that Naruto shot down from the sky like a meteor.
"What's… what's that?"
"A shooting star?"
"No, it's a person. A cultivator! What's… what's he doing?" As people caught sight of what first appeared to be a shooting star, their eyes went wide and their jaws dropped. They had never even heard of someone using such a method to try to reach the central Dao lake.
After all, the pressure that weighed down on the region got more intense the closer one got to the center. Even Dao Seeking cultivators had to be careful. Furthermore, if you attempted to just fly down from up above, the effects would be even more severe; to the people present, it actually seemed like an impossibility.
And yet, that is exactly what they were seeing happen in front of their very eyes, causing everyone to gasp.
Rumbling sounds could be heard as Naruto shot down like a meteor toward the largest Dao lake, which was in the center of them all. He moved with incredible speed, and nothing could impede his passage. It almost seemed like there was no pressure in the area at all, although the truth of the matter was that the pressure which did exist was completely insignificant as far as he was concerned.
Naruto shot into the central lake, and the surface of the water virtually exploded up into the air. He shot down, and within the blink of an eye, was at the bottom of the lake where he spread his right hand out into a palm and pushed down onto the lake floor.
The sludge at the bottom of the lake writhed, and was then shoved away from Naruto's location, revealing a teleportation portal. Naruto stood on top of it, then stamped his right foot down, causing the portal to shine with scintillating light that even people beyond the surface of the lake could see.
In the blink of an eye, Naruto had vanished. When he reappeared, he was in the first level of the world down below, surrounded by mountains of magical items, and countless beasts who were in the process of carrying the treasures toward a huge door that hung in the middle of the air. The door itself was flanked by several huge beasts, which lay there dozing. A moment later though, they trembled as if with excitement, and opened their eyes.
When they saw Naruto, several of the beasts roared, but almost immediately, went as quiet as if someone had gripped their throats and covered their mouths. Their eyes went wide, and they didn't dare to make any more noise. They just lay there, staring at Naruto in terror and disbelief.
What they saw was azure light radiating off of Naruto, a light which next caused all of them to suddenly fly forward and prostrate themselves in front of him.
It wasn't just them. All of the beasts in sight dropped down in worship as soon as they saw Naruto. Their eyes shone with fear and shock, and they trembled in place. Naruto's aura filled with them with terror, as did the azure light.
Not even Naruto had imagined that such a thing would happen. As he glanced around thoughtfully at the Allheaven Dao Immortal light which surrounded him, the beasts joined their voices together and called out, "We offer greetings, Dao Immortal!"
Eyes glittering, Naruto nodded slightly. Without saying a word, he shot past the prostrating beasts, entering the door and appearing in the second level beyond.
That was the level with a huge altar that resembled a huge mountain. There was also a beast there at the top of the mountain who was enormous, and emanated an ancient aura. After catching sight of Naruto, its eyes went wide with disbelief. It examined him for a few seconds, then took a deep breath.
"So, it's you again. You… have become an Allheaven Dao Immortal!"
Naruto flew up to the top of the mountain and looked around. There was no sign of the Northern Reaches cultivator with whom he had challenged this trial by fire years before.
Seeing Naruto look around, the beast said, "He left."
Then it clasped hands and bowed.
"Greetings, exalted Dao Immortal!"
"I want to go to the next level!" Naruto replied calmly. This time, the beast said nothing to dissuade him. It immediately backed up, leaving the way open for Naruto to enter the passageway to the Divine Flame world.
Naruto took a deep breath, and his eyes flashed with determination.
He shot forward, vanishing into the world of Divine Flame. The ancient beast remained behind, just as astonished as it had been moments before. When Naruto first came here, it could never have imagined that he would end up amazing it so much.
"The first time he came, he could barely get through the second level.
"The second time he came, he was strong enough to take a bit of Divine Flame….
"I never thought that the third time he came, he would do so as an Allheaven Dao Immortal. In fact, his aura leaves me trembling and filled with fear. If he wanted to kill me… all it would take on his part would be a simple thought." The beast took a deep breath and looked fearfully at the passageway leading to the Divine Flame world.
When Naruto appeared within the world of Divine Flame, he looked around and saw countless enormous pagodas, all of them surrounded by boundless Divine Flame.
In addition to the majestic flames which filled the world, Naruto could also see endless piles of bones. The previous times he had been in this place, his cultivation base had been too weak, and he had been in too much of a hurry, therefore, he hadn't been able to examine them closely. But with his current cultivation base, he was not only able to see the bones scattered about below the pagodas, but could also see that the 990,000 pagodas themselves were made of bones.
"My cultivation base this time is much different than last time. I'm curious to find out what exists in this world of Divine Flame. I want to see whether or not anything exists here that I didn't spot last time!" Eyes flickering, he sent his divine sense out to fill this third level, the Divine Flame world. Not only could he see the vivid image of 990,000 pagodas, but, just as before, the enormous city in the middle of them all.
The city was pitch black, but covered with white vines and vegetation. Hovering in the air above it was a flame spark that seemed capable of burning for all eternity, a spark which cast boundless firelight into the world around it.
As Naruto's divine sense slowly spread out, he suddenly heard a familiar roar.
"Dao Namikaze , you must die!
"You killed me, Dao Namikaze , and if I'm reincarnated, I'll definitely kill you!
"The Immortal World is doomed to experience tribulation! The Immortal lands will grow old, and the Immortals will perish. But I refuse to give in!
"I know the truth! No matter how long you suppress me, I won't admit defeat!
"Damned monkey! If I can get free, I'll have your hide!
"If I'm transmigrated, I will slaughter myself out of this place! If my transmigration fails, I will fall into oblivion like all other living things, with virtually no hope of reawakening even after countless cycles of reincarnation. Therefore, I will leave a Dharmic decree for this place!
"My decree contains the Essence of my Dao flame, the last vestige of me, Huoyan Zi. I hope that countless years later, that vestige will still exist!" 2
Even with his current cultivation base, hearing the words still left Naruto completely shaken. The voice seemed to come from within the spark, a spark which also seemed to contain a vertical pupil inside of it.
The last time he had been here, it had been at this point that his divine sense felt as if it were being burned into ash, and he had been forced to give up. However this time, despite being shaken, he was able to continue to send his divine sense out. It passed the spark, and then proceed further on.
Naruto's face quickly flickered with surprise. On the previous two occasions in which he had come here, his divine sense had told him that this world was a small place. Now, though, as his divine sense spread out, he was shocked to find that this world… was actually far, far larger than he had realized!
There weren't just 990,000 pagodas!
Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that the 990,000 pagodas were simply one part of the world of Divine Flame. The world itself was divided into six regions!
Naruto was currently in the central region, which was surrounded by five other regions. If you looked closely, you would see that the six different regions were all connected. Shockingly, they formed… the shape of a person!
Each region was filled with innumerable pagodas that almost seemed to weigh down like sealing marks. Most shocking of all was that each of the regions had a black city within it, above which was a burning spark!
Truth be told, that was not what astonished Naruto. What left him flabbergasted was that attached to each of the surrounding five regions was a war chariot. There were five war chariots, each one being pulled by an enormous, red-colored dragon. Those five enormous dragons appeared to be asleep, and as they lay there, they bore the semblance of five mountain ranges.
However, as soon as his divine sense passed over them, the enormous dragons… suddenly shivered, apparently having been stimulated. Simultaneously, an explosive, stifling power erupted out from all of them.
Naruto began to pant, and immediately retracted his divine sense. He waited by the exit for a bit, and after seeing that the five dragons apparently hadn't awoken, he finally heaved a sigh of relief.
Those five dragons brimmed with an air of extermination that was even more terrifying than the Dao Realm. Naruto could sense that they exceeded even Namikaze Shoudao's cultivation base.
Suddenly, an image appeared in his head, a vision of five roaring dragons, attached to war chariots. Those chariots were in the process of dismembering a gigantic, almighty figure!
Naruto took a deep breath, and his expression flickered. After standing there silently for a moment, his eyes glittered.
"Whoever Huoyan Zi was, the Essence of Divine Flame has been and will continue to be incredibly useful to me…. Therefore, it doesn't matter how strange things get in here, I'm not going to give up on my idea of acquiring the entire Essence of Divine Flame!" The grandeur of the place filled Naruto's heart with vigilance, and its bizarreness weighed down on him like pressure.
When he thought back to what he had accomplished the last time he had been here, he had to admit that ignorance was bliss. Had he known more about the situation, it would have been hard to avoid having misgivings.
This is a play on words. The real expression is dismemberment by five horses, a type of punishment in ancient times ↩ The words uttered here are exactly the same as those in chapters 728 and 887. However, in the original chapters, I misinterpreted the name "Huoyan Zi" as something else, so I didn't translate it as a name back then. This version is correct, and the past versions have been adjusted. Also, don't forget that Uzumaki
Hao "met" Dao Namikaze in chapter 1114 ↩
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1175Chapter 1175: Channeling the Spark!
Naruto's eyes glittered as he looked off toward the huge black city covered by white vegetation. Then he looked at the spark hovering above it, and his eyes gleamed with determination.
"No matter what, I'm going to get that spark!" he murmured. That was his goal in coming here; he wouldn't be content with merely replenishing his current Divine Flame. Although there was a lot of the stuff here, the amount he had acquired last time had been limited.
It was a mere strand of Essence. Even if he replenished it, the amount he would end up with in the end would still be limited, just as before. If he wanted more, he would need more of the Essence itself. That Essence… was located deeper in than his current location. It was located where the cities were located, and especially within those flame sparks.
Naruto flashed into motion as he headed deeper in. He stopped at the nearest pagoda, where he sat down cross-legged, unleashed the power of his cultivation base, and began to absorb more of the Divine Flame into the Essence which he already had.
Soon, he was completely engulfed in fire. However, the power of his cultivation base was far beyond what it had been last time he had been here. His facial expression didn't even change in the face of the Divine Flame, which he quickly absorbed.
After enough time went by for an incense stick to burn, he rose to his feet and proceeded to the next pagoda. Time passed in this fashion, and as he continuously absorbed more and more Divine Flame, the Essence of Divine Flame inside of him grew larger and more powerful.
So far, he was merely replenishing the Divine Flame, not gaining more overall Essence. It was a process which he couldn't continue indefinitely. However, he wanted to proceed cautiously, and was using this method to get closer to the black-colored city, in order to observe the flame spark which floated above it.
It didn't take long for half a month to go by. Naruto had passed through thousands of pagodas, continuously absorbing flames until his Divine Flame was now ten times larger than it had been when he had entered the place.
He could tell that the next time he unleashed the Essence of Divine Flame, its power would vastly exceed the last time he had done so, to a terrifying degree. Eventually he reached the point where he couldn't absorb any more. Inwardly, he sighed.
He knew that he was at his limit, and if he wanted to break through to a higher level, he couldn't just absorb the Divine Flame in the surroundings. He needed to get in deeper, and absorb the Essence itself.
"Those flame sparks seem strangely dangerous…." he thought as he sat there atop one of the pagodas, gazing at the black city off in the distance. There were still tens of thousands of pagodas in between him and the city. After a bit of thought, he proceeded onward, shooting along with such speed that he left behind afterimages. His determination was such that he ignored any feelings of crisis and charged ahead.
Divine Flame swirled around him, and even the sky was a sea of flames. However, Naruto flew through the fire at top speed, kicking up a huge wind as he passed, which in turn set the flames dancing. Soon he had passed more than 5,000 pagodas. Although the temperature of the flames continued to grow hotter, he didn't slow down at all.
8,000. 10,000. 15,000. 20,000. 30,000….
Naruto sailed madly through the air, throwing the whole world of Divine Flame into chaos. Flames danced madly, and soon only 10,000 pagodas remained between him and the black city.
By now, the temperature was so high that sweat was dripping down his forehead, and he was panting slightly. Azure light sprang up around him as the power of an Allheaven Dao Immortal exploded out. He pressed onward, passing the final 10,000 pagodas to appear directly outside the black city!
Being this close up allowed Naruto to clearly sense its might and majesty. When he looked at the white vegetation which covered the walls, it filled him with a strange and odd sensation.
He took a deep breath, flashing through the air to appear atop the city wall. When he looked down into the city itself, his pupils constricted.
Instead of seeing residential buildings, he saw an enormous, sprawling structure that resembled an Imperial palace.
In the very center of the Imperial palace, in the very center of the city itself, was a collapsed temple. Shockingly, a huge golden throne could be seen in the rubble of that temple, upon which was lying… a pile of human skin!
The skin was intact, and seemed to have belonged to an ancient old man. Apparently he had been skinned alive, and then that skin had been draped over the throne. It was a bizarre sight, and even more bizarre was that, hovering 3,000 meters directly above the throne, was none other than the flame spark!
Naruto's eyes went wide. More vigilant than ever, he sped forward, leaving afterimages behind. In the exact moment in which he left, a hand suddenly reached out of the flames and closed around the afterimage he had left behind, as if it had been attempting to rip his heart out of his body.
Naruto's eyes flickered with killing intent as he looked back at the hand of flame, which instantly began to retract back into the flames. However, Naruto stretched out his hand and made a grasping motion.
"Get out here!" he said, snorting coldly. The flames behind the hand suddenly trembled, and a figure was dragged out. It was a body composed entirely of fire, without facial features. Although it was shaped like a person, it was clearly no cultivator.
"Flame spirit!" he thought, eyes narrowing. The flame spirit screamed shrilly, causing the surrounding sea of flames to churn. Suddenly, hundreds upon hundreds of flame spirits appeared, brimming with brutality and rage.
Even the flame up above in the air flickered. The flame spirits then charged toward Naruto.
Naruto frowned as the more than one thousand vicious flame spirits closed in on him. He extended his hand with a cold harrumph, performing an incantation gesture and then waving a finger. Immediately, numerous Immortal mountains appeared, shining with azure light as they crushed down toward the flame spirits. Miserable shrieks rang out as virtually all of the flame spirits were crushed. As they were destroyed, they transformed into Divine Flame which scattered about.
Naruto didn't pause. He kept flying through the air directly toward the flame spark. As he neared it, he extended his hand and made a snatching motion. Immediately, a roar of rage could be heard from the sea of flames in the area.
"This is the Holy Land of the Five Dragons, and we are following the orders of the exalted Dao Namikaze , to suppress Huoyan Zi! Regardless of thine identity, begone immediately! Stay, and thou shalt be destroyed in body and soul!"
As the voice echoed out, the sea of flames churned, and a huge flame hand formed, which then shot toward Naruto. It looked almost like a hand which would appear in a Tribulation.
It bore down on Naruto as if to grab him and crush him out of existence. Naruto's eyes flickered with a cold light, and he performed an incantation gesture with his left hand, then pointed out. Immediately, rumbling sounds could be heard, and a rift opened up in front of him. Blood Demon hands appeared, which tore the rift open further, allowing the Blood Demon to charge out toward the flame hand with a powerful roar.
A huge boom rang out as the flame hand and the Blood Demon began to fight. At the same time, Naruto's right hand flashed like lightning, making contact with the flame spark. In that instant, his mind trembled, and cold laughter rang out from the sea of flames up above.
"Ignorant fool. So-called Immortal. Throughout the years, countless imbeciles like yourself have come from the Immortal World attempting to acquire the core Daoist teachings and doctrines of Huoyan Zi.
"In the end, none of them ever succeeded. The only thing they acquired was an early death. And now, nobody will be able to save you, either."
Even as Naruto touched the flame spark, something that looked like a vertical pupil opened up within the flame.
It looked at Naruto emotionlessly.
"Do you wish to acquire more Essence?
"Do you wish to acquire eternal life?
"Do you wish to have a Daoist magic that can exterminate the Heavens?
"Dao Namikaze once said that the Immortal World was doomed to experience tribulation. He said that the Immortal lands would grow old, and that the Immortals would perish. Impossible! I refuse to give in! I refuse to admit defeat!
"I can give you my Essence, I can give you my Daoist magic, and I can give you power. However, you must carry out my deepest desire. You must exterminate Dao Namikaze !
"Slay Dao Namikaze !"
Naruto's mind trembled from the sheer madness of the voice. It contained boundless hatred and obsession, and as it filled Naruto's mind, it also seemed to influence the lands of Divine Flame around him. The fire raged higher up into the sky.
At the same time, the flame spark shrank down into his palm, fusing into his body, boring into him, becoming… a part of him!
Apparently, the flame didn't care whether or not Naruto agreed; it fused into him. If it succeeded, then on some level, Huo Yanzi could be considered to have been reincarnated. Even if that reincarnation was merely as one of Naruto's Essences, he would gladly accept that.
If the process failed… then Naruto would die. Then the flame would wait for the next Immortal to come and pass on its legacy. Eventually, someone would come who would be the successor of this Essence!
The world of the Divine Flames churned. Shockingly, innumerable flames suddenly began to surge through the air, shooting directly toward… Naruto!
If you could look down at the scene from up above, it would be more clear what was happening. The sea of flames was shrinking, with Naruto being the center. All the fire was now being sucked into him.
He was on fire, and a roaring bellow echoed out from his lips. Flames erupted out from inside of him and burned out, and he was wracked with indescribable pain. The feeling of imminent death filled him.
He knew that he had two paths stretching out in front of him now. If he succeeded, then he would be able to truly control this Essence, and would be far more powerful than before. If he failed, then he would be transformed into ash!
There was no third option!
The cold voice once again rang out from the sea of flames: "Throughout all the years, no one has ever succeeded. I'm looking forward to seeing you burned alive." Apparently, the owner of that voice had seen many cultivators like Naruto die while trying to accept the legacy of this Essence.
Naruto's eyes were bright red, and it was impossible to tell what part of that red was blood, and what was flame. His body was withering, his hair burning. Even his bag of holding seemed incapable of standing up to the force, and was starting to crumble. Naruto, sensing this, tossed it away from him. Understanding his intention, the mastiff let out an anxious howl and caught the bag.
"Trifling Essence of Divine Flame, you think you can do anything to me?!" Naruto's eyes flickered. He could sense the impending crisis, and yet to him, it was nothing compared to what he had experienced in the Windswept Realm!
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1176Chapter 1176 (Click to show "spoiler" title) Chapter 1176: Great Circle: Fleshly body!
Naruto's eyes were bright red, and his clothes were burning away, revealing his powerful body. He was undergoing a baptism of Divine Flame, and was surrounded by an endless sea of fire.
The sea of flames roared toward him, pouring into his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. A fierce expression appeared on his face as he rotated his cultivation base, closing off all of his orifices, even the pores on his skin.
"The Divine Flame might be powerful, but it's not invincible. I'll use this flame to refine my body, to take myself to the next level!" He waved both hands, causing his Ancient Realm fleshly body Soul Lamps to suddenly appear.
He had nine in total, but only two were currently lit. The other seven were dark.
An Ancient Realm fleshly body like Naruto's was a rare thing, and was in fact in the anti-Ancient Realm. His Ancient Realm fleshly body Soul Lamps started out dark, and were then lit aflame!
As his fleshly body became more powerful, and as he practiced cultivation, he would light those Ancient Realm fleshly body Soul Lamps, one by one!
"Refine!" he roared, causing the flames to begin to spin around him. They were incapable of entering his body, but instead, began to roast it from the outside.
He trembled, and quickly performed some double-handed incantation gestures. He wasn't using some sort of body-refinement magic, but rather… a pill concocting technique!
Naruto's Dao of alchemy was one in which he could use Heaven and Earth as his pill furnace, and his body as the medicinal pill! In that way, pill concocting techniques could be used to refine his body. However, what he was doing in this case, he was not using Heaven and Earth as the pill furnace, but instead… his own body! His body was both the pill furnace and the medical pill, as he attempted to use the power of the surrounding flames to make himself even stronger!
Shocking rumbling sounds echoed out. Naruto's eyes were closed, and his body was bright red as he continuously performed doublehanded incantation seals. His hands moved so fast they blurred, casting enchantments not on his surroundings, but on himself.
Even the guardian of the place, who still remained hidden, was shocked. However, he quickly began to laugh coldly.
"No one can succeed. With the curse of the exalted Dao Namikaze in place, there is no one in the Mountain and Sea Realm who can fuse with the flame spark of the renegade Huoyan Zi!"
Naruto's eyes suddenly snapped open, and they shone with bright red light. Staring up into the empty sky, he said, "Say that again after I absorb it!"
Although he couldn't see the person who was speaking, that guardian was as shocked as before at the energy which was rising up from Naruto.
He threw his head back and roared as his fleshly body underwent continuous refinement. As the flame sea around him raged, as the Essence battered him… his third Soul Lamp suddenly lit up!
When that happened, rumbling booms echoed out from inside him. His body became mightier than before, his fleshly body power having broken through from the previous level. He was now far stronger than before!
As his fleshly body grew stronger, he became increasingly capable of withstanding the sea of flames! However, as long as he had the flame spark within him, the surrounding fire would eternally burn him. Either he would be transformed into ashes, or… he would eventually completely absorb the sea of flames.
"Refining my body was the first step. Only by getting my body to the proper level can I successfully absorb the Divine Flame. My body is like a pill furnace; if it takes too much heat, it will explode!" He gritted his teeth, and his expression twisted. He rotated his cultivation base fully, fighting back against the sea of flames which sought to bore into him, and building up Immortal power within his flesh and blood to once again refine himself!
Booms echoed out as the sea of flames engulfed him. It was almost as if it really wished to melt him into a medicinal pill!
The mastiff howled anxiously, but couldn't get near. Naruto had already transmitted strict orders to it that it must not get too close to him.
Naruto was rapidly withering, and just when it seemed like he couldn't take it any more, his eyes snapped open yet again. He threw his head back and bellowed as a fourth Soul Lamp flickered to life.
The lighting of that Soul Lamp gave him a bit of breathing room. His body was now almost doubly as powerful as before. His eyes glittered as he performed more double-handed incantation gestures with even greater speed, producing even more sealing marks.
"Bring it on!" he cried, waving both arms, allowing the sea of flames to once again engulf him….
Soon, his fifth Soul Lamp was burning!
His energy soared to a terrifying degree, and that wasn't because of his cultivation base. Instead… it came from the terrifying Chakra and blood of his fleshly body!
The power on display caused the hidden guardian's face to fall. Suddenly, he appeared out in the open, a middle-aged man wearing golden armor. He looked like a celestial warrior, and currently, his expression was one of complete astonishment.
He could never have imagined that Naruto would actually be able to last this long. In the past, nobody had ever been able to last more than ten or so breaths of time before being killed.
"The flame spark is eternal," the guardian said coldly, looking at Naruto as if he were a dead man. "The Divine Flame is boundless. Even if you hold on for longer, all it means is that the pain that you endure will increase."
Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, Naruto's eyes opened again. He looked through the sea of flames at the guardian and smiled slightly. Because of the pain he was enduring, the smile seemed especially ferocious.
"If I'm not mistaken, you can't do anything to me while I'm in the middle of absorbing the flame spark," he said. "In that case… why don't you just sit back and enjoy the show? Watch… how this flame spark is supposed to be used. Watch… how to absorb all of the flame sea in this place. I'll suck it all in. After that…. Watch as I cut you down!"
The decisiveness in Naruto's voice caused the guardian's face to flicker. What Naruto had said was correct; he couldn't interfere with the absorption process. The Divine Flame was in its most wild state, and regardless of what Naruto was doing, if he got too close, the flame would go even crazier.
After all, the flame spark contained the will of Huoyan Zi. Normally, that will was kept in a state of suppression. However, when it came time to pass the legacy on to an Immortal, it would erupt wildly.
Indeed, the guardian… didn't dare to get too close. He could only wait until Naruto died amidst accepting the legacy.
His face flickered as rumbling sounds echoed out from Naruto, who was now withering even more; his Chakra and blood having almost completely burned away. However, it was at this point that his sixth Soul Lamp lit up!
When that happened, Naruto began panting raggedly. Adding a sixth
Soul Lamp only meant that the time that he could endure the Divine Flame had been extended. However, he was still forced to use it for purposes of exterior refinement; he still didn't dare to absorb it internally. If the flame raged on both the inside and outside simultaneously in his current state, he would die beyond the shadow of a doubt.
"I need to be stronger. REFINE!" The speed of his incantation gestures increased. In order to refine his fleshly body to increased heights of power, he even went as far as to stimulate the flame spark inside of him.
That in turn caused the sea of flames around him to grow more intense. Boundless fire raged around him, causing both the mastiff and the guardian to back up.
Naruto looked like little more than a sack of bones. However, his eyes shone brightly as his seventh Soul Lamp suddenly lit up.
In the instant that the seventh Soul Lamp came to life, Naruto's fleshly body experienced an unprecedented increase in power. The sound of his heartbeat pounded like thunder. He was now several times stronger than before, so much so that if he were to now encounter the Echelon cultivator from the First Mountain, Dao-Heaven, a single punch is all it would take to cause him to cough up blood…
His fleshly body was now powerful to an incredible degree, and was continuing to grow even stronger. To Naruto, this world of Divine Flame was a location of incredible good fortune when it came to his fleshly body!
Of course, that came with the assumption that Naruto would be able to fully absorb the Essence of Divine Flame afterward. If he couldn't… it wouldn't matter how strong his fleshly body got, it would all be in vain!
"I can light another!" he said. He was on the verge of being completely withered up, and was panting. Although his fleshly body was at a state of incredible power, the flame of his life force was weak. The sea of flames continued to refine his fleshly body, and yet it was simultaneously consuming his life force.
The continuous increases in fleshly body power were insufficient to replenish the life force that had been exhausted. Not even the recovery power of his Eternal stratum could match the destruction wreaked by the Essence of Divine Flame. Just as Naruto's vision began to swim, he smacked his chest with his hand, stimulating his heart, which surged with power, causing the Chakra and blood flow within him to speed up. That in turn caused his fleshly body to burst with power.
RUUUUUUMMMMBLLLLE!
In that critical moment, his eighth fleshly body Soul Lamp lit up!
In that instant, his fleshly body power reaching a Heaven-shaking, Earthshattering level. It had achieved the peak of the Ancient Realm, and was just a step away from being equivalent to the great circle of the Ancient Realm.
"Useless," the guardian said, staring at Naruto. "What you're doing is like drinking poison when you're thirsty. The sea of flames is boundless, and moments from now, I can watch as you burn away into nothing more than specks of ash." Although the man was actually inwardly shocked, he still believed that it was impossible for anyone to overcome the curse of the exalted Dao Namikaze .
Naruto looked up through the flames at the man.
"Well then, watch carefully," he said, voice hoarse. He suddenly caused his cultivation base to cease any sort of resistance against the sea of flames. He opened his pores and orifices, allowing the sea of flames to suddenly wash through him with wild abandon!
Pain filled him, and he trembled violently, gritting his teeth. This type of pain far exceeded the type he had felt during the body refinement. Thankfully, his body was much stronger than before, otherwise, the sudden onslaught would have transformed him into ash within a few breaths of time.
The flame spark inside of him seemed to be calling the Divine Flame, causing it to seethe. Naruto was the center of it all, and it was as if the flames had suddenly found the place they had been seeking to go all along.
As they simultaneously poured into him, his cultivation base erupted with the power of an Allheaven Dao Immortal. Azure light shone out, and his third Nirvana Fruit was more fully absorbed!
When that happened, he went from being sixty to seventy percent of an Allheaven Dao Immortal to even higher. The sea of flames around him roiled as it poured into his body.
Shockingly, he was now using the flame spark to further refine his third Nirvana Fruit!
First he refined his body, and then he refined his Nirvana Fruit. This was the idea that Naruto had come up with, to borrow the power of the Essence of Divine Flame to grow more and more powerful, all for the purpose of fully absorbing the Nirvana Fruit!
"That azure light… it's…." The middle-aged guardian's eyes went wide. Although he had seen the same thing earlier, he hadn't been paying very close attention. Now, the azure light glittered resplendently within the sea of flames, forcing him to pay it full heed. His face fell.
Chapter 1176: Great Circle: Fleshly body!
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1177Chapter 1177: True Dao Immortal!
"Allheaven Dao Immortal!
"Impossible!" the guardian said hoarsely. "How could there still be an
Allheaven Dao Immortal in the Mountain and Sea Realm? Impossible!" He hadn't paid any attention to Naruto's azure glow before. After all, there were many Daoist magics and defensive magical items that could cast off green or azure glows. It wouldn't be realistic to think of Allheaven Immortals every time such a light appeared.
From what he could recall, Allheaven Dao Immortals were the stuff of legend, and only almighty figures could be counted among their ranks. As a simple guard that had been conscripted into service here, Allheaven Dao Immortals were the type of existence that was far above and beyond his station.
If Naruto weren't currently engulfed in the sea of flames, shining with an azure light that outshone the Divine Flame, thus provoking a close inspection by the guardian, then he would never have recognized that it was the light of an Allheaven Dao Immortal.
A cold gleam flickered in Naruto's eyes, and rumbling sounds emanated out from his fleshly body. His cultivation base soared, and his Nirvana Fruit fused more fully into him, thanks to the Divine Flame.
Soon, he had reached seventy percent!
Trembling, he threw his head back and roared. The azure light shining off of him grew more scintillating, spreading out in all directions with incredible strength that seemed capable of suppressing the Divine Flame. In fact, the flames shooting toward Naruto even paused in place.
However, no matter how powerful that azure light became, the flame spark inside of Naruto continued to pull at the Divine Flame, exerting more force, causing it to move once again. All of the flames in the entire world trembled.
Naruto shook violently within the sea of flames. He was reaching the point where he couldn't hold on much longer. His body was beginning to crack, and the Divine Flame was making it difficult to rotate his cultivation base.
Were it not for the presence of the azure light, Naruto would already be dead.
"Allheaven Dao!" Naruto roared in this critical moment. His third Nirvana Fruit fused even more. More azure light emanated out from him, reaching a distance of thirty meters!
Within that thirty meters, nothing existed but a world of azure light!
By now, his third Nirvana Fruit was eighty percent absorbed!
Normally speaking, the extra ten percent which had just fused would have taken a month of work. But now, with the burning Divine Flame, the process was completed in a flash. This could be seen as an opportunity for Naruto. However, that opportunity was backed by the shadow of death.
With eighty percent of the power of an Allheaven Dao Immortal, Naruto could relax for a moment. His Eternal stratum worked rapidly to heal his life force, and yet even still, he could sense the impending threat of doom from the Divine Flame.
"You're going to die for sure!" said the guardian. "Who cares if you're an Allheaven Dao Immortal? I never imagined that after standing guard here for all these years, I would eventually be able to see an Allheaven Dao Immortal burned alive right in front of me!" The man threw his head back and laughed.
"You're getting excited a bit too early," Naruto said in a grating voice. His eyes shone with determination as he extended his right hand and pushed down hard onto his forehead.
Incredible power surged into his mind, and it was almost as if he were attacking his third Nirvana Fruit. His whole body shook, and he coughed up three mouthfuls of blood. Almost instantly, the blood was scorched into a blood mist, and Naruto's body withered even more. However, he was able to use the power his strike unleashed to further absorb the Nirvana Fruit.
Ninety percent!
Ninety percent of an Allheaven Dao Immortal!
Azure light exploded around him. No longer did it reach out to 30 meters, but rather, 300 meters, an increase of tenfold. At the same time, Naruto's life force exploded up, and was significantly restored.
He panted for a moment, then threw his head back and roared, a roar which caused tens of thousands of the surrounding 990,000 pagodas to collapse.
This development caused the guardian's face to fall. He stared at Uzumaki
Hao in complete shock, almost unable to believe the things that Naruto was doing. All of a sudden, his confidence was beginning to waver, and he had the feeling that perhaps… Naruto might succeed after all.
"Impossible," the man murmured, his eyes filling with a staunch gleam. "The exalted Dao Namikaze has a towering cultivation base. His curse cannot be broken by anyone in the Mountain and Sea Realm! He said that nobody can acquire this legacy, so therefore, nobody can!"
"If the curse of Dao Namikaze really is impossible to break," Naruto said, "well then… what are you guarding, and why does this place even need a guardian!?" He extended his right hand and pushed forward, causing the Divine Flame to seethe and then suddenly stop.
Within the 300 meters of azure light, not a bit of Divine Flame existed. It had all been expelled outside the perimeter, allowing Naruto to finally breathe a sigh of relief.
His Eternal stratum surged, restoring his body and replenishing his life force. Combined with the power of an Allheaven Dao Immortal, it ensured that Naruto's energy rose higher and higher. Colors flashed up above, and although there was usually no weather in this place, roiling clouds materialized out of nowhere, writhing in the sky.
An indescribable energy was now rising up from Naruto.
It was nothing more than energy, but it caused the guardian's face to fall. He began to pant as he looked at Naruto, eyes wide. He could sense the soaring rise in Naruto's cultivation base, and it filled him with intense fear.
The combination of explosive growth in fleshly body and cultivation base at the same time caused incredible pressure to radiate out.
Naruto raised his hand, and the mastiff also began to emanate an azure light. The azure light obeyed Naruto's will, blessing the mastiff, giving it the added protection of an Allheaven Dao Immortal.
The mastiff let out a long howl of joy, then transformed into a beam of light that shot toward Naruto and flew into his bag of holding. Afterward, Naruto patted his bag of holding and produced a new set of clothing, which he donned. Then he looked up at the middle-aged guardian.
"It doesn't matter if you're a bit stronger," the man roared, glaring at Naruto, "you still can't absorb the entire sea of flames. Even if the flame spark can't kill you, you still won't be able to take it away!" "You're right, I can't take it away now," Naruto said. "But… I will soon. Don't worry, I'll let you watch, and then I'll close your eyes forever!" With that Naruto closed his own eyes.
Instantly, an azure magical symbol appeared on his forehead, not the Echelon mark, but rather the symbol of an Allheaven Immortal.
It was circular, and was divided into nine complete sections and one incomplete section. However, that incomplete section was rapidly filling in.
In the space of a few breaths, the final ten percent of the azure magical symbol began to glow with blinding azure light.
The light was now several times more intense than before. It… almost looked like an azure sun.
Naruto's cultivation base rocketed up with increasing power. Heaven and Earth trembled, and the entire world shook as ripples spread out in all directions.
At the same time, the numerous pagodas in the world began to collapse one by one under the increasing pressure of Naruto's energy.
Thousands. Tens of thousands. A hundred thousand. Two hundred thousand….
As the pagodas collapsed, the whole world descended into rumbling that sounded like screeching roars that emanated from deep underground. Heaven and Earth shook violently, almost as if doomsday had arrived.
All of that was because of Naruto!
All of that was because Naruto was… an Allheaven Dao Immortal!
The azure light spread out in all directions, and as it did, the Divine Flame shot back to avoid it. In the blink of an eye, Naruto was the only person in the entire 3,000-meter area.
Even the guardian was forced to retreat, feeling more astonished than ever.
Naruto's body emanated boundless azure light, as if he were an azure-colored sun. His energy rocketed up, his cultivation base exploded, and he felt more powerful than he ever had in his entire life.
If he met a Quasi-Dao Guru Heavencloud in his current state, he was completely confident that he could crush him as easily as dried weeds.
He could even kill… Dao Realm experts, as long as they had 2 Essences or less!
Naruto's eyes snapped open, and azure lightning shot out of them, smashing through the void and slamming into the middle-aged guardian's eyes. The lightning smashed his mind, crushing him like a wet branch.
He screamed miserably, and blood sprayed out of his mouth as he tumbled backward, accompanied by terrifying booms. A single glance forced him backward by seven steps, after which he exploded into bits.
As his Nascent Divinity flew out, it was clear a single thought on Uzumaki
Hao's part could cause the surrounding azure lightning to destroy him.
"Like I said, I'm going to let you watch me take away the flame spark," Naruto said coolly, hovering there as if he were the most supreme being in Heaven and Earth.
The guardian's Nascent Divinity trembled in intense fear of Naruto. He still almost couldn't believe that he… who had guarded this land for so long, who had a cultivation base in the great circle of the Ancient Realm, would actually… have his fleshly body destroyed by a single look from Naruto. Even his Nascent Divinity could be killed at any moment.
"Allheaven Dao Immortal… so this… is an Allheaven Dao Immortal!
"Back in the Paragon Immortal Realm, they weren't Paragons, and yet, even Paragons had to respect them. No wonder they were called the most terrifying slaughter cultivators…. Allheaven Dao Immortals!"
The man's Nascent Divinity was trembling as he stared at Naruto. His mind spun, and he just couldn't believe that he had actually seen a legendary Allheaven Dao Immortal. Furthermore… it was not an awakening Allheaven Dao Immortal, but a complete, fully awoken, completely powered up… Allheaven Dao Immortal!
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1178Chapter 1178: Peak!
The middle-aged guardian was mistaken. He had never seen an
Allheaven Dao Immortal, so he didn't know… that even if you said Naruto was the first Allheaven Immortal, and that later there might be a second or a third or even more, Naruto would still be the most powerful type, an Allheaven Dao Immortal!
Furthermore, he was one of the most powerful Allheaven Dao Immortals in history.
And that was because… of his fleshly body!
The strength of his fleshly body made his Allheaven Dao Immortal battle prowess even more powerful.
"There's no need to rush the absorption of the Divine Flame…." he said softly. "I can still become more powerful!" He could sense that, based on the boundless Immortal power within him, if he wanted to, he could grow to a size of well over 3,000 meters tall.
"My fleshly body… still has an unlit Soul Lamp. I wonder… how powerful I'll be after I light all of them!" A strange light appeared in Naruto's eyes as nine Soul Lamps materialized around him. Eight of them were now lit for all eternity, but the ninth was still unlit.
He looked thoughtfully at that ninth Soul Lamp for a moment, then waved his right hand. Instantly, the 3,000-meter azure light vanished. Likewise, the pressure weighing down on the sea of flames vanished, allowing it to rage with fury.
Instantly, the entire area was completely engulfed in fire that obscured all else. The guardian in Nascent Divinity form couldn't even catch a glimpse of Naruto.
He remained within the sea of flames, eyes closed, allowing the fire to enter his body. However, he prevented the flame spark from absorbing the flames, and instead allowed them to build up inside of him.
More Divine Flame poured into him, raging, sweeping about inside of him, pouring through his Chakra passageways, inundating his internal organs, filling his flesh and blood. It even seeped into his bones.
Naruto began trembling slightly, but his expression was the same as usual. Keeping the flame spark sealed, he allowed more and more Divine Flame to build up inside of him, until he was like a being of fire. His flesh, bones, Chakra passageways, and the other parts of him all contained Divine Flame.
And the amount only continued to increase. If you likened Naruto to a bottle, then at the moment, that bottle was now more than forty percent full of Divine Flame.
And he wasn't finished!
Bizarre light gleamed in his eyes as he sucked in the Divine Flame as if he were a black hole. None of it was allowed into the flame spark, but instead, built up inside of him. The sensation of burning increased as the flames did. Naruto was using this method… to temper his fleshly body!
BOOM!
Fifty percent. Sixty percent. Seventy percent!
This process of body tempering left him trembling. The difficulty was almost impossible to describe. Were it not for the fact that Naruto already had an incredibly powerful fleshly body, plus the power of an Allheaven Dao Immortal, then he would not have been able to take the intense heat of the flames.
However, in order to strengthen his fleshly body, and in order to take full advantage of this instance of good fortune, he sucked in more. Rumbling sounds echoed out as the boundless Divine Flames coursing through him pushed him from seventy percent to eighty!
The process continued rapidly, until he was at ninety percent!
In that moment, he shook violently and coughed up a huge mouthful of blood. Even though he was a creature of flesh and blood, he had absorbed the Divine Flame by ninety percent, causing Heaven-shaking, Earth-toppling transformations. He was almost like a flame spirit now, except with a body of flesh and blood.
"I can keep going. Bring it on!" Naruto eyes shone with bright light as he looked at his nine Soul Lamps. A tiny flame had already appeared on the last lamp, and it was growing larger; soon the lamp would be completely lit. Eyes gleaming with determination, he gritted his teeth and sucked in more flame.
Rumbling sounds echoed out, causing everything to shake violently. Pagodas toppled, and the sky appeared to be on the verge of being ripped apart to reveal the lands up above.
After all, this location was underground!
Naruto threw his head back and roared as the Divine Flame within him finally reached… one hundred percent!
Each and every part of him was now Divine Flame. At the same time, his ninth Soul Lamp flared to life!
When that happened, rumbling sounds filled his entire body. His heart began to beat with more power than before, and even his Chakra and blood caused the outside world to dim. A terrifying power rose up from him, a power that had reached a Heaven-defying level!
You could say that from the beginning of the Mountain and Sea Realm until the modern day, it would be easier to find a phoenix feather or a qilin horn than to find someone with a fleshly body as powerful as this. If he took a single further step forward, he would have a Dao Realm fleshly body!
As for Dao Realm fleshly bodies… there was no need to even mention how rare such a thing was in the Mountain and Sea Realm. Even in the Paragon Immortal Realm, the only people who possessed bodies like that were Paragons!
Only Paragons could take their fleshly bodies into the Dao Realm!
That was because when the fleshly body achieved the Dao, then even if Heaven and Earth rotted away, that fleshly body would not. The only way it could be destroyed was in battle; neither the ravages of time nor the power of Heaven and Earth could destroy it.
That was the Dao Realm fleshly body!
And right now, Naruto was only a step away from exactly that!
His eyes snapped open, and he threw his head back and roared, causing the land overhead to crumble; dirt and rocks fell down, and although the canopy above didn't collapse, the middle-aged guardian outside of the sea of flames was even more shocked than before.
In response to Naruto's roar, the sea of flames around him churned, and hundreds of thousands of pagodas throughout the world toppled over into pieces.
Up in the second level, the ancient beast trembled as the whole level quaked. The first level up above was the same, and even the Dao lakes beyond that were vibrating. Numerous Dao lakes erupted, shooting magical items and Dao projections up into the air, to the shock and delight of the gathered cultivators.
Within the world of Divine Flame, Naruto's roars echoed out as his Allheaven Dao Immortal cultivation base exploded with power. There was no azure light though, and he now did nothing to prevent the Divine Flame from pouring into the flame spark.
At long last, the flame spark could absorb the flames it had been blocked off from before. All of the fire outside of Naruto surged toward him in waves.
He stretched his arms wide, allowing it to fully flow into the flame spark, which desired to consume all the fire in the world.
"Flame spark… you're mine!" he said, waving his sleeve and rising up into the air. The sea of flames rose up with him, and from a distance, the flames formed an image that looked like a mountain. The sight would be shocking to anyone who could lay eyes on it.
If you looked even closer, it would appear as if Naruto had become an invincible bird, with the sea of flames being his wings as he soared through the Heavens, laying waste to everything.
All of the Divine Flame in the world began to converge, shrinking down and pouring into Naruto. The flame spark inside of him was shining brightly, and soon, an Essence aura began to emanate off of him.
That essence was no longer just a sliver. It was majestic and boundless, true Essence. Flame Essence. Henceforth, this would be Naruto's first Essence.
Naruto was the only cultivator ever to be able to control Essence while in the Immortal Realm!
He threw his head back and roared, and the flame sea around him slowly shrank. It was now seventy percent of its original size, then fifty, and then forty!
It was a thoroughly shocking sight. The guardian stared at Naruto absorbing the flames, and his previous conviction was now completely shaken.
"The curse of the exalted Dao Namikaze …" he murmured. "Nobody can acquire the flame spark… how could this be happening…?" By now, the sea of flames was thirty percent of its original size!
The more Naruto absorbed, the more resplendent his internal flame spark became. By now, the sea of flames could barely harm him at all, and after he completely absorbed it, fire would never be able to hurt Naruto again.
Rumbling filled the entire world. The air shook as the sea of flames once again shrank down!
Twenty percent!
Only twenty percent of the sea of flames remained. The eternal Divine
Flame within the world region was being completely absorbed by Naruto. Although this was only a single one of the flame sparks, even someone in the Dao Realm would lust insatiably lust after it.
Ten percent!
Brilliant light shone off of Naruto, and the flame sea continued to shrink. The Essence aura on him grew more intense, and everything around him shook violently!
In the space of a few breaths, the sea of flames shrank down into a mere strand of Divine Flame, which then merged into Naruto. At that point, this part of the world of Divine Flame didn't contain even a single flame!
As of this day, the sea of flames which had existed for so long, and burned eternally… was now gone. There was no Divine Flame, and the lands below were now completely revealed, and at the same time, all of the pagodas collapsed into rubble.
100,000. 200,000. 300,000… in the blink of an eye, massive rumbling could be heard echoing out until the entire place… didn't have a single pagoda standing in it!
Feeling completely shaken, Naruto closed his eyes. The flame spark inside of him had absorbed all of the Divine Flame in the entire world. As of this moment, the will of Huoyan Zi approved of Naruto, and did not resist him at all. Instead, it merged into him.
When that happened, the Essence aura within Naruto was eternally stabilized!
He slowly opened his eyes. This was his most powerful state. Allheaven Dao Immortal. The great circle of the Ancient Realm fleshly body. A complete Essence of Divine Flame!
"Impossible!" the guardian shrieked. In the instant that he spoke, the azure lightning which surrounded him transformed into numerous azure snakes that stabbed into his Nascent Divinity. To the man's shock, his Nascent Divinity faded away into the air. Naruto had lived up to his word, and allowed the guardian to witness him accepting the legacy of the flame spark!
Naruto hovered in midair, looking around until his gaze came to fall on the lands down below. Off in the distance, there were other lands of Divine Flame, and other flame sparks!
However, in the very moment in which he looked off into the distance, there was something that filled Naruto with a sensation of crisis. He spun and looked down at the pitch-black city down below, his eyes shining like blades.
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1179Chapter 1179: The Curse of Dao Namikaze !
Without the sea of flames covering it, the black city was now much more clearly visible. White vegetation still clung to the walls, and there was still a palace in the middle.
At first, it didn't look much different than the first time he had laid eyes on it.
Naruto frowned as he examined it more closely. Then his eyes widened as he realized that something had changed. The pile of human skin which had been draped on the huge throne… was now gone!
Naruto's eyes shone with a cold light, and he sent his divine sense out in all directions, backed by the power of an Allheaven Dao Immortal. Soon, his frown deepened as he realized that there weren't any clues to be found about what had happened.
The sense of crisis still existed within him, and was growing stronger. He even had the sensation that someone was watching him.
"The curse of Dao Namikaze …." He thought back to what the guardian had said before dying. Now that he thought about it, he had met Dao Namikaze . Although he hadn't seen what he looked like, when he experienced that mental journey out into the void beyond the Windswept Realm, he knew that he had encountered an entity that existed atop the 33 Heavens. That entity's name was… Dao Namikaze !
Naruto didn't have a very high opinion of this Dao Namikaze . After all, based on his understanding of the Mountain and Sea Realm, the 33 Heavens were the first barrier sealing the Mountain and Sea Realm. Dao Namikaze was the second barrier!
Naruto's eyes flickered as he slowly backed up. However, in that moment, the air around him suddenly seemed to be sealed, causing the exit to be completely wiped away.
On the second level of the underground world, the ancient beast gasped. It suddenly rose to its feet as it realized that the passageway to the third level had collapsed noiselessly.
Naruto stopped in place, frowning. The sensation of crisis within him exploded with intensity. His pupils constricted, and he looked down at the black-colored city. This time, he couldn't hold back from gasping.
What he saw was that the color of the city itself was now changing. It was no longer black, but instead, pale white. It almost had the luster of skin. Furthermore, the white vegetation on the city walls was gradually turning brown, almost as if they were blood vessels within the skin.
It wasn't just the city walls that were changing. The whole city, including the palace and all the surrounding buildings, was all changing color to pale white. Then, Naruto's eyes widened as the entire city began to move!
It was slowly twitching; the city walls, the palace, the land, everything was moving. Furthermore, an aura of life suddenly erupted out from the city.
It was as if the entire city was no longer an inanimate object, but a living thing!
As the city spasmed, the city wall emitted rumbling sounds. Odd cracks spread out, and the ground quaked. Shockingly, part of the city wall ripped out and began to rise up, transforming into a huge arm. Another part of the city wall also lurched, and then transformed into a second arm.
The other sections of the city wall rumbled as they transformed into legs. As they rose up from the ground, the palace also jerked as it became a torso, with the central part of the palace turning into an Imperial crown!
As for the enormous throne which was in the palace, it turned into a face!
RUMBLE!
The entire city transformed in front of Naruto's eyes, becoming an enormous giant with white skin, fully 30,000 meters tall, causing everything to shake violently. It actually… didn't even look like a city any more. It looked like an actual giant!
Its body was made of flesh and blood, and the blood vessels were even visible on its skin. Its eyes glowed with coldness as it stood there looking down at Naruto.
When Naruto looked up at the face, he realized that this giant was none other than the pile of human skin he had seen earlier!
The skin hadn't left, but had instead used some special technique to merge with the city and transform into a giant. Or maybe… the city was actually materialized from a giant to begin with!
Perhaps there was another explanation. Maybe the human skin and the city itself were both parts of the curse of Dao Namikaze !
Naruto wasn't sure which of these possibilities was correct. However, he was currently filled with a sense of deadly crisis. He knew that this giant… was a formidable foe!
He suddenly smiled, and his eyes glinted with the desire to do battle. He was now an Allheaven Dao Immortal, with a fleshly body in the great circle of the Ancient Realm, with the true Essence of Divine Flame.
All of that placed Naruto at the ultimate peak. He could fight with the Dao Realm, so this trifling giant only made him want to do battle, to test out his new cultivation base breakthrough. He wanted to prove… exactly how powerful he was!
A powerful voice rumbled out of the giant's mouth, crackling like thunder, filled with awe-inspiring power like Heavenly might. The ground trembled, and everything shook. "Hand over the flame spark, and you will merely be killed. Force me to take it, and I'll kill your whole clan!"
Naruto looked at the giant, smiled coldly, and then spoke equally domineering words. "Become my follower, and I won't kill you! Refuse, and I'll destroy you in body and soul!"
The giant looked coldly at Naruto, then raised his right hand and clenched it into a fist. The air seemed to be on the verge of exploding as incredible power erupted out. He punched toward Naruto, and his fist moved with incredible speed, seemingly encompassing the entire world.
Naruto snorted coldly. Instead of backing up, he also clenched his right hand, punching out with the Life-Extermination Fist.
When the two fists slammed into each other, a massive rumbling echoed out. The land between them shattered, and a huge crevice opened up. Naruto sailed over it, landing on the giant's hand and racing up toward its neck. Even as he ran, he performed an incantation gesture with his right hand, causing numerous Immortal mountains to descend. Then he punched out with the Self-Immolation Fist.
The giant's eyes flickered and it trembled. That trembling caused an explosive force to rage toward Naruto. The giant's expression was cold as it reached its left hand up and flicked it in Naruto's direction. The massive hand filled the sky; it was almost as if the giant were trying to swat a fly.
"To me, you're nothing more than an insect," the giant said coolly. The palm and fist connected, and the giant's left arm shook. Naruto's face paled, and he fell backward several paces. However, the desire to fight burned brightly in his eyes, and he threw his head back and laughed.
"Insect?" he said. Azure light sprang up around him, and the power of an Allheaven Dao Immortal erupted. Azure light spread out for 3,000 meters in all directions, and he began to grow taller. In the blink of an eye, he was 3,000 meters tall.
Although he was still miniscule compared to the giant, he was completely different than he had been before. When the giant saw the azure light, his eyes flickered, and he suddenly experienced a feeling of crisis, caused by Naruto. Even as his heart trembled, Naruto took a step forward. He might be small, but he was as quick as lightning.
He transformed into an azure roc, which was also 3,000 meters long. He stretched his wings out, growing even larger, letting out a fierce cry as he shot toward the giant and slashed at it with razor-sharp claws. The giant roared, performing an incantation gesture which caused booming lightning to surround it.
Each bolt of lightning was like a Heavenly Tribulation. As it bore down, the Essence of Divine Flame shot out of the mouth of the azure roc. This Essence of Divine Flame was far different that what Naruto had wielded before. It was the true Essence of Divine Flame, and its sudden appearance caused the giant's face to flicker. He performed an incantation gesture, causing a wild wind to spring up, which transformed into a roaring Wind Dragon.
Even still, it wasn't enough to block Naruto and the Essence of Divine Flame which exploded out of the flame spark. A sea of flames surrounded Naruto, and then spread out to envelop the giant. It was quickly engulfed in flames, and let out roars of pain. Suddenly, the giant spat out a pearl.
The pearl was black, and emanated an archaic air. Almost as soon as it appeared, it shattered, and its remnants formed into a spell formation.
"Mountain Ghost Seal, Divine Flame Lightning Spirit Hex!" the giant roared. Naruto's Divine Flame surrounded the spell formation, but then stopped, unable to pierce through it.
Naruto wasn't surprised by this. It didn't attest to any lack of power on the part of the Divine Flame, but rather, just went to show that as warden of this place, the giant was obviously prepared to deal with the Essence of Divine Flame. Were this any other place in the outside world, and any other opponent, he would be dead.
The azure roc flashed as it transformed back into Naruto. He stepped forward with a cold harrumph, performing an incantation gesture which caused the Blood Demon to emerge from its rift. It grabbed the giant's neck, opened its mouth, and took a vicious bite. Naruto waved his hand, and the violet moon mark appeared on the giant's head. Then Naruto took another step, and his left hand extended with the Supernova Magic.
This time, it didn't need to absorb any light from around it. Naruto caused boundless azure light to stream out of his hand, pouring into the Supernova Magic, causing the star to rapidly grow larger and emanate ripples of destruction as it shot toward the giant.
Huge booms echoed out as the giant was shoved backward, heart trembling. However, Naruto didn't stop there. He stepped forward again, taking three steps in a row. His energy began to rise explosively. When you added in the steps from before, shockingly, he had unleashed the Seven God Steps!
As he took his seventh step, his energy skyrocketed. Boundless azure light rose up as he punched out with his right hand. The Life-
Extermination Fist, the Self-Immolation Fist, and the God-Slaying Fist, all rumbled through the air.
The three fist strikes, coupled with the Seven God Steps, backed by the peak power of Naruto's cultivation base and fleshly body, were enough that… even Dao Realm cultivators with two Essences or fewer would be slaughtered!
Intense pressure caused all light to dim. Heaven and Earth trembled, and the lands cracked. Countless ripples spread out through the air, and Naruto shone with azure light so bright that he seemed like an azure sun!
The giant's face fell, and he fought back with all the power he could muster. He roared, shoving both hands down toward the ground. Everything shook, and magical symbols appeared all over the giant. The magical symbols emanated a thoroughly archaic air that exploded out to resist the terrifying power of Naruto's Seven God Steps and three fist strikes.
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1180Chapter 1180: Most Powerful State!
The magical symbols on the giant seemed innumerable, but if you looked closely, you would realize that there were actually only nine. However, those nine symbols were constantly splitting apart into multiple overlapping copies of themselves, making it initially seem as if the symbols were without number.
Nonetheless, those nine symbols emanated an incredible aura that provoked shocking transformations in Heaven and Earth. They seemed completely ancient, and as they flickered, they caused nine protective shields to flicker into place around the giant!
The light of the magical symbol shields made the giant even more impressive than before. He pushed his hands down onto the ground, threw his head back and howled. Everything shook violently, and a massive shockwave spread out in all directions
From a distance, it looked like a raging tempest, with nine swirling magical symbols in the middle of it all. Almost instantly, the giant seemed to have entered a state of invincibility.
Naruto examined the nine magical symbols with furrowed brow. From those symbols, he could sense… the aura of Dao Namikaze ! Although he had never laid eyes on Dao Namikaze , he had met him during his mental journey outside of the Windswept Realm and beyond the 33 Heavens. He had even been attacked by him! The feeling he had experienced back then was the exact same feeling he got from these magical symbols!
"The curse of Dao Namikaze …." Naruto's eyes flickered, but he didn't fall back by even half a step. Instead, he charged forward, punching out with his three fist strikes, unleashing a terrifying power onto the protective shield tempest.
From afar, he looked like an azure sun, the only light in Heaven and Earth. His fist was also azure, and seemingly filled with enough power to annihilate the Heavens and exterminate the Earth.
Rumbling echoed out, and as the fist strikes landed, the giant's tempest shield trembled. Massive booms echoed out, and the tempest exploded. In response, the nine magical symbols glittered radiantly, but didn't collapse. Instead, they simply shrank down a bit. Despite that, the giant had been protected, and wasn't injured at all.
Neither was Dao Namikaze 's aura diminished in the least. It roiled out, transforming into a powerful pressure that crushed toward Naruto. He was shoved back, staggering backward seven paces before stopping in place. Then he looked up and let out a roar.
That roar caused his Allheaven Dao Immortal cultivation base to surge with power. It also converged the power of his fleshly body, whereupon he shot forward like a lightning bolt. The air vibrated and the wind screamed, all of which was caused by the magical symbols as they were crushed by Naruto's charge.
The giant's eyes flickered with killing intent, and he took a step forward, causing the ground to quake. At the same time, he lifted his right hand into the air.
"Exalted Dao Namikaze !" he roared. The sound of it caused the nine magical symbols to glitter radiantly as they… converged together!
That convergence caused the aura of Dao Namikaze to grow even stronger.
In the blink of an eye, the nine symbols turned into a suit of armor that covered the giant, making it look like a powerful deity.
It was ferocious armor, green and covered with bristling spikes and images of screaming, suffering faces which were in the midst of devouring each other. It was almost as if thousands of ghosts had been imprisoned inside of it.
On the chest of the armor was a face which looked… almost exactly like… a monkey!
The monkey's eyes were closed at first, but then they suddenly snapped open. As the monkey stared at Naruto, its eyes gleamed with a viciousness that caused Naruto's pupils to constrict.
With this armor on, the giant's energy rocketed up, and the power level of his cultivation base doubled.
Simultaneously, the giant roared, lifting his right hand up and the snatching out viciously. The lands quaked and shook, and numerous crevices opened up below, with the giant at the center. The lands almost looked like they would collapse.
Waves spread out across the ground, causing mountains to rise and valleys to fall, and leaving behind a massive crater. All of this happened in the short space of a few breaths worth of time.
"Return!" That simple word uttered by the giant caused the lands to begin to rise up. Countless motes of dust and ash flew out as something rose up from the ground. It looked almost like a pillar, but in fact… It was an enormous staff!
The gigantic staff was pitch black, and it was impossible to tell what exactly it was made of. It was 30,000 meters long, a size that any mortal would consider gargantuan, but which was perfectly suited to the giant.
The giant's hand closed around the pitch-black staff, and then swung it into a fighting position. Rumbling sounds filled Heaven and Earth, and everything trembled. The giant's energy once again shot up.
As the giant hefted the enormous staff, his voice rumbled out like thunder. "I shall abide by the decree of the exalted Dao Namikaze . Immortals are prohibited from taking the flame spark. Any who violate the decree will have their entire clan eradicated!"
Naruto, even with his current cultivation base, couldn't help but be terrified by the power which radiated off of the giant. A sense of deadly crisis filled him, and his eyes began to glow with bright light.
"I already absorbed the flame spark," he said coolly. "My life… is not something you can just take away. As for eradicating my clan… you're not qualified to do any such thing." In Naruto's judgement, the giant was now as powerful as a 3-Essences Dao Lord, or at the very least, the peak of 2-Essences.
He reached down and slapped his bag of holding, then cried out, "Parrot, meat jelly, get out here!"
Instantly, the parrot and meat jelly shot out in beams of brilliant light. As soon as they appeared and laid eyes on the giant, the meat jelly shrieked, "The aura of Dao Namikaze !"
Then it tried to fly back into the bag of holding. However, Naruto grabbed onto it.
"I'll give you three bullies," he said. "Transform into some armor!"
"Four bullies!" the meat jelly screamed hysterically. "I want four bullies! I just recently learned that four is more than three. Four bullies, and I'll go all out!" Naruto gaped in shock, then nodded.
The meat jelly's eyes turned red as it began to glow, and then spread out from Naruto's hand to cover his entire body. At the same time, Naruto looked at the parrot.
"Battle Weapon!" he roared. The parrot smiled bitterly. Muttering apprehensively, it turned into a beam of light that shot toward Naruto. Then the copper mirror flew out of Naruto's bag of holding and merged into the beam of light.
In that instant, Naruto's energy rose to an indescribable degree. A massive windstorm sprung up, within which was the meat jelly as a suit of armor, gray and archaic, emanating a sense of indestructibility.
That suit of armor truly couldn't be destroyed. As long as the meat jelly lived, the armor would hold. After all, the meat jelly… was fundamentally impossible to destroy, even in armor-form.
With this armor, Naruto's battle prowess shot even higher!
Simultaneously, the parrot and the copper mirror combined on his right arm to form the Battle Weapon!
The Battle Weapon was essentially amorphous, and responded to Naruto's will. Shockingly, it was now an enormous, razor-sharp broadsword, fully 3,000 meters long. It radiated sharpness, and even had pulses of strange light dancing about all over its surface. It sent out terrifying ripples that seemed qualified to destroy Heaven and Earth, as well as an aura that seemed capable of making all living things wish to prostrate themselves in worship.
This was the Battle Weapon!
Now that Naruto was an Allheaven Dao Immortal, his copper mirror exploded with incredible power. Although this was only the initial stage, it was still a complete and terrifying Battle Weapon!
As Naruto's cultivation base rocketed up, his appearance now looked even more domineering than the giant's.
"Mastiff!" he said, waving his right sleeve. Instantly, a blood-colored light appeared, flying out and landing on Naruto's back. It was a cape, upon which could be seen a totem. That totem… was none other than the mastiff!
As of this moment, in this state, Naruto was truly more powerful than he had ever been since he began to practice cultivation.
"Alright," he said, "let's see how many slashes you can take from my Battle Weapon!" His voice was so ice-cold that the land in the area froze over. As he stepped forward, the giant swung its enormous black staff and roared as it charged. If you looked in the giant's eyes however, you would see a very serious look, perhaps even astonishment. It could now sense something different from Naruto, an intense… mortal danger!
As they closed in on each other, the Battle Weapon sliced through the air in a radiant beam of light, heading directly toward the pitch-black staff.
When it struck, the staff trembled. It didn't begin to crack. No… it completely collapsed into pieces, having been utterly destroyed.
"Extermination Essence!" the giant roared, its expression one of intense shock and disbelief. "What magical item is that? How could it possess the legendary power of Extermination Essence?! Impossible! This is impossible!"
Even as the giant shouted out, Naruto pressed the offensive, surrounded by scintillating light.
"NO!" the giant howled miserably. It suddenly slapped both hands down onto its armor, causing the magical symbols to shoot out to defend against the Battle Weapon. When they slammed into each other, the magical symbols began to shatter!
The first, the second, the third… in the blink of an eye, seven of the nine magical symbols were completely destroyed!
Then… the eighth! And finally… the ninth!
When the ninth magical symbol was destroyed, the giant's armor collapsed into fragments.
The scintillating blade then continued on toward the giant's neck!
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1181Chapter 1181: Your Words are Meaningless!
"Exalted Dao Namikaze , save me!" the giant roared in terror, its heart pounding as it stared at the descending blade.
In the moment it called out, the ash that was the remnants of the magical symbols suddenly formed back together, turning into the same monkey face which had appeared on the chestplate of the armor earlier. Its eyes shone with a strange light as it stared at Naruto. Then it spoke in a sinister voice: "Reincarnation of Heaven and Earth. Heed me, thou shalt slay him not!"
As the voice echoed out, Naruto's Battle Weapon landed on the giant's neck. What was destroyed was not just the neck, though, but the entire giant. An indescribable force slashed into it, completely crushing and shattering it!
However, in response to the monkey's voice, the giant suddenly burned with powerful life force, a life force that seemed impossible for Heaven and Earth to destroy!
Rumbling could be heard as it began to recover from its state of destruction. From the look of it, the power of extermination unleashed by Naruto and his Battle Weapon were incapable of actually destroying the giant!
As its life force flourished, the giant first gaped in shock, then went wild with joy. Roaring, it lifted both hands into the air and charged toward Naruto. As for Naruto, he actually completely ignored the giant, and instead turned to the monkey.
Voice cool, he said, "The Mountain and Sea Realm is not your Heaven and not your Earth. You don't control reincarnation here. Therefore, your words… are meaningless!" As he spoke, his Battle Weapon exploded with intense black light that spread out in all directions. The giant suddenly trembled, and then collapsed into pieces. The fist which had been descending onto Naruto became nothing more than ash.
In the moment that the giant died, the face formed from magical symbols glared at Naruto, then began to fade away into the air. Naruto staggered backward, and the Battle Weapon vanished. The copper mirror and the parrot appeared again. The parrot looked very listless. After glaring bitterly at Naruto for a moment, it returned to his bag of holding.
Naruto's armor and cape transformed back into the meat jelly and mastiff. They both looked exhausted, and he quickly put them away. His face was pale white, and he now lacked any energy to keep fighting.
It would have been difficult for him to wield the Battle Weapon with only his own might. Therefore, he'd been forced to share the load with the meat jelly and the mastiff. That was what had enabled him to stay in that most powerful of states for a bit longer.
Thankfully, it hadn't taken too much time to defeat the giant. Even still, Naruto was completely worn out.
As the giant died, the magical seals in the area began to fade away, revealing the exit. Naruto's face flickered as he considered whether or not to go to the other lands in the area to acquire their flame sparks. But then, the ground suddenly began to quake. The other five lands that existed in the Divine Flame world then began to rise up into the air. As the lands shook, mighty roars echoed out from them. Naruto immediately sent his divine sense sweeping out, and caught sight of five churning columns of black smoke.
The black smoke rose into the air, rapidly forming together into an enormous head. That head… had the face of a monkey.
Naruto's face flickered as a sensation of deadly crisis filled him that was far, far greater than anything he had experienced earlier. As it exploded out in his mind, he instantly abandoned any thoughts of trying to go to the other lands. His body flashed as he unleashed his cultivation base, transforming into an azure roc that shot toward the exit.
He performed a quick teleportation and instantly appeared by the exit. However, before he could step through, the monkey formed from black smoke suddenly howled.
That howl immediately caused the air to shatter. It filled the six lands of the Divine Flame world, echoing out, causing everything to shake. An indescribable power of destruction filled that roar, and it caused blood to spurt out of Naruto's mouth.
Shockingly, the exit itself also began to rumble and collapse. At the same time, the monkey face opened its mouth and lunged toward Naruto.
The sensation of deadly crisis grew even greater, and Naruto coughed up another mouthful of blood, then stepped into the collapsing exit.
However, in the instant before it completely collapsed, a fierce gleam flickered in Naruto's eyes. He was not the type of person who liked to come out on the losing end, and would always seize every opportunity that came his way. Although he was in a moment of extreme danger, he lifted his right hand and then waved his finger toward the monkey face up above him!
"A Writ of Karma! You owe me money!" he roared. Then, he vanished.
In the moment that he disappeared, the exit shattered, consumed by the enormous mouth formed by the giant land masses.
In the air above the world of Divine Flame, the monkey face suddenly trembled. Karma Threads appeared, which gradually formed together, forming a connection to Naruto. This was a special type of Karma, and once formed, if Naruto wasn't repaid sufficiently, it could turn into an inner Devil.
"You damned bastard! How could you have a magical technique like this!? You Immortals are all completely shameless!" The face roared, and everything collapsed. Wild colors flashed about as the special Karma Thread Naruto had tied was forcibly severed. Of course, that severing caused a huge backlash which also affected Naruto.
Naruto appeared on the second level, coughing up a mouthful of blood. Before the first mouthful finished spurting out, he coughed up a second and then a third mouthful of pitch-black blood!
After that, he swayed dizzily, and instantly knew that someone had broken A Writ of Karma. He had predicted that such a thing might happen, and was also aware that a backlash would occur. However, that didn't cause him to even pause to think about whether or not to use the technique. That was Naruto. If he was willing to treat himself viciously, then how much more so could he treat others viciously!?
He was willing to suffer a backlash, as long as it meant that the monkey did too!
That was his way of telling people: Don't provoke me!
The ancient beast on the second level looked at Naruto with a strange expression. It saw the entrance to the third level collapse, and apparently wanted to ask about what had happened. However, it hesitated. Based on everything, it could guess that some monumental event had occurred. However, sometimes, not knowing what had happened was far safer than knowing.
Therefore, it maintained its silence and chose not to ask any questions.
Naruto looked at the beast and nodded. Then he shot out from the second level's exit, and left the underground world entirely.
Although this adventure had ended with Naruto being injured, he had also acquired much. His only regret was that of the six flame sparks, he had only acquired one.
"Well, there's no hurry," he thought. "One of these days, I'll come back.
And then… I'll make sure that A Writ of Karma gets fully formed!" Naruto had already come to the rough conclusion that the monkey face was likely… Dao Namikaze !
Huoyan Zi had mentioned Dao Namikaze , who was also the same person standing guard outside of the 33 Heavens!
"If I can fully solidify A Writ of Karma, then I'll hardly be able to wait until
I leave the Mountain and Sea Realm and charge through all the 33 Heavens. When I see Dao Namikaze 's true self, I wonder if he'll pay the money back first, or just attack me?" Naruto chuckled coldly as his body flickered, then reappeared in the plains that surrounded the Ancient Dao Lakes of the Southern Domain.
As soon as he materialized, Naruto took a deep breath, causing the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth to roil toward him. He absorbed the spiritual energy and then breathed out again, completing a full cycle. His Eternal stratum was hard at work, and he also produced medicinal pills, which he immediately consumed.
As his wounds rapidly healed, he sat down cross-legged and began to meditate. The area he was in was wild and rugged, filled with wild vegetation and lacking the slightest sign of human habitation.
After sitting there for about two hours, his wounds were healed by about ninety percent. The worst injuries had been sustained, not during his battle with the giant, but in those final moments, by the roar of the monkey face.
That roar had injured his soul, and had even affected the flame spark.
Thankfully, Naruto had been able to escape almost immediately, ensuring that the injuries weren't permanent. Otherwise, there would have been serious and troubling repercussions.
He was about to continue the healing process when he realized that the final ten percent would require several hours. At that point, he suddenly opened his eyes and slapped his bag of holding. A jade slip flew out, and when he pressed down onto it, Namikaze Shoudao's voice filled his mind.
"It's time for you to return and help the two of us stand as Dharma
Protectors for your father to step into the Dao!"
Naruto's face lit up. His injuries weren't that important. What was truly important was helping his father step into the Dao. Both to him and to the clan, that was a matter of utmost importance!
That was especially so after witnessing Guru Heavencloud's failure in attempting to step into the Dao. Naruto was worried for his father, but he also knew that Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu were offering an incredible gift. Plus, his father was already in the great circle of the Ancient Realm. This step… was a step that had to be taken!
Naruto rose to his feet and transformed into a beam of light that shot toward the Eastern Lands. He was almost done with the things he needed to take care of on Planet South Heaven. Once his father's ceremony was complete, it would be time to leave!
"Dao Realm cultivators aren't allowed to enter Planet South Heaven….
Well then, what will Patriarch Shoudao do to allow father to step into the Dao here?" Feeling very curious about the matter, Naruto shot out of the Southern Domain at top speed, all the way to the Eastern Lands. It only took him the time it takes half an incense stick to burn before he was back in the Namikaze Clan citadel.
As soon as he got close, Namikaze Shoudao's voice boomed out from inside. "Hao'er, we've been waiting for you! Let's go!" Even as he spoke, he flew out of the ancestral mansion along with Namikaze Yanxu. Last to come out was Naruto's father, Namikaze Xiufeng.
Namikaze Xiufeng looked over benevolently at Naruto, unable to conceal his excitement at attempting to transcend the tribulation of stepping into the Dao. Although he brimmed with anticipation, he was also very nervous.
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1182Chapter 1182: Great Tang; Allheaven!
"Dad…." Naruto said, looking back at Namikaze Xiufeng. He was actually far more worried than Namikaze Xiufeng was.
"There's no need to worry. With Patriarchs Shoudao and Yanxu helping, then if I fail, then I guess all my years of cultivation have been a foolish waste!" Namikaze Xiufeng laughed heartily, but then his expression turned serious. "I'm a cultivator, and my life… has been focused on eventually stepping into the Dao!
"From the Spirit Realm to the Immortal. From the Immortal Realm to the Ancient. From the Ancient Realm to the Dao. The further along you get, the less likely you are to succeed. However, that shouldn't be a reason to avoid the danger, nor an excuse to not take that final step!
"I have transcended the tribulations of Ancient Realm Soul Lamp extinguishing, one by one. What does this trifling Dao Stepping Tribulation count for? If I really fail, then at least I'll have a hundred years of longevity left that I can use to protect you and your sister. My only regret… will be that I will not be able to abide by my agreement to stand guard for 100,000 years!" With that, no further trace of anxiety regarding stepping into the Dao could be seen on Namikaze Xiufeng.
He could have chosen to be like Guru Heavencloud, to hold back from stepping into the Dao. He could have been cautious, and thus lived longer. Without any tribulation, there would be no risk to his life, and he could have lived in safety.
Actually, in addition to the danger of the tribulation itself, one of the main reasons that many cultivators chose to remain in the great circle of the Ancient Realm was because they couldn't suppress that desire to remain safe and alive.
"Dad, you're gonna succeed!" Naruto said staunchly. Those words were actually not uttered from the standpoint of a son, but rather… were backed by his status as the future Lord of the Mountain and Sea Realm.
Namikaze Xiufeng smiled. At the same time, Uzumaki Li and Namikaze Yu flew up from below, joined by Sun Hai. The entire group hovered in midair, unable to keep themselves from looking nervously at Namikaze Xiufeng.
"Alright, alright," Namikaze Xiufeng said, smiling gently at his wife and daughter. "You don't all need to come with me. Having Hao'er along should be enough."
Uzumaki Li looked at Namikaze Xiufeng and nodded.
"I'll be waiting for you to come back," she said softly.
"Yes, I'll be back for you!" he replied with a laugh. Then he turned and flew off into the distance with Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu.
Uzumaki Li watched her husband leaving and, voice quavering, said, "Naruto, take good care of your father. I'm… entrusting him to you."
"Don't worry, Mom," Naruto said resolutely. "Dad's going to be fine!" He looked over at Namikaze Yu and Sun Hai, nodded, and then followed Namikaze Xiufeng and the others.
"Dad," Namikaze Yu murmured, biting her lip, no longer able to suppress her anxiety. "Good luck stepping into the Dao. I'll be praying for you to succeed!"
Namikaze Xiufeng's laughter echoed back from off in the distance, filled with exuberance and determination.
The four Namikaze cultivators were all speeding off in the direction… of the Great Tang Forbidden Palace!
Naruto had never paid much attention to the Great Tang government itself. However, ever since the year he had caught a glimpse of Emperor Tang in his Imperial City, and realized he had a profound cultivation base that was roughly the same as Naruto's own father, he had realized that the Great Tang was indeed extremely mysterious. 1
"So, we're going to the Great Tang!" he murmured to himself as he saw the Great Tang Imperial City getting closer. There were countless mortals there, and it was a flourishing place. Dusk was falling, but the brilliant light cast by numerous colorful lanterns made a spectacular scene. Then there was the Forbidden Palace itself, which looked like an enormous sleeping beast!
As they neared, Naruto was able to make out a figure sitting on the Dragon Throne, wearing Imperial robes, watching the four of them approach. 2
As Naruto peered at the Great Tang Imperial City, Namikaze Shoudao looked over at him with a kind smile and asked, "Hao'er, do you find this odd?"
"Yeah, it seems strange. Why are we going to the Great Tang? What secrets are locked up here?"
"Hao'er, the Namikaze Clan of the past was an Allheaven Clan," Namikaze Shoudao explained slowly. "Our first generation Patriarch was the last bloodline member of that clan. The clan that he founded afterward is the Namikaze Clan that we know today, which has played such a central role in the affairs of the Ninth Mountain and Sea." Some of these things Naruto already knew, and others were things which did not need to be kept secret from him now, considering his status.
"There are a few other matters that it's time to tell you. The reason that the modern Namikaze Clan is an Allheaven Clan is because you awoke our bloodline. That is why you are our eternal Patriarch!
"The more powerful you become, the faster that awakening will proceed. After it is complete, the Allheaven power will be unleashed with increasing efficacy!
"If you are able to step into the Dao Realm, then the Namikaze Clan will truly be able to rise to prominence, and be restored to its former glory!" Anticipation gleamed in Namikaze Shoudao's eyes. Although Namikaze Yanxu was normally very taciturn, his expression was also one of excitement and anticipation, and when he looked at Naruto, it was with warmth and kindness.
"Perhaps you already know that Allheaven Clans… existed in the Immortal World, before the formation of the Mountain and Sea Realm. In the Paragon Immortal Realm, Allheaven Clans were the most glorious among all the clans. Even the Paragons had to treat them respectfully.
"Also, the Namikaze Clan was not the only Allheaven Clan. In total, there were nine!" Namikaze Shoudao explained slowly.
"Of course, the nine Allheaven Clans fell apart during the war, and countless clan members were killed. For example, almost the entire Namikaze Clan was wiped out in the war. As for the sole remaining bloodline, it was many years until the first generation Patriarch appeared here in the Ninth Mountain and Sea.
"Nowadays, descendants of those nine clans are scattered throughout the Nine Mountains and Seas. Some, like our Namikaze Clan, could be considered to have been reestablished. Others have completely vanished into the pages of history.
"You should know that the Namikaze Clan is not the only Allheaven Clan in the Ninth Mountain and Sea. There is another such clan… right here! And that clan is… the Great Tang!" By this point, Naruto's heart was pounding.
Namikaze Xiufeng didn't seem surprised. He had conferred quite a bit with Namikaze Shoudao in recent days, and knew about all these matters pertaining to Allheaven Clans. Furthermore, because he was standing guard over Planet South Heaven, he also had a good understanding of the Great Tang.
"The Great Tang is actually the Li Clan, and not the same Li Clan as that which currently exists in the Ninth Mountain and Sea! 3
"Actually, of the nine Allheaven Clans, they were the clan that survived mostly untouched. In fact, by the time the war was coming to an end, when the Mountain and Sea Realm was formed, their whole clan was still intact. That was because they had been entrusted with a special mission. They were to use the power of an Allheaven Clan to protect the Mountain and Sea Realm.
"However, even in the early days of the Mountain and Sea Realm the war was still ongoing. In the final battle, a gap was opened, breaching the Mountain and Sea Realm. If that gap were ever to be torn completely open, the Mountain and Sea Realm… would cease to exist.
"In that critical time, the final Allheaven Clan, the Li Clan, chose to make a clan-wide blood sacrifice. Every member of the clan, men and women, old and young alike, all sacrificed themselves to make a door. That door closed the gap, ensuring that the powers of the Outside world could not enter. And thus ended a war that had lasted for tens of thousands of years!
"That gap is in the Ninth Mountain and Sea, behind Planet South Heaven!
"Therefore, from that time onward, Planet South Heaven became a very special planet in the Mountain and Sea Realm. It also came to be known as the Door of South Heaven!
"From then on, there was a new empire on Planet South Heaven, called the Great Tang. The entire Li Clan sacrificed themselves to protect the Mountain and Sea Realm, leaving behind only a single clan member to maintain their ancestral device and prevent the Outside world from entering. It was the clan's mission, and even if there was only one person left to carry it out, that mission remained. And that… is how things have continued, down to this day." All of these things were matters that had been revealed to Namikaze Shoudao after he had gone to visit the clone of the first generation Patriarch recently.
"Your father stands guard over Planet South Heaven, and the Li Clan stands guard over the Door of South Heaven!
"It is because of the special nature of Planet South Heaven that it is impossible for Dao Realm experts to enter it. Only by suppressing our cultivation bases to the great circle of the Ancient Realm can we do so. Otherwise… Planet South Heaven as a whole would view us as enemies, and would eradicate us!
"However, that doesn't mean that it is completely impossible for Dao Realm cultivators to be here. In order for a Dao Realm expert to remain here, that person must gain the approval of Planet South Heaven.
Furthermore, the only person who can make that happen, is… the Great Tang, the Li Clan!"
When Naruto heard all of this, his heart trembled. Although he already knew many secrets, quite a few of them were things he had been told, and did not understand based on experiencing them personally. As such, his understanding was incomplete. For example, he had been completely clueless regarding the identity of the Great Tang.
He could only imagine what it must have been like years ago for the Li Clan to watch one Allheaven Clan after another be exterminated while they, in order to accomplish their mission, were forced to hold back their power and not participate in the fighting. They must have felt torn, and at the same time, they were obviously tenacious.
When the gap opened up in the Mountain and Sea Realm, they didn't hesitate to perform a blood sacrifice of their entire clan to create the Door of South Heaven. They sealed the gap, accomplishing the mission of their clan. What a heroic sacrifice!
Now he understood why, when first encountering Emperor Tang all those years ago, he had felt such a desolate loneliness within his majesty. He was the only survivor of his entire bloodline. Their sacrifice was like a curse for him. There had been many successive generations of people like him, the Emperors of the Great Tang, all of whom were charged with upholding the original mission. For all eternity, they would protect the Mountain and Sea Realm by standing guard over the Door of South Heaven.
Naruto's eyes filled with respect as he followed his father, Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu. They flew into the Great Tang Imperial City and toward the Forbidden Palace. The sun was just about to set, and all of a sudden, Naruto recalled what Namikaze Shoudao had mentioned about Dao Realm cultivators being unable to enter Planet South Heaven. Then he thought about the giant he had fought, as well as the monkey face.
"Without gaining approval, the Dao Realm will be exterminated?" Naruto asked suddenly.
"Without exception," Namikaze Shoudao replied.
Naruto's heart trembled, and he began to breathe heavily. Great waves of shock rolled through him, as well as doubts. As far as he could tell, there were only three possible explanations.
One explanation was that the giant and the monkey were both approved of by the Li Clan. However, that was clearly not possible. The second explanation was that the world of the Divine Flame was somehow unique. The third explanation… was a possibility that left Naruto feeling even more shaken. Perhaps the giant and the monkey only appeared to be in the Dao Realm, but the versions of themselves within the Divine Flame world… were actually not in the Dao Realm!
For example, Naruto was currently capable of slaughtering 2Essences Dao Realm cultivators, despite not being in the Dao Realm himself. Despite that, he was not the subject of extermination by Planet South Heaven.
Although that third explanation seemed preposterous, Naruto could not help but come to the conclusion that it was most likely true.
Naruto briefly met Emperor Tang in chapter 802 ↩ The Emperors of ancient China usually sat on what was called the Dragon Throne ↩ One reason Namikaze Shoudao specifically points out that they are different clans is that this Li Clan shares the same common surname Li 李 with the Li
Clan of the Ninth Mountain and Sea. It might seem confusing, but again, Li is a very common surname. For example, it's the same surname shared by Jet Li (Li Lianjie) and Bruce Lee (Li Xiaolong). However, Jet Li and Bruce Lee are not related, nor are they from a Li Clan in ISSTH. In English, it could be likened to Will Smith and Anna Nicole Smith, who both share the surname Smith, but are not from the Smith Clan in ISSTH
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1183Chapter 1183: Facing Tribulation in a Mysterious Location!
Naruto maintained his silence as they proceeded along toward the
Great Tang. Soon, the four beams of light were just outside the Forbidden Palace. In the main hall up ahead, not a single person could be seen other than Emperor Tang on the Dragon Throne.
Everything was quiet, with pressure weighing down from all directions. The lanterns in the area were dim, casting Emperor Tang in flickering shadows that made it difficult to make him out clearly. Only his two brightly shining eyes were visible.
Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu walked forward and, despite the level of their cultivation bases, clasped hands and bowed deeply to Emperor Tang.
Namikaze Xiufeng did the same.
Naruto's eyes glittered like lightning, and his face was extremely solemn as he also bowed. He knew that although the Patriarchs and his father were bowing to Emperor Tang, what they were showing respect to… was the sacrifice of the Allheaven Li Clan for the entire Mountain and Sea Realm.
A clan like that deserved respect from everyone, even other Allheaven
Clans. They showed their bravery in the early days of the Immortal World calamity, when the war had just begun, and also afterwards, when things were unstable. In the end, their clan-wide sacrifice… was an even greater display of bravery.
Everything was quiet, and no one spoke. After a long moment, a sigh could be heard from within the main hall, a long sigh filled with ancientness. As it echoed about, the entire hall lit up, and Emperor Tang rose to his feet from the Dragon Throne, then slowly walked out of the hall.
He was a middle-aged man wearing a Dragon robe, powerful and impressive as he stood there, as if all of Planet South Heaven would be wreathed in shadow because of his presence. It was as if he was the Lord of South Heaven!
Actually, as one of the successive descendants of the Allheaven Li Clan who stood watch here, he… really could be called the Lord of South Heaven.
Although his cultivation base wasn't at the absolute pinnacle, he was the only person on Planet South Heaven who could call upon the power of his bloodline, the will of his ancestors, to control the spell formation that had been formed by the collective sacrifice of the Allheaven Li Clan.
With that spell formation, he could cut down Dao Realm cultivators as easily as turning over his hand!
"Brother Xiufeng," he said slowly, "I'm aware of the purpose of your visit….
"It is an important matter, something which has never occurred before. I'm actually uncertain… as to whether or not it will work.
"Hopefully, it will. However, if it fails, then even if you do step into the Dao Realm, you will be instantly slaughtered by the spell formation. Even I will be incapable of preventing that from happening. This will make your experience of stepping into the Dao even more difficult, by several times. Are you… really sure you want to try it?" His voice echoed out, filled with boundless pressure that caused the clouds up above to roil, and the lands to tremble.
The words he had spoken were true; he could control the spell formation, but only in the sense that he could use it to attack. He could not prevent it from carrying out its primary function. If anything, he might be able to hold it back for a short time to allow Namikaze Xiufeng to flee off of Planet South Heaven after he stepped into the Dao.
However, Namikaze Xiufeng… couldn't leave Planet South Heaven. Things would be much easier for him if he ended up in the Quasi-Dao Realm. However, if he truly stepped into the Dao Realm, he would essentially be facing certain death.
When Naruto heard this, his heart trembled. He looked over at Namikaze Xiufeng, Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu, who were waiting to hear his father's response. Whatever it was, they would support him.
In truth, it didn't matter that Namikaze Xiufeng wasn't in the Dao Realm. He would still be considered the Clan Chief of the Namikaze Clan. However… although that wouldn't be a problem in the short term, it would make it inappropriate from the clan's standpoint once Naruto left the Ninth Mountain and Sea, and it would be inevitable that some clan members would eventually raise objections.
Therefore, Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu had both agreed that they would not hold anything back. They would do everything they could to help Namikaze Xiufeng step into the Dao…. In that case, he would be the true Clan Chief, unshakable and unmovable.
As for the particulars of how Namikaze Xiufeng went about doing that, it was his decision. No one, not even Naruto, could influence him.
Namikaze Xiufeng was silent for only a moment. He didn't need a long time to think. He gave a carefree laugh and then said, "Since I'm here, what's the point in backing out? Brother Li, thank you for going out of your way to help."
Namikaze Xiufeng's expression was calm; his eyes flashed with determination, and his heart was completely focused. He was the type of person who couldn't settle for being ordinary, and had always had lofty aspirations. The only reason he had suppressed them and agreed to stand guard over Planet South Heaven was for Naruto's sake.
Now that Naruto was finally freed from his curse, Namikaze Xiufeng's heroic ambitions once again soared!
"Dad…." Naruto murmured anxiously.
"Hao'er, father is a cultivator as well!" Namikaze Xiufeng said, looking back at him. His gaze was soft, and his words were spoken quietly. However, his simple sentence revealed the deep ambitions he harbored. It spoke to his pride, and revealed how focused he was on his cultivation.
As Namikaze Xiufeng's words echoed out into the air, Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu looked on with sparkling eyes, and nodded slightly.
"So you're set on doing this, Brother Xiufeng," said Emperor Tang. "I understand." Emperor Tang looked deeply at Namikaze Xiufeng, then turned and waved his sleeve. Colors flashed and everything shook. All of the lands of South Heaven trembled, and the entire planet seemed to shake.
The shaking was even more intense in the Forbidden Palace. A moment later, the main hall vanished, to be replaced by a huge, spinning vortex that was the color of blood!
That color came from the blood of the Allheaven Li Clan, congealed during their sacrifice. As the vortex spun, it seemed as if all of Planet South Heaven had become frozen in time as an indescribably intense pressure weighed down, covering the entire planet. Emperor Tang stood next to Namikaze Xiufeng, looking at him.
"In there is the secret realm of the Li Clan, the wellspring of our bloodline. Brother Xiufeng, Senior Shoudao, Senior Yanxu, and… Hao'er, all of you may enter. I will remain outside to stand as Dharma
Protector!"
Namikaze Xiufeng took a deep breath and looked at the blood-colored vortex, eyes shining. Then he clasped hands and bowed deeply to Emperor Tang before striding forward into the vortex. Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu shot forward in streaks of light as they followed Namikaze Xiufeng.
Last was Naruto. After bowing to Emperor Tang, he headed toward the vortex, and was just about to step in when the Emperor spoke, his voice soft.
"You have a good father. He's sacrificed a lot for you."
Naruto paused for a moment, then continued onward into the vortex, vanishing.
Inside the blood-colored vortex was a world the color of blood. Everything was blood-red. There were no plants, no mountains, no rivers. There was only flat, crimson ground stretching out in all directions.
However, up ahead of them could be seen a huge door, which flickered back and forth between illusory and corporeal. It was covered with a thick layer of blood that formed a howling face.
Every howl that came out of its mouth caused ripples to spread out and fill the entire blood-colored world. Every time the ripples faded, it was possible to see that, far up in the sky, there was a huge net-like spell formation!
That spell formation covered everything, and stretched out as far as the eye could see. Divine sense could not touch it, and the only reason it could be seen… was because of the flowing ripples.
This was the very door that had been formed by the sacrifice of the entire Li Clan, and the spell formation up above… was the extermination formation that covered all of Planet South Heaven!
Namikaze Shoudao looked around and then said, "This is the Ancestral Land of the Li Clan, and also the nucleus of Planet South Heaven!
"When stepping into the Dao in this place, there is a chance to be accepted by the spell formation, and thus avoid being slaughtered!" Suddenly, a rumbling sound could be heard coming from the door.
The suddenness of the sound caused Naruto's eyes to flicker. He looked over and saw that the blood-colored door was bulging, as if a hand were stretching out from it.
It appeared as if something was on the other side of that door, roaring, erupting with cultivation base power in an attempt to open the door!
However, blood-colored light flickered, and ten blood-red faces appeared. As they howled, the ripples grew more intense, and whatever it was that was inside the door trembled and retracted its hand.
Naruto sucked in a breath and asked, "What's on the other side of that door…?"
The person to answer the question was not from the Namikaze Clan. Instead, the voice of Emperor Tang echoed out to fill the blood-colored world.
"Behind that door is a path, a path… that is not guarded by the 33 Heavens. It is guarded by the two major powers which waged war against the Immortal World long ago.
"That door must never be opened!"
Naruto nodded and took a deep breath. Finally, he looked away from the door toward Namikaze Xiufeng.
Namikaze Xiufeng smiled slightly and sat down cross-legged. Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu waved their hands. Almost instantly, the light of a spell formation flared up, swirling around Namikaze Xiufeng. After that, Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu also sat down cross-legged across from each other, flanking Namikaze Xiufeng. Their expressions were very serious.
"Hao'er, you sit over there," Namikaze Shoudao said solemnly. "Together, we will form the Trifecta Dao Formation. All you need to do is use your Dao Immortal cultivation base power to support your father.
"The Trifecta Dao Formation is the first step in helping your father in transcending tribulation. We can't be lax in any aspect!"
Naruto's expression was one of determination as he walked over to the position indicated by Namikaze Shoudao and then sat down cross-legged. He immediately rotated his cultivation base, causing azure light to shine up. Shockingly, azure light also began to shine off of Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu.
However, their light was much dimmer than Naruto's.
Even still, Emperor Tang, who was watching the scene via divine sense, was shocked.
"The Allheaven Namikaze Clan… has been awakened…?
"An Allheaven Dao Immortal has appeared in the world, and an Allheaven Clan is once again rising to glory…." A strange light began to gleam in his eyes.
"Trifecta Dao Formation, activate!" Namikaze Shoudao roared. "Xiufeng, what are you waiting for? Begin stepping into the Dao!"
As the sound of his words echoed out, Namikaze Xiufeng's eyes began to glow with a piercing light. He raised both hands and pushed up into the air.
At the same time, his cultivation base exploded, as he used the full power of the great circle of the Ancient Realm to open the Dao Stepping Path!
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1184Chapter 1184: Dao Tribulation!
In almost the same moment that Namikaze Xiufeng's cultivation base exploded with power, the blood-colored sky overhead was ripped apart by seemingly invisible hands to reveal a starry sky.
Simultaneously, a huge vortex appeared up above, whose rotation caused the entire blood-colored world to distort as the power of the Dao Realm… descended to Planet South Heaven!
All of Planet South Heaven rumbled, and countless cultivators looked up into the sky with expressions of astonishment. What they saw was the sky distorting as a shocking vortex appeared. Its rotation caused innumerable motes of dust to float up into the air, and even the Milky Way Sea began to seethe.
Everyone from the Namikaze Clan sat cross-legged, expressions of anticipation on their faces as they looked up. They were filled with excitement, as they all knew that their Clan Chief Namikaze Xiufeng was currently transcending tribulation to step into the Dao!
Naruto's mother and sister were in the Namikaze Clan ancestral mansion, along with Sun Hai and many others. They were nervous, and Uzumaki Li was even clutching tightly at her garments, shivering slightly as her heart filled with numerous anxieties.
Naruto's sister was acting exactly the same.
As of this point, the eyes of virtually everyone on Planet South Heaven were fixed upon that vortex!
The rumbling grew increasingly intense as a path slowly became visible…. If one could step onto that path despite all of the tribulations, then entering the Dao Realm was a possibility!
In the blood-colored world, Namikaze Xiufeng's eyes shone with a strange light. He lowered his left hand and pushed onto his dantian region, while his right hand viciously slapped his forehead. At the same time, a rumbling sound could be heard as Namikaze Shoudao's body trembled, and his flesh visibly withered.
Simultaneously, Namikaze Xiufeng threw his head back and roared, and all of a sudden… a ghost image of himself appeared. Shockingly, this was a type of clone, an image that looked exactly like Namikaze Xiufeng, which flew up into the air toward the vortex.
Namikaze Shoudao began to explain.
"Naruto, this Trifecta Dao Formation uses the cultivation base power of three people to help your father create three clones, all of them as powerful as his true form. By using these three clones to transcend the tribulation, he will have a much easier time succeeding!"
Naruto looked up into the sky and saw the huge vortex filled with crackling lightning, numerous bolts of which were already shooting down. Namikaze Xiufeng's clone shot forward to meet the powerful lightning, lightning that was actually larger and more terrifying than the lightning that Guru Heavencloud had faced.
It was powerful enough to destroy worlds, and it transformed into a sea of lightning that smashed toward Namikaze Xiufeng.
A huge boom rang out. Everyone watched as Namikaze Xiufeng's clone threw his head back and roared, then performed an incantation gesture to summon divine abilities and magical techniques that fought back
against the lightning.
Time passed, and everyone was shocked by the astonishing events playing out in front of their eyes. After the first tribulation passed, Namikaze Xiufeng's clone was injured and tired, but continued onward toward the vortex. It was at this point that rumbling sounds echoed out as the second tribulation descended… the Weapon Tribulation!
Based on what Naruto knew from watching Guru Heavencloud stepping into the Dao, there were a total of nine tribulations, each one successively more intense. If you could beat them all back, then step into the vortex, you would be half finished with the process. Having transcended the tribulations, you would be qualified to achieve the Dao.
Guru Heavencloud had failed in the middle of the third tribulation, and currently, Namikaze Xiufeng was facing the second tribulation. Various weapons materialized, sweeping forth with astonishing power. Rumbling sounds echoed out as nine of them bore down on Namikaze Xiufeng's clone.
Naruto was looking on nervously as Namikaze Xiufeng's clone spread his hands wide, his eyes glittering with a cold light. He then waved his hands in front of him, causing colors to flash and the sky to tremble. The nine weapons suddenly stopped in place for a moment, then trembled with energy and shot forward again.
Booms echoed out constantly, and the roars of Namikaze Xiufeng's clone echoed out into the ears of all the cultivators on Planet South Heaven. When his wife and daughter heard them, they became even more anxious than before.
The direct bloodline clan members of the Namikaze Clan were also waiting in nervous anticipation, waiting for their Clan Chief to step into the Dao!
The sky flashed as the nine Tribulation Weapons surged with power and a desire to cut down anyone who attempted to transcend the tribulation. As the rumbling echoed out, Namikaze Xiufeng's clone advanced relentlessly.
"Get the hell out of my way!" Namikaze Xiufeng's clone suddenly sucked in a deep breath. As he did, his eyes shone with cold light, and boundless energy of Heaven and Earth roiled toward him and was absorbed. Wild colors flashed up above, and Namikaze Xiufeng's clone began to shine with brilliant light, making him look like a blazing sun.
Suddenly, an illusory sword materialized in his outstretched right hand. He stepped out with his right foot, bending his body like a bow and then slashing down with the sword, unleashing a blinding stream of light.
The sword Chakra pulsed with indescribable energy, causing everything else to grow dark and blurred. Namikaze Xiufeng's clone, and the sword he held, were the only things that were incomparably bright and clear.
"My Dao is the Dao of the sword, and the sword is the king of all weapons! Trifling Weapon Tribulation… do you really dare to block my way!?" The clone's echoing voice was filled with incredible pressure as the sword light shone out toward the nine weapons of the Weapon Tribulation.
When they slammed into each other, a massive boom echoed out. The sword light exploded with scintillating, intense power, causing everything to vibrate. A supreme, paramount aura even rose up from the sword!
Boom! The first weapon fell into pieces!
Then the second, the third, and the fourth….
In the blink of an eye, seven weapons were turned into ash. The remaining two, however, continued to struggle through the sword light. As they neared the clone, he didn't even dodge, but let out a cold harrumph instead.
The sound of it caused the two weapons to tremble and then collapse into fragments, which then turned into nothing more than ash. They… had already reached the point of collapse, and were pushed over the edge by the mere sound.
Namikaze Xiufeng had successfully transcended the second tribulation. His energy soared brightly, as if stepping into the Dao was a simple matter for him!
Had Guru Heavencloud not been killed, and were now able to watch what was happening, he would be flabbergasted. After all of his own years of preparation, he had only been able to pass the second tribulation. Namikaze Xiufeng was clearly far, far more powerful than he had been.
Of course, much of that had to do with the Trifecta Dao Formation, which bolstered Namikaze Xiufeng's cultivation base and gave him three clones. Because of that… things were much easier, and he could explode out with even more power.
By this point, the third tribulation was approaching. This was the tribulation that had rocked Guru Heavencloud, in which four blackarmored figures appeared.
However, as soon as they materialized, and before they could even make a move, Naruto waved his right hand, sending his divine will out to the figures. Immediately, they stopped, then clasped hands and bowed to Namikaze Xiufeng. After that, they turned and disappeared back into the vortex.
They retreated without even putting up a fight!
This sight caused Namikaze Xiufeng's clone to stare in shock. He wasn't the only one. All of the cultivators on Planet South Heaven who were watching the scene couldn't help but be astonished. Even Naruto's mother and sister stared, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Now nothing can prevent your father from transcending this tribulation," Namikaze Shoudao said.
"That's right," replied Namikaze Yanxu. "Xiufeng has prepared well. Even I couldn't match up to him, back when I stepped into the Dao."
"From the look of it, being stationed here on Planet South Heaven is actually an opportunity for Xiufeng."
As Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu continued to discuss the matter, the serious looks on their faces faded into more relaxed expressions.
From their perspectives, whether or not he would transcend the tribulation was now not even in question. Namikaze Xiufeng had already proven that he could step into the Dao even without their help. Clearly, his eventual success was without question.
What they were worried about now… was what would happen with the Planet South Heaven spell formation after he succeeded.
However, Naruto wasn't so confident. For some reason, when he looked at his father's clone up in midair, he got a very nervous feeling. It was as if something really bad was about to happen, although he wasn't sure what.
"What's wrong here?" he thought, his eyes narrowing. "Why does it feel like something is off…?" The misgivings inside his heart only continued to grow stronger.
By this point, the fourth and fifth tribulations were arriving. The fourth tribulation was the Five Elements Tribulation. Metal, wood, water, fire, earth. Five different tribulation powers appeared from within the vortex, which then materialized into five enormous dragons that roared as they shot toward Namikaze Xiufeng's clone.
This battle was much more difficult than the previous ones. Namikaze Xiufeng's clone held nothing back, wiping out one dragon directly, and then self-detonating to take out three more. Only the Water Dragon remained. At this point, Namikaze Yanxu roared, and suddenly, his body withered. At the same time, a ghost image stepped out of Namikaze Xiufeng, who was still sitting in the middle of the Trifecta Dao Formation.
This was his second clone, which flew up in a beam of sword light to slaughter the fifth and final dragon. There wasn't even a slight pause as the sixth tribulation descended.
The sixth tribulation emerged in the form of a single character, the character Dao 道. It hovered there, radiating bizarre light. Anyone who could see it would notice that the character didn't seem stable. It was constantly transforming back and forth between nine different versions. However, each one of those permutations of the character represented… the Dao!
Rumbling echoed out as intense pressure radiated out from the nine Dao characters. Namikaze Xiufeng's clone threw his head back and roared, erupting with cultivation base power. Numerous sword images appeared around him, which then transformed into a Dao mist!
The Dao mist spread out in all directions, reaching 30,000 meters, which vastly exceeded Guru Heavencloud's. It swirled around Namikaze Xiufeng's clone as an illusory sword appeared in his hand, and he shot toward the nine Dao characters.
"Tribulation… begone!" As Namikaze Xiufeng's voice echoed out, Heaven and Earth trembled. Sword light rose up, filled with azure light that slashed toward the nine Dao characters. Namikaze Xiufeng was completely confident that this sword strike… would vanquish the sixth tribulation!
That was because he… was Namikaze Xiufeng!
However, it was at this exact point that Naruto realized that his father's clone was glowing with azure light. Suddenly, his mind began to spin.
"Dad! Suppress your Dao seed!"
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1185Chapter 1185: Allheaven Tribulation!
Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, Namikaze Xiufeng's sword connected with the nine Dao characters. A huge boom echoed out, accompanied by boundless, dazzling light. The sixth tribulation's nine Dao characters instantly collapsed, turning into nothing more than drifting ash.
At the same time, the azure light shining up from Namikaze Xiufeng grew even more blinding, as if it had been provoked by some catalyst…. As the light grew even brighter, the Dao seed inside of him began to melt.
As it did, a bit of Allheaven Immortal aura appeared, something which
Naruto was very familiar with. It wasn't the aura of an Allheaven Dao Immortal, but rather, the first stage of an ordinary Allheaven Immortal.
At last, he realized why he'd had such a bad feeling. That bad feeling came from… the Dao seed!
If the Allheaven Immortal within Namikaze Xiufeng awoke at this time, and the tribulation didn't change, then it wouldn't be a problem. However… if the terrifying nature of the tribulation changed in accord with the explosive rise of an Allheaven Immortal, then Namikaze Xiufeng's tribulation would become much more difficult!
As the azure light flickered off of Namikaze Xiufeng, and the Dao seed began to melt, the vortex up above suddenly lurched to a stop, as if it had sensed something. Then, intense rumbling sounds could be heard as the vortex suddenly increase in size, by ten times!
The sight of it caused all the onlooking cultivators on Planet South Heaven to stare in shock. Of course, few of them really understood what was happening. Only select clan Elders had any clue.
Most people had never watched other Dao Stepping Tribulations. However, the Elders who had seen one were astonished as they instantly realized that something different was happening.
Uzumaki Li could also tell that something was amiss, and her face fell.
Back in the blood-colored world, Namikaze Shoudao's eyes went wide. He looked at the vortex, which was now ten times larger than before, then looked back at Namikaze Xiufeng, and a bitter expression appeared on his face. Finally, he let out a long sigh.
Namikaze Yanxu shook his head, and an expression of helplessness appeared.
"These two things are incredible boons, but when put together, they make… a complete catastrophe."
Naruto's face was extremely unsightly, and as for Namikaze Xiufeng, he immediately understood what was happening. His clone hovered there silently in midair, looking up at the vortex. Finally, he chuckled.
"Well, this is fine too. This way, I can truly experience Dao Stepping Tribulation. Since I've decided to transcend tribulation, the only way left is forward…." He began to laugh heartily. However, even as his laughter rang out, an intense rumbling could be heard coming from within the vortex.
The vastly enlarged vortex spun, as… the seventh tribulation arrived. The seventh tribulation was that of… the copper coins!
Copper coins began to flow out of the vortex. Originally, there should only have been nine, but now, with the vortex having increased in size tenfold, there weren't nine copper coins, there were… ninety!
Each and every one of the coins looked exactly the same. On one side of each coin could be seen an image of the Eight Trigrams, and on the other side were characters that looked like magical symbols. Furthermore, each and every coin emanated power that could shake Heaven and Earth.
Intense rumbling filled the air as the coins descended!
"Mountain Ghost Lightning Decree Tribulation," Namikaze Shoudao murmured, "the manifestation of a precious treasure of the Mountains and Seas. This Mountain Ghost Lightning Decree has Heaven-rending, Earth-crushing power!" Up in midair, Namikaze Xiufeng's clone threw his head back and laughed. Sword Chakra billowed up from him as he shot toward the ninety copper coins.
"The tribulation power has increased tenfold, huh? Well, who cares!?" Namikaze Xiufeng's clone transformed into the image of a sword, rumbling through the air toward the coins.
In the instant that they were about to slam into each other, an archaic voice suddenly spoke out from within the ninety copper coins.
"Mountain Ghost…." it said. Immediately, the rightmost two characters on the backs of the copper coins suddenly began to shine with blinding light.
Gradually, ninety roars could be heard, shaking everything, as ninety images materialized from within the ninety copper coins. They were none other than… Mountain Ghosts!
Mountain Ghosts were actually Mountain Gods that hadn't been officially appointed, and thus, could not be referred to as Gods. Instead, they were called Ghosts!
Their appearances were ferocious, and they surged with energy and power. When they appeared, they immediately charged toward Namikaze Xiufeng with indescribable speed.
Rumbling filled the air as fierce fighting unfolded. Merely the first exchange caused Namikaze Xiufeng's clone to cough up blood, and his body was half destroyed. Even still, his sword hacked through all ninety of the Mountain Ghosts, transforming them into nothing more than ash.
However, the seventh tribulation wasn't over yet. Even as the ninety
Mountain Ghosts fell to pieces, the archaic voice once again echoed out.
"Mountain Ghost lightning; slay the Ghosts and subdue the spirits; slaughter Demons and ward off evil; maintain the eternal purity of the Gods…." 1
RUMMMBLE! As the voice echoed out, ninety bolts of lightning shot out from the ninety copper coins. These lightning bolts looked completely different than the Tribulation Lightning from the first tribulation. They were filled with an aura of killing, as if they were paramount in Heaven and Earth, and represented the Dao of the Heavens to slaughter everything it considered evil!
Namikaze Xiufeng's clone threw his head back and roared, causing more sword Chakra to explode up and slam into the ninety lightning bolts. The clone was shoved backward step by step as he sliced apart one bolt after another, blood spurting out of various wounds. By the time the sixty-third lightning bolt hit him, the clone couldn't hold out any longer and exploded.
In that moment, the remaining twenty-seven lightning bolts shot at high speed through the blood-colored air toward Namikaze Xiufeng's true self.
Naruto's eyes were shot with blood, and his cultivation base exploded with power. Using the Trifecta Dao Formation, he poured energy into Namikaze Xiufeng, allowing him to create a third clone. As soon as the clone materialized, he shot up toward the twenty-seven lightning bolts and slashed at them with his sword.
A huge boom echoed out as the twenty-seven lightning bolts collapsed.
Then he charged onward toward the ninety copper coins, sword Chakra raging in attack. The ninety copper coins began to fade, and yet they didn't collapse. Instead, they swirled about in the air, merging together into a single copper coin which then vanished into the vortex.
It wasn't that Namikaze Xiufeng had forced the copper coins into retreat. Instead, the fact that he had been able to endure the ordeal meant that the seventh tribulation was over. Now, the eighth tribulation appeared.
The eighth tribulation was a massive finger that stretched out from the vortex. It emanated a vast pressure, and apparently contained the amassed power of the Mountains and Seas as it launched an attack against Namikaze Xiufeng.
This was far different from an ordinary Dao Stepping Tribulation. The
Dao Stepping Tribulations experienced by Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze
Yanxu in the past had been like children's games compared to this!
"Allheaven Tribulation!" Namikaze Shoudao murmured, giving voice to the conclusion he had reached earlier.
When Naruto heard those words, his pupils constricted, and his heart filled with anxiety. He looked up at his father's clone, and the enormous finger. The finger struck the clone, and the clone exploded into a haze of blood and gore. Then his father's true form rose to his feet in the middle of the Trifecta Dao Formation. Without the slightest hint of hesitation, he flew up into the air.
"Dad!" Naruto cried, shooting to his feet. His eyes were shot with blood, and he couldn't hold back any longer. He had to directly assist his father in fighting back against the Heavenly Tribulation.
"Hao'er," Namikaze Shoudao said, moving to block his way, "you're not in the Dao Realm. This is your father's tribulation, and you can't interfere. If you do, you won't be helping him, you'll be harming him!" Then he exchanged a glance with Namikaze Yanxu, and the two of them nodded.
Decisive gleams appeared in their eyes as they raised their heads and looked up at Namikaze Xiufeng facing the descending finger. Then, both of them took deep breaths and simultaneously… let out an astonishing roar.
"DAO!" they bellowed. The sound of it caused colors to flash in the sky and a huge wind to scream. Essence power erupted, and natural laws manifested. Heaven and Earth distorted as they… called upon the Dao to rebuke the Heavens!
As they joined forces, their Essences, their Daos, and their natural laws appeared around Namikaze Xiufeng, causing his Dao mist to instantly increase by tenfold. As it reached its peak, Namikaze Xiufeng shot toward the finger and slammed into it. Blood instantly sprayed out of his mouth, as well as out of the mouths of Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu.
However, the heavy price they paid caused the finger to tremble and then collapse into pieces. Namikaze Xiufeng passed through the remnants, approaching so close to the vortex that it seemed possible for him to step into it.
However, it was at this point that the ninth tribulation appeared. There was no physical manifestation to this tribulation. Instead, it was invisible. It was… the Deva Tribulation!
The blight of Deva was an invisible tribulation; anyone who attempted to step into the Dao would have to undergo the three blights of Heaven, Earth and Man!
Heaven blighted the spirit. Earth blighted the body. Man blighted the soul!
Namikaze Xiufeng trembled. His spirit seemed to be corroding, and he staggered in place, black blood oozing out of his mouth. Then, his body began to wither to the point where he seemed on the verge of becoming a skeleton. Simultaneously, his soul seemed to be under attack, and was rapidly melting.
He roared, and the Dao mist around him seethed as he inhaled a portion of it to restore his injuries. However, it did little to help in his attempt to transcend this tribulation. The tribulation was still there, and if he continued to breathe in the Dao mist and wasted it all, then even if he was able to step into the vortex, he would be unable to truly step into the Dao.
The true purpose of the Dao mist was to be used after stepping into the vortex. Having too little at that time could have very negative consequences.
Naruto was trembling, and his heart pounded with nervousness. However, there was nothing he could do. Even though he wanted to charge out into the fight, he didn't dare to, lest he end up harming his father.
It was at this moment, however, that Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu both gritted their teeth, then joined their voices to say, "Thou shalt take my soul and be blessed!"
Then they pushed down onto their foreheads, causing a rumbling sound to echo out. Blood sprayed out of their mouths, and their bodies withered even more. However, their souls suddenly rose up from the tops of their heads.
Shockingly, they were using their own souls, minds, and bodies to help Namikaze Xiufeng! Together, they would overcome the ninth tribulation, the final tribulation!
The coin described here is actually a real coin used in Chinese culture. Check out this picture to see exactly what it looks like. All of the characters are the same, and the Eight Trigrams can be seen on the reverse side. For more information about the Eight Trigrams, you can read RWX's basic primer to the Dao ↩
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1186Chapter 1186 (Click to show "spoiler" title)
Chapter 1186: The Murderous Intentions of the Ninth Lord!
Naruto's eyes glittered as he also raised his hand and then pushed down hard onto his forehead. He was not in the Dao Realm, and thus didn't dare to make a move. However, he did have the Essence of Divine Flame, which caused a sea of flame to erupt out of the top of his head, and then fly up along with Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu to help his father deal with the Deva Tribulation.
Even as the three of them jumped to Namikaze Xiufeng's aid, all four coughed up blood. However, the weakening that Namikaze Xiufeng had been enduring slowed significantly.
Naruto's face was pale white. His mind, body and soul were all melting rapidly, and yet his eyes gleamed with determination. He was willing to pay virtually any price to help his father.
Rumbling echoed out as Naruto, Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu split the force between them. Namikaze Xiufeng panted. His body was incredibly weakened and fatigued, and yet, he was now only nine meters away from the vortex!
All he had to do was span those nine meters, and he could enter the vortex and step onto the path!
However, the final nine meters were the most terrifying part of the ninth tribulation. Even without the tenfold increase in power, that final stretch was difficult enough that it proved too much for many ordinary cultivators who were attempting to step into the Dao. With the tenfold increase, it wasn't even necessary to discuss how much more terrifying it now was.
Namikaze Xiufeng coughed up a mouthful of blood. With every step he took, he withered even more. His mind, body and soul atrophied. After moving forward for six out of the final nine meters, Namikaze Xiufeng reached his limit. It was the same for Namikaze Shoudao, Namikaze Yanxu and Naruto. If they continued any further, the injuries they were sustaining would no longer be temporary, but permanent.
However, even if they became permanent, Naruto didn't care.
"Patriarch Shoudao, Patriarch Yanxu, allow me to sustain the permanent injuries," he said. Naruto took a deep breath. He was just about to explode with more mind, soul and body power, to give the last bit of assistance possible to his father, when Namikaze Shoudao suddenly roared, the sound of which echoed throughout Planet South Heaven.
"All members of the Namikaze Clan will sacrifice their blood to help the Clan
Chief step into the Dao!"
As his words rang out, all of the members of the Namikaze Clan on Planet South Heaven trembled. Without the slightest hesitation, they slapped their chests, causing blood to spray out of their mouths. The massive quantity of blood then shot up into the air.
Uzumaki Li's blood could not be added in, but Namikaze Yu's could. Without a moment of hesitation, she spit the blood out, holding nothing back. After she had done so, her body teetered back and forth, and her face was bone white. However, her blood floated up into the air to join the rest.
Sun Hai rushed to hold her up. Although his heart twinged in pain at her sacrifice, he did nothing to stop her.
A vast amount of blood soared up toward Namikaze Xiufeng. His body trembled, and he almost seemed to be preparing to refuse the blood. He felt guilty at not being able to step into the Dao on his own, instead having to rely on the sacrifices of his fellow clan members.
Those sacrifices were not impossible to recover from, but Namikaze Xiufeng felt guilty nonetheless.
However, he gritted his teeth, and looked around at the seething Dao mist around him. Finally, he absorbed some of it, not to heal himself, but rather, to help Naruto, Namikaze Shoudao and all the other clan members.
"Xiufeng, stop it!" Namikaze Shoudao cried. "You don't need to help us heal. Namikaze Yanxu and myself can do that on our own. As for the other clan members, we have plenty of medicinal pills in the clan that can help them recover. Hao'er doesn't need any help at all. The best way you could help us is to step into the Dao!"
"Dad," Naruto yelled, "hurry up and step into the Dao!" There was something else that went unsaid, which was that the great debt that Namikaze Xiufeng owed the clan would also be borne by Naruto!
Namikaze Xiufeng's heart trembled, but he was a decisive person. Without any further hesitation, he used the power of the blood to cross the final three meters…. He was like the fish who leaped over the dragon gate! He stepped into the vortex and down onto the path that represented the Dao Realm!
In that instant, the Deva Tribulation vanished, and the vortex stopped spinning and went completely calm. The tribulations ceased, and Namikaze Xiufeng stood there alone on the path.
At the same time, ripples appeared, with Namikaze Xiufeng at their center. Ripples… that spread out through the whole Ninth Mountain and Sea.
These ripples resulted from stepping into the Dao, and were something that would occur any time a cultivator successfully transcended the tribulation and stepped into the vortex.
The result was that everyone else in the Dao Realm became aware that someone had reached this point!
Guru Heavencloud had not successfully entered the vortex, so nothing like this happened at that time. But now that Namikaze Xiufeng had succeeded, the ripples spread out instantly. All of the other Dao Realm experts in the Ninth Mountain and Sea could then sense what was happening, and sent their divine sense out to focus on Planet South Heaven.
" Namikaze Xiufeng is stepping into the Dao!"
"The future Clan Chief of the Namikaze Clan will be in the Dao Realm…."
"Wait a second, that's not right. How can he step into the Dao on Planet South Heaven? If I remember correctly, in order to save his son, he agreed to never step half a pace off Planet South Heaven. He even pledged an oath upon the Mountains and Seas which, if he violates, will destroy him in body and soul!"
"I can't believe… that he's stepping into the Dao on Planet South Heaven. How is this possible!?" All of the Dao Realm experts who sensed what was happening were shocked.
"It's not over yet. He's only halfway to a complete success. His chances of failing are still as high as before!"
"If he does succeed, after stepping into the Dao, he'll have to take nine steps to get one Essence. Namikaze Xiufeng chose to step into the Dao with the sword, which is the most difficult of all Daos. Those nine steps… will be too difficult." By now, the shocked divine sense of all of the Dao Realm patriarchs was focused around Planet South Heaven.
Naruto could no longer remain seated cross-legged. He rose to his feet within the blood-colored world, and his eyes were fixed up above on his father, who stood there on the path.
His Dao Stepping Tribulation was ten times as powerful and difficult as usual. Normally, he could have stepped easily into the Dao, but with the increased difficulty, it would have been impossible without the aid of the whole Clan. Otherwise, he would have ended up just like Guru
Heavencloud, reduced to a Quasi-Dao cultivator with a limited life span.
That was something that Naruto could not accept; nor could his mother or sister.
Seeing his father standing there on the path didn't cause Naruto to breathe a sigh of relief. Instead, he was even more worried than before. He could only imagine how difficult the nine steps would be, considering how much more difficult they would be than normal.
"Nine steps for one Essence," Namikaze Shoudao said. "Your father's Essence of the Dao of the sword is focused on killing, which is essentially a type of Slaughter Essence. That's fundamentally difficult… but now, it will be even more difficult because of the Allheaven…." He sighed, looking older than ever.
"However, if he succeeds…" Namikaze Yanxu said, his eyes shining brightly with anticipation, "your father might just be a 1-Essence Dao Realm cultivator, but his battle prowess will be comparable to a 3-Essences Dao Lord!"
All of the cultivators on Planet South Heaven were looking at the vortex as Namikaze Xiufeng took his first step. As he did, rumbling sounds echoed out, filling the vortex and causing it to shake. The only people who could possibly understand what it felt like to be on that path were Dao Realm experts or perhaps Quasi-Dao Cultivators.
Naruto had no idea. All he could see was his father trembling after having taken his first step. Ripples emanated out from the vortex, even more violently than before, causing all of the starry sky in the Ninth Mountain and Sea to tremble.
At the same time, the Dao mist converged over the top of his head, forming something that was impossible to make out.
Then, Namikaze Xiufeng struggled to take a second step, and he trembled violently. When he took the third step, blood sprayed out of his mouth, and he looked like a lamp running low on oil, about to burn out.
After taking the third step, the ripples surging out from the vortex grew even more intense, shaking the entire Ninth Mountain and Sea with their madness. From the level of intensity, it seemed that if all nine steps were taken, the starry sky of the Mountain and Sea Realm itself would be shaken.
Furthermore, after taking those three steps, the Dao mist above Namikaze Xiufeng's head consolidated, gradually forming into a shape that resembled a sword.
However, Naruto wasn't paying attention to the sword; he was focused on his father. His face was currently ashen, exactly the same as the faces of his mother and sister.
"Stepping into the Dao involves nine steps, each of which is critically dangerous…." Namikaze Shoudao said through gritted teeth. He then lifted his right hand, and his fingers flashed with an incantation gesture. He waved his hand toward the outside world, affecting, not Namikaze Xiufeng within the vortex, but instead, all of the Namikaze Clan spell formations out on Planet South Heaven. They began to glitter and shine, and then erupted with explosive power. Shockingly, they appeared to be connecting to the teleportation portal on Planet East Victory, forming a channel.
What approached via that channel was not any cultivator… but rather…
"Dao bell, please protect the Clan Chief as he steps into the Dao!" As Namikaze Shoudao's voice echoed out, the air above the ancestral mansion on Planet East Victory shimmered as the Dao bell appeared. It began to toll, sending the sound through the teleportation portal all the way to Planet South Heaven!
It passed through the void and into the vortex, and when Namikaze Xiufeng heard its toll, he trembled and took a fourth step, then a fifth and a sixth!
It was as if his spirit had been bolstered. His energy surged, and the ripples outside of the vortex began to surge violently. All of the Mountains and Seas were trembling, and the starry skies were shaking.
All of the Dao Realm experts now became aware of what was happening.
The Dao mist above Namikaze Xiufeng's head was rapidly forming together to form the shape of a sword. It even seemed to have a sharp edge now, and most shocking of all was that it was the color of blood! That was an omen of… using the Dao of the sword to acquire the Essence of Slaughter!
Namikaze Xiufeng took a seventh step, and he shivered. His energy was now waning; the assistance from the Dao bell could only push him so far, and couldn't help him to succeed completely. Namikaze Xiufeng gritted his teeth and then roared as he pushed with everything he had to take yet another step!
Eight steps!
He was now only one step away from achieving his Dao. However, even as he lifted his foot up into the air and prepared to take that ninth step, Naruto suddenly heard a voice echoing through the void and into his mind.
"Citing the laws of the Mountain and Sea Realm, the Lord of the Ninth Mountain and Sea has requested that the Allheaven Immortal who is currently stepping into the Dao… be destroyed. This matter is not a priority to the Mountain and Sea Realm, nor can a decision about the matter be made by the Mountain and Sea Realm itself.
"Therefore… the Lords of the Nine Mountains and Sea shall make the decision. Lords, please state your opinions."
Chapter 1186: The Murderous Intentions of the Ninth Lord!
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1187Chapter 1187 (Click to show "spoiler" title) Chapter 1187: Father Achieves the Dao!
Before Namikaze Xiufeng could complete his ninth step, cracks spread out across his body. At the same time, something enormous was happening in the Mountain and Sea Realm that nobody on Planet South Heaven knew anything about!
That matter would determine whether or not Namikaze Xiufeng stepped into the Dao. It was a secret, an enigmatic event that very few people in the entire Mountain and Sea Realm were aware of!
The only people who did know were the ones at the utmost peak of power. In fact… they were the people who actually controlled the Mountain and Sea Realm!
Before the Lord of the Mountain and Sea Realm appeared, they… were essentially the collective Lord of the Mountain and Sea Realm. They were… the Mountain and Sea Lords of the various Mountains and Seas!
Currently, the voice that echoed out through the Mountain and Sea Realm filled the minds of those Lords!
It was a cold voice, devoid of any emotion. It didn't matter how far apart those nine people were, separated by the Mountains and Seas, they all could hear it.
"Citing the laws of the Mountain and Sea Realm, the Lord of the Ninth Mountain and Sea has requested that the Allheaven Immortal who is currently stepping into the Dao… be destroyed. This matter is not a priority to the Mountain and Sea Realm, nor can a decision about the matter be made by the Mountain and Sea Realm itself.
"Therefore… the Lords of the Nine Mountains and Seas shall make the decision. Lords, please state your opinions."
On the majestic peak of the Ninth Mountain was an enormous eye, within which sat a cross-legged old man. Eyes gleaming with killing intent and decisiveness, he softly said, "As the Lord of the Ninth Mountain and Sea, I say… destroy the Allheaven Immortal who is stepping into the Dao!"
At the same time, all of the other Mountain and Sea Lords in the other Mountains and Seas quietly made their decisions.
After a moment of silence, the cold, emotionless voice once again rang out into the minds of the nine.
"Of the nine Mountain and Sea Lords, five agree to destroy the Allheaven Immortal. Three disagree. One abstained from voting…. In accord with the will of the Mountain and Sea Realm, the Allheaven Immortal will be destroyed!"
As soon as the word 'destroyed' rang out, Namikaze Xiufeng's body trembled, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. He appeared to be on the verge of collapsing into pieces.
"NO!" Naruto screamed. Of everyone on Planet South Heaven, he was the only one who could hear that voice speaking. Suddenly, he charged forward, ignoring any possible danger as he shot up into the sky.
Meanwhile, back on Planet South Heaven, Uzumaki Li trembled and likewise shot into the air. Although facing the Dao Stepping vortex involved extreme danger, she didn't hesitate. Neither did Namikaze Yu, who also took to flight.
Sun Hai didn't pause either, not even to think. As soon as Namikaze Yu sprang into motion… he also flew up.
If you go, so do I!
Within the vortex, Namikaze Xiufeng's body was gradually breaking apart. He hadn't completed the nine steps, and that final step would remain forever incomplete. He was breaking apart in a way that wasn't necessarily lethal. If he wished, he could disperse the Dao mist, allowing it to be destroyed instead of his body. Then he would be left with an extremely limited lifespan.
Namikaze Shoudao's face darkened, and he sat there without saying a word. He had already done everything he could; he had called upon the Dao, drawn upon his soul and asked the whole clan to join in the sacrifice….
The Dao bell had even been summoned. However, it appeared that none of that could change Namikaze Xiufeng's fate.
"He should have been able to easily step into the Dao…. Allheaven Immortals, Allheaven Immortals…. An Allheaven Immortal regardless of success or defeat." Namikaze Shoudao suddenly seemed to grow even older.
It was the same with Namikaze Yanxu. They looked at Namikaze Xiufeng in the vortex, and then saw Naruto desperately flying forward. This time, Namikaze Shoudao did nothing to stop him.
Because… there was no need.
Within the Heavenly vortex, Namikaze Xiufeng sighed. His face was covered in cracks, and his body was beginning to fade away, causing beams of azure light to shine out from him.
The feeling of imminent death caused him to sigh. Seemingly emanating an aura of death, he turned and looked at the roaring Naruto. He also saw his wife and daughter charging toward him.
"Oh well," he murmured softly. "It seems I won't be stepping into the Dao. However, I have no regrets, except… that I won't have more time to spend with all of you…." Just when he was about to disperse the Dao mist and cease his attempt to step into the Dao, all of a sudden, a cold snort echoed out. The sound was ancient, and filled with boundless pressure. It came through the teleportation portal, from… Planet East Victory!
All of Planet East Victory was shaking, as if its will were awakening. As the planet awoke, the lands shook, and within the Namikaze Clan's Ancestral Land, in the necropolis, the first generation Patriarch sat there crosslegged, and… his eyes opened!
"As an Allheaven Clan, my Namikaze Clan fought for the Immortal World until I was the only person left!
"And now… the Namikaze Clan is on the rise again. Our blood has awakened, and the glory of an Allheaven Clan is once again on the cusp of appearing…. Why should we be subjected to this arrangement!?
"If this were an ordinary stepping into the Dao, I would not interfere, not even if he were to die. But now, things have changed because of the awakening of the blood of an Allheaven Clan. As for this tribulation… enough is enough!
"If Paragon Nine Seals had not perished, even he would respect an Allheaven Clan such as mine. And you… you are nothing more than a spirit automaton, formed out of natural laws. The Lords of the Nine Mountains and Seas all maintain a portion of those natural laws, and therefore… I will not hold it against the Mountain and Sea Realm itself. But as for the rest of you, Lords of the Mountains and Seas, I will personally rectify your mistake of attempting to destroy my Namikaze Clan!"
The voice echoing out was not audible to everyone. The only people who could hear it were the Lords of the Nine Mountains and Seas, and considering his identity, Naruto!
Simultaneously, a beam of light shot out from Planet East Victory. It moved with explosive speed, rapidly transforming into nine beams, one of which headed toward the Ninth Mountain, and the other eight of which shot through the void toward the other eight Mountains and Seas!
The Ninth Mountain rumbled, and the enormous eye let out a roar of fury. However, blood spurted out from it and dripped down, causing the entire Ji Clan to be shaken.
As for what happened in the other Mountains and Seas, nobody knew. However… back on Planet South Heaven in the Heavenly vortex, Namikaze Xiufeng was suddenly pushed forward and… took his ninth step!
In the moment that his foot stepped down, Namikaze Xiufeng's eyes went wide. Everyone watching gaped in astonishment. At the same time, the Dao mist above his head fully materialized into a sword!
A… blood-colored sword!
The sword descended down into Namikaze Xiufeng through the top of his head, and suddenly… he erupted with the aura of the Dao Realm!
Ripples exploded out from the vortex, sweeping across the entire Ninth Mountain and Sea before fading away to reveal Namikaze Xiufeng!
He was confused about what had happened, and he wasn't the only one. Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu were shocked and panting. They almost couldn't believe what had happened, and all of the other Dao Realm experts who had been watching Planet South Heaven were equally astonished.
"He clearly failed…. How could he possibly have ended up succeeding!?"
"What exactly happened just now!?"
"Inconceivable! This is completely impossible. Throughout all the years that the Mountain and Sea Realm has existed, nobody has ever mysteriously gone from a state of obvious defeat into one of utter victory!"
However, it didn't matter what people thought or said. Namikaze Xiufeng… had successfully stepped into the Dao!
The cultivators from the Namikaze Clan weren't sure what exactly caused it to happen, but after seeing that Namikaze Xiufeng had stepped into the Dao, they were ecstatic.
"Greetings, Clan Chief!"
"Clan Chief, congratulations on successfully stepping into the Dao!"
"Congratulations, Clan Chief!" Calls of congratulation swelled up, and all of Planet South Heaven was shaken. Uzumaki Li flew up and embraced Namikaze Xiufeng, tears streaming down her face.
Namikaze Yu and Sun Hai also approached, weeping.
"Dad… you did it!" Namikaze Yu said, weeping and laughing at the same time.
"Congratulations, Dad!" Naruto said, hovering off to the side. Seeing his dad safe caused him to sigh with relief. However, hidden behind that smile was something he didn't want his parents to see, and that was the cold, murderous feelings he held because of what had just nearly occurred to Namikaze Xiufeng.
Naruto would never be able to forget the voices he had heard. He also gained a new understanding of his identity, and how it pertained to the Mountain and Sea Realm as a whole. The rise of an Allheaven Clan was a threat to other Mountain and Sea Lords, and especially… to the Ji Clan. That was why the Ji Clan had taken such decisive, murderous action!
However, true threat of death actually didn't come from any one cultivator, but from the Mountain and Sea Realm itself, from the powers of natural law that had tried to cut down Namikaze Xiufeng! From Naruto's perspective, it must have occurred because the Ji Clan's Patriarch Ji Tian had paid a high price to make it happen. If any Mountain and Sea Lord could blithely do such a thing, then no one would ever dare to challenge them to battle.
But that wasn't the case. The Mountain and Sea Lords could be supplanted. Therefore, as of this moment, Naruto decided that he would make Ji Tian pay for what he had done.
"Ji Tian, one of these days, you shall die!" Naruto's smile was as cold and sharp as a blade as he gazed up into the sky. He still wasn't sure why exactly Ji Tian had chosen such a method to try to kill his father. But he had to ask himself whether or not some undying enmity existed between his father and Ji Tian.
"Is it because of me, or because Ji Tian can't get to father because of him being on Planet South Heaven?" Naruto's eyes glittered. The fact that someone had tried to kill his father took things over the line. To him, that was a violation of a huge taboo, and although he looked normal on the surface, his heart raged with fury and towering killing intent.
He had never experienced rage like he was feeling now, nor had he ever wanted to kill someone as much as he now wanted to kill Ji Tian. Therefore, he decided… that it was an enmity that absolutely must be seen to its end.
Namikaze Xiufeng looked at his wife and daughter, then at Naruto. Naruto might be able to hide his true feelings from Uzumaki Li and Namikaze Yu, but not from his father.
He looked at the rage boiling in Naruto's eyes, and his heart trembled. However, before he had much time to think about it, Naruto smiled and once again said, "Congratulations, dad."
Namikaze Xiufeng smiled and was about to respond, when suddenly his face fell. Simultaneously, Naruto's face also fell. Down below, similar reactions could be seen on the faces of Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu!
That was because… all of the clouds completely vanished from Planet South Heaven, to be replaced… by a massive, illusory net!
That was… Planet South Heaven's spell formation!
Chapter 1187: Father Achieves the Dao!
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1188Chapter 1188: South Heaven Death Formation!
As soon as the spell formation appeared, it covered all of Planet South Heaven. At the same time, Naruto, Namikaze Shoudao, and Namikaze Yanxu… and all other cultivators, felt an intense, explosive burst of killing intent.
It was like a terrifying divine sense that swept across the lands, covering Planet South Heaven. Naruto's face fell as he sensed the horrifying power, and realized that it was something he couldn't possibly fight back against. If that power wanted to exterminate something, it could be exterminated in the blink of an eye!
Namikaze Shoudao's face went pale, and Namikaze Yanxu started trembling. Uzumaki Li's face fell, as did Namikaze Yu's.
"That's the Death Formation of Planet South Heaven!"
"Dammit, obviously the spell formation doesn't approve of Xiufeng stepping into the Dao, otherwise it wouldn't have activated!"
"It's going to wipe Xiufeng out!"
RUMBLE!
Heaven and Earth shook as an incredibly powerful force sprang into being, pushing everyone away from Namikaze Xiufeng. Nobody could resist it, not even Naruto, who was inexorably pushed away until Namikaze Xiufeng stood completely alone.
It happened too quickly. Moments ago, everyone had been congratulating Namikaze Xiufeng on successfully stepping into the Dao. But now, everyone was gaping in shock at the massive transformations occurring in Heaven and Earth.
Namikaze Xiufeng's eyes flickered. As soon as the killing intent appeared, he pushed his cultivation base down from the Dao Realm to the great circle of the Ancient Realm.
However, the killing intent only continued to get stronger and stronger.
Peals of thunder echoed out from the illusory net as it shot down toward Namikaze Xiufeng, filled with a shocking murderous intent which morphed into a power of extermination. In just a brief moment, the destructive power was nearing Namikaze Xiufeng.
If Namikaze Xiufeng had failed to step into the Dao and become a Quasi-Dao cultivator, then Planet South Heaven's spell formation would not have appeared, regardless of whether it approved of him or not. After all, the spell formation only targeted the Dao Realm. Unless Emperor Tang took control of it, it wouldn't harm Quasi-Dao cultivators.
Naruto's eyes were bright red as he exploded into action. The Lightning Cauldron appeared in his right hand, and electricity danced as he attempted to switch positions with his father. However, despite the dancing electricity, the Lightning Cauldron didn't work!
Because of South Heaven's spell formation, it was useless!
Naruto wasn't willing to give up. Eyes flashing with madness, he shot forward like an arrow, intent on piercing the net to help his father.
However, as soon as Naruto touched the net, he felt a massive force pushing back against him, like a power of expulsion. He heard countless screaming voices shoving him away, preventing him from entering the area within the net.
However, the net didn't hurt him. It only prevented him from interfering with the will of the South Heaven spell formation!
Naruto's face was pale, and he began to laugh bitterly. He… could do nothing. Now, as before, he could only watch, and provide no assistance whatsoever. This was his father, his blood relative, and therefore, the feeling of helplessness which filled his heart made him want to scream in rage.
Naruto's mother and sister were shrieking as they watched Namikaze Xiufeng face this danger.
It was at this point, however, that a growling roar echoed out from the Great Tang's Imperial palace.
"With mine own Li Clan blood, I call upon the spirit of the ancestor within the spell formation. This man… is the guardian of South Heaven. He is… from the Allheaven Namikaze Clan. He must not be harmed or killed….." In accompaniment with the words, massive rumbling struck Heaven and Earth. The net seemed to pause, and at the same time, a figure materialized out of thin air next to Namikaze Xiufeng.
He wore an Imperial robe and an Emperor's crown. It was none other than Emperor Tang, who grabbed Namikaze Xiufeng and then sped with him down toward the ground. Just when they seemed to be on the verge of touching down, boundlessly bright lightning suddenly shot down toward Namikaze Xiufeng, filled with intense killing intent.
After landing on the ground, Emperor Tang's voice once again rang out with urgency, "Brother Xiufeng, the spell formation has neither been defeated, nor has it achieved victory. Had it succeeded, I would never have been able to rescue you just now. Quickly, sit down and begin to meditate. I will give you a drop of Li Clan blood. After you fully absorb it, I will cast one of my ancestor's Daoists magics so that the spell formation will approve of you. However, you need to hold out for the time it takes an incense stick to burn!
"That short time will be a grave test for you….
"If you pass it, then you will be the only Dao Realm expert on Planet South Heaven!
"If you fail… then henceforth, you and I shall not meet again in the world of men…." Emperor Tang's words were spoken quickly. Even as the words left his mouth, he waved a finger, first at Namikaze Shoudao, and then at Namikaze Yanxu. Both of them vanished, then reappeared next to Namikaze Xiufeng.
"If you two want him to survive for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, then you need to do everything you can to help him. However… remember that you must not under any circumstances use the power of the Dao Realm. If you do, not only will Namikaze Xiufeng be defeated, you will also die!" Having said that, Emperor Tang sat down cross-legged and waved his hand, causing a drop of blood to fly out and fuse into Namikaze Xiufeng's forehead, who began meditating.
Emperor Tang's eyes gleamed with concentration. He was just about to close them when a hoarse voice was transmitted into his ears.
"Emperor Tang, let me in too!" Naruto said, eyes bloodshot. Emperor Tang's gaze flashed, and he hesitated for a moment, but then he waved his finger.
Immediately, Naruto vanished and then reappeared next to Namikaze Xiufeng.
Having done these things, Emperor Tang closed his eyes and performed a double-handed incantation gesture, utilizing a secret magic of the Li Clan to help Namikaze Xiufeng gain the approval of the spell formation.
The enormous illusory web continued to rumble toward them. Although it didn't harm Planet South Heaven in the least, the killing intent within it continued to grow stronger. Strange colors flashed, and the wind blew.
Namikaze Shoudao's eyes shone with a bright gleam as he suddenly flew up into the air, followed by Namikaze Yanxu. They immediately set to work fighting the net, not using the power of the Dao Realm, but rather, cultivation bases that had been restricted to the great circle of the Ancient Realm.
Naruto also flew into the air, joining the other two. Almost immediately, blood sprayed out of the mouths of all three of them. The target of the net was Namikaze Xiufeng, but it could still hurt them, although only to a certain extent.
That was especially true of Naruto, whose face was pale, and who immediately sustained terrible internal injuries. He began to tremble, but clenched his teeth and fought on, battling against the net to gain time.
Namikaze Shoudao roared, and Namikaze Yanxu's energy surged. However, no matter what they did, the result was only that the net's arrival slowed down. They could do nothing to actually stop it.
After ten breaths of time passed, rumbling filled Naruto, and boundless azure light shone out from his blood. The power of an Allheaven Dao Immortal exploded out as he slammed against the net, causing a huge boom to echo out. Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu did the same.
The sky shook and the lands quaked. The net was again slowed by the attacks. However, it continued to close in, forcing the three of them back and narrowing the perimeter.
The time it takes an incense stick to burn isn't very long, but under these circumstances, Naruto felt as if time had slowed to a crawl. He wasn't sure exactly how much time had already passed, but he was constantly being pushed back. His clothes were already soaked in blood, and yet the net had already shrunk to the point where it only left them with a few dozen meters of room.
It was at this point that Namikaze Yanxu's face fell, and he stopped fighting. Apparently, he was having trouble keeping his Dao Realm cultivation base concealed. If it were to be revealed, he would be in critical danger.
Finally, he gritted his teeth, fought back with one last powerful volley, and then shot through the net to the other side, where he hovered in the air, his face grim but his eyes apologetic.
Without Namikaze Yanxu, the shrinking rate of the net increased. Naruto and Namikaze Shoudao were now under more pressure, especially Naruto, who had been injured to begin with, and whose cultivation base was nowhere near Namikaze Shoudao's. He might have his Eternal stratum, but he was shaking nonetheless, trembling as his body withered.
Namikaze Shoudao roared; he was now on the point of being unable to hold back his Dao Realm cultivation base. Gritting his teeth, he slapped his chest viciously, injuring himself as a way to force his cultivation base to remain suppressed.
However, that was not a long-term solution. By now, more than seventy percent of the incense stick's worth of time had passed, and Namikaze Shoudao's face was ashen, his body trembling. Despite his tactic of selfinjury, he had reached his limit, and was on the verge of losing control of his Dao Realm cultivation base. He sighed.
"Hao'er, I've done all I can. Please… don't hold it against me." He looked older than ever, and his face was bitter as he flickered away. No longer able to fight the net, he was now on the outside, struggling to keep his cultivation base under control. However, the sighs he uttered were deep and profound.
Of the three that had been holding off the net, Naruto was now the only one left. His cultivation base was the weakest, and yet, he was able to hold out for the longest. That was because he had no Dao Realm cultivation base to reveal, and didn't need to worry about holding back. His eyes were crimson, and he was coughing up blood continuously. However, he didn't back down. By now, the net had shrunk down to the point where it was only fifteen meters wide!
Behind Naruto, his father sat cross-legged. He was not willing to give in, and even as the net shrank down, a wild look appeared in Naruto's eyes. He extended his right hand and waved it, causing the meat jelly to appear.
"Protect my father!" Naruto said. The meat jelly immediately came to rest on Namikaze Xiufeng, transforming into a set of armor that completely covered him. Naruto's blood was boiling as he then lifted his hand… to reveal his fourth Nirvana Fruit!
Without the slightest hesitation, he placed it onto his forehead. The Nirvana Fruit rapidly dissolved, and sounds like thunder immediately began to reverberate from within him.
He let out a piercing cry, and his body trembled as dazzling azure light shot out. An indescribable level of cultivation base power suddenly surged out, and it almost looked like a door had appeared within him.
That was… the great Door of the Ancient Realm!
It was as if it were being summoned, causing massive clouds to gather in the sky, within which was the Great Door of the Ancient Realm!
Borrowing power from the fourth Nirvana Fruit, he raised both hands up and then slammed them down toward the ground. Rumbling sounds echoed out from within him as the blast shot down into the ground, then surged back up in a backlash toward the huge net.
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1189Chapter 1189: Father Must Not Perish!
As of this moment, everyone was looking on in shock as Naruto slammed his hands into the ground. A mist of blood spurted out of him, and his aura weakened. However, the end result… was astonishing!
The illusory net trembled, and even backed up a bit. As of now, Naruto's father only had 60 breaths of time left until the entire incense stick's worth of time was up!
Naruto knew that the enormous net was not using its full power against him, but only a tiny portion. The spell formation was only interested in killing Dao Realm cultivators who entered Planet South Heaven. That was the entire purpose of the sacrifice of the Li Clan.
To the cultivators of the Mountain and Sea Realm, the spell formation actually offered a certain degree of protection. However, because Namikaze Xiufeng was violating the laws of the spell formation, he was now the subject of its deadly attack.
In the moment that the spell formation fell back, there were sixty breaths of time left. Naruto suddenly felt as if there were hope. But then, the spell formation suddenly flickered with light, and its killing intent erupted once more. Naruto could now just make out images of innumerable figures who existed within the net, all of whom seemed to be filled with determination and focus as they pushed the web forward.
It bore down with incredible speed. Even with his fourth Nirvana Fruit, Naruto was powerless to fight back against it. In fact, the fourth Nirvana Fruit was forcibly expelled from his body.
Trembling, he staggered backward. The net closed in, and suddenly… passed directly through him to envelope Namikaze Xiufeng. The meat jelly armor shuddered, but could not hold on for long. As for Namikaze Xiufeng, he was at a critical moment in absorbing the drop of blood, and couldn't move. The net was just about to pass through the meat jelly and land on Namikaze Xiufeng. Once it did so, its killing intent would reach a fever pitch and cause Namikaze Xiufeng… to immediately be killed in body and spirit, his soul completely departed.
"NO!" Tears of blood poured down Naruto's cheeks, and his expression was fierce. He let out a maddened roar, and suddenly lifted his right hand up and pointed up into the heavens. Instantly, the drop of Paragon's blood began to rumble, as he sent a call to the sun and moon of the Mountain and Sea Realm, which vibrated in response. A beam of light shot down from them which pierced through the void and instantly slammed into the huge net.
He was now using the power of the Mountain and Sea Realm itself to resist the net.
Massive rumbling filled the air, and the net shook and was shoved back slightly by the beams of light. It wasn't that the power of the Mountain and Sea Realm was insufficient, but rather, this was Planet South
Heaven, and the spell formation had been created by the sacrifice of the Li Clan. The power of the Mountain and Sea Realm wasn't willing to destroy it!
In fact, unless there was absolutely no other choice, Naruto didn't want to do that either. He admired the Li Clan, and respected the spell formation. But this was a critical, life-or-death moment for his father. Naruto's choice… would always be to place family above anything else!
When the light of the sun and moon slammed into the net, it trembled slightly, and moved away from Namikaze Xiufeng. As for Naruto, he paid a heavy price to unleash this attack, an even greater price than he had paid to do the same thing in the Windswept Realm. After all, on that occasion, he had used the power to kill Outsiders, but now, he was causing the Mountain and Sea Realm to harm itself.
Therefore, the price he paid was heavier. Blood sprayed out of his mouth, and he watched as the net shrank down again. His father was now at an extremely critical moment, and his body was trembling. As of this moment, the only thought in Naruto's head was…
His father must not perish!
In his mind, he roared, "I call upon the power of my name to order the Mountain and Sea Realm to descend!" Then he waved his finger again, and suddenly, an illusory Mountain and Sea appeared atop Namikaze Xiufeng.
No one could see that Mountain and Sea except for Emperor Tang, whose expression flickered.
As it descended, Naruto trembled. His clothes were already soaked with blood, and he was growing faint. However, in that moment his eyes suddenly shone brightly. As the Mountain and Sea descended, Namikaze Xiufeng stopped trembling, and the huge net was stopped.
Unfortunately, in that moment, the killing intent of the net grew even more intense, and the Mountain and Sea was not willing to exert itself fully to fight it. The huge net passed through it, and then closed in once again on Namikaze Xiufeng.
It was as if the South Heaven spell formation would not disappear until Namikaze Xiufeng was dead!
Namikaze Xiufeng's eyes suddenly opened, and he looked at Naruto with a look of kindness. Sighing, he said, "Hao'er, take care of your mother and your sister. You might be the younger brother, but you're the man of the family now. From now on… they'll be relying on you…."
"Dad!" Naruto cried. His hair instantly turned white, and he was so withered that he looked almost like a sack of bones. However, he was completely focused; his desire to save his father had not been reduced in the slightest, and even burned hotter than ever.
"Dad, you're not going to die! Bring on the Second Mountain!"
Rumbling could be heard as a second Mountain and Sea descended to fight back against the huge net. Seemingly mad, Naruto waved his finger again, causing the Paragon's blood to boil once more.
"Third Mountain!" Shockingly, a third Mountain and Sea appeared over Namikaze Xiufeng to fight back against the South Heaven spell formation. Rumbling echoed out as the net was once again forced back.
To fight back with the power of three Mountains and Seas was the most that Naruto could do with his Paragon's blood. He was shaking now, and his flesh was mangled. He… had reached his limit.
In terms of time, there were still twenty breaths left!
Booms echoed out as the net passed through one mountain after another. Soon there were only ten breaths of time left, and that was when the final Mountain and Sea vanished. The killing intent erupting from the net was maddeningly intense. By this point, the meat jelly wasn't effective at all, and from the look of it, Namikaze Xiufeng was just about to be wiped out.
Expression serious, he turned to Naruto and roared, "Hao'er, back down, now! This is my choice! Parents are supposed to sacrifice themselves for their children, not the other way around. I don't need you to save me. Back off!" Namikaze Xiufeng's expression was serious, and his heart twinged with pain. Currently, the bitterness he felt far exceeded Naruto's.
He had no desire to perish, or to affect Naruto in any other way. In fact, he would rather die than do so!
Naruto's expression was one of determination. Completely ignoring Namikaze Xiufeng, he sent the Essence of Divine Flame out. It was not a sea of flames, but rather… the aura of Essence. And that aura, could also become… the aura of a Dao!
Naruto unleashed that aura completely, causing it to explode out with full power. At the same time, he advanced, standing directly between his father and the net, stretching his arms out wide. Shockingly, he was using his own body and his own Dao aura to fight back against the net. He was struggling to buy those final few breaths of time for his father!
The net rumbled, enveloping Naruto and Namikaze Xiufeng together. Because Naruto was protecting his father, he absorbed nearly sixty percent of the attack, with only about forty percent entering Namikaze Xiufeng.
As it did, the killing intent exploded out, and Namikaze Xiufeng coughed up a mouthful of blood. His soul was on the verge of being exterminated. This time, the net did not pass through Naruto, but instead, because of his Dao aura, it had turned from being ethereal to corporeal.
Blood sprayed out of his mouth, and his vision dimmed. The feeling of death had never been so close. Naruto suddenly thought of his mother, his sister, and also another woman; Xu Qing.
Regret filled him, and he wanted to say something, but was helpless. The world began to turn black.
"Hao'er!" Namikaze Xiufeng was trembling, and a madness surged within him. He shot up from his cross-legged position just as the ten breaths of time had passed. The drop of Li Clan blood was now fully absorbed.
That was what Naruto had been fighting for. Were it not for him, the moment of Namikaze Xiufeng's success would also have been his death.
Simultaneously, Emperor Tang finished preparing his Daoist magic, and unleashed it. The enormous web, which had not yet completely sliced through Naruto, flickered and then vanished from both Namikaze Xiufeng and Naruto.
As of that moment, the South Heaven spell formation officially approved of Namikaze Xiufeng!
Namikaze Xiufeng had successfully stepped into the Dao. However the price that had been paid… was enormous. For one, he was seriously injured. Furthermore, the injury was abnormal. Although it was not permanent, it would still require months of time spent in meditation to recover from fully. During that time, activity had to be limited, otherwise the injuries could end up lasting for all eternity.
However, Namikaze Xiufeng didn't care about his injuries at all. He immediately grabbed Naruto in his arms. Naruto's pale complexion and injury-covered body caused tears to begin to roll down his face.
"Congratulations, Dad…." After murmuring those two words, Naruto lapsed into a coma.
Naruto didn't know it, but after he went comatose, the entire Namikaze
Clan was mobilized to help in his recovery. Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu held nothing back. Even the first generation Patriarch's clone sent some divine will to help.
Shui Dongliu came as well, although no one was aware of it. He stood next to Naruto's bed, looking down at him with an increasingly moved expression.
"So, for people who change their own destiny… anything is possible." His eyes began to glow with a strange light. After a long moment passed, he left. His departure was not detected any more than his arrival was.
Emperor Tang also came to visit once. As he looked at Naruto, his heart trembled, although he didn't allow that to show on his face. He didn't tell anyone how he had seen Naruto summon the Mountains and Seas, nor how he now sensed… the aura of the South Heaven spell formation on him!
Naruto's injuries were very serious, whether in terms of his body, his mind, or his soul. He had been injured so badly that he almost died, and as such, his recovery time was also significant.
However, with the full help of the Namikaze Clan, his injures were not the type that couldn't be recovered from. He remained unconscious the entire time, housed safely in the Namikaze Clan ancestral mansion on Planet South Heaven. His sister, mother, and father were constantly by his side to care for him.
Time passed. Eventually, the time came for the grand coronation of the
Clan Chief. Under the urgings of the other clan members, as well as Uzumaki Li, Namikaze Xiufeng decided not to delay things any further, and prepared to begin the ceremony.
However, although he might be the Clan Chief, in his heart, he couldn't compare at all to his son.
Eventually, the day of the grand ceremony arrived.
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1190Chapter 1190: Grand Ceremony in the Namikaze Clan!
The Namikaze Clan was one of the Four Great Clans of the Ninth Mountain and Sea. In the past, they had struggled with Ji Tian for Lordship over the entire Mountain and Sea. If you added in the events of the battle of Planet East Victory in which the first generation Patriarch exploded out with power, it truly showed that the clan was as strong as ever, despite the loss of blood and wealth due to the internal strife which had struck them.
Although there would always be some suspicion that the clan was much weaker than they let on, given some time, they would surely be even more powerful than before.
Then there was Naruto's status as an Echelon cultivator. The news of that had already begun to spread. Coupled with the fact that he was strong enough to sweep over all the other Chosen, it ensured that the Namikaze Clan was clearly poised on the verge of having even greater influence.
Everyone knew that the Namikaze Clan had the first generation Patriarch, two Dao Realm experts, and the most powerful Chosen in the Ninth Mountain and Sea. When a clan like that held a ceremony to appoint its Clan Chief, it can easily be imagined how much of a commotion it caused.
Because Namikaze Xiufeng had successfully stepped into the Dao Realm, the Namikaze Clan's overall power was now one step higher. Aside from the Three Great Daoist Societies or the Ji Clan, no other sect or clan in the entire Ninth Mountain and Sea could match up to them in terms of combat strength.
As the ceremony got under way, numerous buildings were constructed on Planet South Heaven. Countless majestic palaces sprang up, and one mountain after another was razed. The Namikaze Clan's citadel was now like an enormous, sprawling beast.
There were also numerous spell formations connecting Planet South Heaven to Planet East Victory. In fact… before long, Planet South Heaven could very well become the nucleus of the Namikaze Clan.
Although there were certain limitations to the place, those limitations would also serve to protect the Namikaze Clan. By now, they controlled two planets. Obviously, their rise to power was not something that could be stopped.
Millions of Namikaze Clan cultivators came from Planet East Victory and spread out into various regions of Planet South Heaven. The Namikaze Clan's ancestral mansion was a hundred times larger than before, and it was in its central square that the grand ceremony was to take place.
On that day, starting at dawn, the teleportation portals on Planet South Heaven flashed continuously as cultivators from all of the various sects and clans throughout the Ninth Mountain and Sea arrived.
There were friends of the Namikaze Clan, and also enemies. It was the same for Namikaze Xiufeng, and many who were there came for him specifically. These people could only sigh inwardly when they thought about the rumors that he had successfully stepped into the Dao. Although many people might want to challenge him to a fight, few actually dared.
Many, many people came. The Three Churches and Six Sects were present, as well as many of the large clans. There were also countless smaller sects and even rogue cultivators who flocked to Planet South Heaven, all of whom the Namikaze Clan arranged accommodations for.
The Three Great Daoist Societies came, and even the Ji Clan sent people. On the surface, there was no display of the undying enmity between the Namikaze and Ji Clans.
The Chosen of many sects and clans had friction with Naruto, and yet, all of those sects and clans sent representatives. Surprisingly, though… not a single one of the Chosen could be seen. It was almost as if they had collectively decided ahead of time not to come. As for Fatty, and Naruto's other long-time friends, none of their sects sent them to attend.
That was understandable. Naruto was now so powerful that he struck fear into the hearts of even the experts in the elder generation. If they had sent disciples of the Junior generation to the ceremony, it would have been seen as an embarrassment.
Furthermore, Naruto's A Writ of Karma was now well-known in the Ninth Mountain and Sea. Everyone knew that he liked to get Chosen members of his generation to owe him money through Karma. Therefore, the less they encountered him the better.
In the end, it was mostly older cultivators who showed up.
At high noon, when the sun blazed up above… the ceremony began!
Numerous beams of light flew through the air toward the central square of the ancestral mansion, where rows and rows of tables had been set up. Tables were even hovering in the air, tens of thousands of them. As the cultivators arrived, they were shown to their seats by the Namikaze Clan members in charge of the proceedings. The Dao bell was even teleported over, and hung high up in the sky, looking very threatening.
The Namikaze Clan ensured that all the tables were filled with everything from spirit alcohol to Immortal fruit. The ceremony was to last for three days, and the expenditure for such an affair was terrifyingly enormous. However, the number of congratulatory gifts was also scalp-numbing.
Namikaze Shoudao took charge of it all, being the one with the most experience in that regard.
On the first day of the grand ceremony, everyone watched as Namikaze Xiufeng emerged, offered sacrifices to the ancestors and called upon the starry sky. Then, all sorts of rites and functions were held before that part of the ceremony concluded.
The cultivators who had come to observe the ceremony and offer congratulations were all waiting for the second day. Customarily, the three day-long coronation of a Clan Chief for a clan as powerful as the Namikaze would include the formality of severing enmities. That was what most people were looking forward to.
Naruto was still in a coma. For him, it was like a long dream. Within that dream, he visited a special world, a place where the Mountain and Sea Realm had just appeared. He saw a clan offering sacrifices to him, creating an ancestral gate, and setting up spell formations.
On the dawn of the second day, a huge banquet was set up in the main square. Namikaze Shoudao's powerful voice echoed out in all directions: "The Namikaze Clan has chosen Namikaze Xiufeng as its Clan Chief!
"Ladies and gentlemen, whatever debts or enmities he had with you will be ended this day. From now on, Namikaze Xiufeng is the Clan Chief, and anyone who dares to provoke, slander, or vilify him will face the wrath of the entire Namikaze Clan!" Namikaze Shoudao looked around slowly. He had already made plenty of preparations to ensure that nothing untoward happened.
The most important factor was that Namikaze Xiufeng was already in the Dao Realm. Everyone knew this, so it was hard to believe that people would come looking to die. After all, that is what would happen when challenging a Dao Realm Clan Chief.
"Let the formalities begin!" Namikaze Shoudao sat in place, and when he spoke, his voice echoed like thunder. Namikaze Xiufeng sat calmly next to him, looking very threatening despite not being angry. He seemed to be filled with an invisible energy that caused anyone who looked at him to tremble inwardly, and even left their cultivation base unstable.
Anyone in the Dao Realm who came had to suppress themselves down to the Ancient Realm, which meant that nobody could possibly be a match for Namikaze Xiufeng. He was the only person present that was truly in the Dao Realm.
A buzz of conversation could be heard from the audience. Namikaze Shoudao waited for a long moment, but seeing that nobody stepped forward, he closed his eyes to wait for time to pass. He didn't seem surprised at all by the lack of challengers.
However, in almost the exact moment that he closed his eyes, a burly man stepped out from the crowd. He was fully six meters tall, emanated the ripples of the Immortal Realm, and caused the ground to shake with each step.
" Namikaze Xiufeng, there exists no enmity between us. However, I shall stand for the people to challenge you to a fight. After today, there will be no more such opportunities!"
Grinning, the man stamped his foot down violently, causing a boom to echo out as his cultivation base erupted with power. A windstorm instantly surged in the entire area.
However, that windstorm was simply too small. His cultivation base was clearly only in the Immortal Realm. To challenge the Clan Chief of the Namikaze Clan with a cultivation base like that caused all of the surrounding cultivators, including those from the Three Churches and Six Sects, to look on with strange expressions.
Namikaze Shoudao frowned, and inwardly, began to get an uneasy feeling.
" Namikaze Xiufeng, I challenge you!" the burly man roared. He seemed confident and at ease, but if you looked closely, you would see that he was trembling. Furthermore, a flicker of terror existed deep within his eyes.
He was like an ant challenging a giant to do battle! However, there was clearly some reason for him to be making a laughingstock of himself.
Namikaze Xiufeng opened his eyes and looked coldly at the man. It was obvious that the man was up to something. Otherwise, why would a nobody like him try to stir things up at a grand ceremony like this?
A Namikaze Clan cultivator immediately stood up and angrily cried out, "Enough of this horsing around! With your cultivation base, you're obviously not settling enmities, you're just causing trouble. Men, remove him!"
Namikaze Clan cultivators instantly flew toward the burly man.
Apparently, the man had anticipated that this would happen. He immediately fell back, gritting his teeth and placing a medicinal pill into his mouth. As soon as he crushed it between his teeth, his body began to tremble violently. His cultivation base exploded with power, and his energy rose wildly. He instantly broke through from the Immortal Realm into the Ancient Realm. The price was that his body withered rapidly. The medicinal pill he had consumed was clearly toxic, and drew on his life force to forcibly increase his cultivation base.
Considering the price he was paying, he would only be able to maintain such a state for less time than it takes half an incense stick to burn. Then he would be killed in body and spirit, and nobody would be able to save him.
" Namikaze Xiufeng, there's someone who wanted me to ask you whether or not you'll honor the words you spoke on Planet West Felicity?!" With a shriek, the man coughed up a mouthful of blood and then transformed into a beam of light that shot toward Namikaze Xiufeng.
As Namikaze Shoudao looked on with furrowed brow, Namikaze Xiufeng's eyes glittered, and he nodded. Then, he waved his right finger and the incoming burly man shuddered and then exploded in midair.
As soon as he died, another cultivator flew out. This man was also merely in the Immortal Realm, but he also consumed a medicinal pill, causing his energy to rocket up as he shouted at Namikaze Xiufeng. Namikaze Xiufeng sat there thoughtfully for a moment before waving his finger again.
A third, a fourth, a fifth….
One cultivator after another appeared, until the total reached forty…. All of the cultivators who had come to observe the ceremony looked on with strange expressions. The reactions were even more obvious within the Namikaze Clan. Anybody who saw something like this happening would be able to tell that something strange was going on.
However, things weren't over. More cultivators appeared, all of whom acted in exactly the same way. They sacrificed their lives, resulting in Namikaze Xiufeng's cultivation base being slowly worn down. On any other occasion, it wouldn't matter. However, Namikaze Xiufeng still had his Dao injury, and shouldn't even have been fighting. Perhaps one or two exchanges wouldn't matter, but this was an endless cycle. The people who were continuously attacking him might not have very high cultivation bases, but the medicinal pills they were consuming temporarily gave them explosive power.
Namikaze Xiufeng could kill them as easily as crushing ants….
However… even crushing ants can be troublesome if there are too many!
Clearly, someone wanted Namikaze Xiufeng's injuries to reach the point where they wouldn't heal. They wanted to force him to fight.
Of course, he could refuse. He could ask cultivators from his clan to take care of the problem. However, whoever had organized this would obviously have thought of such a possibility, and would surely have prepared a contingency plan.
Namikaze Xiufeng's eyes flickered coldly.
This was a situation in which he could not accept the help of others. This was the Clan Chief's coronation, and his challengers were only in the Immortal Realm. If he needed help from others, the Namikaze Clan would be criticized for years to come, and would be viewed as a joke.
Namikaze Shoudao's face was very dark. Although helping Namikaze Xiufeng would cause problems, it was only in terms of face, leading him to consider intervening. Namikaze Xiufeng suddenly frowned, as if he had thought of something. He was keeping his injuries under control, but if he really did end up fighting hundreds of cultivators, then eventually he would lose control, and his injuries would flare up.
It was at this point that another cultivator flew out. Before he could even get close, he cried,
" Namikaze Xiufeng, you boor, my cultivation base might be weak, but I'm going to challenge you too. Do you dare to fight me?!" The cultivator was trembling, and apparently, had been forced to work up his nerve even to speak. However, he was clearly willing to throw all caution to the wind.
Namikaze Xiufeng eyed him coldly, and was just about to wave his finger, when all of a sudden a cold voice echoed through the air to fill the square.
"You think you qualify to challenge my dad?"
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1191Chapter 1191: Fighting for Dad!
As soon as the voice rang out across the square, all of the cultivators felt their hearts trembling. That was especially true of the Namikaze Clan cultivators, who looked up enthusiastically. Even Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu had similar reactions.
Namikaze Xiufeng rose to his feet, looking very excited as he turned to see a young man in a blue robe walking toward them.
It was none other than… Naruto!
His face was a bit pale, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness. He looked much weaker than normal, and very scholarly as he approached Namikaze Xiufeng and clasped hands in greeting.
"I can't believe you're awake!" Namikaze Xiufeng said, voice filled with love.
"What are you doing here? You should be resting!"
"I slept long enough," Naruto said, smiling. "I'm done resting. It's time for a bit of exercise." His injuries this time had been serious enough to keep him in a coma for more than a month. As soon as he woke up, he sent his divine sense out and saw what was happening, which was why he had come.
As soon as the Immortal Realm cultivator saw Naruto, his face fell and he backed up a few paces. "Naruto…. You're Naruto! I challenged your father, not you. You don't have the right to do anything!"
Hearing this, Naruto spun around, eyes flashing coldly as he looked at the cultivator.
"You know who I am and yet dare to speak to me like that?" he said coolly. "You might be looking to die, but if I feel like keeping you alive, I have plenty of ways to do so.
"You think I don't have the right to fight you? This is the Namikaze Clan, so if I say I have the right, then I have the right!" His voice echoed out, filled with a domineering air.
As he finished speaking, he stepped forward, and was suddenly directly in front of the other cultivator. The man's face fell, and he was about to try to flee when Naruto let out a cold snort. It crashed like thunder, slamming into the cultivator's mind, prompting a bloodcurdling scream. Then, the man exploded in a burst of gore.
It was a quick and efficient kill. Naruto didn't mind that blood and guts were raining down everywhere. Clearly, he did things differently than his father. His father was the Clan Chief, and had many things to consider. Naruto was not the Clan Chief, and his goal was to intimidate.
"Well, who's next?" he asked coolly, waving his arm to flick some blood off of his sleeve.
His question was met by utter silence. All eyes were fixed on him. Many people present had only seen illusory images of Naruto, making this their first time seeing him in person. Now that they could lay eyes on him personally, his visage was indelibly burned into their memories.
From the way he spoke, and how he acted, it was easy to see how domineering he was. Many eyes widened as they realized that this was a person… who dared to defy laws and principles, even of the Heavens! Namikaze Xiufeng smiled slightly, but said nothing. Off to the side, Namikaze Shoudao's eyes also flickered with a smile, then exchanged glances with Namikaze Yanxu. Both nodded inwardly.
Naruto clearly knew that there were many ways for them to resolve the current situation. However, it didn't matter how they went about it, none of those methods were truly appropriate. Considering their position in the clan and considering the circumstances, the things that were normally handled in secrecy just couldn't be done.
Naruto had shown up in domineering fashion and had instantly killed someone. Furthermore, the people who had had dealings with Naruto in the past could tell how sharp and biting his words were. After all, he hadn't met too many people who could get the upper hand on him in a debate.
Naruto waited for a moment, but nobody stepped forward. Voice calm, he said, "Nobody?"
"You're looking to die, child!" Suddenly, a gale-force wind sprang up, within which was a middle-aged man who was charging Naruto. He was not in the Immortal Realm, but rather, the Ancient Realm.
"I'm not looking to die. I'm looking for death. Your death!" Naruto's voice was ice-cold as he stood there and allowed the Ancient Realm cultivator's divine ability to slam into him. It did nothing, almost as if it was a light breeze blowing past him. The middle-aged man stared in shock. At the same time, Naruto's hand shot out as fast as lightning to latch onto the top of his head.
"Soulsearch!" Naruto sent divine sense out through his splayed fingers, causing the man to shake and let out a miserable shriek. He only lasted for a few breaths of time before collapsing into pieces.
Naruto hovered there thoughtfully for a moment, and then suddenly vanished, only to reappear among the crowd, directly in front of one of the tables, facing an old man who sat there. The man's face flickered, and he was just about to rise to his feet when Naruto launched a God-Slaying Fist. The old man, and even the table, were instantly transformed into ash.
Naruto vanished again, reappearing in a different direction, in front of a woman. She had a jade slip in her hand which she was about to crush. Naruto reached out and grabbed her arm.
"Let me help you with that!" he said, tightening his grip. The jade slip, and her entire arm with it, were instantly crushed. Then he waved his arm, causing blood to spray out of the woman's mouth. Her eyes went wide with disbelief just before she was torn to bits.
In the blink of an eye, Naruto flashed to seventeen different locations within the crowd. Each time, he appeared in front of a different cultivator, whom he immediately killed.
After a few breaths of time passed, Naruto returned to his original position in the main square. The crowd was in an uproar, and there were even some cultivators who were angrily berating him.
The commotion continued to intensify; from the look of it, Naruto's actions were going to lead to some sort of retributive calamity.
However, Naruto's expression was calm as he said, " Namikaze Clan cultivators, hear the orders of the Crown Prince. Take that man, and him, and him…." Naruto quickly pointed out over a hundred people. As he pointed at them, glowing marks appeared on their bodies.
All of them looked incredibly shocked.
"… and kill them all!" Without the slightest hesitation, members of the Namikaze Clan flew toward the people Naruto had just indicated.
In response, the more than one hundred cultivators roared and popped medicinal pills into their mouths, causing their cultivation bases to rise explosively. However, even in such a state, they weren't a match for the Namikaze Clan. Soon, bloodcurdling screams rang out and the entire group was slaughtered.
Deathly silence followed. Everyone who had been crying out in anger
was now speechless. The people from the great clans and sects had maintained their calm before, but now they were all staring at Naruto, clearly moved.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Fellow Daoists, today is my father's grand ceremony," Naruto went on. "If you wish to resolve debts and grudges in the customary way, go ahead. However, if you try to do so in a way that defies custom… well then, I'll also defy custom." Although his face was a bit pale, his words were cold and biting. Quite a few people now had a much deeper understanding of him.
"What a class act you are, Naruto," a voice said. It belonged to an ancient old man who strode out, the shocking ripples of the great circle of the Ancient Realm emanating out from him. This was a man similar to Guru Heavencloud; he could step into the Dao Realm at any time!
"I have enmity with your father," the old man said, glaring venomously at Namikaze Xiufeng. "But since you want to stand in for him, I'll accommodate you!"
Namikaze Xiufeng looked back icily at the old man. He clearly recognized him, and yet hadn't sensed his presence earlier. Apparently the man had used some sort of technique or magical item to render him invisible even to those in the Dao Realm.
Even as the words left the old man's mouth, his body flashed through the air, and an illusory Eight Trigrams symbol appeared around him. It began to rotate, crackling with lightning as it shot toward Naruto. At the same time, the old man made a grasping gesture as he summoned a greatsword. He then performed a two-fingered incantation and roared, causing boundless, dazzling light to shine off of the sword. His cultivation base flared to life and his Soul Lamps appeared, which merged into the Eight Trigrams symbol, igniting it with Immortal Flame.
Naruto's expression was the same as ever. As the man closed in on him, he stepped forward. Simultaneously, his energy flared, and he extended his own right hand in a plucking motion.
It was none other than the Star Plucking Magic!
Rumbling could be heard as an enormous, illusory hand appeared. It slammed into the Eight Trigrams symbol, crushing it into oblivion. The greatsword shattered, and the old man's eyes went wide with disbelief. He tried to fall back, but was too slow. The enormous hand grabbed onto him, and he let out a miserable shriek. His heart was now filled with indescribable shock and terror.
"You–" he only had time to utter a single word before he was dragged in front of Naruto.
He had no time to utter a second word. Naruto's expression was cold as he stretched his hand out and grabbed onto the top of the man's head. It didn't matter that this man was in the great circle of the Ancient Realm, similar to Guru Heavencloud. Naruto would still Soulsearch him.
The man howled, and his eyes were instantly shot with veins of blood. Without any hesitation, he unleashed his cultivation base, which began to emanate a Dao Realm aura. Shockingly, he was going to attempt to evade death at this critical juncture by stepping into the Dao!
Before Naruto had absorbed the Essence of Divine Flame, he would have been powerless to do anything at this point. But now, in some respects, he could already be considered to be in the Dao Realm. Most important was that he was now a full Allheaven Dao Immortal.
Azure light flickered on his right hand as he used his own power to disperse the Dao Realm aura, making this attempt to step into the Dao… an utter failure!
Divine sense poured into the old man's mind as the Soulsearch began.
The man quivered, then screamed, "Your majesty, save me!"
Naruto's mouth curled in an almost imperceptible smile. As the old man's voice rang out, ripples flashed in the air behind him, and abruptly, a withered hand stretched out. It looked like it had just climbed up out of the grave, and reeked with an aura of death. Most shocking of all… it emanated a Dao Realm aura!
That aura was incredibly powerful, so powerful than even ordinary Dao Realm cultivators would have a hard time standing up to it.
Heaven and Earth shook, and a mighty wind screamed. All of the surrounding cultivators were completely shocked. This was Planet South Heaven, a place where Dao Realm cultivators couldn't come. And yet that hand… was clearly emanating a Dao Realm aura! There could only be one explanation.
That hand belonged… to a Quasi-Dao cultivator!
A terrifying Quasi-Dao cultivator, lingering on the brink of death, and yet powerful enough to suppress ordinary Dao Realm experts.
The suddenness of this development was such that Namikaze Xiufeng, Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu all stepped forward, eyes narrowed. However, even so there was no trace of panic in them.
"Hao'er, get back!" Namikaze Shoudao said urgently. He stretched his hand out into the air to drag Naruto back to safety.
"I was just thinking that this guy didn't seem like the mastermind,"
Naruto said coolly. "As it turns out… he was backed by this Quasi-
Dao cultivator!" He turned to face the hand and said, "South Heaven
Death Formation, activate!"
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1192Chapter 1192: Enigmatic Quasi-Dao Expert!
By the time Naruto turned to face the withered hand, it was only seven inches or so from his forehead, brimming with a will of destruction, as well as a boundless ancient aura.
The sky went dim, the lands were cast into darkness, and the winds stilled. The entire world seemed to be having the light and color sucked out of it by the hand, infected by its aura of death.
The withered hand's skin had blotches and bruises on it, as though it were difficult for the blood to pump through the veins therein. A faint stench of decay emanated off of it, which filled the area.
The area around it seemed to be another world, a world in which that hand was like an Immortal Divinity. All it had to do was wave a finger, and all life could be taken away.
The hand appeared so quickly that nobody had time to react. However, this was the grand coronation of the Clan Chief. How could Namikaze Xiufeng and everyone else, even the ordinary clan members, not be prepared for unexpected circumstances?
After all… because of Planet South Heaven's spell formation, even Dao Realm experts who came here had to lower themselves to the great circle of the Ancient Realm. However, Quasi-Dao cultivators… existed in the longevity-limited area between the Ancient and Dao Realms, and therefore didn't need to reduce their cultivation bases. Planet South Heaven's spell formation would do nothing against such people.
For example, had Namikaze Xiufeng failed in his attempt to step into the Dao, even if the South Heaven Death Formation didn't approve of him, the net of destruction wouldn't appear.
Namikaze Shoudao, Namikaze Yanxu and Namikaze Xiufeng all flew out to try to pull Naruto back. However, Naruto had already made a different decision. He looked coldly at the incoming hand, and then spoke the words 'South Heaven Death Formation.' In that instant, massive rumbling echoed out through the lands.
An indescribable aura suddenly rose up from the ground, the air, the mountains, the rivers, the seas, the plants and vegetation, from Planet South Heaven itself. The aura exploded out everywhere. It felt like a wellspring of killing intent!
As the killing intent converged, it covered over Planet South Heaven, becoming… an enormous illusory net!
It was none other than… the South Heaven Death Formation!
It seemed to appear slowly, but in actuality it happened in almost the exact same moment that Naruto spoke out the four words. Apparently… he could control the formation!
It was a development that left even Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu astonished and in a state of disbelief. Namikaze Xiufeng's eyes went wide, as did the eyes of all the other members of the Namikaze Clan. As for the cultivators from the various sects and clans of the Ninth Mountain and Sea who had come to offer congratulations, their hearts trembled, and they gasped.
"That's the South Heaven Death Formation?"
"What indestructible power! That formation can wipe out anything… This
South Heaven Death Formation is amazing. But… why can Naruto summon it?"
"How could this be happening? Don't tell me that Naruto can actually control the South Heaven Death Formation?!"
Right now, all minds were reeling because of the shocking events which they were witnessing. Naruto hovered there in midair, surrounded by the swirling killing intent of the South Heaven Death Formation. However… considering that he was at the very center of it all, it almost seemed true… that he could actually control the South Heaven Death Formation!
Being able to control the Death Formation meant that he could control Planet South Heaven! And that meant… that on Planet South Heaven, he was invincible!
Some distance away in the Imperial palace of the Great Tang, Emperor Tang stood in the main hall, looking off into the distance. He was shocked, but after a moment of thought, he shook his head. Even back when Naruto had slipped into a coma, he had been able to detect that he had the approval of the South Heaven Death Formation. As far as Namikaze Xiufeng went, the formation was tentative about not killing him. But Naruto, who had been so willing to sacrifice himself for his father… gained its complete and utter approval!
It was as if Naruto's actions in saving his father had moved some ancient Li Clan ancestor within the South Heaven Death Formation…. As such, the entire spell formation approved of him to the point that it would listen to his commands.
Something else happened in that same moment. In a stretch of barren mountains in the Eastern Lands, Shui Dongliu was walking up a path cut into a cliff. He suddenly stopped in place and looked up into the sky.
"People who change their destiny…." he murmured, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Smiling, he continued on walking.
All of the cultivators in attendance at the Namikaze Clan's coronation ceremony were completely shaken at what was happening up above.
The enormous illusory net covered Naruto, making him shine with resplendent light, as if he represented Heaven and Earth.
The withered hand was also shocked, and began to shake. Without the slightest hesitation, the hand pulled back. It even started to fade, as if it wanted to get away from Planet South Heaven as quickly as possible, and didn't dare to get any closer to Naruto.
"You're not going anywhere," Naruto said coolly. He waved his hand, instantly causing the enormous illusory net to shine radiantly. The light seemed to seal everything, and a miserable scream echoed out into the air. Not too far off in the distance, the air rippled, and a figure appeared.
It was an old man wearing a long black robe. He was surrounded by an aura of death, and as soon as he appeared, the enormous net shot toward him.
Seeing the net closing in on him, the old man threw his head back and let out a piercing howl. Rumbling could be heard as the aura of death grew more explosive. He seemed to age even more, and his legs seemed to be on the verge of transforming into ash.
He was paying a heavy price to unleash incredible power with his cultivation base, which was now so powerful that Heaven and Earth flickered with light. If that were all there were to it, it might not be a big deal, but then he waved his right hand, causing a single copper coin to fly out of his sleeve.
The copper coin was bright yellow, and had a magical symbol on one side and an Eight Trigrams symbol on the other. As soon as Naruto saw it, his eyes widened. He wasn't the only one. Namikaze Xiufeng gasped, and as for Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu, they had similar reactions.
"The Mountain Ghost Lightning Decree!" Namikaze Shoudao said in disbelief.
That is exactly what it was… the Mountain Ghost Lightning Decree from the seventh tribulation of Dao Stepping. Normally it was a force that appeared during the tribulation, and yet here it was in plain sight. The Namikaze Clan recognized it, and there were people from the other sects and clans who also recognized it. Those people shot to their feet, expressions of shock on their faces. Their eyes instantly began to shine with a strange light that soon transformed into greed.
It didn't matter whether or not the item was real or a fake; it's mere appearance instantly shook everyone.
Although everyone could now see exactly what the old man looked like, nobody recognized him. Not a single one of the visiting cultivators from the various sects and clans knew who he was.
Namikaze Xiufeng frowned; the man was also a stranger to him.
That in itself was an impossibility. In the Ninth Mountain and Sea, it would be inconceivable that a cultivator could progress from the Spirit Realm all the way to the peak of the Ancient Realm in complete anonymity. Even though he had failed in transcending tribulation and ended up as a Quasi-Dao cultivator, such people were also a rarity. There simply had to be people who had previously interacted with him.
Furthermore, the people who would have had dealings with him would be people with profound cultivation bases. He simply couldn't be a nameless, unknown figure. Besides, a Quasi-Dao expert was not the type of person that you could simply ignore or not care about.
And yet, this old man seemed to be a complete stranger to everyone. For a completely unknown Quasi-Dao cultivator to exist was strange enough, but what was even stranger was that he somehow had a Mountain Ghost Lightning Decree coin. That made him not just strange, but extremely mysterious!
Even as all eyes were focused on the Mountain Ghost Lightning Decree, Namikaze Xiufeng suddenly gave a cold snort. Eyes icy, he spoke in a sinister voice, "So it turns out to be old bastard Shangguan. We fought years ago in the Ruins of Immortality, and I crippled your cultivation base. How could I ever have imagined that, not only would you have come across the good fortune to restore your cultivation base, but you would also experience Dao Stepping Tribulation. Too bad you failed, and now your longevity is at its end…. Hao'er, this guy and I had an undying enmity years ago that still remains irreconcilable. Why don't you kill him for me!?"
As soon as his voice rang out, everyone's eyes widened in shock.
However, inwardly, people began to curse. From what they could tell, Namikaze Xiufeng had seen the Mountain Ghost Lightning Decree, and assumed people would try to snatch it, so he made up a story to prevent that from happening.
Of course, nobody could give voice to such suspicions. After all, it appeared as if this old man really had come with the purpose of going after Namikaze Xiufeng.
The old man threw his head back and roared, raising both hands into the air. The copper coin that was the Mountain Ghost Lightning Decree suddenly flew through the air up toward the giant net.
The old man's cultivation base surged with full power, creating a maelstrom of death that swept everything out of his way as he shot up toward the net, as if to escape Planet South Heaven.
As long as he could get away from Planet South Heaven, then the South Heaven Death Formation wouldn't be able to kill him. After all, his longevity might be limited, but he actually had some secret magic that would enable him to live on a bit longer.
"Mountain Ghost!
"Thunder and Lightning!
"Ghost Slaying!
"Spirit Subduing!" In the moment that the copper coin slammed into the huge illusory net, the old man roared. He was now at the ultimate peak of what he could manage. The copper coin flashed with bright yellow light, and suddenly, the awe-inspiring image of a Mountain Ghost appeared, stretching its hands out toward the huge net. Lightning crackled around it as it roared and charged the net.
The instant they contacted each other, a massive rumbling filled Heaven and Earth. The power of lightning transformed into a 30,000-meter Lightning Dragon which tore a huge hole into the net.
The sight shocked even Naruto, and Emperor Tang's pupils constricted. It wasn't that the South Heaven Death Formation was weak, but rather… that the Mountain Ghost Lightning Decree was an item from legend, with inexhaustible power.
Most important was that although Naruto could control the spell formation, he wasn't as skilled at doing so as Emperor Tang, and couldn't unleash its full potential.
The old man roared, transforming into a beam of light that shot toward the tear in the net.
With a cold harrumph, Naruto lifted his right hand up toward him and made a grasping motion.
Instantly, the South Heaven Death Formation radiated scintillating light, which converged into the shape of a huge hand that crushed down toward the old man with fear-inspiring destructive power. The old man's eyes filled with despair as he roared again, burning more of his life force to unleash greater cultivation base power to fight back against the hand.
However, he was like a moth flying into a flame. In the blink of an eye, the hand grabbed ahold of him and crushed him to death. A bloodcurdling scream echoed out as he was destroyed in body and spirit. However, in the moment before he passed into death, he suddenly let out a venomous shout.
" Namikaze Clan… you people… will never become an Allheaven Clan!"
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1193Chapter 1193: Don't Dare to Fight?
All Heaven and Earth shook. The old man's voice echoed about, filled with venomous hatred. Although most people didn't understand what an Allheaven Clan was, the Three Churches and Six Sects, as well as certain other groups, were completely shocked, and looked over at the Namikaze Clan.
"Allheaven… Clan?"
Even as they looked over in astonishment, the enormous illusory net vanished, and Naruto shot up into the sky. His goal was clear; the shining yellow copper coin, which was now masterless, and slowly beginning to fall out of the sky.
He moved with incredible speed, and yet there were others in the crowd who also shot upward with lightning quickness. There were nine of them, all of whom headed directly toward the copper coin!
But then, six of those people suddenly changed directions and headed toward Naruto instead of the copper coin, apparently with the intention of blocking his path.
The other three pushed even faster toward the copper coin.
Namikaze Xiufeng's face was calm. Next to him were Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze
Yanxu, neither of whom did anything. All of them had complete confidence in Naruto.
Naruto's eyes shone coldly. The old man he had just killed with the help of the South Heaven Death Formation had been targeting the Namikaze Clan, so therefore, he intended to keep the copper coin as a battle trophy.
As he flashed through the air, his right hand flashed with an incantation gesture. Then he waved his hand, causing numerous Immortal mountains to descend, surrounded by boundless azure light. Of the group of six, three coughed up blood and immediately slowed down. The other three unleashed divine abilities and magical techniques. Instantly, the sky filled with splendid, multi-colored light, and the ripples of magic.
Dozens of enormous black lizards materialized, which roared as they charged toward Naruto. There was also a gigantic whip that slashed toward him like a dragon.
Last was a seven-colored rainbow, which emanated brilliant light that covered all Heaven and Earth.
Naruto snorted coldly and pressed forward, relying on the strength of his fleshly body to meet the divine abilities. Both hands stretched out in front of him and ripped to either side, causing the enormous black lizards to let out miserable screams as they were ripped to shreds.
Without even slowing down, Naruto waved his right hand, grabbing the illusory whip and sending flame out to engulf it. In the blink of an eye, the whip became a writhing serpent of fire.
Then, Naruto slammed into the rainbow, shattering it into countless fragments!
It all happened so quickly that Naruto didn't even slow down. He was now directly in front of the three cultivators who had just launched the divine abilities. Their faces flickered with disbelief, and before they could unleash more magic, Naruto waved his sleeve, causing a tempest to sweep over them.
Blood sprayed out of their mouths as Naruto passed them by. He didn't kill them; today was the day his father became the Clan Chief, so unless it was absolutely necessary, he wouldn't kill anyone the way he had during the challenges earlier. He didn't want to turn the occasion into a massacre.
A moment later, he was in front of the copper coin. As he reached out to grab it, the other three cultivators closed in, performing incantation gestures and sending out powerful attacks to block Naruto.
One of them summoned an enormous silver-colored bottle gourd that shot toward Naruto, emanating a powerful gravitational force as well as shocking screams that echoed in Naruto's ears and mind.
"Screw off!" he said, clenching his left hand into a fist and punching out with the power of God-Slaying. The silver gourd trembled and then exploded into pieces, scattering the vengeful ghosts that had been contained inside of it. The resulting backlash slammed into the cultivator who had launched the divine ability.
His face fell as the vengeful ghosts slammed into him. Blood sprayed out of his mouth, and his body withered as he tumbled backward. One of his fellows snorted coldly, ignoring the copper coin and shooting toward Naruto, eyes blazing as he burned his life force.
He was harming himself and even his cultivation base to prevent Naruto from taking the copper coin. The burning turned into the power of self-detonation, causing all faces to fill with shock as the man exploded.
It was like a sun detonating, causing blinding light to stab out in all directions. Naruto didn't retreat. Face cold, he waved his finger toward the expanding power of self-detonation.
"Demon Sealing, Fifth Hex!"
Inside Outside Hex!
Back when Naruto had acquired this Hex, his cultivation base had been too weak to fully unleash it. But now he had the power of an Allheaven Dao Immortal, and could use it in its strongest form.
A moment later, a huge rift appeared in front of him that looked like a gigantic mouth. It emanated an indescribably powerful gravitational force that sucked in the self-detonation power.
It happened with incredible speed. One moment, everyone could sense the power of the self-detonation, the next moment, it was gone.
Everyone stared in shock as they realized that there were now only two people near the copper coin: Naruto, and another middle-aged cultivator in a black robe.
The man was staring at Naruto, eyes wide with fear. He could never have imagined that so many people wouldn't even be able to slow Naruto down. Now there were only two of them vying for the coin.
Two hands reached out simultaneously to grab it!
The middle-aged man's eyes flickered as the aura of Karma suddenly emanated out from him. Instead of reaching out with his hand, countless Karma Threads shot out, swirling around him and then snaking toward the copper coin to entangle it.
"Ji Clan…." said Naruto, his eyes gleaming with killing intent. This middle-aged man had a cultivation base in the great circle of the Ancient Realm, but because of the bizarre nature of Ji Clan divine abilities, his power surpassed that of other people in the same Realm as him.
"That thing belongs to me!" the man cried out in a domineering voice. His Karma Threads latched onto the copper coin and jerked it toward him.
"Dog fart of a Ji Clan!" Naruto roared. Azure light exploded off of him. He didn't need to perform any incantation gestures; his magic responded to his very will. The azure light transformed into an illusory blade that instantly slashed toward the Ji Clan cultivator and his Karma Threads.
In the blink of an eye, the Karma Threads were sliced in two. Blood sprayed out of the man's mouth, and his body withered. At the same time, Naruto grabbed the copper coin.
Without even looking at it, he branded it with divine sense and then tossed it into his bag of holding. Then he spun, hovering in midair as he stared coldly at the Ji Clan cultivator.
The man's face flickered as he glared back at Naruto. Then he snorted and started to back up.
"Did I say you could leave?!" Naruto said, flashing in the man's direction and waving his right finger. The air distorted, and the sky dimmed as the area surrounding the man began to collapse.
The man's face flickered, and he bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood to unleash a secret magic, barely allowing him to escape the attack. Enraged, he cried out, "What do you think you're doing, Naruto!? You really dare to try to kill me?"
Down below, the other cultivators from the Ji Clan looked on with tranquil expressions. None of them seemed worried about what was happening at all, as if they were certain that Naruto wouldn't dare to kill a Ji Clan cultivator in front of so many witnesses.
Naruto's expression was very solemn as he said, "Today is my dad's coronation as Clan Chief, and yet some villains showed up and tried to sow chaos. Even though I've killed them already, I'm still convinced that they were acting on the orders of someone else! A conspiracy!
"If it weren't for that, how would a trifling Quasi-Dao cultivator ever dare come and do such shocking things in my house?" Even as he spoke, he began to advance toward the Ji Clan cultivator.
"I'm investigating this matter on behalf of the Namikaze Clan, which requires a thorough examination of this copper coin and its origins. And yet you… actually tried to stop me!?
"Not only that, you fought me over the item! Why might that be? Could
it be… that the Ji Clan is behind the conspiracy? Now that the Quasi-Dao cultivator is dead, you're worried that the Namikaze Clan might uncover the truth, and therefore wanted to get your hands on the evidence!
"Isn't that true?!" Naruto spoke quickly and without pause, and with increasing intensity so that by the end he was practically bellowing. His words became like an explosion of thunder, after which he closed in on the man and unleashed a punch.
The Ji Clan cultivator's face fell, and he fought back with all his power. However, blood sprayed out of his mouth as he fell back. At the same time, the Ji Clan cultivators down below rose to their feet and looked up coldly at Naruto.
"Naruto, cease this slander!" the man cried. "The Ji Clan had nothing to do with what happened. And even if we did, we wouldn't need to hide the truth!"
"Oh? Oh, I understand. It wasn't the Ji Clan; it was just you acting alone! So, you're the person behind it all!
"What gall, you traitor! You wish to provoke the Namikaze Clan and Ji Clan into a war! I'm going to kill you right here and now, as a warning to anyone who dares to try to incite strife between the Namikaze and Ji Clans!" Eyes flashing, Naruto shot forward. Faces falling, the other Ji Clan cultivators present were about to block him, but then Naruto extended his hand and unleashed the Fifth Demon Sealing Hex.
This time, it was not the Inside aspect, but the Outside aspect. A massive force exploded out, which was none other than the massively destructive self-detonation power from moments ago. Heaven and Earth distorted as the middle-aged cultivator was engulfed.
Before, the explosion's energies were directed outwards in all directions. But now, it was being focused completely on the Ji Clan cultivator by means of the Fifth Hex.
The man couldn't even fight back. Rumbling sounds echoed out as he was instantly killed in body and soul.
"Naruto!" cried the other Ji Clan cultivators, several of whom flew up into the air, but were intercepted by members of the Namikaze Clan.
"Fellow Daoists of the Ji Clan, there's no need to offer me thanks. I really had no choice but to help you. This man dared to incite violence between our two clans, and thus deserved to die!" Smiling, Naruto clasped hands and bowed to the members of the Ji Clan.
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1194Chapter 1194: Cutting Them Down!
Most of the members of the Ji Clan were old, but one appeared to be a young man of about thirty years of age. He wore ordinary clothing, nothing extravagant, and yet all the other Ji Clan cultivators seemed to be following his lead.
Without looking closely, that fact would never be obvious. In fact, he even stood towards the rear, making him seem like nothing other than an ordinary clan member.
However, while the other clan members were crying out in rage, he was doing nothing more than frowning. That in itself made him stand out to Naruto.
Naruto looked over at him with a slight smile, as if nothing were out of the ordinary. However, deep in his heart was icy coldness; the killing intent he felt towards the Ji Clan had long since become extremely intense.
If it weren't for the fact that he wasn't confident in the Namikaze Clan's ability to achieve complete victory against the Ji Clan, Naruto would have already begun to slaughter them. However, even though he was currently holding himself back, he would strike decisively whenever he had the opportunity to do so.
"Fellow Daoists of the Ji Clan, are you saying that I killed the wrong person?" he asked, sounding perplexed. "Why are you so angry? He was clearly trying to harm the relationship between our two clans!" The coldness in his heart grew more intense; if the Ji Clan attempted to argue with him, then he would simply use it as a reason to attack and kill someone else!
The Ji Clan cultivators glared back at him furiously, but in this case, there was no logical argument that could be used against the Namikaze Clan. If the circumstances were different, the Ji Clan might be able to disregard that, but on this day, during the coronation of the Namikaze Clan's Clan Chief, they had only two choices. One was to start a full-scale war with the Namikaze Clan, and the other… was simply to accept the situation.
After all, they truly had been trying to steal the copper coin!
The Ji Clan was domineering in the Ninth Mountain and Sea, a fact known by all the cultivators there. Therefore, many of their cultivators simply couldn't tolerate Naruto's words, and one of them was even about to open their mouth to fire back a rebuke. However, the frowning young man standing off to the side looked deeply at Naruto and then smiled.
"Many thanks for your reminder, Fellow Daoist Uzumaki. Earlier, I truly seem to have overlooked that that man had such ulterior motives." The young man's voice wasn't very loud, but it contained an inherent power and dignity. He swished his sleeve, and immediately, all of the Ji Clan backed down.
Everything that was happening immediately made the young man completely conspicuous among the other Ji Clan cultivators. Now, instead of seeming completely ordinary, he seemed the exact opposite.
All of the cultivators from the other sects and powers in the Ninth Mountain and Sea were now staring at him and speculating about his identity.
"Could it be that he's this generation's mysterious, never-before-seen… Son of Ji? Ji Dongyang?"
Namikaze Xiufeng, Namikaze Shoudao and the others also looked thoughtfully at the young Ji Clan cultivator. Naruto hovered in midair, looking into the young man's eyes. Naruto's gaze burst with killing intent for a brief moment, after which the young man staggered backward, the blood draining from his face and his eyes widening.
Naruto's expression was the same as ever, although a tremor ran through his body. After returning to Namikaze Xiufeng's side, he suddenly made a decision.
Ji Tian wants to kill my dad, so therefore… I'm going to kill this young man!
In that instant, the young man's heart trembled. From Naruto's eyes, it was possible to tell how incredibly strong he was, and the intense killing intent within the gaze had forced the young man backward.
Turning to his fellow clan members, he growled, "Let's go. We're leaving
Planet South Heaven!"
In response to his words, the other members of the Ji Clan began to unleash the power of their cultivation bases. As they clustered around the young man, one of their members, an older man, clasped hands toward Namikaze Xiufeng.
"Fellow Daoist Xiufeng, congratulations on becoming the Clan Chief of the Namikaze Clan. We have an urgent matter to attend to, so we'll take our leave now!" Without even waiting for a response from Namikaze Xiufeng, the man flew into the air, followed by the young cultivator and all the other members of the Ji Clan. All of them transformed into prismatic beams of light that shot up into the sky.
"Dad, Patriarch Shoudao, Patriarch Yanxu," Naruto said quietly, "I'm feeling a bit under the weather. Since nobody else will be offering any challenges, I'm going to go rest." Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu exchanged a hesitating glance. Considering their intelligence and cultivation bases, it wasn't difficult for them to guess what Naruto was planning to do.
Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu were hesitating, but Namikaze Xiufeng looked up and said, "Health comes first. Go ahead."
His eyes flickered with killing intent. He was not the type of person who was willing to let others get the best of him, and thanks to Naruto, he was now certain that his previous difficulties in stepping into the Dao had something to do with the Ji Clan.
Naruto was his son, and he knew him well enough to know that he wasn't an impulsive person. Therefore, Namikaze Xiufeng supported his decision, both as his father and as the Clan Chief.
Naruto nodded, then shot up into the air in a streak of light.
The coronation ceremony for the Clan Chief continued. After what had just happened, no one challenged Namikaze Xiufeng to fight. However, observant people noticed that up in the sky, a mass of dark clouds had appeared at some point.
Apparently, the weather was changing. Rain began to fall, and clouds roiled out to cover the whole sky. If you looked up, you would see that the entire sky had been obscured, almost as if a spell formation were sealing everything.
At the same time, the same dozen or so Ji Clan cultivators were flying through the layers of clouds. Lightning crashed and boomed around them as they flew upward.
"Young Lord, why are we rushing to leave? Even though they killed one of our Ji Clan's cultivators, they still need to try to maintain the moral high ground! There's no way they would dare to openly start attacking all of us, is there?! That Naruto must be killed sooner or later!"
A few of them began to make sneering comments. "That's right, if they dared to attack us in the open, our Patriarch's eye would certainly see it! He can see everything in the Ninth Mountain and Sea! Even if the Namikaze
Clan were more foolhardy than they already are, they still wouldn't dare to make a move on us!"
"That Naruto really does defy laws and principles, even of the Heavens," one of the older cultivators said, snorting coldly. "It's too bad there were so many other cultivators present, plus the Namikaze Clan backing him up. Otherwise, if he dared to act so audaciously, we would have just cut him down. He got lucky this time. Just wait until next time, when there aren't any members from other sects or clans around, we'll definitely exterminate him!"
"Would you shut the hell up!" the young cultivator said, looking around at the clouds. "Do you really think Naruto didn't consider all of that? You think that the other sects and powers made it so we couldn't attack him? You think Naruto got off lightly? Well from my perspective, those people actually saved us!
"Consider the matter dropped. Let's get out of Planet South Heaven.
Dammit… I can't believe Naruto can actually control the South Heaven Death Formation!" The other cultivators followed along quietly, although none of them agreed with his decision.
They were the Ji Clan, and after all these years, they had grown used to being above everyone else. No matter where they went in the Ninth
Mountain and Sea, all they had to do was reveal that they were from the Ji Clan, and everyone would instantly act very respectfully and even shake in fear. After all, the Ji Clan was the Lord of the Ninth Mountain and Sea!
With a position and standing like that, they never really needed to spend much time thinking about anything in any situation. They always viewed themselves as the strongest party, like Emperors. As such, why would they need to spend time considering the common people?
The young cultivator looked at his companions and sighed inwardly with remorse. He was well aware that the members of the Ji Clan were too used to being in a superior position, and had lost their ability to sense danger.
It was at this moment that they emerged from the cloud layer, and found themselves at the very edges of the skies above Planet South Heaven, just a short distance away from the void of space. Suddenly, the young man saw something which caused his pupils to constrict.
"Naruto!"
He wasn't the only surprised one. The other Ji Clan cultivators' faces fell as they caught sight of Naruto, standing in the air above them, eyes shining coldly, lightning crackling and crashing around him.
Voice cool, he said, "Now that nobody's around to stop me… I'm going to cut down some Ji Clan cultivators!"
Lightning crashed and danced in all directions.
Naruto extended his hand and pushed it down toward South Heaven. Rumbling sounds echoed out as, all of a sudden, a huge illusory net appeared around him, which was none other than the South Heaven Death Formation.
The Death Formation net rapidly transformed into a huge hand, which radiated boundless killing intent, causing colors to flash and thunder to boom.
The young Ji Clan cultivator's face flickered, and he performed a doublehanded incantation gesture. He roared as innumerable shocking Karma Threads appeared around him, transforming into innumerable magical items that shone with dazzling light and shot toward the hand. Simultaneously, killing intent began to roil off of all the other Ji Clan cultivators, and the dozen or so of them joined together in unleashing their entire cultivation bases to defend against the hand.
When the magical techniques and divine abilities, as well as the magical items, slammed into the huge hand formed by the spell formation, they were completely powerless. They shattered into nothing, crushed like dried weeds by the spell formation hand. Rumbling echoed out as the hand then slammed into the Ji Clan cultivators.
Almost instantly, three of their number screamed and exploded into pieces, transforming into a rain of blood that fell down through the clouds.
"Naruto, how dare you kill Ji Clan cultivators! Our Patriarch is going to slaughter you!" In the following instant, another three Ji Clan cultivators were killed. Blood sprayed out of their mouths, and they exploded.
The cries they let out before dying never went beyond the clouds, nor did they echo out into space. Down below, the only thing people could hear was thunder.
"Ji Tian doesn't dare to come to Planet South Heaven!" Naruto said coolly. He waved his right hand, causing boundless lightning to crackle within the clouds. There was so much lightning that it seemed as if the entire world were composed of nothing else, except for a few miserable screams interspersed between the booming thunder.
The hand materialized by the South Heaven Death Formation was like Heavenly Tribulation from Planet South Heaven, something that could extinguish all life!
And Naruto could control the South Heaven Death Formation. That mean that on Planet South Heaven he… was exactly as powerful as Emperor Tang! Unsurpassable!
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1195Chapter 1195: Eighth Life!
"Patriarch, save me!" One of the old Ji Clan cultivators screamed as he went all-out trying to fight against the spell formation hand. However, all his magical techniques fell to pieces, and he was torn to shreds, causing blood to rain down into the clouds below.
The illusory hand burst with the power of extermination. Lightning crashed and exploded, becoming the only sound in Heaven and Earth.
A middle-aged Ji Clan cultivator, eyes bloodshot, performed an incantation gesture that caused numerous magical items to fly out of his bag of holding. However, the hand shattered them all. Blood sprayed from the man's mouth, splattering back onto his face. He screamed as he was destroyed, completely shredded into nothing.
Two more Ji Clan cultivators performed incantation gestures, summoning magical techniques and Karma Threads. In the blink of an eye, their
Karma was destroyed, and then the hand completely wiped them out.
"Patriarch, save us!" Miserable screams echoed out, filled with astonishment and dread. Unfortunately for them, the screams were completely drowned out by the lightning.
Everything happened very quickly. Although it takes some time to describe, Naruto's single explosive attack with the South Heaven Death Formation… instantly killed almost all of the dozen or so Ji Clan cultivators.
A moment later, only two were left. One was the young man, and the other was the Elder who had been in the leadership position of this group that had come to Planet South Heaven. They immediately fell back, avoiding death for the moment. However, the hand continued to rumble toward them with unbelievable speed.
"Naruto," the old man roared, "is your Namikaze Clan trying to start a war with the Ji Clan!?" He waved his hand, causing cultivation base power to erupt into a windstorm that rumbled so loudly it vied with the thunder.
Naruto's face was icy cold as he shoved his hand down. More rumbling could be heard as the spell formation's hand crushed down through the clouds toward the two remaining cultivators.
Blood sprayed out of the old man's mouth, and a look of despair covered his face as he began to collapse. In the moment before he shattered, the young man flickered into place behind him and pushed down onto his back.
"Since you're going to die… you might as well help me!" the young man murmured.
RUMBLE!
The enormous hand continued to surge through the clouds, causing them to seethe and churn. By now, the sound had reached the ears of the cultivators down below, who heard a shocking rumbling.
They could also see the clouds shaking. Massive amounts of lightning crackled about as if they had been squeezed out of the sponge-like clouds, falling from the clouds like silver dragons.
Given that even the lightning had been forcibly expelled, huge beansized drops of rain also began to pour down onto the lands beneath.
However, what no one noticed was that some of that rain was the color of blood. That was because… it wasn't rain at all, but blood, the blood of the Ji Clan! However, there was no life within that blood, and the amount was miniscule, as if the vast majority of it had been swallowed up by the clouds themselves.
What nobody down below could see was that, somewhere within the dark clouds, a blood-colored figure sat cross-legged in meditation, surrounded by a cloud of the blood that had disappeared, which it was constantly consuming.
If you looked closely, that blood-colored figure was emanating the Karmic aura of the Ji Clan, as well as a faint, murderous aura.
This was Naruto's Blood Clone!
It had been years since Naruto's cultivation base had grown so powerful that the Blood Clone was essentially useless, and had remained tucked away in his bag of holding. He had even given up on the idea of turning it into a Blood Divinity. 1
Then Ji Tian had gone and tried to kill his father, which stoked Naruto's killing intent and rage to the point where he decided to collect more generations of Ji Clan blood and continue his plan to build his Blood Divinity, which would have the power of Ancestral Awakening.
Thus, less blood fell down among the rain than would be expected, and what fell was in fact diluted to the point that no one could see it. In fact, only a single drop landed on the face of one of the cultivators down below, who looked up in shock after wiping it away.
Back up in the clouds and lightning, Naruto extended his right hand, causing the spell formation's hand to gradually disperse, leaving behind a huge handprint within the clouds.
One palm had killed the Ji Clan cultivators as if they were ants!
Although that power did not come from Naruto himself, at this moment he felt a sort of mightiness that could only come after one possessed the power to control Heaven and Earth, the kind of domineering feeling that came from being matchless in all of creation.
As the hand faded away, two people became visible within the handprint that was left behind. It was none other than the two people who hadn't been killed!
Of course, it would be most correct to say that it was one person, not two!
The old man's aura was no longer present. A huge hole was now visible in his back, and it was possible to see that no organs existed inside of his body. He was an empty husk, inside of which the young man was concealed!
Clearly, he hadn't simply hidden inside the man, but used some sort of sinister secret magic to avoid being killed by the enormous net.
Cracking sounds could be heard as the husk of the old man fell into pieces. The young man staggered back, coughing up blood. At the same time, countless Karma Threads exploded out of him, filling the area and transforming into what looked like a teleportation spell formation.
The blood spraying from his mouth fell down through the clouds to be sucked towards and voraciously consumed by the Blood Clone which was hidden there.
Of course, the young man had no idea about the Blood Clone. Even as his body began to fade, Naruto gave a cold harrumph.
"You're not going anywhere!" he said, advancing, hand clenching into a fist. He punched out, causing the air to distort. However, as he closed in on the young man, Naruto suddenly felt a sense of crisis, and it was in that moment that the young man smiled eerily.
"You… finally got close," he murmured. Instead of dodging out of the way of Naruto's fist, he actually charged directly forward to meet it. Rumbling could be heard as the young man's body was shattered, causing blood and gore to spray out in all directions. However, his laughter continued to echo out in the air.
"Naruto, our Karma has been tied. Next time we meet… what's yours will be mine. Remember our shared name. We are called… Ji Dongyang!" Wild laughter echoed out as the young man's body faded away.
Naruto hovered there, frowning. Finally, he looked down thoughtfully at his fist and sighed.
"I wanted to kill him, but apparently, that was part of his plan….
"What a clever fellow, this Ji Dongyang. All of the Ji Clan cultivators he brought with him were being used as a smokescreen.
"And the entire reason why he dared to come to Planet South Heaven was to use a Ji Clan secret magic to bind me with Karma, and in turn unleash some sort of mysterious Daoist magic.
"I was luring him into a trap, and he was doing the same to me…. He didn't want to be killed by the South Heaven Death Formation, he wanted to be killed by me personally…." Even as he hovered there thinking, the Blood Clone which had been hiding in the clouds below slowly floated up. It was now very different than before, more powerful, and emanating a powerful aura of Ji Clan Karma.
In fact, it even seemed to be poised on the verge of a breakthrough. With a little more progress, it would finally break through and take a step closer to being a Blood Divinity capable of Ancestral Awakening.
"If the Ancestral Awakening occurs, I wonder if… whatever appears will be as powerful as Ji Tian himself!?"
Eyes flickering, he ceased worrying about the matter of Ji Dongyang. All he could do now was be on guard against this new powerful adversary!
After putting his Blood Clone into his bag of holding, he shot back down through the clouds.
Meanwhile, in the Ji Clan on the Ninth Mountain, there was a restricted area that was a graveyard. Nine coffins were lined up there, all of them bronze and carved with complicated magical symbols.
Seven of those coffins had no lids, and were empty. Only the eighth and ninth coffins were closed tightly.
Suddenly, powerful rumbling like that of thunder could be heard, and the lid of the eighth coffin opened with a bang. A powerful aura immediately surged out from within.
A hand stretched up from inside the eighth coffin. At first, it was trembling, but then it grew steady and grabbed the side of the coffin. A person slowly sat up, then stood. His body was shriveled, like a corpse, so desiccated that it was difficult to make out his facial features.
A mark could be seen on his forehead, and despite the withered nature of his body, that mark was clearly visible. Unexpectedly, it was… an Echelon mark!
Shockingly, this man… was an Echelon cultivator!
He took a breath, sucking in all the energy of Heaven and Earth in the area. As he did, his body rapidly regenerated. His blood and flesh wriggled, and life flooded back into him as he rapidly transformed back into a young man!
His facial features slowly filled back in, and in the end… a face appeared which no one had ever seen before!
"I still… prefer the appearance of my seventh life," he said in a raspy voice. "He was my favorite among the Junior generation." Then the face rapidly changed, transforming into… Ji Dongyang!
"The Karma has been bound, and my eighth life body has been awakened. I've also secured the host for my ninth life. Naruto….. Once we share the same body… then you will be my ninth life!" Ji Dongyang began to laugh, a strange and sinister laughter filled with an ancient air.
He looked up, and shockingly, a huge eye appeared up above him, within which sat an old man. The two of them looked at each other.
The most eerie thing was that if there were a third person present to observe the scene, they would find that the look in the old man's eyes, and the look in Ji Dongyang's eyes… Were exactly the same!
I didn't have time to link to all the previous relevant chapters with the Blood Clone. If I recall correctly, the last time it appeared was in the battle for the Southern Domain. I did pull up a chapter where the Blood
Divinity was mentioned, chapter 265 ↩
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1196Chapter 1196: Taking Away the Terracotta Soldier!
The rest of the coronation of the Clan Chief came to a conclusion without a hitch. All sects and powers in the Ninth Mountain and Sea would henceforth treat Namikaze Xiufeng with incredible politeness. After all, Namikaze Xiufeng now represented the entire Namikaze Clan!
Large numbers of Namikaze Clan cultivators were stationed on Planet South Heaven, and permanent teleportation portals were set up, linking it directly to Planet East Victory.
This also meant that it was no longer just Namikaze Xiufeng who stood guard over Planet South Heaven. It became the responsibility of the whole Namikaze Clan, including Namikaze Shoudao and Namikaze Yanxu, and no one shirked their duty.
Protect the Mountain and Sea Realm! That… was the oath of the Allheaven Clans!
Three days after the ceremony was over, Naruto bid farewell to his parents and left Planet South Heaven. He wasn't sure when he would be back in the Ninth Mountain and Sea, so he decided that he should go see some of his old friends before leaving. Some he would visit to reminisce. Others he would visit to collect money!
His first stop would be Planet East Victory!
He made use of the teleportation portal on Planet South Heaven to travel directly there. On his way to the ancestral mansion, he stopped by the Dao of Alchemy Division to pay respects to Pill Elder and visit some old friends. Then, he and Namikaze Shoudao opened up the clan's Ancestral Land!
He stood there looking at the enormous vortex, and the familiar Ancestral Land therein. His heart trembled as he saw the terracotta soldier in the form of a mountain, and couldn't help but think of Ke Yunhai.
"Dad…." he murmured. He stepped forward into the vortex and appeared in front of the terracotta soldier. It was currently sleeping, but as soon as he appeared, its aura awakened, and it slowly opened its eyes. Rumbling echoed out as it rose to its feet, and the power of a Quasi-Dao cultivation base erupted out.
It had been waiting this entire time for Naruto to come and take it away!
The day had finally come!
"I'm going to take you away," Naruto said. "You're going to be with me… for all eternity." He slowly lifted his hand and patted the terracotta soldier as its aura caused memories of Stepdad Ke to swirl in his head.
"There's another terracotta soldier out there somewhere, and I'm going to get that one back too." He took a deep breath and then waved his hand. The terracotta soldier instantly transformed into a beam of light that flew into the piece of the Ruins of Immortality that he'd acquired from Paragon Sea Dream!
The terracotta soldier had long since become connected inseparably with the Ruins of Immortality, although not the land itself, but its energy. The entire reason it was unable to leave the Namikaze Clan Ancestral Land was because without that energy, it would die.
That was the main reason that Naruto requested a piece of the Ruins of Immortality from Paragon Sea Dream. It was all… for the terracotta soldier. As the terracotta soldier entered his own piece of the Ruins of Immortality, Naruto's heart began to beat nervously. After all, his whole plan was based on speculation. However, after seeing that the terracotta soldier showed no signs of being unable to adapt, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"From now on we'll… travel together through the Mountain and Sea Realm!" Next, his eyes began to glow as he looked in the direction of the necropolis far off in the distance and bowed. Just as he was about to leave, the ancient voice of the first generation Patriarch echoed out into his mind.
"The legacy of Lord Li was once on Planet South Heaven. Later it came to Planet East Victory. And now… it's in the Eighth Mountain and Sea." As the voice echoed out, a jade slip flew out of the necropolis to appear in front of Naruto. He reached out and took it.
"This jade slip shows the current location of the legacy of Lord Li. With this, you should be able to track it down!
"The legacy was originally intended for someone in the Dao Realm. However, considering your current cultivation base, you can still… find and acquire the legacy. It… will be of great help to you." The longer the first generation Patriarch spoke, the weaker his voice got.
Naruto sent some divine sense into the jade slip, and could immediately sense something calling to him through the starry sky. It was faint, but he was now sure that if he went looking, he would be able to find the source of that call.
What he found strange was that the location of Lord Li's legacy was not fixed within the Eighth Mountain and Sea. Instead, it seemed to be moving.
"Planet South Heaven. Planet East Victory. The Eighth Mountain…." Naruto's eyes widened as he made a sudden, wild speculation. "No way…." he murmured.
Meanwhile, in the starry sky of the Eighth Mountain and Sea, a gargantuan turtle was flying along happily, humming a little tune, surrounded by hundreds of tough-looking cultivators who were apparently guards.
As they flew along with the turtle, they cried out in loud voices:
"The Patriarch is mighty, Reliance is mighty!"
"The Patriarch is invincible, Reliance is invincible!"
Their voices echoed out in powerful sound waves, spreading out in all directions. Any cultivators who encountered them were immediately shocked.
Of course, this turtle was none other than Patriarch Reliance, who was now as free as a bird, smacking his lips proudly, looking very much at ease.
"The Eighth Mountain is way better than the Ninth Mountain. No matter where I look, there's no Naruto. Without him, everything is wonderful." Patriarch Reliance sighed emotionally as he realized that making the decision to flee from the Ninth Mountain and Sea couldn't have been more right.
"That little bastard Naruto wouldn't imagine in his wildest dreams that I'll never again be fooling around with him in the Ninth Mountain and Sea. Finally I can be footloose and fancy free in the Eighth Mountain and Sea." Patriarch Reliance was very proud of himself, and loved how the cultivators clustered around him and called him mighty. However, it was at this point that he suddenly shivered out of nowhere.
"Eee? What's going on? Why do I feel so jittery all of a sudden?" A strange look appeared on Patriarch Reliance's face for a moment, but he thought little more of it and continued on his merry way.
Back in the Ninth Mountain and Sea, Naruto put the jade slip away with a wry expression on his face. Clasping hands to the first generation Patriarch, he then left the Ancestral Land and headed toward the teleportation portal with those speculations running through his mind.
Halfway there, he suddenly turned to find a black-robed cultivator sitting cross-legged on a nearby mountain peak.
Before, this cultivator would wear white, but later, he had become the shadow of the clan, and from then on, wore clothing as black as the night, to indicate how he would eternally exist in the darkness.
It was Namikaze Wei!
This location was a place that had to be passed by to get to the teleportation portal, and he had been waiting here specifically for Naruto.
Their gazes met, and neither said anything at first. A moment passed, and then Naruto smiled.
"What is the meaning of your name, Namikaze Wei?"
A tremor ran through Namikaze Wei. Naruto's question brought back many memories. A bright glow appeared in his eyes. Voice low and filled with determination, he replied, "That I'm going to defend the Namikaze Clan!" 1
Naruto waved his finger, which caused Namikaze Wei to shake one more time. Suddenly, an intense azure light began to shine off of him.
This was the light of an Allheaven Immortal. The Dao seed inside of him was now mostly awakened, causing his cultivation base to burn with the power of an imminent breakthrough.
Naruto's face paled a bit. Smiling, he flew past Namikaze Wei toward the teleportation portal.
A complicated expression appeared on Namikaze Wei's face as he sensed his surging cultivation base and the Allheaven Immortal energy inside of himself. As Naruto made his way off, just before he disappeared, Namikaze Wei called out, "Naruto, I'll wait for you to get back, and then the two of us are going to fight!"
"Very well!" was the echoing reply. Then Naruto disappeared into the teleportation portal in a flash of light.
"Therefore," Namikaze Wei murmured. "No matter what dangerous situations you run into, make sure to get back safely!" He rose to his feet and headed back in the direction of the Medicine Immortal Sect, eyes gleaming with an unswerving determination to sacrifice anything and everything for the sake of his clan.
Naruto stepped out of a shimmering teleportation portal onto an asteroid field somewhere in the starry sky of the Ninth Mountain and Sea. Slapping his bag of holding, he produced a thick stack of promissory notes.
"So, who should I go collect money from first? Ah, I guess it doesn't matter. I have so many promissory notes I guess I might as well just randomly pick one!" Having made up his mind, he pulled a random note out and looked it over.
"Taiyang Zi?" he said, smiling. "Not bad, not bad. He owes me quite a few spirit stones." Face filled with anticipation, he clutched the promissory note in his hand as he shot toward the teleportation portal leading to Mount Sun. As soon as the disciples manning the teleportation portal saw that it was Naruto, their faces flickered.
Ignoring them, Naruto stepped into the teleportation portal and was surrounded by the glowing light of teleportation.
When he reappeared, he found himself in front of a world of scorching heat. It was like a desert, and there was no starry sky up above; this was its own unique, special world.
The sky was dark, and the lands were parched. Countless mountains could be seen stretching out in all directions, all of which were spontaneously erupting volcanoes. In fact, in the moment that Naruto arrived, he saw a dozen or so of them belching out black smoke, and shooting out bright glowing arcs of light that looked almost like meteors.
This was Mount Sun. According to the legends, it was a fragment of lands shattered by the impact of the Immortal World's sun when it fell from the heavens. Because it was so large, vast amounts of sun power could be found there, which was also why there were so many powerfully destructive volcanoes!
That was also why it became a unique location to practice cultivation. Gradually, it came to be called Mount Sun, and after many years, became one of the Five Great Holy Lands of the Ninth Mountain and Sea!
Different teleportation portals could be used to get into and out of Mount Sun, and all of them were manned by Mount Sun disciples. Once Naruto appeared, they immediately recognized him.
"That's Naruto!" There were over a hundred disciples in the area of the teleportation portal, and all of them looked at Naruto with flickering expressions. Although they weren't sure why he was here, they immediately pushed down on jade slips to send messages to their superiors.
Naruto coughed dryly and glanced around at the Mount Sun disciples, who were acting as though some powerful enemy had just shown up at their doorstep. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he gave them a bashful smile, then cleared his voice and called out, "Taiyang Zi! You owe me money! Time to pay up!"
His voice echoed out like thunder, causing wild colors to flash in Heaven and Earth, and a massive wind to spring up. Boundless ripples emanated out and surged through the world.
Some of the volcanoes in the area quaked and then erupted, and the sky darkened as the Heavens shook. Everyone in the entire world could hear Naruto's words.
The Mount Sun disciples stared with wide-open jaws. Mount Sun was immediately thrown into a huge uproar as countless disciples were flabbergasted by Naruto's voice.
In case you forgot, the story of how Namikaze Wei got his name, and what it means, was in chapter 998 ↩
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1197Chapter 1197: Stopping By To Demand Payment!
"Taiyang Zi! You owe me money! Time to pay up!"
"… You owe me money! Time to pay up!"
"… Time to pay up!"
The world in which Mount Sun existed seemed to be filled with countless Narutos, all of them shouting out at the same time. The mountains shook and the lands quaked. Countless cultivators were completely shocked.
Most surprising of all were the actual words he spoke….
Almost immediately, hundreds of furious cultivators flew out from one particular mountain deep within the world of Mount Sun.
"Collecting debt?"
"Who dares to cause a ruckus in Mount Sun!?"
"Such audaciousness!"
All of the disciples headed in Naruto's direction. However, before they were even halfway to his location, one cultivator after another recognized who he was, and their faces fell.
"Naruto…. Dammit, I can't believe it's him! Greedy, miserly Naruto!"
"Naruto was able to cut down Guru Heavencloud in battle, and also has a despicable Daoist magic that gets people to owe him money. It would be better to die than provoke him!"
"Ahem, well if it isn't my bro Naruto. Ah, misunderstanding, misunderstanding…." Without the slightest hesitation, the group instantly turned on their heels and left.
They recognized him and knew what kind of person he was. He was such a terrifying figure that none of them were willing to stand up for Taiyang Zi.
Actually, not even Naruto himself was aware of how famous he had become in the Ninth Mountain and Sea. Virtually all of the cultivators knew him and did their best to avoid him. It was common knowledge that anyone who tangled with him… would end up completely destitute.
Naruto's cries continued to echo back and forth in the Holy Land of Mount Sun. Soon, in some of the most ancient volcanoes of Mount Sun, cultivators with the status of Elders, and even Patriarchs, opened their eyes to reveal cold, displeased gazes. These people had extremely high statuses, and had lived for many years. As such, they held no approval for a youngster like Naruto.
Meanwhile…. At the bottom of an enormous volcano deep within Mount Sun, a young man sat cross-legged in meditation. He was naked from the waist up, and every inch of his skin glowed bright red. Clearly it contained terrifying power. Bulging blue veins snaked across his skin like dragons, and it seemed like there was some sort of explosive force building up inside him.
On the young man's forehead, a mark could be seen that resembled a sun.
This was none other than… Taiyang Zi!
He was just one of the many Chosen that had emerged in the long history of the Holy Land of Mount Sun. Yet his latent talent was stunning, even more so than all the cultivators who had inherited the name Taiyang Zi before him. In terms of cultivation, he had long since broken through the traditional limitations for cultivators. He was now at the peak of the Immortal Realm, but in truth, he could easily battle the mid Ancient Realm!
Immortals like that were definitely rare in the Ninth Mountain and Sea!
As Taiyang Zi sat there cross-legged doing breathing exercises, Naruto's voice echoed about like thunder, reaching the depths of the world of Mount Sun. The volcanoes all trembled, erupting with lava and belching out smoke. The sky of Mount Sun quickly turned black.
Taiyang Zi's eyes snapped open as his volcano had a similar reaction.
"Naruto!" He gritted his teeth in fury. He would never have imagined that Naruto would actually come to Mount Sun and say something like he just had.
To show up in Taiyang Zi's home and openly demand money left him with no face whatsoever. This was especially the case considering that he didn't believe that he actually owed Naruto anything. The whole situation had been forced on him. Of course, he couldn't beat Naruto in a fight, so he was forced to simply endure the situation. But now, shockingly, Naruto had actually come to Mount Sun to settle up.
Taiyang Zi threw his head back and roared. His cultivation base surged with power, and he flew out of the volcano up into the sky, roaring out in an equally thunderous voice, "Naruto, you push people too far!"
From his position just outside the teleportation portal, Naruto could hear Taiyang Zi, and his face lit up with delight. What he feared the most was going to collect debts, only to find the person not at home. Now that he knew Taiyang Zi was home, he realized that he was in luck.
Laughing heartily, he took a step forward and transformed into a bright beam of light that shot dazzlingly through the air toward Taiyang Zi.
However, even as he closed in, a cold snort echoed out from a nearby volcano, and an enormous hand appeared, which grabbed toward Naruto.
"Cease this outburst, child! Get down here!" The sound of the snort echoed about, and the enormous hand blotted out the sky as it crushed down toward Naruto. The hand even seemed to influence the natural laws in the area, causing everything to twist and distort.
Naruto's eyes flickered coldly. Instead of falling back, he slammed directly into the hand, causing massive rumbling sounds to echo out. The hand collapsed, and Naruto remained hovering in midair, completely unharmed.
"Me get down there? How about you come up here!" He extended his right hand and made a grasping motion toward the volcano down below.
The land quaked and the volcano rumbled as a bedraggled figure was wrenched up into the air. It was an old man in the great circle of the
Ancient Realm, who looked completely flustered as he glared at Naruto. More cold harrumphs could be heard from the surrounding volcanos as four more old men appeared, all of them in the great circle of the Ancient Realm. Their energy surged, creating a spectacular scene as they flew out to suppress Naruto.
"Ganging up on me?" Naruto said coolly, waving his right hand, which caused the terracotta soldier to emerge from his bag of holding. It instantly grew to a huge size, sweeping its greatsword through the air, destroying a volcano before stabbing into the ground, which then quaked violently.
When the Ancient Realm Mount Sun Elders felt how powerful the attack of the terracotta soldier was, their faces fell and they instantly backed up. Even still, blood sprayed out of their mouths, and shocked expressions appeared on their faces.
"Quasi-Dao!"
"That's the guardian of the Namikaze Clan's Ancestral Land! It joined the battle when the Ji Clan invaded Planet East Victory!"
As they backed up, the terracotta soldier looked around, and its energy soared. Rumbling filled the air, and a huge wind sprang up that filled all of Mount Sun with the Quasi-Dao aura of the terracotta soldier.
That aura caused all Mount Sun disciples' faces to fall, and their bodies to tremble. The mad aura of a Quasi-Dao cultivation base was something they simply couldn't fight against.
Any Quasi-Dao expert was to be feared. However, what was most terrifying was that even though the terracotta soldier could explode out with Quasi-Dao power… it had no longevity limitations.
Taiyang Zi gasped, and his heart began to thump. He looked at Naruto, then at the enormous terracotta soldier, and then he sighed.
Finally, he began to back up, and yet, he wasn't as fast as Naruto.
Naruto advanced, reaching out to grab ahold of Taiyang Zi.
"Taiyang Zi, you're going to pay me what you owe, today!"
"You're shameless, Naruto! I never owed you any money!" Roaring in fury, Taiyang Zi performed a double-handed incantation gesture, causing a divine ability to materialize and shoot toward Naruto.
"I have proof! Your promissory note is right here! How dare you deny the truth!" Enraged, Naruto punched out, sending Taiyang Zi flying back with blood spraying out of his mouth. Naruto was just about to follow up with another attack when the voice of an arrogant old man echoed out across the lands.
"Even if your father came here, he would treat me with respect and call me Senior. For you to come to Mount Sun and babble such nonsense might not be a capital offense, but you won't escape severe punishment.
"I suppose I'll just stand in for your father to administer some discipline.
If we don't correct that personality of yours, sooner or later you're going to get yourself killed." As the voice rang out, an ancient and primeval volcano off in the distance erupted, and countless flickering magical symbols spewed out. A middle-aged man flew out, standing on a stream of smoking lava and a cloud of ash.
When he emerged, the sky churned, and the air around him became a sea of flames which emanated an Essence aura.
This man was none other than one of the three Dao Realm experts of Mount Sun!
As far as he was concerned, it didn't matter why Naruto was here, he should politely offer his respects and say some pleasantries. If that had been the case, Mount Sun wouldn't necessarily refuse to hand over some spirit stones to resolve the issue with Taiyang Zi.
However, for Naruto to show up and act so tough was simply intolerable. In his mind, even if Naruto were stronger than he was, he couldn't do anything to cultivators in the Dao Realm. Even the things which had happened on Planet South Heaven recently were only because of the South Heaven Death Formation.
After he finished speaking, the middle-aged man waved his finger in Naruto's direction.
"I call upon my Dao to unleash the magic of the Heavens. Bind this child's body and burn him in the flames!" In accompaniment with the man's coolly spoken words, the sea of flames behind him surged explosively toward Naruto, transforming into an enormous mouth that sought to consume him.
"Well aren't you something, Mount Sun. I came to settle accounts, which is a right and proper thing to do. But in the end, the kids refuse to admit they owe money, and the adults refuse to discuss the matter reasonably?" Enraged, Naruto waved his hand, causing the Essence of Divine Flame to explode out in another sea of flames. This sea of flames also filled half of the sky, and shot menacingly toward the Dao Realm Patriarch.
Rumbling booms echoed out as the two seas of flame collided and then dissipated.
Naruto grunted, but then took a step forward, causing his energy to rise as he charged toward the Dao Realm Patriarch. The man's face was pale, and his eyes were wide; Naruto's power left him… completely astonished.
When the Mount Sun disciples saw what was happening, they gasped. Even Taiyang Zi's eyes were wide, and his mind was spinning. This was their first time truly witnessing how powerful Naruto's cultivation base was.
"Taiyang Zi… are you gonna pay back what you owe, or not!?" Naruto took a second step, and his energy rose, causing him to emanate what felt like the might of the Heavens throughout the world of Mount Sun.
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1198Chapter 1198: Repay Your Kindness!
"Enough with the ruckus!" The Dao Realm Patriarch's eyes glinted with coldness. Although he was shocked by Naruto's battle prowess, he still couldn't believe that he himself was no match for him. Although he wasn't of a mind to kill Naruto, he fully intended to teach him a lesson. Even as the words left his mouth, he took a step forward.
As his foot descended, he stretched his arms wide, causing a tempest to spring up. All of the volcanoes in Mount Sun trembled, and the black smoke in the sky seethed and churned as they gathered towards him. Even the lava that covered the surface of the ground began to rise up into the air and converge together.
In the blink of an eye, a huge sealing mark formed!
It was bright red, and filled with Dao Realm Essence power that was strong enough to shatter Heaven and destroy Earth. Fully 300 meters wide, it floated there in front of the Dao Realm Patriarch, who then waved his hand, sending the sealing mark directly toward Naruto.
"I'll put you in your place and then call some adults from your clan to come take you away!" he said coolly. The huge sealing mark rumbled through the air, bursting with Essence power.
"A piddling 1-Essence Dao Realm cultivator like you dares to to try and put me in my place!?" Naruto responded calmly. He truly qualified to say such a thing; if he unleashed his Battle Weapon, it would certainly be possible for him to cut this man down.
But he was here to collect debt. Although this Dao Realm Patriarch was blocking his path, after some thought, Naruto realized that he should act in good faith, and help Mount Sun consider the gains and losses that could be had.
"I might not have a sealing mark, but I have… this!" Eying the incoming sealing mark, he extended his right hand out into the air, making a snatching motion. Heaven and Earth trembled, and the air in front of him collapsed as a land mass shot out from his palm.
The piece of land started out very small, but in the next moment, it grew to the enormous size of 30,000 meters, blotting out the sky and casting everything into deep shadow.
A boundlessly archaic aura emanated out from the land mass, as if it had existed for countless years of time. That land mass had apparently existed for innumerable eons, and even seemed to contain the will of a Paragon!
It wasn't the specific will of an individual Paragon, though. It was… the supreme will of the land mass itself!
This 30,000-meter stretch of land was none other than… a piece of the
Ruins of Immortality, enormously heavy, and now being wielded by Naruto as if it were a magical item. Immediately, he sent it smashing down toward the sealing mark down below.
Apparently, there was nothing in Heaven and Earth, nothing in the Mountain and Sea Realm, no precious treasures that could remain unshaken by this land mass, and even if there were, the sealing mark was not one of them!
The Dao Realm Patriarch's face fell as he saw the chunk of the Ruins of
Immortality descending. "That's… part of the Ruins of Immortality! This is impossible! You…. you actually have part of the Ruins of Immortality!"
It was a spectacular scene in which everything trembled violently. When the land mass smashed into the sealing mark, the mark trembled. Incapable of standing up to the attack, it collapsed, and the chunk of the Ruins of Immortality continued to rip through the air and then slammed down toward the ground.
If it crashed into the ground, a large portion of the land would surely collapse. The ensuing earthquake would also cause all of the volcanoes in Mount Sun to erupt.
Everything that was happening caused the Dao Realm Patriarch to gasp. How could he ever have predicted that Naruto would have a piece of the Ruins of Immortality? This fact only added to his astonishment; his heart had long since begun to pound wildly with shock.
It was at this point that an ancient voice rang out from a distant volcano, filled with surprise. "So, you actually have a piece of the Ruins of Immortality!"
In the blink of an eye, an old man had appeared beneath the Ruins of Immortality. After reaching his hand up and pushing against the descending land mass, he was shoved down several hundred meters before coming to a stop.
He was able to resist the Ruins of Immortality with his power alone!
The old man's explosive aura contained swirling Essence power, not that of a single Essence, but rather, three!
Shockingly, this old man was… a 3-Essences Dao Lord!
After successfully collecting the power of three different Essences, one was referred to as a Dao Lord!
The old man's energy soared, and rumbling echoed out from his hand as he floated up, pushing the Ruins of Immortality back up into the air "Naruto, young friend, please put this thing away," the old man said, his eyes gleaming with somberness.
Naruto's expression was the same as ever. If there was no one in Mount Sun who could catch his chunk of the Ruins of Immortality, then they didn't qualify to be one of the Five Great Holy Lands.
Even still, Naruto was convinced that if his piece of the Ruins of Immortality were larger, then even Dao Lords would be incapable of shouldering it!
He waved his hand, and the land mass flew back into his bag of holding. Naruto looked at the old man and said, "I came here today to collect some debts, not to duel with magic."
The middle-aged Dao Realm Patriarch was apparently on the verge of saying something, but the old man silenced him with a look. The middleaged man nodded, and the old man suddenly said, "Taiyang Zi!"
His voice echoed out like thunder, causing Taiyang Zi to hurry forth and kowtow.
"Greetings, Patriarch!" he said, head bowed. Inwardly, he was completely shaken to a Heaven-shaking, Earth-toppling degree. Although he knew that Naruto was powerful, he could never have imagined that he was strong enough to face off against Mount Sun's Patriarchs.
In fact, it was even appropriate to say that Naruto was now capable of shaking the entire Ninth Mountain and Sea. With a cultivation base like that, now that he had come to settle accounts… there was nothing Taiyang Zi could do other than smile bitterly. He wasn't sure whether to feel honored, or to sigh.
"How much money do you owe our young friend Naruto?" the old man growled.
"I…." Taiyang Zi opened his mouth, but couldn't find any words. Deep depression filled his heart, and actually, he couldn't recall exactly how much he owed. After all, he had never admitted to actually owing Naruto anything.
When Naruto saw what was happening, he coughed dryly and patted his bag of holding. Immediately, a stack of promissory notes appeared, which he began to shuffle through.
"Oh, not much, not much," he said, kindly deciding to remind Taiyang Zi of the amount. "Let's see, the trifling sum of 1,000,000 Immortal jades, that's all."
"It wasn't that much!" Taiyang Zi blurted, trembling as he turned to look at Naruto. Even though Naruto's cultivation base was so much higher than his, this was too much for him to bear.
"There's interest on that too," Naruto said, clearing his throat seriously. "Alright, never mind, just give me the original amount, 1,000,000 Immortal jades, and we'll call things even."
Taiyang Zi wanted to cry, but no tears would come. "You–"
He was about to continue speaking when the old man waved his hand, causing a bag of holding to fly out to Naruto.
Naruto caught it and scanned it with divine sense. Inside were 1,000,000 pieces of Immortal jade, neatly arranged.
Naruto immediately looked delighted. Putting the bag of holding away as quickly as possible, he clasped hands respectfully to the old man.
"Many thanks for presiding over justice, Senior. Well then… unless you have other business to discuss, I'll take off now. I still have quite a few other places to go collect debts. Waiting for too long will give them too much opportunity to prepare, and make the accounts too difficult to settle." With that, he turned into a beam of light that shot back toward the teleportation portal, then vanished.
Everyone in Mount Sun was completely silent, and many strange expressions could be seen. When Naruto vanished, there were many hearts that still blazed with rage at the utter humiliation which had just occurred.
The middle-aged Dao Realm cultivator was one of those people, and stared coldly at Naruto the entire time until he disappeared. Finally, he turned to face the old man.
"Elder Brother, why did you let that little bastard off the hook? Once word spreads, how will Mount Sun maintain any face?"
The old man frowned. Looking back at the middle-aged man, he sighed and said, "Don't provoke him. He's… a person we can't afford to rile up."
The middle-aged man was about to say something when the old man suddenly transmitted a message into his mind.
As soon as the middle-aged cultivator heard it, his face fell, and an expression of disbelief and shock filled his face. Voice hoarse, he said, "What?! Is that true?"
"Your cultivation base isn't sufficient," the old man said softly, "but with mine, I can pick up on the clues. There's no other explanation. So… do you really want to provoke someone like that?"
The middle-aged cultivator took a deep breath, then turned and spoke out loud.
"Disciples of Mount Sun, from now on, none of you are to have any dealings with Naruto whatsoever. Do not incur debts of gratitude, nor should you sow any enmity. We… must maintain a respectful distance from Naruto!"
Taiyang Zi stared in shock. Although he wasn't sure what secret messages the two Patriarchs had passed between each other, from the look of things, Naruto was harboring some incredible secret that was powerful enough to cause the two Patriarchs from Mount Sun to fear him.
Taiyang Zi's heart was filled with many complicated emotions. He couldn't help but think about all the times he had interacted with Naruto. From the moment he had met him on Planet South Heaven down to this day, Naruto was always in the lead, and had transformed into an insurmountable mountain.
The speed of his ascent was incredible, such that Taiyang Zi could do nothing more than look up at him from down below.
In the following days, all of the sects and clans in the Ninth Mountain and Sea were thrown into a huge commotion. All of them heard of or experienced what it was like… to have Naruto come and settle accounts.
Any Chosen who had a promissory note in Naruto's hand would eventually find him at their doorstep, asking for money. All of the sects and clans were shaken by Naruto and his show of power. As a result, his debt collecting went fairly smoothly.
After all, he was not the youngster that he had been in the past. He was now so powerful that he could rock Dao Realm experts. Therefore, the trifling debt and the promissory notes prompted everyone to simply pay up.
Even Naruto would never have guessed that his actions of collecting debt would quickly become the conversation topic of all the cultivators in the Ninth Mountain and Sea. Whenever he stepped out of a teleportation portal, everyone who caught sight of him instantly got excited. Word would spread… and countless cultivators would gather to personally watch him go to settle accounts.
It was because of this that Naruto happened to step out of a teleportation portal at one point, and was instantly recognized. People then began to take out jade slips to notify their sects of what was happening.
"Strange, there's no sect or clan in the vicinity of this teleportation station. This asteroid field is merely a transfer station!"
"Look, his destination is actually near the Ninth Mountain…."
People looked on in confusion as Naruto vanished. When he reappeared, shockingly, he was walking out of another teleportation portal in another asteroid field. He looked up into the starry sky above him at… a stretch of crumbled stone!
Those bits of stone had once been complete, and when they were, they had formed… a bridge!
That bridge had actually been constructed in the Ancient Demon
Immortal Sect. It was… the all-powerful Bridge of Immortal Treading!
In this case, it was Naruto who owed someone else. He owed a debt of gratitude!
"Big bro Han Shan… I've come to repay your kindness!" he said softly.
Then his body flickered as he shot up into the starry sky.
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1199Chapter 1199: The Outrage of the Bridge of Immortality!
The Bridge of Immortal Treading! 1
At one time, it was a majestic bridge that spanned the starry sky, constructed by the Ancient Demon Immortal Sect. But then… in the war waged by Ji Tian, it was destroyed….
That was the bitter, bloody war which was fought when the Ji Clan betrayed the Ancient Demon Immortal Sect. During that war, the Ancient Demon Immortal Sect was completely destroyed, and Blood Demon was seriously injured. With his life force mortally damaged, he fled to Planet South Heaven, where he was forced to divide his Nascent Divinity and become a clone.
The war also saw the body of the Frost Soil Demon Emperor destroyed, and his soul collapsed. Only a tiny aspect of his soul managed to escape, and was later reincarnated.
Mysteriously, no reports surfaced of the Withering Flame Demon
Emperor having died; no one knew what fate he met by the time the war ended….
The Namikaze Clan led the resistance against the Ji Clan, vying with them for the Lordship of the Ninth Mountain and Sea. Even after the Ancient Demon Immortal Sect was laid to waste, the fighting continued to go on for years.
Eventually, the Eighth Mountain and Sea was drawn into the conflict.
Two great Mountains and Seas fought battle after battle. In the end… Ji Tian secured victory, becoming the new Lord of the Ninth Mountain and Sea!
The Mountain and Sea War ended. The civil war was over….
Such historical facts were common knowledge among cultivators of the
Ninth Mountain and Sea. Furthermore, the ruins of the Bridge of Immortal Treading bore testimony to the brutality and carnage of the war.
Nowadays, all that remained of the bridge was this seemingly endless stretch of rubble, floating out in the starry sky. The stones clung together, and from a distance, the general shape of a bridge was still visible.
It was part of the history of the Ninth Mountain and Sea, and cultivators were drawn there to struggle in search of good fortune. Some people entered the ruins, never to return. Others acquired the luck they sought, and from then on their life courses drastically changed.
Naruto had been here once as a mere Spirit Realm cultivator. This was where he had met Zhixiang, and was also where he had encountered… a benefactor.
Han Shan!
He was the reincarnation of the Ancient Demon Immortal Sect's Frost Soil Demon Emperor…. Han Shan!
Han Shan's wife had been eternally imprisoned within the Bridge of Immortal Treading, and Han Shan had been willing to pay any price to come to this place, find her, and awaken her from her state of sleep. Were he unable to do so, then he was willing… to remain there forever with his wife.
He gave his sword, his alcohol flagon, and his frost soil to Naruto, connecting them with ties of destiny. He had helped Naruto succeed in his efforts, and had also created a bit of hope for himself and his wife….
At that time, Naruto had promised that when he achieved his Dao, he would come to repay the kindness!
Han Shan knew that if Naruto was the type of person to honor his promises, then he would definitely come back. If Naruto was not that type of person… then there was nothing that could be done about the matter. Such future matters were impossible to predict. Back then, Han Shan had no idea what would happen in the end.
Perhaps if Han Shan had remained conscious, he would have occasionally thought about Naruto's promise. Or maybe he would have forgotten about the ray of hope that he had given himself, which came from the opportunity he had given Naruto.
The truth of the matter was that Naruto would never forget the people who had helped him. Nor would he forget the promises he had made. Never would he forget Guyiding Tri-Rain, nor Han Shan. The promises he had made them existed eternally within his memory.
"Achieve the Dao, fulfill my promise!" he murmured, transforming into a prismatic streak of light that shot up into the starry sky.
"Although I haven't truly achieved my Dao," he said softly, "I can still take a shot at freeing big bro Han Shan and his wife…." When he entered the region of the Bridge of Immortality, the excited cultivators who had been following him were quite confused. They couldn't imagine why Naruto would come to this place.
"Could it have something to do with the Ji Clan? That bridge was destroyed by Ji Tian years ago!" As people made their speculations, Naruto passed into the bridge, shooting along without even a pause.
He was not the only person inside the Bridge of Immortal Treading.
Other cultivators were there, all of them in the Spirit Realm, come from other planets to participate in various trials by fire.
It was just the same as when he had come here years ago.
Naruto flew through the various crushed stones that made up the Bridge of Immortal Treading, revisiting places that he remembered from the past. He flew along silently, traveling ever deeper into the ruins.
He saw cultivators, some competing, some cooperating as they sought after good fortune. As he passed familiar places, he thought about his own experiences in the past. He did nothing to interfere with any of the cultivators he saw, nor did they even see him as he passed by. They continued on with their struggles and fights, completely oblivious.
He followed the same path he remembered taking last time. As he proceeded along, he soon realized that there was nobody else present in the locations he had visited formerly. He didn't stop to check if there was potential good fortune available. His only goal was…
To repay the debt of gratitude.
Soon, a land mass of broken rocks appeared up ahead, and the color of frost soil became evident. Naruto had finally reached the depths of the Bridge of Immortal Treading, the place… where he had watched as Han Shan found his wife.
The only difference was that now that he had once again returned, there were none of the soulless Bridge Slaves in sight; all he saw was boundless frost soil. But then he spotted a cliff in the center of that soil. Sitting atop that cliff were a man and a woman.
The woman was leaning up against the man's shoulder. Her eyes were closed, and a faint smile could be seen on her face. She seemed very content. The man's hand was intertwined with her beautiful hair, and he was looking down at her, also smiling.
It was a tender, beautiful sight, and anyone who looked at it would be able to see how much they cared for each other.
However, they were surrounded by seemingly endless frost soil, even the cliff, all of which looked like a deep blue block of ice!
The ice did not emanate any coldness, and yet, it seemed to be sealing them, eternally preserving the two people where they sat.
Apparently, the will of his wife's soul was also sealed there….
Naruto walked up silently and stood next to the cliff, looking at the man and the woman. Their familiar faces instantly gave rise to numerous memories.
"Big bro Han Shan…." he said, his voice hoarse. Considering the level of his cultivation base, he could tell at a glance that Han Shan had sealed himself here intentionally.
Rather than live on soullessly, he had somehow used the power of the Frost Soil Demon Emperor to seal both himself and his wife. There they would sit, waiting quietly for a future day when they might awaken.
Naruto looked at the man and the woman sitting there on the cliff, and softly said, "Unless I can dispel all outrage of the Bridge of Immortal Treading, then even if I am able to undo this seal, big bro Han Shan and his wife will have to remain here silently, year after year, unable to leave.
"The outrage of the Bridge of Immortal Treading… was born because of the Ji Clan. It would require a sacrifice of Ji Clan blood to dispel…. Unfortunately, I don't have the power to do that right now.
"I can only try to use my cultivation base to shake the Bridge of Immortal Treading. Maybe I can force it to submit…." He took a deep breath and sat down cross-legged beneath the cliff. He closed his eyes, rotated his cultivation base, and drew upon the power of an Allheaven Immortal. Explosive azure light immediately began to shine out in all directions.
In the blink of an eye, the light shone for 30,000 meters, creating an entire world of azure light. At the same time, the Bridge of Immortal Treading began to tremble. Just as Naruto had said, he would make an attempt using his own cultivation base, to try to shake the bridge and wipe out its outrage!
As his divine sense spread out to fill the area, his hands flashed in a double-handed incantation gesture, and then he pushed them down onto the ground. Massive rumbling could be heard, rolling out in all directions to fill the entire bridge, with Naruto at the center.
All of the stones that made up the Bridge of Immortal Treading were shaking, and soon, Heaven-shaking, Earth-shattering shouting could be heard from each one.
The shouts occurred so abruptly that all of the cultivators participating in trials by fire were shocked, and their faces fell. Next, images which appeared to be souls rose up from the stones!
Those numerous souls were all parts of the soul of the Bridge of Immortal Treading!
They floated up from each stone, and then rapidly flew together, converging into… the actual soul of the Bridge of Immortal Treading!
It floated there above the ruins of the bridge, emanating an indescribable pressure filled with outrage and unyielding hatred that descended upon Naruto.
Naruto's eyes snapped open, shining brightly as he looked up at the vengeful soul of the Bridge of Immortal Treading.
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust," Naruto said. "There's no reason to be like this. Don't take your anger out on the wrong people. Please allow these two people here to leave…." His voice echoed out throughout the entire Bridge of Immortal Treading, causing all of the cultivators who heard it to stare around in wordless shock.
From what they could tell, some almighty expert had descended from the starry sky to force the bridge into capitulation!
They weren't the only shocked ones. The cultivators who had been following Naruto earlier also looked around with wide eyes, completely shaken.
They could see the soul of the Bridge of Immortal Treading, and they could sense the boundless outrage and animosity radiating off of it. All of a sudden, they realized why Naruto had come here.
"He… he's actually going to try to use his own power to dispel the outrage of the Bridge of Immortal Treading!"
"This bridge's outrage will last for all eternity. The bridge hates the Ji Clan and is outraged at the Ninth Mountain and Sea. It is that very outrage which allows it to stay in the rough form of a bridge, despite having been destroyed!"
"This Naruto might be powerful, but how could it be so easy to dispel the outrage of the Bridge of Immortal Treading?!"
It was at this point that the soul of the Bridge of Immortal Treading, radiating boundless, sinister light, formed into an enormous face which then glared at Naruto.
"NO!" it roared, the single word transforming into a shockwave, a windstorm that swept explosively through the bridge toward Naruto.
"Your outrage has nothing to do with me," Naruto said slowly. "I came here to take away these two people. If you agree, fine. If you disagree, I don't care. I'm going to take them." He waved his arm, causing the entire starry sky to tremble as yet another bridge suddenly appeared.
That bridge abounded with the energy of a Paragon. This was Naruto's Paragon magic, his… Paragon Bridge!
He planned to use the Paragon Bridge to subdue the Bridge of Immortal Treading!
The Bridge of Immortal Treading arc started in chapter 453. Naruto met Han Shan in chapter 460, and the final arc in which Han Shan reunited with his wife began in chapter 468 ↩
Vol. 7 : Chapter 1200Chapter 1200: Absorbing the Bridge of Immortal Treading!
Rumbling echoed out as the entire Bridge of Immortal Treading shook, and the enormous face roared. Towering killing intent rose up from the bridge, materializing in the form of eight huge hands that shot toward Naruto.
"DIE!" the huge face howled.
All of the cultivators participating in trials by fire on the bridge were completely shaken, and the people out in the starry sky were equally astonished. They looked on in complete disbelief as the eight arms bore down on Naruto from all directions.
The eight hands were born of outrage, and were filled with madness. Any one of them would be shocking on its own, and currently, they were just on the verge of slamming into Naruto. His eyes flashed, and he snorted coldly as he pushed his hand downward.
The gesture caused the land to quake, and Immortal mountains and Divine Flame to appear up above. The mountains slammed into the hands, causing a deafening roar to echo out. The hands fought back, causing everything to shake violently. At the same time, Naruto's Paragon Bridge began its descent.
When it slammed into the soul of the Bridge of Immortal Treading, the soul issued a miserable howl, and the Bridge of Immortal Treading shook intensely.
Naruto's plan was to use the Paragon Bridge to suppress the Bridge of Immortal Treading!
He wished that he could sate the Bridge of Immortal Treading's outrage with the blood of the Ji Clan, but with his current cultivation base, that was impossible.
However, once he left the Ninth Mountain and Sea, there was no telling when he might return. Although there was no time limit attached to his promise to Han Shan, the way Naruto saw it, if at any point he had the ability to resolve his obligations and thus free himself, he would not put it off any longer than necessary.
As the Paragon Bridge descended, the soul of the Bridge of Immortal
Treading let out a frenzied shout. "NO!"
The gigantic face looked at the Paragon Bridge and screamed with grief and madness.
"The Paramita Bridge… the Paramita Bridge…." it cried. Naruto gaped in shock, and a tremor ran through him. As he looked closely, he suddenly realized that…
The Bridge of Immortal Treading and the Paragon Bridge… actually looked similar!
Although both were merely bridges, and would naturally have similar aspects, the feeling they gave off… made it seem like one was an imitation of the other!
Even some of the ornamentations on the bridges were similar. Naruto had never noticed before, because the Bridge of Immortal Treading was in a state of collapse. However, now that the two bridges were next to each other, it was immediately apparent.
"Paragon Bridge. Bridge of Immortal Treading…." His eyes gleamed brightly.
"The Bridge of Immortal Treading built all those years ago by the
Ancient Demon Immortal Sect was actually an imitation… of my Paragon Bridge. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say that it was an imitation of the bridge that I had committed to memory in the depths of my heart, the bridge from which I gained enlightenment regarding my Paragon magic…the Paramita Bridge!" Naruto's eyes went wide as countless implications of this coincidence ran through his head.
He suddenly shot to his feet and waved his arm, causing the pressure from the Paragon Bridge to increase in intensity, and causing azure light to begin to emanate from it.
Rumbling could be heard as the soul of the Bridge of Immortal Treading howled in its attempts to fight back. However, under the pressure of the Paragon Bridge, the shattered remnants that formed the Bridge of Immortal Treading… were completely shaken.
From the look of things, the stones themselves were trying to free themselves from the force that kept them confined to the Bridge of Immortal Treading, attempting to fly up and be absorbed by the Paragon Bridge! It was as if… a counterfeit had met the original, and could not prevent itself from being sucked in.
Furthermore… one of the most important aspects to the whole situation was that Naruto's Paragon Bridge was not complete!
What he had seen back in the Ruins of Immortality was a mere section. It was only by collecting all the insights he had gained during his enlightenment into creating his Paragon magic that he could barely produce a complete bridge. However, Naruto knew that he had never actually witnessed the entirety of the bridge and thus his Paragon magic, despite appearing whole, was actually incomplete!
But now… he had come across a stupendous opportunity and good fortune!
"If my Paragon Bridge can absorb this imitation that is the Bridge of Immortal Treading, and thus become complete… then it will be far more powerful than before!
"Most importantly, if I can do that, then I won't need to dispel its outrage to free big bro Han Shan!
"That will be because, if I succeed… there will no longer be any Bridge of
Immortal Treading!"
Naruto took a deep breath. What a bizarre and miraculous place the world was! If he had not come back here to pay his debt of gratitude, he would never have come across this opportunity for spectacular good fortune.
"Big bro Han Shan, you don't need to wait for me to destroy the Ji Clan to dispel the outrage of the Bridge of Immortal Treading. I can save you and your wife… today!" Eyes shining with this new enlightenment, he now felt even more confident in being able to rescue Han Shan and his wife.
Rumbling could be heard as the huge face that was the soul of the Bridge of Immortal Treading roared and struggled madly in its fight against the pressure of the Paragon Bridge. Naruto's eyes glittered as he moved forward and suddenly appeared atop the Paragon Bridge!
There, he took a single step forward.
In that instant, the entire Paragon Bridge trembled, and the azure light shone boundlessly. The power of the pressure increased, causing the soul of the Bridge of Immortal Treading to twist viciously and struggle even harder.
After all, the Paragon Bridge was incomplete, and Naruto was not yet in the Dao Realm!
Furthermore, the Bridge of Immortal Treading had existed for countless years, and although it had been suppressed, it was still explosively powerful.
Despite that power, the bridge was still fragmented, and held together only by the outrage born from its destruction. As the bridge trembled violently, suddenly, a few pieces began to rise up toward the Paragon Bridge. They were… absorbed into it, causing the pressure from the Paragon Bridge to grow stronger.
Within the azure light shone beams of whiteness, emanating out from the Paragon Bridge itself.
Apparently, those extra pieces it had just absorbed… made it more complete and real!
Naruto's face brightened. Based on what was happening, it appeared that his theory was correct!
"The day that the Paragon Bridge will be completely rebuilt… is this very day!" He waved his sleeve and took a second step forward. Rumbling echoed out, and the pressure from the Paragon Bridge increased. As the soul of the Bridge of Immortal Treading howled and struggled to free itself, brilliant colors flashed about.
No matter how hard it fought, though, it was unable to prevent another piece of stone from flying up, then a second, and a third….
20 pieces, 50 pieces, 100 pieces….
Gradually, more and more stones flew up to be absorbed by the Paragon Bridge. The scene which was playing out in front of all the various cultivators left them completely astonished.
That was especially true of the cultivators who were actually on the bridgestones. They felt like they were in a living nightmare, and unprecedented levels of terror rose up in them. The image of Naruto standing on top of that bridge was something they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
Even if their cultivation bases rose higher and higher until they reached the Dao Realm, and they became Patriarchs, they would never be able to forget that picture of Naruto and his bridge.
Every step he took caused proverbial lotuses to blossom, as if he were the most supreme existence in the world!
Naruto didn't want to make things difficult for those cultivators, so as the stones flew up into the air, the cultivators were picked up by a gentle force and taken to float out in the void, unharmed.
More intense rumbling could be heard as Naruto took a third step, then a fourth and a fifth!
Countless bridgestones rose up to merge into the Paragon Bridge, causing it to become even more majestic and real.
The pressure it radiated became even more intense and impossible to withstand, causing the Bridge of Immortal Treading to sink down and the soul of the Bridge of Immortal Treading to begin to break apart.
It had existed for many years, and could never have imagined that one day it would meet someone who would come against it with the Paragon Bridge, and could actually subdue and exert such a firm grip over it!
"NO!" the soul howled. Its energy surged, transforming into an attack which blasted the Paragon Bridge, causing a rumbling boom to echo out. The Paragon Bridge trembled, and Naruto's eyes shone with a strange light.
"Stones of the Bridge of Immortal Treading, return to the Paragon
Bridge. Henceforth, you will no longer be the Bridge of Immortal Treading. Instead… you will become part of the Paragon Bridge!
"You will only have this opportunity once," Naruto said, boosting his voice with his cultivation base, imbuing it with the will of the Paragon Bridge. "Bridge of Immortal Treading… hurry up and return. The time to act is now! "
The void trembled, and the Bridge of Immortal Treading suddenly exploded.
Its bridge-like shape no longer existed, and countless stone fragments transformed into beams of light that shot from their place in the void… directly toward the Paragon Bridge!
100. 1,000. 10,000. 100,000…. Innumerable bridgestones flew up into the air.
The surrounding cultivators were flabbergasted, and were immediately sent into a commotion.
"He's… he's taking away the Bridge of Immortal Treading?"
"He's not taking it away, he's consuming and absorbing it!"
"This Naruto… he's… he's simply too powerful!"
All of the stones that made up the Bridge of Immortal Treading were now floating up, and the void itself was distorted, as if the starry sky were about to collapse!
As the Paragon Bridge absorbed them, it glowed with increasingly powerful light and its energy rocketed up. The pressure grew stronger, far stronger than before. The entire starry sky trembled as boundless ripples flowed out in all directions.
Even more shocking was that the Paragon Bridge was now emanating… an aura that didn't seem to be part of the Mountain and Sea Realm. It was as if its will were awakening!
In fact… the will of the Paragon Bridge was actually… the will of the Paramita Bridge!
A will of Heaven Trampling! 1
That will caused the entire Ninth Mountain and Sea to rumble. Then the Eighth Mountain and Sea was affected. After that, the Seventh Mountain and Sea, and then, the entire Mountain and Sea Realm!
At the peaks of the Nine Mountains, within the nine pools of water, nine holy Xuanwu turtles suddenly let out a powerful howl. It was almost exactly the same as when the Outsider from the 33 Heavens had appeared!
In chapter 1122, Slaughter, the apparently Paragon-level entity inside of Dao-Heaven's Paragon Painting, saw Naruto's Paragon Bridge and called it "Heaven Trampling Bridge" ↩
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