CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 37 THE RESOLVE OF THE DEATH WARRIOR

I am a death soldier, a death soldier of the Ascending Immortal Realm.

Gan Fan felt that he had died in that wilderness at the age of six, devoured by wandering beasts, and had become a lonely ghost.

It was his Master who had given him a way to live, given his family a way to live, and given him the opportunity for Cultivation, allowing him to live for several hundred more years.

Now, he was on his last mission. Once he finished this task, he could retire in anonymity, never return to the Human Domain, and find a place to spend the rest of his life comprehending the Immortal Realm.

But the content of this mission was not to kill, but...

"Gan Fan, beyond this barrier lies the Women’s country. All its inhabitants are women, with only one or two individuals possessing strength above the Ascending Immortal Realm."

The cloaked teacher instructed him telepathically, "Your mission this time is to infiltrate the Women’s country and lie in wait. In a few days, Ji Mo, the youngest son of the Ji Family from the Human Domain, will arrive in the Women’s country. You will then proceed like this, and then like that."

Ruin the reputation of the Ji Family’s youngest son? Why not just kill him with a single sword strike?

Although the Nascent Soul Realm was not considered weak among Cultivators who had not yet become Immortals, for him, Gan Fan, killing them was an effortless task. But this was a mission given by his Master, so Gan Fan did not ask why and simply bowed his head in agreement.

Gan Fan did not know for whom his teacher worked. However, after so many years of running errands for his teacher, he vaguely sensed that he was selling his life for a great family. Cultivators like him, whose Divine Souls bore layers of shackles and whose cultivation, no matter how high, could not break free from their bonds, were the ’death soldiers’ bred by the great families.

Originally, the plan was proceeding very smoothly.

The night Ji Mo and Ling Xiaolan arrived in the Women’s country, Gan Fan infiltrated the State Preceptor’s residence. He had initially been extremely cautious, terrified of being swatted to death by that State Preceptor. However, after slipping into the banquet, he suddenly discovered...

Although this State Preceptor had strong Divine Thoughts, if he wanted to kill her, he wouldn’t even need his thirteenth move.

Another poor soul, he thought. They only know how to pray to Divine Spirits for the power of Divine Thought, ignorant of how to cultivate themselves to achieve longevity and attain the Dao.

Gan Fan used the Hypnotic Elixir he carried, along with a bit of vocal mimicry—imitating a woman’s voice—to lure Ji Mo out of the State Preceptor’s residence. While his opponent’s Divine Soul was dazed and confused, he directly knocked him out, carried him away, and imprisoned his Nascent Soul.

What followed was slightly unexpected for Gan Fan.

His Master had planned everything in meticulous detail, which made Gan Fan, who had spent his life since a young age practicing, cultivating, honing spells, and toiling away, feel somewhat unaccustomed.

[Spend passionate nights with several women of the Women’s country in a short period.]

These mortal women, and his semi-immortal body... to actually...

Enough. A death soldier has no right to pick and choose missions. To complete his Master’s command, Gan Fan took the initiative to defile his semi-immortal body.

Farewell, pure yang immortal body!

He sneaked into the first woman’s room. Not only did she not resist, but she was also very proactive.

When he walked out, he suddenly felt refreshed and invigorated, a spring in his step, as if he had been reborn and had pushed open the door to a new world.

Thus, he moved on to the second house, then the third...

He was like a general: splendid and spirited, directing with force, splashing ink like calligraphy, galloping freely, and repeating his old tricks. Then, as if ready for battle again, he returned a hero, standing in stern array, constantly vigilant, until he was severely drained. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a wooden fish, as if he had grown tired of the world’s strife. His sword had lost its sharpness; his strength was lacking. He felt like retreating to the fields, planting beans on a southern mountain, idly watching the setting sun against distant hills.

Gan Fan, who had never known fear and did not understand what it was, found his legs weak that night.

He gritted his teeth and persisted, changing his appearance, disguising himself as a woman. When Ji Mo was being berated by the State Preceptor of the Women’s country, he shrieked in a high-pitched voice from the crowd, "Kill him!"

The citizens of the Women’s country were stirred into a frenzy and hung Ji Mo from the city walls.

Everything was so perfect.

Gan Fan, having regained his composure, completed the final step of the plan: he recorded the sight of Ji Mo hanging from the city walls, his body adorned with vegetable leaves, using a magic treasure, and then placed that magic treasure in a specific location at the border.

Gan Fan did as instructed and smoothly finished the last step of his task.

Having received no further instructions, when he once again saw the capital of the Women’s country from the clouds, flames ignited in the depths of his eyes, and his Dao heart felt a flicker of strangeness.

Why couldn’t he find a different way to live?

It was exactly at this moment that a Northern Wilderness Divine Envoy suddenly appeared!

With just a few words, he rescued Ji Mo and completely disrupted the Master’s plans. He was even revered as an honored guest by the Women’s country, exchanging flirtatious glances with the current Saintess of the Tianyan Xuan Nu Sect!

This is my country, my future paradise!

Gan Fan’s reason told him he must not act against this Northern Wilderness Divine Envoy, as it would only complicate matters.

The Northern Wilderness was the most powerful region of the Human race outside the Human Domain and was also quite famous within it. They possessed the Praying Star Technique there, and practitioners of its great Moon Ritual were commonly believed to have combat strength equivalent to the Immortal Realm.

He concealed his form in the clouds, intending to quietly wait for these people to leave the Women’s country, but...

A nameless rage kept flaring up in his heart, especially when he thought about that Divine Envoy sitting in the luxurious carriage, receiving salutes from the crowd, as if the entire kingdom were a blooming peony, blossoming solely for this Divine Envoy!

Kill him and frame Ji Mo.

Kill him and frame Ji Mo!

Wouldn’t he be even better able to complete the task given by his Master?

His Master’s patron might fear the power behind Ji Mo, but the people of the Northern Wilderness were known for being brash and unsophisticated; perhaps this could heavily damage the Ji Family.

And he, with such a meritorious deed, could then live leisurely in the Women’s country, becoming the collective treasure of its women, the sole...

Immortal!

Gan Fan didn’t overthink it, nor did he hesitate. The moment the idea crystallized, he flew above the State Preceptor’s residence, his gaze locking onto the previously located abode of the Northern Wilderness Divine Envoy.

Ambush him now, and he’s dead for sure!

First, he would imitate Ji Mo’s voice, transmitting it to lure him to the door, "Brother Xiong, have you rested?"

He came.

This Divine Envoy could never have imagined that he would appear in this corner at this very moment!

Unexpected, isn’t it, you poor man? HAHAHA! Even I, Gan Fan, didn’t anticipate this!

Only this way could he achieve complete surprise, leaving no trace for the other party to find, and thus succeed in catching his target utterly unprepared!

Ji Mo is supposedly quite skilled with a sword. Very well...

"Sword Harbors a Thousand Spirits, Calamitous Fate Arises!"

With a flick of his longsword, he unleashed myriad streams of Sword Qi, shooting them towards the figure behind the wooden door!

At this distance, he can’t possibly dodge my strike at fifty percent power... this... sword...

He dodged!

The sinister smile on Gan Fan’s lips froze. He saw the young man he intended to kill rapidly retreating, two head-sized Crystal Balls in his hands erupting with a dazzling, cold light!

A vast force of the Stars bore down on him like a collapsing mountain or a tsunami, actually pushing him back in a hasty retreat!

Then, he saw long icicles shooting towards him. Gan Fan’s eyes flashed with ferocity, his cold expression slightly tinged with annoyance. With his Immortal Sword, which had drunk an unknown amount of blood, he unleashed dozens of sharp Sword Qi forward.

The streams of Sword Qi, like ribbons of silk, vibrated in layers, shaking Heaven and Earth.

The Northern Wilderness Divine Envoy sprouted wings from his back and, incredibly, dodged left and right under his supposedly fatal second strike.

The entire wooden building seemed like a sand sculpture on the verge of collapse!

At that very instant!

Gan Fan’s Spiritual Sense pulsed wildly. At the edge of his vision, he caught sight of an unfurling lotus. A figure had bizarrely appeared behind him, thrusting several sword strikes at him.

With no time for further thought, Gan Fan’s body flipped, and dozens of dark lights shot from his sleeves. He also saw who was attacking him from behind.

She was a hundred zhang away in the air, clad in white, her veil like snow—none other than Ling Xiaolan of the Jumping God Realm!

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

As Sword Qi clashed and sword shadows collided, Gan Fan was forced back repeatedly, blood jetting from his shoulder and arm.

Gan Fan’s Spiritual Mind was profoundly shocked. Isn’t Ling Xiaolan just a Jumping God Realm Cultivator? Isn’t her cultivation a major realm lower than mine, making it difficult for her to injure me?

He watched Ling Xiaolan: her right foot tapped, her left leg curled, and her long hair drifted behind her. Seven lotuses danced around her—an incredibly beautiful sight. Yet, beneath that beauty, an endless killing intent was concealed...

Gritting his teeth, Gan Fan knew he had no confidence in defeating this woman head-on. His body immediately tried to flee upwards into the air.

"The Goddess once said, ’Heaven and Earth have their boundaries!’"

A loud shout suddenly came from the ground. Gan Fan looked down and happened to see the State Preceptor—her figure, which seemed to embody sin itself and was clad in revealing clothes, the same State Preceptor who wouldn’t have withstood his thirteenth sword—now raising a magnificent short scepter high.

Intense waves of Divine Thought radiated outwards from the State Preceptor as the epicenter!

Gan Fan... CLANG! His ascending figure slammed into an invisible wall.

At that moment, a graceful figure suddenly emerged from behind the State Preceptor. Her hands were raised as if gripping something, her right hand pulled back as if drawing a bow. Beams of light condensed in her palm, forming a bow of light and shadow.

Gan Fan had never seen this suddenly appeared person before, but her beautiful form was etched into his memory at first sight.

The bowstring trembled!

Gan Fan’s vision darkened. Completely unable to react, his Primordial Spirit suddenly wilted. It was as if, before he had even begun cultivating, someone had fiercely punched him in the back of the head.

Ling Xiaolan had already reached him, lotuses blooming around her as blood erupted from Gan Fan’s body!

This is a trap!

Throughout the entire Women’s country, there should be few whose strength surpassed his. Yet, the very people who could pose a threat to him were ambushing him here!

They had even hidden in cabinets and under beds!

Gan Fan fiercely bit the tip of his tongue. Secret patterns lit up on his back, and his body violently shifted dozens of zhang to the side as he spat out a large mouthful of blood.

A massive disc appeared above his head. It was composed of interlocking rings, each rotating at a different speed, and it actually seemed to encompass the principles of the Stars.

The Women’s country had a Divine Spirit called ’Goddess,’ who later vanished without a trace.

This was the Divine Spirit’s power, borrowed by the State Preceptor!

Escape through the air was impossible; he had to find another way!

Gan Fan’s gaze caught Ji Mo, who had also taken to the air, furiously charging towards this place. And in Ji Mo’s hands were several Immortal Treasures!

With a roar, he suppressed his injuries and unleashed streaks of light, viciously hurling the magic treasures hidden in his sleeves at Ling Xiaolan. His figure first looped around, then plummeted abruptly without warning, a palm striking down towards that Northern Wilderness Divine Envoy!

Capture the weakest, hold him hostage, then escape!

"Brother Xiong!" Ling Xiaolan indeed cried out anxiously.

The State Preceptor and that beautiful, unfamiliar Fairy Immortal also looked towards the Northern Wilderness Divine Envoy with panic-stricken faces.

Die! Gan Fan thought. But only after I borrow your life to escape.

Suddenly, Gan Fan’s pupils contracted violently, and an alarm blared in his heart!

Careless! No way to dodge!

Gan Fan could only instinctively erupt with all his immortal power, conjuring an illusion of a giant python dozens of zhang long, its mouth gaping to bite the man on the ground!

That Northern Wilderness Divine Envoy... suddenly crouched.

A series of strange syllables issued from his mouth, and the three huge Crystal Balls floating around him blazed with light. Those strange syllables were because he was chanting the words too quickly; the Crystal Balls served to amplify Divine Thought!

The floorboards shattered, revealing a dazzling hexagram beneath. Endless power of the Stars converged from the ground, and a silver-white dragon’s head condensed, letting out a heaven-shaking roar at the giant python rushing down from above!

The Divine Envoy leaped up, positioning himself at the center of the silver dragon’s forehead.

The Star Dragon subsequently soared from the earth. Its body was translucent, revealing the images of various constellations within. The dragon’s mouth opened, devoured the immense python in a single bite, and rushed toward the heavens, colliding with the disc above...

As the starlight exploded, Gan Fan felt his neck being gripped. A powerful Divine Thought assaulted his already heavily injured Nascent Soul. His Nascent Soul shattered, his Golden Core exploded.

"Tsk, once the Praying Star Technique leaves the Northern Wilderness, its power drops this much... But this Ascending Immortal Realm Cultivator seems even more watered-down."

Gan Fan heard the man’s muttering and managed to glimpse the Northern Wilderness Divine Envoy’s face.

The other man mumbled, "This Ascending Immortal Realm... was he built up with Elixirs?"

"You! You..."

Ling Xiaolan flew over from the side. "Brother Xiong! Keep his soul for interrogation!"

"No need. The Praying Star Technique has a curse method that allows one to view the memories of the past few months by burning the remnant soul of a living being."

This was the last thing Gan Fan heard before he seemed to plunge into endless darkness.

Memories... viewing memories... Doesn’t that mean everything that happened those nights will be revealed to them...

*’So this is what a man is like? Just so-so, after all. Sorry for scratching you, I was just too nervous earlier.’*

*’Is it over? Didn’t we just... Hey, why do you look so dejected? Is there anything I need to do for you?’*

*’Don’t be sad, you tried very hard. So this is the marital rite of the Human Domain. It’s quite quick.’*

"AH!"

Gan Fan’s eyes snapped open, his forehead igniting with a layer of flames. Startled, Wu Wang threw his battered body away.

Ling Xiaolan frowned and said, "He actually self-combusted his final Primordial Spirit."

"He was a death soldier, most likely," Wu Wang shook his head, then looked down at the Queen and State Preceptor below, who were about to sneak away. He called out loudly, "Still, Her Majesty the Queen is wise and resourceful, knowing someone would try to ambush us tonight and lying in wait here early. Thank you, Your Majesty the Queen, and State Preceptor, for the rescue!"

The Queen of the Women’s country looked up at Wu Wang, couldn’t help but chuckle, and waved her hand vigorously.

"Come find me in the palace when dawn breaks, okay!"

Wu Wang responded with a smile and slowly descended from the air. Ji Mo, arriving half a step late, could only examine the corpse, doing the work of a coroner.