Chapter 150: Solitary Mortal, Ninefold Extinction Imperial Art!

"Hehe, Qing, look at how we've charmed those lecherous boy disciples," Mo Siwan giggled.

"Naturally. The two of us are stunning beauties; any man would be captivated just looking at our figures," Mo Yuqing said with a confident toss of her long, silver-pink hair.

"By the sound of it, Senior Brother Ling doesn't seem to be among them," Mo Siwan teased.

"You're asking for a beating, making fun of me right off the bat! He's just a blockhead who doesn't appreciate a beauty's charms, hmph!" Mo Yuqing gave her a playful punch before emitting a soft huff.

...

"Wahahaha, two great beauties upon a single grand stage!"

"Two beauties make quite a show..."

"What a gorgeous hair-tossing motion!"

"If Senior Brother Ling is such a fool, he should just let me have a taste, hehe..."

The crowd below whispered amongst themselves, hatching all sorts of lewd thoughts.

...

"Sister, look at them, they're going too far!" Mo Siwan pointed downward as she spoke to Mo Yuqing.

"Hmph, pay them no mind, just a bunch of stinky men. We'll teach them a lesson on the martial stage later," Mo Yuqing said with a cold huff toward Mo Siwan.

While the two conversed, in another room within the Lingtian Sect...

A young man sat quietly. Though he looked ordinary, he possessed an extraordinary aura.

He appeared youthful, around seventeen or eighteen years of age, and stood quite tall. At that moment, he was sitting cross-legged on a wooden bed, circulating his Dou Qi.

Agitated by the Dou Qi, the hair falling across his brows fluttered to the side, repeatedly springing back into place whenever it settled.

His name was Gu Fan, a youngster who had entered the sect just a few years prior. He was utterly devoted to cultivating and growing stronger, all for the sake of revenge!

At that moment, Gu Fan slowly opened his eyes. While his features were neither perfectly handsome nor peerlessly striking, his willpower was immensely resolute.

Gu Fan blinked slightly, feeling the sublimation of his cultivation within his body, and slowly spoke, "Have I reached the one-star Dou Zong?" As he spoke, he clenched his fists tightly, a flash of ferocity crossing his eyes: "Not enough, not enough, still not enough! This level of cultivation is utterly useless for revenge! They are far too powerful—they must be at least at the Dou Sheng level. With my meager Dou Zong strength, I can't even touch a hair on their fingers, let alone exact revenge!"

"Lingtian Mountain! Yes, I must enter Lingtian Mountain! But I am only a one-star Dou Zong, while everyone else is at least at the Dou Zun level or above. What do I have to compete with them?!"

Just as these thoughts arose, a cultivation technique surfaced in the depths of his mind. It was a manual he had possessed since birth, yet for reasons unknown, he had never been able to practice it. To him, an uncultivable manual was nothing more than garbage!

Yet at this very moment, that same manual was finally seeing the light of day.

"Th-this is..."

A mysterious, ancient manual materialized within his mind. Without his knowledge, Gu Fan's eyes began to glow with an endless, grey-red light.

A line of characters floated before his eyes: *The Ninefold Annihilation Emperor Sutra!*

"The Ninefold... Annihilation Emperor Sutra?"

"Emperor? Is it... could it be the legendary Dou Di?!"

At that moment, Gu Fan felt as though he had seen hope—the hope for revenge!

"If this is truly the case, then the day of my vengeance will arrive very soon!" Gu Fan muttered incessantly to himself.

Following the appearance of the *Ninefold Annihilation Emperor Sutra*, a wisp of a soul emerged alongside it.

"I'm awake? I never expected someone to be able to awaken the *Ninefold Annihilation Emperor Sutra* after all this time. What a blessing."

The soul muttered, looking around before fixing its gaze on the young man ahead. "Little fellow, it seems you are the one who awakened the *Ninefold Annihilation Emperor Sutra*."

Seeing an unfamiliar soul, Gu Fan adopted a cautious expression and demanded, "What kind of creature are you?"

"Little fellow, fear not. I am the soul of the *Ninefold Annihilation Emperor Sutra*."

"You're the soul of the *Ninefold Annihilation Emperor Sutra*?"

"Correct."

"Then why did you only awaken now? I've been unable to cultivate this manual ever since I was born, and it only appeared now that I've broken through to the Dou Zong realm?"

"Dou Zong is merely the minimum requirement for cultivation. Ordinarily, this manual can only be practiced when the plane's tier reaches its absolute peak. However, I know not why—perhaps you are somewhat special. The *Ninefold Annihilation Emperor Sutra* is a technique that transcends the restrictions of the Dou Qi Continent; it is an ancient technique spanning the myriad realms. The 'Emperor' here does not refer to the Dou Di of the Dou Qi Continent, but rather the Immortal Emperors of the heavens and myriad realms. Never mind, you wouldn't understand even if I explained it. Your primary focus right now is cultivation."

The soul shook its head and said.

"Immortal Emperor? It sounds unfathomably powerful," Gu Fan muttered, dumbfounded. What kind of realm was this?

"Immortal Emperors and Dou Di—though separated by just a single word, the chasm between them is far, far too vast. Dou Di are nothing more than ants in comparison." The soul's tone oozed disdain.

"Dou Di are... ants? Then what about me, who isn't even a Dou Di..." Gu Fan smiled bitterly and shook his head; this was simply too terrifying to contemplate.

"Look at that foolish expression of yours. The moment you awakened the *Ninefold Annihilation Emperor Sutra*, your entire destiny changed," the soul chuckled with amusement.

"Um, Soul, is the Immortal Emperor the strongest existence?" Gu Fan asked out of curiosity.

"The strongest?" The soul shook its head and continued, "Mighty though Immortal Emperors may be, they are merely pawns controlled by destiny. We must shatter the shackles of destiny and the Heavenly Dao to attain supreme sovereignty!"

"Very well, little fellow, do not ask such profound questions for now. When your cultivation is sufficient, everything will become clear. Knowing too much at this stage will do your practice no good."

Gu Fan felt bewildered. He had merely wanted to grow stronger to seek revenge, but now things felt so profound and abstruse that he couldn't comprehend them at all.

He asked, "Then... Soul, what is your name?"

"Just call me Jiumie."

"Very well, Jiumie."

"Jiumie, if I cultivate this manual, what must I do?" Gu Fan asked impatiently.

"You have merely awakened it; that does not mean you can practice it yet. Every single level of the *Ninefold Annihilation* surpasses beings like your Dou Di here. I fear you would explode from the sheer pressure if you tried to cultivate it prematurely." Pausing, Jiumie looked at Gu Fan in sudden realization and corrected himself: "Wait... Could you be the legendary Absolute Annihilation Physique?! No wonder you managed to awaken the Ninefold at the Dou Zong level! I hadn't noticed it initially, but looking closely now, this is truly a pleasant surprise. You are naturally suited for cultivating annihilation-type techniques. Annihilation techniques are not only perilous, but immensely powerful. Not only do they elevate one's cultivation realm, but they also allow one to fight across major tiers of strength!" Jiumie's voice leaked excitement; cultivating this manual with such a physique would yield unprecedented power!

"Absolute Annihilation Physique? Does that mean I won't explode to death?" Gu Fan asked. Though he didn't quite understand, it certainly sounded formidable.

"Explode to death? There won't be any exploding!" Jiumie cursed outright.

"Listen well, kid. The *Ninefold Annihilation* will be your primary cultivation manual from now on. Every single level of the Ninefold delivers explosive output. If you wish to cultivate it, you must first enter the Shura Path!"

"The Shura Path? What on earth is that?" Gu Fan felt things were becoming increasingly complicated.

"In the myriad realms, there are countless paths. Some follow the Buddha Path, some the Mortal Path, and some the Battle Path. The Shura Path is one of the most mysterious paths in the myriad realms, and it ranks at the very top for explosive output. The Shura Path is centered around slaughter, condensing tens of thousands of grievances and blood qi to forge one's battle prowess! Those of the Shura Path prioritize combat, sustain themselves through battle, and find loneliness in the absence of war."

"That sounds rather like an evil cultivation method..." Gu Fan remarked.

"Evil my foot! Techniques have no inherent evil; it is only the cultivator who is evil! Which powerhouse's hands are not stained with fresh blood?! Whose body does not carry the weight of countless lives?! The Shura Path is simply like that."

Hearing Jiumie put it this way, Gu Fan calmed down. Indeed, which powerhouse's hands weren't stained with blood? Techniques themselves possessed no intrinsic morality.

Since this could make him stronger, he could not let this opportunity slip by!

"Jiumie, I've made up my mind. I want to enter the Shura Path," Gu Fan said, his eyes filled with absolute determination.

"Haha, good! You will not regret entering the Shura Path!" Jiumie laughed heartily.

"The Shura Path is divided into ten realms, each fraught with immense difficulty. For now, you shall enter the first realm: the Slaughter Path!"

...

"Kill... kill... kill!"

Voices echoed one after another, followed by a cacophony of sounds ringing in Gu Fan's ears. When Gu Fan opened his eyes, he found himself surrounded by vast fields of corpses, with countless rivers of fresh blood flowing backward. In the sky hung a massive banner bearing the single character "Shura." The banner was stained deep crimson by thick blood, which constantly emanated oppressive malevolence and killing intent.

All around Gu Fan, aside from the sea of blood, flames of war raged unceasingly across the earth, while the heavens hung heavy and ash-gray.

"Kill!" Chilling voices rang out, laden with an unyielding, oppressive malice.

...

Countless living beings materialized before Gu Fan's eyes once more.

"No... no... don't kill me!"

"Don't kill my child!"

Torturous cries of agony pierced Gu Fan's ears, driving him to the brink of madness as the corpse of an infant dropped before his eyes.

"No!"

Gu Fan cried out in anguish, his pupils radiating a bloody crimson glow.

"Is this the Shura Path? It's too cruel." Gu Fan murmured within the illusion.

*Kill... the essence of Shura... Battle... the nature of Shura...*

*Maintain the original heart... never forget oneself...*

...

Line after line of text scrolled past...

Suddenly, the boundless killing intent of the battlefield surged inward, condensing within Gu Fan's body.

"What is this?"

Gu Fan shouted.

Abruptly, a severed head fell before him.

"Ah!!"

Gu Fan screamed in terror...

...

...

Hah... hah... hah...

The illusion ended, and Gu Fan gasped heavily for air. It was too terrifying—the Shura Path was terrifying beyond measure, and this was merely the very first realm.

At that moment, his body radiated an overwhelming aura of slaughter.

"Kid, do not let the evil aspect of the Shura Path consume your original heart. You must always remember to remain yourself; never forget who you are!" Jiumie's voice rang out.

"With this much killing intent on my body, if I step outside, I'm dead meat! I'll definitely be hunted down! Are you trying to help me or kill me?!" Gu Fan shouted. Right now, an overwhelming urge to kill surged within him; he felt as though he couldn't survive without fighting!

"A true powerhouse of the Shura Path is one who can perfectly conceal their killing intent while simultaneously converting it into battle qi or the spiritual energy of their technique. This is one of the primary benefits of the Shura Path: ensuring that others can never tell you are a practitioner of the Shura Path!"

"The most fundamental aspect of the Shura Path is concealment! Conceal the killing intent on your body, control its quantity—do not let it manifest when it shouldn't, and do not hide it when it must."

"Now that I've entered the Shura Path, can I practice the Ninefold Annihilation?" Gu Fan asked.

"Indeed. The first level of the Ninefold is divided into three states: Inverse Ascension, Qi Burst, and First Annihilation. These three states are sufficient to cultivate you all the way to the Dou Di realm. Once you master them, no one on the Dou Qi Continent will be your match."

"Inverse Ascension can multiply your personal aura by more than twofold, allowing you to leap realms and slay stronger foes."

"Qi Burst is simple and straightforward—it elevates your aura and combat prowess without limit, restricted only by the physical limits of your body's endurance."

"As for what kind of specific effects it yields, you will have to experience them firsthand. The moment you master the First Annihilation state is also the moment you step into the Dou Di realm. Simply put, the Ninefold is both an auxiliary technique and a primary combat technique. Its states can be superimposed upon any of your offensive outputs, infinitely amplifying your damage. The concept is quite simple."

Jiumie explained.

"So strong." Gu Fan felt the initial effects of Inverse Ascension within him. Sensing the Dou Qi surging through his body, he knew that with this, he could easily slay a Dou Zun.

"Oh, and this is your natal weapon, the Shura Blade. It will upgrade as you kill." With a flick of Jiumie's finger, a flash of light entered Gu Fan's hand, transforming into a massive, hooked scythe.

The blade emanated a dense, palpable battle intent.

...

Outside, the cross-legged body of Gu Fan began to radiate a crimson glow as his cultivation realm steadily climbed: Two stars... Three stars... Four stars... Five stars.

His cultivation finally stabilized at the five-star Dou Zong level.

Powerful killing intent billowed from Gu Fan's physique. A split second later, Gu Fan opened his eyes, a flash of red light darting through his pupils before returning to normal.

Gu Fan touched his own body, feeling slightly astonished.

"F-five-star Dou Zong?"

Yet he quickly calmed down. Even Dou Di were mere ants; what did a mere Dou Zong matter?

At that moment, the scythe was resting within his dantian, nurturing itself.

Red Qi drifted lazily around the blade.

Gu Fan searched his memories for a moment until a specific manual surfaced—the *Lingtian Sutra*, a technique exclusive to disciples of the Lingtian Sect.

It was precisely by cultivating this *Lingtian Sutra* over the past few years that Gu Fan had reached the Dou Zong realm; otherwise, he never would have known he possessed such a formidable destiny.

"My Dou Techniques are rather scarce; I'll have to head to the Lingtian Scripture Pavilion to search for some," Gu Fan muttered, lowering his head.

Within his memories, the offensive Dou Techniques he currently possessed were limited to *Earth-Shattering Slash* and *Flame Slash*, both of which were merely Xuan-tier goods.

"I wonder... what level of damage *Earth-Shattering Slash* and *Flame Slash* can achieve when amplified by Inverse Ascension? I truly want to test it out. Very well, I'll test them out on the martial competition stage later," Gu Fan muttered, a gleam in his eye.

Bang, bang, bang!

Just as Gu Fan was deep in thought, a knock sounded at his outer door.

"Junior Brother Fan, are you inside?" A male voice called out.

Gu Fan snapped out of his reverie. Wasn't that Senior Brother Qing's voice?

Gu Fan got up and opened the door to find Senior Brother Qing, who had looked after him for the past few years. He smiled warmly and said, "Senior Brother Qing, what brings you here? I was just meditating."

Senior Brother Qing's full name was Qing Mu. He had entered the Lingtian Sect a year earlier than Gu Fan and currently possessed the cultivation of a seven-star Dou Zong. He had a friendly personality, treated Gu Fan like a blood brother, and the two of them were close confidants. Although he wasn't particularly handsome, he was warm-hearted and fiercely loyal.

"You kid, what meditation right now? The martial tournament is about to start! This is your first time participating; you mustn't be late. Besides, I heard Senior Sister Mo Yuqing and the others from the Lingtian Sect's proud elites have arrived as well. Shall we go take a look?" Qing Mu scolded playfully.

"Senior Brother Qing, the tournament shouldn't start for another half-hour. I wanted to visit the Scripture Pavilion first," Gu Fan shook his head and said.

"The Scripture Pavilion? Very well, go ahead then. I'll head over to the martial stage first to feast my eyes," Qing Mu said with a laugh.

"Alright, I'll come find you shortly," Gu Fan nodded.

Without further ado, Qing Mu hurried off eagerly toward the martial stage.

Watching Qing Mu scamper off, Gu Fan smiled helplessly and gave a slight shake of his head. Based on his experience over the years, the Lingtian Sect's internal grand tournament typically lasted three to four days, with the final day featuring the clashes between the absolute strongest disciples. The rewards for first place were invariably far superior to those for second.

Of course, there were rules: a tournament was a tournament, and one must not damage the harmony within the sect.

"Three or four days is more than enough for me to grasp the basics of a new Dou Technique," Gu Fan murmured, closing his door and heading toward the Lingtian Scripture Pavilion.

The Lingtian Scripture Pavilion

Before long, Gu Fan's figure appeared before the towering gates of the Scripture Pavilion. He tilted his head slightly upward, gazing at the monumental architecture with a sigh of admiration.

He stepped inside, approached the front desk, and presented his Lingtian Sect disciple token to an elderly man stationed there, bowing respectfully. "Senior, I am here to select a Dou Technique."

The old man slowly raised his head, looked him over, and nodded. "First and second floors."

"Understood," Gu Fan acknowledged.

The Lingtian Scripture Pavilion possessed a total of three floors. The first and second floors were open to ordinary disciples, while the third floor was strictly restricted, accessible only to high-ranking figures such as the Sect Master or the top five victors of the martial tournament; all others were barred.

Gu Fan had visited frequently over the years, though primarily to study the foundational *Lingtian Sutra*. Now that he possessed the *Ninefold Annihilation Emperor Sutra*, however, his standards had naturally shifted to match it.

He had browsed the first floor extensively over the years; its contents were relatively low-tier, consisting mostly of Huang-tier and Xuan-tier manuals suitable for disciples with lower cultivation realms.

The second floor, conversely, housed a greater abundance of high-grade Xuan-tier and Di-tier manuals.

While he hadn't been able to cultivate them previously, he was different now.

Thus, Gu Fan bypassed the ground floor entirely and walked straight up the stairs to the second floor.

The manuals here were neatly categorized, arranged across rows of bookshelves separated into two distinct sections: one for cultivation techniques and the other for Dou Techniques.

"A major sect truly is a major sect—so many classifications and such a vast quantity of Dou Techniques," Gu Fan muttered in praise.

He walked straight ahead into the Dou Technique section.

Several other disciples were present. The manuals here could not be removed; disciples had to transcribe them on the spot, for if everyone simply took a scroll away, the library would soon be emptied.

Aside from the *Lingtian Sutra*, both *Earth-Shattering Slash* and *Flame Slash* were techniques Gu Fan had painstakingly copied out character by character by hand in the past.

Desks were provided nearby specifically for disciples to copy texts. Several people were seated there now. Although today was the day of the tournament, not everyone participated; some preferred a low profile, while others felt their cultivation was too lacking.

Gu Fan navigated to the categorized section, searching for the racks containing blade and saber techniques.

Weapon classifications here were comprehensive; sabers and blades could be practiced interchangeably without interference.

Gu Fan soon spotted two prominent characters: *Saber & Blade*.

"Ah, right here. It's been over a year since I last came," Gu Fan muttered softly.

He began browsing slowly.

*Void Slash*, *Heaven-Rebelling Slaughter*, *Crescent Slash*, *Whirlwind Slash*, *Thunderbolt Slash*, *Phantom Slash*, *Battle Body Rampant*...

The varieties were numerous, though some were notoriously difficult to cultivate.

*Void Slash*: Upon mastering it to the grand completion stage, one can cleave the void itself, yielding immense might.

"Kid, pick some hard-hitting techniques, then go choose some hard-hitting cultivation manuals later. Your Absolute Annihilation Physique was literally born to practice hard-hitting techniques! Very few people cultivate such manuals because the probability of exploding from them is simply too high. But you are different; you won't. Hard-hitting manuals deliver explosive output, and when paired with the auxiliary power of the *Ninefold Annihilation Emperor Sutra* and the Shura Path, you will possess terrifying, overwhelming strength," Jiumie's voice chimed in within his mind, offering sudden guidance just as Gu Fan was hesitating.

"Then which hard-hitting manuals should I choose? I've never practiced any before, so I don't know which ones qualify as hard-hitting techniques or hard-hitting Dou Techniques," Gu Fan communicated mentally.

"That *Heaven-Rebelling Slaughter* and that *Battle Body Rampant* are quite decent and suit you well. Though they are a bit low-tier, they are entirely appropriate for you at your current stage," Jiumie evaluated after a quick sweep.

"But they look terribly difficult to cultivate..." Gu Fan swallowed hard.

"Difficult my foot! With me here, nothing is difficult. I will extract the essence from them and infuse it directly into your mind; you'll learn them faster than anyone else!" Jiumie chided. Was the presence of a supreme entity like himself a joke?

"Th-they can do that?!" Gu Fan asked, hesitant.

"You'll see soon enough." Jiumie replied mysteriously.

"Very well," Gu Fan agreed.

He stepped forward and pulled out the sheepskin scrolls for *Heaven-Rebelling Slaughter* and *Battle Body Rampant*.

The sheepskin scrolls were ancient, radiating an aura of antiquity.

"In all my years in the sect, I've never seen anyone else cultivate these," Gu Fan mused inwardly.

"Nonsense, these are hard-hitting Dou Techniques. Unless someone has a death wish, who would touch them?" Jiumie shot him a mental look of exasperation, secretly wondering if his chosen inheritor was somewhat simple-minded.

"What now? How do I proceed?" Gu Fan asked.

"You should transcribe a copy first. Later, when I extract and distill the essence, the original sheepskin scroll might disintegrate, so it's safer for you to have a written copy," Jiumie instructed.

"Alright then." Transcription was a simple task for Gu Fan.

Wielding the two sheepskin scrolls, Gu Fan found an unoccupied desk, pulled out a fresh blank bamboo slip, and dipped a writing brush lightly into ink.

He began by copying *Heaven-Rebelling Slaughter*.

Gu Fan transcribed at a rapid pace, finishing both manuals in roughly twenty minutes.

He then picked up the two bamboo slips and the sheepskin scrolls, returned to the bookshelf, and slid the original sheepskin scrolls back into their slots.

"I've finished copying. What's next?" Gu Fan asked.

"Let's head outside first. Do it elsewhere; I'm afraid that when your aura expands later, you might wreck this place and cause unnecessary trouble," Jiumie cautioned, before adding, "Afterward, go to the cultivation technique section and find two hard-hitting manuals as well."

Without further argument, Gu Fan stowed the transcribed bamboo slips into his storage ring and briskly walked toward the cultivation technique section.

"Are any hard-hitting cultivation manuals fine?" Gu Fan asked.

"Yes, exactly. Though ideally, the more powerful, the better," Jiumie replied.

"That makes things easy," Gu Fan thought.

Arriving at a section dedicated to physical cultivation within the Scripture Pavilion, he glanced around and, after a brief moment of deliberation, selected two hard-hitting cultivation manuals.