Chapter 16
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Chapter 16: The Half-Demon Ning Wudao
Name: Ning Wudao (original name Ning Xuan, half-human, half-demon).
Cultivation: Peak of the Divine Catastrophe stage (constantly suppressed).
Techniques: Seven Kill Scripture.
Divine Abilities: Jiuyou Soul Devouring Method, Lifeless Killing Fist, Primordial Qi Divine Seize…
Heart’s Wish: To become a Heavenly God, eradicate the flaws of the Seven Kill Scripture, slay the hall master of the Celestial Demon Hall, and take his place.
Ye Xu’s expression turned peculiar.
The hall master of the Celestial Demon Hall was Ning Wudao’s adoptive father. Yet this fellow wished to kill his own father and seize power.
From Ning Wudao’s memories, Ye Xu learned that Ning Wudao lived a wretched life. Bought by the hall master of the Celestial Demon Hall, renamed Ning Wudao, he was cast into the outer sect of the Celestial Demon Hall and left to fend for himself.
Eventually, like nurturing a venomous insect, Ning Wudao was selected to become the Saint Son of the Celestial Demon Hall.
Should he have had a strict master, it might have been bearable.
But the hall master of the Celestial Demon Hall harbored vicious intentions—he coveted Ning Wudao’s Celestial Demon bloodline. He planned to refine it into a pure form once Ning Wudao ascended to godhood, thereby becoming a God King.
Moreover, the Seven Kill Scripture cultivator by Ning Wudao contained a deliberate flaw left by the hall master to control Ning Wudao and ensure absolute compliance.
Their relationship truly personified "loving father, filial son."
Ye Xu’s gaze briefly shifted to the green snake dragon. Ostensibly Ning Wudao’s servant, he was actually a spy planted by the hall master to monitor Ning Wudao’s every move.
"I beg to ask, are you the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion?"
Ning Wudao remained unaware that, within a single breath, his entire background, secrets, and destiny had been laid bare and mastered by Ye Xu.
"I am," Ye Xu nodded.
Both Ning Wudao and the green snake dragon jolted in astonishment—was the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion truly so young?
"Junior pays respects to Senior."
Without the tangled formalities of Qin Haishan or Qi Qingsi, Ning Wudao immediately bowed respectfully upon confirming Ye Xu’s identity.
"It seems you’ve investigated me," Ye Xu smiled.
Ning Wudao shook his head. "It was only prudent to prepare thoroughly before seeking an audience with Senior."
Qi Hongchou gave an approving nod.
Rumors held Ning Wudao as the Celestial Demon Hall’s foremost prodigy of this era. Seeing him now confirmed his extraordinary grace.
"In that case, let’s dispense with the formalities. Speak plainly."
Ye Xu wasted no time and cut straight to the point.
"Senior, how may I emerge from this impossible situation?"
After a moment’s thought, Ning Wudao posed his question in a circumspect manner.
Beside him, the green snake dragon twitched an eyebrow at these words.
He, too, knew a thing or two about the unspoken tension between the hall master and Ning Wudao.
Such was his boldness in openly challenging Ning Wudao time after time.
This was because, in the green snake dragon’s view, Ning Wudao would inevitably be devoured by the hall master of the Celestial Demon Hall sooner or later. At that time, with the hall master’s assistance, it too could become divine.
Thus, while the green snake dragon outwardly showed respect to Ning Wudao, it harbored deep disdain for him within.
"Many solutions exist to escape your predicament," Ye Xu gazed at Ning Wudao, lightly tapping the armrest as he spoke. "The question is how much sincerity you can demonstrate."
Qi Hongchou frowned. If Ning Wudao ascended to divinity, the power of the Celestial Demon Hall would surely surge dramatically. This matter needed to be reported to Qi Qingsi immediately, and to the Tianxin Sect.
"Esteemed One… are these two people from the Tianxin Sect?" Ning Wudao looked at Qi Hongchou and Ye Xian’er.
"That is correct."
Qi Hongchou nodded, "Young lady received tuition from Qi Qingsi, greetings to the Saint Son."
"I have seen you before," Ning Wudao nodded.
After a perfunctory reply, he addressed Ye Xu, "Esteemed One, this matter concerns junior’s very life and death. The fewer people who know of it, the better. I beg your forgiveness."
Ye Xu inclined his head. With a mere thought, Qi Hongchou and Ye Xian’er vanished. Within Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, not a trace of their presence remained.
"Were both of them displaced by you, Esteemed One?" Ning Wudao asked, astonished and doubtful.
This method seemed difficult to fathom, completely unpredictable.
"They remain within Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."
Ye Xu brushed it off casually, "I simply concealed them within a separate Time and Space."
Boom!
These words struck both of them like thunderclaps, further astounding them.
Creating a separate Time and Space – what level of power was that?
‘This man’s strength definitely surpasses the hall master’s,’ the green snake dragon thought inwardly.
Today’s events had to be reported to the hall master urgently.
He had a strong premonition: this master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion would severely disrupt the hall master’s plans.
"Esteemed One, this represents junior’s sincere intent. I beg you to consider it."
Ning Wudao presented a Qian Kun Ring.
Ye Xu gestured, and the Qian Kun Ring flew into his palm.
[Twelve second-tier divine weapons, ten bottles of elixirs at the pseudo-divine being level. Total value: five thousand four hundred twenty heavenly secrets points.]
"Not too shabby."
Ye Xu was quite satisfied.
"System, query the solutions."
Ultimately, resolving Ning Wudao’s predicament came down to enhancing strength.
[Unsurpassed Divine Mountain: requires two hundred thousand heavenly secrets points to query the precise location.]
[Tomb of the Azure Lotus Demon Emperor: Requires 180,000 heavenly secrets points to query its exact location.]
[Abode of Panwu the Great Sage: Requires 40,000 heavenly secrets points to determine its precise location.]
…
[Tomb of the Heavenly Capital God King: Requires 4,200 heavenly secrets points to identify its specific location.]
"Over four thousand heavenly secrets points? That would leave me with almost nothing."
Ye Xu revealed a look of reluctance.
After his previous substantial gain, he was no longer satisfied with so little.
Ning Wudao observed Ye Xu’s expression and sensed his dissatisfaction. His heart sank.
"Saint Son, do not heed him," the green snake dragon interjected indignantly, feigning concern. "This man jacks up prices out of greed. Seeing your noble status, he surely aims to swindle you."
"If you face genuine difficulty, why not seek the hall master’s aid?"
"Our Celestial Demon Hall has stood firm in the Southern Wilderness for tens of thousands of years! How could we pale before some so-called master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion whose origins remain unknown?"
These words pretended to counsel Ning Wudao, yet they were merely the green snake dragon’s ploy.
Secretly, he even hoped Ye Xu would demand an exorbitant price, discouraging Ning Wudao entirely.
"Esteemed Senior, my entire possessions lie within that Qian Kun Ring," Ning Wudao declared sincerely, kneeling on one knee. "Beyond that, I possess only a Life Treasure bound to my very soul. If this proves insufficient… I offer you my Seven Killing Sword."
Ye Xu’s expression softened faintly.
Within Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, none could deceive him. Ning Wudao’s words carried not a shred of falsehood.
"He too is a desperate soul," Ye Xu sighed inwardly.
Ning Wudao shuddered. His fists clenched until the knuckles turned white, yet his eyes blazed only with hatred and fury. His resolve remained unyielding as iron.
He had been an orphan since infancy, raised by a middle-aged human man.
The man treated him decently enough but squandered all in gambling dens, helplessly addicted.
Finally, a day came when the man lost everything and sold Ning Wudao to a black-market merchant.
That period marked the darkest chapter of Ning Wudao’s life.
Passed from hand to hand, he eventually ended up in a fighting pit. Each day brought life-or-death battles against beasts and savage monsters. Victory alone permitted survival.
Defeat meant becoming a beast’s meal.
Then, two centuries ago, during a fight, Ning Wudao’s latent Celestial Demon bloodline erupted.
This surge was detected by a passing Golden Toad Demon God (the hall master of the Celestial Demon Hall).
The Golden Toad Demon God brought him to the Celestial Demon Hall, adopting him as a foster son.
Ning Wudao believed his suffering had finally ended.
Yet what followed was the hall master’s cold abandonment.
He was tossed into the outer sect to survive or perish, left to battle endlessly among the demon clans.
Because he was half-human, half-demon, he faced relentless hostility from the demon clan.
During that period, Ning Wudao endured betrayals and assassinations, barely finding a single night’s peace.
After immense struggle, he defeated the elite disciple of the Celestial Demon Hall and became its Saint Son, only to discover a fatal flaw within the Seven Kill Scripture. Haunted by past tragedies, he dared not act rashly.
Eighty years ago, he finally realized the hall master of the Celestial Demon Hall’s scheme.
He was nothing but livestock raised by the hall master—to be slaughtered the moment he ascended to godhood.
Memories flashed through his mind.
Ning Wudao’s nails dug deep into his palm, yet he remained oblivious to the pain.
He could have become a god eighty years ago.
But he endured—for eighty long years.
At this moment, Ning Wudao resembled a water vat filled to the brim, destined to overflow sooner or later.
The green snake dragon remained unmoved.
Ning Wudao’s mixed heritage had always drawn scorn, a key reason for the green snake dragon’s contempt.
“Very well,” Ye Xu said, his feelings conflicted. Ning Wudao’s tragic path moved him; every step of his rise was forged through sheer will.
He decided to lend a hand.
“System, inquire about all information regarding the Tomb of the Heavenly Capital God King.”
Ye Xu commanded.
Ding!
[Tomb of the Heavenly Capital God King: Located in the Poisonous Forest of the Western Region. Nine thousand years ago, the Heavenly Capital God King suffered mortal wounds while seizing the 《Celestial Demon’s Immortal-Slaying Art》 and perished there.]
[The tomb is guarded by the Heavenly Capital Soul-Refining Array. This formation targets the Dao heart. No known method to break it exists.]
Surprise flickered across Ye Xu’s face.
A formation targeting the Dao heart—even the system couldn’t crack it?
“Makes sense,” he thought.
“Cultivation in this world demands not only flesh and magic power but also a tempered Dao heart. The higher one’s realm, the more vital Dao heart cultivation becomes. Without it, ascension is impossible.”
“I know a place that can help you overcome your plight.”
Ye Xu still took out a blank jade slip, inscribed the details of the tomb upon it, and handed it to Ning Wudao.
“This junior’s gratitude is eternal. Should I return alive, whatever task you assign, even crossing mountains of blades and seas of fire, I will obey without hesitation.” Ning Wudao kowtowed in gratitude.
“Your sincerity pleases me,” Ye Xu replied, highly satisfied. Securing a super-genius as his vanguard was undoubtedly beneficial.
“However,” he added sternly, “payment will still be required in the future.”
“Naturally.”
Ning Wudao accepted the jade slip with a faint smile.
“Green snake dragon, let us depart and cease disturbing the senior,” Ning Wudao said, glancing at his companion before stepping out of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion alone.
Once the two left, Qi Hongchou and Ye Xian’er materialized silently.
“Has Ning Wudao left?” Qi Hongchou asked, her expression grave. “Master, did you agree to assist him?”
“Heaven’s Secret Pavilion conducts business. He paid generously—of course I traded with him.” Ye Xu paused, his tone icy. “Do not presume to teach me my duties.”
Panic washed over Qi Hongchou. “This junior spoke thoughtlessly! Please forgive me!” she blurted, bowing deeply.
Ye Xian’er also pleaded for her master.
“Let it not happen again.”
Ye Xu’s voice was cold.
As master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, his authority must remain absolute.
When asserting dominance, hesitation had no place.
A trace of fear flickered in Ye Xian’er’s eyes.
The senior’s brief fury had been terrifying.
