Grasping Evil

The Second Step of Intent Realm

There were hundreds of wine cabins that were built within the Green Bamboo Palace. Those who were permitted to sell spiritual wine in the cabins were at least Harmonious Spirit Realm cultivators.

Most of the Vein Opening Realm disciples could only set up crude and simple stalls along the street. The spiritual wine displayed on the stalls were for cultivators who visited the palace to drink.

The expenses of providing free samples were all recorded under the sect’s accounts. As for the profits earned from selling the spiritual wine, it would all belong to the disciples of the Green Bamboo Palace.

The main function of the sect was to brew spiritual wines. The reason for holding such a wine party was to select disciples who were good at brewing wine and focus on cultivating them.

Other than earning immortal jade, each and every one of the disciples of the Green Bamboo Palace gave their best and used every skill possible to attract customers in order to obtain the attention of the sect.

As Ning Fan walked across the long street within the palace, the aroma of spiritual wines soothed his mind and soul which were filled with the bloody scenes of killing and slaughter.

Old Devil once said that wine and women are indispensable on the journey of cultivation. He’s absolutely right.

Countless female stall owners along the street had eyes that were shining and attractive faces. They made eyes at every man passing by the street, causing countless male cultivators to stop by their stalls. Only Ning Fan remained composed and collected from the beginning to the end of his tour. He only gave a faint smile at those female stall owners who behaved suggestively.

Occasionally, he would stop by and taste one or two cups of wine. However, he would never purchase any bottle from the stalls or give a good or bad comment about the spiritual wines. Once the wine entered his throat, he would then turn around and leave.

The spiritual wine he tasted were mostly first level spiritual wines.

Cao Kang who was following behind him was constantly grumbling and complaining. The reason why he wanted to follow Ning Fan into the palace was to take the opportunity to drink more second level spiritual wines so that he could break through the bottleneck of the Mid Harmonious Spirit Realm depending on the medicinal power of the wine.

Originally, he planned on leading Ning Fan to the stalls that displayed higher level spiritual wine. However, Ning Fan seemed like he knew where he was going as he specially selected the direction which led them both to low level spiritual wine. Eventually, they actually arrived at the first level district which exclusively sold first level spiritual wines.

Was it possible that Ning Fan could recognize the way? No. It was impossible. How could a Vein Opening Realm junior know the way as he had just visited the Green Bamboo Palace for the first time?

This young friend, Yun Fan, is visiting the Green Bamboo Palace for the first time. It’s certainly impossible that he could recognize the way, unless he is able to check the surroundings using his spirit sense and understand the layout of the Green Bamboo Palace… Checking the Green Bamboo Palace with his spirit sense? It’s nonsense!”

As soon as this thought entered his mind, Cao Kang immediately eliminated it. He only felt that what he was thinking about was truly ridiculous.

Surveying the layout of the Green Bamboo Palace with his spirit sense? It was just too unrealistic.

Not to mention that this young man is a Vein Opening Realm junior that has yet to have spirit sense, even if he has it, the area within the Green Bamboo Palace was set up with Peak Nascent Soul Realm Sense Blocking Formation. Other than Divine Transformation Realm old ancestors, who could see the streets and areas within the Green Bamboo Palace with his spirit sense?

“Fine. Since my young friend, Yun, wants to drink first level spiritual wines, I will accompany him for the moment. After all, the expenses of the drinks are all on him…”

Cao Kang was a person who still had some virtues. After receiving someone’s money, he would then honestly and sincerely carry out his duty.

He no longer cared about the level of the spiritual wine they were going to drink. He decided to follow behind Ning Fan closely and take a cup of spiritual wine whenever he saw a stall. Then, he would gulp down the wine with one gulp mindlessly like a cow chewing peonies.

Ning Fan paid no attention to him as he immersed himself in the cups of spiritual wine he took, calming his mind with wine.

Each mouthful of wine he took turned into a warm current as soon as it entered his throat, evoking traces of comprehension.

When common people are feeling sorrow and misery, drinking wine will lessen their negative feelings.

When common people are joyful and happy, drinking wine will help boost the joyful mood.

Why can drinking wine help diminish one’s sorrow while boosting one’s joy…

Why will someone who can originally stay sober even after drinking one thousand cups become immediately drunk after just drinking a single cup when he is broken-hearted…

Ning Fan was absorbed in his thoughts. All the understandings and comprehensions he had gained up until today blended into the cups of wine he drank. Gradually, it dawned on him that there were also some underlying principles in drinking wine.

Wine can’t change a person’s mood. The only element that changes is the person’s feelings itself.

Mortals are not immune to alcohol. Therefore, they will be drunk after drinking. However, why would cultivators become intoxicated too even though they have magic power that protects them?

Looking at the cup of wine in his hand, his understanding of drinking wine became deeper. At the same time, he realized that as he gained more insights about the Dao of Wine, his intent realm was actually beginning to sublime!

It was not an advancement in levels where it gets to the Perfect Accomplishment from the Large Accomplishment but a change in its quality instead…

Back when he was on the star island, he had managed to complete the initial stage of combining his three intent realms: divine intent, demon intent and devil intent into one, drawing the snowy scenery in the Seven Apricot City in midair. As a result, he invented a new technique called Wind Snow Technique.

In the Lost World Tower, he completely fused his three types of intent realm, becoming a brand new intent realm which was at its early stages.

An Eighth Grade Divine Intent of Rain, a Sixth Grade Devil Intent of Mountain and the Demon Intent of Fu Li which was an intent realm of at least the First Grade.

When the three different types of intent realm combined, what did his new divine intent become? What grade of intent realm was it?

Ning Fan had no idea. He only knew that the completely new divine intent was in the form of the snowy scenery in the Seven Apricot City and its grade was higher than the First Grade.

Intent realms were categorized into nine different grades. Demon General Li Ban’s Demon Intent of Carp was a Ninth Grade intent realm while Demon Intent of Fu Li or the Four Divine Beasts were First Grade intent realms… What was the grade beyond the First Grade?!

The cup of spiritual wine in his hand was like a guide that led him to a series of new insights.

Ning Fan then figured that wine must share a common relation with his brand new divine intent. Otherwise, his thoughts definitely wouldn’t suddenly stray off course because of a cup of wine.

“My new divine intent. What exactly is it and what grade does it have?”

“What Great Dao does this cup of wine have exactly? Why is it able to make me lose my focus?”

“I don’t understand and I can’t figure it out…”

Ning Fan picked up a cup of first level spiritual wine and then put it back to its original place again and again.

He passed by each of the stalls along his path but he was disappointed over and over again.

No. No… These were not the spiritual wine he wanted. These types of spiritual wine could not give him a clear understanding and were unable to let his divine intent go to the next level.

His state of mind became more and more confused. This was the sign of a developing Heart’s Devil due to his failure in attaining a complete comprehension.

In front of his eyes, the hatred and grudges he had in the past suddenly overwhelmed him. These were the memories where he was humiliated in the Hai Ning Family of Wu Country when he was still a mortal.

“Why are these past memories surfacing right now to disturb my state of mind…” Ning Fan’s eyebrows were tightly knitted.

Cao Kang who was following him behind was somewhat perplexed.

Why did my young friend, Yun Fan, begin picking and choosing the first level spiritual wine without drinking it? Could he be looking for second level spiritual wines?

His brows are so tightly knitted that he looks like someone has owed him money.

Cao Kang was pondering. Suddenly, his thought was interrupted by a cough in front of him.

“This wine… *Cough*!”

Ning Fan held a cup of spiritual wine and took a gentle sip. Then, his expression was filled with surprise and in the next moment, all his pent-up hatred from his past memories turned into a mouthful of foul blood which he coughed out from his mouth!

This had almost made Cao Kang leapt out of his skin.

He looked just well a moment ago. Why did he cough out blood now?!

Cao Kang approached the stall and glanced coldly at Ning Fan’s cup. The wine that made him cough out blood was just a first level spiritual wine.

No. To be more precise, it was barely at the first level. Its medicinal power was very light as it was only slightly stronger than mortal wine.

Wait. It was simply a mortal wine which carried a hint of medicinal taste!

“You have coughed out blood, my friend. Could it be that this wine is poisonous? Or is it because the medicinal power of this wine is too strong that it hurt your immortal veins? But it’s impossible. It’s clearly a plain wine and the medicinal power within it is so insignificant. Is it really poisonous?”

A perplexed Cao Kang took up one of the cups and sniffed it. He wore a weird expression and gulped it down. However, he looked even more bewildered after that.

It’s strange. This wine is really not pleasant to drink. But it does not seem poisonous at all.

It’s just as plain as water. There isn’t even a hint of medicinal power and it has zero effect in raising one’s cultivation base.

However, above all else, it has no poison.