Published at 9th of June 2026 6:57 am

Chapter 974: Giant Carp

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

With Ning Fans cultivation, if he wants to restrain any Fate Immortal, the opponent will be unable to break free under any circumstances.

That strange man was restrained, unable to break free, and immediately roared like a wild beast, maniacal and furious.

Ning Fan ignored the strange mans roars, his figure flickered, arriving in front of the strange man, reaching out a palm, pressing it on the strange mans Tian Ling, utilizing the Reverse Spirit Technique, attempting to peer into the strange mans memories.

However, to his surprise, the strange mans divine sense was pitch black, like an expanse formed by ink, with nothing visible.

Moreover, a drop of ink that was extremely dark suddenly flew out from the strange mans Tian Ling, heading straight for Ning Fans Tian Ling. The mutation appeared too quickly, catching Ning Fan off guard; even if switched to a powerful Immortal Emperor, it would be difficult to evade the inks attack.

At the critical moment, a golden shield automatically defended outside Ning Fans body, blocking the ink and preventing it from approaching.

Missing its target, the ink seemed to possess spirit awareness, retreating swiftly at an unimaginable speed, vanishing without a trace. As for the strange mans physical defense, after the ink left the body, it gradually faded like ink in water, disappearing from the world, as if never existed...

"What is that ink..."

Ning Fans face was solemn as water; if he hadnt had the God-Extinguishing Shield for protection, he would have surely been invaded by that ink into his Tian Ling, with unpredictable consequences afterwards.

The inks speed was too fast; even among Immortal Emperors, few could mount a defense. The inks retreating speed was even more unimaginable; with Ning Fans cultivation speed, it was difficult to pursue that drop of ink...

While pondering, a dripping sound suddenly came from the endless galaxies, seemingly close yet seemingly distant...

Drip, drip, drip...

Ning Fans gaze slightly focused, as he listened intently, that dripping sound became extremely eerie, no longer audible.

Then, another voice emerged from the endless void, as if a woman very far away, yet extremely close, whispered softly to him.

"Little butterfly, dont sleep, wake up..."

"Little butterfly, dont sleep... dont sleep..."

Whose voice is this!

So familiar, yet, so unfamiliar...

Ning Fans eyes abruptly tightened, recalling that he had heard this voice in the Scriptures Tower gifted by Ancient Chaos.

In the tenth layer of the Scriptures Tower, there was a stone door that only a Saint could open, inside the stone door, a voice had once spoken to Ning Fan,

I am your key, yet you have forgotten me... The ruler does not recognize the concubine...

Was it just now the voice of the woman claiming to be the key?

Ning Fans expression showed a trace of confusion, the voice just now, he was very sure, was not emanating from within the Mysterious Yin World...

The voice was the same, but seemed... like it was coming from another timeline...

Clearly so distant, yet as if close at hand; clearly close at hand, yet like one awakening, one slumbering, existing in overlapping timelines, like day and night, like participation and discussion, like life and death, like memory and forgetfulness, forever unable to meet...

"This place is very strange, first its this picture world that resembles yet differs from the four heavens and nine worlds, an empty city but with traces of presence... then the strange man, followed by the ink, finally came the dripping sound, and that familiar yet alien female voice..."

Ning Fan pondered, everything here was incomprehensible to him. Numerous anomalies appeared here that defy logic, yet adhere to some kind of strange logic...

Ning Fan felt as if he was in a dream, everything here gave him the feeling of dreaming...

Dream...

Only in dreams would various unreasonable things appear, only in dreams would give the feeling of near and far...

Ning Fans eyes flashed brilliantly, following this line of thought, suddenly understanding many things and gradually comprehending this world.

"So thats it, this realm within the painting is actually a dream world. From the moment I entered this place, though awakened, it was as if I entered a dream, and everything I saw was the presentation of my memories within the dream, yet among these, there were many things outside my memories, like I hadnt traversed the nine worlds in reality but saw the complete nine worlds here; I hadnt seen that strange man but saw him in this pictorial dream... Those are not my memories, nor solely my dream... Thus, it seems this realm can not only integrate my memories but also incorporate others memories to form a complete dream..."

"Just earlier I thought of the Eastern Heaven, and found myself in the Eastern Heaven; if this place is a dream, then there is an explanation..."

"Among mortals, there is a saying called lucid dream, where one can remain awake in the dream, freely control the development of things within the dream... My current state seems very similar to a lucid dream..."

"If this place is truly my dream, then I could fulfill all my wishes in the dream, for instance, I hope in this dream that the cultivation of divine, demon, and transformation bloodlines all reach the level of Blood Lightning!"

This thought had just emerged in Ning Fans mind, his cultivation levels immediately changed.

Blood Lightning cultivation did not change, but Ancient Devil Cultivation Realm suddenly surged from the Eighth Nirvana of the Heavenly Demon to the peak of the Twelve Nirvana of the Heavenly Demon, and in the next moment, it continued to breakthrough, reaching the Ancestral Regression Level!

Ancient Devil Cultivation, Ancestral Regression first realm! It was actually comparable to the Eternitys First Tribulation!

"So this is the power of Ancestral Regression Ancient Demon..."

Feeling the exponentially strengthened physical defense, Ning Fans eyes slightly trembled.

He certainly knew this cultivation increase was false, that when the dream awakens, all growth would vanish.

Despite this, this place was somewhat inconceivable, gaining the opportunity once to experience Ancestral Regression Ancient Demon cultivation will definitely be of great benefit to Ning Fans future breakthrough to Ancient Devil Cultivation Realm!

Fiendgods and ancient demons cultivation equally surged, reaching the level of Eternitys First Tribulation.

Ning Fan could personally feel the power bursting out from his body, yet unable to comprehend the specific process of cultivation surge.

In reality, his Shekong Heart Tribulation had not descended, and in the painting dream, he equally did not experience the stage of Shekong Heart Tribulation, yet directly possessed the ancient demons and Fiendgods cultivation level of Eternitys First Tribulation...

"Although this is a dream, allowing free imagination of ones cultivation, this imagination must surely have a limit... This is the world created by the Golden Talisman Palace Ancestor, definitely subject to his cultivation constraints, and thus limited..."

Ning Fan attempted to continuously raise the cultivation of four bloodlines, but could only raise each cultivation to the level of Nine Tribulations Peak Immortal Emperor. Beyond this, no matter how it was attempted, it was impossibleto achieve.

"Oh? Young Friend Ning just entered the realm within the painting for a while, and understood the essence of the dream within the painting?"

Outside the pictorial realm, Daoist Wood Pine and Xiang Mingzi both sensed the changes in Dao traces on the giant painting, though they couldnt see specifically what Ning Fan did, they could make guesses.

If their assumptions were correct, Ning Fan already utilized the dream characteristics of the pictorial realm to rapidly increase his cultivation, thus traveling securely in the Land of Dreams.

"How remarkable. I spent a full ten days breaking through the essence of the pictorial realm when I entered the painting, while many Masters died in the painting unable to realize this, yet this child used such a short time..." Xiang Mingzi clicked his tongue in admiration.

"The cultivation that can be imagined in this realm within the painting can reach only Nine Tribulations Peak at most. With such cultivation, this child has no worries for survival, but to bring out the things I need from the pictorial realm, is not so simple... If unable to open the eyes..." Daoist Wood Pine was hopeful yet worried.

In the four heavens, very few masters can open their eyes. Without opening the eyes, one cannot see the things Daoist Wood Pine needs...

"The world I see, can you, see..."

...

Ning Fan borrowed the dreams imagination, causing his cultivation to surge, at this moment his four bloodlines combined, nearly exploding with the combat strength of a First Order Quasi-Saint!

With his current strength, using the God-Extinguishing Shield is not merely defending against an Eight Tribulations Celestial Emperor attack, even against the attack of a Second-Grade Quasi-Saint, Ning Fan has considerable confidence to withstand!

"I wish... to possess the speed of Earth-Penetrating Golden Light Ninth Passage!"

Ning Fan stepped into the void, nine faint golden ripples appeared under his feet and his figure instantly shot out, actually pursuing in the direction where the ink previously fled.

He still does not know what eyes Daoist Wood Pine needs, but intuitively feels that capturing that ink drop should yield some clues.

The speed of Golden Light Ninth Passage was too fast, it was Ning Fans never experienced cultivation speed, seemingly needing only a step to reach any point in the Eastern Heaven from where he stood!

This speed had already surpassed Ning Fans understanding. In reality, he could not achieve such speed, but here, he was afforded a rare opportunity to experience it.

In just a flicker, Ning Fan crossed countless galaxies and blocked the path of the ink that was frantically fleeing. With a flick of his finger, he unleashed the force of a First Order Quasi-Saints Heaven Sealing Art, immobilizing the ink in the starry sky.

"Yang Carp..."

From the ink came a sudden, rough voice, followed by an eruption of an almost terrifying temperature, incinerating the binding Heaven Sealing Art.

It was the power of extreme Yang. That tiny droplet of ink had a terrifying Yang force capable of incinerating a First Order Quasi-Saint.

"Such strong Yang force, this is... the Yang Dao Origin Force!"

The scorching heat wave approached, causing Ning Fans expression to tense instantly.

He had already heard from Daoist Wood Pine about what a Dao Source was. He also knew that the Liangyi Square Seal he had obtained was a treasure containing the power of Yin and Yang Dao Origin Forces.

What Ning Fan did not know was that Daoist Wood Pine had created the Liangyi Square Seal to suppress the Yin-Yang Dao Source Power of the Golden Sky Black Earth Painting. Unfortunately, with Mu Songs Second Rank Quasi-Saint cultivation and the power of the Liangyi Square Seal, each entry into the painting resulted in severe injuries, and he could only barely save his life...

Throughout his life, Mu Song entered the paintings second realm seven times, each time suffering severe injuries from some fierce creature within the painting.

He had seven opportunities to bring out eyes from the painting, but only succeeded once.

Compared to Mu Song, Senluo was far luckier. He entered the second painting once and successfully brought out an eyeball, earning Mu Songs indebtedness to him.

Due to the extreme peril of this painting, Mu Song was unwilling to enter it himself. He had entered this painting too many times; once inside, the creatures could sense his aura... He had to ask others to do it on his behalf, and it must be someone who had never entered the painting before...

"I am still worried about Young Friend Nings safety. If those two fierce creatures awaken..." Speaking of the fierce creatures, Xiang Mingzis expression was more solemn than ever.

"No need to worry. Normally, those two fierce creatures wont awaken for ordinary people entering. The cost of their awakening is too great. Unless they smell the spirit odor of a Quasi-Saint, they absolutely will not attack the intruder... Even if unforeseen circumstances arise, and the creatures do awaken, you and I are prepared and can forcibly pull Young Friend Ning out of the painting... If the creatures do not awaken, and faced with ordinary Dao Carps, with Young Friend Nings enhanced cultivation and sword technique capable of severing the Dao Source, he could traverse the painting unharmed!" Daoist Mu Song confidently stated.

His only concern was that Ning Fan might ultimately not be able to open his eyes, but he was not worried about Ning Fan facing danger.

The ink seemed enraged by Ning Fans Heaven Sealing Art, its surrounding Yang force growing increasingly intense, igniting the void of the starry sky.

Ning Fans standing ground had become the convergence point of the Yang force, with the voids space turning into molten red liquid! Were it not for his skyrocketing cultivation and his body being protected by the God-Extinguishing Shield, he would have been reduced to ashes beneath this Yang force!

"Yin Seal Phoenix Freeze Heaven, suppress!"

Without any hesitation, Ning Fan pointed forward with his finger, instantly unleashing an extremely sharp treasure light that vibrated towards the starry sky.

This seal was the very Liangyi Square Seal he had seized from Wu Laoba!

With Ning Fans current cultivation driving the first transformation of the seal, four bone-chilling phoenix cries resounded.

The half of the starry sky where Ning Fan stood turned into a sudden deep winter, generating an endless Yin cold force that repelled the Yang force emitted by the ink. Half the starry sky was extreme Yang, and the other half was extreme Yin. The two forces began to cancel each other out, reducing the omnipresent Yang force by more than fifty percent.

Ning Fan then swung his hand, summoning the Memory Severing Dao Sword, and employed the Severing Dao Divine Sword technique, slashing fiercely forward.

With his current comprehension of the Severing Dao Divine Sword, without the assistance of the Liangyi Square Seal, it would be challenging to sever such terrifying Yang force.

Fortunately, his cultivation had surged. This slash, too, was formidable, directly severing the densely interwoven Yang Dao Source ahead!

The surrounding Yang Dao Source Power had already been weakened by the Liangyi Square Seal. It could no longer withstand Ning Fans slash, collapsing like a mountain, and in an instant, the half of the sky where the ink resided plunged into a wildly chaotic collapse.

"Cannot withstand..."

The ink seemed to fear Ning Fan, no longer favorin battle. With a flicker, it disappeared without a trace from the collapsing starry sky.

The surrounding commotion gradually subsided, and Ning Fan stowed away the treasure seal and Dao Sword, spreading his spirit sense to search for the inks whereabouts, but to no avail.

The ink, like a dream evaporating, vanished...

Whats more troubling was that the scenery around Ning Fan started changing back to the landscape of Hai Nings Ning Clan.

Standing within the city of Hai Nings Ning Clan, Ning Fans eyes briefly showed confusion.

His cultivation reverted to the level it had when he first entered the Realm Within Paintings.

His memory seemed partially erased, as if he could not remember just now battling the strange ink...

His memory seemed to have returned to the moment he first entered the Realm Within Paintings...

"This is... Hai Nings Ning Clan!" Ning Fans eyes slightly narrowed.

"I clearly stepped into the painting world, yet why do I appear here... Is this scenery all an illusion..."

Ning Fan had a strange feeling, a persistent sense that he had uttered these same words before, seen this same scene somewhere before...

Why did he have this strange thought?

He could not remember...

He began searching, as he had when he first entered the Realm Within Paintings, seeing the same empty city...

Then he began exploring other lower realms, appeared in the Eastern Heaven, encountered strange people, saw the strange ink, and then... heard the sound of dripping water and the eerily familiar yet unfamiliar female voice.

"Little butterfly, dont sleep, wake up..."

"Little butterfly, dont sleep... dont sleep..."

Why was he told again not to sleep...

Ning Fans eyes tightened briefly, then a moment of bewilderment swept over him, a persistent discomfort in his heart without finding its source.

So, he discovered for the second time the mystique of this dreamland, his cultivation rising, pursuing the ink a second time, driving it back a second time...

And then, forgetting everything a third time, appearing in Hai Nings Ning Clan...

Thus, over and over...

At present, trapped in the Realm Within Paintings, Ning Fan still did not know that this realm had three thousand layers. In the deepest of those three thousand layers, amidst endless void, lay a giant skeleton clad in golden armor, standing upright, still holding the pose of pointing angrily at the sky before death.

Around that giant skeleton were two light pillars, each entwined with countless chains, shackling two colossal carps like Cultivation Stars, one black, one white, both slumbering with closed eyes.

Amid the two giant carps, numerous ink dots, both black and white, swam about...

"Report to the king, there is an outsider master intruding in the realm..." A white dot suddenly swam towards the giant carp to report.

"Another outsider came in? What is their cultivation?" The white giant carp lazily did not bother to open his eyes, displaying an indifferent attitude, while the black giant carp slightly opened its eyes, sinisterly asked.

"Reporting to the king, that master seems to be of the Eternal First Calamity cultivation..."

"Eternal First Calamity? Merely an ant. This individuals Spirit likely lacks any taste. You may divide it among yourselves and eat it! Do not disturb my slumber again!" sighed the black giant carp impatiently, closing its eyes again.

Seeing this, the little white dot that wanted to continue reporting could only shut its mouth in frustration.

It initially wanted to report to the king, that the master who entered this time should not be underestimated, for they had even defeated the fourth-ranked Dao Carp in the Dao Carp military...

If it werent for that master being trapped in the endless cycle of the Dream Realm, they might have caught up with this carp and killed it...

Forget it, since the kings werent interested in dealing with this intruder, it was left to these subordinates to handle it...

Share