What are the four extra heartbeats? Ning Fan did not ask, because he vaguely felt that even if he asked, the Sacred Slayer Sword of the Desolate Heavens would not answer.

He did not ask more questions; he just tried to calm his turbulent heart.

Previously, his heart was somewhat unsettled. The reason for this unrest was partly the shock of suddenly hearing the heartbeat of a Saint and partly the unexpected revelation of another identity of the Sacred Slayer Sword of the Desolate Heavens.

The other identity of the Sacred Slayer Sword of the Desolate Heavens turned out to be the First-Generation Slaughter Emperor? Was the First-Generation Slaughter Emperor not human? A sword?

In this matter, Ning Fan also wanted to inquire further previously but didn’t have the chance to speak. He knew how to prioritize tasks; the foremost task at the moment was to empty his heart and let his body and mind unite, so as not to waste the sole opportunity for each Young Emperor to listen to the Saints.

"There are three benefits for each Young Emperor succeeding the Slaughter Emperor. Listening to the heartbeat of a Saint is the first benefit. Due to certain restrictions, one can only experience it once in a lifetime. Each Slaughter Emperor before becoming an Emperor comes here to listen to the heartbeat of a Saint and gains enlightenment from it... But I, which Saint’s heartbeat should I choose to listen to..."

Ning Fan forgot everything around him, letting go of all distractions. Gradually, his breath became intermittent; gradually, his breath completely vanished from the heavens and the earth.

While obviously still sitting cross-legged on the ground, he seemed to have become a part of the heavens and the earth, or perhaps, the heavens and the earth had become a part of Ning Fan’s body...

Unity of Heaven and Man, Second Realm!

[What terrifying concentration... This child seems to have noticed the problem with the number of heartbeats, something that none of the previous Slaughter Emperors could accomplish. Indeed, worthy of a Master at the Second Realm of Tianren... indeed, worthy of a peerless individual with two Heavenly Grade Dao Images...]

The Sacred Slayer Sword of the Desolate Heavens spoke again, this time in amazement. Unfortunately, at this moment, Ning Fan was completely unable to hear this sound of amazement.

In his heart, there is nothing, untouched by the six senses! At this moment, even if someone wielded a knife towards Ning Fan, he would remain unmoved!

Thump thump!

Thump thump!!

Thump thump!!!

The sound of the heartbeat echoing in his ears became more and more intense, more and more distinct. Scenes of Saints flowed through Ning Fan’s mind, presenting profound truths in succession.

In the face of these complex and mixed heartbeats of Saints, Ning Fan felt a sense of insignificance. He sensed that his bone age of over ten thousand years seemed long but was actually brief; he felt that the hardships along his journey were just ripples stirred by the wind on a still lake, while his peaceful heart now was like the vast waters deep in the lake...

The constantly flowing scenes in his mind, though still switching rapidly, began to slow down because of Ning Fan’s tranquil mind.

As the switching continues, the length of the visible scenes gradually extends.

"You ask me why I dwell in Ning Bi Mountain; I smile and do not answer, my heart at ease. The peach blossom waters flow on silently, another realm beyond the mortal world."

In the scene, a cloaked Saint resides in the Peach Blossom Spring, preaching the Dao to the hundred thousand disciples within it. With a flick of his hand, he pinches a peach blossom petal, and with a single true word, he opens up a world within that humble peach blossom petal. Within the petal world are countless beings who, surprisingly, do not find the petal world confined, but rather cannot explore its boundaries. These beings do not know that the world they inhabit is merely... a casual choice of a flying flower by the Saint...

That cloaked Saint, indifferent in expression, jolts the petal in his hand into dust. As the petal destroys, along with it, the countless beings in the petal world perish.

When he creates worlds and beings, there is no joy; when he destroys them, there is no compassion.

In his eyes, all mortal spirits are but illusion...

The voices of the ten thousand disciples are like tides; the cloaked Saint, however, closes his eyes, offering no explanations to the disciples.

After an unknown amount of time, the cloaked Saint opens his eyes, seemingly sensing something, and furrows his brow. He instructs the disciples with a few words, then leaps into the air, leaving the Peach Blossom Spring and flying to the peak of the realm filled with peach trees.

He raises his hand to tear open the heavens of the Peach Blossom Spring and walks out from within it. Countless disciples hear the movement and rise to respectfully send their founder off.

Beyond, a streak of light flies out from a drop of peach blossom dew onto the ground, transforming into the cloaked Saint, who shakes his head at the dew water, overwhelmed.

"Your filial piety is commendable, yet, not as humans... Unable to recognize the true face of Mount Luxxx, only because you are among this mountain..."

The so-called world of Peach Blossom Spring is actually... merely a drop of dew from an even outer world, and the hundred thousand disciples who respectfully sent him off, upon closer inspection, appear as one after another of slightly larger bacteria within that drop of dew. The weaker and finer entities cannot be discerned from the outside world, nor can they be presented within the dew water; only by entering can they be seen...

"The war in the Sky Desolate Ancient Realm is intensifying; this time, even I must intervene."

The cloaked Saint shakes his head, ascends into the air, and the scene switches here. Although it switches, already a lot more content is being presented than before...

Ning Fan felt a shock in his heart!

Countless living beings within the flower petal, the creation and destruction of the petal world, and the Peach Blossom Spring, where the ten thousand disciples dwell, is actually a drop of dew. Humans are like mayflies, realms within realms... all of it seemed to open a door to a new world for him, as if he understood something, yet seemingly... understands nothing...

In the next scene, an armored Saint plucks stars, refining a magical treasure.

The refinement techniques of that Saint have surpassed Ning Fan’s comprehension, certainly not something the Second Step’s common knowledge can understand!

While refining treasures, the Saint suddenly furrowed his brow, seemingly sensing something, and murmured, "Sky Desolate..."

Then, he directly gathered the half-refined magical treasure and hurriedly left.

The scene transforms again, with a Saint wiping out tens of thousands of worlds with one sword, and the swordsmanship is so exquisite that if Ning Fan mastered it, he could definitely be invincible in the Era of Decline!

The scene changes again, with two Saints confronting each other bare-handed, using body techniques that far exceed the Second Step...

A heartbeat, a scene, an enlightenment!

All forty-three previous heartbeats were this way, with no exception.

In the enlightenment from these forty-three heartbeats, Ning Fan even saw a Saint who attains the Dao through killing, every gesture and motion containing the profoundness of the Dao of Killing. If comprehended, one could gradually understand the Control Positions of Killing, from Control Positions to Dao Source, even... reaching a higher level!

There were Saints raising spirit insects of the Third Step, Saints opening lectures and preaching the Dao, living by example, and Saints molding clay into human form...

However, when the forty-fourth heartbeat appeared, all forty-three scenes that had been switching back and forth in Ning Fan’s mind became calm.

From the forty-fourth heartbeat onwards, the following heartbeats seemed vastly different from those before...

He couldn’t discern any profound truths, nor feel any particular enlightenment, as if those insights were not apparent but deeply hidden.

In this scene, there was only a mortal elder, lifting his head to gaze at the night sky, staring at the Big Dipper in the sky, seemingly looking at the stars, but also at... himself!

He appeared to be pondering something but couldn’t find an answer, which made his brow furrow tightly.

His eyes were a brilliant silver, that silver was innate, the color of the stars, silver eyes gazing at the sky in silent contemplation.

He didn’t move at all, not even a change in expression. If not for the moving plants in the picture and the twinkling stars in the night sky, Ning Fan would have almost thought that the mortal elder stood in a static painting.

A wild bird even made a nest on the shoulder of that silver-eyed elder, treating this living person as if he were a tree...

The grass and trees at the feet of the silver-eyed elder had just broken through the earth, and the surrounding season seemed to be spring...

"A mortal? No, it can’t be, this forty-fourth heartbeat is undoubtedly the heartbeat of a Saint. This elder seems mortal, but in reality, he is a Saint without a doubt."

"Looking up at the Big Dipper, yet seemingly gazing at himself... This scene of enlightenment feels somewhat familiar, but it seems different from what I once comprehended, ’Today people fish, tomorrow the heavens fish me.’"

Ning Fan closed his eyes tightly, frowning slightly, intending to ponder this scene further, but the picture changed again.

Unable to continue his deep analysis, the forty-fifth heartbeat forcibly entered Ning Fan’s ears.

The forty-fifth scene was of a middle-aged man looking up at the Big Dipper starry sky.

That middle-aged man also had silver eyes, and his appearance was very similar to the silver-eyed elder from the forty-fourth scene, as if he were the younger version of the previous silver-eyed elder.

But it wasn’t just his youthful appearance; the cultivation level gave Ning Fan a feeling that was somewhat weaker than the silver-eyed elder...

This silver-eyed middle-aged man also lifted his head to gaze at the sky, his brow knitted even more deeply than the silver-eyed elder.

He was looking at the Big Dipper in the night sky as if he were seeing himself, but what he saw seemed to be more than just himself...

On his shoulder was a nest that had been built throughout the entire spring.

At his feet, the grass and trees grew lush to knee height, and the season had shifted to summer.

"This silver-eyed middle-aged man in the scene should be the same person as the silver-eyed elder from the previous scene."

"Strangely, from the chronological order, the forty-fifth scene should be after the forty-fourth scene, but this silver-eyed Saint seems to grow younger the longer he lives. There appears to be some enlightenment within it that I cannot reach..."

Soon, the forty-sixth heartbeat forcefully interrupted.

In the forty-sixth scene, the autumn night moon was full, but a silver-eyed young man was not looking at the moon but the Big Dipper.

The bird’s nest on his shoulder was empty, with the birds gone.

The surrounding grass began to turn yellow, and fallen leaves carpeted the ground thickly.

Time transitioned from summer to autumn, yet this silver-eyed Saint seemed younger, and his cultivation weakened even more...

He remained silent until the forty-seventh scene transitioned, still without a word.

The forty-seventh scene was the depth of winter!

Snow filled the sky, falling heavily.

A silver-eyed boy stood motionless in the wind and snow, gazing at the Big Dipper in the snowstorm, suddenly coughing up blood.

Then, he sighed.

"Alas, this road truly leads nowhere... People all say the Fourth Step Immortal Emperor is a Reverse Saint, but where does this ’reverse’ come from and where does it end... I don’t know whether there is a Fifth Step in the world, but even if there is, I... dare not take it..."

In the wind and snow, the silver-eyed boy’s appearance gradually aged, his cultivation continuously rising!

Gradually, the boy reverted to a silver-eyed youth, then to middle age, and finally to an elder.

When his hair reached the ground, his skin shriveled like dried wood, and his teeth had fallen out, an overwhelmingly powerful Fourth Step aura erupted from him.

At this moment, winter began to rewind, reverting to late autumn, returning to midsummer, and back to early spring!

With a big hand wave, he actually brought a Sect from another world beyond countless heavens to fall here.

"Immortal Emperor, could it succeed?"

Within the Sect, several attendants with Saint cultivation levels stepped out, came before the silver-eyed elder, and respectfully asked.

The silver-eyed elder merely shook his head in silence.

Immortal Emperor!

The last four heartbeats were not the heartbeats of ordinary Saints but those of a Fourth Step Reverse Saint!

Ning Fan was secretly astounded, wondering if this night-staring Immortal Emperor could indeed be the ancestor of the Big Dipper Descendants—the Big Dipper Immortal Emperor? Could these heartbeats actually be the heartbeats of the Big Dipper Immortal Emperor!

But why would an Immortal Emperor’s heartbeats produce four completely different sounds... According to Ning Fan’s observation, the last four heartbeats had many similarities but even more differences, not like the heartbeat of the same person; instead, they seemed more like they were emitted by four different people...

What exactly is the Big Dipper Immortal Emperor comprehending?

The road he said, ’leads nowhere,’ what did it refer to...

I don’t understand, I don’t comprehend...

The more Ning Fan wanted to ponder deeply, the more he couldn’t understand. His head throbbed with pain; his blood felt like it burned; the Dao traces within him seemed to crumble!

He knew that he was likely seeking things he shouldn’t be seeking. Clenching his teeth, he severed his greed and calmed his mind, throwing the last four heartbeats out of his mind, thus the pain also disappeared.

Intuition told him that the enlightenment contained in the last four heartbeats came from the Fourth Step Immortal Emperor, and surpassed the value of the previous forty-three heartbeats!

But reason told him that the last four heartbeats were not something he could obtain. At most, he could only benefit from the many heartbeats before them.

Ning Fan suddenly felt a little disinterested.

He began to examine himself and found that even if he could benefit from the previous heartbeats, those benefits were only temporary.

In his life, he had learned countless supreme skills, any one of which could make an ordinary Master invincible at the same level.

He lacked none of the Divine Skills!

Nor did he lack the methods to reach the pinnacle of the Era of Decline!

If he followed the current path and continued forward, Ning Fan had the confidence to step by step ascend to the peak of the Dreamland Realm of the Era of Decline, then challenge the legendary Saint Realm!

To succeed would mean invincibility in the world!

Even if he failed to become a Saint, he would still at least be a strengthened version of the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor, able to sweep through the Dreamland Realm and protect what he wanted to protect.

Look at the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor who didn’t become a Saint, yet still killed Saints; how valiant he was! Ning Fan, having one more Blood Lightning than Ancient Chaos, was naturally destined for greater achievements than Ancient Chaos. Even if he stopped at the Saint Realm, he would still become a legend.

As for vying for the top three Great Realms? Hehe...

That seems...not important.

Ning Fan’s original intent for cultivation was not to become the strongest in the world. From the beginning, his motives were different from most Masters.

As long as he can sweep away the enemies of the Dreamland Realm, as long as he can protect his loved ones, becoming a Saint or the Fourth Step are merely icing on the cake, not essential...

His vision was actually very small, small enough that just protecting the land around him was enough.

But thinking this way made him somewhat confused. The more he cultivated, the more he...couldn’t find his own path.

Because the path extends forward, while he had no desire to blaze ahead. He only wanted to protect what’s behind...

"A person’s energy is ultimately limited. The supreme skills I learned are already many. Just talking about the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor’s Yin-Yang Five Swords, it’s not inferior to a Third Step Saint’s supreme skills... There are many more things at the same level... But because I’ve learned too much, I’ve had no time to study thoroughly."

"Listening to the Holy Heart this time was supposed to be my chance to gain another supreme skill, but after witnessing the Northern Dipper Immortal Emperor’s enlightenment, I felt even smaller and decided not to."

"Perhaps my path is not directed forward. Perhaps my path, reaching this point, is enough."

"I don’t need to pursue the path’s length; I’m perfectly able to stop and widen the path’s breadth..."

"I’m willing to stop on this path of cultivation for what matters to me... Or perhaps, this sort of stopping halfway is...my path?"

Ning Fan’s heart suddenly skipped a beat!

At this moment, he finally saw himself clearly!

At this moment... he heard... his own heart voice, his own heartbeat!

Indeed, he is someone who is content with what he has, someone who is easily satisfied... Without external pressures, he doesn’t desire those illusory cultivations or fame...

If he pacified all the enemies in the Dreamland Realm, if he had no further need to enhance his cultivation, when faced with a realm that required risking death to advance, he would surely choose to give up...

"This is my... heart!"

"I disdain moving forward, but if I truly decide to stop, then this place is my kingdom, and where my sword reaches, no one shall trespass!"

Thump thump!

Thump thump!!

Thump thump!!!

The sound of heartbeat emanated from Ning Fan’s body. Though weaker in force than a Third Step Saint’s vast presence, it was more resolute than any Saint’s heartbeat, loud and clear!

It wasn’t the heartbeat of someone else!

This heartbeat belonged to Ning Fan himself!

At this moment, Ning Fan’s heartbeat, though still containing doubt, completely swept away the last remnants of confusion over cultivating to the Third or Fourth Step!

Because he could abandon delusions, he could hold onto his heart! And for Ning Fan, the worldly fame and longevity that others greatly valued were... illusions too.

[This young one has achieved understanding of the Holy Heart in the Second Step! This... how is it possible!]

[Being able to hear the heartbeats of the Big Dipper Immortal Emperor is already a rarity, but actually, that’s only because of the help of the Second Realm of Tianren; any cultivator in the Second Realm could hear them... But understanding the Holy Heart... even true Saints rarely achieve this! Even if someone does achieve it, they are undoubtedly the strongest within the Saints, the Desolate Saints!]

[Even the weakest Initial Saints are all outstanding figures in the Third Realm of Tianren, clearly being united with Heaven and Man isn’t a reason for this child to understand the Holy Heart.]

[No, it cannot be said to be understanding the Holy Heart; this child is not a Saint. What he achieved was merely understanding his heart, but if one day he does become a Saint, he could easily achieve understanding the Holy Heart, even if just stepping into the Initial Saint stage!]

The Sacred Slayer Sword of the Desolate Heavens found it hard to conceal its shock. If it hadn’t been dead for many years, with only its will remaining in the sword, it would definitely take a human form to thoroughly examine Ning Fan’s body and study why he was so extraordinary!

At this moment, it finally believed that Ning Fan possessing a Dao Image surpassing the Northern Dipper Immortal Emperor was not accidental.

The Dao Image is a manifestation of the Dao! The path this child chose is likely one of the most defying within the Fellow Daoist paths; and if one day this path becomes a road, then this child... would likely become another peerless Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign of the same level!

[Perhaps even the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign himself did not expect that such a descendant of Purple Dou would be born in this Dreamland Realm, akin to a graveyard... How unfortunate, how unfortunate... No matter how high this child’s potential, he cannot ascend from the graveyard... He was born in the wrong era. If he were born in the time before the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign’s death, with the Immortal Sovereign guiding him, his future would be limitless! Even if he did not reach the Fourth Step, he would still achieve greatness!]

[My abilities are insufficient to help him return to true Yang from Yin death. But even if this child spends his entire life only able to stop at the Dreamland Realm, I am willing to help him consolidate the insights he has just realized!]

[This child seems to disregard these Saint heartbeats? Speaking of which... this child is indeed an Ancient Fiendgod. Since that is the case, it is better to use the power of these Ancient God Holy Hearts to help him open the Ancient God Heart Apertures! The advantages of succeeding each generation of Slaughter Emperors never go unfulfilled. It would be inappropriate to let him leave empty-handed from me! Even if future Slaughter Emperors can no longer listen to the Holy Heart, it doesn’t matter anymore! Whether this child can become strong enough to resist the Calamity Clan is the key to whether the fate of the Slaughter Hall can continue!]

Psst!

A blood-colored Sword Intent suddenly spread across the seventh layer of the Blood Prison, instantly engulfing Ning Fan.

At this moment, Ning Fan’s heartbeat was gradually calming, no longer paying attention to the heartbeats of other Saints. Just as he was about to end this insight, he suddenly sensed the overwhelming Sword Intent approaching, and gasped sharply.

This Sword Intent was too terrifying; it could kill him hundreds or thousands of times over! This was the Sword Intent of the Sacred Slayer Sword of the Desolate Heavens. If it bore malice, he would surely die!

Fortunately, Ning Fan deeply believed that the Sacred Slayer Sword of the Desolate Heavens would not harm him. Unable to resist, he faced it calmly, allowing the overwhelming Sword Intent to approach.

As expected, when the Sword Intent reached him, it did not cause any harm to Ning Fan. Instead, it merely penetrated his body and pierced fiercely toward his heart.

Ning Fan felt a piercing pain in his heart but did not attempt to stop it because... he sensed the immense benefits brought by the Sword Intent penetrating his heart!

This Sacred Slayer Sword of the Desolate Heavens actually transformed the power of the Saint heartbeats to help him open his Ancient God Heart Apertures!

[Eighth generation, since you are unwilling to listen to the heartbeats of the Saints, I shall give you benefits in a more direct way. The saintly heart power I collected back then wasn’t much to begin with, and with the past Slaughter Emperors listening to the Holy Heart, it consumed even more. The remaining heart power is roughly enough to open your fourth and fifth heart apertures. For more heart apertures, you will need to seek other opportunities to open them.]

This was the first time the Sacred Slayer Sword of the Desolate Heavens formally addressed Ning Fan in such a manner.

The Eighth Generation!

This was not only recognition of Ning Fan but also a form of respect, considering him an equal!

At this moment, it was not the identity of the Sacred Slayer Sword of the Desolate Heavens speaking to Ning Fan, but as the First-Generation Slaughter Emperor, offering benefits to a successor!

[Speaking of which, the Seventh Generation left something for you, delivered to me via Secret Technique, and it was not taken by those traitors. When a Control Position Great Emperor dies, there is a certain chance of a Palm Position Dao Fruit being generated. The Seventh Generation died unfortunately, so perhaps heaven compensated by passing down his Slaughter Control Position! From now on, I shall not only help you open heart apertures but also assist you in absorbing this power of the Slaughter Control Position. Although you won’t directly form a Control Position Void, a great advancement in the cultivation of the Path of Killing is only natural!]

[In our Slaughter Hall, no matter what the relationship was before becoming emperors, whether father and son or mentor and disciple, after becoming emperors, we all refer to each other as fellow disciples. You, as the eighth generation, are the same. From now on, you can call me the First-Generation, or you can call me... Senior Brother... or the Sacred Slayer Sword of the Desolate Heavens, the Ancient Sealing Sword... as you wish. As for the master, we... have no master... only a common belief that is passed down among us. It is the belief in guarding the descendants of the Big Dipper, which is different from merely guarding the Big Dipper Immortal Domain. What we safeguard is not the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign, but... the Big Dipper Blood Realm, which is home... the homeland belonging solely to the cultivators of the Slaughter Hall, the descendants of the Big Dipper...]

[Of course, the one who most wished to hear you call him Senior Brother as the Eighth Generation is probably the Seventh Generation. Unfortunately, there’s no longer a chance...]

Receiving the additional power of the Slaughter Control Position, Ning Fan’s eyes showed no delight; instead, they dimmed, and his heart felt a pang.

The Seventh Generation died in sorrow, died in humiliation, but even at the point of death, actually secured the Dao Fruit of the Slaughter Control Position for him...

What virtue or ability does Ning Fan have to receive such graciousness from the Seventh Generation...

[I believe in him! He will definitely return!]

[The treasure I left for this child, you shall not take!]

Ning Fan clenched his fist, closed his eyes, concealed all emotions in his heart, and upon reopening them, was wholly tranquil and resolute!

The heart apertures were gradually being opened...

The Fierce Origin Technique quietly operated within his body.

The power of the Palm Position Dao Fruit was easily condensed by Ning Fan into the highest grade Heavenly Dao Crystal. He unexpectedly pointed to the heavens, the Dao Scripture appeared, and his index finger drew in the air, writing new Chapters into the Dao Scripture!

That was a Chapter belonging solely to slaughter!

Written by Ning Fan, into the list of divine stars!

Because the power of the Slaughter Control Position he received did not harbor overwhelming demonic energy, only... the care of elders for juniors, only the warmth left over at the moment of death...

Not violent, but rather warm...

Like a senior brother caring for a future junior brother...

"Seventh Generation, no... Senior... no... Senior Brother... As long as Ning Fan is here for one day, I won’t let the Slaughter Hall perish before me; this burden has been on you for too, too long. From now on, I’ll bear it for you...’’

Ning Fan thought to himself.

More, a hint of complexity flowed within his heart.

He used to have no Senior Brother, but from now on, he does...

And these Senior Brothers are unrelated to all the mentors he internally acknowledges, unrelated to race, and unrelated to the Immortal Domain faction...

If the Seventh Generation were still alive, hearing Ning Fan as the Eighth Generation call him Senior Brother would likely be deeply gratified, but as the Sacred Slayer Sword of the Desolate Heavens said, there’s no longer a chance.

If there’s a next reincarnation, I will be in front of you, personally calling you Senior Brother as compensation."

Ning Fan seemed to be soliloquizing, and also appeared to be speaking to the influx of Slaughter Control Position power within him.

Within that Slaughter Control Position power, there was originally a trace of remorseful negative emotions, but after Ning Fan voiced his thoughts, it quietly dissipated...

As if the last trace of remorse from the Seventh Generation Slaughter Emperor was also relieved, leaving old satisfaction.

I believe in him!

This child will surely preserve the Slaughter Hall, surely!

Because he is the Eighth-Generation Young Emperor I personally chose, the junior brother I personally chose...!