Chapter 1165: Chapter 1165: Title of Maitreya!

The chubby man named Yu Yichi revealed a profound and mysterious smile. It was the first time he smiled like this, a smile filled with indescribable compassion and carefree detachment.

A big belly can accommodate, accommodating things in the world that are hard to bear.

He laughs as he talks, laughing at those laughable people in the world.

Just like Maitreya!

"I’m somewhat interested in meeting this Dong Yanluo. In that case, I’ll wager on this Grand Thousandfold Rainbow to see if my Buddha’s height surpasses this kid’s demonic prowess..."

The chubby man’s right hand, hidden in his sleeve, pinched a Buddhist mudra, a gesture unnoticed by everyone else on the boat.

At the moment this mudra was formed, countless golden illusory petals, invisible to the naked eye, suddenly fell from the sky over the distant sea behind the star boat. With the activation of the illusory power, the originally calm sea currents in the distance suddenly became turbulent, with hundreds or thousands of fierce beasts emerging from the water, roaring and rushing towards the star boat.

These fierce beasts were formed by extremely profound illusory arts. Even a demi-saint level old monster, without a certain level of insight, might not perceive that these were mere illusions.

It was naturally even more impossible for Lin Surname Dutrue and the others to see through this. These people were originally marveling at the illusionary spectacle Ning Fan inadvertently created, but suddenly detecting a large batch of ancient fierce beasts approaching from behind the star boat, they all turned pale with fright, leaving no room to admire the spectacle anymore; they were nearly scared witless!

"Wh-what’s going on! Why have so many ancient fierce beasts appeared behind us all of a sudden!"

"A thousand! At least a thousand! And most of those fierce beasts surpass Elder Lin’s power! We are doomed!"

"We must have encountered a massive hunt of fierce beasts! Elder Lin, please save us!"

"I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!"

"Elder Lin, aren’t you invincible! Isn’t this your moment of solitude! Please, make your move! Slay all these fierce beasts!"

"Please!"

The disciples of the Huanyun Sect turned pale from excessive fear. Though they had trained in the ocean of stars for seven years, they had never faced such peril of this magnitude before, how could they remain calm and composed.

In their panic, they desperately clung to Elder Lin Surname Dutrue, pleading with him to slay the thousand fierce beasts and save them from disaster.

Hearing their words, Lin Surname Dutrue, the one upon whom all the hopes of the crowd were pinned, felt as though a thousand-headed grass-eating beast was stampeding through him. What a joke! How could he possibly have the ability to slay these thousand fierce beasts before him! He might not even be able to beat a single one of them brought out randomly! If a thousand beasts rushed at him, he would be crushed to pieces in an instant!

"Nonsense! Heaven holds a virtue for living beings, how could I commit such slaughter, unwilling to fight them. Let us give them a chance, change direction, and see if we can shake these beasts off..."

Lin Surname Dutrue’s voice trembled with fear, yet he stubbornly maintained the facade of a seasoned senior, which was genuinely difficult for him.

Blocked by thousands of fierce beasts behind them, going back was not an option; they had to face them head-on!

Between life and death, Lin Surname Dutrue suddenly had a bold idea, which was to steer the star boat towards the deep sea area, in hopes of finding the Immortal Emperor senior who entered the deep sea zone six or seven years ago to save them before these fierce beasts attacked.

Under normal circumstances, he would never dare to venture into deep sea areas.

But there was no other option now! If he didn’t venture into the deep sea area to seek help from the Immortal Emperor senior, who had the power to eliminate so many formidable beasts!

Therefore, under the intentional arrangement by the chubby man, the Huanyun Sect cultivators began to flee in panic, heading towards the deep sea area, approaching Ning Fan.

All the way into the deep sea zone, the star boat didn’t encounter any of the fierce beasts, with only the pursuing thousand illusory beasts behind them. This was naturally because Ning Fan had already slaughtered all the beasts in his previous visit here.

After an unknown period of fleeing, Lin Surname Dutrue suddenly discovered a nine-colored rainbow resembling a giant dragon drinking water, hovering above the sea ahead.

The rainbow’s splendor was the most magnificent Lin Surname Dutrue had ever seen in his life, but such beauty was lost on him in this moment—his sole focus was survival.

Beneath the rainbow, no fierce beasts were visible, but traces of a grand battle lingered, remaining unfaded after seven years, indicating a world-shattering battle having occurred here, with ferocious auras surging to the sky, beyond what low-level cultivators could withstand.

Under that rainbow, in the place where the ferocity was at its peak, stood a young man in white on the water surface, planting a nine-colored plant in the water.

Lin Surname Dutrue could only see the vague silhouette of the white-clad young man’s back, unable to discern his appearance; he attempted to steer the star boat slightly closer to the rainbow’s location, only to be stopped by a gentle force, preventing further approach, clearly the intention of the white-clad young man to avoid disturbance.

Even though unable to see the man’s features, Lin Surname Dutrue felt an unmatched aura of the Eternal Old Freaks from him, fully convinced that this white-clad young man was the Immortal Emperor senior who had dried up the sea, finally finding the lifesaving straw in his drowning moment, he burst into tears and called out across the sea.

"Senior, please save me! This junior is Lin Chong, disciple of the Huanyun Sect! As long as senior is willing to spare my life, I am willing to serve as your eternal servant, never betraying through lifetimes!"

Ning Fan, who was nurturing the nine-colored plant on the water surface, slightly shifted his gaze, turning around, "To serve as my eternal servant is unnecessary, a servant of your cultivation level is not something Ning needs anymore. However, saving your life is not out of the question, but there would be some difficulty..."

In reality, Ning Fan had long been aware of everything happening on the star boat, knowing that the fierce beasts chasing the star boat were all illusory images and posed no real harm.

The chubby man was a Buddhist cultivator, and being a Buddhist, how could he arbitrarily commit killings, bringing upon himself unnecessary karma, disrupting his Taoist cultivation, which would be quite unwise.

This was a scheming chubby man who, having been reprimanded for several years by Lin Surname Dutrue, ridiculed by fellow cultivators on the same boat, intentionally conjured up some illusions to frighten this group of low-level cultivators; naturally, the more important task of this illusion was to test Ning Fan’s strength.

A dignified Half-Saint actually bickering with a group of juniors. On the surface, this fat man’s temperament seems petty, but in truth, it is a reflection of his magnanimity, and also a testament to his straightforward character.

Normally, any other Half-Saint insulted countless times by lower-level masters would never let those juniors off easily, at the very least they would kill them, or at worst manipulate them.

However, this fat man merely used some illusory art to scare people, sparing their lives, which already makes him better than most. From this perspective, although he is cunning, he still possesses some magnanimity, embodying seven parts Buddhist nature and three parts rogue nature, truly an intriguing man.

Unconsciously, Ning Fan held this fat man in higher regard. It wasn’t about his strength, but his way of dealing with the world.

Upon hearing Ning Fan willing to lend a hand, all the disciples of Huanyun Sect were overjoyed, not knowing that the fierce beasts chasing them were merely illusions.

Ning Fan turned around, his gaze landing on the distant starship. After a brief eye contact with the fat man, he saw in his eyes a hint of a challenge.

Challenge?

Interesting.

Ning Fan’s eyes glowed with Azure Spike, his gaze shifting to the sea filled with thousands of fierce beasts, as if to pierce through all illusions of true and false.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t see clearly... The fat man’s mastery of illusory art was so profound, even Ning Fan, with his Second Realm of Tianren’s eye power, couldn’t see through all the illusion’s veins instantly, only discerning four or five out of ten parts.

The remaining five or six parts would require him to break using his accumulated experience in illusion, which is why Ning Fan found it challenging to unravel this technique.

This was clearly a thousandfold more difficult than killing a thousand fierce beasts. It was the first direct confrontation between Ning Fan and this enigmatic fat man!

"It’s actually the Second Realm of Tianren! This Dong Yanluo is truly surprising. If we only talk about Tianren’s eye power, I’m not as capable as him. But breaking through my illusion is not something that can be achieved by eyesight alone. There are too many things in this world that you can see but cannot touch; the more you try to approach, the further you get. It’s the untouchable part that is the most enigmatic aspect of illusion..."

The fat man looked extremely confident, curious to see how long this renowned Dong Yanluo from the Boundary River could last under his illusion.

"Incredible... Each of his thousand fierce beasts was created with different illusion techniques. Dealing with a thousand fierce beasts involves a thousand different illusory methods. His skill in illusion surpasses mine. With my mastery of illusory methods, I can at most break through six hundred fierce beasts, but the remaining four hundred are extremely challenging..."

Bang, bang, bang!

Ning Fan raised his finger, pointing across the sea. With each point, a fierce beast was reduced to dust.

One breath passed, two breaths passed, three breaths passed...

In the blink of an eye, one hundred and forty breaths had passed.

Ning Fan had already shattered six hundred illusory fierce beasts, but the remaining four hundred, he couldn’t break through based on illusion experience alone.

Even more troublesome, he realized he had been caught in the fat man’s scheme. The thousand illusion techniques were just a facade; hidden within the fat man’s illusion was an illusion trap!

As the name implies, an illusion trap is a trap added within his own illusion. If one cannot detect the trap, the more they break the illusion, the more they get ensnared by it.

At this moment, Ning Fan was in such a situation. For the first time, he encountered such a cunning illusion. Careless, he allowed the other person’s illusion to invade his divine sense, causing a dizzying sensation at his forehead.

"This person’s skill in illusion surpasses even some above Quasi-Saint..." Ning Fan smiled wryly, giving this assessment.

He had to admit, in pure illusory technique, currently, he couldn’t match this fat man.

However, being defeated by a mere illusion trap from the fat man was impossible.

"One hundred and forty breaths until the illusion trap was triggered, indeed this Dong Yanluo is remarkable. Unfortunately, he failed to detect the trap’s existence beforehand, allowing my illusion to ambush and invade his divine sense. He has lost; within ten breaths, his divine sense will certainly be wounded by my illusion..." The fat man smiled with confidence.

But this confidence only lasted for ten breaths before turning into astonishment!

After ten breaths, his illusion failed to harm Ning Fan’s divine sense!

Twice breaths, thirty breaths, forty breaths... One hundred breaths!

For a full one hundred breaths, the illusory force that invaded Ning Fan’s divine sense made over three thousand attacks, yet it could not inflict the slightest damage on Ning Fan’s divine sense!

What kind of defensive monstrous divine sense is this! Even under a Half-Saint level illusion attack, it remains unharmed! It’s unheard of!

"Your mind is disturbed; this disturbance is precisely a taboo for illusion practitioners. Illusion rebound!"

Ning Fan had been waiting, waiting for the moment when the fat man’s mind was disturbed, and with Fu Li’s illusion talent, he rebounded the illusion he had suffered back to the fat man.

Puff!

Without warning, the fat man on the starship coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood. The remaining four hundred fierce beasts behind the starship also collapsed at that instant, vanishing into nothingness.

"We’re safe! We’re safe! Wait, why did Yu Yichi cough up blood!"

Seeing that Ning Fan killed all the fierce beasts within a few hundred breaths, cheers erupted from the star boat, but some noticed the fat man’s bleeding and found it strange, though they were too lazy to think deeply.

"The first round of confrontation, I lost..." The fat man smiled bitterly, seemingly talking to himself, yet as if he was speaking across the sea to Ning Fan.

"No, let’s call this confrontation a tie. My illusory art is not as good as yours, that’s a fact. The reason I hurt you was merely using other means, not an honorable victory." Ning Fan shook his head, also talking to himself, but it seemed like an answer to the fat man.

"Such a Dong Yanluo! In that case, I will not lose the second round of duel!"

The fat man wiped the blood off the corner of his mouth, suddenly jumped off the star boat, and walked on the waves towards the nine-colored rainbow where Ning Fan was.

The barrier force arranged by Ning Fan naturally couldn’t stop him, so amidst everyone’s bewildered expressions, the fat man walked step by step to where Ning Fan was.

"How is it possible! The barrier force that even the star boat couldn’t penetrate, yet Yu Yichi of mere Nascent Soul cultivation, actually broke through!" Countless Huan Yun Sect disciples were too shocked to shut their mouths, each looking at Yu Yichi with eyes as if seeing a monster.

"It’s fake! This kid’s Nascent Soul cultivation is fake! He’s an expert! A being with cultivation far beyond mine! No wonder he’s not on the list of practicing disciples, he’s not an outer disciple, he’s an Eternal Old Freak who sneaked onto the boat!" Elder Lin Dutrue was almost scared stupid.

Thinking about bullying the fat man all the time during this period, he felt cold hands and feet, trembling all over.

Would he be retaliated against!

Would he be killed!

The fool fat man I bullied every day turned out to be an ancient senior! My fate is doomed!

Just when Elder Lin Dutrue sighed deeply, he suddenly jolted as he discovered something even more terrifying.

As the sea fog was blown away by the wind, his spirit sense finally saw clearly the distant sea surface, Ning Fan’s appearance!

The juniors behind him probably didn’t recognize Ning Fan, after all, their cultivations were too low. But as Dutrue, how could Elder Lin Dutrue not recognize Ning Fan!

Ning Fan’s portrait had long spread throughout the Second Step circle of Eastern Heaven, had it not!

"It’s actually, actually the Slaughter Hall Master!" Elder Lin Dutrue had never expected to meet his idol in the Red Rainbow Star Sea, making his breath quicken for a moment.

That was a great hero who almost single-handedly pacified the Boundary River! Although he was naturally timid, he admired bold people the most, especially Ning Fan, such a hero bearing the world’s rise and fall!

Thinking that his idol saved his life this time, Elder Lin Dutrue felt instantly happy to the point of being speechless, tears almost overflowing from his eyes.

But thinking that he had offended Yu Yichi, the Eternal Freak, he felt the world collapse, only feeling the future as dark as night, with no hope.

"What! This senior is the legendary Slaughter Hall Master, Rain Immortal Monarch?"

A Huan Yun Sect disciple inadvertently heard Elder Lin Dutrue’s muttering and was shocked beyond words.

This news spread from one to ten, ten to a hundred, quickly throughout the star boat, all Huan Yun Sect disciples gazed with admiration across the waves at Ning Fan’s heroic figure.

They, although they weren’t qualified to see Ning Fan’s portrait, had mostly heard about Ning Fan’s activities and exploits on the Boundary River. They had long admired such a hero who saved Eastern Heaven, never expecting to see Ning Fan in person.

Only two ascended girls, having just ascended not long ago, hadn’t heard much about the Boundary River war, only knowing the broad outline.

They were equally taken aback by Ning Fan’s appearance and reputation.

They recognized Ning Fan’s appearance; they knew it since before their ascension!

This person... isn’t he the Rain World’s Heavenly King, Ning Fan!

How did he become the Slaughter Hall Master, revered in Eastern Heaven!

Although the two girls had little experience, they weren’t fools. They knew some things could be known but not spoken, so they didn’t tell anyone about the Rain World’s Heavenly King.

Just when they looked at Ning Fan again, the two girls couldn’t help but blush slightly.

No one knew that before their ascension, the person they most admired was the Rain World’s Heavenly King, Ning Fan.

They always yearned for the Rain World’s Heavenly King, but unfortunately never met. The lower realms rumored that the Rain World’s Heavenly King had already ascended, just not knowing to which day he ascended.

They never expected that their once-admired idol would present himself before them in such an overwhelmingly powerful posture.

This was the first encounter.

But it was undoubtedly the most magnificent encounter, enough to be remembered for a lifetime.

After the Rain World’s Heavenly King ascended, he somehow became the top expert in Eastern Heaven, an idol worshiped by countless legendary Immortals; if this spreads, how shocking would it be! When did the low-status ascending cultivators achieve such accomplishments! They decided to keep this secret well, not letting others know, so as not to cause trouble for Ning Fan...

...

Ning Fan naturally didn’t know the feelings of the Huan Yun disciples, nor did he care to pay attention.

The only one worthy of his attention here was the fat man named Yu Yichi.

Seeing the fat man walking step by step across the sea, Ning Fan’s eyes narrowed slightly, wanting to see how this fat man would challenge him next.

"It seems you are using the secret technique of True Realm Spirit Plant to mature the Grand Thousandfold Rainbow." The fat man approached, taking one look at the nine-colored plant Ning Fan cultivated on the water, and immediately identified the origin of the plant.

"Are you here for the Grand Thousandfold Rainbow as well?" Ning Fan neither confirmed nor denied, his tone extremely indifferent, responding with a question.

"Indeed."

"In that case... let us both use our own means and see who can ultimately acquire this Grand Thousandfold Rainbow."

"As you wish."

The fat man patted his big belly, smiling as he raised his finger, and suddenly a golden little grass grew out on the empty water surface before him.

The little grass initially bore a single color, but as the fat man changed his divine skills, the grass grew taller and its colors increased, eventually growing into a nine-colored plant.

It was extremely similar to the nine-colored plant cultivated by Ning Fan, evidently intending to use the same method to seize the Grand Thousandfold Rainbow!

"You are seven years late; your Nine-Colored Vine cannot outgrow mine; you cannot take this Grand Thousandfold Rainbow. Unless you have some secret technique to ignore this seven-year gap." Ning Fan said meaningfully.

"Hehe, this is our second round of confrontation. Dong Yanluo, I advise you to give your all; otherwise, your seven years of cultivation might all go to waste. One glimpse of the flower, Reverse Bloom!"

The fat man confidently smiled and pointed at the water surface, his Nine-Colored Vine immediately began to grow at an astonishing speed!

While Ning Fan’s Nine-Colored Vine began to wither at an astonishing speed!

"What divine skill is this, to seize one’s Daoist Thought, transforming it for his own use!"

Ning Fan’s eyes slightly changed.

The Nine-Colored Vine was none other than an object he transformed with his Daoist Thought, using it to mature the Grand Thousandfold Rainbow as a medium.

But it was devoured by the fat man’s bizarre divine skill.

One glimpse of the flower, Reverse Bloom...

This was definitely not a divine skill ordinary Buddha cultivators could possess.

The mystery of this technique was likely a True Realm Buddhist Technique that only a Titled Buddhist Cultivator could inherit!

"You come from the Western Heaven!" Ning Fan instantly concluded, not guessing but certain.

"Indeed!" The fat man smiled openly.

"Do you have a title?"

"Nineteenth Generation Maitreya!"

"I see... So if Yu Yichi is not an alias, then it was your secular name before joining Sha Men. I never thought you were this generation’s Maitreya; it seems I really have to give my all to contend with you!"

Ning Fan’s demeanor changed abruptly, as the Ancient Demon Annihilation Will permeated his body. He also pointed at the water surface, instantly emulating some of the fat man’s divine skill principles, reversing its ancient Buddha concepts to forcibly reclaim the snatched Daoist Thought!

Thus, an astonishing scene unfolded!

The Nine-Colored Vine before Ning Fan started to rejuvenate.

The Nine-Colored Vine before the fat man halted its growth and began to wither bit by bit.

The situation was reversed!

Maitreya Monk felt a shock in his heart, never expecting Ning Fan to dare reverse the ancient Buddha’s divine skill with Ancient Demon cultivation, to snatch Daoist Thought, too audacious.

Since the end of the Dharma, there hadn’t been such an audacious demon daring to act wildly before a True Buddha!

He underestimated Ning Fan once again!