Chapter 345: Chapter 345

Ding Fan knew now the name of that necklace.

"Your coming here today can also be considered a favor from the heavens to me. Hahaha... I, Xiang Hentian, have lived an unrestrained life, never expecting that even the heavens would show such favor..." the remnant soul started to laugh heartily.

That laughter was bold and uninhibited, giving one a sense of expansiveness. For a moment, Ding Fan felt an increased fondness for the elder.

Ding Fan wanted to inquire about the Aurora Skybead.

But before Ding Fan could speak, the elder said, "My time is short, so listen well to what I say."

Under the probing of Ding Fan's Divine Sense, the remnant soul indeed appeared very weak. At that moment, Ding Fan, holding Lady Fang tightly, the two of them listened quietly to the remnant soul's words.

"I, Xiang Hentian. Now, I do not even know how many years have passed; I only remember that in my day, I roamed across all seas, supreme under the heavens."

Xiang Hentian said this and sighed softly. "But time flies, and being invincible is but emptiness. Later I found this place and calmly set up this forbidden ground, creating my own palace. Then I brought the woman I loved most to live in seclusion here. But time spares no one, and while I could live for several centuries, my beloved wife barely had a few decades...

After she died of old age, my heart turned to ash, and I never again left this place.

Eventually, a hundred years passed, and my life reached its end. I could have used supreme cultivation to prolong my life, but the thought of living alone, guarding this empty palace, was too lonely. So I chose to sit in meditation and pass away..."

Xiang Hentian spoke simply, but Ding Fan listened intently.

Once a Martial Artist reaches a certain level of cultivation, they can extend their lifespan. That Xiang Hentian, by virtue of martial cultivation, could live for hundreds of years, showed how formidable his cultivation had been.

But after the death of his beloved wife, the loneliness was too much to bear, so he chose to leave this world early.

Hearing this, Ding Fan thought of Ruoran and himself.

The path he pursued was that of immortality. If he really were to be together with Ruoran, would he one day tread the same path as Xiang Wentian?

Xiang Hentian continued.

"After my death, I used my supreme cultivation to preserve a wisp of my soul. In the moment before death, I was reluctant to let go. My lifetime's martial arts had no one to inherit them. So, I have been guarding this place... Today, as my remnant soul is about to disperse, you two have come here. Is this not the heavens showing favor to me?" Googlᴇ search 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⚫𝙣𝙚𝙩

As Xiang Hentian said this, he burst into wild laughter again. "I cursed the treacherous heavens all my life, but in the moment of my soul's disintegration, the heavens sent you to me. The heavens truly have not been unkind to me."

After his wild laughter, Xiang Hentian's gaze turned to Ding Fan and Lady Fang.

"The two of you came here, and thus you are the fated ones. One of you is destined to inherit the mantle of I, Xiang Hentian. Discuss among yourselves, who wishes to inherit my supreme Cultivation Technique!"

Lady Fang's eyes suddenly brightened.

The techniques of a man who could extend his life for hundreds of years and preserve a remnant soul with supreme cultivation were unlikely to be ordinary. Even a random Cultivation Technique from the Ancient Martial Ruins had allowed Lady Fang to reach the ranks of an Earth Level Expert by age thirty. With Xiang Hentian's technique, her future cultivation was unimaginable.

However, after pondering for a moment, Lady Fang looked at Ding Fan. "You protected me all the way here. This technique should be inherited by you."

Outside the forbidden grounds, when the Myriad Forms Behemoth almost killed Lady Fang, it was Ding Fan who risked his life to save her. After entering the forbidden area, no matter what dangers they faced, Ding Fan had been unwaveringly loyal, never once thinking of abandoning her. Given this bond, although Lady Fang knew the value of the technique, she sincerely offered it to Ding Fan.

Ding Fan gave Lady Fang a serene smile, then said to the remnant soul with great respect, "Senior, I have only ordinary talent; the technique should be passed on to Lady Fang."

Ding Fan had long intended to pass this technique to Lady Fang, as his own practice was of Cultivation, which differed many ways from Martial Cultivation.

Seeing that Lady Fang had not forgotten their journey together and offered him the technique in gratitude, Ding Fan was even more determined in his decision.

"Ding Fan, you're still young. If you had the senior's technique, you would undoubtedly become even more powerful... Don't be foolish," said Lady Fang, lying in Ding Fan's arms, speaking to him.

"My sect has a precept against privately learning techniques from other sects, so the technique should still go to Lady Fang," Ding Fan replied to Lady Fang.

Of course, these precepts from the sect were a fabrication by Ding Fan. He said this primarily to reassure Lady Fang.

Lady Fang had heard that some sects forbade their disciples from learning other sects' techniques. Seeing Ding Fan insist, she felt it was inappropriate to say more.

At that moment, Ding Fan gently laid Lady Fang down on the ground, then, without looking back, turned and left.

"Ding Fan..." Lady Fang was startled; Ding Fan was clearly yielding the technique to her.

"No need to call after him. He truly intends to give the technique to you," Xiang Hentian said and let out a sigh. "People are selfish, often scrambling over trivial benefits, clawing at each other's faces, even husbands and wives can part ways over interests.

This young man's heart is broad, his character noble; I didn't expect that on the last day of my existence in this world, I would meet such an individual."

After hearing Xiang Hentian's words and looking towards where Ding Fan had disappeared, Lady Fang's beautiful eyes softened with a touch of tenderness.

"I don't have much time left," I will pass on the cultivation technique to you now. My technique was once the cause of struggle and war in the world. Today, by chance, you have received this technique. All I want to tell you is, when you make a name for yourself, beware of arrogance and recklessness!"

Upon saying this, the lingering spirit paused. "Originally, my technique had a requirement, that it mustn't be randomly passed on to others. However, today, I will make an exception once; you may pass on the technique to that young man from earlier. Beyond that, you may only take another disciple when your life is nearing its end! Do you understand?"

"Disciple understands!" Lady Fang's wounds on her back hadn't yet healed, but she knew this bow was necessary. From today on, she would be Xiang Hentian's only disciple in this world.

Xiang Hentian nodded and continued speaking. "Now, sit cross-legged, close your eyes and concentrate; I will impart my technique to you."

Lady Fang didn't dare delay, immediately sitting cross-legged. As Xiang Hentian had instructed, she closed her eyes and concentrated.

"Now, I will pass on the entire technique to you..."

After Lady Fang closed her eyes, Xiang Hentian's voice appeared in her sea of consciousness. Then, like a flood breaching a dam, a torrent of knowledge poured directly into Lady Fang's sea of consciousness. Lady Fang grimaced in pain, but she didn't cry out. She simply bit down hard on her teeth, not daring to utter a single word...

Ding Fan waited outside, not knowing how long, until he heard a call from inside the room.

Ding Fan immediately entered the room.

At that moment, Lady Fang was sitting cross-legged, a Crimson Flame pattern at her ears. Ding Fan knew that from now on, Lady Fang was Xiang Hentian's sole disciple. It was Xiang Hentian's mark.

"Young man... I don't have much time left. I know you want to know about the Aurora Skybead..." Xiang Hentian began, then hesitated for quite some time. Ding Fan could feel that Xiang Hentian's spirit could disperse at any moment.

"I will tell you, the Aurora Skybead, with nine beads of nine colors, each possesses earth-shattering energy... Thirty years ago, someone disturbed my palace, and the Aurora Skybead's Blue Bead sensed it and released Cold Qi. You must have seen it when you arrived; the forbidden lands outside must have turned into a world of ice..." Xiang Hentian explained.

After listening to Xiang Hentian, Ding Fan understood.

The forbidden lands outside had indeed become a world of ice, where people from thirty years prior were frozen solid instantly, their expressions showing no panic, indicating it all happened in an instant.

Ding Fan's expression turned grave.

A single bead had the power to freeze an entire space.

And there were still eight more beads in the Aurora Skybead, making it incredibly formidable.

"I had intended to pass on some experiences on using the Aurora Skybead to you, but I am running out of time, young man... Treat them well... Treat them well..."

The lingering spirit's voice grew weaker, and at the end, it slowly dispersed into the ether.

When Ding Fan used his Divine Sense to probe once more, the lingering spirit was gone, clearly having dissipated completely...

"Master..." Lady Fang knelt down properly and solemnly kowtowed toward the place where the lingering spirit had been.

Ding Fan gave a Martial Artist's salute. "Senior, may you rest in peace..."

"Ding Fan, before the master's spirit scattered, he already told us the exit of this Underground Palace. Let's go," Lady Fang said to Ding Fan, who was beside her.

Ding Fan nodded, and immediately carried Lady Fang in his arms.

He then looked around the palace.

The palace was empty, but in this silence and peace, Ding Fan seemed to feel the loneliness of Xiang Hentian's solitary vigil over the centuries.

"Let's go," Ding Fan said quietly, unsure whether he was speaking to Lady Fang in his arms or to himself.

Carrying Lady Fang, he quickly found a secret path following her directions, and they walked through the secret passageway for about half an hour before they finally saw an exit.

Ding Fan, carrying Lady Fang, sprinted out of the exit at full speed.

If Xiang Hentian's lingering spirit had disappeared a day earlier, Ding Fan and Lady Fang would have never left the palace, trapped to die there.

Now that they could once again step out, both were overjoyed.

Ding Fan carried Lady Fang out of the exit and looked around; they had come to the outside forbidden lands. Not far off, he even saw the trapped Myriad Forms Behemoth.

"There are people over there, don't let them escape!"

At that moment, three figures rushed toward Ding Fan swiftly. The three people, without a word, swung their longswords directly at Ding Fan, attempting to strike him down.