Wayfarer

Chapter 277: Xiao Nanfeng's Killer to be Granted Nobility

The next day in Jingtao, Tang and several demonic elders were sent to Cui Haisheng. Blood streaked down their bodies, and many had broken missing limbs. They were a sorry sight to behold.

"Division Leader, Xiao Nanfeng didn't make things difficult for us. He released us and allowed us to return," one elder reported.

"Division Leader, I apologize for being inept. I was unable to share in your burdens and caused the loss of another of your avatars," Tang professed.

Cui Haisheng pursed his lips as he considered the cultivators before him. If only he had taken Tang's suggestion! He had truly lost a great deal as a result.

"How do you think I should target Xiao Nanfeng in the future?" Cui Haisheng asked his trusted confidantes.

"There's something strange about Xiao Nanfeng, and provoking him won't end well. Why not let the rogue forces deal with him? We'll wait and bide our time. Furthermore, Division Leader, you've promised Nalan Changkong not to act. Surely you wouldn't renege on that promise?" Tang asked.

"Ridiculous. Why should we be scared of Xiao Nanfeng? You're making it sound as though the Division Leader's afraid of him."

"Right, Hong Lie's going to have to head to Marquis Wu's lands to quell the rebellions there in no time. Xiao Nanfeng will lose his backer then. What's there to fear?"

"How can we allow Xiao Nanfeng to get away scot-free for what he has done?"

The elders could see Cui Haisheng seething with rage, and their proposed retaliation would surely meet with praise from Cui Haisheng.

However, Cui Haisheng's question was a test. None of his subordinates knew how to advise him; they were simply trying to flatter him and get in his good books. Only the Pestilence Sage had shown any sign of independent reasoning at all. He was the only one who was truly loyal, who was weighing the pros and cons for Cui Haisheng!

"You bastards. You're still trying to provoke me even at this juncture? If not for all of you egging me on, how would I have suffered such tremendous losses?" Cui Haisheng shouted.

"Ah...?" The cultivators stiffened in unease.

"Pestilence Sage, I apologize for doubting you. You've held onto your beliefs despite everyone else's doubts, and I'm glad about that," Cui Haisheng told Tang warmly.

The cultivators were taken aback. Something had to be wrong—why was the division leader praising the Pestilence Sage? Tang himself was shocked. He had said what he did in order to help delay matters and give Xiao Nanfeng more time to prepare, and he had been expecting criticism. Why was Cui Haisheng praising him instead?

"Division Leader, you think too much of my advice. I've only presented my own opinions, and they may be entirely wrong," Tang replied with trepidation.

"No, you're quite right. If you have any suggestions in the future, I grant you leave to make them known. You shall not be punished for your thoughts. From now on, you're my most trusted subordinate," Cui Haisheng replied.

Tang grew alarmed. What was going on? What had caused Cui Haisheng to think this way?

"Here are some pills for your wounds. Once you recover, you'll work on tasks under my supervision. I'll focus my attention on helping you improve your cultivation," Cui Haisheng told Tang.

Tang: ...

The other demonic elders: ...

Cui Haisheng's sudden endorsement of the Pestilence Sage had taken everyone by surprise.

Back by Mt. Swallowtail, the rogue fighters stared gobsmacked at the destruction all around them.

"The news from Yongding were completely true. Xiao Nanfeng really did kill everyone from the Jingang Temple!"

"What should we do now? Xiao Nanfeng has begun dispatching his troops again. Are we to continue guarding against his assault?"

"What's there to block? His two toad spirits have taken to the battlefield as well. If we encounter them, we'll all be dead meat."

"It's over! We're done for!"

The rogue fighters felt fear overtake them. They had never considered their future with such despair.

"We'll go report to the Xiang clan," one of the generals suggested.

"Understood!" everyone replied.

A day later, the rogue generals gathered outside a pavilion in a mountain valley. They bowed respectfully to the two people within, one of whom was Xiang Pojun. The other was wreathed in a cloud of white fog that left their appearance hidden.

"King Pojun, the Jingang Temple has been annihilated, and Xiao Nanfeng's troops have taken control of the region. We can't do anything against them. Please help us take down Xiao Nanfeng," one general reported.

Xiang Pojun frowned. "Xiao Nanfeng? Xiao Hongye's son?"

"Yes!" the generals replied eagerly.

Xiang Pojun's eyes were filled with anger, but he restrained himself upon glancing at the shrouded figure by his side.

"Does the like of Xiao Nanfeng require my personal attention? Aren't you all rather useless?" Xiang Pojun demanded.

"We..." The generals glanced at each other, not knowing how to explain themselves.

"Inform the sect masters of the Immortal sects who have chosen to ally with us. Haven't they been wanting a chance to serve the Xiao clan? This is their chance. Whoever kills Xiao Nanfeng will be granted the Xiao lands for themselves upon the refounding of the Xiang empire. Furthermore, disciples of their sect shall be permitted to join me in heading to the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm to partake in a transcendent opportunity," Xiang Pojun continued.

"Nobility and titled lands for killing Xiao Nanfeng?" The generals' eyes blazed with ardor.

"If any of you can kill him, my promise will hold as well," Xiang Pojun added.

"Understood! Thank you, King Pojun!" the generals shouted with excitement.

They knew that Xiang Pojun's promise would surely prompt the top cultivators of each Immortal sect to strike. Although they were no match for Xiao Nanfeng in a fair fight, perhaps they would get lucky and catch him unawares.

"Go!" Xiang Pojun commanded.

"Understood!" The generals departed.

Only Xiang Pojun and the shrouded figure remained.

"You've finally learned how to remain calm," the figure commented.

Xiang Pojun humphed. "I don't care that the Jingang disciples are all gone. There are plenty of cultivators willing to give their lives for the Xiang clan."

"You made the right choice in not attacking Xiao Nanfeng yourself. Xiao Nanfeng's under the protection of Hong Lie. If you fail again, you'd have to expend a great deal of time and effort to recuperate. Attacking Taiqing Island on your own was a terribly irrational move," the figure critiqued.

"Forget it. Don't dig up the past," Xiang Pojun replied, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

"This time, let the Immortal sects have a go at Xiao Nanfeng. Meanwhile, you Xiang cultivators shall have to find a means of curbing shadow cursed effigies. The fall of the Tianshu Empire will be minor in comparison to full control over the transcendent opportunity in the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm. That's what's really important," the shrouded figure emphasized.

Xiang Pojun nodded, then asked, "Did you manage to retrieve that object from the Eastern Sea Draconic Palace?"

"From Seaquell Hall? Naturally. It's currently in Nalan Qiankun's possession, but he trusts me deeply. Once you're done with affairs here, I can easily trick him out of it at any time," the shrouded figure promised.

"Very well!" Xiang Pojun nodded.

Two months later, at the Xiao manor in the city of Yongding, Yu'er was ready to pull out her hair as she cradled a jade tablet. "Nanfeng, will it really be useful for me to memorize these scriptures? I'm about to go crazy!"

"You have an eidetic memory, don't you? Memorizing these scriptures should be a piece of cake." Xiao Nanfeng smiled.

"I'm not like you! It takes me two or three reads before I can commit it to memory, and quite a few more times to replicate it with ease," Yu'er replied, sighing.

"Haven't you always wanted to reach Lunar Deluge? There isn't a shortcut to spiritual cultivation. You need the perspective of the countless ancients who have gone before you, and these scriptures already represent a tremendous shortcut. I've picked out these scriptures specially for you, and they'll help with your cultivation tremendously," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"How do you know which scriptures suit me? What if there are more you aren't aware of?"

"I've considered all 48,000 scriptures of the Taiqing Vault of Scriptures. I guarantee these are the most suitable."

Yu'er's eyes widened. "You—couldn't have memorized all 48,000 scriptures?!"

"More or less," Xiao Nanfeng replied, smiling.

Yu'er's lips widened into an O. She gasped in disbelief. "That many? In just a year?"

"Many of the scriptures share similar ideas and concepts. As long as you find the common thread that runs between them, it won't be difficult to comprehend them all."

Yu'er rolled her eyes. "You don't know how much I'm itching to beat you for saying that."

"Go on, work harder. You're already at late-stage Stellar Lake. Perhaps you'll be able to reach Lunar Deluge before you become an Immortal," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"An Immortal? Me?" Yu'er exclaimed.

"Who else? You have the Red Emperor's inheritance and my full support. It would hardly be difficult for you to become an Immortal."

Yu'er got up and felt Xiao Nanfeng's forehead. "Do you have a fever? Why are you talking nonsense? Becoming an Immortal—what a joke!"

"With sufficient draconic veins, is it really such an impossibility?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"And where would you acquire these veins? It's hardly as if we would excavate the ones in your lands—and it wouldn't be enough, regardless," Yu'er replied, smiling.

"Don't worry. There'll be plenty within reach soon enough." Xiao Nanfeng grinned back.

"Oh?"

Just then, Ye Dafu and Ye Sanshui arrived in clouds of dust.

"King Xiao, this morning, we took down the final city in the Xiao lands," Ye Sanshui reported.

"King Xiao, we've taken down a hundred and twenty cities in just four months. It's an even faster pace than within the undying realm!" Ye Dafu crowed.

Both cultivators were still somewhat bloody, their clothes clearly having seen better days. Ye Sanshui had blade wounds all over his body—and he was the commander! If he was hurt to this extent, how badly did the other fighters suffer?

"The frontline warriors must have suffered," Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

"After Cui Haisheng left, taking all his subordinates with him, the cities under his control surrendered to us easily. However, the rogue fighters have been getting more and more daring, and there have even been a few Wingform-realm ones showing up. If not for Croak and Warble, we would have suffered tremendous losses. Furthermore, the spectral guards' assassination of key figures have helped us catch our breath. Despite all this, the last few weeks of battle have been particularly rough," Ye Sanshui explained.

"It's because of strong cultivators from some Immortal sects across the Eastern Sea!" Ye Dafu cried out. "They don't dare to attack Yongding, so they set their sights on our fighters instead. They're doing so in an attempt to lure you out, King Xiao, then gang up on you. If not for their appearance, we would have been able to fully clear out any remnant influence across the Xiao lands a month ago. They've killed two hundred Taiqing disciples, and even more are wounded."

"Xiang Pojun put a noble title on the line for my head, didn't he? I've been keeping track of those Immortal sects that have succumbed to the temptation to strike at me. It's time to pay them back, I think," Xiao Nanfeng stated.

"Oh?" Ye Dafu and Ye Sanshui asked.

"The fighters have helped me reclaim the Xiao lands in their entirety, and it's time to divide up the spoils of war. I, Xiao Nanfeng, have no intention of neglecting any meritorious retainer. This is a record of merit that Mr. Zheng prepared. We'll be dividing portions of draconic veins up according to this record." Xiao Nanfeng passed the record to the two cultivators.

The two cultivators' eyes widened as they glanced at the record.

"King Xiao, you're preparing to attack the Immortal sects themselves?!" Ye Dafu exclaimed.