Wayfarer

Chapter 283: Loyalty to the Sect

A Mortal elder brought Xiao Nanfeng across the Eastern Sea to a deserted island.

"There's no one here," Xiao Nanfeng said.

The elder gave him a look of disdain as he shouted, "I've brought Xiao Nanfeng here! All of you, come out!"

Six figures emerged from the island and surrounded Xiao Nanfeng. The elder hurriedly hid behind them.

"Xiao Nanfeng, you really are easy to fool, aren't you?" One of the cultivators laughed.

Xiao Nanfeng glanced at them all. "Everyone, as I told you all last time, the score between us was settled. Do you intend on picking a new fight with me?"

"Xiao Nanfeng, you've raided our sects and claimed our draconic veins for yourself. Do you think you can unilaterally claim that the score between us is settled?" one cultivator demanded.

"You're alone today. You won't be able to flee!" another cultivator shouted.

The strongest cultivators of the six Immortal sects had surrounded Xiao Nanfeng.

Even so, Xiao Nanfeng didn't panic. He looked toward the elder who had led him here with a smile. "Are you aware of the Taiqing Immortal Sect's punishment for those who conspire to kill a division leader?"

The elder's eyes twitched as he replied, "Xiao Nanfeng, don't try to scare me. If you're dead, who would know that I was the one that tricked you?"

"You do know, after all! In that case, we'll have a small chat later," Xiao Nanfeng told him coolly.

"A small chat?" For some reason, the elder suddenly felt a sense of unease.

"Xiao Nanfeng, you're about to die. Are you going to keep pretending that everything's going according to your plan? You're alone, and the six of us are all Wingform-realm cultivators. You're dead!" a man taunted, then charged forward.

Just then, a sword slashed at him from behind. Sensing the killing intent, the man dodged to the side—and had his arm cut off in a spurt of blood.

"Sanyuan Sect Master? Why have you backstabbed us?!" the man shouted, clutching at his stump of an arm.

Another cultivator betrayed the rest of the group, suddenly attacking the figure beside them and chopping off their leg. Frenzied shouts filled the air.

"What are you doing, Sage Hong'e? Weren't we going to take down Xiao Nanfeng together? What have you done?"

The sudden appearance of two defectors among the six-man alliance shocked the Mortal elder, who hastily retreated from Xiao Nanfeng.

"It looks as though I was too lenient on all of you. To think you'd all be so foolish," Xiao Nanfeng stated coldly.

"Quick, let's take down Xiao Nanfeng! He's only at Spiritsong. Once we kill him, all this will be over. We'll deal with the Sanyuan Sect Master and Sage Hong'e's betrayal later," one cultivator suggested.

"Who dares?!" The two traitors charged at the conspirators, but there were four remaining conspirators, even if two of them had been seriously injured. They still possessed the numerical advantage.

One of the conspirators appeared beside Xiao Nanfeng.

"Be careful, Young Master Xiao!" the Sanyuan Sect Master cried out.

Xiao Nanfeng's eyes turned cold as he raised the divine undying blade up high. Everything within five kilometers of him suddenly darkened as golden flame blossomed around him. His slash was like a beam of sunlight that illuminated the land.

The Wingform-realm cultivator that had been darting toward Xiao Nanfeng was cleft straight down the middle. He had never expected that Xiao Nanfeng would be so strong; he couldn't even defend himself against Xiao Nanfeng's attack. His eyes filled with remorse, but it was already too late.

The darkened skies and ground returned to their usual brightness. The mysterious phenomenon that marked Xiao Nanfeng's attack left everyone shocked.

They didn't know that the light had only been absorbed within five kilometers of Xiao Nanfeng because he hadn't manifested the three-legged golden crow outside his body. If Xiao Nanfeng had done so, all the light within fifty kilometers would have been absorbed.

Even so, what he had done was already unbelievable.

"Wingform-realm—he's a Wingform-realm cultivator!" one of the conspirators shouted.

"He must have just become a Wingform-realm cultivator, but how could he already be this strong? This is impossible!" another conspirator cried out.

Xiao Nanfeng turned toward another Wingform-realm cultivator that was charging toward him. The cultivator paled and turned to flee in fright.

"Isn't it a bit too late to be running?" Xiao Nanfeng executed another downward slash, causing the skies to turn dark as a ray of golden light shot down once again. The cultivator defended with his sword, but Xiao Nanfeng's slash easily slashed through the sword, the qi barrier surrounding the cultivator, and the cultivator's shoulder.

The cultivator shrieked in pain and fell to the ground.

In just two slashes, one cultivator had been killed and the other crippled. The remaining conspirators' eyes widened in fear.

The Mortal elder turned to flee, but Xiao Nanfeng appeared before him within moments.

"We haven't had our chat yet. Why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

The elder's eyes widened. "Division Leader, I was forced to do this. Please, Division Leader, spare me!"

"Don't worry. Tell me the truth and I'll spare your life," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

"Yes, Division Leader, I'll tell you everything!" the elder cried out.

Meanwhile, the two traitors fought and easily won against the two heavily injured conspirators.

"Why have you betrayed us, Sanyuan Sect Master?" one conspirator wheezed.

The Sanyuan sect master replied, "Can't you tell? We've chosen to side with Young Master Xiao. We reported this assassination attempt long before it occurred. The young master warned you to choose the right side in this confrontation after excavating your sect's draconic vein, didn't he? It's too late for regrets now."

"Xiao Nanfeng killed your junior brother! How could you side with him regardless?" another conspirator howled.

"My junior brother? He was acting in his own self-interest and volition when he brought his disciples to the Xiao lands for indiscriminate slaughter. He almost caused the destruction of the entire sect, and his death was entirely deserved. Furthermore, he even dared to fool around with my wife behind my back," the Sanyuan sect master cursed.

"What?" The conspirator despaired at what the Sanyuan sect master had revealed.

"Why did you choose Xiao Nanfeng over Nalan Yunhai? Why?" another conspirator gasped.

"What's the difference between Nalan Yunhai and the Xiang clan? All they've made us are empty promises. Should we have gone from working under the Xiang clan to working with Nalan Yunhai? Haven't you all seen the state of Young Master Xiao's troops?" the Sanyuan sect leader asked disdainfully.

"But Nalan Yunhai's the second prince of the Tianshu Empire, and Xiao Nanfeng's just the heir to nobility within it. Why would you choose him?" the conspirator argued.

"If you're only looking at such superficial factors when making a decision, you'll bring your sect to ruin," the Sanyuan sect master warned.

"You all..." The three defeated conspirators were stunned.

The Sanyuan sect master and Sage Hong'e walked up to Xiao Nanfeng and bowed. "Young Master, do you have use for these cultivators?"

"No."

"Understood!" the two cultivators replied.

They strode up to the three wounded conspirators.

"Young Master Xiao, I'm willing to surrender. Please, Young Master Xiao—"

The three Wingform-realm cultivators were slain in an instant. The Sanyuan sect master handed their storage rings to Xiao Nanfeng.

"Young Master Xiao, please consider what we've done today as our two sects' pledges of allegiance. I hope you'll provide us with the support we need to be of use to you." The Sanyuan sect master bowed.

"The Xiao clan is more than happy to welcome both your sects. Let us let bygones be bygones. I look forward to your support." Xiao Nanfeng smiled courteously at the two sect representatives.

The two cultivators' eyes brightened. Xiao Nanfeng's reconciliatory attitude would allow them to relax.

The Sanyuan sect master replied, "Of course, Young Master Xiao. The Sanyuan Sect will give its all in support of your ventures. I intend to convene the entire sect and await further orders from you."

"Go find Ye Sanshui. I've had him informed of your cooperation."

"Understood!" the two cultivators replied.

Xiao Nanfeng turned to the Mortal elder, who had been shocked stiff by the events that had transpired.

"Division Leader, Nalan Yunhai was behind this. He's reached Wingform-realm. He wants to assassinate you and have us nominate him as the new Mortal division leader. Please, Division Leader, spare me. I was forced into this!" the elder cried out.

"Calm down. As long as you tell the truth about what happened, I'll spare your life. Return to the sect with me," Xiao Nanfeng commanded.

"Yes, Division Leader!" The elder didn't dare to resist at all.

Xiao Nanfeng flew into the air with him in tow.

"Farewell, Young Master." The Sanyuan sect master and Sage Hong'e bowed toward Xiao Nanfeng.

After Xiao Nanfeng had left, Sage Hong'e let out a breath he had been holding. "To think that the young master would be so strong—imagine if we had chosen to work against him."

"You'll be glad that you made this choice in the future, I'm sure." The Sanyuan sect master smiled.

"Our sects opposed him in the past. Will Young Master Xiao really trust us with his ventures?" Sage Hong'e posed a question that had been on his mind.

"Of course," the Sanyuan sect master replied confidently.

"Oh?"

"Young Master Xiao is in great need of talent and will surely use us as examples. If he shows that he'll take in our sects and treat us well despite our prior opposition, we'll serve as living advertisements for his faction and entice more sects into the fray," the Sanyuan sect master told the sage.

"Wouldn't Emperor Tianshu be wary of his increasing presence, then? What if he bears down on Xiao Nanfeng and the rest of us?" Sage Hong'e continued.

"Sage Hong'e, don't you see? That's exactly what the young master wants."

"What?" Sage Hong'e seemed taken aback.

"Don't you think Young Master Xiao is angling to become a monarch himself?" the Sanyuan sect master hinted.

"You mean that he'll establish his own empire—and begin to amass fortune for himself?!" Sage Hong'e exclaimed.

"Why, I didn't say anything. I just postulated a likely possibility. Now that you've made your choice, however, don't try to fish around. It won't end well, and you might even implicate me," the Sanyuan sect master warned.

Sage Hong'e nodded, his eyes filled with anticipation. He bowed toward the Sanyuan sect master. "Thank you for the advice. You've been a big help in clarifying my future plans."

The Sanyuan sect master smiled. "Let's go, then. We'd better spread the news to our disciples and make sure that nothing goes wrong. As members of the founding sects of Young Master Xiao's kingdom, we'll be able to claim a greater share of fortune for ourselves."