Wayfarer

Chapter 300: I Want to Try

The peach tree's roots stabbed into Xiang Tanlang's body. His blood, flesh, and Immortal qi were forcibly extracted and transformed into nutrients for the plant as his body withered away.

"Spare me, Divine Emperor!" Xiang Tanlang cried out in fear.

The golden crow ignored him; he could only watch on as his body grew weaker and weaker.

"No!" Xiang Tanlang cried out shrilly.

Still hidden in the darkness, Nalan Yunhai watched events unfold in shock. He didn't know how Qiangwei had grown so familiar with the cursed effigies. All he could do was lie curled up in a corner, hoping no one noticed him.

Qiangwei walked up to the Divine Emperor's bell following behind the Spirit Emperor. She bowed respectfully and began recounting everything that had happened.

The golden crow didn't seem particularly enthused by Qiangwei's accounting of events. His gaze landed straight at the Divine Emperor's bell. It clawed the bell with its sharp claws.

The Divine Emperor's bell shook as it emitted a melodic hum.

"Divine Emperor, if you've come back, why are you hiding from me? Don't you want to reunite with me?" the golden crow asked.

The Divine Emperor's bell didn't move at all.

"Spirit Emperor, shall I give it a try? Women are more familiar with each other, after all. What if I attempt to anger her until she's willing to come out?" Qiangwei offered, sidling up to the Spirit Emperor.

"Scram!" the golden crow shouted.

Qiangwei trembled, then immediately retreated to one side.

"No one can interfere with my business with the Divine Emperor," the golden crow declared.

"I understand, Spirit Emperor!" Qiangwei hastily retreated in fear.

Within the Divine Emperor's bell, Xiao Nanfeng listened to the commotion outside with a complicated expression on his face.

"What's the Spirit Emperor doing in the peach orchard? Aren't we a little too unlucky?" Xiao Nanfeng smiled wryly.

The Divine Emperor shook her head. "It's just a fragment of the Spirit Emperor's will. The Spirit Emperor's main body is in the Thousand Spirits' Hall."

"A fragment of the Spirit Emperor's will is so strong as to cripple Xiang Tanlang in a single blow?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"It's stronger than I had anticipated," the Divine Emperor admitted.

"Senior, we haven't lost just yet. I'll fight him with you," Xiao Nanfeng pledged.

The Divine Emperor shook her head. "Thank you for your help all these years, Xiao Nanfeng."

"Divine Emperor, are you talking about when I killed Envoy Ying at Mt. Swallowtail? Didn't you help me take care of Xiang Pojun afterwards? There's no need for such pleasantries," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

The Divine Emperor took a deep breath. "Fifty thousand years ago, when I was betrayed by the Spirit Emperor and backstabbed by countless spirits, my body was weakened to an extreme. I hid in the ring year after year, filled with nothing but thoughts of vengeance and hatred. I hated the heavens, the earth, and everything between them. Demons of the heart made me want to destroy everything. It was your optimism that slowly ground away those demonic desires. You repaid kindness with kindness and grudge with grudge, causing me to narrow down the targets of my hatred. Your continued attempts at self-improvement allowed me to regain my own vigor. You allowed me to regain my rationality; you allowed me to regain my heart."

"Senior, please. I've hardly done that much," Xiao Nanfeng replied, scratching his head and smiling.

"I treat you coldly only as an effect of my natural attitude toward people. After being betrayed, I felt a tremendous sense of insecurity. I've been treating people by instinct ever since, and I simply can't get passionate about people. That said, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you."

"Senior, what's wrong?" Xiao Nanfeng sensed that something was amiss.

"I won't be able to escape today. Thank you for accompanying me for years. You have many tasks left to you, and there's no need for you to put yourself at danger on my behalf. I hope you'll be able to find your parents, to establish your own kingdom and empire, to remain safe in your long journey of cultivation. With this token, you may leave the peach orchard. Go as soon as you can," the Divine Emperor said.

She stuffed a black token into Xiao Nanfeng's hands, then froze the black smoke around him into crystal.

"Divine Emperor, wait! You don't have to do this!" Xiao Nanfeng yelled out.

However, the black crystal quickly encased him. He was unable to speak or move.

"Farewell!" the Divine Emperor said.

Then, she rapped on her bell, which began to resonate. With her other hand, she sent the black crystal encasing Xiao Nanfeng underground.

Xiao Nanfeng attempted to struggle, but he was unable to break free. He had no choice but to watch himself sink into the ground as the Divine Emperor's bell floated into the air.

"Divine Emperor, this is no place to speak. Let's talk at my palace." The golden bird's voice was tinged with excitement.

The golden bird grabbed the Divine Emperor's bell and flew toward the black pond with it.

"Farewell, Spirit Emperor! Farewell, Divine Emperor!" a group of shadows called out respectfully from all around them.

The golden crow and the Divine Emperor's bell sank deep within the black pond and vanished.

Not far away underground, although Xiao Nanfeng was immobilized by the black crystal that had formed around him, he could still hear what was going on outside. He understood everything then. The Divine Emperor had been saying her farewells to him, then protecting him by sending him underground.

The black crystal was slowly sublimating into black fog. Before long, he would be freed.

Xiao Nanfeng sighed. He couldn't help but be touched at the gesture, but they could have worked out a plan!

He suddenly discovered that there was a storage space in the token that the Divine Emperor had given him, and all the possessions he had placed into her bell had been transferred into the token.

Xiao Nanfeng then waited as the black crystal melted completely.

Meanwhile, Xiang Tanlang's corpse continued to dry out. All his essence had been converted into nutrients for the blood peach, which was growing larger and larger. It began to radiate multicolored light and an alluring fragrance.

Not too long later, all of Xiang Tanlang's vitality was absorbed from his corpse. Like the other cultivators, what remained of his body scattered in a cloud of powder.

The shadows likewise allowed the peach tree's roots to impale them and absorb their vitality.

In the blink of an eye, the only lifeform remaining under the peach tree was Qiangwei.

"You can come over now, Your Highness!" Qiangwei looked toward a secluded spot of the nearby mountain.

Nalan Yunhai walked over. He had a concerned look on his face. "Have those shadows committed group suicide? Why would they voluntarily allow themselves to be absorbed by the peach tree? Are they in the blood peach now?"

"That's right. We're cooperating with the shadows. They'll help you become an Immortal, and you'll help them escape from the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm."

"They're going to take advantage of my body to escape from the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm?" Nalan Yunhai exclaimed.

"That's right. The blood peach is mature now, Your Highness, and you can consume it. Its essence will allow your cultivation to climb rapidly. Once you head out and survive the resulting tribulation, you'll be an Immortal."

Qiangwei flew up to the top of the peach tree and plucked the blood peach that had grown to the size of a human's head. She offered it to Nalan Yunhai.

Nalan Yunhai's eyes twitched. He felt as though something was amiss.

"Relax, Your Highness. I became an Immortal the same way," Qiangwei said.

Only then did Nalan Yunhai nod. He took the proffered peach and bit down. The blood peach melted on his tongue, sweet and fragrant. He finished it all quickly.

Suddenly, a burst of fiery light erupted over Nalan Yunhai's body. "I feel so warm all over!"

"That's normal. You have to leave this place immediately and enter secluded cultivation."

"Got it. Take this blood peach tree with us."

Qiangwei shook her head. "The blood peach tree is the Spirit Emperor's private property. Don't touch it."

"So what if we take it?" Nalan Yunhai didn't want to let such a treasure slip from his grasp.

"You can claim the storage relics from the cultivators all around, but you cannot touch this blood peach tree," Qiangwei emphasized.

"And if I insist?" Nalan Yunhai demanded.

Qiangwei pursed her lips, uncertain as to how to dispel Nalan Yunhai's thought.

Just then, a slash of blue light descended from the skies straight toward Nalan Yunhai.

"Save me!" Nalan Yunhai cried out, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

Qiangwei herself was shocked. She blocked the slash with a palm, but it left a gaping wound on her arm.

"Xiao Nanfeng? Weren't you in the Divine Emperor's bell?" Qiangwei exclaimed.

Unfortunately for him, Qiangwei had been strong enough to defend against his sneak attack.

Xiao Nanfeng snorted and slashed at Nalan Yunhai again.

"We have to flee!" Qiangwei shouted, pulling Nalan Yunhai with her as she rushed away.

"Qiangwei, you're an Immortal! What are you afraid of?" Nalan Yunhai exclaimed.

"Xiang Tanlang was no match for him. What if I can't beat him, either? I can protect myself easily, but he might kill you. We can't take the risk now."

Nalan Yunhai scowled. "But the blood peach tree and those Immortal relics—he'll be able to claim them for himself!"

"Don't worry, he won't be able to leave the peach orchard. He can't bring anything with him."

"Very well. I'll reclaim it once I become an Immortal myself!" Nalan Yunhai allowed Qiangwei to lead him away.

Xiao Nanfeng didn't chase after the two fleeing cultivators. He collected the storage relics that the dead cultivators had left behind and checked them over to find several Immortal relics within.

He glanced at the blood peach tree and ignored it temporarily. Rather, he rummaged by the ground to find the dragon-quelling spike that the Spirit Emperor had cut in two.

"Senior Black Lotus, is there undying spiritual power in this dragon-quelling spike that would allow me to activate the full strength of my divine undying blade?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

The black lotus formed text in his mindscape. "What are you planning to do?"

"I'm going to rescue the Divine Emperor," Xiao Nanfeng replied resolutely.

"Are you crazy? Do you know how strong that fragment of the Spirit Emperor's will was? He easily crushed Xiang Tanlang. Are you trying to kill yourself? You can flee this orchard now. Leave!"

"The Divine Emperor wasn't willing to return to this hidden realm. I begged her to guide my way, and I promised her that I would help deal with the Spirit Emperor on her behalf. I don't intend to go back on my word—and who's to say that I can't win? I want to try."