Wayfarer

Chapter 459: In the Capital of Yin

Blood-colored clouds of annihilation gathered in the skies above a patch of forest in the Netherworld Palace. A Heaven's Hand swooped down and threw out Xiao Nanfeng, Blue Lantern, and Ye Dafu.

After the cultivators landed, the Heaven's Hand retreated into the clouds, which dissipated and quickly vanished from sight.

"We've finally made it out," Ye Dafu murmured, shuddering.

"Let's leave the area for now," Xiao Nanfeng said.

The cultivators nodded and followed Xiao Nanfeng out of the forest. They headed toward a hidden valley.

"I apologize, Your Majesty, for costing you four Yanluo Courts." Blue Lantern bowed.

"They're just a few Yanluo Courts. They aren't that important, so don't worry about it."

Blue Lantern knew that Xiao Nanfeng was just consoling him, and he couldn't help but feel more guilty.

"The Netherworld Pope seemed like a reasonable figure, but I believe there's something shady about him. He may not be entirely trustworthy." Blue Lantern frowned.

Xiao Nanfeng glanced at him sternly and waved a hand, interrupting him from continuing. Blue Lantern blinked in surprise, then, as though understanding something, quickly stopped talking.

"Regardless of the Netherworld Pope's intentions, our objectives are aligned. We want to take down the Tiger Yanluo and Peach Buddha, so let's work hard on achieving that. The rest is unimportant," Xiao Nanfeng said seriously.

The first thing that the Netherworld Pope did upon capturing Blue Lantern and Ye Dafu's group was to forge them into cursed slaves. It was obvious that the Netherworld Pope wasn't someone to trifle with. Xiao Nanfeng felt certain that the Netherworld Pope had some way of observing them. Out of caution, they all had to be circumspect with what they discussed.

"Understood!" Blue Lantern nodded.

"Your Majesty, how should we handle the Tiger Yanluo and Peach Buddha?" Ye Dafu asked.

"Simply overwhelm them," Xiao Nanfeng replied confidently.

"By force?" Ye Dafu was taken aback.

Xiao Nanfeng retrieved a cubic crystal that encased pinpricks of starlight.

"This is the crystal star map, a token which the Netherworld Pope gave me. It allows us to control the Heaven's Hands in battle."

"Really? Then we really can overwhelm our opponents by force!" Ye Dafu's eyes lit up.

"Of course, we still have to keep strategy in mind. We can't overwhelm them too quickly, or they'd just run off." Xiao Nanfeng smiled.

"Understood!" Ye Dafu and the others cried out in excitement.

"Will we head to the capital of Yin immediately?" Blue Lantern asked.

"We will. Right, can you conjure up an outline of the blood peach tree with a formation? It just has to be something similar enough to fool ordinary cursed effigies," Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"It shouldn't be difficult."

"Good. Let's go, then."

"Understood!" everyone replied.

Within the capital of Yin, the Tiger Yanluo's capital, a large group of tiger-headed humanoids rushed to the Tiger Yanluo's Yanluo Court in panic.

"King, something's wrong!" they shouted.

With a creak, the doors to the Yanluo Court opened up as Yin walked out. Then, the doors creaked shut again.

"What's the matter?" Yin demanded.

"Xiao Nanfeng, that walking disaster, is here at Yin!" one tiger-headed humanoid reported.

Xiao Nanfeng had destroyed every location he had been in for the past month. To the gathered tiger-headed humanoids, he was nothing less than the personification of a disaster.

"Xiao Nanfeng's here? With whom?" Yin asked, frowning.

"He's alone."

"Investigate outside the capital. See if Xiao Nanfeng's allies are lying in wait. If there's any news, secretly inform me immediately," Yin instructed his subordinates.

"Understood!" The tiger-headed humanoids swiftly departed.

Then, Yin turned to one particular tiger-headed humanoid. "Bring Xiao Nanfeng here."

"Understood!"

Very quickly, Xiao Nanfeng flew to the clearing outside the Yanluo Court under the supervision and guidance of a group of tiger-headed humanoids.

Xiao Nanfeng descended and met Yin's gaze.

"Xiao Nanfeng, you really are brave to seek me out even after what you've done," Yin said coldly.

"Weren't you searching for me? Well, I'm right here. I've saved you considerable effort. Aren't you satisfied?" Xiao Nanfeng smiled.

"Why are you here?" Yin demanded.

He was naturally on guard, since he didn't know what Xiao Nanfeng's intentions were.

"Don't you welcome me? You aren't afraid of me, are you?" Xiao Nanfeng's smile grew wider.

"Afraid of you? What a joke! At this point, the only presence that can threaten me within the Netherworld Palace is the Peach Buddha. Haven't you fallen out with it?" Yin asked, raising an eyebrow.

Xiao Nanfeng was surprised that Yin wasn't actively trying to seize his four Yanluo Courts. Rather, he was trying to figure out if Xiao Nanfeng were still in cahoots with the Peach Buddha.

He quickly guessed that Yin didn't have the means to take him down for the time being; otherwise, he wouldn't be wasting time talking.

Could the Tiger Yanluo's main body be elsewhere?

"The Peach Buddha and I are now enemies. Why would I cooperate with it?"

Yin narrowed his eyes as he looked at Xiao Nanfeng, attempting to identify whether he was telling the truth.

"I came here because of you. More accurately, because of the physical body you've taken over."

"Oh?"

"There are no intrinsic grudges between us; I wouldn't have come to Fengdu if not for the trouble you caused. Killing a Martial Aspect of the Imperial Court is a serious matter."

"Oh? And you think I would fear this era's Imperial Court?" Yin sneered.

"Whether or not you fear it doesn't matter. You're done for now."

Xiao Nanfeng retrieved the final suit of arhat armor.

Yin was surprised that Xiao Nanfeng would be so direct. Was he about to engage him in battle?

"Xiao Nanfeng, we're in the capital of Yin. If you attempt to cause a ruckus, you won't make it out of here alive."

Xiao Nanfeng ignored Yin. He melded with the suit of arhat armor right before Yin's eyes. An immense aura billowed from him.

"How can you be so confident? Have you really allied with the Peach Buddha again?" Yin demanded.

"Why would I? There's bitter enmity between us," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

The more Xiao Nanfeng emphasized this, the less Yin believed it.

Just then, a tiger-headed humanoid flew toward the capital from afar and whispered to Yin, "King, I thought I saw the Peach Buddha's figure in a nearby forest, but by the time I headed over to investigate, it had already vanished from sight."

Yin was now certain of his own hypothesis. He scoffed at Xiao Nanfeng. "You never had a falling out with the Peach Buddha, did you? All that nonsense in the capital of Chou was just an act. You were trying to kill the Ox Yanluo, weren't you?"

"No. I bear the Peach Buddha a grudge," Xiao Nanfeng repeated, stretching his neck within the suit of arhat armor.

"You can't fool me. Why don't you let the Peach Buddha show itself? I'll wait right here," Yin said.

"I told you, I'm enemies with the Peach Buddha. If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do. If you aren't going to appear with your main body, then I'll get rid of your avatar first."

Without any hesitation, Xiao Nanfeng charged forward and threw out a punch. Countless fists headed straight for Yin.

"Insolence!" Yin roared, retaliating with a punch of his own.

As the two fists struck each other in an explosion like a tempest, Yin was forced back.