Wayfarer

Chapter 460: Schemes and Ploys

Just then, outside the capital of Yin, within a secluded forest, countless tiger-headed humanoids were gathered around the Tiger Yanluo's main body as they stared toward the capital of Yin.

"King, will the Peach Buddha really show up?" one of the Tiger Yanluo's confidantes asked.

"I and the Peach Buddha each have half of the pages of the Earthly Branches that constitute the Records of Life and Death, but I possess more Yanluo Courts than it does. We're relatively similar in strength at the moment, but the difference will be apparent once we each attune to the pages that we possess. Furthermore, we'll be able to sense each other due to the pages of the Records in our possession. The longer things drag out, the more unfavorable the situation will be for it. I expect it'll want to deal with me as quickly as possible," the Tiger Yanluo replied confidently.

"But Xiao Nanfeng possesses four Yanluo Courts. What if it finds Xiao Nanfeng?"

"Xiao Nanfeng's sly and crafty, and has publicly turned against the Peach Buddha. He'll surely find a place to hide where the Peach Buddha can't get to him. Within half a month, I'll be able to sense the Peach Buddha by attuning to the pages of the Records, so it will have to strike me by then."

"King, couldn't you simply hide for half a month, then counter it with absolute strength? Why prepare a trap for it?"

"I don't think it'll be able to find Xiao Nanfeng, but what if it does? It would be safer to lure the Peach Buddha over to fight me."

"The Peach Buddha is no match for you, King. Would it dare show up?"

"It has no choice but to do so. This is its only opportunity, and it does bear some unique advantages—its peach tree cursed spiritual avatar and the trump cards it has yet to display. If it doesn't risk it, it won't have a chance to in the future," the Tiger Yanluo replied confidently.

"Is that why you've set up a formation around the capital of Yin that will trap the Peach Buddha once it enters, King? You really are wise!"

"Do not underestimate the Peach Buddha. Although I've set up a formation, it's possible that the Peach Buddha's trump cards can overpower it. I want to secure victory, so I'm using my avatar to probe its abilities before giving it a lethal strike from the back," the Tiger Yanluo explained.

"It's clear you've considered the entire situation carefully, King!"

The Tiger Yanluo smiled in satisfaction before suddenly turning to the capital. "Hm? Xiao Nanfeng?"

"Is it really Xiao Nanfeng? How can he dare to show himself?" one tiger-headed humanoid exclaimed.

From afar, a group of tiger-headed humanoids were watching Xiao Nanfeng fly into the capital of Yin. The Tiger Yanluo's avatar had emerged from his Yanluo Court.

The Tiger Yanluo's main body looked toward Yin. He was in no hurry; his avatar would be able to handle things.

As expected, Xiao Nanfeng flew toward the doors of the Yanluo Court and confronted the Tiger Yanluo's avatar. Not long later, Xiao Nanfeng equipped his suit of arhat armor and prepared to strike.

"King, what's Xiao Nanfeng doing here?" one of his subordinates exclaimed.

"Has he allied with the Peach Buddha again? No—was their disagreement all a sham? Could it have been staged?" The Tiger Yanluo's eyes widened.

"Is the Peach Buddha here too? Could it be hiding in Xiao Nanfeng's mindscape?"

"They managed to take down a large number of Yanluo Lords working together..."

"Is Xiao Nanfeng going to challenge you alongside the Peach Buddha, King?"

The tiger-headed humanoids whispered to each other as the Tiger Yanluo suddenly found himself beset by anxiety.

"Could Xiao Nanfeng and the Peach Buddha be conspiring against me? It's lucky that I made preparations in advance, or I might really be in danger." The Tiger Yanluo frowned.

"King, is it time to activate the formation around the capital of Yin?" one subordinate asked.

"No, wait. There was a sighting of the Peach Buddha outside the city. It's not in range of the formation yet. If the formation is activated now, not only will it not trap the Peach Buddha, it'll even alert the Peach Buddha and warn it about what we're up to. We have to wait until it enters the capital of Yin first."

"Understood!" the Tiger Yanluo's subordinates replied.

"Of course, we have to be careful about the possibility that the Peach Buddha outside the city is a fake. Now, all of you, group up with the guards outside the city and continue searching for the Peach Buddha. Immediately send out a signal if you find anything," the Tiger Yanluo commanded.

"Understood!"

Outside the capital of Yin, within a forest, Blue Lantern, Ye Dafu, and the others were watching a group of tiger-headed humanoids fly by with bated breath.

"They responded incredibly quickly," Blue Lantern murmured, narrowing his eyes.

"Blue Lantern, we just established a formation that produced a lookalike of the blood peach tree. Would those cursed effigies really believe that the Peach Buddha has shown up?" Ye Dafu asked.

"They will, and His Majesty will be insinuating to the Tiger Yanluo that he is in an alliance with the Peach Buddha again. This will give the Tiger Yanluo a sense of urgency to kill the Peach Buddha regardless of the cost in doing so. He'll desperately search for any trace of the Peach Buddha, so it will be easy for His Majesty to lure the Tiger Yanluo's main body to the formation we set up in advance."

"But it doesn't look like the Tiger Yanluo's main body is in the capital of Yin at all..." Ye Dafu frowned.

"That doesn't matter. His clone is in the capital, so his main body will be aware of everything as well. He must be skulking about and observing His Majesty while searching for the Peach Buddha."

"Oh?"

"His Majesty has reached the realm of True Yin and can harmonize with the world within his domain, so he shouldn't be in any danger. Let's head to the formation and wait for the Tiger Yanluo to fall into our trap."

"Very well!" Ye Dafu nodded.

The cultivators skulked off carefully.

High above the capital of Yin, Xiao Nanfeng executed Hegemon's Fist while wearing arhat armor. Countless fists pummeled Yin's avatar and sent him flying. However, Yin was strong enough to temporarily withstand Xiao Nanfeng's barrage.

"Attack him together and take him down!" Yin roared.

"Understood!" Countless tiger-headed humanoids within the city shot into the air.

However, Xiao Nanfeng was operating the arhat armor under the state of True Yin, and his punches were particularly strong. The majority of the tiger-headed humanoids that attacked were sent whizzing through the air.

"You weaklings won't be able to do anything against me. Come, Yin!" Xiao Nanfeng called out.

Xiao Nanfeng focused on Yin and forced him to retreat time and again. Even so, Yin couldn't escape. He had to stay within the city so as to lure the 'Peach Buddha' over, so he had no choice but to accept the beating.

By then, Xiao Nanfeng was starting to get rather confused as well. He thought to himself, "Why hasn't the Tiger Yanluo's main body shown himself? Is he going to just watch while I beat up his avatar? Or does he have some other plan in mind?"

Xiao Nanfeng briefly considered his options before making up his mind. "Forget it. Even if he has other plans, he can't do anything against me while I'm harmonizing with my domain. If he doesn't intend to show himself, then I'll just finish off his avatar now. He asked for it."

He sent a large group of tiger-headed humanoids flying, then pummeled Yin into the ground. The ground cracked as Yin's avatar struck it.

"Xiao Nanfeng, just you wait!" Yin thundered.

"You're not going to admit defeat? Let's continue, then!" Xiao Nanfeng struck more and more violently.

Yin spat out mouthfuls of blood as he retreated further and further.

Just then, outside the capital of Yin, a miniature blood peach tree was hidden within a nearby forest—none other than the Peach Buddha.

The Peach Buddha had reined in his aura and was hidden in the darkness as it watched a group of tiger-headed humanoids fly off not far from where it was.

"These tiger-headed humanoids saw me? Could I not have hidden myself properly? Surely not..." the Peach Buddha murmured.

Upon seeing even more tiger-headed humanoids heading toward its vicinity, it had no choice but to rush off to find a new hiding spot.