Wayfarer

Chapter 472: A Martial Aspect of the Imperial Court

At the mouth of the abyss, when Xiao Nanfeng and his subordinates emerged to see themselves surrounded by a large group of cultivators, he instantly homed in on their leader, Yin Tianci, high on a mountain's peak.

"Xiao Nanfeng? I've been waiting for you. You've finally made it out!" Yin Tianci flashed him an evil grin.

Xiao Nanfeng smirked. "Yin Tianci, what a large group of subordinates you've brought with you. Afraid you'll lose to me again?"

"Are you afraid now, then?" Yin Tianci demanded.

"Hardly. It's just a pity that you'll have wasted your time."

"It won't be a waste at all. You'll regret having provoked me!" Yin Tianci steadily raised his right hand as all his subordinates pointed their weapons at Xiao Nanfeng. The moment Yin Tianci gave the signal, they would attack him.

"That's not what I meant. You simply won't have a chance to strike, you see." Xiao Nanfeng smiled.

"Nonsense. Kill him!" Yin Tianci commanded.

"Attack!" the cultivators shouted, charging at Xiao Nanfeng.

Just then, a voice came from afar. "Hold it!"

Everyone turned to see a group of courtly officials on a white cloud that was rapidly flying toward the scene.

"Ignore them. Attack!" Yin Tianci shouted.

The cultivators charged toward Xiao Nanfeng once again.

"I said, hold it! Are you deaf? Blizzard, rise!" One of the cultivators on the cloud made his move.

A man summoned a howling blizzard that froze whatever it touched.

Yin Tianci's bodyguards fended off the frost, but those cultivators charging toward Xiao Nanfeng were entirely unprepared. They were instantly struck by the blizzard. Some were able to activate a qi barrier, but those barriers instantly shattered as the cultivators were frozen into statues of ice.

A few cultivators managed to break their way free and immediately chose to charge toward Yin Tianci to protect him.

Yin Tianci and his subordinates finally looked toward the cultivators that were flying over.

The cultivator who had launched the blizzard was a handsome man in white robes, surrounded by an aura of frost. He had frozen the bulk of Yin Tianci's subordinates.

"The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost?" Yin Tianci exclaimed.

The man glared coldly at Yin Tianci. "Did you not hear my command? Do you want to die?"

Yin Tianci blanched. He quashed his simmering rage and bowed. "I did not see you, Martial Aspect. My apologies."

The Martial Aspect glanced askance at Yin Tianci before ignoring him. He turned to a father-daughter pair standing by his side, the Heaven division leader of the Taiqing Immortal Sect, Zhang Feifan, and his daughter, Zhang Lingjun.

"Princess, Sir Zhang, it looks like the man you've been waiting for is here." The Martial Aspect smiled.

"Thank you, Martial Aspect of Silverfrost." Zhang Feifan bowed.

Zhang Lingjun only nodded her head briefly.

Then, the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost turned to Xiao Nanfeng and considered him curiously.

A group of cultivators slowly flew over to Xiao Nanfeng.

"Division Leader Zhang, thank you for your assistance." Xiao Nanfeng bowed toward Zhang Feifan.

"It's not a problem, Division Leader Xiao. You had Zhao Yuanjiao find me a month ago stating that you had uncovered how the Martial Aspect of Sunblaz died and were requesting my support. I understood that you were in danger then. We petitioned the Heavenly Emperor to provide official assistance. He sent our group over to verify your report and support you. My daughter, Lingjun, shall judge the truth of your words, and the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost is to guard us," Zhang Feifan explained.

"I greet Princess Lingjun and the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost." Xiao Nanfeng bowed.

The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost stared at Xiao Nanfeng without greeting.

"How goes your investigation?" Zhang Lingjun asked.

"I've found the culprit and avenged the Martial Aspect," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

He retrieved a coffin and placed it before the delegation.

"What's this?" Zhang Lingjun asked.

"The reason the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze died. A month ago, I passed my report to Division Leader Zhang, and I'm sure you've all read it. This is his corpse."

"Inspect it!" Zhang Lingjun commanded.

"Understood!" A group of officials walked out from behind her and immediately stepped forward to inspect the corpse of the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze. They retrieved a few special artifacts to analyze his corpse before entering a meditative state.

After some time, the officials opened their eyes once again. They conversed with each other, and one of them stepped forward.

"Princess, we have confirmed that the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze died over half a year prior. After that, he was possessed by a cursed effigy until about a month ago. An intense fight left the corpse somewhat damaged, and the cursed effigy left his body. It has been preserved since."

"Xiao Nanfeng, how did you obtain the corpse of the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze?" Zhang Lingjun asked.

"In the Netherworld Palace, I incited a fight between the Tiger and Ox Yanluos. Both Yanluo Lords were ultimately grievously wounded and they perished together. The Tiger Yanluo's avatar, which had been possessing the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze, suffered a heavy blow as a result. I pressed the advantage and forced him out of the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze's body before killing him on the battlefield."

"Are you certain that the Tiger Yanluo has perished?" Zhang Lingjun asked.

"This is the Tiger Yanluo's imperial seal, which I managed to reclaim from the battlefield with significant difficulty." Xiao Nanfeng proffered a seal.

The few officials from before stepped forward to inspect it before turning to Princess Lingjun. "Princess, Xiao Nanfeng is correct. The remnant traces of aura in this seal match those found on the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze's corpse. The dissipative nature of this aura makes it clear that its owner has perished."

Zhang Lingjun glanced at the coffin. "Seal the coffin and return the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze to the Imperial Court."

"Understood!" everyone replied.

They carefully sealed the coffin and began to pack it up.

Zhang Lingjun turned to Zhang Feifan. "I verify that Xiao Nanfeng has adequately identified the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze's cause of death and avenged his killer. He may be granted the title of Martial Aspect."

Zhang Feifan nodded and pulled out an imperial edict in resplendent gold. He proclaimed, "Xiao Nanfeng, receive this pronouncement!"

Xiao Nanfeng bowed. "I, Xiao Nanfeng, am present."

"By the will of the heavens, the Heavenly Emperor declares that Xiao Nanfeng, recommended by Princess Lingjun, has identified the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze's cause of death and avenged him. For this meritorious deed, with Princess Lingjun as guarantor, Xiao Nanfeng is awarded the title of Martial Aspect as substitute for the deceased Martial Aspect of Sunblaze."

"I thank the Heavenly Emperor!" Xiao Nanfeng bowed deeply.

"Claim this edict and the Martial Aspect's charm," Zhang Feifan finished.

A cultivator beside him stepped forward with a tray on which the edict was placed alongside a golden charm.

The moment Xiao Nanfeng touched the objects, a burst of golden light descended from the heavens and surrounded his body.

"What an incredible quantity of fortune," he murmured.

The fortune circled him, familiarizing itself with his aura, before retreating back toward the heavens.

"Congratulations, Martial Aspect Xiao. We'll be comrades-in-arms from now on." Zhang Feifan smiled.

"Thank you, Division Leader Zhang." Xiao Nanfeng returned his smile.

Then, he turned toward Yin Tianci, still close by. "Yin Tianci, do you see the truth of my words now? You've wasted your time. Of course, if you dare to kill a Martial Aspect of the Imperial Court, you can still try your luck."

Yin Tianci frowned. His eyelids twitched. He was so mad that veins protruded from his forehead, but he could hardly strike in public.

"Xiao Nanfeng, even if you've become a Martial Aspect, matters between us haven't been settled," Yin Tianci gritted out. He turned to his subordinates. "Let's go!"

"Understood!"

The cultivators of Dayin bundled up their frozen counterparts, flew into Fengdu, then vanished from sight.

"Oh? Congratulations, Martial Lord Xiao. How lucky you've been!" The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost smiled.

"I've always been rather lucky," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

He could make out the Martial Aspect's mocking tone, but he wasn't angered.

"I heard that you recently became an Immortal—a Human Immortal, at that," the Martial Aspect continued.

"Thanks to the simultaneous deaths of the Tiger and Ox Yanluos, I was able to advance to the realm of an Earth Immortal." Xiao Nanfeng smiled thinly.

"An Earth Immortal? You must be the most unique of the seventy-two Martial Aspects of the Imperial Court." The Martial Aspect gave him a mocking smile.

"What do you mean, Martial Aspect of Silverfrost?"

The Martial Aspect only smiled without further elaboration.

Zhang Lingjun, to his side, began, "He means that your cultivation is simply too low. The lowest among the seventy-two, most likely."

"Truly? That is rather unique." Xiao Nanfeng smiled as well.

He had no interest in squabbling over something so meaningless. He would have to find an opportunity to school the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost in time, but that could wait.

The Martial Aspect seemed slightly perplexed, not understanding the source of Xiao Nanfeng's confidence. Did Xiao Nanfeng not understand that he was being mocked?

"Division Leader Zhang, I'm sure you've heard of Division Leader Lan Jiguang's death as well," Xiao Nanfeng continued.

Zhang Feifan sighed. He nodded. "I've instructed someone to send word to the sect master. Lan Jiguang's death was truly unexpected."

"Have you not managed to contact the sect master yet?"

"He should be aware of the news shortly. I've applied for leave and plan to head to Taiqing Island myself. Once the sect master returns, we'll discuss what to do. You'll have to head to the Imperial Court immediately to assume your duties. Have your avatar head to Taiqing Island and join us in the discussions," Zhang Feifan suggested.

"Understood! Allow my officials to guard you." Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

He briefly instructed Blue Lantern and Ye Dafu's crew on his plan, and they nodded.

Zhang Feifan turned to Zhang Lingjun. "Lingjun, I won't be able to return to the Imperial Court in the short term. Bring Xiao Nanfeng with you to assume his duties. I'm counting on you."

"Don't worry, Father." Zhang Lingjun nodded.

Xiao Nanfeng and Zhang Feifan exchanged a few more words before Blue Lantern and Ye Dafu's crew left with him.

"Princess Lingjun, I hope I'm no bother."

Zhang Lingjun gave Xiao Nanfeng a look filled with a hodgepodge of emotion. "In that case, let's go."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

Beside them, the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost sniffed, his head held high, clearly looking down on Xiao Nanfeng. All his attention was on Zhang Lingjun.

The trio left the mouth of the abyss on their white cloud.