Wayfarer

Chapter 536: The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost's Death

Xiao Nanfeng was taken aback. Was the Taiqing Grandmaster still alive? Was he still paying attention to the outside world?

"Did the Taiqing Grandmaster send you a mental transmission from the red moon illusory realm?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"No, he's right here. Can't you see him?" Zhang Lingjun pointed at a patch of empty land before him.

Everyone looked over to see... nothing. Where was the supposed Taiqing Grandmaster?

Xiao Nanfeng inspected the region of empty space with his spiritual power, but couldn't detect anything at all. Zhang Lingjun didn't appear to be lying, either. His scalp pricked. Just what was going on?

Without any hesitation, however, he bowed deeply toward the space that Zhang Lingjun had pointed out. "The Earth division leader of the Taiqing Immortal Sect, Xiao Nanfeng, greets the Taiqing Grandmaster."

"The Mortal division leader of the Taiqing Immortal Sect, Ye Dafu, greets the Taiqing Grandmaster." Ye Dafu quickly followed suit, as did the other disciples arrayed around them.

Ao Shuai watched on in confusion. "Are they crazy? What are they bowing down to?"

Xiao Nanfeng and the other disciples continued to bow, but nothing happened.

"You don't have to bow any longer. The Grandmaster has stepped away," Zhang Lingjun eventually said. She cocked her head curiously. "Can none of you see him?"

Everyone gave Zhang Lingjun a perplexed look.

"Princess, the Grandmaster might not want to speak with us for the time being. You should listen to his orders," Xiao Nanfeng suggested.

"I shall!" Zhang Lingjun immediately began walking away.

Xiao Nanfeng and the others didn't follow suit.

Xiao Nanfeng sent the black lotus a mental transmission. "Senior, were you able to detect the Taiqing Grandmaster?"

The black lotus was silent for a moment. "I can't."

"You can't, either?"

"I haven't sensed any other strong cultivators nearby. Perhaps it's because I haven't recovered to my peak strength, or perhaps because the Taiqing Grandmaster truly doesn't exist. Of course, it's also possible that his techniques are too advanced for me to detect."

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. He didn't ask any further questions; rather, he waited patiently and observed Zhang Lingjun.

Zhang Lingjun seemed to have received some instruction from the Taiqing Grandmaster. She sent out the Taiqing Grandmaster's praying mat, which had once been kept in the vault of scriptures on Taiqing Island and had once belonged to the Taiqing Grandmaster himself.

The praying mat began to revolve slowly, forming a burst of suction that attracted the near-endless cursed energy leaking out from the cursed pit. It devoured it all, along with the black chains that rose up with the cursed energy.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. He knew how potent the cursed energy was. If not for the Jade Emperor's Frame that he cultivated, he wouldn't be able to break free from the curse himself. Even the superior draconic vein, which possessed the might of a Golden Immortal, had been bound by the cursed chain. How was the praying mat able to absorb it all so easily?

Afar, Zhang Lingjun seemed to still be listening to the Taiqing Grandmaster's words.

"Understood!" Zhang Lingjun replied to the air.

Then, she hovered on top of the praying mat and sat down cross-legged in meditation. The praying mat seemed to have been able to distill some red fog from the cursed smoke, which it sent into her body to help her cultivate.

"This praying mat is truly a treasure," Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

"Your Majesty, should we still leave?" Ye Dafu asked.

"If the Taiqing Grandmaster is present, as division leaders of the Taiqing Immortal sect, neither of us can leave. The two of us will remain behind while everyone else hides in the sea and awaits further orders. The spectral guards will help communicate plans," Xiao Nanfeng instructed.

Ye Dafu nodded. He arranged for his subordinates and the purple-furred monsters to retreat into the sea.

As the praying mat absorbed more and more cursed energy, the red light that emerged from its other end formed a red mist that completely encapsulated Zhang Lingjun.

The rate at which it was absorbing cursed energy led to an even larger disturbance underground. The ground cracked and furrowed, then became completely pulverized.

From deep within the remnants of the island, a giant, pitch-black boulder floated up, kilometers wide. It was engraved with countless black runes that gave off black smoke. Tangled up in the black smoke and bound by chains were some of Ao Shuai's subordinates.

"Is this the exterior of that limestone cave? That limestone cave was a relic?!" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

The boulder continued to reverberate. As it floated up into the sky, the sea all around the island finally began to settle, as if all the disturbance had been caused by the boulder itself. The praying mat continued to absorb the black energy from the boulder, causing it to turn translucent. What lay within could vaguely be seen.

Afar, Ao Shuai and the others blanched.

"Look! The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost is fighting against two Golden Immortals within that boulder. One of them is Sage Yellowbrow, and the other looks to be a monk—and the superior draconic vein is being suppressed by a large group of other monks!"

"The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost is on the losing end of things. What should we do?!"

"Two Golden Immortals against one—how can the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost beat them both?"

Ao Shuai's subordinates were whispering to each other in surprise.

Just then, within the boulder, the silver dragon suddenly shot forward and swallowed the Moonlight Buddha down.

"Has the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost won?!" one of Ao Shuai's subordinates cried out.

Ao Shuai blanched. "No. Look at the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost's pained expression. That monk was intending to be swallowed up!"

Sage Yellowbrow suddenly held down the silver dragon's head, forcing it to remain still. The silver dragon struggled painfully, but was unable to break free.

Ao Shuai exclaimed, "Silverfrost has been fully suppressed. This is bad!"

Just then, a huge explosion rang out from the silver dragon's stomach as the Moonlight Buddha broke out from within, shattering the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost's body.

"The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost has been cut in half!" the cultivators cried out.

Even so, the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost continued to struggle furiously. With Sage Yellowbrow pinning the top half of its body down, and the Moonlight Buddha the bottom half, it was completely unable to move.

"He's sure to die if we don't do anything!" someone shouted.

Ao Shuai couldn't bear it any longer. He rushed out of the sea and cried out, "Xiao Nanfeng, as the commander in charge of this mission, aren't you going to head in and rescue the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost?"

Xiao Nanfeng's head turned to Ao Shuai. He said coldly, "Ao Shuai, who told you to return? How dare you disobey my direct command!"

"If I hadn't returned, the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost would already be dead! Go save him! If you don't, I'll report this to my father. I'll tell him you deliberately sent us away and killed the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost as a result. The Hall of Martial Aspects would surely punish you!"

Xiao Nanfeng retorted, "I had you leave because it was far too dangerous. I was trying to protect you. What makes you think I would be punished for that? Since you're here, you can clearly see that there are Golden Immortals fighting within. I'm only a Heaven Immortal, and there's nothing I can do."

"You're trying to take revenge for personal matters!" Ao Shuai howled. "It's clear there's something you can do!"

In the past, the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost had deliberately allowed a group of three-headed serpents to kill Xiao Nanfeng. Today, karma had finally struck back, and Xiao Nanfeng was allowing Golden Immortals to kill him.

"As I've said, I'm no match for these Golden Immortals, and I can't help the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost. I was about to request aid from the Imperial Court. Since you've disobeyed my command and returned, I'll leave that to you. Summon assistance, now!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.

Ao Shuai grimaced. His subordinates had already done so, but there was no time remaining. Even if his father were to rush over at full speed, it would be too late.

"Are you just going to stand there and do nothing?!" Ao Shuai called back.

"If you think you can do something, by all means, go ahead!" Xiao Nanfeng beckoned.

Ao Shuai stiffened. "..."

He was more than willing to urge Xiao Nanfeng forward, but he had no intention to wade into the fight himself. Those were Golden Immortals fighting!

"If none of you True Immortals dare to step inside, don't you think it's shameless for you to be urging me, a Heaven Immortal, to do so?" Xiao Nanfeng continued.

Ao Shuai: ...

He didn't have the energy to bicker with Xiao Nanfeng any longer. The two halves of the silver dragon's body seemed to finally have expended their reserves of energy. Suddenly, a silver orb shot out from the mouth of the dragon.

"The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost's dragon pearl!" someone cried out.

The silver dragon pearl attempted to flee, but it was hardly going to escape the notice of the two Golden Immortals.

The Moonlight Buddha and Sage Yellowbrow struck at the pearl near-simultaneously, causing the silver light imbued in the orb to flicker and dissipate.

The silver dragon pearl rolled into the unconscious Ao Zhou's mouth.

"Was that a coincidence, or is the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost's soul going to possess Ao Zhou?!" someone exclaimed.

After the pearl rolled inside Ao Zhou's mouth, however, nothing happened.

The two halves of the silver dragon's body continued to lash around in a final struggle before they finally fell limp to the ground, completely still.

"Is the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost dead? Are the two Golden Immortals within going to rush out?" Ao Shuai exclaimed.

Without any hesitation, he dove back into the sea, followed by his subordinates.

Indeed, Sage Yellowbrow and the Moonlight Buddha looked out past the boulder at once. Their eyes seemed to be able to penetrate the walls of the boulder. When they saw what awaited them outside, they became incensed.

"Die!" the two Golden Immortals shouted simultaneously.

The Moonlight Buddha clawed a huge hole in the boulder, allowing both Golden Immortals to step out. They struck at the praying mat in the air.

"Be careful, Princess!" Xiao Nanfeng cried out.

Suddenly, the praying mat grew many times larger until it was like a giant red millstone. It smashed into the two Golden Immortals, interrupting their attacks and sending them to the ground. Red light surrounded them as the two Golden Immortals found themselves sealed. They shuddered in pain.

"Impossible. What sort of relic is this?!" Sage Yellowbrow spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Divine Moonlight Palm, shatter! What? This is just a praying mat—why can't I break free? No!" The Moonlight Buddha's eyes widened in fear.