Wayfarer

Chapter 631: Blue Lotus

Within the Divine Seal of Dazheng, fragments of Xiao Nanfeng and Yin Shenhua's eidola lay scattered all over. Xiao Nanfeng's avatar was glancing at the black lotus in worry. It floated in the air as it continued to decompose.

Within the black lotus, Yin Shenhua cursed, "Venerable Buddha, your truesoul is already dissipating! And yet you intend to spend your remaining time melting me down? You're only going to kill yourself more quickly!"

"I'll be able to distill your essence before my truesoul dissipates in full. Die in peace," the black lotus murmured.

"You maniac! No matter your plan, I won't let you succeed. Detonate!" Yin Shenhua roared.

Yin Shenhua detonated his own body, causing ripples of energy to surge across the black lotus. The rate at which its petals shattered increased tenfold.

"Senior, what's going to happen now? What can I do for you?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

The black lotus forced a calm facade. "There's nothing you can do now. I've given my life to the primordial altar, and all that remains of me is a small portion of my truesoul, my cursed spiritual avatar, and some cursed spiritual power. I won't be able to last for long, but what I set out to do has been accomplished."

"Senior, you're a cursed effigy! Is there really no means of saving you?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

Memories of the past resurfaced. All the cursed effigies who had surrounded Xiao Nanfeng had once tried to hurt him. Only the black lotus had been supportive since the very beginning, resolving crisis after crisis on his behalf. He bore the black lotus deep gratitude and appreciation, and its imminent death was hard for Xiao Nanfeng to accept.

"You need not be upset about me. Eighty thousand years ago, when I learned of the truth behind this world, I transcended life and death. It's a pity that the heavens targeted me before I was able to effect much change. In this life, even if I were to reach my former peak, I would still be no match for the heavens—until I met you. I think you have the qualifications to challenge the heavens, to defeat the calamity that comes once every ten thousand years. Fulfill this wish on my behalf."

"Anything, Senior," Xiao Nanfeng replied politely.

After a moment, however, the black lotus sighed. "Forget it. You're already doing the best you can. When you face the heavens, you'll have a choice like I did. This is Yin Shenhua's storage relic, and it should be able to help you advance further."

The black lotus spat out a storage bangle and tossed it to Xiao Nanfeng.

"Senior?" Xiao Nanfeng was momentarily at a loss.

"I once helped you probe Madam Rouge and the Divine Emperor, and they will do you no further harm. However, I can't tell what the superior yin pearl is up to. Be careful," the black lotus warned.

"Very well."

"Remember: before you become a Boundless Immortal, stay away from the sight of the heavens."

"Senior, did you give up your life just so the heavens wouldn't discover me?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed, alarmed.

The black lotus didn't respond. It replied, "I believe in your abilities."

Xiao Nanfeng gulped. He nodded even as he held back the desire to cry. "Thank you, Senior. If I can, I'll surely revive you."

He didn't ask why the black lotus believed in him, but that wasn't important at this moment. What mattered was the black lotus' act of sacrifice.

"Do not be upset. There are plenty of cultivators in the world like me, like Yu Fuli himself. He generously shared the Jade Emperor's Frame with us, and although he doesn't favor you the way I do, he can certainly be an ally in resisting the heavens," the black lotus continued.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. Even so, he felt a sense of misery.

"Release your Shangqing blue moon."

Xiao Nanfeng didn't understand what the black lotus was about to do, but he did so. The blue moon shone brightly in the air.

"Senior, what are you intending to do?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"I'll meld my monk hood cursed effigy into your blue moon. It shall be yours thereafter," the black lotus said.

"What about you?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"I'm already dead. What's the point?" the black lotus countered.

"But—"

"No buts. I'm about to die, but Yin Shenhua hasn't perished yet. If I don't give you the cursed effigy, should I leave it for him to claim? You are a far better option than he."

"Yin Shenhua hasn't perished yet? You mean—the Future Buddha, Yin Tianci!" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"The Buddhas of Past, Present, and Future have cursed spiritual avatars separated in time. The Past Buddha must be devoured first, then the Present Buddha, then the Future Buddha. Otherwise, if I had distilled Yin Tianci beforehand, he wouldn't have died. He would only have been reborn elsewhere. Yin Shenhua forged Yin Tianci into an avatar. Although he screamed shrilly as he perished, that was meant to be misleading. You'll have to rush to where Yin Tianci is and deal with this threat quickly."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

"My body contains the cultivation of the Past and Present Buddhas. If you successfully attune to my cursed spiritual avatar, you'll also be able to devour the Future Buddha's cultivation as well. Doing so will allow you to unleash the full strength of the monk hood," the black lotus said, as it prepared to die.

"Senior, have you any other requests?" Xiao Nanfeng asked, eyes red.

"None. I've said my share. I am honored to have resisted the heavens for the good of the people. If we are so fated, let us meet again in a future life."

The black lotus shook. It and the two Rulai eidola's shards flew toward the blue moon.

The two Rulai eidola possessed incredible strength, as well as remnants of power from the heavens and the primordial altar.

All that energy gushed into the blue moon.

Xiao Nanfeng could sense that the black lotus' aura was weakening bit by bit. He told himself, "I suppose I'll at least be able to remember and commemorate the black lotus when it merges with my blue moon..."

He sat cross-legged in meditation as he sensed the changes to his moon.

The blue moon radiated with blinding light—blue moonlight, white heavenly energy, black primordial energy, and the gold and black energies of the two Rulai eidola.

The rays of light criss-crossed, surrounding the blue moon in a cocoon.

He felt a gust of incredible pain coming from deep within the recesses of his soul, but he gritted his teeth and bore with the assault, allowing that strength to forge his blue moon anew.

Sweat beaded on his forehead even as he persisted.

An interminable amount of time passed before the blue moon radiated with blinding rays that swallowed up all other sources of light around him.

The energy encapsulated within the Rulai eidola, Heaven's Hand, and primordial altar was entirely used up to combine the black lotus with the blue moon.

"Senior!" Xiao Nanfeng called out.

However, the blue moon didn't respond.

He hung his head, knowing that the black lotus had truly perished in truth.

The black lotus had given up its life to shield him from the sight of the heavens, affection that touched him to his very core. He had never been so deeply trusted by anyone like the black lotus, who despite having reached the peak of strength as a Boundless Immortal, had nevertheless chosen to sacrifice it all for him.

"Xiao Nanfeng, let me help you."

The black lotus' sincere words continued to echo in his head. His eyes welled up with tears.

He wiped his eyes dry and smiled bleakly. He turned to his blue moon. "Senior, if I cannot fulfill your request, I shall do everything in my power to revive you."

The moonlight shone gently, but without any sign of response.

Xiao Nanfeng sighed. He turned to the blue moon, which suddenly shifted in form. It transformed into a blue lotus.

"A blue lotus? The golden lotus hood—its color can be changed?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

He suddenly recalled that the golden lotus hood had transformed into a black lotus because of the Venerable Buddha. And if it could transform into a black lotus, then why not a blue lotus? His blue moon was certainly strong enough to effect such a transformation.

With a transmitted thought, a hole appeared on the underside of the blue lotus, able to devour Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats just like the black lotus.

With another transmitted thought, the blue lotus transformed back into a blue moon. Death chants resounded all over.

The death chants had changed as well. They were as resonant as ever, but seemed to have gained more of their majesty. He could sense that they had grown stronger.

Finally, he had the blue moon retreat into his body, vanishing from sight.

Outside the Divine Seal of Dazheng, the moment Xiao Nanfeng's main body showed himself not too long ago, he was made the center of attention.

"Xiao Nanfeng, where's Yin Shenhua?" Ao Canghai demanded.

Everyone looked at Xiao Nanfeng.

"Yin Shenhua is dead," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

"Truly? Where's his corpse?"

"He and my Rulai eidolon perished simultaneously. His Rulai eidolon has been lost as well."

"And yet you're perfectly alright?"

"I was lucky."

Everyone frowned, none believing such a flimsy excuse.

"Did he leave nothing behind?" Ao Canghai asked.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "Nothing. Of course, if you don't believe me, Eastern Aspect, you're welcome to check the pit."

Ao Canghai: ...

He murmured inwardly, "Do you treat me for a fool? Even if he had left anything behind, you would have claimed it for yourself already!"

"Have a look," he ultimately commanded his Martial Aspects.

The Martial Aspects rushed toward the pit out of which Xiao Nanfeng had emerged.

They released their spiritual power and examined their surroundings, but there was nothing to be found. They returned and shook their heads at Ao Canghai, causing him to frown.

"Having finished your missions, when will you return to the Imperial Court?" Xiao Nanfeng inquired.

"What are your plans?" Ao Canghai asked.

"We should return to the Imperial Court immediately lest anything unnecessary occur."

The Martial Aspects all fell silent. With Yin Shenhua dead, they naturally had to report back to the Imperial Court. They could hardly let Xiao Nanfeng return alone and claim all the credit!

"Let's go, then," Ao Canghai said, nodding.

Xiao Nanfeng readied his subordinates and set off alongside the Martial Aspects.