Wayfarer

Chapter 645: Eight Years Old

Upon seeing the sniffling Demon Child before him, Xiao Nanfeng couldn't help but be stunned into silence. Was he going to continue making a fuss despite Xiao Nanfeng's concession?

"Martial Aspect Xiao, the Demon Child is only eight years old and remains largely immature. That's why his behavior has been so unruly," Black Dog said.

Beside Xiao Nanfeng, Ao Zhou exclaimed, "Eight? You must be joking. How can he only be eight given his cultivation?"

"It's true. If you don't believe me, Martial Aspects, feel free to verify the claim from the Yuqing holy land. The Demon Child's mother was pregnant with him for three years before she finally gave birth. Celestial phenomena marked his birth, prompting the Yuqing holy land to adopt him as a holy child," Black Dog said.

Xiao Nanfeng and Ao Zhou eyed each other. Was this boy only eight?

"No wonder he refused to listen to reason. He's truly an eight-year-old boy? That's crazy. Even if he had started cultivating in the womb, there's simply no way," Ao Zhou murmured, an odd look on his face.

Black Dog smiled wryly. "The Demon Child has ever surpassed common logic. Fortune wreathed his body the moment he was born, and his cultivation advances at a rate the rest of us can only dream of."

"What sort of monster is he? Some reincarnated deity?" Ao Zhou asked.

"I wouldn't know, Martial Aspect Ao," Black Dog said.

Ao Zhou frowned again.

Xiao Nanfeng tittered. "So you really were beaten up by an eight-year-old boy, hmm?"

Ao Zhou glared, his face turning dark.

"Return my sash to me! And you'd better compensate me, or I'll tell Senior Brother Yang on you and have him spank you!" the Demon Child shouted, clutching his demon-subduing golden hoop fiercely.

"I've chosen to spare you considering your status as a Yuqing holy child, but you're the one who should be paying. You barged into my manor and even beat up Ao Zhou. Why?" Xiao Nanfeng demanded.

Beside them, Black Dog didn't dare jump in. That Xiao Nanfeng wasn't intending to kill or otherwise punish the Demon Child was already a blessing. Furthermore, it was true that the Demon Child had been too arrogant and domineering. He was only eight! An ordinary eight-year-old boy would be playing with mud, not beating up Martial Aspects! If no one taught him a lesson, what if he set his sights on the Heavenly Palace instead? At that point, even the Southern Aspect wouldn't be able to protect him.

"I wanted a trade, but your subordinates refused me! Then, this black dragon mocked me. Of course I'd beat him up!" the Demon Child replied.

"A trade for what?"

"A nomination for a substitute Martial Aspect."

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng replied curiously.

"Someone told me that you managed to get five of them from Ao Canghai. Why can't I trade for one? But your subordinates kept saying no, and this black dragon laughed at me! I had to teach him a lesson."

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. "If you want a nomination, why don't you just ask Southern Aspect Yang?"

"Hmph!" The Demon Child scowled, unwilling to reply.

Black Dog smiled wryly. "Martial Aspect Xiao, as you're aware, five Martial Aspects of the Eastern Quadrant have fallen, and new Martial Aspects will soon be nominated. I don't know where the Demon Child learned of this information, but he's gotten the idea that it would be cool to be a Martial Aspect stuck in his head. That's why he wants to become a Martial Aspect. The Southern Aspect can indeed provide him with a nomination, but he doesn't want to meddle with inter-quadrant politics, and he's worried that the Demon Child will only grow more lawless as a Martial Aspect. He strictly warned all of us not to help the Demon Child secure a nomination."

Xiao Nanfeng, having seen the Demon Child's behavior for himself, temporarily believed Black Dog's story.

He thought for a moment. "Few know that I have five nominations. How could word have spread to the Demon Child? Could someone have tried to send the Demon Child over to me to start a conflict, potentially leading to his death?"

"Ah?" Black Dog was taken aback by the suggestion.

The Demon Child fumed as well. "Xiao Nanfeng, as if you could kill me! I'm invincible among True Immortals! I wouldn't have lost to you if you hadn't dealt me a sneak attack!"

Ao Zhou chuckled disdainfully. "You did the same to me! Do you want your face to be even more swollen?"

"Die!" the Demon Child howled, clutching the demon-subduing golden hoop and charging forward.

"Calm down!" Black Dog shouted, running forward and grabbing hold of the Demon Child.

Xiao Nanfeng pursed his lips. He had no interest in arguing with an eight-year-old boy.

"I won't provide you with a nomination. Southern Aspect Yang doesn't want you to become a Martial Aspect, and I already have plans for the five nominations I do have."

"Then return me the sash!"

"I won't. I've already relented by not killing you outright, and I don't intend to coddle you. You've made a fuss at my manor, and you have to pay a price. I'll take the Taiqing red sash as compensation."

"Thief! I won't let you steal my treasures!" the Demon Child roared, ready to charge over at him.

Black Dog held tightly onto the Demon Child. "Don't make a fuss. Martial Aspect Xiao is a seasoned killer. If you keep causing trouble, you really might end up dead."

Xiao Nanfeng scowled. Him, a seasoned killer? Black Dog was tarnishing his reputation!

"If you keep bothering me, I'll take your demon-subduing golden hoop, too," Xiao Nanfeng continued.

"You wouldn't dare!" The Demon Child hurriedly hugged his hoop tightly.

"Black Dog, release him. He can try me if he wants," Xiao Nanfeng commanded coldly.

The Demon Child stared at Xiao Nanfeng, who exuded killing intent, and thought back to the fists that had filled heaven and earth. He could feel his swollen face starting to hurt again.

"Wah! Bully! My senior brother will beat you up!" The Demon Child suddenly began to bawl again as he rolled on the floor.

Xiao Nanfeng: ...

Everyone: ...

Ao Zhou's face twitched. "How could this boy have beaten me up?"

"Thank you for your clemency, Martial Aspect Xiao. I'll keep careful watch over him so he doesn't bother you again," Black Dog said.

Then, Black Dog scooped up the Demon Child and flew off. Along the way, even as the Demon Child continued to cry, he struck Black Dog with the golden hoop, causing Black Dog to wince in frustration. But he didn't have a choice save to serve as the Demon Child's nanny—the Demon Child was the prized holy child of the Yuqing holy land, and Black Dog would suffer if he didn't take care of the Demon Child.

"Xiao Nanfeng, Blackie, just you wait! I'll be back to get my revenge!" the Demon Child cried out as he was dragged off.

"What a farce," Ao Zhou exclaimed.

Xiao Nanfeng relaxed and flew back to his manor with his subordinates in tow. There were countless cultivators watching the scene, and he didn't want to be a spectator any longer.

After entering his manor and activating its defensive formations to seal it from the outside world, the Heaven disciples gathered around him.

"Well? Did the Demon Child notice anything?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

The Heaven disciples all shook their heads. Su Qing said, "The Demon Child's appearance seemed fishy, so we all stopped practicing and allowed Martial Aspect Ao Zhou to challenge him."

Ao Zhou asked, "Do you think this Demon Child's trying to act like a kid to snoop around the Heaven division of the Taiqing Immortal Sect?"

Xiao Nanfeng shook his head. "I'm uncertain myself, but I think we can all agree that his sudden appearance here wasn't a chance occurrence. Only Ao Canghai and his confidantes know about my five nominations. How could the Demon Child have learned of it? We need to investigate."

The gathered cultivators nodded.

"The loss chants are our secret weapon, but you'll all need to enhance your spiritual cultivation first before we reveal it in earnest," Xiao Nanfeng continued.

"Division Leader, we've been cultivating at a rapid clip recently. The loss chants are passively strengthening our soul, and we've all noticed marked gains in spiritual cultivation," Su Qing reported.

"That's good, but it isn't enough. Keep working hard," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Understood!" everyone replied.

Only then did Xiao Nanfeng pull out the Taiqing red sash he had taken from the Demon Child.

Su Qing glanced at it curiously. "The Taiqing red sash was a treasured relic of the Taiqing Immortal Sect. Allegedly, it was lost during the calamity two hundred years ago. How could it have ended up in the Demon Child's possession?"

Meanwhile, Xiao Nanfeng turned to Zhang Lingjun. "What can this Taiqing red sash do?"

"According to the Taiqing Grandmaster, he can decompose the Taiqing red sash into energy to advance my cultivation."

"In that case, let's give it a try," Xiao Nanfeng said.

The praying mat released a beam of red light that shot toward the Taiqing red sash. When struck by the strange beam, the red sash was obliterated and transformed into a cloud of red mist.

The praying mat didn't absorb any of it. Rather, it sent the energy into Zhang Lingjun's body, causing her to become shrouded by the cloud of red fog.

She hurriedly sat cross-legged in meditation as she tried to distill its essence. The red fog roiled; thunder seemed to rumble around her. It took two hours before she finally absorbed the last of the red fog, causing a wave of energy to emanate from her body. All the onlookers stumbled back as she radiated with golden light.

"The Golden Immortal realm!" everyone exclaimed.

At the same time, in another part of the Sieve of Heaven, Black Dog was tending to the Demon Child, who hadn't stopped bawling. "Stop making a fuss, please! If Xiao Nanfeng kills you, what am I going to tell the Southern Aspect?"

"I don't care!" the Demon Child cried out. "I want my red sash!"

"Well, you shouldn't have provoked Xiao Nanfeng, then. Hold on. Once the Southern Aspect returns, I'm sure he'll intercede with Xiao Nanfeng on your behalf. He'll bring you back the red sash," Black Dog advised.

The Demon Child was poised to continue crying when he suddenly frowned. He spat out a mouthful of blood.

"My red sash's been destroyed! Xiao Nanfeng, how dare you?!"

Black Dog was taken by surprise. "How could it be? Master said that your red sash was imbued with all sorts of potent curses, that it would render you impervious to myriad techniques. It can't be destroyed that easily!"

"It's true!" The Demon Child was in tears again. "My red sash, my treasure! Xiao Nanfeng's a true villain, a demon! Bring Senior Brother back now. I want my revenge!"

A vein throbbed on Black Dog's temple. He ignored the Demon Child and turned to his subordinates. "Who told the Demon Child about Xiao Nanfeng? Investigate this matter immediately!"