Chapter 1000: The Dazheng Alliance

In the Eastern Sea, on an island shrouded in fog, the six saints and Tang watched Xiao Nanfeng argue with the ten supreme cultivators in the air.

"Xiao Nanfeng's growing too quickly. How can he already take down Yu Banruo?"

"Other cultivators advance one step at a time, but Xiao Nanfeng makes startling leaps forward. He may well become the next Yu Fuli."

"Chi Hai, Lun Hui, and the Void Saint's downfalls are all associated with Xiao Nanfeng. He'll surely hunt down the rest of us. We have to deal with him now."

"You're right. We'll find an opportunity to take him down together!"

The saints conferred, their eyes filled with killing intent.

"Your Eminences, I advise you not to provoke Xiao Nanfeng. This will lead to great danger," Tang warned.

The six saints eyed Tang simultaneously.

"Tang, your only job is to forecast fortune and misfortune on our behalf. Don't meddle in our other affairs. It's not your place to dictate whom we deal with."

"Do you think we're as foolish as the Void Saint? Of course we'd wait until the perfect moment to strike at Xiao Nanfeng."

"We're hidden here, while Xiao Nanfeng's exposed. Do you really think we can't finish him off? His earlier strength relied on imperial might and the three Immortal Emperors' eidola. We're still far stronger."

"We haven't even begun acting against Xiao Nanfeng. Why would there be great danger?"

The saints were dismissive of Tang, but just as they finished speaking, they suddenly whirled around. Their faces turned pale with fright. The ten supreme cultivators who had been surrounding Xiao Nanfeng were now speeding toward them.

"Damn it, we've been discovered!"

"We have to flee!"

"How is this possible? How did they find us?!"

The six saints cried out in terror.

They shot into the sky in panic as they fled in six different directions.

"Where do you think you're going?!" the ten supreme cultivators shouted.

The fastest cultivator punched the saint in the lead, sending that saint flying.

Amidst the deafening sounds of combat, the six saints were quickly forced to retreat.

Though the saints should have been able to put up a fight, they were caught off-guard and were too shaken and disoriented to resist.

"As if we'd let you run!"

"Chase them! Don't let them escape!"

"Don't you dare run!"

The ten supreme cultivators chased the six saints into the distance.

Meanwhile, Xiao Nanfeng glanced at Liu Miaoyin, the Divine Emperor, and Madam Rouge, who were all staring at each other. He felt a headache coming on.

In front of the ten supreme cultivators, he had referred to all three women as his wives—not just to inform them, but also to probe how the three women felt about that designation. None of the three had objected, which was a good start. However, now that the three women were officially meeting, the situation might very well grow complicated quickly.

The long-dread confrontation between the three women was finally here.

They eyed each other with furrowed brows. The atmosphere was tense. Not far away, Yan Zhenhuo, Ye Dafu, and the others opened their mouths but didn't dare say a word. Instead, they quietly retreated to the distance.

Xiao Nanfeng: ...

Xiao Nanfeng felt betrayed. His subordinates should have stepped in, reported something trivial, and gotten him out of this dilemma!

In the end, however, this was a problem he had caused himself. He couldn't avoid it forever.

He stepped forward, ready to speak.

"Nanfeng, we want to talk. You should step aside for now," Liu Miaoyin interjected.

"Step aside?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

Liu Miaoyin nodded in agreement.

So did the Divine Emperor, as did Madam Rouge.

Xiao Nanfeng: ...

"Let's find a quiet place to talk," Madam Rouge suggested.

The other two women nodded in agreement.

They soared across the sky and vanished over the horizon.

Xiao Nanfeng stood frozen in silence for some time.

After what felt like forever, Ye Dafu finally flew toward him. "Your Majesty, do you think the three empresses will fight each other?"

Xiao Nanfeng glowered at him. "Don't tempt fate!"

Still, Xiao Nanfeng was somewhat relieved.

Though the women's attitudes weren't entirely clear, he was confident they wouldn't fall out completely.

He took a deep breath. Maintaining familial harmony might very well be a lifetime's effort for him.

He turned to see the divine undying blade hovering in the distance.

He flew toward it with Ye Dafu, Yan Zhenhuo, and the others in tow.

The divine undying blade had just absorbed the golden blade, and now radiated an intense, razor-sharp aura.

"Divine Undying King, how long has it been since you revived?" Xiao Nanfeng asked, a complicated look on his face.

Ye Dafu and the others prepared for battle, but Xiao Nanfeng remained calm.

"A long time, as you suspect," the blade replied.

"Why have you stayed by my side? What's your purpose?" Xiao Nanfeng demanded.

"Originally, I planned to stay hidden and seize your body when the time was right. Over time, however, I changed my mind. Like Liu Miaoyin, I believe your future achievements will surpass those of Yu Fuli."

"Oh?"

"I, too, am one who resists the heavens. In the past, I led the cultivators of my era to fight against the heavens but ultimately failed. I made preparations in the divine undying realm to slowly recover my peak strength. However, after much contemplation, I realized that even at my peak, I couldn't surpass Yu Fuli. But you—you have that potential," the blade said.

"How can you be so sure?"

Xiao Nanfeng wouldn't trust the blade outright. He didn't know much about it, after all.

"I'm certain. Though I lack Yu Fuli's abilities, my judgment is flawless. And it's not just me—Liu Miaoyin sees it, too. Most importantly, so does the Superior, who resides within your body."

Xiao Nanfeng fell silent.

"I don't intend to seize your body any longer. Instead, I'm willing to assist you. When the new heavens descend, I will help you fight against them. The only question is whether you dare to accept my help."

After a moment's thought, Xiao Nanfeng smiled. "Your help would be a great blessing to me, Senior. I'll be counting on you."

Xiao Nanfeng would hardly refuse a cursed king's assistance. He didn't necessarily trust it, but he was confident that he would be able to overcome whatever challenges it posed in the future.

"I know you may not trust me just yet, but that matters not. Our goals are aligned," the blade replied.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

"However, I must warn you—"

"Hm?"

"—to be careful of the Superior."

"The Superior?"

"Indeed. I'm certain that he has known about my revival all this time, but hasn't told you about it. There must be some reason he continues to reside within your spiritual moon."

"I understand. Thank you for the warning, Senior." Xiao Nanfeng inclined his head.

The divine undying blade said no more. It withdrew its aura, allowing Xiao Nanfeng to take ahold of it once again.

Xiao Nanfeng waited for the three women to return for a while longer, but they never reappeared. Instead, he left and assigned his subordinates to watch the area.

Yu Banruo and his entourage's capture was a death knell to what remained of his forces.

The nine Immortal Emperors who had been captured a few days earlier—some of whom had submitted to Yu Banruo, others with their truesouls swapped—were awaiting rescue. They despaired upon learning of Yu Banruo's defeat, knowing that the tides had turned against them.

With Wen Zhong's cunning persuasion, seven of the nine eventually surrendered. Their empires were absorbed without much resistance.

The other two emperors had been usurpers whose truesouls had been swapped. Wen Zhong soon located and freed the rightful emperors, gaining their allegiance.

Within the month, the nine divine empires publicly announced their submission to the Dazheng, Shenfeng, Danan, and Dajing empires.

The news shook the world. Everyone knew that Xiao Nanfeng and the three women had formed an alliance, making the four empires effectively a single entity.

Already vast and powerful, the four divine empires now controlled a full third of the world's territory with the absorption of the nine empires.

Though voices of dissent rose internally and externally, the cooperation of the subjugated empires stifled major unrest.

Other forces hesitated to act openly, worried that the three female Immortal Emperors would seize their territory as well.

They could only egg on the supreme cultivators of the world, those who harbored enough power to remain a threat to Xiao Nanfeng's alliance.

However, the ten supreme cultivators were now indebted to Xiao Nanfeng and bound by compact after having successfully caught the six saints. They didn't make a move, either.

In the end, the four divine empires associated with Xiao Nanfeng smoothly took control of Yu Banruo's nine divine empires.

Dazheng expanded once more. Within just three months, the Dazheng Alliance solidified its control over the nine empires and became the largest force on the world stage.