Chapter 1032: Subduing the Three Moons

After leaving the hot spring, the three women dispelled the defensive formation in the vicinity. Outside were the three armies of furred monsters.

The carcasses of countless white-furred monsters were piled as high as a mountain. The giant nine-colored tree's roots were swiftly digesting them one after another.

Xiao Nanfeng asked, "When did the white-furred monsters retreat?"

"Ten days ago," Zhang Lingjun replied. "We don't know what prompted it."

Xiao Nanfeng frowned thoughtfully. "Ten days ago, I secured my victory over the Superior. He must have known that it would be useless to stay any longer, that he might even end up defeated if he were to remain. That was why he retreated with the golden tree in tow."

Yu'er smiled. "Was he that weak?"

Zhang Lingjun, however, frowned. "That isn't good news. Since Nanfeng has won, we have an absolute advantage—but the Superior and his white-furred monsters will surely go into hiding. How are we supposed to continue hunting them down?"

Lan Yaoguang nodded as well. "The nine-colored tree is still growing. What will it do without the white-furred monsters to feed on?"

"Don't worry," Xiao Nanfeng reassured them. "Let me recover from my injuries for now. We'll figure the rest out later. Even without the white-furred monsters, the nine-colored tree can still absorb energy from the world, though it'll be slower."

The three women sighed and nodded.

Xiao Nanfeng walked over to the giant nine-colored tree and sat down cross-legged.

The tree fed a vast amount of energy into his body, replenishing his reserves of energy and healing his injuries.

After a while, he frowned. "Is the spiritual aether here all from the roots of the world tree? It's excellent for repairing the soul, but very slow when it comes to healing the body."

After a moment of thought, he summoned his soul from his mindscape, having decided to repair his soul and three moons first.

He stored his physical body and focused on nourishing his soul with the nutrients from the nine-colored tree. His soul lit up with color as his wounds healed at a rate visible to the naked eye.

His three moons floated into the air and grew brighter and brighter as the three women guarded him zealously.

Within two days, the bulk of his spiritual injuries had healed, as had the damage to his three moons.

Then, he infused the Superior's spiritual power, which the nine-colored tree had distilled in the meantime, into his blue moon.

His blue moon vibrated as if being subdued.

Lan Yaoguang noticed the discrepancy first. "Something's happening to Nanfeng's blue moon..."

Zhang Lingjun nodded curiously. "There's something strange about his red moon, too. It's not as strong as the Grandmaster's, but it gives off a similar aura—almost as if it's been subdued."

Xia Yu'er nodded. "His purple moon feels the same way to me."

Within the white life hidden realm, in a secluded valley, a silver moon eyed the white-furred monsters within. "Well? Have you absorbed all that energy?"

The white-furred monsters all bowed toward the Superior. "Thank you, Master!"

"Keep going," the silver moon commanded, then gritted out, "I won't let any more of you white-furred monsters become fertilizer for that nine-colored tree—even if I have to make you devour each other to the last!"

"Understood!" The white-furred monsters quaked in fear.

The silver moon looked down at the white-furred monsters. "Worry not. As I've said, I'll reward those who are loyal to me. Fight hard in battle, and you won't die. You'll be able to grow stronger quickly—anyone who disobeys my orders will be yours to consume. Go on. Eat! Grow stronger until you can take on Xiao Nanfeng!"

"Understood!" the white-furred monsters responded in unison.

Under the guidance of the silver moons, the white-furred monsters who had received the Superior's acknowledgment rapidly began flying to various strongholds across the realm. They devoured the monsters there and rapidly grew stronger.

Where the giant nine-colored tree stood, under the watchful eyes of Zhang Lingjun, Xia Yu'er, and Lan Yaoguang, the blue moon above Xiao Nanfeng's head emitted a dazzling light.

Black energy erupted from the blue moon, only to be incinerated by blue moonlight moments later.

Lan Yaoguang exclaimed in surprise, "You've subdued your blue moon!"

Xiao Nanfeng opened his eyes and nodded. "Indeed. The giant nine-colored tree can extract the Superior's spiritual power from the white-furred monsters, and that energy can help me subdue my three moons. Though I've used up the majority, there's still some left over. Feel free to use it on your spiritual moons yourselves. If that's still insufficient, we'll just finish off the remaining white-furred lifeforms around."

The three women nodded in gratitude.

"How are your injuries?" Zhang Lingjun asked.

Xiao Nanfeng sighed. "My soul has grown even stronger than before, but my physical body still remains weak. It'll take some time to heal."

Zhang Lingjun frowned. "The Grandmaster said that the white life hidden realm has been transformed into one of yin. It'll gradually corrode your physical body away. If it hasn't been affected much, that must mean that it was already very strong to begin with—but it's clear that this environment will be hostile to it."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "That's true."

Zhang Lingjun continued, "Now that the white-furred monsters have all gone into hiding, what are we going to do? Should we hunt them down?"

Xiao Nanfeng fell silent for a moment. "That's what I wanted to talk to all of you about."

"Oh?"

Xiao Nanfeng glanced seriously at the three women. "I suspect that the Superior is trying to bolster the white-furred monsters' strength. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

The three women frowned, nodding incrementally. It was clear that Xiao Nanfeng was trying to hint at his parents. Despite the relative safety of their current location, he refused to mention them by name, lest the Superior catch wind of it.

Zhang Lingjun nodded, speaking for the trio. "We understand. Continue."

Xiao Nanfeng said, "The white life hidden realm is formed from the fusion of the primordial altar and the Superior's main body, and the primordial altar is actually the stump of the former world tree of this planet. It was a giant nine-colored tree in the past."

"Oh?" The three women frowned.

"My world tree is a manifestation of that giant nine-colored tree. It's still very weak, but its fundamental essence is identical to that of the primordial altar. My world tree just rooted itself to the ground, allowing me to sense the situation in the external world. There's an opportunity for us to leave."

"We can leave?" The three women's eyes lit up.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "I do intend to leave, but I need all of you to remain behind."

"Oh?" The three women were taken by surprise.

"I'll come back quickly. Please help me keep an eye on the Superior and the white-furred monsters."

The three women instantly understood what he meant. Xiao Nanfeng wanted them to ensure that Xiao Hongye and Tan Xianzhi remained safe in case of an emergency, but they were currently in the Superior's hands. There was little they could do or even reveal, and they would have to play it by ear.

"Very well," the three women replied. They nodded simultaneously.

They were just about to ask for more details when Xiao Nanfeng brusquely continued, "I'll tell you about the details of my trip once I return."

The three women eyed each other, knowing that he was still worried about the possibility of the Superior listening in on them. They all nodded.

After a moment, Xiao Nanfeng continued, "Actually, you might want to hold off on absorbing the Superior's spiritual power while I'm gone. After all, my spiritual moons were melded with cursed effigies, but yours aren't. Your spiritual moons were suppressed using the three Qing Grandmasters' techniques, and are slightly different from mine. I'm worried that something unexpected might happen if you were to apply the Superior's spiritual power to it. Will you wait for me to return and help you with subduing your three moons?"

The three women nodded again. They were certain that Xiao Nanfeng had their best interests at heart.

Xiao Nanfeng gave the three women some additional instructions before bidding them farewell.

After handing over control of the giant nine-colored tree to the three women, Xiao Nanfeng stepped into it.

His soul slipped into its trunk and hence into its roots.

The roots of the nine-colored tree penetrated the earth and merged with it. Xiao Nanfeng gradually felt as if he were doing the same. He seemed to sink into a deep darkness, from which he descended further and further. After what felt like an eternity, he suddenly reached the edge of the white life hidden realm.

"Found it. Break!" Xiao Nanfeng thought to himself.

With all his strength, he slammed into the edge of the realm. He broke through a barrier and emerged into the outside world with a boom.

Spiritual energy surged around him as killing intent enveloped his entire body.

He quickly shielded himself and looked around, only to see billowing black smoke.

"It's the primordial altar!" Xiao Nanfeng murmured. His eyes lit up.

He had emerged near its current hiding spot.

The primordial altar hadn't expected that anyone would be able to escape from the white life hidden realm, and had immediately gone on high alert as it prepared to kill the intruder. When it belatedly realized that the intruder was Xiao Nanfeng, it stopped short. Even so, the altar remained cautious.

"It's me, Xiao Nanfeng. I've emerged from the hidden realm," Xiao Nanfeng repeated.

"Let me examine you," the primordial altar replied.

A wave of black energy surged toward Xiao Nanfeng, who offered no resistance. After a while, the primordial altar was finally satisfied that Xiao Nanfeng wasn't lying.

"Just how did you make it out?"