Chapter 1053: The Fierce and Invincible Xiao Nanfeng

Outside Yongding, Xia Yu'er, Zhang Lingjun, and Lan Yaoguang made a big commotion as they attacked the Darkborn. Each strike caused heaven and earth to shake.

They were no weaker than the Darkborn themselves, but they had just come into their strength and didn't have enough combat experience to take full advantage. As a result, their attacks were a little haphazard and gave the Darkborn ample opportunity to counter them.

Just then, one of the Darkborn sent a mental transmission to the other three. "We won't be able to take down these three women quickly, but it's clear that they're trying to force us away from the city connected to the giant nine-colored tree. There must be something we'll find there."

"That's right. Are they afraid we'll attack it?"

"Or perhaps they're worried we'll destroy that new nine-colored tree."

"It's clear that there's some weakness they're trying to protect there!"

The Darkborn communicated with each other as they analyzed the situation.

One of the Darkborn called out, "The rest of you, stall them. I'll attack the city myself!"

"Got it!" the others replied.

The Darkborn retreated higher into the air. The three women, afraid that the battle would disturb Xiao Nanfeng, sighed in relief. They too shot into the air.

Three of the Darkborn suddenly launched strong attacks at the three women, making way for a blue-robed Darkborn to shoot down toward Yongding.

"Hold it!"

"Bastard!"

"Get back here!"

The three women cried out in shock, but the remaining three Darkborn attacked them again and prevented them from forestalling their fourth member.

The blue-robed Darkborn ultimately didn't attack the nine-colored tree. Memories of their failure hundreds of thousands of years ago still plagued him; despite the fact that he knew this was a different tree, he instinctively avoided it as he headed to Yongding.

"Nanfeng, be careful!" the women shouted.

By then, the blue-robed Darkborn had arrived at Yongding. He punched forward, tearing open the void and sending a heavy blow crashing toward the city.

Blue Lantern shouted, "Activate the defensive formations at full power!"

His bronze compass flew forth to stabilize the formation. All of Yongding's formations masters channeled their qi into the formations at full power to block this one blow.

The fist collided with the city's defensive formation, creating a massive explosion that shattered the surrounding space. A fiery storm erupted, blotting out the sky.

The shockwaves from the impact caused countless mountains outside Yongding to explode into dust and debris. The force even reached the earth's crust, triggering a massive earthquake across the eastern continent. The seas surged, creating towering waves.

Blue Lantern and the other formations masters spat out blood, their bodies battered by the backlash. The city's defensive formation cracked in numerous places. If not for a surge of energy from the nine-colored tree reinforcing the barriers, Yongding would have been reduced to rubble.

"You think you can stop me?" the blue-robed Darkborn shouted, sneering. "Let's see how long you can hold out."

He was confident that he could level the city with just one more strike.

Just then, as a palace door creaked open, a blazing aura pulsed across the world, erupting from Yongding and scorching the surrounding sky. The blue-robed Darkborn's expression changed as he looked down.

Beneath the nine-colored tree, a figure emerged from the palace. The soldiers and citizens of Yongding erupted in joy, cheering, "Heavenly Emperor!"

"Another Stellar powerhouse?" the blue-robed Darkborn exclaimed in shock.

Xiao Nanfeng walked out of his palace, his body radiating a golden aura that caused the nearby vegetation to sway. The soldiers around him bowed in reverence, but his gaze was fixed on the sky, his eyes eerily hollow.

"Insolent fool," Xiao Nanfeng called out.

The Darkborn frowned. The voice hadn't come from Xiao Nanfeng, but rather the giant nine-colored tree. Why would Xiao Nanfeng do so instead of speaking directly?

With a wave of his hand, Xiao Nanfeng shut the palace door behind him and shot into the sky.

This subtle action caught the Darkborn's attention, making him realize that there was surely something important in that palace that this man and those three women were protecting.

The next moment, Xiao Nanfeng flashed up to him and threw a punch.

The Darkborn sneered. "You're the insolent fool."

A silver tree appeared to his back, channeling incredible energy into his body. He punched forward.

𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Their fists collided to create a massive black hole. The shockwaves rippled through space, causing the void to tremble violently.

The blue-robed Darkborn spat out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying, completely overpowered by the exchange. His eyes widened in disbelief.

"Impossible! You didn't even draw power from your world tree. How could you have overcome me?!" he cried out in shock.

The other three Darkborn, still engaged in battle, also stared in disbelief at Xiao Nanfeng.

Xiao Nanfeng moved with incredible speed and appeared beside the blue-robed Darkborn in an instant. Once again, the nine-colored tree transmitted his voice. "Why would I need my world tree to kill you?"

With a swift motion, Xiao Nanfeng's fist tore through the void. The sheer force of the attack alone caused the Darkborn to sweat.

"No!"

He turned to flee, but it was too late. Xiao Nanfeng's fist struck him directly, creating a massive, elongated black hole. The force of the punch sent him flying, tearing his body apart. Bones protruded from his flesh, and blood sprayed everywhere.

Everyone on the battlefield was stunned.

Only the citizens of Dazheng erupted in cheers, shouting, "The Heavenly Emperor is invincible!"

The blue-robed Darkborn spat out blood, his body broken and mangled. He felt death looming.

The next moment, Xiao Nanfeng flashed before him and struck his body with a swift hand chop.

"No!" the Darkborn cried out.

His body was split in two. His organs spilled out with another spray of blood as he was permanently crippled.

Xiao Nanfeng quickly sealed his opponent and rendered him helpless. Even so, the blue-robed Darkborn glared at him with hatred. "Even if I have to die, I'll make sure you suffer!"

With a resonant hum, his eyes turned hollow. The silver tree behind him transformed into a streak of silver light that shot toward Yongding.

"His truesoul merged into his world tree? He turned his world tree into his avatar?!" the onlookers exclaimed in shock.

The silver light was so powerful that it easily tore through Yongding's defensive formation.

Blue Lantern spat out blood as his defensive formation was breached. "Stop him!"

The silver beam moved with incredible speed as it headed straight for the palace where Xiao Nanfeng had been in seclusion. The blue-robed Darkborn was certain that the palace held something precious to Xiao Nanfeng, and he intended to destroy it.

Just as the silver light reached the palace, however, its doors swung open with a loud creak, and a powerful suction pulled the light inside.

Then, the doors slammed shut. Everything fell silent.

The battlefield went still as everyone wondered just what had happened.

"What's he doing?"

"Is there something within that palace?"

"What happened?"

The three Darkborn fighting against the three women in the air frowned and exchanged uneasy glances.

Inside the palace, the silver light transformed into the blue-robed Darkborn. His body shimmered with a silver hue, a result of his fusion with the silver tree. However, his neck had been gripped by a large hand, leaving him unable to break free.

The hand belonged to another Xiao Nanfeng—yes, another one.

This Xiao Nanfeng exuded an icy, bone-chilling aura. Above his head floated three moons, creating a yin domain that radiated an overwhelming pressure.

"This is your soul? Then the one outside is your physical body? You haven't even undergone your primordial advancement?!" the blue-robed Darkborn shouted.

Both Xiao Nanfeng's physical and yin bodies filled him with despair. If Xiao Nanfeng was already this powerful even before his primordial fusion, how terrifying would he become once he underwent it?

Xiao Nanfeng's soul stared coldly at him. "It was clever of you to turn your world tree into an avatar, but instead of fleeing, you came here to die. Very well. I'll grant your wish."

The three moons above Xiao Nanfeng's head suddenly closed in, each splitting open to reveal jagged, fang-like teeth. They lunged at the blue-robed Darkborn.

"That's our king's secret technique! How do you know it? This is impossible!" the Darkborn screamed.

The three moons bit into him, and his body reverted to the form of the silver tree. He struggled, but it was futile. The jagged teeth tore through him, reducing him to a pile of broken branches and splinters.

"No!" he screamed in terror.

With a loud crunch, the three moons devoured the remnants of the silver tree, chewing and swallowing it with apparent relish.

Xiao Nanfeng savored the moment. "The taste of this silver tree is... interesting."

Outside, the blue-robed Darkborn trembled as his truesoul returned to his severed body. He jolted up, his eyes filled with terror.

"You demon! You monster!" he screamed.

Xiao Nanfeng's physical body sealed his ability to speak. Once again, the nine-colored tree transmitted Xiao Nanfeng's voice: "Hearing the word 'demon' from you is ironic. You're the real demons here."

Xiao Nanfeng's physical body looked up, his hollow gaze sweeping over the Darkborn still battling the three women. Despite his vacant eyes, the Darkborn felt a chill run down their spines as their hair stood on end.