Chapter 245: Nalan Yunhai

A large number of Taiqing disciples came to register for Xiao Nanfeng's quest. Ye Sanshui and Ye Dafu were momentarily overwhelmed by the attention, but they were quickly able to relax. A large number of Ascended disciples voluntarily helped Xiao Nanfeng maintain order and manage registration.

Xiao Nanfeng was glad everything was proceeding smoothly when he heard a commotion from afar.

"I'm here to rescind my participation in this quest. I'm going to help Senior Brother Xiao instead!"

"You can't! You've already registered. How could you go back on your word?"

"This is a voluntary quest, not a mandatory one from the sect. Why can't we decide not to participate?"

"We'd like to give up, too!"

A huge commotion ensued; a fight almost broke out at the scene. It drew the attention of many of the cultivators.

"Those recruiters are armored warriors. Are they from outside the sect?" Xiao Nanfeng asked, frowning.

"I recognize one of them," Ye Sanshui replied immediately. "He's Mr. Shu, a subordinate of the second prince of the Tianshu Empire."

"Oh? Go figure out what's going on, then," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Understood!" Ye Sanshui sidled over to investigate the situation and quickly returned. "King Xiao, it's the second prince of the Tianshu Empire. On the Tianshu Emperor's orders, he's here to participate in the appointment ceremony for the new Ascended division leader, and he's releasing a quest along the way."

"The second prince of the Tianshu Empire? Is that Nalan Yunhai?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"Yes, King Xiao! He's the official apprentice of the Mortal division leader, and allegedly a cultivator at the peak of Spiritsong. He's another elder of the Taiqing Immortal Sect, and he returned to the sect about half a day before we did. His quest is to recruit Taiqing disciples to fight in a war alongside him," Ye Sanshui reported.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded, but warning bells rang in his head. He had just dealt with Nalan Feng; the appearance of this Nalan Yunhai surely couldn't be a good sign.

"Alright. Keep recruiting more disciples. I'm headed to the Vault of Scriptures to greet my master."

"Yessir!" Ye Sanshui nodded firmly.

In a pavilion on one of the Mortal division mountains in Taiqing Island, a group of cultivators dressed in distinct styles guarded a white-robed youth within. The white-robed youth was leisurely having tea while conversing with two Taiqing elders.

"Are you both certain that Junior Brother Xiao Nanfeng was only at early-stage Spiritsong?" he asked.

"Nalan Yunhai, we were present at the scene ourselves. We can easily estimate Xiao Nanfeng's strength. Astoundingly, his spiritual cultivation has reached Lunar Deluge, but his physical cultivation is only at early-stage Spiritsong. We're certain," one Taiqing elder replied.

Nalan Yunhai frowned in thought before he nodded. "Thank you for the information, elders."

"Of course. If there's nothing else, we'll be heading off now."

"My thanks." Nalan Yunhai got up to see them off.

After they left, Nalan Yunhai's face turned dark.

"Your Highness, do you think Xiao Nanfeng's responsible for the third prince's disappearance?" one of his subordinates asked.

Nalan Yunhai replied coolly, "Uncle sent Third Brother out of the draconic palace, but he and Mr. Qi returned to it. One of the crew said that he heard Third Brother mention Xiao Nanfeng's name. I imagine he must have pursued Xiao Nanfeng in."

"Xiao Nanfeng's at Lunar Deluge. If he used the Talisman of Phantasmagoria, it would be possible for him to deal life-threatening damage to the Third Prince," the subordinate affirmed.

"It's not his spiritual cultivation. Mr. Wen gave Third Brother two Immortal relics before he departed, one to shield himself and the other a mirror-type relic that would specifically free him from illusory realms. Xiao Nanfeng might be at Lunar Deluge, but he wouldn't be able to exert his strength outside of illusions. On the other hand, his physical cultivation, which has reached Spiritsong, could be a threat." Nalan Yunhai narrowed his eyes.

"Xiao Nanfeng has only been away from his titled lands for three years. How could his cultivation have improved so rapidly? It's impossible!" Nalan Yunhai's subordinate murmured.

"He must have some tremendous secret." Nalan Yunhai's eyes flashed with greed and malice.

"We haven't heard of Xiao Nanfeng these last few months. Could he have perished within the draconic palace?" his subordinate wondered.

Just then, a cultivator rushed over.

"I've returned, Your Highness."

"Why are you here, Mr. Shu? Did something go wrong with the recruitment?" Nalan Yunhai asked.

"It did. All our recruits have been swiped," Mr. Shu replied, smiling wryly.

"Who? Who would dare?" Nalan Yunhai demanded.

"Xiao Nanfeng!"

"Xiao Nanfeng? He escaped from the draconic palace?" Nalan Yunhai exclaimed.

"He's right there. You can see him from this mountain, Your Highness." Mr. Shu pointed toward the distance.

Nalan Yunhai looked toward the plaza of the Hall of Immortal Recruitment below them.

Indeed, the disciples there were in an uproar. Meanwhile, after Xiao Nanfeng gave Ye Sanshui and Ye Dafu their updated commands, he had left and headed deeper into a mountain.

"Your Highness, that's him. He just issued a quest. He's far too well-known and popular within the Taiqing Immortal Sect. Many of the disciples we recruited have refused us in order to work for him instead." Mr. Shu recounted what had happened in the plaza.

Nalan Yunhai smirked. "Attempting to reclaim Marquis Xiao's titled lands? What a joke. He doesn't know what happened to it, does he?"

"Your Highness, what should we do now that Xiao Nanfeng's still alive?" Mr. Shu asked.

"Father wants me to track down the location of my missing brother. Xiao Nanfeng's the most suspicious lead we have, and I don't intend to let him go. It's inconvenient for us to strike while he's on Taiqing Island. We'll lay an ambush for him once he leaves."

"If we do, we'll have to kill him afterwards to ensure secrecy. But what if he doesn't have anything to do with the third prince's disappearance?" Mr. Shu asked.

"Then he only has bad luck to blame," Nalan Yunhai replied calmly.

"And if he were to request the aid of his master, Elder Ku, to head toward Marquis Xiao's titled lands with him? We wouldn't be able to strike in that case," Mr. Shu continued.

Nalan Yunhai frowned. Mr. Shu's hypothetical situation was quite plausible. Nalan Yunhai gripped the balustrade of the pavilion as he looked toward the plaza.

"Who are those disciples helping Xiao Nanfeng out? They seem rather familiar." Nalan Yunhai frowned.

"They're Ye Sanshui and Ye Dafu. The Ye clan has always been loyal to Marquis Xiao, and they're subordinates of Xiao Nanfeng. Allegedly, they even helped him target the third prince. They returned to Taiqing Island alongside Xiao Nanfeng," Mr. Shu said.

"From the Ye clan? They might know a few secrets, then. Lead them to me quietly. We'll start with them," Nalan Yunhai commanded.

"Yes!"