Chapter 265: Envoy Ying

Yu'er was invited to the Xiao manor.

Despite her yearlong absence, she and Xiao Nanfeng quickly warmed up to their reunited selves. She sat by the side of the hall and began eating from a platter of spiritual fruit. She seemed to have a lot to say to Xiao Nanfeng, but that would be a private conversation once Hong Lie was gone.

"Senior Uncle, this is what happened yesterday." Xiao Nanfeng recounted the fight from yesterday.

"The monks of the Jingang Temple fought over treasure with your father back in his heyday, and they've been aiming for revenge ever since he taught them an unforgettable lesson. Good that you've killed them, and the destruction of the Jingang Temple is good riddance. Cui Haisheng deserves what has happened to him, too, but he did end up doing something good for us," Hong Lie replied, laughing.

"Something good?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.

"If not for Cui Haisheng's command, the demonic sect elders would never have supported our confrontation against Nalan Qiankun. Yesterday, the elders of both Taiqing sects gathered at the capital and made a big fuss. Ultimately, Nalan Qiankun handed over the fortune owed to you and Zhao Yuanjiao, and Ku Jiang even helped you fight for more benefits," Hong Lie replied, smiling.

"Oh?"

Hong Lie handed over a golden seal and an imperial edict to Xiao Nanfeng. "This is your father's seal, which contains the fortune owed to your father over the past decade or so. In addition, this edict permits you to retain the fortune in the Xiao lands for five years without having to pass it on to the capital. This is compensation for his dereliction of duty these last few years."

Xiao Nanfeng knew that, regardless of how much authority individual nobles wielded, all the fortune derived from their lands would have to go to the capital to be partitioned by the emperor. Now, however, Emperor Tianshu was permitting him to harvest five years of fortune on his own lands for himself—a tremendous boon.

"Thank you, Senior Uncle," Xiao Nanfeng replied with true emotion.

He was well aware that, if not for Hong Lie and Ku Jiang's efforts in securing his deserved compensation, Emperor Tianshu surely wouldn't have relented to this extent.

"There's no need to thank me. Five years might seem like a long time, but it won't be easy for you to finish reclaiming your lands and amassing fortune by then," Hong Lie warned.

"That's more than enough." Xiao Nanfeng smiled. "Senior Uncle, has my master returned to the sect?"

Hong Lie eyed Yu'er by his side, then shook his head. "An esteemed guest has appeared in the Tianshu Empire, and he's accompanying that guest at the moment."

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng was somewhat taken aback.

"Senior Uncle, I suppose you must be talking about my mother?" Yu'er smiled.

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Hong Lie gave her an odd look. "You knew?"

"Of course!" Yu'er nodded. "It's only been a few days since I left her.

"To think your mother would have you join the Taiqing Immortal Sect... and that you would take Ku Jiang as your master. What a twist of fate," Hong Lie commented.

"No, it's nothing like that. My mother told me that I was to apprentice under none other than Ku Jiang. He would be able to teach me the guqin; she said that no one else could be as reliable."

"Your mother's as blunt as ever, I see. What, am I unreliable?" Hong Lie laughed.

"I'm just parroting what my mother said, Senior Uncle. Why don't you ask her if you want to learn more?" Yu'er smiled mischievously.

Hong Lie shook his head. "Forget it. I won't gossip about your mother and Ku Jiang, either, lest they berate me when I see them again."

"Don't, Senior Uncle! You can't just whet our appetites like that! What's the relationship between my mother and Master? My father always makes a face when he hears his name, but neither of them are willing to tell me anything. Won't you?" Yu'er stared at Hong Lie expectantly.

"Don't ask me. Ask them yourself," Hong Lie replied wearily.

"But you've already started speaking of it! Please, Senior Uncle, if you leave things like that, we'll end up making things up. It'd be even worse if Master were to catch wind of it," Xiao Nanfeng advised, similarly curious.

Hong Lie gave them a wry grin. "It's not much. Ku Jiang courted Han Bingdie in the past, but he was rejected.

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng was shocked.

He had never expected his stoic master to have such a sad past. Could he have bawled his eyes to blindness?

"Is that why Master tried to foist me off on someone else with all sorts of reasons when I initially asked to take him as master? Could he have guessed my identity? Was he worried about dredging up bad memories?" Yu'er suddenly laughed.

"That's why it's so ironic that you're his disciple now."

"It just goes to prove how charming my mother is." Yu'er didn't seem ruffled. "Do you know what she's doing in the Tianshu Empire, Senior Uncle?"

"She wants to enter the spirit emperor's hidden realm, and is asking Nalan Qiankun to lead her in. Considering her status, Nalan Qiankun surely has to accept, and Ku Jiang will be accompanying her as well. He won't be returning for the short term and wants me to pass on word for you to be careful of Cui Haisheng, Nanfeng," Hong Lie stated.

"Don't worry, Senior Uncle. I won't have any problems protecting myself at present." Xiao Nanfeng nodded, then asked, "Do you know where my father has gone, Senior Uncle? Is he in that hidden realm too?"

Hong Lie shook his head. "I'm not sure, but I'm certain he's alright. He'll return sooner or later."

Xiao Nanfeng sighed. He hadn't found the information he wanted.

"Did your father give you a ring before he left? One that looks like this." Hong Lie conjured the image of a ring with a small mantra.

Yu'er's eyes brightened. She was aware that that was Xiao Nanfeng's storage ring, and a cursed king was stored within.

"Is this ring important?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"Yesterday, Nalan Qiankun suddenly asked about the ring. I was there when your father found it in a hidden realm, so I've come to ask you about it in Nalan Qiankun's stead," Hong Lie replied.

"Why does Emperor Tianshu want the ring?" Xiao Nanfeng pressed.

"You've seen it, then?" Hong Lie's eyes brightened.

"Where's the ring?!" A shout came from outside the hall.

Xiao Nanfeng and Yu'er glanced toward the unwelcome interruption. Hong Lie frowned to see a black figure suddenly appear in the hall.

"What's this?" Yu'er exclaimed.

The shadow was two-dimensional and lay flat on the ground. Suddenly, a bulge appeared from within as the shadow manifested in three dimensions as a black-robed man. The interior of the robe was pitch-black, revealing nothing.

"A cursed effigy?" Xiao Nanfeng instantly grew alert.

"Envoy Ying, you've followed me here?" Hong Lie's voice was threatening. [1]

"If there's an issue, ask Nalan Qiankun about it yourself. I don't have time to explain. I'm here to reclaim that ring. Lad, it's in your possession, isn't it?" Envoy Ying asked coldly.

Hong Lie frowned at the realization that Nalan Qiankun had known, had possibly even commanded, Envoy Ying to tail him.

Meanwhile, Xiao Nanfeng's main body frowned as he looked toward his storage ring.

"Divine Emperor, a shadow cursed effigy has appeared in my manor, calling himself Envoy Ying. Even my senior uncle, an Immortal, didn't realize that he was being tailed. It seems to be of extraordinary strength. It's trying to find you. Do you want to meet it?" Xiao Nanfeng asked his ring.

The ring was silent.

"If you do, my avatar will have it wait there. I can head there immediately," Xiao Nanfeng said.

A deep, exasperated growl came from within the ring.

"If you don't want to meet it, Elder, then I'll refuse the invitation on your behalf."

The ring was silent again.

Back in the Xiao manor, Xiao Nanfeng's avatar ignored Envoy Ying. He asked Hong Lie, "Who is he, Senior Uncle?"

Hong Lie ultimately chose not to make a move. He turned to Xiao Nanfeng. "That ring isn't anything good. If you do have it, I'd advise you to give it up so they don't try to hound you for it."

Xiao Nanfeng could see that Hong Lie was guarded and wary of Envoy Ying. He nodded. "I do have that ring, but I haven't been able to figure out anything about it. Please have a look, Senior Uncle."

Xiao Nanfeng retrieved the fake ring he had taken from the Chief Steward's corpse, which the Chief Steward had attempted to use to control the shadowy cursed effigy he had summoned. However, he had failed. Although the ring was only a replica, it looked exactly like the real thing.

The moment Xiao Nanfeng retrieved the ring, Envoy Ying snatched it from him.

"No, this isn't it. It's just an ordinary ring," Envoy Ying declared immediately.

Hong Lie had a look at the ring for himself and frowned. "What's different about it? I'm certain this was the ring that Xiao Hongye and I obtained that year.

"Hong Lie, are you trying to put on an act for me?" Envoy Ying demanded coldly.

"Who's acting? Do you think I'd have the time to make you a fake ring within moments?" Hong Lie demanded.

Envoy Ying fell silent. It had been tailing Hong Lie all this time, and could confirm that Hong Lie had done nothing to it. It turned to Xiao Nanfeng.

"My father gave me this ring without saying anything more. If you're able to find my father, please feel free to discuss it with him," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

Envoy Ying fell silent.

"Envoy Ying, you've seen the ring for yourself. If you dare hurt Nanfeng, don't blame me for being discourteous," Hong Lie threatened.

"Hmph!" Envoy Ying transformed into a two-dimensional shadow and vanished once again.

"Senior Uncle, who's this Envoy Ying?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.

"It's a cursed effigy from the spirit emperor's hidden realm. I've only barely interacted with it; Nalan Qiankun was the one in charge. I can't imagine that he would dare to bring it outside. Be very wary," Hong Lie cautioned.

Xiao Nanfeng thought he sensed an undercurrent in Hong Lie's tone. Could Hong Lie know that the ring was fake? Had he deliberately been feigning ignorance to hide the secret?

Xiao Nanfeng nodded firmly. "Thank you for the advice, Senior Uncle."

"Alright. I still have to deliver Zhao Yuanjiao his fortune, so I'll be leaving now. I'll help make sure that Envoy Ying's gone, too." Hong Lie smiled, pleased by Xiao Nanfeng's wariness.

"Take care, Senior Uncle!"

Hong Lie nodded and turned to Yu'er. "Good eye, lass. I'm looking forward to your wedding."

"What are you talking about, Senior Uncle? I'm going to report you to my mother!" Yu'er stomped her foot as her face flushed red.

Hong Lie laughed and flew out of the hall.

1. Ying (影) = shadow ?