Chapter 271: Slaying the Envoy

Envoy Ying blocked the Divine Emperor's path. The Divine Emperor had just devoured a whole swath of shadows, and black smoke was pouring out of it.

"Your loyal subordinate greets the Divine Emperor. Your Majesty, these small spirits, under the command of the Spirit Emperor, have been searching for you for a thousand years. Unfortunately, they were so useless that others managed to seal them. Divine Emperor, please consume them to your heart's content. I only ask that you accompany me back to the Spirit Emperor afterwards, who has been pining for you for a millennium." Envoy Ying bowed and smiled toward the Divine Emperor.

The Divine Emperor was surrounded by black smoke, making it impossible to discern its gender or expression. It stared at Envoy Ying and growled.

Envoy Ying's black robe billowed.

"Divine Emperor, your faculty of speech has been sealed, but the Spirit Emperor will be able to remove that seal as long as you're willing to return. You and the Spirit Emperor once conquered the world together, and the Spirit Emperor won't make things difficult for you. Please return with me," Envoy Ying pressed.

The Divine Emperor stared at the envoy for a moment longer before waving an arm.

The barrier of black smoke tolled as the Divine Emperor's bell fell from the skies.

Envoy Ying's eyes widened as he reached out, arm outstretched. He struck the bell and prevented it from falling.

"Back then, a millennium ago, we were mistaken from the beginning. We scoured the world and failed to find the Divine Emperor's bell, never suspecting that you would have transformed it into a ring and remained in the hidden realm. Divine Emperor, you shouldn't have left the bell. The seal on your body will cause tremendous damage if you do so, and I would never have expected that the cursed spiritual power of a paltry hundred small shadows would have been enough to lure you out. Are you so weak that you're enticed by these scraps?" Envoy Ying laughed.

With Envoy Ying holding the bell, the Divine Emperor couldn't return within.

The Divine Emperor, clearly frustrated, struck at Envoy Ying with a palm, but Envoy Ying easily blocked its blow.

"Divine Emperor, you're extremely weak in your current state. Don't force yourself to fight. Come back with me." Envoy Ying grabbed at the Divine Emperor,

who caused the bell to toll. A golden sound wave, charged with killing intent, struck Envoy Ying and encapsulated it. Its body shook violently,

The Divine Emperor took the opportunity to approach its bell.

"Divine Emperor, I won't let you hide within it any longer. You'll have to return with me today!" Envoy Ying demanded.

It struck the Divine Emperor once again and prevented it from escaping into the bell.

In rage, the Divine Emperor punched at Envoy Ying with a fist of black smoke. It simultaneously caused the bell to toll repeatedly, sending sound waves to attack and disorient Envoy Ying.

Both cursed effigies gushed with black smoke. Fearsome killing intent filled them.

"Divine Emperor, at your peak, ten thousand copies of me would be no match for you, but you've been severely weakened. I suggest that you stop calling on strength beyond your means. I've found you—so don't think of running. Return with me!" Envoy Ying demanded again.

Earth and rock flew into the air as the confrontation between Envoy Ying and the Divine Emperor caused gale winds to arise around them. The formation of black smoke that had initially been present dissipated after coming in contact with the energy that the two cursed effigies were giving off. Smoke and dust filled the air; visibility was low.

Xiao Nanfeng carried Yu'er in his hands as he watched the fight unfold. It was clear that the Divine Emperor would be no match for Envoy Ying as the fight dragged on. Even with the help of its bell, the Divine Emperor was barely able to defend itself.

He looked at Yu'er. She was still unconscious, and blood seeped out of a corner of her lips. Yu'er had suffered like this in order to save him—and he fully intended to take revenge on Envoy Ying.

"Senior Black Lotus, is it possible for me to help the Divine Emperor?" Xiao Nanfeng suddenly asked.

Within Xiao Nanfeng's mindscape, the black lotus was floating comfortably on his stellar lake after having consumed the dragon-quelling spike. It was rather surprised to hear Xiao Nanfeng's question.

The black lotus emitted clouds of black light that formed words in mid-air. "The Divine Emperor harbors malicious intentions regarding your physical body. Why would you save it? Wouldn't it be better for you to escape now and free yourself of its influence?"

"I understand that that's the most logical course of action, but that Envoy Ying has hurt me as well. Compared to the Divine Emperor, I dislike Envoy Ying more. Furthermore, it hurt Yu'er, and I want to take revenge on her behalf," Xiao Nanfeng explained.

The black lotus continued, "If you intend to meddle in their fight, you'll offend Envoy Ying. It won't be able to die, so when it escapes and plots revenge against you, you'll be in big trouble."

"I can handle trouble. Please help me, Senior," Xiao Nanfeng begged.

"You intend to put your life on the line for the lass in your lap? She hasn't devoted her heart to you for nothing, then."

Xiao Nanfeng smiled wryly. "Senior, there's nothing between Yu'er and me."

The black lotus clearly didn't believe Xiao Nanfeng. "The divine undying blade is the cursed spiritual avatar of the undying cursed king and bears tremendous power. In your hands, however, it's just an ordinary weapon. Do you know why?"

"Please enlighten me, Senior," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

"The divine undying blade possesses no cursed spiritual power and is naturally unable to display its cursed might. Conveniently, after consuming this dragon-quelling spike, which contains remnants of the undying cursed king's cursed spiritual power, I can help you activate the true might of the blade once."

"Thank you, Senior," Xiao Nanfeng replied gratefully.

"Don't thank me just yet. This cursed spiritual power will trigger your blade's latent powers, but it might cause the undying cursed king to awaken as well. If you use this power, you may have even more trouble on your plate. Are you certain you want it?"

Xiao Nanfeng glanced at the unconscious form of Yu'er. His eyes flashed resolutely. "Please assist me, Senior."

"You're really willing to gamble your life for this woman? Very well."

The black lotus emitted a blue gas which slowly seeped out of Xiao Nanfeng's mindscape.

Xiao Nanfeng held onto Yu'er with one hand as he caught the gas with the divine undying blade with the other.

When it came in contact with this gas, the blade absorbed it all like cotton absorbing water. Then, it gleamed with blinding blue light. A mysterious power could be sensed shimmering over the blade's surface.

Xiao Nanfeng carried Yu'er on his back, strapping her to him withrope. Then, wielding the gleaming divine undying blade, he shot into the battlefield between Envoy Ying and the Divine Emperor.

Dust filled the air, and visibility was low. By following the source of the black smoke, however, Xiao Nanfeng easily found the two cursed kings.

Envoy Ying had one palm outstretched toward the heavens while the other suppressed the Divine Emperor. Black smoke whirled around him in a tempest.

The Divine Emperor blocked Envoy Ying's palm with both palms of his own. It seemed to be in dire straits.

"Divine Emperor, I learned this technique from you. Do you remember how many legends you bested in the past with just this technique alone? Do you think I've been able to capture its essence?" Envoy Ying asked.

The Divine Emperor roared in outrage.

"Your struggles are futile. You're simply too weak as is to be a match for me. Let's stop here. Come return to the Spirit Emperor with me," Envoy Ying demanded.

The Divine Emperor continued to growl, but it was incapable of resisting much longer against Envoy Ying's strength. Its body was about to contort and bend.

Just then, Xiao Nanfeng leapt forward.

Envoy Ying, sensing another presence, immediately turned and saw Xiao Nanfeng. "Are you crazy, lad? You want to save the Divine Emperor even though he's eyeing your body? And you dare strike at me with such paltry cultivation? Could you even break through my qi barrier? You overestimate your capabilities. Just you wait. I'll deal with you later, haha!"

The black smoke that roiled around Envoy Ying struck Xiao Nanfeng like a tempest.

Xiao Nanfeng stilled. He was incapable of blocking even that black smoke, but the blade in his hands was a different matter entirely. It cut apart the barrier in a flash of blue light.

"What? Impossible!" Envoy Ying cried out.

A gleaming blue slash split apart everything in sight: countless black smoke, earth and rock, and dust

"No!" Envoy Ying cried out in horror.

Its body was split in twain.

The Divine Emperor's bell absorbed half of Envoy Ying's body into itself. The Divine Emperor, meanwhile, bit down on the other half.

"Argh!" Envoy Ying was able to scream even with only half his organs.

Then, the Divine Emperor swallowed it whole.

Had Envoy Ying been killed? Xiao Nanfeng couldn't help but be relieved—the divine undying king hadn't managed to recur. On the other hand, all that cursed spiritual power in the dragon-quelling blade has been consumed in just one blow. Isn't that far too short?

The Divine Emperor suddenly turned to Xiao Nanfeng.

"There's no need to thank me, Divine Emperor. Just don't hang around me any longer. Farewell!" Xiao Nanfeng strode off immediately.

However, the Divine Emperor only returned to its bell, which trembled and stilled. It vanished from sight.

The next moment, Xiao Nanfeng frowned. A storage ring appeared on his left hand's middle finger once again. The Divine Emperor had returned.

Xiao Nanfeng pursed his lips. "Divine Emperor, please don't repay my kindness like this. I saved you from captivity."

The Divine Emperor ignored Xiao Nanfeng. Suddenly, however, it extended a pitch-black palm toward Yu'er.

Xiao Nanfeng blanched and blocked the Divine Emperor with his blade. "Strike me if you dare, not her!"

The palm ultimately stopped some distance away from Yu'er, then curled. A cloud of cursed spiritual power was drawn out from her body, then vanished into the ring along with the palm.

Then, Yu'er shook. She seemed to be waking up.

Xiao Nanfeng smiled in relief. He immediately apologized. "Senior, I'm sorry. I misunderstood your gesture. Thank you, thank you!"

The Divine Emperor didn't respond to Xiao Nanfeng's apology. Instead, he could vaguely hear chewing and gnawing sounds from within the ring as it consumed the other half of Envoy Ying's body.