Chapter 285: Xiang Pojun's Raid

Atop a gatetower, Nalan Yunhai and Nalan Changkong stood side by side as they glanced at the twenty-five corpses hung outside the city walls.

"Yunhai, who had you kill these cultivators?" Nalan Changkong gave his brother a stern look.

"Elder brother, these cultivators revealed the plot to kill Xiao Nanfeng! I had to sever any ties with them immediately. Otherwise, Father's reputation would have been impacted."

"How foolish," Nalan Changkong replied.

"What?"

"They do deserve death, but that's not a punishment you can mete out. That penalty has to be imposed by the Taiqing Immortal Sect itself, not you. They betrayed their sect for you, but you chose to kill them. Ignoring whether that would even sever your ties to them, don't you realize just what this means for your reputation?" Nalan Changkong demanded.

"My reputation?" Nalan Yunhai's face stiffened as though he had just realized something.

"You're willing to betray and kill even your own followers. You're merciless and struck them down when they were suffering because of you. Who would be willing to work for you in the future? Who would dare?"

Nalan Yunhai gulped.

"Look at Xiao Nanfeng. He's willing to accept even a sect that opposed him previously, the Sanyuan Immortal Sect. He's willing to be merciful even against those Taiqing elders that attempted to assassinate him. Everyone's praising his benevolence and integrity. Are you aware of how many sects in the region are considering working with him?"

Nalan Yunhai's face twisted in disgust. "He did this intentionally. He's reaping a good reputation at my expense!"

Nalan Changkong shook his head. "There wouldn't have been a problem if you hadn't killed these cultivators."

"Those Taiqing elders serving as escort told me they were about to reveal this affair to the world at large, so I panicked. Xiao Nanfeng must have told them to tell me that—it was to get me to mess up!" Nalan Yunhai cried out.

"Why would you do something so foolish to begin with?" Nalan Changkong demanded. "Attempting to assassinate the new Mortal division leader immediately after Hong Lie's death?"

"Brother, the Taiqing Immortal Sect claims too much of the Tianshu Empire's fortune on an annual basis. If I were to become the Mortal division leader, I would be able to reclaim some of that fortune," Nalan Yunhai explained.

"It's true that the Taiqing Immortal Sect has claimed far too much fortune from us, but this isn't something for you to worry about. You wanted a source of fortune for yourself, didn't you?"

With his plan exposed, Nalan Yunhai could only smile wryly. "Brother, you know that I only managed to advance to Wingform-realm because of some fortune that Mother passed to me, allowing me to absolve karmic consequence. I was momentarily blinded by greed and attempted to claim more fortune for myself."

"You had better think of how to explain this to Father," Nalan Changkong told him.

"Brother, please help persuade Father not to blame me. There's nothing wrong about trying to kill Xiao Nanfeng, is there? The only problem was that I failed. Xiao Nanfeng's been attempting to conquer Marquis Wu's lands, and is even starting to recruit the disciples of other Immortal sects. His ambition shines through, and we have to quash him before he grows too strong!" Nalan Yunhai frowned.

"As I've told you repeatedly, he's Xiao Hongye's son. We can't target him openly. What would the world think if this were how we treated the descendant of Xiao Hongye, an instrumental figure in establishing this empire in the first place? Which Immortal sects would dare to work for us then?"

"But we can't let him just continue expanding like this!" Nalan Yunhai cried out. "He's growing far too quickly. At this rate, he'll become a plague to the Tianshu Empire. Furthermore, it's likely that he was the one who killed our third brother!"

Nalan Changkong took a deep breath, then whispered, "Don't worry. He won't live much longer."

"What?"

"Uncle has been helping Envoy Ying reclaim countless shadow cursed effigies, and the work is still progressing. These cursed effigies all have uncommon strength, and they'll attack Xiao Nanfeng together soon enough. He'll surely die then," Nalan Changkong promised.

"Truly? Why didn't you tell me, Brother? I wouldn't have schemed against Xiao Nanfeng if I had known!" Nalan Yunhai cried out.

"Forget it. The matter is settled. We'll talk more once we return. Come, follow me!" Nalan Changkong announced.

"Where to?"

"The Spirit Emperor's hidden realm."

"Oh?"

"Not just you, but also the Wingform-realm cultivators in all the sects that have chosen to ally with us, as well as various marquises of the empire. Mr. Wen said that everything's ready, that it would be time to claim the opportunities in the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm," Nalan Changkong said.

"Are all the strongest cultivators going to head inside? How will we fight them, then? What if the rouge soldiers take advantage of the opportunity to make a fuss?" Nalan Yunhai asked.

"The Xiang clan's gathering Wingform-realm cultivators to enter the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm as well. They want to claim the opportunities within for themselves. As a result, the Tianshu Empire will be rather peaceful for the short term."

"In other words, our battle with the Xiang clan will take place in the expedition grounds from now on?" Nalan Yunhai asked.

Within a valley, a group of cultivators, each frowning, surrounded Xiang Pojun.

"Pojun, you cause trouble wherever you go. Can't you give it a rest? Last time, you attempted to raid Taiqing Island with just a crow Immortal. This time, you challenged Hong Lie to a duel. Aren't you aware of just how weak you are?" one cultivator demanded.

"But I did manage to kill Hong Lie," Xiang Pojun retorted. "I've dealt with a threat to us all."

"Were you the one who killed Hong Lie? Aren't you aware that someone else took advantage of you?"

"I know. I received word that Hong Lie had been cursed, and that the curse could take effect at any time. However, as an Immortal, Hong Lie could dispel the curse if he noticed it in advance. I deliberately fought him to distract him. Of course, he only died because of a sneak attack from the cursemonger, but who's to say that it would have happened if I weren't there? I was heavily injured by Hong Lie again, so treat me kindly, won't you?"

The cultivators frowned, glanced at each other, and sighed.

"Forget it. Since you're injured, we'll leave you in charge of guarding the entrance to the hidden realm. Come back in when you've recuperated," the cultivator continued.

"You're all heading back into the hidden realm? This quickly?" Xiang Pojun exclaimed.

"We've obtained something to deal with the shadow cursed effigies. Or are you expecting us to wait until the Spirit Emperor leaves secluded cultivation?"

"Very well." Xiang Pojun nodded.

"Now, we'll be heading into the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm with all the Wingform-realm cultivators we've gathered in order to fight for the opportunities within it. Don't send out too many troops or commit them too heavily to battle. It'd be best if you maintained the status quo—rather than focus on expansion, stabilize our current territory and wait for us to return. Then, we'll destroy the Tianshu Empire."

"Don't worry. I understand." Xiang Pojun nodded.

Ten days later, in Xiao Nanfeng's study in Yongding, Ye Sanshui returned to report on what was happening on the frontlines.

"Are the disciples of those other two Immortal sects willing to listen to your orders?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"Their two sect masters are personally in command of their troops. They treat me with extreme respect and work particularly hard on the battlefield," Ye Sanshui reported.

"Good, very good!" Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

"King Xiao, I've returned secretly because I noticed something amiss and wanted to report to you directly." Ye Sanshui frowned.

"Oh?"

"Ten days ago, the other marquises' forces retreated from Marquis Wu's lands, and the rogue forces are abstaining from fighting instead. They're defending their lands instead of actively attacking us. It's as though everyone has suddenly deserted the battlefield. I'm worried that there's some hidden ploy in play," Ye Sanshui continued.

Xiao Nanfeng gave him a smile. "Don't worry. It's not a conspiracy. The Tianshu Empire's troops are doing the same thing."

"Oh?"

"The majority of the Wingform-realm generals and commanders have been sent away, leaving only the Spiritsong-realm ones behind," Xiao Nanfeng explained.

"Where have they all gone?" Ye Sanshui asked.

"According to the blackguards, Emperor Tianshu and the Xiang clan are respectively bringing their own Wingform-realm cultivators into the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm in search of the opportunities that lie within.

"In other words, the rogue forces' defenses will be drastically weakened?" Ye Sanshui asked.

"That's right. You don't have to worry about anything. Work on claiming all of Marquis Wu's lands and bringing it under your control—and do it as quickly as you can!"

"Understood!" Ye Sanshui replied.

Struck by this rare opportunity, Ye Sanshui immediately rushed to the frontlines and fielded a large army to start the conquest immediately. The two new Immortal sects, wanting to make a good showing, participated as well.

In just slightly over a month, the Xiao troops had taken over all the cities in Marquis Wu's lands.

Within a valley, the recuperating Xiang Pojun was having a sip of clear tea as he glanced toward a group of kneeling, injured soldiers and generals outside the pavilion.

"King Pojun, we've done our best, but the Xiao troops have plenty of Wingform-realm cultivators that we can't defend against. Many of the senior brothers of the sect have died, and we've lost all the cities in Marquis Wu's lands. Please, King Pojun, take revenge for my fallen brethren!" the wounded soldier in the lead cried out.

Xiang Pojun seemed surprised. "The Xiao troops? Xiao Nanfeng's army?"

"That's right. He's Xiao Hongye's son and Ku Jiang's disciple. Before Hong Lie's death, he even transferred the position of the Mortal division leader to him. When King Pojun attacked the Taiqing Island, Xiao Nanfeng slew two of the Wingform-realm crow spirits he brought over in a row," the wounded soldier reported.

"Xiao Hongye's son? He's not in the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm? Very well. We'll settle scores both new and old now. The debt that Xiao Hongye owed me that year, I'll claim from his son. Where is he now?" Xiang Pojun asked coldly.

"He's in Yongding," the wounded soldier replied, shocked that Xiang Pojun would make a move himself.

"Hand me compiled information about the city of Yongding," Xiang Pojun requested carefully.

"Yes, King Pojun!" a cultivator immediately rushed over with relevant information.

Xiang Pojun glanced at the dossier carefully before he smirked. "The city of Yongding only has two Wingform-realm toad spirits. How many Wingform-realm cultivators might be hidden within? They're just rabble. Come, accompany me to level Yongding to the ground!

"Understood!" everyone chorused.