Chapter 289: Hong Lie's Memorial

Months ago, the backyard of Cui Haisheng's manor in Jingtao had been deemed a forbidden area. Screams and shouts could be heard from the region from time to time, and the household servants and guards stayed as far away from it as they could. Just looking in the direction of the backyard would give them chills as they shuddered in fear.

Every day, there were countless headless corpses that had to be retrieved from the backyard. Those who had been assigned such a responsibility returned from it shaking and shivering; some even suffered a major illness.

Tang's eyes twitched as he headed to the backyard himself.

"Damn it, Cui Haisheng! He told me he was going to help me raise my cultivation, but he ran off to the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm and ditched me. I even have to take care of Envoy Ying!" Tang clutched a letter as his heart thumped.

As he stepped into the backyard, he found it surrounded by black smoke. His body suddenly turned chilly. Dozens of shadow cursed effigies had surrounded him and were reaching out for his head with their claws, as if about to pluck it from his body.

Tang gulped and held his letter up high. "I'm here to report to Envoy Ying! There's news about the Divine Emperor."

Only then did the cursed effigies retract their claws and shift aside.

Tang took a deep breath as he walked deep into the backyard. Along the way, he saw more and more shadow cursed effigies wandering their domain.

A group of shadows were dragging dozens of cultivators into a small courtyard. The cultivators were screaming in fear.

The shadows all around, sensing prey, pounced toward them.

"Save us! Help!"

"Please, let me go! I was just strolling through the streets! Don't kill me!"

The cultivators screamed and wept, but any resistance was futile. The shadows quickly plucked off their heads and ate them whole. Then, they tossed the headless corpses into a corner of the courtyard for the servants to clean up.

Tang's scalp prickled. No wonder Cui Haisheng had run off; who could bear such a scene? Cui Haisheng had appointed him as Envoy Ying's messenger instead. He felt as though he might be eaten at any time.

Tang walked up to the hall and called out tentatively, "Envoy Ying, I have word about the Divine Emperor."

"Enter!" Envoy Ying shouted from within.

Tang walked into the hall to see a black-robed figure swallowing up a shadow cursed effigy.

The black-robed figure was none other than Envoy Ying. Despite the fact that only a hand from its body had remained, its body had completely regrown by now. Not only that, whereas the other shadow cursed effigies were eating people, it was eating the shadow cursed effigies themselves.

Tang shuddered. Envoy Ying was far more fearsome than those mindless shadows.

"News from Xiao Nanfeng? Describe what happened," Envoy Ying said.

"A report from the city of Yongding mentions that Xiao Nanfeng and a group of cultivators killed Xiang Pojun. What happened was..." Tang recounted the series of events leading up to Xiang Pojun's death.

"Xiang Pojun's dead?" Envoy Ying exclaimed.

"He is. Yongding's too dangerous at the moment, and Xiao Nanfeng bears fearsome power. Envoy Ying, we can't afford to antagonize him."

"Can't afford to antagonize him? What nonsense. Didn't you explain what happened? Xiang Pojun died because of the Divine Emperor. All Xiao Nanfeng and his group did was break the qi barrier around Xiang Pojun," Envoy Ying replied disdainfully.

"Isn't that a matter of concern in and of itself?" Tang asked.

"Xiao Nanfeng's blade is rather strange, but it likely needs a dragon-quelling spike to unlock its full strength. Without these spikes, there's nothing to be concerned about," Envoy Ying replied disdainfully.

"In that case, when are you going to deal with Xiao Nanfeng and the Divine Emperor?" Tang asked.

Envoy Ying thought for a moment. "Soon enough. Once I recover to the level of an Immortal. I suppose he'll live for a few more days."

"Understood!" Tang replied.

"Leave," Envoy Ying said coolly.

Tang left the hall, trembling with fear.

Three days later, by Hong Lie's cenotaph on Taiqing Island, Xiao Nanfeng was leading a memorial service for Hong Lie attended by countless Taiqing disciples. Before his grave was placed Xiang Pojun's head and a series of tributes.

Xiao Nanfeng poured a cup of wine over his grave.

"Senior Uncle, I've avenged you. May your truesoul rest peacefully in heaven," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Rest in peace, Division Leader Hong Lie!" the Taiqing disciples cried out. They kowtowed toward Hong Lie's grave.

Hong Lie had been the Mortal division leader ever since the Taiqing calamity, and he had kept the entire division running since; his achievements couldn't compare to, say, Zhao Tianheng. Taking revenge for Hong Lie had therefore been one of the Taiqing Sect's main priorities, and this memorial service to report and honor that revenge had drawn the attention of countless Taiqing disciples.

After the ceremony, as the disciples scattered, a robed official walked up to Xiao Nanfeng and Zhao Yuanjiao.

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Division Leader Xiao, Emperor Tianshu has received your envoys and is aware of your deeds. However, His and Her Majesties, along with the crown prince, have departed for the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm and were unable to make it to the ceremony. I was sent to deliver the news in their stead. Please forgive the discourtesy."

"Not Nalan Qiankun's main body, nor even his avatar?" Zhao Yuanjiao frowned.

"We had just received news that Ku Jiang and Han Bingdie were in a bout of danger within the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm, and His Majesty's avatar had left to help them out. Please forgive the discourtesy," the official repeated.

Zhao Yuanjiao continued to frown, but didn't grumble any longer.

The official turned toward Xiao Nanfeng. "Emperor Tianshu has proclaimed that whosoever kills Xiang Pojun shall be given the title of Marquis and control over Marquis Wu's lands. Upon learning that the Xiang forces had cooperatively killed Xiang Pojun, His Majesty declared that the merit for the kill shall be awarded to Marquis Xiao, and Marquis Wu's lands shall likewise become Marquis Xiao's lands."

The official handed an imperial edict to Xiao Nanfeng.

"What? You're not granting Xiao Nanfeng the title of Marquis?!" Zhao Yuanjiao exclaimed angrily.

Xiao Nanfeng reached out and held Zhao Yuanjiao back. "His Majesty is right. After all, I wasn't the one who slew Xiang Pojun myself."

Zhao Yuanjiao fumed at the official.

"Thank you for being understanding, Young Master Xiao." The official smiled.

"On behalf of my father, allow me to thank Emperor Tianshu." Xiao Nanfeng claimed the edict formally.

"If there's nothing else, I shall confirm delivery of the edict." The official bowed and departed.

Zhao Yuanjiao waited until the official left before turning to Xiao Nanfeng with a scowl.

"Nanfeng risked his life to avenge our Senior Uncle, but this edict claimed that Emperor Tianshu's bounty was to thank for it! Nalan Qiankun is shameless," Yu'er fumed.

"Not only that, instead of granting Nanfeng the title of Marquis, Nalan Qiankun's assigning the merit to his father. It would be improper and irreverent for Nanfeng to contest his father for the merit, meaning that Nalan Qiankun gets to skimp on fortune," Zhao Yuanjiao added.

"Skimp on fortune?" Yu'er sounded perplexed.

"When a cultivator is granted the title of Marquis, the title is traditionally awarded alongside a considerable sum of fortune. Since Nalan Qiankun isn't granting Nanfeng that title, then he won't have to pay out the fortune, either."

Yu'er spat in disgust. "What a schemer! He's worse than you, Zhao Yuanjiao."

Zhao Yuanjiao frowned at Yu'er.

"Nanfeng, do you think Nalan Qiankun was lying when he said that he couldn't attend this memorial?" Yu'er turned to Xiao Nanfeng.

Xiao Nanfeng shook his head. "I don't care whether or not he makes it. It's sufficient that he sent an official to report back on what happened."

"Oh? Why?" Yu'er asked.

"There's likely another culprit responsible for Hong Lie's death in addition to Xiang Pojun, and I believe Nalan Qiankun is sheltering that culprit. The culprit may well be in the Tianshu Empire. This memorial is partially intended as a signal to Nalan Qiankun that we're done with the investigation, that we won't pursue this killer any longer," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Will Nalan Qiankun believe us?" Yu'er asked.

"It doesn't matter—our attitude toward the situation is enough. We'll continue the investigation slowly, but nothing will happen in the short term. Perhaps the killer will relax and drop their guard as well," Xiao Nanfeng stated.

"This killer's identity must be exceptional," Yu'er said.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. He turned to Zhao Yuanjiao. "Senior Brother, how has your cultivation advanced so quickly despite your remaining in Taiqing Island? You've already reached late-stage Wingform-realm."

"You have your draconic veins, and I have my blackguards. They reported to me about an Immortal estate left behind after the Immortal's death. There were a few treasures and opportunities within, some of which allowed my cultivation to grow at a rapid clip," Zhao Yuanjiao replied.

"Oh?"

"It's a very safe location. I won't be able to use up all the treasures, and some are already starting to dissipate. I've already had some of my confidantes in the Ascended division and the most important blackguards head there to try their luck. Would you two like to do the same?"

"An Immortal's abode..." Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

Zhao Yuanjiao nodded. "Keep this secret, you hear? I'm only telling you about it. You're welcome to bring some trusted subordinates to join me."

Yu'er's eyes filled with anticipation.

"Senior Sister, you should head there with Croak, Warble, and You Jiu. They've been at the peak of Wingform for some time. Perhaps the treasures in this abode will suffice to evoke the Immortal transformation," Xiao Nanfeng suggested.

"You're not going?" Zhao Yuanjiao asked in surprise.

Xiao Nanfeng smiled. "I'd like to see if I can find the entrance to the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm."

Zhao Yuanjiao gave Xiao Nanfeng an odd look. Had Xiao Nanfeng advanced to the point that these treasures meant nothing to him?

"Don't misunderstand me, Senior Brother. I cultivate an unusual technique, and ordinary aether won't be able to advance it any further. I need to find an opportunity within the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm. As you know, even draconic aether won't make my cultivation budge," Xiao Nanfeng explained.

Zhao Yuanjiao nodded. "Can you find an entrance leading into it?"

"I'm sure that Xiang Pojun's charm is the key, but I haven't uncovered all its secrets."

Zhao Yuanjiao nodded again. "Be careful, then."

"Nanfeng, what if I accompany you to the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm instead?" Yu'er offered.

Xiao Nanfeng shook his head. "There's no need. You should head to the Immortal's abode. Croak, Warble, and You Jiu will protect you. If you manage to become an Immortal, you can come over and help me then."

Yu'er nodded with some reluctance.