Chapter 294: At the Foot of Mt. Tianzhu

Xiao Nanfeng crept closer to the battlefield following the source of the commotion. The battlefield was a huge valley with five cultivators surrounding a bone giant.

The bone giant was wielding a halberd glowing with rainbow light.

"This bone giant's at the peak of Wingform. Even with an Immortal halberd, I doubt it's a match for these cultivators," Xiao Nanfeng surmised, hiding some distance away.

The five cultivators were all at Wingform, and one of them even wielded an Immortal sword. They were clearly strong, and the cracks on the bone giant's body grew more and more numerous.

The Wingform-realm cultivators' fight should have spawned clouds of dust and wind, filling the air with flames. However, there seemed to be a mysterious strength within the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm that absorbed all the remnant shockwaves from battle, causing the battle to look like an ordinary scene.

Xiao Nanfeng could see that there was a blue-clad man in the distance who didn't dare to close in on the battlefield. As a shard of rock flew toward him, he hurriedly retreated in shock. He seemed only to be a Spiritsong-realm cultivator.

"Be more careful! Don't destroy that halberd. If it's damaged, its strength will be greatly restricted!" the blue-clad man called out.

"We know!" the five Wingform-realm cultivators replied impatiently.

The blue-clad man's eyes shone with excitement. "Another Immortal relic! We really are lucky."

Just then, a fist struck his head, dazing him and causing him to spit out a mouthful of fresh blood. He turned around.

"Xiao Nanfeng, what are you doing here?" He gasped out his assailant's name before falling unconscious in a slump.

Xiao Nanfeng dragged him off.

Not too long later, the five Wingform-realm cultivators finished taking down the bone giant. They excitedly retrieved the Immortal halberd.

"Mr. Hua, let's get going. This divine slave will restore itself momentarily!" one of the cultivators called out.

However, as the cultivators whirled around, they found that Mr. Hua had vanished from sight.

Two hours later, by another valley, the blue-clad man slowly awoke to see Xiao Nanfeng close by.

"Y-Young Master Xiao?" the blue-clad man exclaimed.

"If I'm not mistaken, Nalan Yunhai has four strategists in his employ, named for the four arts. You must be Mr. Hua," Xiao Nanfeng said, smiling. [1]

"I am honored to have caught your attention, Young Master Xiao. Might I ask why you've caught me?"

Mr. Hua was inwardly rather shaken. Mr. Qin, Mr. Qi, and Mr. Shu had all died because of Xiao Nanfeng. Now, it seemed as though it would be his turn.

"Tell me about the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm, and I'll let you leave."

"Anything, Young Master Xiao," Mr. Hua replied cooperatively.

"What is this place?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"I heard others claim that these are the ruins of the Spirit Emperor's palace from the past. This hidden realm is filled with thick fog all year round, and the fog seems to possess some mysterious power that allows it to absorb the remnant shockwaves from all battles that occur in the realm. Furthermore, no one can fly too high into the sky. If they head deep into the fog, they'll vanish."

"Vanish? Where to?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"No one knows. Regardless, no one who headed toward the sky has made it back."

"Continue."

"There are many skeletal lifeforms here known as divine slaves. They have no intelligence and only basic combat ability. They patrol the region without any rest and are affected by the mysterious power in the area. They can regenerate even after being destroyed, and several bear Immortal relics."

"Why are they patrolling?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.

"We don't know, either. At any rate, they attack any outsiders they come across," Mr. Hua replied.

"Continue."

"I don't know much about the hidden realm myself. I entered following the second prince in search of opportunities for advancement. At the moment, we're hunting down Immortal relics. Someone discovered that this bone giant was wielding an Immortal halberd and reported to His Highness, who assigned me and five Wingform-realm cultivators to reclaim it."

"Oh? Where have Nalan Yunhai and the others gathered?"

"They're in the peach orchard."

"The peach orchard?"

"Yes, Young Master Xiao. According to His Highness, a tremendous opportunity awaits within. However, there are shadow cursed effigies around, and we can't head in at will. We've been exploring the fog around the peach orchard in search of Immortal relics. Once we've gathered enough, we'll fight our way in."

"Which strong cultivators are by Nalan Yunhai's side?"

"They're from various Immortal sects, and their names are..." Mr. Hua divulged the information at once.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. He had read reports and records that made him aware of the lay of the land around the Eastern Sea. These cultivators were all Wingform- and Spiritsong-realm cultivators, and they posed little threat to him.

"Bring me there," Xiao Nanfeng ordered.

"Young Master Xiao, there's too much fog around. I don't know where we are. If you bring me back to the valley where you found me, I can lead the way from there."

Xiao Nanfeng acceded to his request, quickly bringing Mr. Hua to the valley in which they had fought the bone giant.

The five Wingform-realm cultivators had long since left. The bone giant, its Immortal halberd missing, had somehow obtained a bone blade and was patrolling around with it.

Mr. Hua seemed to possess an inordinate fear of Xiao Nanfeng. He answered all his questions volubly, without any resistance whatsoever.

It took three whole days of walking before Xiao Nanfeng encountered a white, glossy mountain with even thickness all around. It extended high into the air, and its peak couldn't be seen beyond the fog.

"That's Mt. Tianzhu. It's made of some very hard material. We can't do anything to it. Even if we chip off a fragment with an Immortal relic, the damage repairs itself very quickly. Just like the divine slaves, the mountain seems to be able to regenerate. It's very sinister."

"How tall is it?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.

"Those who have climbed up the mountain have vanished just like those who flew into the air. None of us dare to climb it."

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng was shocked.

"The peach orchard's right at the foot of the mountain. Do you see that region surrounded by black fog? That's where the orchard is." Mr. Hua pointed into the distance.

Indeed, at the foot of Mt. Tianzhu was a large region ensconced with black fog. It was adjacent to but seemingly mutually impermeable with the white fog surrounding the rest of the region.

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"The black fog hides the peach orchard, and His Highness' camp is right around the orchard. I'll lead you there," Mr. Hua offered.

Xiao Nanfeng suddenly glared at Mr. Hua. "You're lying to me, aren't you?"

"I'm not! I'm telling the truth. The peach orchard is right there!"Mr. Hua exclaimed.

"No, something's wrong. You've told me everything I wanted to know along the way. Perhaps you fear me and yet want to live, so you don't dare to lie or resist, but not only did you point out Nalan Yunhai's camp, you even offered to lead me there. You're being far too solicitous. Aren't you afraid of offending Nalan Yunhai? Or are you deliberately trying to lure me there?" Xiao Nanfeng demanded.

"I, I—" Mr. Hua blanched. He seemed to be regretting his original attitude.

"Mr. Hua, I've sealed your cultivation. I control whether you live or die. Aren't you afraid of death? What's your game here?" Xiao Nanfeng kicked Mr. Hua down and pointed his bone blade at his body.

The fear suddenly cleared from Mr. Hua's face. He smiled coldly. "Xiao Nanfeng, I've told you the truth at every juncture. Over the past three days, you've secretly crept away twice, likely to find others and interrogate them to ensure that I'm telling the truth. And, indeed, I have."

"What's your plan, then?" Xiao Nanfeng pressed.

"This is the peach orchard, and the second prince's camp is here. So too is the Xiang Immortals' camp. They're aware that you've killed Xiang Pojun as well, but haven't had the opportunity to seek revenge. Now, however, they do."

Just then, a voice shouted from afar, "He's here! Xiao Nanfeng's here!"

"Inform King Tanlang that we've found Xiao Nanfeng!" a shout came from a nearby mountain.

Xiao Nanfeng's eyes widened as he realized that those were subordinates of the Xiang clan. The King Tanlang that they had referred to was a Xiang Immortal, Xiang Tanlang.

"How did they know I was here? Ah, I see. You have an avatar, don't you? Nalan Yunhai realized that I was coming thanks to your avatar, and has even sent word to Xiang Tanlang. He's going to take advantage of the Xiang cultivators to kill me!"

Mr. Hua's eyes twitched. "You could guess even that?"

"Die!" Xiao Nanfeng declared.

Xiao Nanfeng beheaded Mr. Hua with a slash and immediately began to flee.

1. The four arts, 琴棋书画 (Qin, Qi, Shu, Hua; the zither, the game of go, calligraphy, and painting), are four fields in which a well-educated scholar of ancient times is supposed to gain a measure of expertise. ☜