Chapter 311: Toward the Yao Pool

"Something's wrong with that moon of yours. Show it to me again," the Divine Emperor said.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. He sat cross-legged in meditation as his yin body emerged from his mindscape, radiating with silver light. A full moon glowed behind his head, mysterious and arcane.

"Your moon bears the cursed spiritual power of the superior yin pearl?" the Divine Emperor questioned.

The yin body retreated back into Xiao Nanfeng's mindscape as his physical body awakened.

"After my yin body broke out from within the moon, it left a slit behind. The superior yin pearl took that opportunity to take control of my moon."

𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"That superior yin pearl is a particularly domineering cursed effigy, and it even tried to fight me back in the undying realm. I suspect it's planning something disadvantageous to you," the Divine Emperor analyzed.

"Do you have a solution?"

"Allow me to think about it," the Divine Emperor replied seriously.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

"Let's leave this place for now. There's nothing else I'm interested in," the Divine Emperor said.

"Your cursed spiritual power has been dispersed within this hidden realm, hasn't it? Do you know where there's a large concentration of it?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"The Yao Pool, but it's too dangerous there," the Divine Emperor replied.

"Dangerous? Why?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.

"That year, after a tribulation, all of us perished. Because the Spirit Emperor and I had attuned our souls to cursed effigies beforehand, we revived as cursed effigies ourselves. The Spirit Emperor proposed to me at the Yao Pool, but I refused him. Angry, I tried to leave, but he refused to let me go. He burned my shadow cursed spiritual avatar with his candle flame and stripped me of my cursed spiritual power, intending to diminish my strength, set a curse of affection on me, and then force a wedding. I was completely unable to resist. Just as he was about to succeed, I ignited half of my remaining cursed spiritual power to tear apart this hidden realm, causing the heavens to discover where we were. A heavenly tribulation struck us then, attempting to destroy the Spirit Emperor. As the sky shattered and the ground quaked, the Spirit Emperor hastily defended against the heavenly blow. There was chaos all around. I took advantage of the situation to escape. I was terribly weak, and there were a group of small spirits chasing after me no matter where I went. I fled back to my hall, and you know the rest."

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng replied curiously.

"From then on, the heavens imposed restrictions on this hidden realm, and divine slaves arrived to guard the shadow cursed effigies, including the Spirit Emperor himself. All the shadows have been detained in this prison."

"You have half your cursed spiritual power at the Yao Pool? We should claim it at once, then!" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

The Divine Emperor shook her head. "That's where the majority of the divine slaves are. It's particularly dangerous. A moment's carelessness could claim your life easily."

"I'm already at Yin Body, and I'm not afraid. Let's head there," Xiao Nanfeng urged.

"But—" The Divine Emperor still seemed a little worried.

"We can do it! Let's head there now. Will you guide me? Don't worry—if it's getting too hard for me, I'll retreat," Xiao Nanfeng promised.

The Divine Emperor considered Xiao Nanfeng's request in silence for some time before finally nodding. "Alright. Be careful."

Not too long later, Xiao Nanfeng left the black fog around the Divine Emperor's hall. This time, he carefully inspected his surroundings.

Seeing a person's figure in the distance, he pointed his divine undying blade in that direction.

"Who's there? Are you trying to ambush me?" Xiao Nanfeng called out.

Countless cultivators emerged from behind a hill not too far away.

"You lot? Haven't you left yet?" Xiao Nanfeng asked, confused.

He had caught these cultivators and spared their lives in exchange for information about the paper snake. As promised, he had freed them. Why were they still around?

"Young Master Xiao, we've provided compensation for offending you, and my main body has personally deactivated the defensive formation around my sect's island for the Xiao forces," one cultivator reported.

"I'm aware. What are all of you doing now?"

The cultivator bowed. "We wish to join your faction, Young Master Xiao. Would you be willing to accept our Immortal sects?"

"Oh? Why?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned.

"The Fuyou sect master is my dear friend, and I learned that he too has joined your faction. I'd like to do the same, and I believe that your faction will have a more prosperous future."

"Are there other reasons?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned, not believing such an excuse.

The other cultivator hesitated for a moment. He knew that, if he didn't reveal the truth, Xiao Nanfeng would never be willing to accept his sect.

Smiling wryly, the cultivator continued, "These last few days, we've learned about what has happened outside the hidden realm and have contemplated the options available to us. We feel that, after Xiang Qisha's death, the Xiang clan won't be willing to assign us important roles and positions. Indeed, we might even be blamed for his death. We'd like to join your faction as a means of survival, Young Master Xiao."

Xiao Nanfeng considered the cultivators before him and nodded. "Very well. I'll give you one chance."

"Thank you, Young Master Xiao!" the cultivators chorused.

"Young Master Xiao, I know that the Xiang cultivators have gone to the Thousand Spirits' Hall. We can guide you there," one cultivator immediately volunteered.

Xiao Nanfeng didn't completely believe the cultivators just yet. Still somewhat guarded, he asked, "What are they doing there?"

"The Xiang clan hosts a strategist whose features have always been shrouded in fog. No one knows who they are or what they look like. That strategist is in charge of the Xiang clan's plans in this hidden realm. Allegedly, they have a means of dealing with the Spirit Emperor. The majority of the strongest Xiang cultivators are gathered at the Thousand Spirits' Hall in an attempt to handle his main body."

Xiao Nanfeng considered the information, then nodded. "I see."

"Young Master Xiao, will you be heading toward the Thousand Spirits' Hall?" the cultivator asked.

"There's no need. Since all of you are willing to join the Xiao forces, I intend for you to leave this hidden realm immediately. Will that be acceptable?"

"Of course!" the cultivators replied happily.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. He understood what was going on now; there had been no deception at all. These cultivators really didn't think that the Xiang clan would treat them well after their perceived failure, and they were desperate for his protection. No—perhaps they were worried that they wouldn't even be able to leave this hidden realm if they were to continue associating with the Xiangs. That was why they had chosen to petition him.

"At noon ten days later, gather by the Southern Heavenly Gate. My avatar will be there to open a portal to allow you to leave."

"Thank you, Young Master Xiao!" the cultivators replied.

Xiao Nanfeng gave them all directions to the gate. "Now, go on!"

"Understood!" the cultivators cried out.

Only after seeing them off did Xiao Nanfeng continue on his way. Rather than the Thousand Spirits' Hall, he headed toward the Yao Pool.

Ten days later, within a valley, Xiao Nanfeng was sent flying by an Immortal-realm divine slave. By now, however, his physical body had grown strong enough to withstand the blow without taking damage. He quickly darted through the fog and vanished.

Just as he managed to get rid of that Immortal-realm divine slave, another one appeared, chasing after him.

"As expected, the Yao Pool is truly dangerous. There are Immortal-realm divine slaves everywhere," Xiao Nanfeng gasped.

He didn't attempt to fight them with his yin body. Rather, he continued to dodge and escape from them as he sought out the precise location of the Yao Pool.

Another Immortal-realm divine slave howled and rushed over to him, causing him to narrow his eyes. He glanced around alertly. "Something's wrong. How are these Immortal-realm divine slaves finding me? They're appearing one after another!"

On a hilltop not too far away, a man was eyeing him: Nalan Yunhai.

"Xiao Nanfeng? You managed to escape from the Spirit Emperor?" Nalan Yunhai chuckled.