Chapter 324: Cause and Effect

"Alright, that's enough. The Divine Emperor's already gone. Stop making a fuss," Xiao Nanfeng told Ao Zhou.

"Xiao Nanfeng, how could you? You knew that she was an elder of the Qitian Alliance. Why didn't you tell me?" Ao Zhou gave him an exasperated look.

"Tell you? Why? She doesn't have any connection to you. She only made a move on my behalf."

Ao Zhou turned to him, his eyes suddenly wide open. "You've set your sights on an elder of the Qitian Alliance?"

"None of your business," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

Rather than get angry, however, Ao Zhou gave Xiao Nanfeng an envious look. He pressed, "Are there any other beautiful elders of the Qitian Alliance? Why don't you introduce me to some of them?"

"You've already had a kid with Prime Minister Whale. What elder would want to be with you after hearing about that? Give up," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

"That wasn't a kid—it was a cursed effigy!" Ao Zhou cried out.

"Cursed kids won't do, either."

Ao Zhou jumped up in anger. "You! Prime Minister Whale and I are innocent—ouch!"

Ao Zhou was so weak that he sprained his waist by jumping up too quickly. Paralyzed, he fell back to the ground, where a group of serpents hastily caught him.

"You had better rest after your childbirth," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Childbirth? Xiao Nanfeng, if you keep bringing this up, I'll fight you!" Ao Zhou was so mad that he was about to spit out blood.

Xiao Nanfeng ignored Ao Zhou and walked up to Prime Minister Whale, who had turned into an ice sculpture.

"Prime Minister Whale, let's have a good chat," Xiao Nanfeng said coolly.

Prime Minister Whale jerked in fear. "If you spare me, I'll tell you everything!"

"I can spare your life, but you'll have to tell me everything without reservation," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Thank you, Young Master Xiao! I know you're a man of your word." Prime Minister Whale smiled in relief. He had no trump cards up his sleeve; he could only hope that Xiao Nanfeng would show him clemency.

"What's going on here? Who was that ancestor of yours? What's Blue Lantern doing out there in the black fog?"

"This is the Eastern Sea dragon clan's temporary palace, which harbors one of the clan's supreme treasures: the dragon gate. My ancestor was once the guard captain of the dragons, and has been responsible for guarding it since. Two centuries ago, when the dragon clan encountered calamity, my ancestor and the rest of us whales were able to survive unscathed because we had been stationed here. Thinking that the dragon clan had been eradicated, my ancestor thought to seize the dragon gate for himself. He and the rest of the whales charged toward the dragon gate, only to activate a defensive formation that the dragons had erected. All the other whale spirits died, leaving just me, the weakest, who had been too slow to catch up to the rest of them. My ancestor was deeply wounded by the formation and trapped within."

"Oh?"

"After the dragon clan was eradicated, the spirits of the Eastern Sea waged war among themselves. I was too weak and didn't dare to show myself; I remained here, ceaselessly trying to break the formation in order to help my ancestor out. Unfortunately, I hadn't been able to succeed until Blue Lantern showed up with Ao Zhou. Although my ancestor was trapped in the formation, he could still sense a little of what was happening outside. He immediately sent me a mental transmission to make them stay and trick Blue Lantern into breaking the formation. That was why I was so friendly toward him."

"Continue," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"My ancestor reined in his aura and lay hidden deep within the formation. Blue Lantern didn't discover his presence and began to break the formation. Meanwhile, a woman called Cui Haitang caught me. She said that she had been following Ao Zhou ever since he left the Eastern Sea Draconic Palace. Blue Lantern's subsequent arrival made her wary of confronting them, so she tailed them all the way here. She caught me and made me divulge what was going on, then asked for an audience with my ancestor. They talked for an exceptionally long time, and my ancestor had me cooperate with Cui Haitang thereafter."

"Cooperate on what?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"The Tianshu Empire would help free my ancestor from the formation and allow him to take control of this region of the Eastern Sea. In exchange, Cui Haitang wanted me to put these two paper snakes into Ao Zhou and Blue Lantern's bodies. She intended to transform them into divine slaves with their own consciousness and to control them that way."

"What? She wanted to control me? Cui Haitang, you're done for!" Ao Zhou thundered. Then, he clutched his waist in pain. Clearly, he had made too large a movement and hurt his waist again.

"Don't bother us. Go rest after childbirth," Xiao Nanfeng said.

Ao Zhou scowled. "You go rest!"

"Continue," Xiao Nanfeng commanded Prime Minister Whale.

"After a certain banquet, I drugged Ao Zhou and planted a paper snake in its body. Every now and then, I claim specialized Immortal pills from Cui Haitang. After Ao Zhou ingests them, he won't be able to discover the paper snake in his body."

"How did you intend to deal with Blue Lantern?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"Blue Lantern was much more difficult to handle. We were waiting for an opportunity to take him on. My ancestor planned to strike the moment he broke the formation, when he would be at his most exhausted. Even then, however, Blue Lantern was able to resist the paper snake. We were at a stalemate for almost a month, but just as we were about to subdue him, your master Ku Jiang appeared out of nowhere and stole my other paper snake. Ao Zhou coincidentally appeared at that moment. By then, Blue Lantern had been suppressed to the point where he was immobile and bleeding from all his orifices. We almost exposed ourselves, but I impersonated Blue Lantern and sent Ao Zhou a mental transmission in the nick of time. Somehow, he was fooled."

Xiao Nanfeng frowned as he turned toward Ao Zhou. "Blue Lantern was bleeding from all his orifices, and you thought he was alright?"

𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Ao Zhou stiffened. "That's not my fault! Blue Lantern said that Prime Minister Whale was trustworthy. How was I to know that he didn't have a discerning eye?"

"Blue Lantern, have you emerged?" Xiao Nanfeng looked toward the black fog.

Blue Lantern stepped out of the fog, his face frighteningly dark. He glared at Ao Zhou.

Ao Zhou stiffened again. "I wasn't the one who said that you didn't have a discerning eye. Xiao Nanfeng said that! I was only repeating his words! Don't look at me like that."

Blue Lantern frowned to hear someone besmirching his reputation as he walked out of the black fog, but he ultimately held his emotions in abeyance for the time being.

"Xiao Nanfeng, where's the person that rescued me?" Blue Lantern asked.

Before Xiao Nanfeng could speak, Ao Zhou jumped in. "You mean, the Divine Emperor? She's already left. She's a member of the Qitian Alliance. Do you know how strong it is now? I asked you about the Qitian Alliance, but you said that Xiao Nanfeng was just bragging. If she hadn't helped you, you'd be done for!"

"It's a pity I was unable to thank her in person." Blue Lantern sighed.

Xiao Nanfeng gave Ao Zhou another look. "Didn't I say not to tell others about the Qitian Alliance?"

"Ao Zhou's a loudmouth. He can't keep a secret," Blue Lantern added.

Ao Zhou: ...

"Blue Lantern, did you hear what Prime Minister Whale said? Was he telling the truth?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"He was. Fortunately, your master foiled their plans three months ago, allowing me a moment of respite. Otherwise, I really might have suffered. What a dangerous situation!" Blue Lantern grimaced.

"It wasn't a matter of danger. The Divine Emperor said that it was a result of bad luck. You have bad luck wherever you go—the undying realm, the dragon palace, and now here! You've cursed me with your bad luck, too," Ao Zhou said.

Veins throbbed on Blue Lantern's forehead. Why had he been in the dragon palace and now this temporary palace? It was all in order to help Ao Zhou. His bad luck was Ao Zhou's fault, but that shameless Ao Zhou was blaming him instead!

"Blue Lantern, have you been cursed?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"What do you mean?" Blue Lantern sounded mystified.

"Do you have to ask? If you aren't cursed, how could you be so unlucky?" Ao Zhou jumped in.

Blue Lantern very much wanted to give Ao Zhou a beating.

"You suffered three crises recently, but my arrival helped you resolve all of them. If I hadn't appeared, things would have taken a turn for the worse, but I was able to counteract it all. Don't you think it's fated for us to work together?" Xiao Nanfeng said.

Blue Lantern considered Xiao Nanfeng's words. He knew that Xiao Nanfeng was trying to recruit him.

"You appearing did help resolve my crises, but isn't that just a matter of coincidence? I'm afraid I can't help support others' ventures at the moment. I have my own affairs to take care of."

"What if I were to invite you to deal with Cui Haitang together?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

Blue Lantern frowned, then took a deep breath. "Very well!"

"It's a promise, then." Xiao Nanfeng smiled.

Ao Zhou gave Blue Lantern an odd look. "Blue Lantern, I trusted you too blindly back then. It seems like you're rather unskilled at anything besides formations."

"What?" Blue Lantern frowned.

"Xiao Nanfeng tried to bait you into joining him, but you refused. However, when he invited you to deal with Cui Haitang, you agreed. But these are one and the same! Xiao Nanfeng wants to get rid of Cui Haitang to overthrow the Tianshu Empire and start one of his own. In the end, you've agreed to help him out." Ao Zhou pursed his lips.

Blue Lantern's frown grew deeper.

"Don't listen to Ao Zhou's nonsense. He's still recuperating after childbirth," Xiao Nanfeng jumped in, soothing Blue Lantern.

Ao Zhou roared, "Xiao Nanfeng, if you keep mentioning childbirth, I'm not going to help you deal with Cui Haitang!"

"Ha! Who knows if the paper snake has left some residual cursed spiritual power in your body? Cui Haitang might just come seek you out if you don't join me in dealing with her. She might even impregnate you again!" Xiao Nanfeng replied disdainfully.

Ao Zhou sniffed in frustration. He had just realized that his threats were pointless against Xiao Nanfeng. How frustrating this was!

"What should we do with Prime Minister Whale?" Blue Lantern looked at the whale encased in a block of ice.

"Young Master Xiao, you promised not to kill me!" Prime Minister Whale called out.

"Don't worry. If you reveal all that you know about Cui Haitang, I won't kill you," Xiao Nanfeng reassured the whale spirit.