Chapter 401: Wen Zhong Joins Dazheng

The moment Xiao Nanfeng stored the Yanluo Court away, Mr. Wen and the others discovered that something was amiss.

"Don't head over there just yet. What if they've been possessed?" Blue Lantern warned.

"There's no need to worry. I can confirm that it's Xiao Nanfeng's victory," Mr. Wen replied confidently.

The group of cultivators flew over and reached Xiao Nanfeng's side in no time at all.

"Mr. Wen, the Dragon Yanluo has been slain. You've been avenged," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Thank you." Mr. Wen bowed.

Even the Yanluo Court had landed in Xiao Nanfeng's possession; it was obvious that the Dragon Yanluo had been killed.

"Mr. Wen, I have a request to make of you. The Dazheng Empire needs a strategist and tactician with unparalleled foresight. I wish to enlist your assistance for a ten-year period; you may choose to stay or leave thereafter. Of course, if you're unwilling, Mr. Wen, forget I said anything." Xiao Nanfeng tendered an invitation that he had prepared with considerable forethought.

The reason he had come here was in order to invite Mr. Wen into the court of the Dazheng Empire, and now was the time to do so. He naturally wouldn't press Mr. Wen; weak though he might seem, he was no easy foe. What had happened to the divine empire of Dafeng and the Tianshu Empire were cautionary examples, after all.

Mr. Wen understood Xiao Nanfeng's expectations and apprehension. After all, he hardly had the best reputation, having betrayed two successive monarchs in turn.

"Ten years it is. I, Wen Zhong, greet Your Majesty!" Mr. Wen bowed.

Ten years wasn't a particularly long period of time to him, and he didn't mind serving for such a duration. He wasn't an easy opponent to handle, and he knew that Xiao Nanfeng was much the same way. The favor that he now owed Xiao Nanfeng ought to be repaid as quickly as possible.

"No need for courtesy, Mr. Wen. Enlisting your assistance shall be a boon to Dazheng." Xiao Nanfeng smiled, eyes brightening.

"You overpraise me, Your Majesty. Might I ask about the details of the Dragon Yanluo's death?"

Xiao Nanfeng described what had just happened. Croak and Warble added their own testimony, allowing Wen Zhong to understand the entirety of what had transpired.

"So the Dragon Yanluo ultimately died to the blood peach tree?" Wen Zhong frowned.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "You should know about the nature of cursed effigies. The Dragon Yanluo will be dead in the short term; as for whether it might revive in the future, I suspect you don't care that much. Is that right?"

Wen Zhong was silent for a moment before he nodded. "That's right. If I'm still alive by that point, I'm sure I'll be able to handle him myself. And if I'm dead, then I hardly care."

"It's good that you've thought things through."

"Your Majesty, where is this blood peach tree? May I ask about the Dragon Yanluo's cursed spiritual power?"

"It lives in my mindscape, and I once saved it from the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm. It has helped me a great deal, but doesn't much like to show itself. I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."

Mr. Wen nodded in acknowledgment. "Forget it, then."

"There were still some draconic specters hiding in the region just now. Have they all run off?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"I kept them. Do you want them? I can hand them over," Blue Lantern said.

"Let Mr. Wen deal with them," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Very well." Blue Lantern nodded.

Blue Lantern handed a small jade bottle to Wen Zhong

"Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Master Blue Lantern!" Wen Zhong exclaimed.

Ao Zhou flew up to Blue Lantern and puffed out his chest. "Look, Blue Lantern! I'm an Earth Immortal now too. I've surpassed you!"

In the past, Blue Lantern had always been able to suppress Ao Zhou on the basis of strength. Now that his cultivation had surpassed Blue Lantern's, he was bragging in order to satisfy his vanity.

Blue Lantern glanced at Ao Zhou, then unleashed his own aura. The energy was so strong it was as though a tempest had formed.

"How could you be an Earth Immortal too?!" Ao Zhou exclaimed.

"Working with the Formation of the Complete Heavens allowed me a deeper understanding of the firmament, and part of my cultivation was naturally restored as a result," Blue Lantern replied coolly.

"Don't you think you recovered your cultivation too readily?" Ao Zhou complained.

"I think it happened at an opportune time," Blue Lantern replied. Clearly displeased by Ao Zhou's cockiness, he continued, "The vitality in your body was obtained from a carcass, and there are traces of deathly aura in it. You had better distill it quickly before your body starts smelling like corpse rot."

"You can tell that there's deathly aura around me? Why don't I sense anything? You had better not lie to me!" Ao Zhou cried out.

"It matters not if you believe me," Blue Lantern replied.

Ao Zhou: ...

Blue Lantern's cool behavior meant that Ao Zhou didn't doubt him. He instantly began to panic.

By his side, Xiao Nanfeng said, "Croak, now that the ancient draconic palace has been taken down, why don't you go see if there's anything of value remaining?"

"Got it!" Croak nodded.

"Don't forget, we're splitting the loot from the palace evenly. Don't try to claim all the treasure for yourself—the dragons will join you!" Ao Zhou said immediately.

"As you will." Xiao Nanfeng shrugged.

"Mr. Wen, do you intend to return to the court with me now, or will you head there yourself?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"I still have some business to take care of here. I'll head to Yongding immediately thereafter."

"Very well." Xiao Nanfeng nodded, then turned to You Jiu. "You Jiu, you'll be guarding Mr. Wen for the time being."

"Understood!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Wen Zhong bowed.

"Let's go, Blue Lantern," Xiao Nanfeng continued.

Blue Lantern nodded. He and Xiao Nanfeng quickly began to fly back to Yongding.

The two cultivators flew for some time before Blue Lantern frowned. "Xiao Nanfeng, this Mr. Wen might be an impressive strategist, but he's ruthless and cruel. It may be dangerous to employ him in the Dazheng Empire."

"Mr. Wen is a double-edged sword. Used properly, he can take on countless strong foes. Used improperly, he might turn on the empire. However, we can hardly afford to give up on such a weapon just because of this danger. In order to avenge his relatives, he planned for a whole century and would have sacrificed himself to die with the Dragon Yanluo if he had had no other choice. There is humanity within him to be drawn out. I believe that I'll be able to wield this sword well, but I do have to thank you for being concerned about the future of Dazheng." Xiao Nanfeng smiled.

Blue Lantern was silent for a moment. "The thought simply crossed my mind; I spoke for no other reason. You don't have to read too much into it."

Xiao Nanfeng smiled. "I heard you say that the Formation of the Complete Heavens was particularly helpful in restoring your cultivation?"

Blue Lantern nodded. "I study formations, and the Formation of the Complete Heavens stands at the pinnacle. It would be of tremendous use to me, so it's unfortunate that I was only able to meditate on the formation for a short period of time before it was lost to me."

"Let me provide you with a gift, then." Xiao Nanfeng handed Blue Lantern a jade tablet.

Blue Lantern sent a bit of his qi into the jade tablet with some skepticism. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "This is the Formation of the Complete Heavens! How could it be? Wasn't the star map destroyed back then?"

"It was, but I've recorded the arcane star map it encapsulated and drew on. Although you won't be able to attune to the stars directly as with that relic, I'm sure that you can come up with something with your skills." Xiao Nanfeng smiled.

Blue Lantern glanced at the jade tablet with a complicated expression on his face. He was certain that the star map was complex enough that the vast majority of formations experts wouldn't have been able to reproduce it at all. How had Xiao Nanfeng succeeded? Why was he willing to simply hand it over to Blue Lantern?

"Thank you." In the end, Blue Lantern didn't ask any of these questions. He kept the jade tablet gratefully.