Chapter 445: The Mouth of the Abyss

The night of the full moon quickly dawned.

As Xiao Nanfeng had expected, the majority of the cultivators in the alliance had no intention of obeying Xiao Nanfeng. Many had pledged allegiance to Xiao Nanfeng just for show. Despite his command that they not show up at the mouth of the abyss today, even before the full moon rose into the air, there were already countless cultivators present and waiting.

Those cultivators of the alliance who had betrayed Xiao Nanfeng were among them.

"Did you hear that Xiao Nanfeng's trying to take revenge on us? Who does he think will be willing to help him catch us? No one!"

"Everyone wants to get out. Who would listen to him? He's nothing but a joke."

The traitors laughed with each other as a black-robed man walked up to them and whispered, "Are there any leads?"

The traitors turned serious. One bowed respectfully. "Your Highness, there are simply too many people coming from all around. Many are dressed in black and are unwilling to expose their identities. We're unable to identify Xiao Nanfeng and Lady Yaoguang at present."

The black-robed man was none other than the crown prince of Dayin, Yin Tianci. He said coldly, "Regardless, don't just laze around. Continue your search."

"Understood!" The cultivators scattered and began to look around.

After Yin Tianci handled the cultivators, he turned to another black-robed figure beside him. "Rabbit Yanluo, you shouldn't have allowed Xiao Nanfeng to kill my subordinates. Otherwise, we would have more helpers right now."

"You're still blaming me?" the Rabbit Yanluo demanded.

"What would be the point? We're both basically in dire straits now. If there's anyone to blame, it's Xiao Nanfeng. The mouth of the abyss is about to be unlocked. I don't have much time left. We can leave our own grudges aside for the time being. As long as you intend to take on Xiao Nanfeng, I'll cooperate with you. I only have one request. Holy Maiden Yaoguang must be mine."

"Very well! You shall have your spoils, and I shall have mine. I'll leave whatever trouble awaits outside the mouth of the abyss to you," the Rabbit Yanluo said.

"Don't worry. My subordinates arrived half a month ago, and they're standing guard outside the other side of the mouth of the abyss. My avatar is here as well, and my forces are holding back a large group of strong cultivators from the Shangqing holy land. Later, I'll take responsibility for delaying those cultivators outside. Finish your fight quickly," Yin Tianci said.

"Very good." The Rabbit Yanluo nodded with satisfaction.

"Will Xiao Nanfeng appear today?" Yin Tianci asked with some worry.

"He surely will. He's likely within this group of people," the Rabbit Yanluo replied without any hesitation.

"Good!" Yin Tianci nodded as well.

"I've made sufficient preparations. I hope nothing goes wrong with yours," the Rabbit Yanluo continued.

"Don't worry. These cultivators of the alliance might not be particularly strong, but they know that I'm their ticket out of here and will obey my commands. I've handed them the treasures you passed me. They'll install them at designated locations and keep guard over them. The resulting formation will ensure that Xiao Nanfeng can't escape."

"Very good," the Rabbit Yanluo replied again.

Not long thereafter, a full moon rose high into the night sky. It was visible in the outer world and even in the Netherworld Palace. Where the moonlight descended, umbral clouds began to roil around the mouth of the abyss. Heavenly authority descended as strong winds blew all around. A gigantic Heaven's Hand emerged; from within its cracks, the land outside could be seen.

"The mouth to the abyss has been opened up. We can escape now. Let's flee!" some cultivators cried out.

The majority, however, remained cautiously behind until shouts rang out from the back.

"Hurry! There are cursed effigies coming from afar. If we don't leave now, we'll never make it!"

"Rabbit-headed humanoids—so many rabbit-headed humanoids!"

"We've been surrounded by rabbit-headed humanoids. Let's flee!"

Many cultivators of the alliance cried out in fear.

A large group of rabbit-headed humanoids had appeared from all around, herding the cultivators toward the mouth of the abyss. They glanced around in shock and fright. They had been meandering forward, but now everyone was in a rush.

They swarmed toward the mouth of the abyss, worried that they wouldn't be able to escape if they were any slower.

Within moments, the cultivators that had been hiding all around had assembled. They shot into the air in an attempt to leave the abyss.

Just then, a huge palm strike descended from the heavens and barred the cultivators' path.

"Someone's blocking us! Who's there?" one cultivator exclaimed.

"It's His Highness!" another cultivator called back.

Yin Tianci stood alone by the mouth of the abyss, defending against all the cultivators charging toward him with nothing but his own might.

"Formation, arise!" Yin Tianci shouted.

Black fog surged forth from all over. It shot into the air and covered up the moon, surrounding a huge domain in a formation of black fog and trapping all the gathered cultivators.

"This is a formation? We've been trapped!"

"Your Highness, what are you doing? Why aren't you allowing us to go free?"

Countless cultivators were shouting at the crown prince.

Some, sensing that something was awry, attempted to flee. However, they couldn't break out of the formation at all despite repeated attempts.

Meanwhile, the rabbit-headed humanoids on the outside seized control of the formation and began to head inside.

"Cursed effigies are heading in! Your Highness, let us out! Otherwise, we'll all be done for!" the cultivators shouted.

Yin Tianci ignored them. He turned toward the rabbit-headed humanoids. "Everyone, feel free to make your move."

The rabbit-headed humanoids nodded in glee.

"What? Your Highness, you're in cahoots with these cursed effigies?"

"Your Highness, you can't do this to us! We're your followers!"

"Your Highness, we betrayed Xiao Nanfeng on your behalf. How could you harm us like this?!"

Shouts rang out from within the formation, but the rabbit-headed humanoids didn't pause at all. They drew their soul-stealing chains and tossed them at the gathered cultivators.

"No!" the cultivators cried out.

They were simply too weak to resist the incursion of these rabbit-headed humanoids. Some attempted to resist, but the rabbit-headed humanoids struck them down with ease.

Many of the cultivators roared in fear and shock as they charged toward Yin Tianci, once again intending to flee out of the mouth of the abyss. However, none of them were a match for him, and he easily took them all down. With the rabbit-headed humanoids guarding the mouth, no one could escape.

The cultivators fell, one after the other. Their souls were all harvested from their bodies and sent to the waiting mouth of the Rabbit Yanluo, who stood beside Yin Tianci. Shrill screams peppered the air.

"Xiao Nanfeng, I've found you. You can't escape, haha!" Yin Tianci suddenly shouted.

The cultivators looked in the direction of Yin Tianci's gaze to see two black-robed individuals in the midst of the cultivators. The individuals easily broke the soul-stealing chains that struck at them from all around. One of them retrieved an imperial seal and sent the other one within.

"Xiao Nanfeng, do you think you'll be able to escape just by allowing Holy Maiden Yaoguang to hide in your imperial seal?" Yin Tianci scoffed.

The remaining black-robed individual unveiled his hood, revealing himself to be Xiao Nanfeng.

"Yin Tianci, have you given up on even the last vestige of your dignity? The Rabbit Yanluo betrayed you—and here you are, working with her once more." Xiao Nanfeng scoffed.

"As long as I can take you down, I don't mind working with the Rabbit Yanluo again," Yin Tianci replied with a cold smile.

Xiao Nanfeng and Yin Tianci faced off against each other.

The remaining cultivators all around, with their souls being dragged out of their bodies by the soul-stealing chains in the vicinity, clung onto Xiao Nanfeng like their newfound savior.

"Save us, City Lord Xiao!"

"I'm willing to become your follower, City Lord Xiao. Please save me!"

"City Lord Xiao, we were all tricked by Yin Tianci. Save us!"

The cultivators cried out for help.

"I've warned all of you not to approach the mouth of the abyss today. You refused to believe me; there's nothing I can do. Yin Tianci is scheming against the Rabbit Yanluo to take me down, and she might strike at any moment. I don't have the attention or time to spare on you. Find another savior. Haven't all of you been listening to Yin Tianci? Why don't you beg him to let you go?" Xiao Nanfeng said coolly.

The cultivators blanched. Xiao Nanfeng had made his stance clear.

"Your Highness, we've all been loyal to you. Please let us go!" many cultivators begged.

Yin Tianci's eyes grew frosty. "If you're loyal to me, then submit to your death."

"No!" countless cultivators cried out in fear.

They continued to fall in droves to the rabbit-headed humanoids that ran rampant throughout the crowd.

Xiao Nanfeng turned to the black-robed figure beside Yin Tianci. "What a scheme, Rabbit Yanluo. What a scheme!"

The Rabbit Yanluo was devouring the souls that were being fed her way as she smiled coldly. "Xiao Nanfeng, I've been waiting for you for quite some time. Just wait a little longer. Once I finish devouring this group of ignorant cultivators, we'll have a small chat."

The formation was like a barrier of death, trapping all the cultivators within. The rabbit-headed humanoids quickly killed them all.

"Why are you bothering to kill this group of cultivators? Were you afraid that the Tiger and Ox Yanluos' avatars managed to sneak in?" Xiao Nanfeng asked coolly.

"That's right! I prefer it when I'm in control of things. I get rid of all potential threats before they can develop further. As for you, you'll die to me today too. How do you feel?" The Rabbit Yanluo gave him a cold smile.

"You're celebrating far too early," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

He hadn't fallen for the trap. He had deliberately drifted within. Beforehand, when Yin Tianci had dispatched his subordinates to lay out the formation, he had sensed that something was amiss. The blood peach tree told him that the formation wasn't worth worrying about, that it was a battlefield of sorts that the Rabbit Yanluo was enacting. That was why Xiao Nanfeng had relaxed and stepped within, following the lead of the gathered cultivators.

"Rabbit Yanluo, Xiao Nanfeng looks far too calm. He doesn't seem to be scared of you. Could he have contacted the other Yanluo Lords to scheme against us?" Yin Tianci asked seriously.

The Rabbit Yanluo shook her head. "He does have a backer—that damned monk, isn't it? That monk wouldn't dare contact the other Yanluo Lords. You don't have to worry. He simply believes in his upcoming victory."

"Oh? What monk?" Yin Tianci exclaimed in surprise.

The Rabbit Yanluo didn't explain. She turned toward Xiao Nanfeng. "Where's that damn monk? I want to find it, and it wants to find me. Have it show itself!"