Chapter 450: The Thousand-Flame Divine Pearl

Xiao Nanfeng was surprised by Yaoguang's own description of events. She was trying to break off all ties between them—so why had she kissed him so passionately just now?

Everything was made clear from the reactions of the Shangqing cultivators. Yaoguang was trying to protect him.

He wanted to tell Yaoguang that he wasn't afraid of them, but Yaoguang had made her stance clear. He could only accommodate her for the time being.

On account of Lady Yaoguang's testimony, all the Shangqing cultivators were looking antagonistically at Yin Tianci.

Reeling at Lady Yaoguang's sudden betrayal of Xiao Nanfeng, Yin Tianci came to the 'realization' that she was a heartless woman who had only been taking advantage of Xiao Nanfeng all along. As a result, he was hard-pressed to respond to the Shangqing cultivators.

"Yin Tianci, aren't you going to say anything?" Qu Jianfeng demanded.

Yin Tianci had no choice but to suck in a deep breath. "Please don't blame me, Lady Yaoguang. I clearly misunderstood your intentions. I spoke out of anger; don't take my words to heart. As for my cooperation with the Rabbit Yanluo, that was out of my misunderstanding. Thinking that you had been tricked by Xiao Nanfeng, I allied with her in order to help rescue you from his grasp. I am of course willing to compensate you for the misunderstanding."

He ignored the salient points of Lady Yaoguang's testimony and focused on what little he could defend against, shifting the blame completely from him.

This would be unacceptable for anyone of lesser status, but Yin Tianci was backed by the divine empire of Dayin and guarded by a large group. The Shangqing cultivators had to consider whether they would be able to win in a fight against them.

They turned to Lady Yaoguang, as though leaving the decision up to her.

"How do you intend to compensate me?" Lady Yaoguang asked coldly.

Yin Tianci's eyes lit up. "Holy Maiden Yaoguang, I would be very pleased if you could accept my suggestion. As for the compensation, let's discuss it slowly."

"I don't want a slow discussion. Let's clarify it now. How do you intend to compensate me?" Lady Yaoguang asked bluntly.

Yin Tianci frowned. "Is there anything you would like?"

"Your arhat armor. Twenty suits."

"What? Isn't that far too much? Furthermore, the arhat armor of Dayin has never been distributed outside of it." Yin Tianci was clearly unwilling to pay such a heavy price.

Lady Yaoguang did not deign to continue the conversation. She turned toward her uncle, Qu Jianfeng.

Qu Jianfeng said coolly, "Yin Tianci, do you treat the Shangqing holy land as a joke? The holy maiden seeks no further compensation for your offenses save twenty suits of arhat armor. If you're so stingy that you can't even afford that, we'll raise the matter with the Immortal Emperor."

Yin Tianci frowned. "I can't hand over the arhat armor, but I'm willing to provide compensation in the form of Immortal relics of equal value, to be sent to the Shangqing holy land at a later date."

"A later date? Why not now?" Lady Yaoguang demanded, refusing to give in.

Qu Jianfeng added, "Yin Tianci, do you think us easy to fool? If you continue to delay or defer, it'll be the Immortal Emperor who loses face, not you."

Yin Tianci's face turned dark. He took a deep breath, then retrieved a fiery-red pearl.

"This Thousand-Flame Divine Pearl was a present my father gave to me when I was ten. It's a treasure beyond the level of a Heaven Immortal. Let this be my compensation for Lady Yaoguang," Yin Tianci said.

Qu Jianfeng laughed coolly. "The Thousand-Flame Divine Pearl? I am no fool. It might contain a thousand different species of flames that lead to a magnificent display of light and shadow, but the flames are necessarily impure and dilute. It's a relic without any actual strength—all it's good for is entertainment. Do you intend to hoodwink the holy maiden with such a relic?"

"Even so, it is a relic beyond the realm of a Heaven Immortal. If you don't want it, so be it. The arhat armor is a treasure of the empire that we aren't permitted to hand to outsiders. My father will uphold my decision," Yin Tianci replied.

"Hand over the Thousand-Flame Divine Pearl," Lady Yaoguang said coolly.

"Yaoguang, this relic is only a toy without any offensive ability. All you can do with it is cause it to explode in a burst of flame that would take down a Heaven Immortal in close vicinity, but that would destroy the relic as well. It's not worth it," Qu Jianfeng whispered.

"I want this pearl. Hand it over!" Lady Yaoguang repeated.

Yin Tianci's eyes lit up as he proffered the pearl without any hesitation.

𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Lady Yaoguang claimed the relic with a wave of her hand. She considered it for a moment before looking toward Xiao Nanfeng, not too far away. "Xiao Nanfeng, take this as gratitude for your assistance."

She tossed the pearl toward Xiao Nanfeng, who caught it in surprise.

With an odd look on his face, he replied, "Thank you, Holy Maiden Yaoguang."

He chose not to expose Yaoguang in public, but was secretly looking for an opportunity to talk to her in private.

"Uncle, we don't have much time. Let's return to the holy land," Holy Maiden Yaoguang said.

"Very well!" Qu Jianfeng smiled.

The Shangqing cultivators nodded their heads and began to depart.

Just then, some Shangqing cultivators looked doubtfully at Xiao Nanfeng. Only then did they confirm that the holy maiden didn't bear any feelings for him. Otherwise, she would never leave him alone with Yin Tianci, considering the latter's malicious gaze at the former.

Xiao Nanfeng was filled with confusion, but he didn't dare press Lady Yaoguang in public. After all, it was hardly as though the Shangqing holy land would vanish overnight. He would simply seek her out in private when there was an opportunity to do so.

After seeing her leave, Yin Tianci and his subordinates turned to Xiao Nanfeng.

"Back in my clutches again, are you?" Yin Tianci sneered.

The cultivators all around drew their weapons as they surrounded Xiao Nanfeng.

"The Shangqing cultivators aren't far off yet, and I'm a benefactor who rescued their holy maiden. Aren't you afraid they'll turn back around to assist me if you cause trouble for me now? Wait a little longer," Xiao Nanfeng replied coolly.

Yin Tianci: ...

He glanced at the Shangqing cultivators, who were still rather close by, and forced himself to remain calm.

Chang Bing anxiously looked toward Xiao Nanfeng. "Division Leader Xiao, what happened to my master?"

"Lan Jiguang's yin body perished in the red moon illusory realm, and his physical body was taken by Lady Yaoguang."

"What? Master died? How?!" Chang Bing exclaimed.

"You can't stay in Fengdu any longer. Return to Taiqing Island immediately. Someone will tell you what to do next, as well as what happened to Lan Jiguang. Don't return to Fengdu. Have someone reclaim your possessions. Leave immediately!" Xiao Nanfeng warned.

"But—" Chang Bing continued in worry.

"No buts. Lan Jiguang had you listen to my commands. Carry them out immediately. Hurry and join up with the cultivators from the Shangqing holy land in case others give chase. Now!"

"Understood!" Chang Bing replied.

He beckoned to his subordinates and had them catch up to the Shangqing party as quickly as they could. He knew that Yin Tianci was eyeing Xiao Nanfeng, and that their presence here would only burden him further. He didn't dare say more; he did his best to leave as quickly as he could.

Some of Yin Tianci's subordinates glanced at him, as though inquiring about whether to let them go. Yin Tianci shook his head. All he wanted was Xiao Nanfeng.

Deep in the abyss, another huge boom rang out. Flames emerged from the mouth of the abyss. Clearly, the two Heaven's Hands keeping the other two Yanluo Lords in check had just been destroyed.

Yin Tianci glanced at the abyss, then demanded coldly, "What happened down there, Xiao Nanfeng? How did you make it out from the hands of two Yanluo Lords?"

"You'll know if you go down and see for yourself," Xiao Nanfeng replied coolly.

"You dare talk back to me? Do you think you can escape my clutches?" Yin Tianci scoffed.

"Catch me if you can."

Xiao Nanfeng wasn't afraid of these cultivators. For one thing, he could cause the Thousand-Flame Divine Pearl to explode and save himself; or he could ask for the blood peach tree's assistance. Lady Yaoguang had deemed it safe to leave him behind because she knew that he could protect himself.

"There's no need to try. I know I can do it. You won't be able to escape!" Yin Tianci preened. Then, he mocked, "Xiao Nanfeng, you risked your life to save Holy Maiden Yaoguang, but in the end, she duped you and left you behind. How pitiful you are!"

"That's none of your business."

Yin Tianci's face turned cold. "Don't you realize how this will turn out for you? Holy Maiden Yaoguang and the others are gone. There's no one you can turn to for help, and no one to shelter you. If you surrender to me now, I'll spare your life."

Cultivators giving off a strong aura surrounded him.

"I don't need anyone else's protection. If you want to catch me, you're welcome to join me," Xiao Nanfeng said.

He turned and jumped back into the abyss.

Yin Tianci opened his eyes wide. He had expected Xiao Nanfeng to resist, and had even secretly planned against it—but Xiao Nanfeng jumping into the abyss took him by surprise.

"He would rather be caught by the two Yanluo Lords than me? He's crazy!" Yin Tianci roared.

"What do we do now, Your Highness?" one cultivator asked.

Yin Tianci frowned. "You head down there and have a look. Report back immediately!"

"Understood!"

The cultivator, still in her suit of arhat armor, jumped into the abyss. She flew back up quickly.

"Your Highness, it's a pile of ruins down there. The mountains all around have crumbled to dust, and the forests have burned up. Plumes of dust and dirt fill the air. It's eerily silent—there's not a single cursed effigy in sight, nor any trace of Xiao Nanfeng."

"How could that be?" Yin Tianci asked in disbelief.

"It's true," the cultivator asserted.

Yin Tianci sent a few other subordinates down to investigate, but they reported exactly the same thing. He frowned. Although he didn't know what could have happened within the abyss, it was clear that Xiao Nanfeng was unharmed.

"Your Highness, why don't we stay in wait here? Xiao Nanfeng will surely emerge in a month's time. We could seize him then," one cultivator suggested.

Yin Tianci frowned. He considered the suggestion for a moment. "No! If he dares return to the Netherworld Palace, there must be some treasure he desires down there. Furthermore, there are only two or three Yanluo Lords left. There'll be a huge fight shortly, and we might have the chance to gain incredible treasure. All who possess arhat armor will follow me down, now!"

"Understood!"