Chapter 492: The Pitiful Yin Tianci

Countless lengths of red rope shot toward the outskirts of Yongding at Yin Tianci and his subordinates. Had the crocodile king betrayed them all?

This was all part of Xiao Nanfeng's plan. He had designed it with Tang's reports in mind.

In Thousand-Spirit Island, Tang specifically focused on the crocodile king and his subordinates, who were on unfriendly terms with Mo Lengxuan. He continued to stoke the bad blood between them while deliberately hiding the presence of Yin Tianci, causing the crocodile king to think that Mo Lengxuan was responsible for the loss of his subordinates. Xiao Nanfeng was easily able to magnify this dissatisfaction and cause the crocodile king to backstab Mo Lengxuan.

Xiao Nanfeng took a deep breath and shouted, "Citizens of Dazheng, I, Xiao Nanfeng, Emperor of Dazheng, hereby pronounce the war over. The five kingdoms that have attempted to assault Dazheng have now been quelled, and the mastermind, a group of spirits, has been identified. These spirits are brash and impudent, and are currently attempting to assault Yongding. Everyone, I call on your strength! Please raise your right hand and lend me your strength to help me take down these spirits."

The sea of fortune above Yongding roiled. Xiao Nanfeng's words were transmitted into the ears of each citizen.

Countless people in Dazheng stopped what they were doing and looked up into the air.

"More spirits after such a blessed year? Your Majesty, take what paltry strength I have to defeat these spirits!"

"It's the first time I've led such a comfortable life in decades. I won't let any spirit ruin it. Wife, let's raise our hands!"

"Raise your right hand, quickly!"

The people of Dazheng raised their right hands in droves, in flocks. All their strength transformed into bursts of white light that shot into the air toward Yongding.

Dazheng favored its people, and its people favored Dazheng in kind. An incredible torrent of strength surged toward the sea of fortune above Yongding.

At the same time, outside the city of Yongding, Yin Tianci and his subordinates were attacked by countless lengths of red rope.

"This isn't good. Xiao Nanfeng's drawing on the strength of his empire. Take him down now. I'll guard His Highness!" Mo Lengxuan commanded.

"We can't! Guarding His Highness is of paramount importance. We have to flee!"

"Nonsense! What would you know, Tang? Once Xiao Nanfeng draws on the strength of his empire, he'll be able to catch up to us in no time. How would we flee then? We have to kill him while he's weak! There's no time to waste!" Mo Lengxuan roared.

"Protect His Highness!" Tang shouted anxiously.

"Your Highness, this is our single opportunity. If we waste it, everything we've done will be for naught. The Iron Fist True Immortal has never shown himself, and no one knows he's your subordinate. We have to hurry!"

"Very well," Yin Tianci decided. "Iron Fist, take down Xiao Nanfeng quickly."

"Understood!" one of Yin Tianci's subordinates replied.

He rushed out of the red rope's encirclement and shot toward Xiao Nanfeng.

"Enemy attack!" the soldiers of Dazheng roared.

"Die!" A group of golden Immortals charged toward the True Immortal, who sent one of them flying with a punch. The other golden Immortals' eyes lit up. They charged at him fearlessly.

"A True Immortal? Let me have a go!"

"Let me do it, let me!"

"Don't fight with me!"

The golden Immortals all rushed forward, but none of them could take down the True Immortal.

The Iron Fist True Immortal struck at them with the intent to kill. Each of his fists glowed with strength as he sent the golden Immortals flying one after another.

"Break!" the Iron Fist True Immortal roared, punching at Xuanhuang Hall.

A huge fist descended from the heavens, intending to destroy Xuanhuang Hall alongside Xiao Nanfeng and all the officials of court.

Just then, a barrier manifested from Yongding's defensive formation, blocking the True Immortal's fist.

Even so, the barrier cracked instantly. A True Immortal was simply too strong.

"Let's see just how long you can hold out!" The Iron Fist True Immortal struck at the barrier again.

Just then, Ye Dafu and his golden Immortals shot forward. They were all sent flying again, but had bought enough time for Xiao Nanfeng.

In the sky, the sea of fortune had gathered the strength of countless people. A dragon roared from the sea of fortune as all that fortune gushed toward the Iron Fist True Immortal.

"Damn it, break!" the Iron Fist True Immortal roared.

But fortune was ethereal, and there was nothing for his fist to strike. The fortune and the strength it conveyed flowed into Xiao Nanfeng's body.

In rage, the Iron Fist True Immortal launched a barrage of punches at the barrier until it finally collapsed.

The Iron Fist True Immortal grinned, leaping past the barrier and toward Xuanhuang Hall.

Just then, a red fist smashed toward him.

"Xiao Nanfeng?" The Iron Fist True Immortal blanched and met fist with fist.

The two cultivators' fists struck each other in a howling tempest. The Iron Fist True Immortal was flung into the air.

Xiao Nanfeng's body flickered as he shot forward and sent him flying once again.

With the infusion of strength from his empire, Xiao Nanfeng's fists were stronger than the Iron Fist True Immortal's own. None could compete with him.

He struck the Iron Fist True Immortal time and again.

"Activate the secondary formation around Yongding!" an official called out.

"Understood!"

Another formation activated around Yongding to block the shockwaves raining down from high above.

On another battlefield, Yin Tianci and his subordinates were still trying to defend against the red rope that surged toward them. Mo Lengxuan used a True Immortal shield to block the majority of the rope as he protected Yin Tianci.

"If not for this blazing shield, we would already have perished. It's only able to block attacks from one quadrant, but the red rope is surging toward us from all around. We won't be able to escape!" Then, he turned toward Yin Tianci. "Your Highness, I took over this body and am not a True Immortal in my own right. I won't be able to last long."

The strength of his physical body allowed him to take down the lengths of red rope that came his way, but there was simply too much of it for him to handle.

The others were faring even worse. Despite the protection of the blazing shield, a moment's carelessness would see them being grabbed by the rope and torn apart.

"What now?!" Yin Tianci roared.

"Your Highness, we've made a mistake. The Iron Fist True Immortal likely won't be able to take on Xiao Nanfeng. Only with my assistance will we be able to kill him for certain—but if I do, then it'll be dangerous here. Your Highness, this is a difficult request to make, but would you be willing to sacrifice your avatar while I take down Xiao Nanfeng?"

"Me, perish alongside Xiao Nanfeng?"

Beside him, Tang roared, "Silence! Mo Lengxuan, you're giving up on your responsibility to protect His Highness. You intend to use him as a sacrifice! This might only be one of His Highness' avatars, but that Xiao Nanfeng is only an avatar as well! Why should His Highness sacrifice himself? Is Xiao Nanfeng's avatar worth more than His Highness'?"

Mo Lengxuan frowned. He didn't want to bicker with Tang. He looked toward Yin Tianci again. "Your Highness, if this drags out any longer and the Iron Fist True Immortal dies, the rest of us will follow suit. You have to make a decision quickly!"

Yin Tianci frowned, sensing just how perilous the situation would be. However, how could he give up on his avatar just like that?

Before Yin Tianci could respond, Tang jumped in. "Mo Lengxuan, I can't let you continue leading on blindly any longer! Do you intend to sacrifice His Majesty without even trying? You're useless!"

"Tang, I'm talking with His Highness. How dare you interrupt!"

Tang continued, "We can't sacrifice His Highness at any cost! Even if we have only the slightest chance at survival, His Highness must be the one to live. How can he be sacrificed for your survival?"

"Insolence!" Mo Lengxuan thundered.

Tang turned to Yin Tianci. "Your Highness, you can't listen to him. You're the lord, and we're all your servants! How can you sacrifice yourself for us?!"

Yin Tianci was at a loss himself. He knew how dangerous the situation was, and he felt that Mo Lengxuan's suggestion was reasonable. If they were all going to die regardless, why shouldn't he make the sacrifice to take down Xiao Nanfeng's avatar and allow his subordinates to survive? Wouldn't that minimize his losses?

Then, however, Tang's words shook him to the core. That was true. Why should he consider sacrificing himself at all for his servants? If he lived, he could easily get more subordinates!

"From now on, command of the situation shall pass to Tang. Those who disobey his orders will be killed," Yin Tianci declared.

"Your Highness, Tang doesn't know what he's doing!" Mo Lengxuan shouted.

"Silence! Mo Lengxuan, if you dare resist my orders, I'll kill you!"

Mo Lengxuan blanched. He had no choice but to accept Xiao Nanfeng's leadership.

"Everyone, protect His Highness and shroud our surroundings in fog, quickly!"

The cultivators did so.

Tang retrieved a suit of armor.

"Your Highness, I don't know if this strategy will work, but as long as there's a shred of hope, we have to seize it. Please put on this suit of Dazheng armor, quickly!"

Yin Tianci's eyes lit up. He dressed himself in the armor. "How did you come across this armor?"

"I've thought of any number of strategies to take down Xiao Nanfeng. I have a Dazheng official's robes, an official seal, and all sorts of other disguises just in case."

"Very good," Yin Tianci said.

Once Yin Tianci dressed himself, Tang smeared a large quantity of fresh blood on Yin Tianci's face from a nearby corpse, hiding his features.

"Now, let's charge toward the outside with this blazing shield active. As we do so, attack His Highness. Your Highness, you'll have to attack us while we flee to make it look like we're engaged in battle as well."

"That won't work. If we move with the blazing shield, our defensive range will shrink, and the red ropes will seize us all!" Mo Lengxuan interjected.

"Follow Tang's command," Yin Tianci declared.

"Understood!" everyone replied.

The blazing shield roared to life as the cultivators fled. As Mo Lengxuan had stated, its defensive range shrank.

The red rope surged toward the group of cultivators. Mo Lengxuan held much of it off, but several cultivators were caught by errant lengths of rope.

"Argh! Save me!"

"No!"

The cultivators cried out as they were torn to pieces in showers of blood.

Tang and Yin Tianci were seized by the rope as well.

Mo Lengxuan tried to save them, but there was simply too much rope all around them. He had no choice but to watch on as Tang and Yin Tianci were dragged away.

"Didn't you end up sacrificing His Highness anyway? You even killed yourself, Tang! Serves you right!" Mo Lengxuan humphed to himself.

He rushed toward where Xiao Nanfeng was located.

Meanwhile, Tang continued to 'beat up' Yin Tianci as they were all dragged away.

Just then, a length of red rope curled around Tang's body. It jerked and he screamed as his arm was torn off in a spurt of blood. The red rope dragged him into the forest.

One of Yin Tianci's legs had been pulled off by the rope. The remaining lengths of rope seemed to intend to tear him apart before they suddenly stopped. Perhaps because of Tang's attacks, the red rope decided that they weren't working together.

Yin Tianci was drenched in blood, his features obscured, but his armor was that of a Dazheng soldier. The red rope gave up on Yin Tianci and tossed him into the forest in the distance.

He groaned as he landed on the forest floor, hugging onto his torn leg. He was in such great pain that sweat beaded on his forehead, but he had survived the ordeal.

"Did I succeed in tricking the red rope?" Yin Tianci murmured gleefully.

He raised his head to see Mo Lengxuan and the Iron Fist True Immortal ganging up on Xiao Nanfeng. The red rope tore apart his subordinates before surging toward the battlefield in the sky.

"Your Highness, is that you?" a voice called out.

Yin Tianci turned to see Tang with one lost arm and leg. He was bloody all over and almost made Yin Tianci want to turn away from repulsion. However, he was still alive.

"Thank goodness! We succeeded, Your Highness. Let's flee!"

Yin Tianci was gratified to see Tang faring worse than he was. Thank goodness Tang had come up with this plan—they wouldn't have survived otherwise!

"Let's flee!" Yin Tianci commanded.

The two cultivators ran through the forest as quickly as they could, worried that they would be noticed.

Only when they were far from Yongding and by the sea did Tang pant and say, "Your Highness, thank goodness we made it out. Unfortunately, I barely had any time to prepare. You were heavily injured, and the others might be done for."

"You've already done very well. Blame Mo Lengxuan for being unable to command. He was the reason we suffered such losses! Not only that, he even wanted to sacrifice me. Useless thing," Yin Tianci spat out, shaking with rage.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. If he hadn't granted Tang command, he would already have died. As for his subordinates, why should he care about their deaths? He could easily recruit more! His life was of paramount importance, even if it was only one of his avatars.