Chapter 495: Tang's Authority

In a hall on Thousand-Spirit Island, Yin Tianci and Tang had finished regenerating their new limbs, which were fresh and tender. Trying to make them as strong as the other parts of their body would require more time and intent focus, but they could at least move about freely now. They were staring at Mo Lengxuan.

"Did everyone else perish? Even the Iron Fist True Immortal?" Yin Tianci demanded.

"Yes, Your Highness. Neither the crocodile king nor the Iron Fist True Immortal cultivated avatars, so we're unaware of their circumstances. One of the crocodile king's subordinates possesses an avatar, but he claimed that his avatar was knocked unconscious by Xiao Nanfeng and doesn't know what's going on. I suspect that the other end of the portal leads to the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm. The crocodile king's subordinates are now begging the other spirit kings on the island to rescue the crocodile king. We only need to hurry things along. The other spirit kings will rush to Yongding and decimate it quickly enough," Mo Lengxuan replied.

"This is the extent of your plan?" Yin Tianci demanded.

"Is something wrong, Your Highness?"

"Do you know why the other spirit kings chose to avoid Yongding?" Yin Tianci replied disdainfully.

𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Perhaps they're simply too cautious. That's why our involvement is important," Mo Lengxuan replied immediately.

"Mo Lengxuan, I don't know how you've dealt with affairs all this time. Do you really think that's sufficient at the moment? If Tang hadn't analyzed the situation for me, you would have tricked me!" Yin Tianci declared.

"As long as we succeed, it should be alright," Mo Lengxuan replied.

"That's what you say every time, isn't it? Do you think things are alright now?! Forget it. I won't waste time talking to you. Tang, you go."

"Understood!" Tang replied, turning to Mo Lengxuan. "The spirit kings on the island are aware of what happened at Yongding, and that Xiao Nanfeng was able to take on three True Immortals at once. They're not on good terms with the crocodile king, and none are willing to risk the trouble. What's more, Xiao Nanfeng is a Martial Aspect of the Imperial Court, and they're worried that an ambush awaits them in Yongding."

"An ambush? How could that be? As long as the spirit kings move quickly and catch Xiao Nanfeng unawares, they'll be able to take him down for sure," Mo Lengxuan replied.

"And how can you be so certain that Xiao Nanfeng has no other trump card? Furthermore, you previously said that your plan was flawless. Even so, didn't you fail?"

"Previously? That was an accident." Mo Lengxuan frowned.

"Accidents arise because you haven't considered the situation comprehensively enough. Sir Mo, I don't want to criticize your ability, but don't your repeated failures arise precisely because of this?"

Mo Lengxuan narrowed his eyes. "My actions aren't for the likes of you to criticize."

"I don't care what you do yourself, but I hope you won't drag His Highness down with your own foolish decisions! His Highness places great trust in me, and I have to think about his safety at any moment. I won't allow you to endanger him any further!"

"I recommended you to His Highness," Mo Lengxuan gritted out.

"I acknowledge the favor, but that doesn't make me your puppet. His Highness has treated me well, and I don't want a situation in which we're considering sacrificing His Highness to recur," Tang stated firmly.

"Are you crazy? I'm not asking for His Highness to go to Yongding. I simply want to invite the various spirit kings on the island to kill Xiao Nanfeng. Don't you want that to happen? Why are you protecting him now?" Mo Lengxuan demanded.

"Sir Mo, I believe that you are loyal to His Highness, but I severely doubt your abilities," Tang replied.

"What?!"

"We have to consider the situation holistically, finding avenues of failure before avenues of success. You keep saying that your plans are flawless, but something goes wrong each time! Haven't you learned your lesson yet? Don't you see that the spirit kings are unwilling to head to Yongding? It's hardly as though Xiao Nanfeng is going to run. We can wait until the lord of the island returns before sending troops to kill Xiao Nanfeng. Won't that do? Why do we have to rush to do it now?"

"Who knows when the lord of the island is going to return? Xiao Nanfeng's growing far too rapidly. Delaying isn't going to be advantageous to us."

"None of the spirit kings on the island are intending to make a move. Who else but the lord of the island could command them? Do you think they would listen to His Highness? You must be crazy! Those spirit kings are fond of gossip. The moment His Highness shows himself, they'll leak the news. The Immortal Emperor's reputation will surely be affected. Aren't you aware of this?" Tang demanded.

"You!" Mo Lengxuan glared at him.

"His Highness and I would dearly love to flay Xiao Nanfeng and strip the tendons from his body, but no matter how ardent our desire, we know we have to wait. The Immortal Emperor can suffer no stain on his reputation, and the gathered spirit kings might not be able to take down Xiao Nanfeng, either. Rather than whittle him down bit by bit, why not wait for a critical moment during which to deal him a lethal blow?"

"Wait? You've seen how quickly Xiao Nanfeng is growing. He's advancing through the realms of Immortals at a rapid clip despite being nothing more than an ordinary mortal years ago. I would have been willing to wait if not for the battle I just experienced. I don't know how much stronger Xiao Nanfeng will be the next time around. I think we need to be decisive and deal with him as quickly as possible."

"You think? What about what I think and what His Highness thinks? Sir Mo, I'm afraid I don't put much credibility in your judgment."

"Insolence!" Mo Lengxuan thundered.

"Enough! Mo Lengxuan, have you ever once been right with regards to Xiao Nanfeng?" Yin Tianci demanded.

"I—"

"We'll listen to Tang this time around," Yin Tianci declared.

Mo Lengxuan blanched. It was clear that Yin Tianci had lost his trust in him, that Yin Tianci now put more faith in Tang than him. What was he to do?

"Understood," Mo Lengxuan replied sullenly.

Tang quickly bowed. "Thank you for your trust in me, Your Highness. I swear I'll find Xiao Nanfeng's weaknesses as quickly as I can and take him down with your strength!"

"Very good, Tang. I believe in your ability," Yin Tianci replied, satisfied with his performance.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Tang exclaimed eagerly.

"What of the Iron Fist True Immortal?" Mo Lengxuan asked.

"He's surely dead. Why do you care so much about the dead?" Tang frowned.

Mo Lengxuan glared at Tang. He wanted to discredit Tang's assumption on lack of information, but Yin Tianci trusted Tang more than him at the moment. What could he do?

Within the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm, the crocodile king roared, "Get away from me, you perverts!"

"Beat me up if you dare!"

"Don't you have any more strength?"

"Put more strength into your blows!"

The golden cultivators surrounded the crocodile king as they taunted him.

The crocodile king and Iron Fist True Immortal had been baited to attack them time and again, leading to significant injuries and expenditure on their part. Although they continued to consume pills, they were unable to access spiritual aether from the world at large while trapped in these starlit barriers, and they were now so weak that they couldn't even fight these golden cultivators. They were forced into passive defense.

"Just you wait. The spirit kings of Thousand-Spirit Island will surely come rescue me. You're all done for. Once I get free, I'll eat all of you up!"

"Come on, then! Eat me! Eat me now!"

"Eat me first!"

"What? Don't fight with me over this. He hasn't eaten me yet! It's my turn!"

The golden cultivators fought to be first in line.

The crocodile king stiffened. He had attempted to eat a few of the golden cultivators in the past few days, but they were completely alright. Not only did they hurt his stomach, it took him tremendous effort to finally vomit them back up.

The crocodile king gritted his teeth. "Just you wait. Once all the spirit kings rescue me, I'll have them work together to take you all down. I'll chew you until you're nothing but pulp. Xiao Nanfeng, the cultivator who laid down this formation, and all the people of Yongding—none of you will escape! I'll eat you all up and leave you dead!"

"Crocodile King, don't waste your energy with them. They're deliberately provoking you and trying to get you to exert yourself. Simply guard yourself and they won't be able to do anything against you. We'll take them down once we manage to leave," the Iron Fist True Immortal called out.

"You're right. We'll be able to take them down soon enough!"

Just then, a void portal opened up as Xiao Nanfeng and a group of his subordinates walked over.

Everyone turned to him. The crocodile king and Iron Fist True Immortal snarled.

"Ye Dafu, how's it going?" Xiao Nanfeng asked immediately.

"Your Majesty, they're both exhausted, and we've made tremendous gains. However, they're both turtling up, and we can't do anything against them."

"Leave it to us!" one cultivator behind Xiao Nanfeng spoke up.

A man in blue walked forward leading a group of cultivators.

"Chang Bing? Aren't you supposed to be at the Imperial Court? What are you doing here?" Ye Dafu exclaimed.

"I just helped the division leader repair a batch of relics and freed up my time. I came over to help out," Chang Bing replied, smiling.

He tossed out a relic, the Yin-Yang Cauldron.

As it landed on the ground, the ground rumbled.

As Chang Bing murmured a mantra, the Yin-Yang Cauldron shook. Its lid slowly uncovered itself, revealing the yin and yang energies within. The Earth division disciples behind him murmured mantras as well, sending the yin and yang energies revolving.

"Blue Lantern, toss the crocodile king and the Iron Fist True Immortal into the cauldron," Xiao Nanfeng commanded.

"Understood!"

"What? You managed to bring the Yin-Yang Cauldron out of the Imperial Court? Are you going to melt our bodies? No!" the Iron Fist True Immortal cried out.

However, no one paid him any mind. Blue Lantern activated the formation to toss them into the cauldron as Ye Dafu and the others were pushed to one side.

With a clank, the cauldron's lid was sealed shut.

"Now, melt them!" Chang Bing commanded.

"Understood!" the Earth division disciples replied.

The Yin-Yang Cauldron glowed with light as spiritual aether rapidly gathered around it.