Chapter 498: Ao Shuai

Within the Sieve of Heaven was a particularly large floating island on which the Palace of the Moon was located.

Xiao Nanfeng and Zhang Lingjun brought twenty disciples including Chang Bing toward the floating island. Thick fog shrouded it from sight, as though a formation had been erected to hide what lay within.

As the procession flew by, a few guards emerged warily from the fog. When they saw Xiao Nanfeng leading the procession, they retreated.

Above the floating island was a translucent purple barrier that covered much of it, leaving a plaza filled with a large number of guards.

When Xiao Nanfeng and his group arrived, the guards bowed respectfully. "We greet Martial Aspect Xiao."

"How many Martial Aspects have entered?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"None. Sixty teams composed of their subordinates have, however," one guard replied.

"You're the only Martial Aspect entering with your team," Zhang Lingjun whispered, smiling.

"Are the others unwilling to do so?"

"The Heavenly Emperor has imposed a restriction on the domains guarded by this purple barrier. Natural law permits only True Immortals and below to enter. All others will be suppressed to the level of a True Immortal. That's why none of the other Martial Aspects are willing to enter themselves," Zhang Lingjun continued.

"In other words, my cultivation is among the weakest of all Martial Aspects?"

"Are you only realizing that now?"

Xiao Nanfeng gave Zhang Lingjun a faint smile. He didn't much mind. It was true that his cultivation was on the weak side, but how long had he spent cultivating compared to the others?

"Come on. Let's step inside," Xiao Nanfeng commanded.

"Martial Aspect Xiao, the formation around this hunting ground is particularly special. You may enter but will not be able to step out for a month, at which point the natural law inscribed on the barrier will change," the guard told them.

"We're aware. Thank you for the reminder."

The guard bowed and retreated.

By the edge of the formation was a region engraved with runes. The cultivators walked over and entered the moment they touched the barrier, as though they were passing through the surface of water.

Just then, a guard not too far away told his companion, "Inform the master that Xiao Nanfeng and Zhang Lingjun have entered."

"Understood!"

Xiao Nanfeng and his party passed through the barrier and appeared in a valley surrounded by thick fog. Their vision was greatly impeded.

"What strange fog. It's even blocking my spiritual perception..."

"I don't know where this fog came from, but I'm familiar with this area. It's the mountain range situated to the back of the Palace of the Moon. Just follow my lead," Zhang Lingjun said.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

Zhang Lingjun was about to lead everyone into the valley when a dangerous aura surged out from within.

"Be careful!" Xiao Nanfeng immediately grabbed Zhang Lingjun and pulled her back.

Huge footsteps rattled the valley as a thirty-meter-tall monster appeared from its mouth. The monster was humanoid, with particularly long purple fur that grew out of its body and covered it completely. Only its bright-red eyes were visible, radiating killing intent.

When the purple-furred monster roared, the sound waves sent everyone stumbling back.

"These are the purple-furred monsters of the Palace of the Moon. They're particularly vicious, so watch out," Zhang Lingjun warned.

"Purple-furred lifeforms? They look extremely similar to the red-furred lifeforms of the red moon illusory realm! The only difference is their color..." Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed in surprise.

"The red moon illusory realm? I haven't been within. Do they really look similar?"

"Absolutely," Xiao Nanfeng replied, nodding.

The purple-furred lifeform roared and shattered a huge boulder with a fist. It leapt toward the gathered cultivators.

"What a powerful aura—this must be a Heaven Immortal purple-furred monster! Let me take the lead!" Zhang Lingjun strode forward,

but Xiao Nanfeng held her back. "Leave this to Chang Bing. Don't worry about it."

"That's a Heaven Immortal monster, and your subordinates are only Human Immortals! Are you certain?"

A thirty-meter-tall golden arhat appeared before Zhang Lingjun.

"This is..." Zhang Lingjun stepped back in surprise.

Chang Bing shot into the golden arhat's forehead and melded with the suit of armor as it came to life.

The golden arhat stomped down and caused the ground to crumble as it shot toward the purple-furred lifeform.

The golden arhat smashed into the purple-furred lifeform with incredible strength. Both seemed to be on equal footing.

However, the fog that filled the hunting ground was particularly strange. It didn't seem to dissipate despite the shockwaves of energy that were being given off.

"How do you have the divine empire of Dayin's arhat armor?" Zhang Lingjun exclaimed.

"Don't worry about that for now. Isn't it strange that these purple-furred lifeforms would attack us? We didn't make a commotion when we entered, and our spiritual perception is limited here. How could it have discovered us, and why was it so angry? Something seems wrong."

Zhang Lingjun frowned as Xiao Nanfeng spoke. She too grew serious.

Not far away from the valley, a group of cultivators stood atop a mountain peak. Their leader was dressed in golden robes and wore an icy look on his face.

"Master, the Eastern Aspect has forbidden you from causing trouble for Xiao Nanfeng. Are you sure you should still be targeting him?" one of his subordinates said warily.

"What's wrong? Can't I, Ao Shuai, take him on? He ruined my father's reputation, and he ought to suffer as punishment," the golden-robed man, Ao Shuai, retorted.

"The Eastern Aspect's commands aren't to be ignored. Please, Master, don't go against him. What would we tell him?"

Ao Shuai gave the man a displeased look. "I'm not targeting Xiao Nanfeng."

"But didn't you have us lure this purple-furred monster here to deal with Xiao Nanfeng?"

"I'm targeting Zhang Lingjun."

"But the Eastern Aspect commanded us not to mess with her, either!"

"I know. My goal isn't to injure her, but to force her to give up her access token to the Palace of the Moon. All we have to do is snatch it for ourselves."

"But—"

"No buts. I'm not going for their lives, so what're you worried about? Nothing will happen," Ao Shuai said.

"Understood!"

"Master, Xiao Nanfeng might only be an Earth Immortal, but he managed to slay a group of Heaven Immortal beasts last time. These purple-furred monsters might not be a match for him!" Another subordinate frowned.

"Those beasts were detained for too long and were too weak to pose any threat. These purple-furred monsters can't compare to them," Ao Shuai said confidently.

Just then, golden light flashed as a golden arhat appeared. It sent a fist smashing toward the purple-furred monster in a shockwave of energy.

"It was blocked!" Ao Shuai exclaimed.

"Arhat armor? That's impossible. Arhat armor is the prized, exclusive treasure of the divine empire of Dayin, and it would never allow the armor to be distributed. How could they have it?" one of Ao Shuai's subordinates shouted.

Ao Shuai narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps Yin Tianci left it behind. He couldn't have left too many suits of arhat armor in the cauldron where he was getting melted. I suspect this is the only one."

"What should we do now? With that golden arhat defending against the purple-furred monster, Xiao Nanfeng and the others won't be affected at all!" one subordinate said.

"Lure more over, then. Heaven Immortal ones only. I don't believe that Xiao Nanfeng and his party will be able to hold out.

"Understood!" Several of Ao Shuai's subordinates rushed off.

The fighting between the purple-furred monster and golden arhat should have caused a huge commotion, but the fog that surrounded the area was particularly strange. Not only did it not dissipate, it seemed to have some noise-canceling effect that prevented the sounds of the fight from spreading.

Xiao Nanfeng and Zhang Lingjun looked all around them. Suddenly, Xiao Nanfeng said, "In the northeastern direction, by the peak of that mountain, there are a group of figures."

Zhang Lingjun immediately looked toward the direction indicated, where she did see a group of cultivators.

"Could they have been the ones who lured the purple-furred monster over? Let me go check out who they are." Zhang Lingjun made to head over, but Xiao Nanfeng immediately pulled her back. "Don't!"

"I'll be right back."

"There might be True Immortals among their number. Don't head over for the time being."

"The Martial Aspects are aware of my identity. No one would dare assault me."

"Perhaps in public, but we're not in public here, are we?"

Zhang Lingjun frowned. She nodded and stopped short.

"The fog here is exceptionally strange. It seems to be able to dampen the sounds and commotion of combat, but don't worry. A fight between Heaven Immortals won't go unnoticed. I'm sure someone will notice soon enough and come check out what's going on. Waiting will be more advantageous to us."

Zhang Lingjun nodded.

Indeed, after some time, as the purple-furred monster and Chang Bing continued to fight, figures seemed to appear from around the fog. Rather than show themselves, they hid close by and watched the fight unfold.

"A golden arhat, guarding Xiao Nanfeng and Zhang Lingjun? Could that arhat armor belong to Xiao Nanfeng?" someone whispered.

Just then, five more purple-furred monsters emerged from the fog. They all seemed to have been angered and were bellowing as they made their way over to attack Chang Bing.

"He's not going to be able to hold out much longer!" a cultivator murmured.

Five more figures appeared out of thin air, each equipped with a suit of arhat armor. They took on the five new monsters.

The six golden arhats defended against the six purple-furred monsters in a fight that unleashed a flaming tempest in their vicinity.

"More suits of arhat armor? Isn't Xiao Nanfeng an enemy of the divine empire of Dayin? Where did all this armor come from?!" another hidden cultivator whispered.

On a mountain peak far away, Ao Shuai was equally astounded. "Is Yin Tianci crazy? He left six suits of arhat armor behind for Xiao Nanfeng in that cauldron? He should have destroyed them all instead!"

"Master, there are plenty of cultivators who have snuck into the vicinity. Should we keep attacking them?" one subordinate asked in worry.

"Go on. Ignore everyone else. Just make sure to handle things carefully. I don't believe Xiao Nanfeng has even more suits of armor—" The next moment, Ao Shuai cried out, "What? More arhat armor? Could they each have a suit?!"