Chapter 552: Envoys Dispatched to Dayin

As Emperor Feng left the Buddha's Grotto, Xiao Nanfeng sent a mental transmission to the black lotus. "Senior, how strong is Emperor Feng?"

"His soul was used to purify and filter the power of a hidden realm for a whole century, so it has decayed to a rather significant extent. However, after reclaiming all that power from the cursed effigies' bodies, he has recovered a fair amount of strength. His soul is now a complex amalgam that renders him roughly a mid-stage Golden Immortal in strength. He's superior to me by quite a bit."

"Oh?"

"Aren't you going to come out?" Emperor Feng shouted.

Xiao Nanfeng turned to Zhang Lingjun. "Let's head out, Princess."

Zhang Lingjun nodded.

As the two of them were about to step out, the praying mat suddenly flew out of Zhang Lingjun's hands.

It began to absorb the fragments of the Buddha's Grotto that had broken off when Emperor Feng created an exit, then the rest of it wholesale.

"What's going on?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"I don't know either. The praying mat did this on its own accord. Perhaps the Taiqing Grandmaster cast some technique," Zhang Lingjun murmured.

Outside the Buddha's Grotto, Emperor Feng narrowed his eyes. "Your praying mat really is filled with cursed spiritual power, isn't it?"

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

He seemed to notice something amiss, but didn't provide an explanation.

The praying mat's suction grew more and more intense as it devoured the grotto whole.

After four hours, it had consumed the entirety of the grotto, leaving nothing but a huge hole underground.

Only then did the praying mat rein in its aura and fly into Zhang Lingjun's hands.

"Let's go," Emperor Feng said again.

"Let's go!" Xiao Nanfeng echoed.

The three cultivators flew away. Zhang Lingjun couldn't help but glance at Xiao Nanfeng from time to time. Her father's words flashed in her mind. "Pay more attention to the opposite sex!"

She felt as though she had suddenly learned how to do so. For some reason, Xiao Nanfeng's body now seemed of interest to her; she wanted to explore and investigate it in detail.

When Xiao Nanfeng glanced toward her, she turned her head away anxiously, flushing red.

"Princess, what's the matter?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"Nothing. I was just wondering how you advanced so quickly," Zhang Lingjun replied, flustered.

"It was only a matter of luck." Xiao Nanfeng smiled.

The three of them flew out of the mountain cave and up into the sky.

"We're finally out. I've missed the sensation of sunlight," Emperor Feng murmured, stretching his arms out and luxuriating in what he had long been denied.

A few blackguards, who had been stationed outside the mountain, flew over to inquire as to the situation.

Xiao Nanfeng suddenly commanded, "Blackguards, obey my command!"

The blackguards stilled, surprised. Zhao Yuanjiao was present; why was Xiao Nanfeng the one giving them orders?

However, Zhao Yuanjiao had long since commanded the blackguards to obey Xiao Nanfeng's orders as though they were his own.

"Present!" the blackguards chorused politely.

"Leave this mountain immediately and obey any commands from my avatar. Without my command, do not contact any of the three of us at will," Xiao Nanfeng instructed.

The blackguards were taken aback. They glanced inquiringly at Zhao Yuanjiao, only to find him ignoring them. Despite their doubt, they bowed. "Understood!"

The blackguards retreated. Emperor Feng, by their side, was blissfully unaware that he had lost his chance to wrest control of the blackguards.

After a moment basking in the sun, Emperor Feng flew back. "Why did you send your subordinates away?"

"I have groups of subordinates each responsible for a variety of different tasks. The Immortal city of Fengdu lies before us, which once belonged to you. We'll stay here for a moment while my subordinates bring the information that you've requested," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

"Very good."

On a pavilion situated high on a mountain peak in the Sieve of Heaven stood two men, Ao Shuai and the Martial Aspect of Violetfrost.

Ao Shuai glanced toward a patch of forest situated up high in the mountains. His eyes glinted coldly. "Ao Zhou really is patient, isn't he? Hasn't he emerged from his manor yet?"

"Master, the Eastern Aspect has commanded you not to target Ao Zhou any longer. Let matters lie," the Martial Aspect of Violetfrost warned.

"Perhaps regarding Silverfrost's death, but what about the ancestral dragon's inheritance?" Ao Shuai asked.

"Ao Zhou's a Martial Aspect now. Trying to do anything against him would be dangerous," the Martial Aspect of Violetfrost warned.

Ao Shuai smiled. "Violetfrost, my father already has a plan, doesn't he?"

The Martial Aspect of Violetfrost frowned. "He does not."

"Don't lie to me. Don't you think I can tell? Father directed Xiao Nanfeng toward the capital of Dayin intending that he would never return. Then, we can deal with Ao Zhou however we please." Ao Shuai smirked.

"Please choose your words carefully, Master. The Eastern Aspect never had ill intent in mind."

"I know you can't speak of this publicly, so I won't bring it up, either—but I'm well aware of what's going on. Right, has Xiao Nanfeng already reached the capital of Dayin yet?" Ao Shuai asked expectantly.

The Martial Aspect of Violetfrost shook his head. "Xiao Nanfeng didn't go."

Ao Shuai stiffened. He continued, vexed, "I knew it. He's more slippery than a loach. He deliberately chose not to go, I'm sure. What's his punishment for deliberately ignoring the mission?"

"The Eastern Aspect imposed no penalty on Xiao Nanfeng's mission," the Martial Aspect of Violetfrost said.

"What? Why?!" Ao Shuai exclaimed.

"I don't know." The Martial Aspect of Violetfrost shook his head.

He did know a little of what was going on, but he couldn't let Ao Shuai learn of it. Otherwise, if the information were to leak..."

"Haven't you considered how to deal with Xiao Nanfeng?" Ao Shuai continued, upset.

"We haven't." The Martial Aspect of Violetfrost maintained his silence.

Ao Shuai knew that the Martial Aspect of Violetfrost had to be lying. "Xiao Nanfeng would never go to the capital of Dayin. Is he a fool? Just what are you planning?"

Suddenly, one of Ao Shuai's subordinates rushed into the pavilion. "Master, we've received word of Xiao Nanfeng!"

"Oh?" The two cultivators looked at Ao Shuai's subordinate.

"Just now, a representative of Xiao Nanfeng's manor headed to the Hall of Rites and Rituals to petition the Heavenly Emperor to grant Xiao Nanfeng the status of envoy and diplomat to Dayin. Two months later, Xiao Nanfeng will officially set off to Dayin."

"Two months later? And he intends to head there publicly as an envoy of the Imperial Court?" Ao Shuai exclaimed.

"Indeed!" his subordinate reported.

"Is Xiao Nanfeng crazy? He intends to advertise his own presence? There are plenty of cultivators in Dayin waiting to assassinate him!" Ao Shuai shouted.

"No—this is his safest course of action," the Martial Aspect of Violetfrost replied, frowning.

"Oh?"

"There are plenty of strong cultivators in Dayin. If Xiao Nanfeng were to head there in private, he would quickly be discovered and killed stealthily. That's why he has to head there in public. If he were to perish, someone would be held accountable."

"Would the divine empire of Dayin protect Xiao Nanfeng? Surely not!" Ao Shuai retorted, frowning.

"In public, certainly, but perhaps not in private. It's only natural that the divine empire of Dayin wouldn't be able to guard an envoy of the Imperial Court from an assassination attempt."

"What's the point of announcing his visit, then?" Ao Shuai asked.

"At the very least, no one would dare to strike him publicly, and if he does suffer an assassination attempt, he need only escape, fly into the air, and howl loudly to garner attention. Any would-be assassins would have to retreat then."

"Does he really intend to reclaim 60% of the fortune that the divine empire of Dayin currently possesses? They would never agree. Just what is he planning?" Ao Shuai frowned.

"I can't tell myself."

"Should we sneak over and have a look?" Ao Shuai asked in anticipation.