Chapter 576: Mutual Threat

Back in Thunderclap Hall's illusory realm, death chants continued to resound around Xiao Nanfeng, who remained awake and alert thanks to the help of the black lotus. Even so, he feigned pain and distress.

Yin Shenhua, who had vanished from his golden lotus, swiftly returned.

He glared at Xiao Nanfeng with killing intent. The chilling aura he released suppressed even the death chants for the moment.

Xiao Nanfeng's expression suddenly relaxed, as though he had been freed from the pain of the death chants. He squeezed a few drops of sweat out of his pores on his forehead as he lifted his head and looked at Yin Shenhua. "Well? You haven't found Yin Tianci, have you?"

"Aren't you afraid of dying?" Yin Shenhua retorted.

"As I've said, you don't dare to kill me. I have Mo Shanhe and Yin Tianci under my control. If something happens to me, they're both going to die. What's more, I'm an envoy of the Imperial Court. Killing me would be akin to declaring war. The Imperial Court has tolerated, or rather hasn't cared about, your presence in the past, but if I were to die, they would surely attack and destroy the divine empire of Dayin. Is Dayin prepared to weather its assault?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

Yin Shenhua glared at Xiao Nanfeng. "Do you think I won't be able to do anything against you? Don't you care about Dazheng?"

"I do care deeply for Dazheng, but it won't suffice as a threat to get what you want. It wouldn't be difficult for you to destroy Dazheng, but it grew out of nothing within a few years' time, and it can do so again. I'm prepared for a possible attack at Yongding, and I've already finished my business there. If you head over, you won't even be able to catch my avatar. Try it and see."

"Do you really think I won't dare to kill you?"

"You can, of course, but would it be worth it to you?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

He was still rather tense, but he could hardly reveal it.

Fortunately, Yin Shenhua seemed to be a rational man. He replied, "Indeed, your life isn't worth much to me."

Xiao Nanfeng relaxed. "I came to Dayin to complete my mission as a Martial Aspect: to reclaim the fortune due to the Imperial Court. Tithe your owed fortune and Mo Shanhe and Yin Tianci shall return."

"Didn't you hear what I said? Your life isn't worth that much at all," Yin Shenhua replied.

"60% of Dayin's fortune would buy my life, Yin Tianci's, and Mo Shanhe's. Don't you think the three of us together would make it worth it?"

Yin Shenhua glared at Xiao Nanfeng. "No one has ever dared to threaten me before."

"This isn't a threat. I'm simply reclaiming the Imperial Court's due—and you promised to do so yourself in the first place.

"I urge you not to tarry. You'll soon be forced to pay a steeper penalty if you let your tithe lapse for four straight years in a row."

"You really are insolent," Yin Shenhua spat out.

"Do you accept my offer, Yin Shenhua?"

"If you refuse to reveal their whereabouts, then so be it. I'll find them soon enough," Yin Shenhua replied, looking toward the Buddhas. Continue using the death chants on him until he talks."

"Understood!" the Buddhas replied.

Death chants reverberated around the hall, Xiao Nanfeng at its heart.

Meanwhile, Yin Shenhua vanished from sight again.

Half a month later, in Yongding's imperial study, Zheng Qin was reporting on the latest updates to Xiao Nanfeng.

"Is everything settled?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I've secreted away Dazheng's reserves and had the most important of Dazheng's officials work from afar for the time being. Even if Dazheng is obliterated, it'll be able to rebuild swiftly after the disaster."

"Good!" Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

"Your Majesty, is there really a chance that Dazheng might be destroyed?" Zheng Qian asked in worry.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "The situation is dangerous, but I'm working to resolve the danger. Everything is still within the range of Mr. Wen's and my predictions, and it's very likely that the risk will never manifest. Even so, we need to be prepared for every eventuality."

Zheng Qian nodded solemnly.

"Mr. Zheng, please go into hiding as well. Your safety is of utmost importance."

"Understood!"

As Xiao Nanfeng and Zheng Qian chatted in private, Xiao Nanfeng suddenly narrowed his eyes, having discovered something. "Mr. Zheng, please leave now."

Zheng Qian had detected something amiss as well. He nodded immediately and retreated from the study.

After that, a black figure appeared within it.

He sat down and waved a hand, causing a nearby teapot and teacup to appear before him. He poured himself a cup of tea and began to drink it.

Once he was done, he smiled. "You really are prepared, Xiao Nanfeng. Are you already planning to flee?"

"You've found your way here, Emperor Feng?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned.

"Haha, with your other body trapped in Thunderclap Hall, it's only natural that I would seek you out here, isn't it?"

Xiao Nanfeng didn't believe Emperor Feng at all. He had given Emperor Feng other means of contacting him, but Emperor Feng had chosen not to use them. The fact that he was here at all spoke to ulterior motives.

"You haven't killed Mo Shanhe, have you?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"Relax. We agreed that you'd help lure Mo Shanhe out for me, and that I'd leave him alive for you after getting what I wanted out of him." Emperor Feng smiled.

"As long as he's still alive," Xiao Nanfeng replied, nodding.

"What, do you really think Mo Shanhe alone will make Yin Shenhua give up 60% of his fortune?"

"I'm in negotiations with Yin Shenhua. It might just happen."

Emperor Feng visibly deflated. "You must be joking. Mo Shanhe's worth 60% of his fortune? If you really think it's going to work out, why are your subordinates evacuating?"

"I'm worried he'll go back on his word after the trade, so I have to be prepared."

Emperor Feng: ...

He still didn't believe that Yin Shenhua would ever accede to the request.

"It's been half a month. You must have claimed quite a few Buddha's Grottos by now, haven't you?"

"You know of my progress?"

"Yin Shenhua's interrogated my other body a few times, and he's always fuming mad when he does so. I'm sure you've made some headway."

Emperor Feng frowned. "Mo Shanhe, that wily fox, specifically chose Buddha's Grottos in which I would easily be exposed. I was almost discovered in the second one, and by the time I headed to the third, all their locations had changed."

"Two is plenty, isn't it?"

Emperor Feng frowned. "Do you know how I can find more?"

"My main body's trapped. How do you expect me to help? As for you, haven't you found your physical body by now? Please release my senior brother, then."

Emperor Feng didn't respond to Xiao Nanfeng's questions. He asked, "Have you seen anything unusual in the Thunderclap Hall?"

"It's a hall that hosts Dayin's sessions of court, and everything within is attuned to laws natural and artificial. What would you consider unusual?"

"How about the throne? What's Yin Shenhua's draconic throne like?" Emperor Feng asked.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. "You mean to say that Yin Shenhua's throne is your physical body?"

Emperor Feng fell silent. He glared at Xiao Nanfeng. "Talking to you is exhausting."

Xiao Nanfeng scoffed. "It wouldn't be so bad if you didn't keep trying to beat around the bush. Just get to it!"

"I didn't expect you would have been able to draw the connection right away."

"Even if I couldn't, the senior in my mindscape would have an easy time of things."

"True," Emperor Feng agreed. "I had forgotten about that. It would easily be able to discern the truth."

"I was wondering why that draconic throne was black. The senior in my mindscape told me that there's an unusual cursed spiritual power emanating from it, one that seems to correspond to your body. I guessed that something was amiss then, but I didn't realize the full implication until you asked about it. How did your physical body end up being a draconic throne?"

"Yin Shenhua forged it that way," Emperor Feng replied sullenly.

"Isn't that strange? Is Yin Shenhua a pervert who wants to sit on top of you all day long? And why does your physical body have cursed spiritual power emanating from it? You aren't a cursed effigy yourself, are you?"

"Don't pry. I'll need you to help me reclaim my body as well."

Xiao Nanfeng gave Emperor Feng an odd look. "I'm trapped in Thunderclap Hall. How do you expect me to help? Do you think I'm being treated like a guest, that I can swipe Yin Shenhua's seat from underneath him?"

"I know it's difficult, but I'll help you."

Xiao Nanfeng's face turned dour. "Are you trying to harm me? If I do something so dangerous, Yin Shenhua would never let me go free."

"Don't worry. If we succeed, Yin Shenhua will be done for."

"Oh? Can you kill him? Are you stronger than he is?"

"I don't intend to kill him, only to replace me. If we succeed, I'll become the Immortal Emperor of Dayin, and I'll grant you 60% of Dayin's fortune as a tithe to the Imperial Court. It's what you've wanted all along."

"What are you planning?" Xiao Nanfeng asked warily.

"Do you understand what symbiosis means?" Emperor Feng asked.

Xiao Nanfeng did, of course. Two truesouls sharing a single spirit. Whoever's truesoul could suppress the other's would be in primary control of the spirit, and even the associated body as well.

"Symbiosis? Are you serious?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.