Chapter 597: Strategizing Against Dayin

Back in Yongding, after Yin Shenhua left with his subordinates, Ao Canghai and the other Martial Aspects didn't give chase. Clearly, capturing Yin Shenhua wasn't going to be an easy feat.

"Martial Aspects, I've prepared a banquet in your honor. Please attend," Xiao Nanfeng invited everyone.

The Martial Aspects frowned at each other. Yin Shenhua had left out of nowhere, and the Martial Aspects were certain that something had happened. Perhaps Xiao Nanfeng knew of what was going on.

Although Ao Canghai seemed rather upset, he did descend toward the plaza of Xuanhuang Hall.

The Martial Aspects followed Ao Canghai.

"Please," Xiao Nanfeng said, beckoning them in.

"We protected Yongding only on the Heavenly Emperor's orders, and we failed to capture Yin Shenhua. Forget the banquet. With regards to Yin Shenhua's sudden departure, however—are you aware why that happened?" Ao Canghai asked brusquely.

"I was responsible for Yin Shenhua's departure, naturally. Why don't we talk as we dine? I'll describe the situation in detail," Xiao Nanfeng said again.

Ao Canghai frowned, but finally nodded and accepted the invitation.

Just then, a group of Martial Aspects' subordinates flew toward Yongding from afar. As they landed on the plaza, they hurriedly sent their respective Martial Aspects a mental transmission to inform them about what had happened in Dayin's capital.

Everyone stared at Xiao Nanfeng in shock, but by then, they had already accepted the invitation to his banquet.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The procession walked toward a hall set up specifically for the banquet.

"As the host, allow me to take the seat of honor. Princess, Martial Aspects, please join me!" Xiao Nanfeng called out.

Xiao Nanfeng took his seat at the far end of the banquet table. Zhang Lingjun sat directly to his left, and Ao Canghai to his right. The other Martial Aspects trailed in.

"I have all of you to thank for saving Yongding from certain destruction. Please allow me to toast you." Xiao Nanfeng raised his cup of wine and downed it in a single gulp.

The Martial Aspects looked toward Ao Canghai. Upon seeing him down his cup of wine, so did they.

"While you held back Yin Shenhua, I made a fuss in Dayin's capital..." Xiao Nanfeng briefly sketched out what had happened in Dayin.

By then, the seated Martial Aspects had learned about these details from their subordinates. They weren't as shocked as they should have been.

"Xiao Nanfeng, who's that cursed effigy who accompanied you to Dayin's capital?" Ao Canghai asked.

He had long since been aware of the black lotus cursed effigy, though not of its identity.

"I don't know myself. I only know that it bears Yin Shenhua great enmity, and that it was willing to assist me against him."

Xiao Nanfeng had no intention of providing too much information, but some unimportant details wouldn't hurt.

"Oh?" Ao Canghai frowned.

"The Heavenly Emperor has commanded us to seize Yin Shenhua. Might I ask if any of you have any plans in mind?" Xiao Nanfeng continued.

"Since that cursed effigy by your side is Yin Shenhua's enemy, it must know more about his background than we do. Why don't you share those details with us so we might come up with a plan?" Ao Canghai proposed.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "Very well. I'll share what I know. Yin Shenhua was once the supreme cultivator of his era eighty thousand years ago: the Present Buddha. He established the holy lands of Mount Ling and the Thunderclap Hall, and once had countless Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats as subordinates. Then, after having transformed into a cursed effigy, he was destroyed by the heavens above. He revived having reincarnated into Yin Shenhua's body, and his cursed effigy subordinates, who revived alongside him, set up Buddha's Grottos' all over the world in order to recover their strength in seclusion. Over these past few years, they've grown to become quite a potent force. Most of the enemy fighters you faced were such revived Buddhas and bodhisattvas."

"Oh?"

"The method they use to regain their power is cruel. Using the Buddha's Grotto on Thousand-Spirit Island as an example, they catch countless cultivators and spirits, which they feed to a superior draconic vein to extract elemental force suitable for their cultivation. The other Buddha's Grottos operate on the same principles. Although this allows them to regain their strength rapidly, it's built on a foundation of carnage and slaughter, a karmic morass. That's why they've been carrying it out only in secret," Xiao Nanfeng continued.

"Stealing others' cultivation—though an ancestral Buddha's followers they might be, they practice demonic arts. How evil," a Martial Aspect murmured.

"Though they've regained much of their strength, they're still far from their peak. They need war. Once war breaks out, they won't have to hide in the darkness anymore. They can take advantage of war to disguise their misdeeds and slaughter countless cultivators, absorbing their cultivation and bringing disaster to the world. The greater the chaos, the faster they can recover."

The Martial Aspects frowned in unison. One began, "No wonder they dare stand against the Imperial Court despite their lacking cultivation. It's all an attempt to strengthen themselves. They're vultures of war!"

"They had been hiding what they were doing, but now that the Imperial Court is attempting to capture Yin Shenhua, I suspect they'll drop all pretenses and unleash carnage en masse. Every day we waste is a day where they grow far stronger. We need to blitz them down and seize Yin Shenhua to end this conspiracy," Xiao Nanfeng surmised.

"How?" a Martial Aspect demanded. "Yin Shenhua might not be at peak strength yet, but he's back in Dayin's capital now. He can easily command his forces from Dayin. We failed to take him down just now and have lost the initiative. No one will be able to capture him in Dayin's capital."

"We just have to demolish his empire," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"What?" the Martial Aspects exclaimed.

"We'll obliterate Dayin!" Xiao Nanfeng replied.

The Martial Aspects gave Xiao Nanfeng odd looks.

"Are you joking? Do you know how difficult it is to obliterate a divine empire?" a Martial Aspect asked dubiously.

"You need not worry about that, Martial Aspects. I'm familiar with war between empires. As the king of the Dazheng Empire, I am happy to declare war on Dayin for the horrific conduct that I have uncovered. I shall call for aid across the world to exterminate this evil."

"You, a representative of an ordinary empire, intend to declare war on a divine empire?" the same Martial Aspect asked.

"And why not?"

"Dazheng is only an ordinary empire, and a middling one even among such empires. How do you intend to compete against a divine empire? That's ridiculous!"

"Despite being a Heaven Immortal, I managed to reclaim 60% of Dayin's fortune from Yin Shenhua. Others would have called that equally ridiculous before I had done it. Wouldn't you agree?"

The Martial Aspects frowned at each other. Even now, they still had no idea how Xiao Nanfeng had succeeded in such a gambit.

It was clear that Yin Shenhua could easily have taken down Xiao Nanfeng. Why would he hand over 60% of Dayin's fortune instead—and allow Xiao Nanfeng to leave unimpeded?

"Martial Aspects, worry not about the war. The Dazheng Empire will lead the charge, but I'll need your assistance against Golden Immortals and higher-realm cultivators," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"You intend for us to help you expand your borders?" Ao Canghai scoffed.

"Hardly. You need not participate in the war. I simply ask that you remain in Yongding and take down whatever Golden Immortals from Dayin arrive in isolation. Once Yin Shenhua loses his empire and his subordinates, we'll easily be able to take him down."

Silence reigned in the hall.

Xiao Nanfeng really did seem like he was serious about this war. Was he crazy? His own empire against a full-fledged divine empire?

The Martial Aspects frowned at each other, then turned to Ao Canghai as one, waiting to hear his opinion.

Ao Canghai glanced at Zhang Lingjun, their overseer, who was quietly sipping on her cup of alcohol. He frowned and deliberated over the proposal before finally giving Xiao Nanfeng a tiny smile. "Very well. If you're so confident, Martial Aspect Xiao, then we'll await your good news."

"Are you in agreement, Martial Aspect?" Xiao Nanfeng asked with a smile.

"Naturally."

Whether he would dedicate himself to such an agreement, however, remained to be seen.

"What do you think, fellow Martial Aspects?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

The Martial Aspects grimaced, but no one objected.

"Very well. Thank you, Martial Aspects. Allow me to toast you again. May we quickly capture Yin Shenhua on behalf of the Heavenly Emperor." Xiao Nanfeng raised his cup of wine in a toast.

Beside him, Zhang Lingjun emulated his actions. "Martial Aspects, let's cooperate to take down Yin Shenhua. I shall report in detail on today's banquet to the Heavenly Emperor."

Ao Canghai inwardly frowned, understanding that Zhang Lingjun was preventing them from recanting.

"Very well!" Ao Canghai smiled grimly as he raised his cup.

The other Martial Aspects all followed suit. None believed that Xiao Nanfeng would be able to succeed; they were all waiting to see him make a fool of himself.