Chapter 610: A Cruel Peacock

An empire sharing a border with Dayin received word of the rumors plaguing Dayin. Their current session of court was particularly animated.

"Xiao Nanfeng really is acting rapidly. That bombshell of his..."

"Is Yin Shenhua really rearing cultivators like livestock? I'm shivering just thinking of it."

"Who knows if it's the truth? There's all sorts of rumors flying about. Dayin's citizens are in an uproar."

"Didn't some Dayin officials decry those rumors as falsehoods?"

"So what? It's true that none of those cultivators picked in Dayin's annual talent recruitments have ever returned. Their officials can state whatever they want, but they can't hide the truth."

"Officials, what are your thoughts on this affair?" the emperor asked.

The officials fell silent as they turned to their emperor and began to present their thoughts in turn.

"Your Majesty, the Immortal city of Luye has surrendered to Dazheng, so any claims that Luye makes can't be trusted. Furthermore, it's obvious that Dazheng is deliberately spreading this rumor all over Dayin; the news would have been suppressed otherwise. We cannot trust such propaganda."

"On the other hand, Your Majesty, I am of the belief that these rumors are the truth. It is easily verifiable that those cultivators who have been selected from Dayin's talent recruitments have all vanished. It would be trivial for Dayin to prove these rumors false, and doing so would only result in backlash against Dazheng. Would Xiao Nanfeng do something so foolish?"

"I agree, Your Majesty. Dayin is truly despicable."

The majority of the officials believed that the rumors held at least some credence.

The emperor narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. There was tremendous benefit to be claimed in the war between Dazheng and Dayin, though he had been vacillating about whether or not to go for it in earnest.

Just then, an official rushed into the hall and bowed. "Your Majesty, envoys from Dazheng request an audience with you."

"What? Envoys from Dazheng?" The officials of court were taken aback.

"Send them in," the emperor declared.

"Send for Dazheng's envoys!" the officials at the back echoed.

Dazheng's envoys were quickly ushered into the palace.

The envoys bowed. "I am Zhao Lang, representing His Majesty of Dazheng. I greet the emperor of Dalie."

"On what business do you visit Dalie today?"

"Yin Shenhua and his cadre of cursed effigies rear cultivators as livestock. Now that their demonic deeds have been exposed, they are enemies of the world. On His Majesty's orders, I hereby invite Dalie to join Dazheng on the battlefield to save the world!" Zhao Lang exclaimed.

The officials of court were taken aback. Was Xiao Nanfeng searching for allies to take on Dayin together?

On his throne, the emperor fumed. Couldn't these envoys have come in secret? Discussing an alliance in a public venue—what could he do? Helping one side necessarily meant offending the other. Would he be able to handle Dayin's revenge?

Several days later, within Dayin's imperial study, though his injuries had all recovered, Yin Shenhua stared at his officials with a frustrated look on his face. "Is there yet unrest?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Although we've denied all rumors, the people are all in uproar. Meanwhile, Dazheng's cultivators are continuing to make things worse. The problem is that the lists of cultivators they've revealed are far too comprehensive. It's very difficult for us to suppress the truth," an official said.

Yin Shenhua narrowed his eyes. "Lists? To think that Mo Shanhe would still have them in his possession. He ought to have disposed of them well in advance."

"Your Majesty, what do we do now?" the official asked.

"Continue to deny the rumors and suppress any issues that arise. Once Dazheng is dealt with, everything will die down.

"Understood!"

"Ancestral Buddha, Xiao Nanfeng's sly and cunning. He has a group of Martial Aspects in his employ, and he won't be easy to kill. Ao Canghai is a Boundless Immortal, and none of the rest of us can handle him," a monk murmured.

"If you can't take down Ao Canghai on your own, then enlist the help of others," Yin Shenhua said coldly.

"Ask the other Immortal Emperors to strike with us, Your Majesty?" the monk asked.

"Indeed. The Immortal Emperor of Dachi, among others, is allied with me. I have evidence that they intend to rebel against the Imperial Court, so they'll be forced to cooperate," Yin Shenhua replied confidently.

Just then, an official rushed into the study. "Immortal Emperor, I have urgent news about the divine empire of Dachi."

"Hm?" Yin Shenhua frowned.

"My main body headed to Dachi as an envoy to request Dachi's aid against the Martial Aspects of the Imperial Court. Coincidentally, Dazheng's envoys were present as well."

"Oh?"

"Dazheng's envoys invited Dachi to take down Dayin together, claiming that if Dachi dared to assist the demonic Dayin, the Imperial Court would surely rain down lightning strikes in retaliation."

"Xiao Nanfeng's threatening the Immortal Emperor of Dachi? Is he crazy? What did the emperor say?" Yin Shenhua exclaimed.

"The Immortal Emperor of Dachi told me that, not only had Xiao Nanfeng invited him into an alliance, he had invited all the ordinary and divine empires nearby to take on Dayin together. The whole world's aware of what he's doing. He claims that it's a particularly sensitive period, that everyone will be eyeing who joins which side. He's forced to remain neutral for the time being, and he wants you to suppress the rumors from your empire first. Otherwise, no one will dare to ally with you, Your Majesty," the official reported.

Yin Shenhua's tone was icy. "Xiao Nanfeng again?"

Just then, the study rumbled. A huge crash could be heard.

"An earthquake?" several officials cried out.

"The disturbance is from an underground Buddha's Grotto. Has the first prince emerged from secluded cultivation?" A monk's eyes lit up.

Yin Shenhua immediately got up and stepped out of the study. The monks trailed him in an orderly row. They headed toward a part of the palace sealed with a formation. Fog shrouded the area, preventing anyone from seeing what lay within.

An abyss awaited Yin Shenhua and the monks, the depths within as dark as ink. Suddenly, shining blue light emerged from the abyss and illuminated it in its entirety.

A huge peacock appeared in sight, releasing a tremendous aura as it did so.

"I'm hungry. Father, I'm so hungry! I need to eat!" the giant peacock cawed.

"We greet Your Highness." The officials bowed respectfully.

Yin Shenhua stared at the peacock. "If you're that hungry, go hunt outside Dayin's borders. Have some officials accompany you so they can update you on what has happened in Dayin since.

"Yes, Father!" the peacock replied. He turned toward a monk. "You, follow me."

The peacock soared into the air with the monk, impatient and famished, disappearing over the horizon in a flash of blue light.

Before long, they flew out of Dayin and toward a city in the distance. The peacock was about to descend when the monk interjected, "Dayin's been having some trouble recently, and this location is too exposed. You can't eat anyone here, Your Highness. Let's head further toward the Eastern Sea and find some Immortal sect where you can eat your fill."

The peacock was famished, but he nodded and flew further toward the horizon.

Before long, he and the monk arrived on an island guarded by a defensive formation.

With a flap of the peacock's wings, a gust of black wind shattered the formation. Rosy light shot into the air as incensed shouts came from the island.

"Who dares attack our Immortal sect?!" the Immortal in the lead shouted.

The peacock ignored them. With another flap of his wings, black gusts of wind swept across the entire island, sucking up all the cultivators on it.

"Save us, Sect Master!"

"Free my disciples, you beast!"

"Run!"

All manner of shouts could be heard from the island, but none of the disciples within were able to escape the force of the black wind. They were quickly flung into the peacock's mouth and swallowed up.

Before long, the entire sect had been consumed.

"Has your hunger been relieved, Your Highness?" the monk asked.

"It's far from enough. I'll need more. Bring me to the nearest Immortal sect!" the peacock commanded.