Chapter 649: The Five Martial Aspects

In peak condition, the Golden Immortals wouldn't have been worried about the explosion of Golden Immortal relics beside them, but they had already undergone three whole days' and nights' worth of fighting and were already on their last legs. Dealing with a close-ranged explosion now was an incredibly strenuous affair.

It was obvious they would lose their banners; just protecting their own lives was difficult enough.

The four Golden Immortals, badly injured, weakly turned to flee.

Ye Dafu and his four golden cultivators surrounded the Demon Child in the flash of an eye.

"Go on, attack them!" the Demon Child howled.

A group of True Immortal candidates rushed over, but they had already been defeated by the golden cultivators before. With their Golden Immortal relics in hand, the golden cultivators quickly trounced them once again.

"Listen up!" Ye Dafu shouted. "Any of you who dares to bother us, you'll have to pay with your lives. If you want to take that risk, feel free!"

The True Immortals hung back in hesitation.

Then, Ye Dafu turned to the Demon Child. "Come on. Hand your Martial Aspect banner over."

"Dream on! You liars, pretending to have lost! I'll take you all down!" the Demon Child roared as he shot over.

The gathered golden cultivators activated their Golden Immortal relics, deflecting the demon-subduing golden hoop. Ye Dafu threw a punch at the Demon Child's face, causing it to swell up.

"Wah! You're bullying a child like me? You're horrible! I won't let you go! My Senior Brother will take you all down!" the Demon Child shouted, clutching his swollen face.

"If you don't hand over your banner, we'll keep beating you up!" Ye Dafu shouted, raising a fist.

"Dream on! Never!" the Demon Child refused stubbornly.

"Beat him up, then!" Ye Dafu commanded.

His crew of golden cultivators leapt forward and began to pummel the Demon Child.

The Demon Child cried and screamed in a chilling fashion.

For five hulking cultivators to beat up a young child—countless cultivators on the outside watched with bated breath. What a horrifying scene!

Black Dog anxiously ran toward Ao Zhou. "Martial Aspect Ao Zhou, can you contact the five True Immortals within? The Demon Child is still young and immature. Please spare him!"

"Spare him? The same way he spared Ye Dafu when he gave him a beating?" Ao Zhou retorted.

The Demon Child had shamed him greatly by beating him up, but there was little he could do with Xiao Nanfeng having brokered peace and resolved the matter. Now that the Demon Child was getting beaten up himself, Ao Zhou was feeling particularly exuberant.

Black Dog fretted anxiously, not knowing what to do, when Xiao Nanfeng flew back toward the plaza. "Don't worry, Black Dog. I'll have Ye Dafu and the others go easy on him. The Demon Child ought to pay a price for being bossy and domineering, and I'm happy to teach him a lesson on behalf of the Yuqing holy land."

"But—"

"He won't die," Xiao Nanfeng said.

Black Dog sighed, but had no choice but to nod in exasperation. The Southern Aspect wasn't present, and he hardly had the authority to interfere with the business of Martial Aspects from other quadrants.

Just then, a voice rang out, "Time's up!"

The violet barrier unfolded as the Martial Aspect selection came to an end.

The four weakened Golden Immortals rushed out from hiding and headed straight for the Martial Aspects with whom they were familiar for protection.

"Time's up! No more fighting!" Black Dog shouted, rushing over to the Demon Child.

The golden cultivators in the distance turned around.

"What? It's already over? I just started beating him up!"

"We haven't even warmed up yet!"

"That's it? I demand more!"

The golden cultivators were fuming.

They walked out of the barrier, each with a banner in hand, leaving the Demon Child behind in a pile of ruins, bruises all over his body.

"You're inhumane! How could you beat up a little kid like me? Wah!" The Demon Child's bawling could be heard all over.

Black Dog sighed as he flew over to the Demon Child.

"Thank you for relenting," Black Dog said immediately.

"Of course. Next time, when the Demon Child comes back to get revenge on us, make sure to find some stronger cultivators," Ye Dafu said seriously.

"What? No, we'd never!" Black Dog exclaimed.

"I'm not joking. Seriously, bring stronger cultivators next time," Ye Dafu emphasized.

"Right, don't fight us without at least Golden Immortals in tow!"

"Right, right!"

The other golden cultivators all agreed with Ye Dafu.

Black Dog: ???

Then, Ye Dafu took the Demon Child's banner and walked out of the violet drill grounds.

Countless cultivators gave Ye Dafu and his group odd looks as they left. How vicious they had been even against a child!

"We've secured the Martial Aspect banners. Will we be deemed Martial Aspects now, then?" Ye Dafu called out.

Ao Canghai grimaced, not expecting that all his plans would be waylaid by Xiao Nanfeng. He glared at Tu Feng in hatred.

Tu Feng seemed quite upset himself. All his efforts had only served to benefit Xiao Nanfeng!

"According to the rules of the Hall of Martial Aspects, those banner-wielders at the end of the selection shall be deemed new Martial Aspects. Bring the relevant paperwork to the Hall of Martial Aspects in three days' time," Ao Canghai said.

Then, he stalked off.

Ye Dafu and the others flew toward Xiao Nanfeng in excitement.

"Your Majesty, we've done it!" Ye Dafu exclaimed.

"We'd better hurry off now," Xiao Nanfeng said, laughing. "Otherwise, that boy's going to latch onto us again.

"Understood!" everyone replied.

Indeed, as Xiao Nanfeng's delegation departed, the Demon Child began to shout, "Get them! Hurry, or I'll tell Senior Brother! Wah! No one has ever beaten me up! No, don't touch me, it hurts!" the Demon Child shouted.

But who would dare try to pursue five Martial Aspects? That would only get them killed! Those cultivators who had been willing to obey the Demon Child's orders moments before suddenly pretended to be deaf.

"You're all bullying me, all of you! Wah!" the Demon Child shouted.

Black smoke emerged from his head, with red light glimmering within. A wave of demonic aura emanated from him.

"The Demon Child's about to undergo another demonic transformation! Quick, bring the Demon Child back to the manor and inform the Southern Aspect immediately!" Black Dog cried out.

A mess erupted in the drill grounds.

Three days later, on the Hall of Martial Aspects' floating island, Xiao Nanfeng and Ao Zhou arrived alongside Ye Dafu's five-man crew to submit the paperwork and be officially recognized as Martial Aspects.

"By the will of the heavens, the Heavenly Emperor declares that Ye Dafu is awarded the title of Martial Aspect as substitute for the deceased Martial Aspect of Violetfrost."

"By the will of the heavens, the Heavenly Emperor declares..."

The five golden cultivators were all granted the title of Martial Aspect.

"Thank you, Heavenly Emperor!" the five cultivators chorused.

"Claim this edict and the Martial Aspect's charm."

"Understood!"

Just as the five cultivators each accepted their own edict and Martial Aspect's charm, a roiling wave of fortune from atop Mt. Kunlun enveloped them as it transformed into five dragons that surged back toward the sea.

"We're all Martial Aspects now, haha!" the golden cultivators cried out in excitement.

"Don't get cocky just yet. There are still a few administrative matters to handle, and you'll have to claim your individual manors as well," Xiao Nanfeng warned.

"Understood!" the five golden cultivators said.

After they were led through the paperwork, an official led them away. "The Eastern Aspect wishes to speak with you."

The newly minted Martial Aspects all turned to Xiao Nanfeng.

"Go on. The Eastern Aspect has the keys for all the Martial Aspects' manors, and you'll need to greet him regardless," Xiao Nanfeng said.

The cultivators nodded and followed Xiao Nanfeng to a nearby hall.

Everyone entered to see Ao Canghai standing with his hands behind his back, staring at a map pinned on the wall.

"We greet the Eastern Aspect." The cultivators bowed.

Only then did Ao Canghai turn around. He smiled. "Martial Aspect Xiao, your subordinates are rather skilled, aren't they?"

"You overpraise me, Eastern Aspect. They were simply lucky," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

Ao Canghai's eyes flashed with annoyance and hatred before he plastered a smile across his face. He addressed the five new Martial Aspects. "I'll leave Martial Aspect Xiao to explain the customs of the Hall of Martial Aspects to you. These are the keys to your new manors. I hope none of you will disgrace your new titles."

"Yes, Eastern Aspect!" Ye Dafu and the others chorused, bowing.

"Ao Zhou," Ao Canghai began.

"Yes, Eastern Aspect!" Ao Zhou replied.

"New Martial Aspects are responsible for Martial Aspect missions after a half-year grace period. You've passed that threshold, and it's time you accept a task of your own," Ao Canghai said.

"Didn't I just participate in the destruction of Dayin?" Ao Zhou frowned.

"That was a special order from the Heavenly Emperor himself, and doesn't count as a Martial Aspect mission," Ao Canghai replied.

Ao Zhou frowned. "Understood, Eastern Aspect. What are your orders?"

"An empire that provides a tithe to the Imperial Court is requesting aid by the south of the Eastern Sea. There's a spiritbeast lair known as the Southeastern Aquatic Palace that has been disturbing the peace in its vicinity. They've petitioned the Imperial Court for help, and the Imperial Court is obliged to provide assistance given their tithe of fortune. This mission involves clearing out the Southeastern Aquatic Palace, and the time limit for this mission is a year. Are you willing to accept it?" Ao Canghai asked Ao Zhou.

Ao Zhou turned to Xiao Nanfeng, who nodded.

"I am, Eastern Aspect," Ao Zhou said.

"Very good. Claim this task, then."

"Understood!" Ao Zhou nodded.

"All of you may go."

"Yes, Eastern Aspect!" The Martial Aspects retreated from the hall.

After they all left, Ao Canghai's eyes glinted coldly.

As they walked away from the hall, Ao Zhou asked Xiao Nanfeng, "Ao Canghai's sure to be trying to target me. Why did you have me accept?"

"If he's going to target you regardless, it doesn't matter what task you accept, does it? They'll all be problematic," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Oh?"

"I've heard of this Southeastern Aquatic Palace before."

"You have?"

"That's right, but only in the last few days. The Southeastern Aquatic Palace has been a nuisance for years, and it's never been dealt with to date. The reason is that it's backed by a certain Martial Aspect," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Which one?"

"Martial Aspect Tu Feng."

"And who's that?" Ao Zhou asked.

"He's the Martial Aspect in the Southern Quadrant responsible for scheming against the Demon Child in an attempt to seize some Martial Aspect positions during the selection."

Ao Zhou frowned. His eyes widened in understanding. "Ao Canghai's planning to take advantage of us to get revenge on him!"

Xiao Nanfeng nodded.