Chapter 731: Scamming the Heavenly Emperor

In the Sieve of Heaven, outside the violet drill grounds, Ao Canghai glared at Xiao Nanfeng. He had already written off Xiao Nanfeng's involvement in this upcoming recruitment for new Martial Aspects, only to have Yang Chuan jump in at the last moment.

He very much wanted to interrogate Yang Chuan about this decision, but Xiao Nanfeng and Yang Chuan seemed to be having an animated conversation. He had no choice but to wait.

Ao Canghai took a deep breath. "All candidates, listen up. These are the Martial Aspect banners. The two purple banners are for the two openings in the eastern quadrant, while the five red banners are for the five openings in the southern quadrant. They'll be placed within the drill grounds. A barrier will be erected to prevent any candidates from leaving for a week. When the barrier is taken down, those candidates with banners in their possession will become new Martial Aspects."

"Understood!" all the candidates exclaimed.

With an unhappy expression on his face, Ao Canghai tossed the seven banners into the drill grounds.

"All vetted candidates, enter the drill grounds and prepare for combat!" Ao Canghai commanded.

"Understood!" The candidates all filtered in through the barrier, as did the seven golden cultivators.

As they did so, they began to fight over the Martial Aspect banners. The seven golden cultivators, clearly Xiao Nanfeng's allies, were a particular target.

Such allied Golden Immortals were the most dangerous, after all. If the others couldn't band together to take them down at the start, their numerical advantage would surely win out by the end of the selection process.

"A whole week? We get to be beaten up for a whole week?"

"These might only be Golden Immortals, but it's a whole week's worth of beatings!"

"Hurry. We have to get these banners. Once we have them in hand, the others will surely keep beating us up!"

"Really? Let's go!"

The seven golden cultivators shot toward the banners simultaneously as fighting broke out.

Golden Immortals possessed incredible strength. Though the barrier of violet light was particularly resilient, it began to shake as it absorbed attacks from dozens of Golden Immortals.

Ao Canghai retreated to a hall not far away as he observed the fighting.

"Eastern Aspect, Xiao Nanfeng's subordinates, these golden cultivators, are particularly resilient. Now that they're all Golden Immortals, the situation doesn't look good for us," one of Ao Canghai's subordinates murmured.

"It's a seven-day process. They won't be able to last long. Xiao Nanfeng's too ambitious. Does he really think he'll be able to get seven candidates through simultaneously? It's clear that everyone else will target them. Just you wait. They'll die one after another.

"Yes, Eastern Aspect!"

Meanwhile, Xiao Nanfeng stood beside Yang Chuan as they looked at the fighting unfolding within the barrier. Yang Chuan sighed. "Martial Aspect Xiao, it looks like I'll have to trouble you again."

"Hardly, Southern Aspect Yang. I should thank you for signing these seven recommendations on my behalf," Xiao Nanfeng replied with a smile.

Yang Chuan smiled wryly. "To be honest, the five Martial Aspects in the southern quadrant who died were all my confidantes. I'm to blame for their deaths, and, more importantly, I'm seeing signs that quite a few of the Martial Aspects in the southern quadrant are being won over by other factions. If over half of them denounce me for the losses our quadrant suffered, it's possible that I may have to give up my position."

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng responded in surprise.

"I do have other Golden Immortals I can call on to participate in the selection process, but I can't guarantee that they'll win. Time is tight, and trying to find so many Golden Immortals all at once will be particularly difficult, too."

"What makes you so confident that my subordinates will be successful?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"I was going to invite the Demon Child, who's displayed interest in being a Martial Aspect in the past. He'd just have to snatch up all the banners and hand them to my subordinates," Yang Chuan said, sighing.

"The Demon Child's busy," Xiao Nanfeng said, refusing him outright. "He's in school, and education is of paramount importance. He doesn't have time for a side job."

Yang Chuan gave Xiao Nanfeng an odd look.

"Don't worry. My subordinates won't disappoint you. They'll surely be able to claim two or three, at least, but it'll take some luck if they want to claim all of them."

"Two or three would be more than sufficient," Yang Chuan replied.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "The selection process will take a week, and it doesn't make sense for us to just stand here. Why don't we petition for an audience with the Heavenly Emperor and explain what we learned in the black coffin hidden realm?"

"We should. I need to inform the Heavenly Emperor of my misdeeds, too." Yang Chuan nodded.

"Xiao Nanfeng had Ye Dafu and the others continue to watch over the fighting as he left with Yang Chuan.

In the Heavenly Emperor's study on Mt. Kunlun, Xiao Nanfeng and Yang Chuan sat on one side of the table as they watched Yu Fuli clean a violet longsword with a handkerchief.

"Your Majesty, I'm to blame for what happened. I thought I would be able to glean some information about the saint within the black coffin hidden realm, not anticipating such slaughter. We Martial Aspects initially scattered to investigate the realm. After two died in quick succession, I noticed that something was amiss and had everyone gather—only to be caught off-guard by the seven zombie kings. I ask that you punish me, Your Majesty." Yang Chuan's face was a mask of sorrow and shame.

Yu Fuli continued to wipe at his sword. "You should be punished. As the Southern Aspect and leader of your subordinates, how could you be so attached to that golden bamboo scroll that you didn't notice a thing? Or was it that you didn't want to notice that something was wrong with that relic?"

Yang Chuan made a pained expression. "I was enticed by the relic because it recorded a miraculous technique that might even be able to resurrect the dead. Though I felt as if something were amiss, I stubbornly clung onto the scroll and caused a huge incident. Please punish me, Your Majesty."

Upon hearing Yang Chuan bring up his mother, Yu Fuli's severe features softened. He sighed. "At the very least, you can keep your position as Southern Aspect for the time being. Once you avenge the dead Martial Aspects, I'll see about your punishment."

Yang Chuan took a deep breath. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I'll do my best. I don't seek any merit or recognition for my actions—I simply want to avenge my brothers-in-arms."

Yu Fuli turned to Xiao Nanfeng. "And what are you doing here with Yang Chuan? You don't seem to have suffered any losses at all. You even benefited quite a bit from the black coffin hidden realm, didn't you?"

"I came with Southern Aspect Yang to report on the traitorous saint," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

Yu Fuli frowned. "You're quite a busybody."

After all, Yang Chuan was responsible for investigating the saint, not Xiao Nanfeng.

"Though it wasn't part of my duties, any threat to the Imperial Court is my responsibility," Xiao Nanfeng replied smoothly.

Yu Fuli gave him an odd look. "Very well. What's the matter?"

"When I possessed Southern Aspect Yang's physical body, I overheard the following conversation in the valley..." Xiao Nanfeng recounted what he had witnessed.

Yang Chuan's hands clenched into fists. "It really was a trap laid by the Immortal Emperor of Hongyue! And how greedy he is, too."

"And then?" Yu Fuli asked.

"As for why the saint chose to expose the black coffin and place it in the Southeastern Aquatic Palace, I believe I know his plan."

Yang Chuan frowned. "Isn't the saint simply trying to nurture those zombies by having them take down ignorant cultivators? I've mentioned it in my report—or is there more to it?"

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "The saint is hoping to use that black coffin to locate two other identical black coffins in the wild."

"Oh?" Yang Chuan was taken aback.

Yu Fuli, on the other hand, seemed to have been aware of this. His expression was calm and serene.

"Your Majesty, there are three such black coffins, a cursed effigy left behind by a hegemon of eras past. No one has yet managed to attune to the black coffin cursed effigy; it's particularly valuable as an unkillable, indestructible body."

Yang Chuan frowned again. "Are you confident? You can't be spreading rumors to His Majesty."

"I know it to be the truth. I have the second black coffin," Xiao Nanfeng revealed.

Yang Chuan: ...

Xiao Nanfeng retrieved the black coffin from storage and placed it in the study.

Yang Chuan was astonished. He knew that Xiao Nanfeng was incredibly capable and often seemed to possess preternatural means, but not to such an extent. The same black coffin that had caused him innumerable losses, Xiao Nanfeng possessed himself.

Yu Fuli remained unruffled. "Continue."

Xiao Nanfeng explained what had been recorded on the copper tombstone within this black coffin.

He didn't want to reveal that he was in possession of the black coffin, but he couldn't hide it any longer.

It was evident that the saint was looking for the two other black coffins urgently. He might have been able to hide his possession of one for a while, but the moment Ye Sanshui's new ancestral zombie body made an appearance, the saint would learn of it. The war between Shenfeng and Hongyue was drawing near, and Ye Sanshui would surely have to participate. At that point, he would be forced to take on the saint.

The saint's avatar alone had been an enemy not even the Cardinal Aspects could deal with. If he were to show himself, Xiao Nanfeng would surely be forced to give up the black coffin—and his life would be in danger as well.

The black coffin might as well have been a calamity, and its ability to exchange for treasures at a three-to-one value was all but useless to him. There were far better things he could do with his possessions under ordinary circumstances.

As a result, he was hopeful that he would be able to hand the black coffin over to Yu Fuli in exchange for some useful treasures. He was sure that Yu Fuli had plenty of rare and valuable relics, which he was eyeing.

"How honest of you." Yu Fuli smiled.

Xiao Nanfeng cocked his head. Yu Fuli's expression wasn't what he had expected.

"Your Majesty, since this black coffin is intimately related to the saint's affairs, it's my responsibility to share everything I know. It may be an artifact of priceless value, but anything is worth the Imperial Court's stability."

Yu Fuli laughed. "Continue."

Upon hearing Yu Fuli's laughter, Xiao Nanfeng grew rather worried. "Your Majesty, is there something wrong with what I'm saying?"

"No, no. Keep going. I'm curious how thick-skinned you can get."

Xiao Nanfeng was taken aback. He sighed. Had the Heavenly Emperor noticed that something was amiss? He didn't seem angry...

"I and Southern Aspect Yang both have to take down the Immortal Emperor of Hongyue, and our actions will surely catch the eye of the saint. I hope that I'll be able to use this coffin as collateral to borrow a treasure of equal value from you, Your Majesty, to assist in my efforts in taking down the saint and restore peace to the Imperial Court."

Yu Fuli's laughter grew even more uncontrolled. It took some time before he composed himself again and replied, "You want to exchange this worthless coffin for some valuable relic from me in the Imperial Court's name? Just how desperately do you want to scam me?"

"Hardly, Your Majesty. I propose this exchange as a loyal servant of the Imperial Court," Xiao Nanfeng pledged.

Yu Fuli raised an eyebrow at Xiao Nanfeng in clear disbelief.

Meanwhile, Yang Chuan glanced at Xiao Nanfeng in surprise. This was the first time he had seen anyone attempt to scam the Heavenly Emperor. If nothing else, Xiao Nanfeng had guts.