Chapter 811: A Sudden Change of Plans

Within the palace in Daliang's capital, the Immortal Emperor of Daliang reclined within a man's arms as she recounted the events of the day.

"Xiao Nanfeng truly is cunning. He tricked the Shangqing hierarch into a sixteen-pearl territory while he took on a fourteen-pearl one. I was intending to frame Xiao Nanfeng when his avatar showed up and ruined my plan!" she shouted in frustration.

"To think so much would have happened in these last few days while I was gone... But you've made a critical mistake," the man said. He frowned and sighed.

"Where?"

"With the number of spies you have monitoring these Enlightenment Grounds, you should have been among the first to notice that something was wrong. Your arrival was late enough to be suspicious."

The Immortal Emperor sighed in frustration. "I was injured and needed some time to recuperate so no one would notice my condition. Do you mean that I exposed myself?"

The man nodded. "The Shangqing hierarch must have guessed that you were involved."

"With his temperament, he'll surely seek revenge. What should I do now?"

The man thought for a moment. "Perhaps this isn't so bad after all."

"Indeed?" The Immortal Empress of Daliang seemed perplexed.

"Have you forgotten why we invited the Shangqing hierarch into the green knoll hidden realm in the first place?"

The Immortal Emperor of Daliang's eyes lit up. "Do you think he'll act rashly?"

"Indeed. That's why you can't stay in the capital any longer."

"Very well. I'll listen to your advice."

Elsewhere, in a certain hall, the Shangqing hierarch told the two supreme elders, "Please return to the holy land without me."

The elders exchanged glances with each other. "Hierarch, we don't all have to leave together."

The Shangqing hierarch shook his head. "We've lost too many disciples, and I have to handle their passing appropriately. I need to remain here to investigate just who the attackers were. Please, return and arrange their funerals on my behalf."

"But..." One of the elders still seemed reluctant.

"I don't intend to head into any of the Enlightenment Grounds in the short term. We'll have time later. I'll remain here and await the two of you."

The elders ultimately nodded. "Very well. We'll leave things here to you, then, Hierarch."

The hierarch nodded and watched as the two elders departed.

Once they were out of sight, he turned. His eyes flared with fierce resolve as he headed toward one of the Enlightenment Grounds.

This time, he didn't bring anyone with him. He ventured into the territory alone, and was quickly detected and surrounded by countless blue-furred lifeforms and several superior yin pearls. Rather than engage in combat, however, he evaded them until he encountered the master of the territory, a woman in blue.

She was just about to attack when the Shangqing hierarch called out, "Hold it!" I want to meet with your overseer!"

The woman raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"

"Tell him that I'm the Shangqing hierarch, and I have something he wants. I'm here to propose a deal."

Two days later, on Xiao Nanfeng's floating island, he and Lan Yaoguang were glancing at an invitation together.

"The Shangqing hierarch is inviting us to a banquet in order to apologize for his misunderstanding the other day..." Lan Yaoguang murmured.

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. "We won't attend."

"Oh?"

"The Shangqing hierarch lost a significant fraction of his forces as a result of what happened. He failed to scheme against us once; he's certainly going to try to do so again."

"Didn't you say that the Immortal Emperor of Daliang was likely the culprit?"

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "That's right. It was very unusual for her to show up so late, and there were no Boundless Immortals present near any of the strong Enlightenment Grounds in the region. She may very well have been the culprit behind the assault."

"Perhaps the Shangqing hierarch figured it out too. What if he wants to work with us to get back at her?"

Xiao Nanfeng shook his head. "He must hate the Immortal Emperor, but he also despises me. He's far more likely to try to manipulate us than to seek an alliance."

"What do we do, then?"

"We're leaving the capital immediately."

"Why?"

"I don't know how the Shangqing hierarch intends to scheme against us, but I'm certain it'll be very dangerous. Our best option now is to go into hiding and vanish from everyone's sight. That will prevent him from ensnaring us. We'll leave immediately."

"Got it!" Lan Yaoguang nodded firmly.

In a certain hall, the Shangqing hierarch asked one of his disciples, "Has Xiao Nanfeng arrived?"

"He said he was attending a banquet at the imperial palace and sent a letter of apology over. He and his entourage are currently shopping for gifts in the capital," a Shangqing disciple reported.

"He doesn't intend to show me any respect, does he?" the Shangqing hierarch said coldly.

"It really is rather arrogant of him," the Shangqing disciple agreed.

"No matter. As long as he's still in the capital, all will be well." The Shangqing hierarch laughed coldly.

Just then, shouts echoed from the outside.

"A snowstorm—and such a heavy one, at that."

"Is the defensive formation around the capital broken? How could we have been hit by such a massive snowfall otherwise?"

"This isn't right—the snow's getting heavier and heavier!"

All sorts of voices rang out in alarm, prompting the Shangqing hierarch to emerge with his disciples. They looked around and saw snow blanketing the entire city, growing denser and covering everything in sight.

"What's happening? Why isn't the city's defensive formation holding the snow back?" a Shangqing disciple exclaimed.

Everyone looked toward the outskirts of the capital, where an even fiercer blizzard was raging. The entire landscape was snow-white.

Suddenly, the ground shook violently. Buildings across the city crumbled. From beneath the earth came the anguished roar of a superior draconic vein.

"Something strange is going on. Quick, send for the Immortal Emperor!"

"I want to leave! Let me out of the city!"

People began to flee. Some rushed toward the palace, while others tried to escape from the city.

Those who did so, however, quickly turned back in horror.

"What's the matter? Why are you back here?"

"Everything outside has changed..."

"We're—We're all trapped in the Enlightenment Grounds!"

More and more people screamed in terror as chaos overtook the city.

Just moments earlier, Xiao Nanfeng and his entourage had barely left the capital when a sudden wave of ice and snow surged forth.

"Run!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted, fleeing with the rest of his group.

They had to fly an incredible distance before the ominous feeling finally faded.

Only then did they look back to see an enormous barrier covering up Daliang's capital. A massive snowstorm raged within. Swirling eyes and a grinning mouth up in the clouds cast a menacing glare at them.

"Are those—Enlightenment Grounds? One forming around the entire capital?"

"It's going to swallow up the capital whole..."

The group was stunned.

"Your Majesty, something's wrong. We've never seen Enlightenment Grounds of this size or scale before," Tu Feng said, astonished.

Just then, another cultivator shouted, "Look over there! What's that?"

Everyone turned to see a small Enlightenment Grounds approaching.

"A four-pearl territory," Lan Yaoguang murmured.

It shot into the massive Enlightenment Grounds around the capital and merged seamlessly with it like two bubbles colliding.

"They merged!" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"The Enlightenment Grounds are growing..."

"There's one more over there!"

"And one here!"

More Enlightenment Grounds followed suit, one after another.

The colossal Enlightenment Grounds swelled.

"Your Majesty, my avatar was near an Immortal city. The Enlightenment Grounds there suddenly vanished."

"Your Majesty, my avatar was near another Immortal city. The Enlightenment Grounds near it suddenly vanished as well. We're trying to search for it right now."

"Your Majesty..."

More scouts came forward with similar reports about what was happening all around the empire.

Very quickly, Xiao Nanfeng's group came to a chilling realization. Tu Feng finally spoke up. "If we're right, every Enlightenment Grounds in the vicinity of Daliang has converged into this huge territory..."

"Isn't it difficult to merge these Enlightenment Grounds together? How could they do so now so seamlessly?" Lan Yaoguang exclaimed.

Xiao Nanfeng grimaced. "Does the Shangqing holy land have any records on the matter?"

"I don't know," Lan Yaoguang replied, shaking her head. Her eyes suddenly widened. "Do you think the Shangqing hierarch was responsible?"

"It's possible. After all, the Enlightenment Grounds here were created millennia ago by the Shangqing Grandmaster. The Shangqing hierarch might know a little about their secrets."

"What do we do now?"

"Nothing. We'll leave this place immediately and get as far away as we can. Let's hurry!"