Chapter 813: The Shangqing Hierarch's Death

The curse of infatuation truly was formidable. The moment it struck the Immortal Emperor of Dahan's body, Xiao Nanfeng leapt out via its mindscape to avoid the curse.

At the same time, far in the distance, in one of Yongding's prisons, the Immortal Emperor of Dahan's sealed soul suddenly shuddered and entered a dream realm.

Also present in the dream realm was the Shangqing hierarch.

The Immortal Emperor of Dahan and the Shangqing hierarch eyed each other, feeling a strange and inexplicable attraction, and began to engage in... intimacy.

Within the massive Enlightenment Grounds, Xiao Nanfeng had just escaped from the Immortal Emperor of Dahan's body and was whirling back toward the Shangqing hierarch, only to find him motionless.

Xiao Nanfeng had experienced a similar curse of infatuation. Although he had managed to avoid its influence, he understood that one often remained entranced until after the dream of infatuation was complete. He was certain that the Shangqing hierarch was currently deep in a fantasy of passionate love.

As he glanced at the Immortal Emperor of Dahan's body, which was encased in a pink glow, he immediately realized what had happened.

Just imagining what was happening in the dream realm made him shudder. His scalp tingled as he dispelled those thoughts.

He didn't attack the Shangqing hierarch while he was defenseless, because the former's Deathbane sword was circling him and guarding him while he was incapacitated.

Instead, he reached toward the ice block holding Lan Yaoguang captive and activated his candleflame powers again. In a flash of red light, he pulled her free.

The moment Lan Yaoguang emerged, she threw herself into his arms. "Nanfeng, are you alright? Did you..."

"Don't worry. I'm fine. Right now, it seems that the Immortal Emperor of Dahan and the Shangqing hierarch are under the curse's influence."

Lan Yaoguang froze. She gaped in shock, her eyes opening wide.

Xiao Nanfeng didn't waste time on further explanations. With his candleflame powers, he freed all his subordinates from their icy prisons.

After learning about what had happened to the Shangqing hierarch, they couldn't help but grimace.

For the moment, however, there was still a pressing threat: the overseer floating above them. An eerie silence had already overtaken Daliang's capital.

"Your Majesty, are we going to attack the Shangqing hierarch?" Tu Feng asked.

Xiao Nanfeng's expression turned serious. He knew the overseer was the greatest remaining threat.

He gestured for Tu Feng to wait as he called out to the figure in the sky, "Overseer, we mean no offense. Would you allow us to leave?"

The overseer hadn't interfered while Xiao Nanfeng was freeing everyone from their icy prisons, making him think that there might be room for negotiation. That was why he had refrained from provoking him.

High in the air, the overseer remained silent on his blue praying mat.

Meanwhile, within Xiao Nanfeng's mindscape, his spiritual moon wrote out, "He's trying to attune to the blue praying mat, and doesn't want to be disturbed."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. The overseer of this territory and the Shangqing hierarch weren't allies, and the former was currently scheming to take control of the blue praying mat.

For the time being, Xiao Nanfeng had no way of leaving the giant Enlightenment Grounds. Even with his candleflame powers, he hadn't been able to escape from the domain.

Was waiting the only option?

Afar, countless blue-furred monsters and superior yin pearls had slaughtered all the people of Daliang's capital, but none of them flew over toward Xiao Nanfeng's group, as if wary of provoking it.

Xiao Nanfeng made up his mind. "Kill the Shangqing hierarch, now!"

He had concluded that the overseer was merely stalling for time in order to attune to the Shangqing hierarch's blue praying mat.

However, he clearly had no intention of freeing Xiao Nanfeng's group. Rather than wait and allow themselves to be subdued once the overseer was free to act, it would be better to disrupt his plan immediately.

"Attack!" Everyone charged toward the Shangqing hierarch.

"Bastard!" the overseer cursed.

Just as Xiao Nanfeng suspected, the overseer had merely been stalling for time. Upon realizing that his plan had been disrupted, he quickly raised his hand in a sweeping motion.

With a whoosh, the Shangqing hierarch was quickly pulled into the air as Xiao Nanfeng and his subordinates' attacks missed.

Airborne, the Shangqing hierarch suddenly jolted and woke up.

"Overseer, why didn't you wake me up sooner?!" the Shangqing hierarch demanded.

He was fuming at what had happened—though when he looked toward the Immortal Emperor of Dahan's body, a complicated emotion flickered in his eyes.

"I just saved you. Watch your tone," the overseer replied coolly.

"Watch my tone? I was caught off guard because you didn't even do your part to seal them!" the Shangqing hierarch thundered.

"How dare you speak to me in such a tone," the overseer replied.

"I'll speak to you however I want! If you won't take care of things, then we're done here. I'll split up this entire territory," the Shangqing hierarch threatened.

The overseer suddenly extended a white-gloved hand and caught the Shangqing hierarch by the neck.

The Deathbane Sword attempted to defend its master, only to be struck by the overseer's other fist. The sword was sent flying.

"What do you think you're doing?!" the Shangqing hierarch exclaimed.

He had been rendered immobile. The overseer's strength was quickly flooding into his body and leaving him powerless.

"No one threatens me. You're far from qualified to do so," the overseer declared.

"Are you insane? If not for this blue praying mat, how could you hope to wield such strength? I've already woven a failsafe into the praying mat. If I die, it'll immediately separate your Enlightenment Grounds!" the Shangqing hierarch roared.

"Try it, then." The overseer sneered.

The Shangqing hierarch attempted to activate his failsafe, but to no avail.

"Impossible! Even if you've suppressed much of my strength, I should be able to activate it. Why isn't it working?!"

"Because I've already erased the failsafe, you fool," the overseer replied.

"Impossible. This is the Shangqing Grandmaster's relic—you wouldn't be able to attune to it!"

"Not in the short term, but it's easy enough to deal with the failsafe that you placed on it, at the very least." The overseer smirked.

"No! We had a deal. You can't betray me!"

Fear finally overtook the Shangqing hierarch. He had no leverage against the overseer any longer. His life rested solely in the overseer's hands.

"Do you know what I hate most? Being threatened by others." The overseer cackled.

"I understand. I was wrong—please, spare me! Consider the blue praying mat a gift," the Shangqing hierarch hastily pleaded.

"It's already mine. Do you intend to offer me one of my own possessions as a gift?" The overseer scoffed.

The Shangqing hierarch paled. "Name your price. Anything I have—as long as you release me."

The overseer nodded thoughtfully. "As it so happens, I do need something of yours. It's good to know you're willing to give it to me."

"Name it, anything!" The Shangqing hierarch sighed in relief.

"I want your body."

"What?!"

The overseer's other hand sent a beam of white light straight into the Shangqing hierarch's mindscape.

"No!" the Shangqing hierarch cried out.

A boom rang out from his mindscape as his body went limp.

"You're not very strong, are you?" The overseer smirked.

He sent a droplet of his own blood into the Shangqing hierarch's mindscape, whose body suddenly shuddered. Before long, it stilled as his eyes closed.

A blood-red glow emanated from his body. After a few moments, he opened his eyes again. A powerful aura surged outward with a hum, filling the surrounding area.

The overseer released his grip. The Shangqing hierarch looked like a different person entirely.

"Did the Shangqing hierarch die? Has he been possessed?"

"No—it looks more like he's been transformed into the overseer's avatar."

"What frightening strength..."

The cultivators gulped. Their scalps prickled as they took in the full extent of the overseer's strength.

The Shangqing hierarch had been nothing more than an ant in front of the overseer.

With a hum, the Deathbane Sword flew away from the Shangqing hierarch and toward Lan Yaoguang, who grasped it in her hand.

"Has the Deathbane Sword recognized you as its new master, too?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"No—it can simply identify Shangqing disciples. It sensed that the Shangqing hierarch has perished, so it's returning to the hands of the closest Shangqing disciple," Lan Yaoguang explained.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. He took a deep breath. "Overseer, I bear you no grudge nor malice. My appearance forced the Shangqing hierarch to cooperate with you, ultimately leading to your acquisition of the blue praying mat. We're happy to offer suitable terms in exchange for our freedom."

With the Shangqing hierarch dead, Xiao Nanfeng held out hope for a deal with the overseer.

However, he only chuckled coldly. "No grudge nor malice? Don't you remember me?"

"Hm?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned.

Did this overseer, whoever he was, know him?

"Who are you?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"You caused the death of one of my avatars not too long ago. Don't you remember?" The overseer smirked.

Xiao Nanfeng's eyes widened as he blanched. "You're—that saint?!"

Not long ago, while capturing the Immortal Emperor of Dahan, Xiao Nanfeng had encountered a saint's avatar. When that avatar had self-destructed, it had caught Xiao Nanfeng and Lan Yaoguang's souls in a pillar of green light, casting them into a spatial rift. That was how Xiao Nanfeng had ended up in these Enlightenment Grounds to begin with.

"Now you remember, I see," the overseer replied darkly. "I am Saint Lun Hui."