Chapter 819: Han Gucheng

"Run!" After saying these words, the man suddenly collapsed. His body fell to the ground as blood gushed from a deep vertical cut on his body.

"Husband!" the Immortal Emperor of Daliang screamed.

She caught him as he fell and shouted, "Retreat!"

Without any hesitation, she flew off, carrying the man with her. Her black-robed subordinates did the same.

Xiao Nanfeng motioned for his followers not to pursue. Given the dense fog within the green knoll hidden realm, there might still be hidden dangers up ahead.

Then, he frowned. "That man seemed familiar. I feel as though I've seen his likeness before..."

Just then, You Jiu hurried forward. "Your Majesty, that may be the former Immortal Emperor of Dahan, Han Gucheng."

"Han Gucheng? He's not dead?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

Xiao Nanfeng had possessed the Immortal Emperor of Dahan, whose name was Han Bing. He had mentioned that his father had empowered him to become a Boundless Immortal before dying and leaving him the divine empire of Dahan.

Han Gucheng's death had been suspicious; was it a coincidence that someone who looked just like him had appeared?

No. It couldn't be just a resemblance. That had to be Han Gucheng himself.

"So Han Gucheng faked his death, leaving his son Han Bing in charge, while he withdrew into the green knoll hidden realm to establish a new foundation? The Immortal Emperor of Daliang is his consort and serves as his puppet in public..." Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

Han Gucheng's appearance had shocked Xiao Nanfeng, but he was even more concerned about the presence of the Shangqing Grandmaster on the blue praying mat.

The power of the Shangqing Grandmaster was terrifying. With the Cursebane Sword in hand, he could cleave through everything in his vicinity. Even someone like Han Gucheng wasn't able to retaliate at all.

From a distance, the blue praying mat slowly floated toward them.

Xiao Nanfeng emerged from the body of the Immortal Emperor of Dahan, kept it, and bowed in gratitude. "Thank you for your assistance, Shangqing Grandmaster.

The blue praying mat remained silent as the Cursebane Sword returned to Lan Yaoguang's hand.

"Thank you, Grandmaster!" Lan Yaoguang bowed deeply.

Then, she glanced at the blue praying mat in surprise, then nodded, seemingly acknowledging some instruction from the Shangqing Grandmaster.

After a while, she composed herself. "As you command, Grandmaster."

She carefully rolled up the blue praying mat.

"Has the Shangqing Grandmaster left?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

Lan Yaoguang nodded. "For the moment, but he's entrusted me with a task."

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng replied curiously.

"The Shangqing Grandmaster has instructed me to return to the Shangqing holy land and open up the blue moon illusory realm to allow all Shangqing disciples to cultivate there for a period of time. They'll be led by the wielders of the four Shangqing swords."

"You're entering the blue moon illusory realm? Let me join you, then," Xiao Nanfeng suggested.

Lan Yaoguang shook her head. "The Shangqing Grandmaster specifically stated that no outsiders are allowed to enter, particularly not disciples of the Taiqing and Yuqing sects."

"Why?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"I don't know either," Lan Yaoguang replied wryly.

"Does that mean that I can't accompany you in?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

He was somewhat reluctant to have Lan Yaoguang enter the blue moon illusory realm on his own.

"The grandmaster also emphasized that I have to enter myself," Lan Yaoguang continued.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. He wasn't trying to be overprotective, but he was certain that there could be potential danger ahead. He was reluctant to let her take such a risk.

However, she could hardly disobey the Shangqing Grandmaster's direct command. He boasted terrifying power, and none of them were strong enough to defy his will.

"Don't worry, Nanfeng," Lan Yaoguang said gently, sensing his concern. "I'll be careful."

Xiao Nanfeng paused for a moment, then shook his head. "Let me arrange for a few Dazheng officials to accompany you and serve as your guards."

"But they're not Shangqing disciples..." Lan Yaoguang murmured in worry.

"Have them become your disciples, and they will be."

"But according to the rules of the Shangqing holy land, only the hierarch is allowed to bypass the one-year probationary period for new disciples!"

"Then you'll become the new Shangqing hierarch."

"Me, the new hierarch?" Lan Yaoguang was taken aback.

"Exactly. I'll guide you through it." Xiao Nanfeng nodded firmly.

"But..." Lan Yaoguang frowned.

"It's settled," Xiao Nanfeng said resolutely.

Lan Yaoguang nodded, touched by his determination. She could feel his warmth and protectiveness toward her.

"I have to head back to the Shangqing holy land immediately. The grandmaster told me not to tarry."

"My avatar won't accompany you, but take my main body. It's still in meditation, but it should wake up soon."

"Got it!" Lan Yaoguang nodded firmly.

Xiao Nanfeng handed her some additional items. With that, they parted ways. Lan Yaoguang was accompanied by a group of black-robed cultivators, while Xiao Nanfeng left with a group of his own.

Meanwhile, somewhere within the green knoll hidden realm, a group of cultivators rushed through the clouds. The Immortal Emperor of Daliang anxiously held the weakened Han Gucheng in her arms.

Han Gucheng's body was covered in frost, seemingly to prevent any further damage to it.

"Are you alright, Husband?" the Immortal Emperor of Daliang, Gan Qing, asked in distress.

Han Gucheng replied weakly, "This avatar's soul has been severed. It's about to disintegrate. You won't be able to save it."

"What happened?" Gan Qing fumed.

"The Shangqing Grandmaster's will must have lingered on that blue praying mat. He was likely the one who struck me. I could hardly have beaten him," Han Gucheng replied weakly.

"The Shangqing Grandmaster? How can that be? Even if he returned as a cursed effigy, he can't possibly be that powerful. You're a Boundless Immortal!" Gan Qing exclaimed.

"This world is far more dangerous than you can imagine. The three Qing Grandmasters of the previous era were incomparably strong. The green knoll hidden realm was something that they created and discarded, and it's taken us everything we have just to gain a modicum of control over it," Han Gucheng said.

"Were they really that powerful?" Gan Qing exclaimed, incredulous.

"Very. They're said to have surpassed the hegemons of all previous eras."

"What do we do, then? Are we still going to try to claim the blue praying mat for ourselves?"

"Forget it. If the Shangqing Grandmaster still controls it, then we're doomed."

Gan Qing was clearly reluctant to give up just like that.

"This body won't last much longer. Bring me back to my main body immediately so I can transfer the remnant energy in this avatar to another one."

"Alright." Gan Qing nodded firmly as the group sped up.

Days later, within the Shangqing holy land, the two supreme elders who had just returned held a grand funeral for the Shangqing disciples who had perished in the green knoll hidden realm. Then, they summoned another disciple to inquire about what had happened after their departure.

"After we left, a giant Enlightenment Grounds engulfed the capital of Daliang and slaughtered the entire population of the city with an endless horde of blue-furred monsters? And more and more superior yin pearls appeared?" one of the supreme elders exclaimed.

"Yes, Elder. My avatar saw it with my own eyes. There were at least a hundred superior yin pearls."

"Impossible. How could such a massive Enlightenment Grounds exist?"

"No—it may be possible indeed," the other supreme elder said.

"You mean—that Shangqing relic?"

"Indeed. Have you forgotten about the Shangqing Grandmaster's praying mat that the hierarch safeguarded?"

The two elders fell silent, troubled by what they had learned.

"What happened next?"

"I don't know. All our avatars died. One of my junior brothers said that there was a blue praying mat hovering in the air. There seemed to be someone faintly visible on it, but the figure was obscured by fog."

"What else? Was anyone else there?"

"We don't know. Our avatars were killed immediately after."

The two elders were silent. They were certain that the Shangqing hierarch was involved, but didn't know whether his involvement was willing or unwilling.

"We'll have to wait for him to return before inquiring as to what happened, I suppose," one of the supreme elders finally concluded.

Just then, another Shangqing disciple rushed into the hall.

"Elders, Holy Maiden Yaoguang has returned with the hierarch's Deathbane Sword!"

"The Deathbane Sword? That's the hierarch's personal weapon. How could it be in Holy Maiden Yaoguang's possession?" one of the elders exclaimed.

"I don't know, Elder, but there were a few black-robed cultivators following behind Holy Maiden Yaoguang. They might be Xiao Nanfeng's subordinates."

"Bring me over!" one of the supreme elders instructed.

𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Understood!"

The cultivators rushed out of the hall.

Meanwhile, the news of Holy Maiden Yaoguang's return and her retrieval of the Shangqing hierarch's sword spread across the Shangqing holy land.

The Shangqing hierarch never let his sword out of his sight; Lan Yaoguang could hardly be in possession of it unless he was dead.

The news quickly spread across the Shangqing holy land. More and more cultivators rushed over.

Indeed, Lan Yaoguang, accompanied by a group of black-robed cultivators, had arrived in the Shangqing holy land. Their destination wasn't her Cursebane Island, but rather the main sect grounds by the seaside. She retrieved the Cursebane and Deathbane Swords.

"By the authority vested in these two swords, I convene a meeting of the division leaders to discuss the death of the hierarch. Please have all division leaders gather in Shangqing Hall to discuss the sect's future," Lan Yaoguang announced.

"Understood!" the Shangqing disciples answered in unison.

They quickly began to spread the word, according to standard protocol.

Meanwhile, her uncle, Qu Jianfeng, rushed up to her.

"You're back, Yaoguang!" Qu Jianfeng's face was guilty. He smiled awkwardly.

It was his fault that Lan Yaoguang had been captured by the Immortal Emperor of Dahan. Although Xiao Nanfeng had spared his life, his reputation within the Shangqing holy land had nosedived. Other disciples ridiculed him, and he had been miserable since.

"Uncle," Lan Yaoguang greeted him. She didn't seem particularly resentful.

Seeing her lack of hostility, Qu Jianfeng relaxed and asked, "Yaoguang, why do you have the Deathbane Sword? What happened to the Shangqing hierarch?"

"He's dead," she replied.

Qu Jianfeng: ...

"I've returned today in hopes of claiming the position of Shangqing hierarch," Lan Yaoguang continued. Please inform all the elders of our division to support me at any cost."

Qu Jianfeng looked at her, bewildered. How did she intend to claim that position with her middling cultivation? Had he misheard?