Chapter 826: The Taiqing Enlightenment Grounds

Within the green knoll hidden realm, Xiao Nanfeng's avatar led a group of cultivators through an area shrouded in dense mist.

"Is this part of Taiqing's territory?" Xiao Nanfeng asked Tu Feng.

Tu Feng nodded. "Indeed, but the green knoll hidden realm is quite different than I remember it. Back then, there were only ordinary empires here, no divine ones. There were dozens of empires who were constantly at war, and the relentless attacks from the Enlightenment Grounds made it impossible for divine empires to take root. Now, however, all the ordinary empires have been wiped out. Three divine empires rule the hidden realm now."

"Daliang, Daxue, and Dadong—three divine empires, each reigning over a separate part of the hidden realm... And their names are all related to winter. Each divine empire controls one set of Enlightenment Grounds, correct?" [1]

"Indeed. Daliang's territory overlaps with the Shangqing Enlightenment Grounds, Daxue's with the Taiqing Enlightenment Grounds, and Dadong with the Yuqing Enlightenment Grounds."

Xiao Nanfeng shook his head. "These divine empires are likely all ruled by Han Gucheng."

"Han Gucheng—you mean to say that he's unified the green knoll hidden realm?"

"I suspect that that's the case. Han Gucheng controls Daliang, but chose not to serve as its Immortal Emperor. This suggests that he has other domains. I believe all three divine empires are his, unified under his rule but split three ways, each under a puppet ruler."

"I don't understand, Your Majesty," Tu Feng replied. "Why would Han Gucheng divide his empire?"

"The green knoll hidden realm contains overseers—a saint's avatars. Perhaps Han Gucheng intends to maneuver against them."

"Oh?"

"There must be some valuable treasure in the green knoll hidden realm, something that has attracted both the saint's and Han Gucheng's attention."

"I've never heard of such a treasure." Tu Feng frowned.

"That's fine. We'll wait and see just what could be so compelling as to have Han Gucheng give up on Dahan, feign his death, and conquer the green knoll hidden realm here. We'll see just what has drawn Saint Lun Hui's attention.

"Understood!"

"Now, these are Taiqing Enlightenment Grounds, aren't they? They're likely left behind by the Taiqing Grandmaster. Let's head into one and investigate."

Tu Feng nodded firmly.

The cultivators flew quickly through the fog until they reached an Immortal city that lay in shambles. It had been reduced to rubble; from its wreckage rose Enlightenment Grounds emitting wisps of eerie red energy.

"Have the people of this city been devoured?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned.

You Jiu, beside him, reported, "Our spectral guards have scattered throughout the three divine empires to gather intelligence. They apparently respond to the Enlightenment Grounds in very different ways. Daxue is completely unable to muster a defense against the Taiqing Enlightenment Grounds—or are perhaps purposely not doing so."

"Oh?"

"More than half of Daxue's Immortal cities have already fallen to the Taiqing Enlightenment Grounds. The divine empire itself appears to be on the verge of collapse. Some officials are attempting to resist their incursion to protect the people, but they lack the power and support to do so. These Enlightenment Grounds have been free to run rampant throughout the cities in the region."

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. "In other words, Daxue is deliberately allowing these Enlightenment Grounds to devour its people?"

"That's what I suspect, though I can't be certain," You Jiu replied.

Xiao Nanfeng thought for a moment. "This Enlightenment Grounds is roughly at a four-pearl level, isn't it?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," You Jiu confirmed.

"Then let's take a look inside."

A four-pearl territory wasn't a significant threat to the gathered cultivators.

Xiao Nanfeng led his group toward it.

The cultivators passed through its boundary and entered the Enlightenment Grounds proper.

Snow blanketed the ground. A vast snowfield unfolded around them, but strangely enough, the sky was red.

Xiao Nanfeng and his subordinates stood atop a snowy peak and gazed into the distance.

A host of red-furred monsters rampaged through the snow, relentlessly hunting down a group of fleeing cultivators. They fell one by one; where they fell, more red-furred monsters arose, shaped by crimson light.

"These Enlightenment Grounds differ from the Shangqing variety. There are far more red-furred lifeforms here than blue-furred ones in the Shangqing Enlightenment Grounds—by over an order of magnitude, it seems," You Jiu exclaimed.

Some red-furred monsters in the distance roared as they discovered Xiao Nanfeng's party, causing countless monsters to turn their attention to Xiao Nanfneg.

The cultivators ignored the red-furred monsters and flew deeper into the Enlightenment Grounds instead.

Very quickly, red-furred monsters shot up to them, only to be sent flying by a group of black-robed cultivators.

More and more red-furred monsters swarmed them, but it was pointless. Xiao Nanfeng's subordinates were simply too strong.

Before long, four superior yin pearls showed up. They roared in rage as they flew toward the group.

Tu Feng stepped forward, striking each pearl with a single punch and sending them flying.

"Who dares make a fuss in my Enlightenment Grounds?" a voice thundered from afar.

A man in red robes, backed by a towering pillar of light, approached them from a distance.

"Are you the master of these Enlightenment Grounds?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

For some reason, the man before him seemed familiar.

"You're—Xiao Nanfeng?" the red-robed man exclaimed, alarmed and furious.

Xiao Nanfeng was surprised as well. How did he know Xiao Nanfeng?

"Why are you here?" the man in red demanded.

"Capture him!" Xiao Nanfeng ordered.

"Understood!" Tu Feng replied. He shot forward.

"Die!" the man in red roared. He drew his sword and slashed at Tu Feng.

The impact of their clash unleashed a wave of energy as a fierce battle unfolded.

Some of the black-robed cultivators kept the superior yin pearls and red-furred monsters at bay, while others joined Tu Feng in attacking the man in red.

"Why are there four superior yin pearls? Isn't this supposed to be a four-pearl territory?" You Jiu murmured.

"No, something's wrong. This should be a four-pearl territory, but the master of this territory isn't a superior yin pearl himself."

"How can that be?" You Jiu exclaimed.

"I just remember where I saw him. He's an elder of the Taiqing Immortal Sect, likely a Taiqing guardian, in the same vein as Lu Yan."

After becoming the Taiqing sect master, to prevent more guardians like Lu Yan from resurging, Xiao Nanfeng had gone through the sect's archives to identify possible guardians. The man before him was deemed to be one such.

"Have the Taiqing guardians become masters of these Enlightenment Grounds?" You Jiu exclaimed.

"Capture him. Everything will be clear after we interrogate him," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Understood!" the other black-robed cultivators replied.

Except for a few subordinates who were still taking on the superior yin pearls and red-furred monsters, everyone else shot toward the man in red.

The master of the Enlightenment Grounds, who had previously been able to hold his own against Tu Feng, was now pushed into a corner. He was barely able to defend himself, and his injuries continued to mount.

"Attack!" Tu Feng shouted.

With a resounding blow to the man's spine, Tu Feng shattered his vertebrae, leaving him immobilized and in agony.

"It's over. You've lost," Tu Feng said triumphantly.

Just as the cultivators were about to surge forward, the man in red shouted, "Transfer the authority over these Enlightenment Grounds!"

The pillar of white light to his back flickered. The entire Enlightenment Grounds trembled as cracks appeared in the sky, threatening to tear it apart. Though it didn't entirely collapse, the man's aura was rapidly diminishing. Meanwhile, the pillar of white light headed toward a nearby superior yin pearl and empowered it with its strength. The superior yin pearl's aura expanded as it began to mutate.

Xiao Nanfeng immediately understood that the man in red had transferred control over the Enlightenment Grounds to the superior yin pearl.

"Retreat!" he shouted.

"Understood!" the cultivators answered.

They withdrew through the rift in the Enlightenment Grounds' boundary. Tu Feng brought the paralyzed man in red along with him.

Just as they retreated, the thick fog in the distance began to rumble. Two more Enlightenment Grounds seemed to be closing in.

"Did this man in red call for reinforcements?" Tu Feng exclaimed.

"Knock him out. Let's go!" Xiao Nanfeng ordered.

A quick blow to the head rendered the man unconscious. Xiao Nanfeng's group moved quickly as it disappeared into the fog.

After some time, they stopped in a secluded valley.

Xiao Nanfeng left the spectral guards to interrogate the man.

Before long, You Jiu returned to report, "Your Majesty, he's a fanatic. We were halfway through our investigation when he suddenly grew clear-headed and killed himself."

"The Taiqing guardians are all this way. They're fervent devotees of the Shangqing Grandmaster and are even willing to die for his cause. Were we able to learn anything before his death?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

You Jiu nodded. "We were, Your Majesty. It seems that the masters of the Taiqing Enlightenment Grounds are all composed of such guardians. Lu Yan has become one as well.

"Oh?"

"Recently, they encountered the overseer of this region, who directed the Taiqing guardians to take ownership of these Enlightenment Grounds. Because the Taiqing guardians all cultivate the Taiqing red moon, after they became masters of these Enlightenment Grounds, they've been able to transform all those they kill into red-furred monsters," You Jiu reported.

"In other words, the overseer is working with these guardians in order to transform all the people of Daxue into red-furred monsters?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"And the Immortal Emperor of Daxue is cooperating with this plan for some reason?"

"It appears so. It's very strange."

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. In Daliang, although Han Gucheng and the saint weren't strictly enemies, they were clearly at odds with each other. Why were things different in Daxue? Something was clearly off.

1. 凉 (liang), 雪 (xue), 冬 (dong) = chill, snow, winter. ☜