Chapter 834: Relaxing

Yu Fuli had specifically dismissed the guards around his study for Xiao Nanfeng and Madam Rouge's visit, allowing them to enter freely.

As soon as they entered the study, they saw Yu Fuli seated at his desk, leisurely sipping Immortal tea while listening intently to Xiao Nanfeng's mortifying song.

Madam Rouge suddenly smiled as she realized something, whereas Xiao Nanfeng's face turned dour. Madam Rouge was bad enough; was the Heavenly Emperor going to bully him too? Why was the Heavenly Emperor listening to a man like him sing when he could have his pick of fair maidens?

"Your Majesty, don't you think it's rather impolite to listen to my song like this?" Xiao Nanfeng said pointedly.

Though he was Yu Fuli's subject, Yu Fuli had always been lenient with him, and their conversations tended to be informal.

Yu Fuli smiled. "It's amusing, and listening to it once in a while helps me relax."

He waved a hand, pausing the song.

"Your Majesty, I'm sure there are many singers all over the world who would be delighted to sing for you. Surely there's no need to listen to me?"

Before Yu Fuli could respond, Madam Rouge interjected, "Yu Fuli is about to face the heavens. Your singing could well increase his chance of victory."

Xiao Nanfeng gaped at Madam Rouge. Surely she was joking.

"You don't understand. At Yu Fuli's level, cultivation is all about the heart. The cultivation of the heart is profound beyond belief, and a calm, cheerful mind can result in tremendous strength. Relaxing before a battle will surely boost his combat power. Though your singing doesn't intrinsically have any benefit, as long as Yu Fuli can relax because of it, it will help," Madam Rouge explained.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned uncertainly. Was this really the case?

"As expected of the first cultivator to wound the heavens, Madam Rouge, your insight into the heart's path is profound," Yu Fuli praised.

Xiao Nanfeng glanced at the two of them. Were they coordinating to play a prank on him? Or were they being serious?

Was Madam Rouge cultivating her heart by listening to him sing, too?

He suddenly recalled that Yu Fuli hadn't been very involved in matters of the Imperial Court lately. He had been focusing on his own affairs instead.

"Are the heavens back?" Madam Rouge asked.

"Almost. I can sense his impending return," Yu Fuli replied.

Madam Rouge produced a pink jade slip and passed it to Yu Fuli. "Here are some insights from my cultivation of the heart, as well as a record of my fight against the heavens above. Although I was defeated, I hope this will provide some inspiration for you."

Yu Fuli smiled. He understood that Madam Rouge, like him, was dedicated to opposing the heavens above. She had no reservations about sharing her experience. The jade slip didn't just contain information about the heavens, but also about her fighting techniques. In the wrong hands, it could prove a potent threat.

"Thank you," Yu Fuli said seriously. He accepted the jade slip.

"In the last era, the three Qing Grandmasters reigned supreme. I heard that their insights into the heart were unparalleled by all who came before them. Do you have any of their insights?" Madam Rouge asked.

Yu Fuli considered the question. "Only of the Yuqing Grandmaster, which I can share with you."

With a wave of his hand, beams of light coalesced into a purple jade slip, which he handed to Madam Rouge.

"Thank you," Madam Rouge replied, accepting the jade slip with a smile.

Xiao Nanfeng couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled. How had Yu Fuli come to possess the complete cultivation insights of the Yuqing Grandmaster? Was there some kind of connection between them?

It seemed that Madam Rouge's main purpose for coming to the Sieve of Heaven was to exchange cultivation insights with Yu Fuli, while hearing him sing was just an extra bonus. Xiao Nanfeng began to wonder if she had tricked him.

"Sit down and make yourselves comfortable," Yu Fuli said.

Yu Fuli treated Madam Rouge with significant respect. After all, she had once been the hegemon of her era. They were equals.

Madam Rouge accepted the invitation, sat down, and poured herself a cup of Immortal tea.

Yu Fuli turned to Xiao Nanfeng. "For the good of the world, Eastern Aspect Xiao, surely you wouldn't deny us your song?"

Xiao Nanfeng frowned, but ultimately gave in. "Very well. Just don't let anyone else hear it."

Yu Fuli burst out laughing.

Although Xiao Nanfeng was his subject, he was certainly an unusual one. Yu Fuli found their relationship especially pleasant.

"Ao Canghai is in my custody, and I have evidence of his crimes. I'd like to make use of his physical body," Xiao Nanfeng said.

Yu Fuli nodded. "Just as you did with Tu Feng, handle it as you see fit."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Yu Fuli had always been accommodating and had helped him on numerous occasions. He even allowed him the freedom to sit casually like Madam Rouge.

The three cultivators continued to chat, but only about light-hearted matters—nothing serious like cultivation or worldly affairs. Perhaps, just as Madam Rouge had suggested, Yu Fuli had reached a level where things that brought him joy were of paramount importance.

After a while, Xiao Nanfeng and Madam Rouge left.

Thanks to Yu Fuli's orders, it was easy for them to handle Ao Canghai.

A decoy of Ao Canghai was publicly executed as a warning, while the real Ao Canghai remained in Xiao Nanfeng's custody.

Ao Canghai's faction had held power for many years, and his network of loyalists included many powerful figures scattered beyond the Sieve of Heaven.

Ye Dafu and his group of Golden Immortals swiftly rounded up and arrested them all in one fell swoop, yielding Xiao Nanfeng an incredible bounty of treasure.

Ao Canghai's subordinates were judged for their crimes. Those who had committed vile misdeeds were sent to Yongding and forged into pills by Chang Bing and the others.

The five golden cultivators who had been Martial Aspects in the southern quadrant were reassigned to the five openings in the eastern quadrant. Of the eighteen Martial Aspects of the eastern quadrant, fourteen were now in Xiao Nanfeng's faction.

Xiao Nanfeng met with the four remaining Martial Aspects personally, who treated him with great respect—a promising start.

Xiao Nanfeng's influence in the Sieve of Heaven continued to grow. Plenty of sects in the Sieve of Heaven were eager to join his ranks.

In almost no time at all, Xiao Nanfeng had managed to secure more and more powerful allies.

Everything was progressing smoothly, except for one pointed source of frustration—Madam Rouge. She seemed to have become the lady of his residence, and waited there daily for him to return from his official duties.

"Don't you have a divine empire to keep track of in the west? Won't staying here keep you from your responsibilities?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

Madam Rouge smiled charmingly at him. "I'm waiting for the other nine songs."

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. "I really don't have any inspiration at the moment."

"No hurry, then. I'll wait." Madam Rouge gave him a wink.

Xiao Nanfeng felt a chill. Madam Rouge was starting to cling to him again, just like when she was still a skeleton.

Suddenly, a spectral guard rushed forward and reported, "Your Majesty, something has happened in the green knoll hidden realm."

"Hm?"

"The divine empire of Daxue has been destroyed. Apart from a few civilians who escaped from the Enlightenment Grounds, everyone else has been devoured. The Enlightenment Grounds have all gathered at Daxue's capital, as if preparing for something major."

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. No wonder Han Gucheng hadn't been causing trouble for him recently. He had to have turned his focus back to the green knoll hidden realm—and Saint Lun Hui must have done the same.

"Shall we head to the green knoll hidden realm?" Madam Rouge asked.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "I'd like to go check it out. There may be a great opportunity awaiting us. Are you willing to accompany me?"

"Naturally. Let's go, then," Madam Rouge said with a smile.

"Very well." Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

He brought no other subordinates with him. He and Madam Rouge flew straight for the Northern Heavenly Gate and hence toward the north.

They reached the entrance leading into the green knoll hidden realm and swiftly made their way inside.

Having been there once before, Xiao Nanfeng quickly brought Madam Rouge toward Daxue's capital.

Standing on a mountain peak, they observed the fog-shrouded Immortal city in the distance. The city lay in ruins. A broken stone tablet outside the city proclaimed that this was, in fact, Daxue's capital.

Within the ruins, they saw massive Enlightenment Grounds digesting their recent gains.

"A hundred Enlightenment Grounds—and all from Taiqing, by the looks of it." Madam Rouge frowned.

"You know the difference between them?" Xiao Nanfeng asked, surprised.

Madam Rouge rolled her eyes. "Do you think my intelligence network is just for show?"

She had once been the hegemon of her era, and was now the ruler of a new divine empire. It was only natural that she would gather information on various powers across the land, and the green knoll hidden realm had naturally been included in her investigations.

"Still, the information I have is limited. Why don't you tell me what you know?" Madam Rouge suggested.

"They are Taiqing Enlightenment Grounds, but they all seem to be under the control of Saint Lun Hui. As for the destroyed divine empire of Daxue, it seems to have belonged to Han Gucheng. He deliberately refrained from providing support to Daxue and allowed its citizens to be sent into the Enlightenment Grounds," Xiao Nanfeng told her.

"Oh? Then Han Gucheng must be plotting something significant, as is Saint Lun Hui. They must each have their own agenda in mind..."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. Madam Rouge had understood the situation quickly, and he didn't need to explain things further.

The two cultivators continued to watch patiently. Soon, the hundred Enlightenment Grounds all began to tremble. They formed a circle, slowly surrounding one of the Enlightenment Grounds.

"Something must be happening there," Xiao Nanfeng said.

Madam Rouge snapped her fingers. A mirror appeared before her. It floated in mid-air and revealed what was happening within the Enlightenment Grounds.

Several superior yin pearls led a horde of red-furred monsters toward a man standing at its center—none other than Saint Lun Hui himself.

"Saint Lun Hui's avatar is the overseer there, after all," Xiao Nanfeng murmured. His face grew serious.