Chapter 863: Loves and Likes

By the time Xiao Nanfeng left secluded cultivation, the battle in the Sieve of Heaven had finished. The four heavenly gates of the Sieve of Heaven had reappeared, and Han Gucheng's good body had stealthily departed in the commotion.

Xiao Nanfeng brought Liu Miaoyin to seek an audience with Yu Fuli. Everything went smoothly; Yu Fuli summoned them after mere moments.

"Xiao Nanfeng, I've just received a report from an official stating that you were engaging in licentious affairs while I was fighting Saint Lun Hui. You've been called reckless, audacious, and immoral. Is there any truth to this?" Yu Fuli asked with a grin, holding up a report.

Xiao Nanfeng's expression turned dark. "Your officials are certainly... creative... Your Majesty."

"Haha!" Yu Fuli burst into hearty laughter. He didn't believe the report, but it was certainly amusing enough to brighten his day.

Yu Fuli turned to Liu Miaoyin, who was concealed in a veil of black fog.

"Venerable Buddha, long time no see. It seems that Xiao Nanfeng, at least, has a conscience and hasn't forgotten about you." Yu Fuli smiled.

Liu Miaoyin dismissed the fog obscuring her face, her expression calm. "It's been a while, Yu Fuli."

How was your time in the primordial altar?"

"Far from pleasant."

Yu Fuli studied Liu Miaoyin intently. He seemed to notice subtle changes to her body. "Have you linked your aura to Xiao Nanfeng's? You've chosen to side with him, then?"

Liu Miaoyin nodded. "I believe he's more likely to succeed against the heavens than I am."

Yu Fuli turned back to Xiao Nanfeng. "How lucky you are, Xiao Nanfeng."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "Thank you for the praise, Your Majesty. I feel the same way."

Yu Fuli began to laugh. "You've got quite the thick skin."

"Your Majesty, such personal jabs don't befit your exalted status," Xiao Nanfeng countered primly, hiding a smile.

Yu Fuli shook his head with mock exasperation before he addressed them more seriously. "What brings the two of you here?"

"Senior Miaoyin wanted to meet with you, Your Majesty."

"Oh?" Yu fuli turned to Liu Miaoyin.

"Xiao Nanfeng told me that war was about to break out with the heavens."

Yu Fuli nodded. "Indeed. It should happen shortly—well, more accurately, it might take place any time now."

Liu Miaoyin waved her hand, gathering black energy in the air and causing it to coalesce into a jade tablet. Its surface shimmered with black and golden light.

"This contains all my insight on the cultivation of the heart. May it aid you," Liu Miaoyin said.

She tossed the jade slip toward Yu Fuli, who caught it and smiled. "Thank you."

"No need for thanks. I'm merely doing my part. I hope you succeed," Liu Miaoyin said solemnly.

Yu Fuli nodded and conjured a purple jade tablet of his own, which he handed to Liu Miaoyin.

"I don't want to owe any karmic debts at this critical juncture, so allow me to return your gift in kind. These are the insights of the Yuqing Grandmaster. In addition, allow me to share some advice with you."

"I'm listening," Liu Miaoyin said seriously.

"I know why you're pinning your hopes on Xiao Nanfeng. It's because you've hit a roadblock in terms of your own cultivation, isn't it?"

Liu Miaoyin frowned, but nodded. "Indeed. Even at my peak, it was difficult for me to progress further."

"You possess an incredible heart of benevolence. It's what allowed your cultivation of the heart to advance so rapidly—and simultaneously what's causing it to stop advancing any longer. You are driven by love for one and all, your greatest strength and most potent attribute. But from a different perspective, it might also represent your greatest weakness."

"Oh?"

"Your heart is calm and dispassionate even as it is filled with boundless compassion. You've forsaken personal love in favor of great virtues. Your grand compassion is a strength, to be sure, but it also limits your potential. Personal love has no such limits. How can a tranquil lake seek to extend beyond its shores if nothing can cause it to ripple?" Yu Fuli asked.

Liu Miaoyin fell deep in thought.

"You were once a beacon of hope for one and all, but don't forget that you're a person in your own right, too. Don't burden yourself too much. Reflect on what your own heart truly desires," Yu Fuli advised.

After a moment's reflection, Liu Miaoyin nodded. "I understand."

"The Yuqing Grandmaster's teachings may serve as a guide, but real change must come from within. Perhaps you should seek Xiao Nanfeng's help. He recently aided Madam Rouge in making a significant modification to her heart."

"Oh?" Liu Miaoyin glanced toward Xiao Nanfeng curiously.

Xiao Nanfeng smiled wryly. "It was just a matter of luck."

Neither Liu Miaoyin nor Yu Fuli seemed convinced. They knew how steadfast the minds and hearts of top cultivators were. Such breakthroughs could hardly be mere coincidence.

"You've chosen well," Yu Fuli concluded. "Xiao Nanfeng does have unique qualities."

Liu Miaoyin nodded in agreement.

"Your Majesty, perhaps you should praise me when I'm not around?" Xiao Nanfeng suggested.

Yu Fuli glared at Xiao Nanfeng, while Liu Miaoyin chuckled softly.

"Withdraw your forces from the green knoll hidden realm," Yu Fuli said. "I intend to use the primordial altar now."

"Understood. I'll have them retreat immediately," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"And be careful. Saint Lun Hui still has one final avatar, and he may seek revenge on you."

"One final avatar? What happened to his charm of heavenly law? Did he send it to his avatar?"

"Excellent guess. Saint Lun Hui's main body did try to do so, but Han Gucheng's malicious body set up a trap for Saint Lun Hui's avatar and killed it. He only has a single Deific Yin avatar left," Yu Fuli explained.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. "Han Gucheng's malicious body? Could there be some relation with the head of Snowborne?"

"Oh? You know that much?" Yu Fuli exclaimed.

Xiao Nanfeng shook his head. "It was just a guess. Saint Lun Hui's plans were consistently undermined by Han Gucheng, so I suspected that he had a spy close to the saint. Given the head of Snowborne's trusted position and the fact that Snowborne's assassinations all seem to have avoided Dahan, I made this bold deduction."

Yu Fuli nodded. "Correct on all accounts. The head of Snowborne is Han Gucheng's malicious body.

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned.

"Saint Lun Hui had two avatars remaining, one with a physical body and the other being a Deific Yin cultivator. He passed the charm of heavenly law to his avatar with a physical body, but Han Gucheng seemed to have planned for that. It's little wonder that Saint Lun Hui lost everything—Han Gucheng even discovered where he had hidden his avatars away. He does pale in comparison to Han Gucheng," Yu Fuli commented.

𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Couldn't you have forcibly claimed the charm of heavenly law, Your Majesty?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.

Liu Miaoyin interjected, shaking her head. "Anyone can claim the charm of heavenly law—anyone save Yu Fuli. If he does, the heavens will sense it, and I expect he doesn't wish to provoke the heavens just yet."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded in understanding, realizing that Yu Fuli's restraint had been deliberate. Such had been the case with Saint Chi Hai's charm of heavenly law as well.

The three cultivators chatted for a while. Liu Miaoyin knew just what Yu Fuli was experiencing, and the discussion was kept light and away from matters of cultivation. She told them about the world during her era, piquing Yu Fuli's interest.

After an extended discussion, Xiao Nanfeng and Liu Miaoyin bade Yu Fuli farewell. Xiao Nanfeng headed straight to the Hall of Martial Aspects, where he met Yang Chuan.

Yang Chuan eyed Liu Miaoyin, veiled in black fog, with a peculiar expression. He turned to Xiao Nanfeng and said, "I can't believe you had the audacity to rendezvous with a woman while His Majesty was fighting a saint!"

Xiao Nanfeng glared at him. "You weren't the one who reported me to the Heavenly Emperor, were you?"

"Oh? Did someone actually report you? That's hilarious!" Yang Chuan laughed, clearly enjoying Xiao Nanfeng's predicament.

"Enough joking around. What happened with Han Gucheng? Why are you back?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"He got away. I wasn't able to catch up," Yang Chuan admitted.

"You, the Southern Aspect? How did Han Gucheng manage to shake you off?" Xiao Nanfeng gave him a doubtful look.

Yang Chuan pursed his lips. "Well, if you're so good, maybe you should have tracked him down yourself."

"I was busy," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

"Busy? More like smitten!" Yang Chuan retorted. "You had the nerve to make me chase him while you were off flirting with a woman!"

"I really was busy. Besides, isn't your Black Dog's nose supposed to be sharp? Who else would I entrust this responsibility to if not you?"

"Han Gucheng was too cunning. Even Black Dog couldn't track him. 'Busy', you say? Busy flirting?"

"Hold it right there! Don't you start coming up with rumors, too. Let me introduce you to my most respected senior, the Venerable Buddha Liu Miaoyin."

Liu Miaoyin slowly dispelled the black fog covering her face, allowing Yang Chuan to witness her appearance.

Liu Miaoyin's beauty was incredible, even for someone who wasn't particularly fond of women like Yang Chuan. He eyed Xiao Nanfeng. Why was he always surrounded by peerless beauties?

Suddenly, Yang Chuan remembered who the Venerable Buddha was. He had seen her appearance before. Wasn't she the Boundless Immortal who had helped Xiao Nanfeng against Yin Shenhua? She was the Venerable Buddha?

Suddenly, his eyes widened. He recalled a name he had seen while looking up records on Yin Shenhua. The Venerable Buddha was the hegemon from eighty thousand years ago!

Instantly, Yang Chuan bowed. "Venerable Buddha, I apologize for my unwitting remarks. Please don't take them as insults."

Liu Miaoyin nodded as she smiled. She could tell the two cultivators shared a close bond and were merely joking with each other; she wasn't offended.