Chapter 870: Killing the Good Body

In the Northern Sea, Xiao Nanfeng, now possessing Ao Canghai's physical body, engaged in a fierce battle with Han Gucheng's good body. Their clash unleashed storms of flame and frost with every strike, but despite the intensity, neither side could gain the upper hand.

Meanwhile, Yang Chuan, Tu Feng, and Saint Lun Hui fought against three snow giants. That confrontation was also in a stalemate, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage.

Initially, Xiao Nanfeng wasn't too worried. He was content to slowly whittle Han Gucheng down, but before long, as the dark clouds in the sky above began to calm down, indicating that the battle within the passage of reincarnation was coming to an end, a surge of unease gripped Xiao Nanfeng. His gaze was locked on Han Gucheng, but the latter's expression remained unchanged. His face was twisted in malevolent aggression, leaving Xiao Nanfeng uncertain about the situation.

Han Gucheng, it seems as if your malicious body is done for," Xiao Nanfeng said coldly.

He was probing for information, desperate as he was to learn about the outcome of the battle within the passage of reincarnation.

"Trying to test me? Say what you want. Soon, you'll all die together," Han Gucheng sneered.

He immediately saw through Xiao Nanfeng's intentions and revealed nothing to him, frustrating Xiao Nanfeng immensely.

Although Xiao Nanfeng trusted Liu Miaoyin's formidable strength, he didn't want to be forced to gamble. He needed clarity, and that meant that Han Gucheng had to be eliminated immediately.

"Die!" Xiao Nanfeng roared, launching another assault.

"What's the matter? Are you getting desperate?" Han Gucheng grinned.

The two cultivators were evenly matched, and both were waiting for an opportunity to break the stalemate. Xiao Nanfeng's impatience could easily create an opening for Han Gucheng to exploit.

With a thunderous clash, their strikes collided. As he had hoped, Han Gucheng found a flaw in Xiao Nanfeng's defense. He struck Ao Canghai's body hard on the arm; a sickening crack made it clear he had fractured bone. Just as Han Gucheng was about to gloat, Ao Canghai suddenly grabbed him.

"What are you doing?!" Han Gucheng's expression shifted as he frantically struck back with his elbows.

"Explode!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.

With a deafening roar, Ao Canghai's body self-destructed, taking Han Gucheng with it. The explosion's shockwave engulfed Han Gucheng in flames.

"Xiao Nanfeng, you lunatic!" Han Gucheng's furious scream echoed from the center of the explosion.

Han Gucheng had anticipated that Xiao Nanfeng might lose his composure in battle, but he wasn't expecting such a reckless and brutal tactic.

Xiao Nanfeng had detonated Ao Canghai's body, a Boundless Immortal vessel, dealing a severe blow to his own combat strength. How could Xiao Nanfeng afford to do so? As far as he was aware, Xiao Nanfeng only had two Boundless Immortal bodies: Han Bing and Ao Canghai's. Now that they were both destroyed, Xiao Nanfeng would grow far weaker than before. Why had he risked it?

Xiao Nanfeng, for his part, was worried about Liu Miaoyin's safety. A physical body, even a Boundless Immortal one, wasn't much to give up. He had killed plenty of early-stage Boundless Immortals, by this point.

Liu Miaoyin's safety was far more important than Ao Canghai's physical body.

As the explosion dissipated, the surrounding sea began to boil and release clouds of mist into the sky. In the exposed seabed, Han Gucheng's figure appeared, battered and bloodied. He was missing an arm and coughing out blood. He struggled to his feet. Xiao Nanfeng, meanwhile, emerged from the entrance to the red moon illusory realm nearby.

"Xiao Nanfeng, you really are insane. You could've fought me to a draw, but now you've lost your edge. Even in my injured state, crushing a mere True Yin cultivator like you is child's play," Han Gucheng said, sneering. He spat out blood as he advanced toward Xiao Nanfeng.

"Divine Seal of Dazheng, seal!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.

The Divine Seal of Dazheng, radiating with purple and gold light, unleashed a torrent of power as it slammed into Han Gucheng.

The immense force left the heavily wounded Han Gucheng immobilized.

"This is impossible!" Han Gucheng cried out. He choked and coughed up more blood.

"Nothing is impossible. Have you forgotten that the true strength of emperors lies in their imperial seals?" Xiao Nanfeng said coldly.

"Help me!" Han Gucheng shouted.

High above, the three snow giants turned and rushed to his aid.

"Stop them!" Yang Chuan roared.

Yang Chuan had been annoyed that mere snow giants were sufficient to hold him back. Seeing that Xiao Nanfeng had even managed to defeat Han Gucheng filled him with both embarrassment and determination.

He blocked the snow giants with renewed vigor. If he couldn't even do that much, his reputation would be in tatters!

Saint Lun Hui eyed Xiao Nanfeng's battlefield, admiring the latter's audacity. He had been willing to detonate two of his Boundless Immortal vessels...

Meanwhile, Han Gucheng's subordinates began to fly toward the battle from afar, but Xiao Nanfeng wasted no time. He drew a longsword and slashed at the immobilized Han Gucheng.

"Die!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.

As the sword closed in, Han Gucheng, unable to move, glanced at the sword in despair. Was this to be his end?

"Xiao Nanfeng, I'll make sure you die without a grave! Good soul, return! Explode!" Han Gucheng screamed.

With a massive detonation, Han Gucheng self-destructed as well, unleashing flames that consumed Xiao Nanfeng and the Divine Seal of Dazheng.

In a split second, Xiao Nanfeng had opened the red moon illusory realm and was blasted inside.

Within the red moon illusory realm, Xiao Nanfeng stabilized himself. His body was riddled with wounds, and blood gushed everywhere.

"Han Gucheng truly is decisive," Xiao Nanfeng muttered. "As expected of someone willing to sacrifice even his wives and children—what a terrifying man."

He took a deep breath, bearing with his injuries, as he stepped back out from the illusory realm.

Outside, the Divine Seal of Dazheng had been blown away, but Xiao Nanfeng easily recalled it with a gesture.

Tu Feng, Saint Lun Hui, and Yang Chuan all seemed battered. Han Gucheng's detonation, as well as that of the three giants, had inflicted severe damage on all of them.

Tu Feng was the worst off, while Yang Chuan fared only slightly better "Xiao Nanfeng, you're unbelievable. You sacrificed two Boundless Immortals' physical bodies like they were nothing..." Yang Chuan exclaimed.

"Let's not dwell on that," Xiao Nanfeng replied. He turned to Saint Lun Hui and asked, "I want to enter the passage of reincarnation and find out about Liu Miaoyin's condition. Can you help?"

Saint Lun Hui glanced at the dark clouds above. "The clouds are merely a cover. The passage of reincarnation is a mysterious place, and even entering the clouds won't guarantee that we can find the entrance.

"Can you get us in?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"I can, but you'll have to enter one of my treasures. The method works only for myself and the treasure."

He produced a small green bottle and looked toward the three cultivators, who frowned. They were clearly reluctant.

Suddenly, Yang Chuan released a purple glow from his mindscape. He looked toward the small bottle, then nodded at Xiao Nanfeng, signaling that it was safe.

"Tu Feng, you're the most injured. Stay behind and handle the aftermath," Xiao Nanfeng instructed.

"Understood!" Tu Feng replied immediately.

"Saint Lun Hui, let's proceed," Xiao Nanfeng continued.

"Very well." Saint Lun Hui smiled as he opened up the bottle and allowed Xiao Nanfeng and Yang Chuan to enter.

Saint Lun Hui then sealed the bottle, smiled at Tu Feng, and launched himself into the sky. He passed through the cloud cover, then glowed green as he disappeared into the passage of reincarnation.

Inside the bottle, after waiting for some time, Xiao Nanfeng called out, "Saint Lun Hui, we're in the passage by now, aren't we? Let us out."

Saint Lun Hui didn't respond.

"Are you trying to betray us, Saint Lun Hui? I have an avatar that can report to the Heavenly Emperor at any time," Xiao Nanfeng threatened warningly.

Even so, Saint Lun Hui ignored him.

Yang Chuan narrowed his eyes and struck the bottle's interior with his fists. Runes appeared by the walls, absorbing his attacks.

"What a formidable treasure—it's a Boundless Immortal relic, after all," Yang chuan said.

He punched at the walls of the bottle again, but was still unable to break out.

"As expected, he's planning to backstab us," Xiao Nanfeng muttered. "You were giving me a nod just now. What was that about?"

Yang Chuan took a deep breath. "I looked at the green bottle with my heavenly eye just now. It might be strong, but I can break it. I have a treasure infused with natural law. If I detonate it and combine it with a strike of my own, I should be able to break out—but you'll have to hide to avoid the resulting shockwaves."

"I'll retreat into the Divine Seal of Dazheng. You can proceed," Xiao Nanfeng said.

He stepped into the Divine Seal of Dazheng and began to hide there.

Yang Chuan didn't hesitate further. He detonated his treasure, shattering the bottle's runes, as he struck at the bottle simultaneously.

Indeed, under the combined assault, the bottle cracked.

"Damn it!" Saint Lun Hui cursed. He abandoned the bottle and fled as Yang Chuan and Xiao Nanfeng emerged from it. Xiao Nanfeng put away his Divine Seal of Dazheng.

"Damn it, he already ran off," Yang Chuan cursed.

He kept the remains of the small green bottle.

"As long as we were able to make it in," Xiao Nanfeng replied, sighing.

"Right, the treasure I detonated was a Boundless Immortal treasure. You owe me one," Yang Chuan said.

"Fine. We'll settle it once all this is done and over with," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

That treasure likely was some weak or broken Boundless Immortal relic; Yang Chuan wouldn't have been so generous otherwise. But it didn't matter. As long as Liu Miaoyin was unharmed, a Boundless Immortal treasure was a small price to pay.

"Are we within the passage of reincarnation, then?" Yang Chuan exclaimed as he considered his surroundings.

They weren't in a tunnel or passage of any sort. Rather, they seemed to be in a certain space, calm and quiet, with green fog surrounding them and making it difficult to see what lay in the distance. Roars and howls could be heard from afar, eerie and chilling.

Both cultivators tensed as they prepared for the unknown.