Chapter 874: The Real Superior

Back in Yongding, Ye Sanshui consumed a pool of black blood, causing his strength to surge dramatically. He soared into the sky, unleashing a palm strike at Han Gucheng. Han Gucheng's expression turned serious as he countered with a punch. A deafening explosion followed as their clash unleashed a storm that rocked the heavens.

Within Yongding, as Blue Lantern erected formation after formation, the broken city defenses were rapidly regenerating.

Xiao Nanfeng stood at the entrance of a grand hall as he watched the two figures battle high above. Ye Sanshui had initially been at a disadvantage, but as he gradually digested the black blood, his strength continued to rise. His attacks grew fiercer, and he went from being repelled by Han Gucheng to trading blows evenly with him.

"Just what did you consume? How can your cultivation be improving so quickly?" Han Gucheng demanded.

The overwhelming strength of Madam Rouge and Liu Miaoyin had left him deeply frustrated. Now, yet another formidable ally had appeared at Xiao Nanfeng's side, making him burn with jealousy.

Why was Xiao Nanfeng so lucky? How could he have gathered so many powerful allies and subordinates within such a short period of time? Han Gucheng felt a maddening sense of envy.

"Die, you fiend!" Ye Sanshui bellowed, unleashing increasingly ferocious punches. Each blow was like a divine weapon that shook the heavens with its might.

Despite his rising strength, however, Ye Sanshui couldn't overwhelm Han Gucheng. Still adjusting to his newfound strength, he could only hold Han Gucheng off, nothing more.

As the battle continued to rage, Han Gucheng's expression suddenly shifted. "Xiao Nanfeng, I'll kill you!"

The abrupt outburst left the onlookers puzzled. Why had Han Gucheng's demeanor changed so drastically mid-fight?

"Your Majesty, is something wrong?" Zheng Qian asked in worry.

"My other self just defeated Han Gucheng's good body," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

"Oh? I see," Zheng Qian said, his eyes lighting up in excitement.

The officials around them all broke into smiles of relief as well.

In the sky, Han Gucheng's attacks grew more savage. Ye Sanshui struggled to keep up and was repeatedly dealt a number of heavy blows.

Xiao Nanfeng took a deep breath and declared loudly, "Citizens of Dazheng, hear me! I am your emperor, Xiao Nanfeng. I call upon your assistance now. An Immortal Emperor has come to attack Yongding and seeks to destroy our empire. I ask that you raise your right hand and lend me your strength so that we may vanquish this foe!"

A dragon's roar resounded through the sea of fortune high overhead, amplifying Xiao Nanfeng's voice and broadcasting it across all of Dazheng.

After years of development, Xiao Nanfeng had earned unwavering loyalty from his people. Upon hearing his plea, countless people set aside whatever they were doing.

"Your Majesty, take my strength!"

"Quick, raise your right hand and help the emperor!"

"Another enemy here to die? Use my power to crush him, Your Majesty!"

"Raise your right hands, everyone!"

Countless people across the empire raised their hands. Streams of power flowed from the people and headed straight for the sea of fortune above Yongding.

All that power headed straight for Xiao Nanfeng, striking his body and causing it to surge with power. Those around him were forced to retreat from the sheet pressure he was giving off.

Gripping his divine undying blade, Xiao Nanfeng shot into the sky.

At that moment, Han Gucheng sent Ye Sanshui flying with a heavy blow.

"Die!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.

Han Gucheng raised his head sharply as a massive blade of light descended toward him. His eyes turned cold as he shouted, "Let's see what you've got!"

He struck with his fist, meeting the blade head-on.

With a resounding explosion, the clash between the two cultivators created a powerful shockwave. In the end, Dazheng was still rather small. Though Xiao Nanfeng had harnessed the strength of his entire empire, his power barely matched Han Gucheng's. Ye Sanshui, still recovering, prepared to rejoin the fight.

Han Gucheng sneered. "The Superior's killing domain!"

A burst of radiant white light erupted from Han Gucheng, forming a barrier-like field that enveloped Xiao Nanfeng.

Sensing danger, Xiao Nanfeng tried to retreat, but it was too late. With a flash, the white field contracted and both figures vanished.

"Your Majesty!" Ye Sanshui shouted in alarm.

Countless cultivators rushed into the sky as they realized that something was amiss—but Xiao Nanfeng and Han Gucheng were already gone.

Xiao Nanfeng appeared in an ethereal, snow-white space.

Towering snowy mountains surrounded him, reminiscent of the Enlightenment Grounds.

Not far away, Han Gucheng smirked in mid-air. "I've been waiting for you."

"Is this an illusion?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned as he glanced around him.

"This is the Superior's killing domain, a special space that comes with the Superior's cursed effigy. It's like an illusory realm, but not entirely. This place is real in many ways," Han Gucheng explained.

With a wave of his hand, the surrounding mountains trembled. Enormous snow giants emerged from within.

"What are these?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned.

"They're all Boundless Immortal snow giants. This place shall be your grave!" Han Gucheng intoned, sneering.

With a roar, one of the snowmen charged toward Xiao Nanfeng.

Xiao Nanfeng's eyes turned cold as he swung his blade. "Die!"

With a thunderous slash, the snow giant's arm was severed as it was sent flying. Even so, more snow giants surged forward.

As the battle raged on, Xiao Nanfeng's blade carved a trail of destruction through the snow giants—though no matter how many he destroyed, they simply kept reforming.

The snow giants were only at the level of early-stage Boundless Immortals, and were no match for Xiao Nanfeng. However, there were simply too many of them, more than a dozen in all.

"They can even regenerate..." Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

With a roar, all the snow giants leapt toward him.

Xiao Nanfeng took on a whole horde of snow giants by himself. He was starting to feel a little overwhelmed.

Han Gucheng sneered as he hovered in the air. "Do you know why I chose the Superior out of all the cursed effigies from the primordial altar? It's because he's far more ruthless than others. The Superior's killing domain is just one of its powers. Once inside, no matter how strong you are, it'll grind you down and eventually kill you."

"The Superior might be strong, but it's something you obtained by sacrificing your wives and son. What do you have to be proud of?" Xiao Nanfeng asked coldly. He continued to take down the snow giants one after another.

"Silence!" Han Gucheng roared furiously. He was clearly unwilling to talk about his family.

"If you didn't want others to talk about it, you shouldn't have done it in the first place," Xiao Nanfeng continued coldly.

Han Gucheng's face twitched in rage, but he forced himself to stay calm. "You're deliberately provoking me, hoping to disrupt my focus and exploit a mistake, aren't you? You'll be disappointed. I, Han Gucheng, have more self-control than that."

Xiao Nanfeng snorted.

"The power of Dazheng is formidable, but the strength of your people is finite. Once you've exhausted it all, your death will come."

At that moment, Xiao Nanfeng's spiritual moon flew out of his mindscape.

As soon as it appeared, it radiated dazzling white light. With a hum, the snow giants bathed in the light suddenly froze. Their movements slowed.

"What did you just do?" Han Gucheng frowned.

Xiao Nanfeng's spiritual moon flew toward one of the snow giants and opened its mouth wide. With a gulp, it devoured the snowman and crushed it with a resounding crunch. The swallowed snow giant didn't regenerate.

"What? Impossible!" Han Gucheng exclaimed. He hurriedly commanded the snow giants, "Kill it, quick!"

The snow giants, obeying his orders, charged at Xiao Nanfeng's spiritual moon. However, the light radiating from the moon slowed their movements and left them sluggish.

Xiao Nanfeng's spiritual moon darted toward another snow giant and devoured it in a single bite. The sound of crunching snow sent shivers down Han Gucheng's spine.

Even so, Xiao Nanfeng's spiritual moon wasn't satisfied. It moved onto the next snow giant.

"You wretched thing!" Han Gucheng cursed, lunging at the moon.

"Han Gucheng, I'm your opponent," Xiao Nanfeng interjected, moving to block him.

Han Gucheng growled in frustration. "Other snow giants, hold Xiao Nanfeng off!"

With a roar, several of the snow giants charged at Xiao Nanfeng and blocked his advance.

Meanwhile, Han Gucheng flew toward Xiao Nanfeng's spiritual moon.

As its light reached Han Gucheng, however, he found himself slowing down.

"What did you do to me? Why can't I move properly?" Han Gucheng cried out in shock. He retreated quickly.

Once Han Gucheng distanced himself, Xiao Nanfeng's spiritual moon didn't give chase. Rather, it focused on the remaining snow giants and devoured them one by one.

"What is this thing? Xiao Nanfeng, why is your spiritual moon so different from mine?" Han Gucheng exclaimed.

Before long, Xiao Nanfeng's spiritual moon consumed all the snow giants.

It turned its attention back to Han Gucheng. Its voice broke the silence, raspy and hoarse from disuse. It was neither distinctly masculine nor feminine, but brimmed with malicious glee. "Now, it's your turn. Han Gucheng is your name, isn't it? Thank you for freeing my cursed spiritual avatar from the primordial altar, haha!"

Both Xiao Nanfeng and Han Gucheng's eyes widened as they realized his spiritual moon's identity.

"I exchanged for the Superior's cursed spiritual avatar and cleansed spirit from the primordial altar. Could you be... the Superior in truth?!"

"Now, return my cursed spiritual avatar and spirit to me!" Xiao Nanfeng's spiritual moon continued to fly toward Han Gucheng.

"Impossible. The Superior was sacrificed! Shouldn't you be in the primordial altar? How did you manage to escape? This is impossible!" Han Gucheng shrieked.

"It was very annoying, but that doesn't mean I couldn't escape," the spiritual moon hissed.

"No cursed effigy has ever escaped from the primordial altar, none! You can't possibly have done it!" Han Gucheng screamed, his fear palpable.

"I'm not like the other cursed kings," the spiritual moon declared ominously, its aura growing ever more oppressive.