Chapter 876: Suppressing Evil

Xiao Nanfeng found himself momentarily confused by the Superior's logic. "Senior, I don't intend to chase you away, but you've already reclaimed your cursed spiritual avatar, and your current strength must be immense. Why would you still remain hidden within my spiritual moon?"

After a moment of silence, the Superior replied, "I'm not hiding here. I'm helping you suppress the evil within it—otherwise, you would long since have changed."

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng replied curiously.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Why did Han Gucheng sacrifice his wives and children? It's because he cultivated Body of Yin. The technique didn't devour him entirely, but it changed his character. No matter how much he loved his family, his ambition ultimately caused him to sacrifice them. Do you want to end up like him?" the Superior asked.

"Change my character?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned.

"There are many cultivators who have cultivated Body of Yin, but none have met a good end. Why do you think all three Qing Grandmasters avoided the technique and opted to create their own derivative techniques instead? Why did Yu Fuli not practice it himself? Do you really think you can bear the evil that comes with this technique?"

Xiao Nanfeng: ...

"If I hadn't suppressed this evil, you would long since have changed," the Superior said plainly.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Xiao Nanfeng's expression grew somber. He now understood why even extraordinary figures like Yu Fuli and the three Qing Grandmasters had avoided the Body of Yin. If the Superior had been helping him suppress its dark side all this time, then it had to be as dangerous as claimed.

"May I ask what your goal is, Senior?" Xiao Nanfeng asked, taking a deep breath.

He didn't believe that the Superior would assist him selflessly without any ulterior motive in mind.

"I'll help you suppress the evil in the technique. In return, you'll conceal my existence. I don't wish for my identity to be revealed at this point in time."

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. The Superior had to be avoiding his enemies—but who? The most likely candidates were the three Qing Grandmasters.

"Senior, I'm the Taiqing sect master, and I may attract the Taiqing Grandmaster's attention in the future. Will you be discovered if you remain hidden in my spiritual moon?" Xiao Nanfeng asked in worry.

"It doesn't matter," the Superior replied.

"Very well. So be it, then," Xiao Nanfeng said wryly.

Given the Superior's position, Xiao Nanfeng could hardly refuse. Of course, it wasn't as if he could. The Superior could easily remain within his spiritual moon with or without his permission.

"Good," the Superior replied.

"Senior, what exactly is the evil that lies hidden within the Body of Yin? Could you give me a few pointers?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"It's not yet time for you to know," the Superior replied curtly.

With that, the Superior's killing domain collapsed. Xiao Nanfeng found himself back in the skies above Yongding. His spiritual moon returned to his mindscape and disappeared within.

Xiao Nanfeng: ...

Xiao Nanfeng couldn't help but feel unsettled. It was hard for him to shake the fear that the Superior might be scheming against him in secret.

At that moment, Ye Sanshui flew over with a group of officials, worry evident on his face. "Your Majesty, what happened to Han Gucheng?"

Xiao Nanfeng returned to his senses and surveyed the group. "No need to worry. Han Gucheng is dead."

"Long live His Majesty!" the officials chorused in joy.

Xiao Nanfeng took a deep breath and declared, "Thank you, everyone, for lending me your strength. The invaders have been eradicated, and peace has returned to Dazheng."

With that, the fortune within Xiao Nanfeng's body returned to the sea of fortune high overhead. A dragon's roar reverberated through the heavens, broadcasting his voice to all citizens.

Cheers erupted throughout the land.

"Ye Sanshui, head to Shenfeng's capital immediately and help the Demon Child take down any remaining attackers," Xiao Nanfeng instructed.

"Understood!" Ye Sanshui replied.

Ye Sanshui flew toward Shenfeng's capital as quickly as he could.

Meanwhile, Xiao Nanfeng returned to the imperial palace. Ye Sanshui and others had taken down the rest of Han Gucheng's subordinates almost immediately after Xiao Nanfeng had entered the Superior's killing domain.

Outside Shenfeng's capital, the assassins from Snowborne launched a fierce assault on Shenfeng's imperial palace, but ultimately failed. The shadow cursed effigies displayed terrifying power and eliminated all the attackers.

Only the deputy head of Snowborne remained, engaged in a fierce battle with the Demon Child in the sky.

Because of the shadow cursed effigies' terrifying prowess and suppression, the deputy head of Snowborne had no idea that the rest of the assault force had fallen.

Before long, Ye Sanshui arrived as well.

"Ye Sanshui? What are you doing here?" the Demon Child exclaimed.

"His Majesty had me come help you."

"There's no need. This guy isn't even on my level. With my growing mastery of my green lotus, taking him down will be a piece of cake," the Demon Child boasted, laughing.

Ye Sanshui rolled his eyes and charged forward.

The deputy head of Snowborne's eyes widened as he caught sight of Ye Sanshui. "Ye Sanshui? Shouldn't you be at Yongding? What are you doing here?"

Ye Sanshui flashed before him and punched forward, shocking the deputy head.

"No!"

The deputy head was sent flying, blood spurting from his mouth.

He stared at Ye Sanshui in disbelief. "How could you be so strong?"

"Han Gucheng is dead. If you surrender now, you may live. Otherwise, you'll die," Ye Sanshui said coolly.

"Impossible! The head of Snowborne would never lose!" the deputy head shouted.

He suddenly turned to see that the other assassins had long since been eliminated. His face paled as he tried to flee.

"Do you think you'll be able to escape?" Ye Sanshui demanded.

In a flash, he appeared before the deputy head and attacked with another devastating punch. The deputy head fell to the ground, forming a massive pit where he lay.

With a roar, the deputy head transformed into a giant white bear spirit and charged at Ye Sanshui.

"Stubborn fool—die!" Ye Sanshui roared.

He broke the bear spirit's right arm, sending blood flying. The bear spirit collapsed into another crater.

"Die!" the Demon Child shouted.

He transformed into a massive green sword that descended from the heavens and skewered the bear spirit's head.

"No!" Ye Sanshui shouted.

The bear spirit's head exploded, causing blood and brains to splatter everywhere. The spirit died in a gruesome manner.

"Haha, Ye Sanshui, I killed that bear spirit!" the Demon Child said smugly.

Ye Sanshui sighed in frustration as he inspected the spirit's body to confirm that it was truly dead. The Demon Child had even shattered its soul. He grimaced. "Who told you to kill it?"

"Didn't you say to do so? You said, 'Stubborn fool—die!'"

"That was just rhetoric! I was laying the groundwork for capturing it alive. It was a Boundless Immortal. If we could have convinced it to switch allegiance..." Ye Sanshui murmured.

"You should have made things clearer, then!" the Demon Child exclaimed.

"Shouldn't it have been obvious?" Ye Sanshui sighed. Seeing that the Demon Child looked angry, he consoled him. "Forget it. We'll just make a pill out of it."

"Next time, be clearer! I don't want to be at fault," the Demon Child snapped.

Ye Sanshui sighed in exasperation. "Fine, fine. I should have been clearer."

Then, he stored the bear spirit's carcass and left.

Peace returned to Shenfeng's capital.

Over the Northern Sea, Xiao Nanfeng's group split up from Yang Chuan.

Xiao Nanfeng's avatar and Liu Miaoyin were standing in the sky, glancing at a vast stretch of empty sea in the distance.

"Why have we stopped here?" Liu Miaoyin asked.

"This used to be the entrance to the green knoll hidden realm, but it's gone now," Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

Liu Miaoyin extended a hand, releasing a beam of black light that scanned the area. After a moment, the light returned to her hand and formed the image of a black lotus.

"The green knoll hidden realm is gone," Liu Miaoyin said.

"Ah?" Xiao Nanfeng didn't quite understand.

"Remember how Yu Fuli had you evacuate everyone from the hidden realm? Did you leave anyone behind?" Liu Miaoyin asked.

"No, I wouldn't ignore such a clear directive."

"Good. If I'm not mistaken, Yu Fuli must have sacrificed the entire hidden realm."

Xiao Nanfeng's eyes widened. "You can even sacrifice a hidden realm?"

"All things in the world can be sacrificed."

"The primordial altar truly is extraordinary..."

"As for whether other things were sacrificed as well, I can't say. At his level, anything Yu Fuli's trying to obtain must be monumental," Liu Miaoyin said.

"But if the green knoll hidden realm is gone, what about the primordial altar? Is it still in the vicinity?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.

This was the reason he had lingered in this location. The mysterious nature of the primordial altar deeply intrigued him.

"It's likely gone as well. The primordial altar has likely moved on," Liu Miaoyin replied.

"Moved on? What do you mean?" Xiao Nanfeng asked, confused.

"The primordial altar is extremely peculiar. It doesn't remain in one place for long. Once it's been used for multiple sacrifices, it relocates, leaving its original location and appearing in another part of the world. No one can trace where it'll head to next, nor how it gets there," Liu Miaoyin explained.

"Is that so? Could the primordial altar be alive? Does it possess its own will?"

Liu Miaoyin furrowed her brows in thought. "Perhaps, but it doesn't entirely seem that way. Regardless, it's extraordinarily unique. I can't say for sure."

After pondering matters for a moment, Xiao Nanfeng said, "Well, if the primordial altar is indeed gone, there's no point in staying here any longer. I'll leave some people behind to monitor this area for a while, just in case. For now, let's move on."

"Very well." Liu Miaoyin agreed with a nod.