Chapter 906: The Seven Factions Flee

COn the Eastern Sea, outside the wild wastes hidden realm, the seven factions' black-robed cultivators had been waiting on the island for news within the realm for several days. They were finally hearing back.

Atop a mountain, Shi Tianbei listened to one of his subordinates' reports.

"What? Xiao Nanfeng killed a dozen Golden Immortals by himself, as easily as if he were chopping up vegetables?" Shi Tianbei exclaimed.

"Yes, Hierarch! Sage Qingyun is fighting with him at the moment, but he can't seem to do anything! Xiao Nanfeng's able to block his blows without injury!"

"Impossible. Xiao Nanfeng's merely a Golden Immortal," Shi Tianbei murmured.

"It's true! And..." The subordinate continued to describe everything going on within the realm.

Gradually, Shi Tianbei began to frown.

After some time, the cultivator gasped. "Sage Qingyun is dead!"

"What? How can this be? How can a Golden Immortal kill a Boundless Immortal?!" Shi Tianbei cried out.

"It's true! But someone else claimed the protection token in the end..." The subordinate continued to describe what had happened within the wild wastes hidden realm.

Shi Tianbei's eyes turned cold. "Who else could it be? Someone must have tampered with the protection token. Emperor Dachi must have reclaimed it. His faction must have intended to swoop in and claim the bronze compass."

"What do we do now?"

Shi Tianbei's face darkened as he considered his options. With Sage Qingyun's death, the rift between him and Xiao Nanfeng had deepened beyond repair.

He knew that Xiao Nanfeng now held leverage against him. The Yuqing holy land had stringent rules for selecting its hierarch. Only Yuqing disciples without any other allegiance could ascend to that position; Shi Tianbei should have been ineligible. Years ago, he had resorted to underhanded means to seize the role of hierarch. If Xiao Nanfeng revealed this secret, his position would be at risk.

𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Still, Shi Tianbei remained calm. Unless Xiao Nanfeng had irrefutable proof, he could deny everything—but if Xiao Nanfeng were to arrive on the island with witnesses from the Yuqing holy land, the truth would undoubtedly come to light.

"This place is no longer safe. We must leave immediately," Shi Tianbei announced.

"But what about those of our faction within the wild wastes hidden realm?"

Shi Tianbei hesitated. Those cultivators from his faction could be used as pawns against him if they were left behind.

"We'll have to open up an exit to the realm and retrieve our people before we leave," Shi Tianbei said decisively.

"But doing so requires the combined strength of all seven faction heads!"

Shi Tianbei glanced at the other black-robed cultivators, thinking about how to phrase his request.

Before long, even more startling news came from within the hidden realm.

"Hierarch, the one who claimed the protection token was actually Su Qingchan—and Xiao Nanfeng just slew her!"

"What?!" Shi Tianbei exclaimed.

The cultivator immediately described what his avatar had witnessed.

The other black-robed cultivators were likewise made aware of what was happening within the hidden realm.

"Xiao Nanfeng is truly remarkable."

"To think he could have killed two Boundless Immortals, one after another... It's no wonder he was able to become the Eastern Aspect of the former Imperial Court."

"Senior Brother Su, it seems that you've lost both your daughter and your forces."

"Not necessarily. Su Qingchan is engaged to Blue Lantern. He might not kill her."

The black-robed cultivators cast mocking glances at the Immortal Emperor of Dachi, but he remained silent.

After some time, Su Qingchan's other body spoke up. "Father, Blue Lantern has fully attuned to the bronze compass. My avatar was destroyed, soul and all."

The group fell silent. Blue Lantern's mastery of the bronze compass would be troublesome for them all.

Shi Tianbei finally broke the silence. "Everyone, Xiao Nanfeng is now invincible within the wild wastes hidden realm, and Blue Lantern has the bronze compass. Can any of our people hide from them?"

"If Blue Lantern uses the compass to track them, no one will be able to hide—at least not within the hidden realm, where there are formations everywhere."

"Given the Fenghuang faction's enmity for us all, do you think any of our disciples stand a chance?" Shi Tianbei continued.

The group remained silent, their faces grim.

"What are you suggesting?" one of them finally asked.

"We have to open a portal to the wild wastes hidden realm again and let our people escape. At the very least, we'll avoid unnecessary losses," Shi Tianbei proposed.

After some deliberation, everyone nodded in agreement. "Very well."

"We'll each inform our disciples to gather by the portal as quickly as possible. Once everyone's there, we'll open the portal up."

"Very well!"

Through their disciples' avatars, the faction heads relayed their orders to the disciples within the hidden realm, urging them to head toward the exit. However, it would take some time for everyone to gather.

Not long after, another black-robed figure shouted, "Blue Lantern and Xiao Nanfeng are attacking my faction's stronghold! Many of our people have been killed."

"They've begun their assault," Shi Tianbei said grimly.

The gathered black-robed cultivators grew increasingly anxious and urged their disciples to hurry.

Within the hidden realm, with Xiao Nanfeng's full support, Blue Lantern and his junior disciples fought their way to a certain faction's stronghold.

Using the bronze compass, Blue Lantern activated a massive formation that enveloped the entire area. Those within were thrown into chaos.

"Damn it, we can't break out of Blue Lantern's compass-empowered formation!"

"We're trapped! We'll have to fight them to the death!"

"Kill them all!"

The stronghold erupted into bloody combat.

The disciples of the Fenghuang faction fought earnestly as they took their revenge. Xiao Nanfeng's twelve golden cultivators joined in, as did Yu'er.

"You vile demons, you slaughtered my senior brothers and sisters! Today, none of you will escape!" Blue Jade shouted tearfully "Kill them all!"

Blood splattered as the fierce battle raged.

Blue Lantern frowned from where he stood beside Xiao Nanfeng. "Your Majesty, the bronze compass shows that members of all seven factions are converging near the exit to the realm.

"They must have learned about the situation here. They're trying to minimize their losses," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

"They're getting off too easily," Blue Lantern replied bitterly.

"Don't worry. We'll deal with them later. Let your juniors vent their anger now. They've held it in for too long," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Understood!" Blue Lantern nodded.

"You might have bolstered that pure yang pillar, but it won't last for much longer, will it?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.

"My father consumed a portion of the pure yang energy within the pillar in the past, and Su Qingchan's formations drained even more from it." Blue Lantern frowned.

"Actually, I absorbed the pure yang flames within. There were extenuating circumstances," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"I understand, Your Majesty. You aren't to blame, and you were the one who retrieved it in the first place. Just having what's left of the pillar has been an incredible help," Blue Lantern said immediately.

"About how much of the pure yang energy remains?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"About a tenth."

"A tenth? Will you be able to advance to the Boundless Immortal realm using what remains?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"With the assistance of the bronze compass, I should be able to do so."

"Good. Have all of it, then. I hope you'll be able to advance to a Boundless Immortal quickly and take on the seven faction heads," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Understood!" Blue Lantern replied gratefully. "Your Majesty, I found this on Su Qingchan's avatar."

Though Xiao Nanfeng had been the one to capture Su Qingchan, she was ultimately Blue Lantern's fiancée. Xiao Nanfeng naturally left him to handle it.

Blue Lantern passed Xiao Nanfeng a piece of white jade, on which was carved the words "protection token".

"This is a protection token. I recently learned of what it does. Saints give them to their lackeys to ensure their survival during the calamity of the era," Xiao Nanfeng explained.

"Oh?" Blue Lantern exclaimed in surprise. "In that case, Your Majesty, please have it."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "Very well. I'll be able to use this to target any remaining saints' lackeys."

"It's just that Sage Qingyun and Su Qingchan, both Boundless Immortals, should each have had their own protection token. I only found Su Qingchan's."

"Su Qingchan may have deposited the other elsewhere—perhaps sent it out of the wild wastes hidden realm entirely. Don't worry about it. Just this is good enough."

"Understood!"

The two cultivators waited for some more time as the fierce fighting in the distance finally ended.

"Senior Brothers, Senior Sisters, we've finally avenged you!" Blue Jade was sobbing despite the overwhelming victory.

Blue Lantern dispelled the formations he was maintaining and stepped forward to console her.

Yu'er patted her on the back. "Blue Jade, don't cry. We still have more people to take vengeance on, right?"

"Right!" Blue Jade wiped at her tears.

Blue Lantern led the gathered cultivators toward a forest.

"They're right over there! They're going to escape! Hold it!" Blue Jade thundered.

"Don't head over!" Blue Lantern commanded, forcing Blue Jade and the others back.

High in the air, there was a void portal out of which the seven factions' disciples were escaping. The portal was being guarded by a group of black-robed cultivators on the other side.

"The seven faction heads?" Blue Lantern narrowed his eyes.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "They must not have dared to enter because of the heavenly restrictions on the hidden realm."

"Will they try to attack us as we emerge from the hidden realm?" Blue Lantern asked anxiously.

"It's only to be expected, but don't worry. I have my own plans, and will be able to remove them from the area. We'll head out in a few days' time. For now, arrange for the Fenghuang disciples to gather up what we can from this hidden realm. They can leave with us. Help Yu'er dispel her curse in the meantime as well," Xiao Nanfeng instructed.

"I understand." Blue Lantern nodded.

Before long, the seven factions' cultivators finished evacuating. The portal to the outside snapped shut.