Chapter 920: Yang Xingyan

Within the palace at Yongding, after Yang Chuan's mother learned of everything that had transpired over the years, furiously exclaimed, "That despicable Shi Tianbei!"

"Mother, having you back is already a great blessing. It's just a shame that Shi Tianbei has sent several of the other Mountain Lords to their deaths over the years," Yang Chuan said.

The woman turned to her son, her gaze softening. "I will avenge them. Chuan'er, I am so proud by how much you've grown."

Beside him, Xia Xingchen smiled. "Senior Sister, Yang Chuan has really worked hard all these years. Not only that, his talent is extraordinary. He's surpassed us all."

"He even became the Southern Aspect of the Imperial Court. It's truly impressive," another Mountain Lord added.

The woman nodded in gratitude toward Xia Xingchen and the others. "Thank you for looking after my son."

"No, no, we didn't do much. It was all thanks to Yang Chuan's own efforts," they replied modestly.

The woman smiled faintly as she shook her head. Her son had been just a youth when calamity befell her. If not for the Mountain Lords' protection, he would never have escaped Shi Tianbei's schemes and grown into the man he was today.

Although she didn't continue to voice her thanks, she promised she would repay them one day.

Then, the woman turned to Xiao Nanfeng and Blue Lantern. She bowed deeply. "I am Yang Xingyan. I am grateful for your assistance, Emperor Xiao, Sir Blue Lantern."

Blue Lantern returned the bow. Xiao Nanfeng quickly said, "Senior, there's no need to be so formal. You're Mountain Lord Xia's senior sister, which makes you my senior aunt. It's only right for me to help. Please, don't call me Emperor Xiao—Xiao Nanfeng, or just Nanfeng, is more than enough."

Yang Xingyan smiled warmly. "Nanfeng it is, then. I owe you a debt. If you ever need anything in the future, ask."

"Understood," Xiao Nanfeng replied, smiling.

Yang Xingyan then turned to Yu'er with a smile. "And you must be Xia Yu'er, the first person chosen by the Yuqing Grandmaster."

"I greet Senior Aunt," Yu'er said, bowing respectfully.

"I'm afraid I don't have anything suitable as a meeting gift for you, but I'll make it up to you later. Once I reclaim everything that was taken from me, I'll prepare a proper gift," Yang Xingyan promised.

Having learned of what had happened, Yang Xingyan was grateful not just to Xiao Nanfeng, but also to Xia Xingchen for having protected her son all these years. As a result, she viewed Xia Yu'er with particular fondness.

"Thank you, Senior Aunt," Yu'er replied with a smile.

Yang Xingyan took a deep breath. "Shi Tianbei's still trying to forcibly absorb a Yuqing yin pillar, isn't he?"

Yang Chuan nodded. "I've had my subordinates keeping an eye on him. He wasn't initially able to succeed, but for some reason, over the past few days, all twelve Yuqing yin pillars have since been absorbed."

"All twelve? How could that be possible? We failed to do so ourselves despite great effort. Just what did Shi Tianbei do these last few months?" Xia Xingchen exclaimed in shock.

"Perhaps it's because of the bronze compass," Blue Lantern suddenly said.

"Oh?" Everyone turned to him, puzzled.

Blue Lantern continued, "I'm not privy to the details, but based on my observations of the Yuqing yin pillar that Xia Yu'er absorbed, I suspect that Shi Tianbei may have combined the power of three bronze compasses and used a special secret technique to absorb them all."

"Three bronze compasses can achieve such an effect?" Yang Xingyan exclaimed.

Blue Lantern nodded. "Indeed. Their power is immense."

Yang Xingyan turned to Yu'er. "Yu'er, you've absorbed one Yuqing yin pillar. How does it feel? How much energy does one such pillar contain?"

Yu'er frowned. She thought for a moment. "I'm a fourth-stage Boundless Immortal now, but I can sense that there's still an immense quantity of energy within the Yuqing yin pillar I absorbed. I suspect it can boost me all the way to the peak of the Boundless Immortal realm."

"What? A single Yuqing yin pillar contains such vast reserves of energy? If Shi Tianbei really has obtained all twelve..." Yang Xingyan's face darkened.

"We can't delay things any longer. We have to act swiftly to eliminate Shi Tianbei and reclaim the twelve Yuqing yin pillars. Otherwise, the consequences will be catastrophic," Xiao Nanfeng said gravely.

"Ageed," everyone replied, nodding solemnly.

"Let's all make our own preparations, then. I'll focus on recovering my strength. Then, we'll move against him simultaneously," Yang Xingyan suggested.

"Very well!" the others replied.

In Dachi's imperial study, an official reported, "Your Majesty, the cultivators whose Boundless Immortal avatars were captured by Xiao Nanfeng have sent word saying that their avatars have been killed.

"Xiao Nanfeng killed them?" Su Tianxin exclaimed.

"I don't know, Your Majesty. At any rate, they no longer have a connection to their avatars."

"That doesn't make sense. Surely Xiao Nanfeng would have imprisoned them for later use rather than kill them outright. Just what is he doing?" Su Tianxin frowned.

"I don't know, Your Majesty."

"Investigate!" Su Tianxin ordered.

"Understood!"

Within Yongding, in the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm, Ye Sanshui rushed back from the frontlines and turned the nine captured Boundless Immortals into zombies, following Xiao Nanfeng's orders.

Dark winds howled. Cursed spiritual power surged as the nine Boundless Immortals were transformed into zombie kings.

"It must have been exhausting to create nine zombie kings in one go," Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

"Hardly, Your Majesty. This was nothing," Ye Sanshui replied, wiping sweat from his brow.

"We're on the verge of a major battle, so I needed additional reserves. You'll have to participate as well," Xiao Nanfeng advised him.

"Understood!" Ye Sanshui replied. "But what about the frontlines?"

"Don't worry. Mr. Wen is handling everything, and things are progressing as expected. You won't be away from the frontlines for long, and I don't expect Dachi to notice your absence."

"Understood!" Ye Sanshui nodded firmly.

Within a certain hall, the Void Saint used a special technique to suspend Tang's body in mid-air. Black fog poured out from Tang's body, forming threads that extended into the void toward an unknown destination.

The Void Saint stared at Tang. "You really are extraordinary."

"Your Eminence, it hurts!" Tang whined in pain.

The Void Saint ignored his pleas. He raised a hand and summoned a blue pillar of light—a pillar of heavenly law that he controlled. Strangely enough, the black fog from Tang's body seemed to be linked to his pillar.

"The cursed spiritual power in your body is tied to heavenly law—no, it must be from the cursed effigy you attuned to in your past life. Perhaps to other pillars of heavenly law as well..." the Void Saint murmured.

"Your Eminence, it hurts! Please, spare me!" Tang cried out.

The Void Saint's eyes flashed with greed. He was certain that Tang was linked to a cursed effigy, one that was influencing him and which was linked to the pinnacle of heavenly law. This cursed effigy went beyond the likes of anything he had seen to date.

"Tang, are you willing to become my servant?" the Void Saint demanded.

"Yes, Your Eminence! I am willing to serve!" Tang bowed, gritting his teeth against the pain.

"Haha, very good!" The Void Saint roared in laughter.

He released Tang, who collapsed to the ground and shuddered at the memory of pain wracking his body.

He didn't need to rush to figure out all of Tang's secrets. He could afford to do it slowly.

"Pack up. We'll be heading to Dachi's capital. The bronze compasses have mysteries I want to explore—and we can use Su Tianxin's three compasses to examine your body further," the Void Saint said.

"Yes, Your Eminence!" Tang replied immediately.

Days later, in Yongding, Xiao Nanfeng's avatar opened a portal glowing with purple light.

"Everyone, I've opened a portal into the purple moon illusory realm. We can head in," Xiao Nanfeng's main body said beside him.

The crowd nodded. Yang Chuan and Xia Xingchen had opened portals of their own as well. Though the portals all led to the same location, the cultivators had done so in triplicate to ward against potential danger.

The battle ahead was sure to be perilous. As such, only Boundless Immortals were entering the realm—only Xiao Nanfeng's main body, Yu'er, Blue Lantern, Xia Xingchen, Yang Xingyan, Yang Chuan, Ye Sanshui, and five of the zombie kings were taking part.

Xiao Nanfeng didn't intend to bring all nine zombie kings with him. After all, they still needed some manpower to guard Dazheng and its army.

Xiao Nanfeng's main body and the eleven Boundless Immortals entered the purple moon illusory realm.

With a hum, the portal to the realm closed behind them.

As soon as the group entered, they were immediately greeted by swarms of purple-furred creatures rushing toward them.

"Let's go!" Xia Xingchen shouted.

"Hold on," Xiao Nanfeng called out. Everyone paused.

"What's the matter?" The cultivators all turned to Xiao Nanfeng.

Xiao Nanfeng looked at the replica of Yongding before him and narrowed his eyes. "I've only been away from the purple moon illusory realm for a few months, but look at the changes that have taken place in the meantime."

"Where? I don't notice anything different," Yu'er murmured.

"Doesn't everything here look more refined to you? I recall that the Yongding of this illusory realm was far more crude in the past. It's gotten significantly more intricate. Look at the dragon carvings, for instance."

Everyone frowned.

"Yu'er, the Yuqing Grandmaster forged this realm to be a replica of the real world. Could he be planning on recreating it in full?" Xiao Nanfeng conjectured.

"A new world?" Everyone was visibly taken aback.

"I'm not sure. There was nothing about the purple moon illusory realm in the inheritance I received," Yu'er replied.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. "The Yuqing Grandmaster's revival will surely be an extraordinary event."

"We don't have time to investigate this at the moment," Xia Xingchen warned. "We should move quickly."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

The group flew into the sky, toward the mirrored Sieve of Heaven within the illusory realm.