Chapter 276: Summoning Cursed Effigies

Chapter 276: Summoning Cursed Effigies

In the city of Jingtao, after the cultivators finished consuming the draconic vein, golden light glimmered from their bodies.

"It's time for us to leave," Xiao Nanfeng suddenly stated.

"Understood!" The cultivators immediately departed from Jingtao.

Within the city, Sect Master Qi, a Wingform-realm cultivator, frowned and sighed.

"Sect Master Qi, what should we do?" one guard asked anxiously.

Sect Master Qi shook his head. "We can't do anything. They're too alert, and I haven't had a chance to launch a sneak attack on them. We'll just have to wait for Cui Haisheng to return."

After Xiao Nanfeng and his group of cultivators left Jingtao, they found a secluded valley within which to distill the draconic aether they had gained in hopes of making a breakthrough to their cultivation.

Everyone had profited enormously from the venture. Draconic aether billowed out from each cultivator as they processed it to improve their cultivation.

After four hours, a wave of energy emanated from Xiao Nanfeng's body.

"The ninth stage of Spiritsong? You're closing in on Wingform, Nanfeng!" Yu'er exclaimed happily.

"It's a pity that we don't have any more time, or I'd excavate all the draconic veins underneath Cui Haisheng's lands," Xiao Nanfeng joked.

"Cui Haisheng must be cursing his luck for having ever crossed you," Yu'er replied, laughing.

"He deserves it!"

"Will Yongding be alright if Cui Haisheng's main body is heading there himself?" Yu'er suddenly asked in worry.

"I invited Senior Uncle Hong to join me at Yongding. What do you think?" Xiao Nanfeng gave Yu'er a sly smile.

Yu'er's eyes lit up. "Cui Haisheng's in for trouble again, then!"

"The Xiao lands will finally be at peace for now," Xiao Nanfeng replied, nodding.

Back in Yongding, Xiao Nanfeng's avatar invited Hong Lie back into the Xiao manor.

"I had no choice. Nalan Qiankun isn't someone I can afford to offend, but don't worry. Cui Haisheng won't cause you any more trouble." Hong Lie had a sip of his tea.

"This outcome is more than sufficient for my needs." Xiao Nanfeng smiled.

"That said, it's rather a waste to have lost Yongding's main defensive formation just to lure Cui Haisheng here," Hong Lie stated, frowning.

Xiao Nanfeng smiled. "Not a waste at all. I've already claimed compensation from him for the destruction of my city's defensive formation."

"You've taken Jingtao's?" Hong Lie exclaimed.

"I have. I only had a limited amount of time, so my main body was only able to reclaim one of his formations, however."

"Haha, well done, well done!" Hong Lie praised, laughing.

"What? Impossible. Xiao Nanfeng brought his entire group to Jingtao. Who else would be around to defend Yongding?" Cui Haisheng retorted disbelievingly.

"What about the cursed effigies?" Nalan Changkong asked.

"The cursed effigies?"

"Who do you think killed the Jingang disciples at Mt. Swallowtail?" Nalan Changkong asked.

"Wasn't it Xiao Nanfeng?" Cui Haisheng asked. Then, as he thought more deeply, he continued, "No, that can't be. I was holding Xiao Nanfeng's Wingform-realm subordinates back. Only he and that lass could have gone to Mt. Swallowtail—so how did all the Jingang disciples die? Not a single one escaped!"

"Xiao Nanfeng wasn't the one who killed the Jingang disciples. A cursed effigy did so. There's a strong cursed effigy by Xiao Nanfeng's side. You might be able to deal with him, but what about the cursed effigy?" Nalan Changkong asked.

"How strong is it?" Cui Haisheng suddenly grew nervous.

"Even Envoy Ying was killed by that cursed effigy. What do you think?" Nalan Changkong replied.

"What? Even a cursed effigy as strong as Envoy Ying?"

Nalan Changkong stood up and bowed to his back. "Envoy Ying, my uncle's a trustworthy man, and your future plans will require the involvement of the Taiqing Demonic Sect. Would you like to meet with him?"

The shadow of a hand climbed out of Nalan Changkong's shadow.It wasn't attached to a body.

"This is Envoy Ying?" Cui Haisheng exclaimed in surprise.

"Cursed effigies can't be killed. Envoy Ying acted prudently and cut a piece of its body off before making a move against Xiao Nanfeng—and that prudence paid off." Nalan changkong turned toward the hand. "Envoy Ying, did you know that Xiao Nanfeng's cursed effigy would be so dangerous? Just who could that cursed effigy be to merit such caution from you?"

The hand was, surprisingly, able to talk. It replied, "Its name is the Divine Emperor. I almost had it in my grasp, but Xiao Nanfeng ruined my plans."

"The Divine Emperor?" Nalan Changkong asked curiously.

"You don't need to know its identity. All you need to know is that it's the cursed effigy that the Spirit Emperor is looking for."

"Very well." Nalan Changkong nodded, then continued asking, "You mentioned that you'll need someone to spread news all over the world on your behalf. Who are you attempting to contact?"

"I should report to the Spirit Emperor now that I've found the Divine Emperor, but the Spirit Emperor should be in secluded cultivation right about now. I intend to wait a little longer. The Spirit Emperor has assigned countless shadow cursed effigies around the world in hopes that they would find traces of the Divine Emperor, and I'll need your help to contact them and announce that the Divine Emperor has been found. They should all gather here and help me capture the Divine Emperor," Envoy Ying replied.

"Don't worry. Although the Taiqing Demonic Sect is waning, we still have disciples scattered all over the world. Passing word will be an easy task," Cui Haisheng promised.

"Very good," Envoy Ying replied with satisfaction.

"I have only one request. Once you capture the Divine Emperor, please help deal with Xiao Nanfeng on my behalf as well.

"Don't worry. The Divine Emperor has its eyes on Xiao Nanfeng's physical body, and Xiao Nanfeng will be dead meat. Of course, if the Divine Emperor doesn't kill Xiao Nanfeng, I will," Envoy Ying promised.

Cui Haisheng's eyes twitched. So Xiao Nanfeng's cursed effigies wanted to kill Xiao Nanfeng too? These cursed effigies really weren't existences to be trifled with.

"Uncle, I trust this will be satisfactory?" Nalan Changkong smiled.

Cui Haisheng nodded, very pleased with what he had learned. "We'll deal with Xiao Nanfeng later, then."