Chapter 289: Hong Lies Memorial

Chapter 289: Hong Lie's Memorial

Months ago, the backyard of Cui Haisheng's manor in Jingtao had been deemed a forbidden area. Screams and shouts could be heard from the region from time to time, and the household servants and guards stayed as far away from it as they could. Just looking in the direction of the backyard would give them chills as they shuddered in fear.

Every day, there were countless headless corpses that had to be retrieved from the backyard. Those who had been assigned such a responsibility returned from it shaking and shivering; some even suffered a major illness.

Tang's eyes twitched as he headed to the backyard himself.

"Damn it, Cui Haisheng! He told me he was going to help me raise my cultivation, but he ran off to the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm and ditched me. I even have to take care of Envoy Ying!" Tang clutched a letter as his heart thumped.

As he stepped into the backyard, he found it surrounded by black smoke. His body suddenly turned chilly. Dozens of shadow cursed effigies had surrounded him and were reaching out for his head with their claws, as if about to pluck it from his body.

Tang gulped and held his letter up high. "I'm here to report to Envoy Ying! There's news about the Divine Emperor."

Only then did the cursed effigies retract their claws and shift aside.

Tang took a deep breath as he walked deep into the backyard. Along the way, he saw more and more shadow cursed effigies wandering their domain.

A group of shadows were dragging dozens of cultivators into a small courtyard. The cultivators were screaming in fear.

The shadows all around, sensing prey, pounced toward them.

"Save us! Help!"

"Please, let me go! I was just strolling through the streets! Don't kill me!"

The cultivators screamed and wept, but any resistance was futile. The shadows quickly plucked off their heads and ate them whole. Then, they tossed the headless corpses into a corner of the courtyard for the servants to clean up.

Tang's scalp prickled. No wonder Cui Haisheng had run off; who could bear such a scene? Cui Haisheng had appointed him as Envoy Ying's messenger instead. He felt as though he might be eaten at any time.

Tang walked up to the hall and called out tentatively, "Envoy Ying, I have word about the Divine Emperor."

"Enter!" Envoy Ying shouted from within.

Tang walked into the hall to see a black-robed figure swallowing up a shadow cursed effigy.

The black-robed figure was none other than Envoy Ying. Despite the fact that only a hand from its body had remained, its body had completely regrown by now. Not only that, whereas the other shadow cursed effigies were eating people, it was eating the shadow cursed effigies themselves.

Tang shuddered. Envoy Ying was far more fearsome than those mindless shadows.

"News from Xiao Nanfeng? Describe what happened," Envoy Ying said.

"A report from the city of Yongding mentions that Xiao Nanfeng and a group of cultivators killed Xiang Pojun. What happened was..." Tang recounted the series of events leading up to Xiang Pojun's death.

"Xiang Pojun's dead?" Envoy Ying exclaimed.

"He is. Yongding's too dangerous at the moment, and Xiao Nanfeng bears fearsome power. Envoy Ying, we can't afford to antagonize him."

"Can't afford to antagonize him? What nonsense. Didn't you explain what happened? Xiang Pojun died because of the Divine Emperor. All Xiao Nanfeng and his group did was break the qi barrier around Xiang Pojun," Envoy Ying replied disdainfully. The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

"Isn't that a matter of concern in and of itself?" Tang asked.

"Xiao Nanfeng's blade is rather strange, but it likely needs a dragon-quelling spike to unlock its full strength. Without these spikes, there's nothing to be concerned about," Envoy Ying replied disdainfully.

"In that case, when are you going to deal with Xiao Nanfeng and the Divine Emperor?" Tang asked.

Yu'er spat in disgust. "What a schemer! He's worse than you, Zhao Yuanjiao."

Zhao Yuanjiao frowned at Yu'er.

"Nanfeng, do you think Nalan Qiankun was lying when he said that he couldn't attend this memorial?" Yu'er turned to Xiao Nanfeng.

Xiao Nanfeng shook his head. "I don't care whether or not he makes it. It's sufficient that he sent an official to report back on what happened."

"Oh? Why?" Yu'er asked.

"There's likely another culprit responsible for Hong Lie's death in addition to Xiang Pojun, and I believe Nalan Qiankun is sheltering that culprit. The culprit may well be in the Tianshu Empire. This memorial is partially intended as a signal to Nalan Qiankun that we're done with the investigation, that we won't pursue this killer any longer," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Will Nalan Qiankun believe us?" Yu'er asked.

"It doesn't matter—our attitude toward the situation is enough. We'll continue the investigation slowly, but nothing will happen in the short term. Perhaps the killer will relax and drop their guard as well," Xiao Nanfeng stated.

"This killer's identity must be exceptional," Yu'er said.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. He turned to Zhao Yuanjiao. "Senior Brother, how has your cultivation advanced so quickly despite your remaining in Taiqing Island? You've already reached late-stage Wingform-realm."

"You have your draconic veins, and I have my blackguards. They reported to me about an Immortal estate left behind after the Immortal's death. There were a few treasures and opportunities within, some of which allowed my cultivation to grow at a rapid clip," Zhao Yuanjiao replied.

"Oh?"

"It's a very safe location. I won't be able to use up all the treasures, and some are already starting to dissipate. I've already had some of my confidantes in the Ascended division and the most important blackguards head there to try their luck. Would you two like to do the same?"

"An Immortal's abode..." Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

Zhao Yuanjiao nodded. "Keep this secret, you hear? I'm only telling you about it. You're welcome to bring some trusted subordinates to join me."

Yu'er's eyes filled with anticipation.

"Senior Sister, you should head there with Croak, Warble, and You Jiu. They've been at the peak of Wingform for some time. Perhaps the treasures in this abode will suffice to evoke the Immortal transformation," Xiao Nanfeng suggested.

"You're not going?" Zhao Yuanjiao asked in surprise.

Xiao Nanfeng smiled. "I'd like to see if I can find the entrance to the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm."

Zhao Yuanjiao gave Xiao Nanfeng an odd look. Had Xiao Nanfeng advanced to the point that these treasures meant nothing to him?

"Don't misunderstand me, Senior Brother. I cultivate an unusual technique, and ordinary aether won't be able to advance it any further. I need to find an opportunity within the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm. As you know, even draconic aether won't make my cultivation budge," Xiao Nanfeng explained.

Zhao Yuanjiao nodded. "Can you find an entrance leading into it?"

"I'm sure that Xiang Pojun's charm is the key, but I haven't uncovered all its secrets."

Zhao Yuanjiao nodded again. "Be careful, then."

"Nanfeng, what if I accompany you to the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm instead?" Yu'er offered.

Xiao Nanfeng shook his head. "There's no need. You should head to the Immortal's abode. Croak, Warble, and You Jiu will protect you. If you manage to become an Immortal, you can come over and help me then."

Yu'er nodded with some reluctance.