Chapter 364: Hellsnake
The papier-mache hall appeared to be particularly sinister. Xiao Nanfeng was about to step forward to take a closer look when a paper figure suddenly emerged from among the paper snakes.
"Xiao Nanfeng? How bold of you to sneak into the Tianshu Palace," the paper figure remarked, blocking his way.
With a wave of its hand, the Yanluo Hall trembled and began shifting backwards, disappearing behind a cover of fog.
Xiao Nanfeng narrowed his eyes. "I've seen you before, and we fought on Blackflame Island. How might I address you?"
The paper figure smiled in a sinister fashion. "I'm Hellsnake. Since you've already come, you might as well stay here!"
The paper figure suddenly appeared before Xiao Nanfeng. Frowning, Xiao Nanfeng punched at the figure.
His punch met the paper figure's in a shockwave of force. Both cultivators reeled. Suddenly, Xiao Nanfeng found thick fog rising up all around him.
"An illusion?" Xiao Nanfeng demanded.
"This is my illusion. You won't be able to escape from it now that you're inside. Sit tight and wait for my husband to return!" the paper figure said, smiling coldly.
With a wave of its hand, it summoned countless paper snakes from the ground, all of which hissed and shot toward Xiao Nanfeng.
Xiao Nanfeng strode into the air, a red moon appearing to his back, a red cloud above his head. Countless lengths of red rope descended and struck at the snakes.
The red rope and snakes began to fight each other as though heaven and earth were warring.
The paper figure knew how strong the red moon was. Rather than attack directly, it continuously commanded the paper snakes to charge toward Xiao Nanfeng instead. Xiao Nanfeng didn't fear them; his red rope easily dealt with them for the time being. Updated from n0velbIn.(c)o/m
Suddenly, a peach branch appeared by Xiao Nanfeng's shoulder.
"Senior, you're still rather weak. You don't have to help me—I can handle them," Xiao Nanfeng advised.
The peach branch didn't respond. It suddenly jumped toward a paper snake tangled up by a loop of red rope. Its roots thrust into the paper snake.
The paper snake shuddered, then burned to a crisp.
"What? How can it forcefully absorb my cursed spiritual power?" the paper figure cried out.
Xiao Nanfeng's eyes lit up. "Senior, do you need the cursed spiritual power in these paper snakes?"
The peach branch bent its 'head'.
"In that case, Senior, let me help you!" Xiao Nanfeng laughed.
Lengths of red rope protected the peach branch as they brought tied-up paper snakes straight to it.
The peach branch rapidly absorbed the paper snakes' cursed spiritual power as though it were enjoying a feast.
"Pestilence Sage, hurry up! Seal him with the left division leader's token, now! I'll help you, so hurry!" Nalan Qiankun shouted.
The black skeleton, realizing that it was about to meet its end, suddenly smiled in a ghastly fashion. "You bastard, do you know what the worst thing I've done in my life is? Being blind to your malice and treachery, to hand my daughter over to you! My children died because of what you did. This is the end for me. I won't be able to avenge my children personally, but I won't just let you go like that, either. Bastard, you'll pay for what you've done! Explode!"
"You're going to self-destruct? You're crazy!" Nalan Qiankun howled.
A huge, flaming mushroom cloud lit up the skies. The frightening shockwaves that resulted in the aftermath ravaged their surroundings and caused the mountains and forests in the vicinity to quake. Even the defensive formation around Yongding, far in the distance, shook as though it were about to break.
Everyone who had been watching the fight gaped. None had ever seen such an intense explosion. Even Fortune's Auspices and Sky of Ten Suns seemed to pale in comparison.
After the explosion passed, the black skeleton's body shattered, leaving only a bloody Nalan Qiankun behind. He was continuously vomiting blood.
"Even in death, you're going to inconvenience me?!" Nalan Qiankun cursed.
The only reason he didn't die was because the Gourd of Divine Flame had blocked much of the force on his behalf. However, a crack had appeared on the gourd, causing his eyes to widen.
The gourd shook. The demonic sect master seemed to be attacking the gourd from within in an attempt to escape.
"Damn it!" Nalan Qiankun cursed again, coughing out blood.
His main body was still fighting Xiao Nanfeng in the distance, but he had no choice but to escape. Once the demonic sect master emerged from the gourd, he would be dead.
As Nalan Qiankun's main body fended off Xiao Nanfeng's attack in a burst of flame, he turned to flee.
"Hold it!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.
However, Nalan Qiankun's main body had already reached his avatar. He grabbed the gourd, which was starting to vibrate wildly, suppressed it, and began to fly into the distance.
Xiao Nanfeng gave chase for some time, but he gave up the pursuit upon realizing that he wouldn't be able to catch up.
"The demonic sect master's trapped within the Gourd of Divine Flame? Could Lu Yan be there, too?" Xiao Nanfeng narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
"King Xiao is invincible!" a shout came from within Yongding as Nalan Qiankun fled.
"King Xiao is invincible!" Countless officials, soldiers, and the common people took up the chant.
Their shouts echoed across the heavens, shocking the Immortal spies in Yongding.
"Even Nalan Qiankun was no match for Xiao Nanfeng! The kingdom of Dazheng is about to advance into the Dazheng Empire in two days. Its power is rising by the day!"
"I advised my sect to side with Xiao Nanfeng time and again, but it's too late now. Dazheng has already established its authority!"
"My sect master's been repeatedly saying to 'Watch and see,' but it's too late now. Xiao Nanfeng's been growing too rapidly!"
The Immortal spies shook their heads in regret.