Chapter 697: Yang Chuan

Chapter 697: Yang Chuan

A day later, in Yongding, Xiao Nanfeng's avatar was perusing a stack of documents when a flash of rainbow-colored light appeared outside his study. A wave of energy surged toward him.

Xiao Nanfeng's brush paused. This was the effect of Blue Lantern's new formation—the fact that it was vibrating and releasing colored light meant that someone was trying to sneak into Dazheng's palace.

"Do cultivators of the Yuqing holy land enjoy sneaking around?" Xiao Nanfeng called out.

Suddenly, a man in white appeared by the entrance to the study. He was particularly handsome, with a muscular physique and a paper fan in his hand. He smiled as he entered the study with a natural air of arrogance and elegance.

"Martial Aspect Xiao, you are skilled. The formation around this palace is no inferior to that in many divine empires'," the man in white exclaimed.

"The Southern Aspect—a rare guest," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

The man was none other than Yang Chuan, the Southern Aspect.

"Martial Aspect Xiao, I naturally had to accept your invitation." Yang Chuan continued to smile.

"But I didn't invite you, Southern Aspect Yang."

"You asked for a Boundless Immortal from the Yuqing holy land. Who else could you be referring to but me?" Yang Chuan spread his fan.

"There are surely multiple Boundless Immortals in the Yuqing holy land. At the very least, the Yuqing hierarch himself must be one," Xiao Nanfeng said.

Xiao Nanfeng knew very well that, given the Yuqing hierarch's status, he would never show up himself to discuss the matter of the seventh-grade lotus. In that case, Yang Chuan was the only candidate. Of course, there may have been other Boundless Immortals the Yuqing holy land had cultivated in secret, but this would hardly be the appropriate place to reveal them.

"Let's cut to the chase. Martial Aspect Xiao, shall we discuss the seventh-grade lotus?" Yang Chuan asked.

"Very well, Martial Aspect Yang. What did you think of the battle at Taixu?"

"In what sense?" Yang Chuan countered.

"I'd like to know whether you think the treasure I obtained from combat should belong to me," Xiao Nanfeng said seriously.

"If it were any other treasure, we wouldn't mind—but the seventh-grade lotus is different. It's one of the representative treasures of the Yuqing holy land, and we're obligated to reclaim it if it's ever lost. The reason we haven't attacked you directly is on account of the relationship between the Taiqing Immortal Sect and the Yuqing holy land," Yang Chuan said.

"We fought for the seventh-grade lotus with our lives. Taiqing and Yuqing might be close allies, but that's no excuse for Yuqing to demand or steal Taiqing resources. Southern Aspect Yang, how do you intend to trade for my seventh-grade lotus?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"Trade?" Yang Chuan frowned.

"Or do you intend to steal it?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

Yang Chuan fell silent. He stared at Xiao Nanfeng, then suddenly laughed. "You're an interesting man, Martial Aspect Xiao. What do you want from me, then?"

"And how do you know I want something from you?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"You requested me in all but name. There must be something in my possession you're interested in. Go on. If it's not too outlandish a request, I'm happy to satisfy it outright," Yang Chuan replied.

The intent and implication of Xiao Nanfeng's insistence on meeting with a Boundless Immortal of the Yuqing holy land had been quite clear.

"Very well, Southern Aspect Yang. I require fair arbitration from you."

Yang Chuan spread his fan and smiled. "Martial Aspect Xiao, you are indeed powerful. I see why Ao Canghai has lost to you several times now."

"Thank you for the praise, Southern Aspect Yang," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

"Alright. We'll talk again in the future."

Yang Chuan stepped out of the study and vanished across the horizon.

Just then, a group of guards rushed into the study in panic. "Please forgive us, Your Majesty. We were suddenly restrained and rendered immobile."

"It's fine. You may leave," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

"Understood!" The guards left the study, still wide-eyed in shock.

Xiao Nanfeng hummed thoughtfully. Yang Chuan was strong indeed.

Back in the south, in the valley in which the Divine Emperor was residing, Xiao Nanfeng and the Divine Emperor walked out of her bedroom. They had groomed themselves by then, but the Divine Emperor still had a radiant flush on her face. She tugged on Xiao Nanfeng's hand in happiness and satisfaction.

"Haven't you been in secluded cultivation all this time? How did you manage to get to Taixu all of a sudden?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"Who said I was in secluded cultivation?"

The Divine Emperor smiled at Xiao Nanfeng, her beauty so breathtaking that Xiao Nanfeng was stupefied for a moment.

"What're you looking at? Haven't you seen your fill?" The Divine Emperor blushed even as she smiled.

"My beautiful wife, how could I ever get my fill of you?" Xiao Nanfeng replied.

"Nonsense!" The Divine Emperor's eyes were radiant with mirth. She continued gently, "My subordinates believed you, but not completely. That's why they lied and told you that I was in secluded cultivation—then rushed back to inform me of the news."

"Oh? They're rather alert, aren't they?"

"Naturally. They were already with me fifty thousand years ago. I have plenty of experts in military affairs and in administration, and they're no worse than those of your Dazheng Empire."

"Not my Dazheng Empire, but ours," Xiao Nanfeng corrected.

The Divine Emperor smiled and clicked her tongue. "I misspoke."

"You're the empress of Dazheng," Xiao Nanfeng told her gently. "Don't misspeak next time."

The Divine Emperor smiled warmly as she leaned into Xiao Nanfeng.

"I left in too much of a hurry to tell them where I was headed. How did you find me?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"I headed to the Yuqing holy land first, only to find out that you had already left. Then, one of my subordinates' avatars coincidentally reported seeing you outside Taixu. That's why I went. Fortunately, I wasn't too late." The Divine Emperor shuddered at the thought of what would have happened otherwise.

"Thank goodness my wife was here to save me," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

The Divine Emperor blushed in a mix of embarrassment and pride. If her subordinates were present, they would have been shocked to see their invincible leader behaving like a young woman in love for the first time.