Chapter 370: Against an Earth Immortal
In the city of Luoxing, Zhao Yuanjiao and a group of Immortals landed outside the governor's manor.
"The Mortal division leader Xiao Nanfeng greets the other two division leaders." Xiao Nanfeng bowed at the two men by Zhao Yuanjiao's side.
Both men were handsome and clearly possessed of incredible strength, one in blue and the other in white.
The blue-clad man had sharp eyes. He looked toward Xiao Nanfeng flintily. "The Earth division leader, Lan Jiguang [1], greets Division Leader Xiao. Long have I heard your name."
Xiao Nanfeng was a little surprised about the Earth division leader's budding enmity, but he nodded without prodding at the matter further.
The other white-robed man stared at Xiao Nanfeng for a moment before bursting into a smile. "The Heaven division leader, Zhang Feifan, greets Division Leader Xiao. The disciples of the Heaven division sing your praises whenever they head to the Xiao manor. Your presence is a blessing to the entire Taiqing sect."
"You overpraise me, Division Leader Zhang." Xiao Nanfeng inclined his head.
The Heaven division leader, on the other hand, seemed much better disposed toward him.
Suddenly, Xiao Nanfeng saw a particularly beautiful woman standing behind Zhang Feifan. Her skin was white and pale, blue hair trailing down her head like a waterfall, her body and build tall, lithe, and curvaceous. She was dressed in white with a red cloak and shone brilliantly. Her eyes were disciplined and graceful, giving off the complex sensation of gentle beauty mixed with unrestrained freedom. Despite the fact that she wasn't standing at the forefront, she still drew many a gaze.
Xiao Nanfeng was focusing on her not because of her extreme beauty, but because he had seen her before. Xiao Nanfeng had witnessed an epic fight between two cultivators of immense strength on his way as a recruit to join the Taiqing Immortal Sect. A cultivator at Yin Body had been fighting a peerless beauty over the superior yin pearl—the same woman that he now saw before him.
Had they met again within just five years?
The Heaven division leader, Zhang Feifan, suddenly smiled. "Division Leader Xiao, are you familiar with my daughter, Zhang Lingjun?"
Zhang Lingjun seemed perplexed for a moment. After all, Xiao Nanfeng had only been sixteen years of age back then, and had matured significantly since. She didn't recognize him at first glance—but just a moment later, having guessed who he was, her eyes suddenly widened in astonishment. After all, she had hardly shown herself in a flattering light back then. She had been unconscious, her clothes tattered, her body laid bare—and Xiao Nanfeng had seen it all. She thought she would never see him again, only for them to reunite in such a dramatic fashion. How awkward could this get? Her eyes shone fiercely, as though she were threatening Xiao Nanfeng to ensure that their initial encounter remained a secret.
"I don't know her, Division Leader Zhang. I simply thought that she looked very much like you. Now I see why: she's your daughter," Xiao Nanfeng replied smoothly, having no intention of mentioning the embarrassing scene four years past.
Zhang Lingjun breathed out in relief, but she continued to frown. She stood at the back of the party and stared coldly at Xiao Nanfeng.
As the cultivators said their greetings, Nalan Qiankun and his group of Immortals also flew down.
"Senior Brother Zhang, Senior Brother Lan, long time no see." Nalan Qiankun bowed.
The two division leaders frowned as they considered Nalan Qiankun. After all, according to Zhao Yuanjiao, not only was Nalan Qiankun a traitor to the sect, he had even schemed against and taken down Ku Jiang, Hong Lie, and Lu Yan. They were understandably wary and angered.
"Nalan Qiankun? You're an Earth Immortal now, I see," Zhang Feifan said coldly.
"Nalan Qiankun, have you betrayed the sect?" Lan Jiguang asked frostily.
Nalan Qiankun laughed. "Senior Brothers, have you heard Zhao Yuanjiao slander me on your way here?
"Hm?" the two cultivators murmured coldly.
Nalan Qiankun grew serious. "The Taiqing Immortal Sect does have traitors—but in the Mortal division. This was an internal affair of the Mortal division, and I had been preparing to deal with those traitors before reporting to you senior brothers. Unexpectedly, like a pot calling the kettle black, the traitors to the sect took the initiative to ruin my reputation in order to instigate another internal schism within the sect."
"Nalan Qiankun, you're still lying at this juncture?" Zhao Yuanjiao demanded.
Nalan Qiankun laughed. "Zhao Yuanjiao, Xiao Nanfeng has misled you. Do you believe everything he says? I'm not the traitor. Xiao Nanfeng is."
Zhang Feifan and Lan Jiguang frowned, as though analyzing the possibility that Nalan Qiankun was telling the truth.
Nalan Qiankun continued, "Senior Brothers, I don't intend to expose all their lies one at a time. Rather, let's look at the big picture. Isn't it suspicious that, in just four years, Xiao Nanfeng has managed to go from a youth with no cultivation to his name to an Immortal with an empire, one with such power that even an Earth Immortal like me has to be wary and careful? Who could achieve such a feat in just four years? Havey ou ever met someone like him? This isn't something that cultivation alone can accomplish. You'd need experience, intelligence, mindset, and finesse. Could a youth like him accomplish such a feat?"
"Just because you can't doesn't mean that others cannot," Zhao Yuanjiao replied coolly.
"Zhao Yuanjiao, you're too young to have experienced the calamity that struck the Taiqing Immortal Sect in the past. One important disciple within the sect was possessed by another and caused such a schism that just about the entire sect was brought to its knees. Xiao Nanfeng's accomplishments these past years could never have been accomplished by an inexperienced youth like him—unless he has been possessed! It would have taken the possessor titanic reserves to have gone this far. He tricked us all!" Nalan Qiankun exclaimed.
"Nalan Qiankun, do you still refuse to repent for your actions? I suspect you're the one who's possessed," Zhao Yuanjiao said.
"Senior Brother, there's no need to waste time arguing with someone like him. It just lowers our status," Xiao Nanfeng said.
"Hm?" Nalan Qiankun glanced coldly at Xiao Nanfeng,
who looked toward the two division leaders. "Division Leader Zhang, Division Leader Lan, I'm sure you must be aware of my master, Ku Jiang. Would he have taken me as a disciple if I were possessed? Would he not have spotted signs of such possession? Furthermore, Han Bingdie had helped champion my cause. Considering her status and identity, wouldn't that be sufficient evidence to the contrary?"
The two division leaders nodded. Clearly, Ku Jiang and Han Bingdie had significant authority within the Taiqing sect.
"Nalan Qiankun's excuses and my evidence will take time to verify, I'm sure, but it's irrelevant now. I invited everyone today not for you to handle Nalan Qiankun, but to bear witness. This is strife internal to the Mortal division, and the Mortal division itself can take care of it," Xiao Nanfeng continued.
"Oh?" Zhang Feifan and Lan Jiguang both seemed rather surprised.
Even Zhang Lingjun let out an expression of amazement. The youth Xiao Nanfeng had been four years ago might as well have been an ant. Was he going to take on an Earth Immortal today himself?
"Xiao Nanfeng, you intend to take me on yourself? It looks like you've been preparing to be a sect traitor for quite some time now," Nalan Qiankun said coolly.
"Nalan Qiankun, do you intend to continue making a fuss about this? Very well. I do have some evidence, after all. You must have absorbed the sect master and the demonic sect master into the Gourd of Divine Flame. Their whereabouts are unknown, but I'm sure the gourd still possesses remnant traces of their auras. Will you allow the two division leaders to inspect the gourd thoroughly? I'm sure they can find some proof that way," Xiao Nanfeng replied coldly.
"The Gourd of Divine Flame?" Zhang Feifan and Lan Jiguang both looked toward Nalan Qiankun.
Nalan Qiankun's heart thumped. "How could I show others my treasures so readily?"
"If you don't dare to do so, then refrain from trying to accuse me further. Otherwise, the situation will only grow worse for you. I don't intend to have the two division leaders interfere in our battle—I want to avenge my parents, my master, and Senior Uncle Hong Lie on my own," Xiao Nanfeng said coldly.
Nalan Qiankun frowned. Xiao Nanfeng was right: the situation would only worsen if he were to drag this out any further.
"You want to fight me, traitor? Come on then! Internal affairs of the Mortal division can indeed be settled among ourselves," Nalan Qiankun replied coolly.
Although the two cultivators exchanged only a scant few sentences, everyone could see that something was amiss. Nalan Qiankun was hiding something, wasn't he?
Zhang Feifan and Lan Jiguang glanced at each other. Neither spoke, but their suspicions had been roused. Regardless of the outcome of the fight between Xiao Nanfeng and Nalan Qiankun, they would have to check the Gourd of Divine Flame thoroughly.
Xiao Nanfeng had likewise accomplished his objective. He did want to deal with Nalan Qiankun personally, not only to avenge his relatives but also to take advantage of the fight to augment the Dazheng Empire's influence. He had invited the two division leaders to witness the fight to prevent an accident from occurring and for Nalan Qiankun to take advantage. Both division leaders had actually returned to the sect a month ago and had been investigating in secret. They had come to their own internal conclusions, though they didn't express it in public.
"Senior Brother, please host the two division leaders. I intend to quell the Mortal division's internal unrest, kill the traitor, and return peace to the sect," Xiao Nanfeng declared.
"Be careful," Zhao Yuanjiao warned, slightly worried.
"Senior Brothers, please watch on as I deal with the traitor in the Mortal division and return peace to the sect," Nalan Qiankun declared himself.
Then, he looked toward Xiao Nanfeng and released the aura of an Earth Immortal. Fearsome gales transformed into a windstorm that forced the weaker cultivators in the vicinity to rear back, shocked by the immensity of Xiao Nanfeng's strength.
Zhang Feifan and Lan Jiguang watched on seriously, both worried about Xiao Nanfeng's safety.
Zhang Lingjun frowned where she stood. She too believed that Xiao Nanfeng was being overconfident, that he wouldn't be able to deal with Nalan Qiankun's overwhelming strength.
Just then, however, Xiao Nanfeng stepped forward. His golden robes fluttered in the wind, changing into silver at a rate visible to the naked eye. A silver moon appeared to the back of his head as an intense aura erupted from him. It clashed against Nalan Qiankun's in a burst of energy. Shockingly, the two cultivators seemed evenly matched.
"Late-stage Yin Body!" Lan Jiguang cried out in surprise.
"That's comparable to an Earth Immortal in terms of physical cultivation. Xiao Nanfeng's rate of cultivation is truly incredible..." Zhang Feifan exclaimed.
Zhang Lingjun's eyes twitched. She had inspected Xiao Nanfeng's spiritual power four years ago—back then, it was only about the size of a small candle flame. How could he have advanced it so far in just four years?
"Late-stage Yin Body? No wonder you're so calm about this." Nalan Qiankun snorted as he strode toward Xiao Nanfeng.
Xiao Nanfeng also approached Nalan Qiankun.
The two cultivators' fists met in a storm of titanic proportions.
1. lit. Blue Aurora ☜
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