Chapter 146: Leaving the Hidden Realm
By the wasp nests was a plain, unadorned altar. When Xiao Nanfeng and the others first entered the hidden realm, it had been covered with dust and ignored. Now, however, it was entirely revealed to the cultivators.
The Lady Arclight and Yu'er were each channeling spiritual power into one corner of the altar, which began to sputter with red light.
"Multiple people need to channel spiritual power into the altar to activate it. Everyone, do so now!" the Lady Arclight instructed.
"Yes!" The cultivators began infusing their spiritual power into the altar.
The altar needed a hundred cultivators' spiritual energy to activate, but there were only around fifty Taiqing disciples.
Xiao Nanfeng, who was aware of this problem, was easily able to resolve it. He could supply the remaining fifty portions of spiritual power, because his black lotus had a large stockpile of spiritual power absorbed from Emperor Wei and his court officials.
As huge quantities of spiritual power poured into the altar, red mist appeared over its surface and slowly formed a blue tunnel about as tall as a person.
"An exit!" the cultivators cried out excitedly.
Just then, an ominous crack could be heard from the altar.
"It's cracking apart!" one disciple shouted.
The cracks propagated, one into two, two into four, four into eight—within moments, the whole altar seemed as though it would shatter at any moment. The blue passageway shook violently, poised to collapse.
"Leave now! Hurry!" the Lady Arclight commanded.
The cultivators swarmed out, none daring to hesitate.
The ominous cracking intensified.
As the final cultivator ran out of the passageway, the altar was destroyed with a huge explosion. The red mist and blue portal winked out.
The cultivators returned to the valley from which they had first entered the undying realm.
As the blue portal vanished, the connected altar in the physical world also exploded with a huge bang. The cultivators stared at the destroyed altar and the collapsed portal with lingering fear.
"We were almost trapped in there for life..." Ye Dafu whispered.
"We've escaped, we've finally escaped!" Many of the Taiqing disciples had rapturous looks on their faces.
While they celebrated, however, some of the disciples rapidly scaled the mountains all around them to keep an eye out on their surroundings. After trial and tribulation, the disciples had uniformly grown more wary, and they didn't intend on making any low-level mistakes like before.
"Come over here, Nanfeng," the Lady Arclight began.
"Yes, Elder?"
The Lady Arclight handed Xiao Nanfeng a blue token. "This is my authority as an elder made manifest. I entrust you with it. Take it back to the sect. If anyone dares to trouble you, show them this. It will allow you to command disciples of the Earth division."
"Elder, aren't you returning to the sect with us?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.
The Lady Arclight looked toward Xiao Nanfeng with some regret, but her gaze was resolute. "I'll be leaving for some time, and will return to the sect as quickly as I can."
She then turned to the gathered disciples. "Have you all heard my words? I have conferred my authority on Nanfeng. If anyone dares doubt my token, record it down. I'll deal with those people when I return."
"Yes, Elder!" everyone replied.
"You shouldn't encounter any danger on your way back to the sect. Go quickly!" the Lady Arclight instructed.
"Yes, Elder!"
The Lady Arclight gave Xiao Nanfeng a final searching look, then launched herself into the air and vanished over the horizon.
Yu'er watched the Lady Arclight leave. Biting her lip, she pulled Xiao Nanfeng aside.
"What's the matter, Senior Sister?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.
"Nanfeng, I'll be leaving as well. Return on your own, and make sure to be safe," Yu'er warned.
"Why?" Xiao Nanfeng asked in surprise.
"The Lady Arclight must have gone off in search of a solution for the cursed effigies that have attached themselves to you. As your senior sister, I have to do something as well. Hold on tight. I'll return in a few days!" A flash of jealousy flitted over Yu'er's gaze.
"You must be overthinking things, Senior Sister. The elder likely has other things to concern herself with. What's more, I can handle my cursed effigies on my own. There's no need to worry," Xiao Nanfeng replied.
"No need to worry? You have a whole host of cursed kings in your body, enough to claim your life at any time! Return to the sect and ask your master if there's a solution. I'll be going back home to ask my mother for assistance. She mentioned that she had dealt with cursed effigies in the past, and she might have a solution."
"There's no need to be so anxious." Xiao Nanfeng patted Yu'er's shoulder. If even Blue Lantern was unable to resolve this problem, what could Yu'er's mother do?
"You're laughing? I've been so worried these last few days—and you're not even treating it like a problem? The Lady Arclight's gone off on her own, I'll talk to my mother, and you'll talk to your master and the other sect elders. With the three of us working together, we'll surely find a solution," Yu'er replied sternly.
"But..." Xiao Nanfeng still wanted to persuade her to stay.
"It's decided, then! I've been wanting to visit home, anyway."
Yu'er turned to the disciples. "Ye Sanshui, when you return to the sect, make it known on my behalf that if anyone dares to make life difficult for Nanfeng, I'll deal with them when I return."
"I will," Ye Sanshui replied, somewhat flummoxed.
Yu'er flew into the air and vanished from sight.
"With both elders gone, what will we do next? What if we encounter the crow king and Marquis Wu? We can't beat them!" Ye Dafu fretted.
"They won't appear again." Xiao Nanfeng shook his head.
"What, I'm supposed to believe you? You have no awareness of danger at all! You—"
Ye Dafu yelped as someone hit his head again.
"Third Uncle, why did you hit me?!" Ye Dafu cried out.
"What Senior Brother Nanfeng says goes. Don't talk nonsense," Ye Sanshui chided.
"...are you my third uncle, or his?"
"Come on. It's time to return to the sect," Xiao Nanfeng called out.
"Yes!" the Taiqing disciples chorused.
"Third Uncle, Xiao Nanfeng secretly told me at the start of this expedition that he was going to steal your leadership position—and everyone's listening to him now! He's usurped your position!" Ye Dafu whispered, trying to spark conflict between his third uncle and Xiao Nanfeng.
Ye Sanshui blinked. "It's only right that Senior Brother Nanfeng leads us all. I'm very glad I can support him."
Ye Dafu stared at Ye Sanshui, flabbergasted. "Third Uncle, has he brainwashed you?"
Ye Sanshui slapped Ye Dafu's head again. "I told you, listen to Senior Brother Nanfeng! What's with all this nonsense?"
"No, I have to write to my father! Nanfeng might have hypnotized you, Uncle, and I need Father to snap you out of this!" Ye Dafu gulped.
"If you call your father over, he'll only beat you up for not respecting your elders," Ye Sanshui replied.
"But it doesn't make sense! You're completely different from before. Nanfeng's cultivation is barely above mine, and it's comparable to yours! Why are you acting so deferential? Does he have some other identity?" Ye Dafu whispered.
Ye Sanshui, worried that his nephew would make a mess of things, eventually told Ye Dafu the truth.
"You owe Senior Brother Nanfeng's father a life debt. When your mother gave birth to you, your parents were surrounded by thousands of troops, and Nanfeng's father rushed thousands of miles to save your family from martial unrest. What do you think?" Ye Sanshui hissed.
"When I was born, his father saved my family? C-Could he be..." Ye Dafu's eyes opened wide.
He had finally guessed who Xiao Nanfeng was. His eyes bulged.
"Be quiet. The young master's in some danger, and it'll be best to keep his identity secret for as long as possible. Don't expose him," Ye Sanshui warned.
"Why didn't you tell me this beforehand, Third Uncle? I always thought that Senior Brother Nanfeng was a paragon of virtue, endowed with wisdom, poise, and presence—but you caused me to misunderstand him!" Ye Dafu grumbled.
Ye Sanshui's face spasmed.
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