Chapter 170: A Stormy Day
On a dreary evening a few days later, winds raged across the sea and dark clouds filled the horizon like a prelude to an incipient storm.
The waves grew larger and larger, until the ships sailing at sea began to rock perceptibly. On deck, Nalan Feng looked toward the Isle of Xiao in the distance, his face dark.
His scheme against Xiao Nanfeng had failed to hurt his target; rather, his own reputation had completely tanked.
"Your Highness, if Xiao Nanfeng's poised to strike at you, aren't you in dire straits? Should we inform the second prince about what's going on?" one of Nalan Feng's subordinates asked.
"There's no need to inform my second brother. I'm certain that Xiao Nanfeng's going to attack me, but I'm not so weak as to be incapable of handling him," Nalan Feng replied disdainfully.
Just then, a wave swelled by their side. A frightening aura revealed itself from the sea.
"There's something down there!" one subordinate cried.
With a huge crash, a massive object smashed into the ship. It splintered and cracked.
The cultivators aboard cried out in shock. Many of the weakest fell into the sea. Nalan Feng and his subordinates hurriedly drew their swords, manifested their own sword techniques, and shot them toward the massive object.
The cultivators were all sent flying.
"A Spiritsong-realm sea turtle?!" they cried out.
Nalan Feng narrowed his eyes. This was the ancient sea turtle that had been suppressed within the Isle of Nalan! Xiao Nanfeng had rescued it. Was it seeking revenge now?
"Xiao Nanfeng had you come, didn't he? He's planning to use you to kill me!" Nalan Feng cried out in rage.
The sea turtle didn't respond. It only roared as it shot toward Nalan Feng.
"Protect His Highness!" Nalan Feng's subordinates cried out.
However, they were no match for the ancient turtle. It slapped its flippers against the surface of the sea, spawning a few water dragons that sent them flying away. The turtle widened its maw, as though about to swallow Nalan Feng whole.
"Save me!" Nalan Feng cried out.
In the water, his strength was considerably reduced, and his sword technique seemed to do no damage against the turtle. It looked as though he were about to perish.
Just then, a huge blade of qi shot down from the heavens, accompanied by an enraged roar. "Die, foul beast!"
The blade struck the turtle's shell in a flurry of sparks. The ancient turtle raised its head to see three figures in the air, all Taiqing elders.
The other two elders each shot their own blades of qi at the ancient turtle, badly wounding it. It fled deep into the sea.
"Get back here, you foul beast!" the two elders shouted, diving into the sea and chasing after it.
Above the surface, huge waves continued to form.
One elder protected Nalan Feng as he gathered all the shipwrecked cultivators, saving them all. The two other elders who had gone off chasing the ancient turtle quickly returned, both incensed.
"Has the ancient turtle fled, Elders?" Nalan Feng asked anxiously.
"It was far too sly. It prepared an escape route ahead of time."
"We wounded it, but it still evaded us." The two elders were extremely upset.
"Thank you for guarding me from afar, Elders. Were you not around, I might have been badly injured or even killed," Nalan Feng replied, standing on a piece of flotsam.
The three elders gave Nalan Feng a strange look. One of them asked, "You specifically asked that we guard you during this voyage. How did you know that someone was going to attack you today?"
"I wasn't sure that it would be today, but I knew it would be in the near future. If I said that Xiao Nanfeng arranged for that sea turtle to kill me, would you believe me?"
The elders were all intelligent, and they could make their own deductions based on what Nalan Feng had revealed. Xiao Nanfeng had borne the brunt of Nalan Feng's assault for two months. After receiving the protection of the sect disciples, he was finally making his move. However, Nalan Feng was no slouch either. He had predicted this eventuality and prepared for it beforehand.
"Without any proof, that's not an accusation you can level," one elder warned.
Nalan Feng sucked in a deep breath. "Xiao Nanfeng has no proof that I was the one responsible for getting his enemies to attack him. Why is everyone blaming me, then?"
"Well, that—"
"It's because everyone knows that there's bad blood between Xiao Nanfeng and me, and I'm the most likely suspect. If I were attacked, wouldn't he be the most likely suspect, too?" Nalan Feng countered.
The elders were silent.
"I am the seniormost Mortal disciple. If others keep besmirching my reputation, it reflects badly not just on me, but on the entire Mortal division. Elders, please assist me," Nalan Feng requested.
The three elders looked at one another. One of them finally said, "We can't help you verify anything, but we'll make it known that you were attacked and reveal our eyewitness accounts. Whether or not others will think that Xiao Nanfeng was responsible is out of our control."
"That's more than enough. Thank you, Elders." Nalan Feng's eyes brightened.
Xiao Nanfeng knew how to garner pity; so too did Nalan Feng. The revelation that he had been attacked by the ancient turtle would mark the start of his retaliation.
"In that case, you should return to Taiqing Island with me," one elder suggested. "A storm is approaching, and if you continue heading toward the Isle of Nalan, you may suffer a further attack from that turtle spirit."
Nalan Feng nodded in gratitude.
On the Isle of Xiao, by an entryway to the formation of red fog, the ancient turtle swam back carrying wounds. Xiao Nanfeng, Croak, and Warble were all waiting for it.
"Xiao Nanfeng, look at all these injuries I incurred! This is the price I had to pay for trying to attack Nalan Feng alone," the turtle grumbled.
"Elder, there was no choice. If Croak and Warble had accompanied you, they would have caused too much of a commotion, and they might even have sparked investigation from the Taiqing Immortal Sect proper. That would be a disaster," Xiao Nanfeng replied, smiling.
"Then why didn't you have them go? Why me?" the turtle refused to relent.
"They're far less agile than you are at sea. It would be easy for them to strike, but not to get away. Even you suffered minor injuries; Croak and Warble might not have been able to return," Xiao Nanfeng explained patiently.
The turtle harrumphed.
"Elder, it's rare for there to be such a storm brewing. If not now, then when? Once we extract the draconic veins from the Isle of Nalan, you'll be able to make use of them to recuperate," Xiao Nanfeng advised.
"You're finally willing to do so? But why did you have to scare Nalan Feng back onto Taiqing Island? He wants to kill you. Why didn't you kill him?"
"Elder, I've already explained. Nalan Feng will seek the protection of the elders that support him. Unless we chase them back onto Taiqing Island, they'll accompany him to the Isle of Nalan and remain there with him. How would we be able to strike then?"
The turtle stared at Xiao Nanfeng for some time, but it had no rebuttal.
"Elder, the storm is approaching. Once the waves reach toward the sky and the air is filled with mist, the Isle of Nalan will be out of sight to one and all. Even if there's a disturbance, it'll be drowned out by the sound and sight of the storm. The heavens themselves are helping us. We'll be heading off immediately," Xiao Nanfeng continued.
"Just you and the two toad spirits?"
"They can protect me from any danger. It's best not to make too many people aware of this. I've already packed up the Immortal's Destruction. Please instruct me on how to make use of the Immortal's Destruction to extract draconic veins, elder."
Feeling as though Xiao Nanfeng had been trustworthy and reliable in his dealings with it to date, the turtle relaxed and nodded.
Suddenly, something came to mind. "Isn't it a bit early to be heading out, though? The storm hasn't even started."
"It'll be arriving soon. The earlier we head out, the sooner we can get the lay of the land, and the sooner we can resolve any unexpected emergencies," Xiao Nanfeng advised.
The ancient turtle was silent for a long moment before it finally agreed. "Follow me."
Xiao Nanfeng nodded.
He clambered onto Croak's back, and the two toad spirits then followed the ancient turtle toward the Isle of Nalan.
Two hours later, as dark clouds took over the sky and all sight was restricted, with a resounding boom of thunder, the storm began to fall in earnest. Huge waves struck the islands in the vicinity.
Taiqing Island, however, was full of hubbub. The news of Nalan Feng's return after an assassination attempt by an ancient turtle spirit quickly spread throughout the island, and the Taiqing disciples were all discussing the news.
"It had to be Xiao Nanfeng's doing!"
"Do you have any proof? How dare you besmirch Senior Brother Xiao's name! What if Nalan Feng did it himself to garner sympathy?"
"Then how do you prove that Nalan Feng was responsible for spreading word of Xiao Nanfeng's identity? You have no evidence, either."
Nalan Feng had found a few trustworthy disciples to help defend his name at this critical moment and turn the tide of public opinion in his favor. His gambit paid off. Many fell deep in thought, and agreed that Xiao Nanfeng might indeed be responsible for the assassination attempt. Despite the storm, the island was abuzz with activity.
By that time, Xiao Nanfeng had arrived on the Isle of Nalan.
"Let's kill everyone here," the ancient turtle hissed.
"Elder, why don't we let Croak strike? Its sound waves are a debilitating wide-range attack, and it won't take Croak long," Xiao Nanfeng suggested instead.
The turtle was silent for some time before finally nodding. "Do it quickly, then."
"Croak?" Xiao Nanfeng turned toward Croak.
Croak quickly shrouded itself in fog and leapt into the air, summoning wave after wave of sonic energy that struck directly at the souls of the cultivators on the Isle of Nalan.
"The spiritbeast from before! It's back!"
"My head hurts!"
"A distress signal, quickly!"
Nalan Feng's subordinates clutched their heads in pain as they fell unconscious. Some gritted their teeth and attempted to send a signal flare into the air, but Croak batted it down whenever they attempted to do so. Furthermore, given the raging storm, no one on Taiqing Island would notice the signal flare regardless.
Croak's spiritual attacks were extremely effective, and the pained cries on the island quickly stopped.
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