Chapter 222: Entrance to the Crystal Hall
Xiao Nanfeng stared disdainfully at the Pestilence Sage. If he could win with that one trick, why would he waste time fighting? It was true that he had sacrificed an Immortal relic by doing so, but he would be able to claim his opponent's spoils!
Upon seeing Xiao Nanfeng's expression, the Pestilence Sage realized the mistake he had made.
"You're right, Xiao Nanfeng. I shouldn't be so stingy. These relics might be valuable, but victory is more important," the Pestilence Sage spat out.
Tang's eyes widened. "Be careful, Senior Brother Xiao!"
The Immortal sword in the Pestilence Sage's hands suddenly pulsed, as if it were about to explode. The Pestilence Sage had learned from Xiao Nanfeng and was using the same tactic on him.
Suddenly, a length of ethereal red rope struck the Pestilence Sage.
"Die!" the Pestilence Sage shouted. He attempted to throw the Immortal sword toward Xiao Nanfeng and Tang, but he failed to do so. The Immortal sword remained stubbornly stuck to his hand.
"What?!"
The ethereal red rope had bound the Immortal sword to the Pestilence Sage's hand right before he could strike.
"No!"
Another mushroom cloud erupted with the Pestilence Sage at its center. Flames formed a shockwave of energy as they burst forth, sending Xiao Nanfeng and Tang flying again. They spat out more blood, having sustained a serious injury.
However, they were certain that the Pestilence Sage was even worse off.
After the explosion cleared, the two cultivators wiped at the blood by their mouths and clambered back up. Where the Pestilence Sage had once lain, there remained only a crater. Nothing was left of the Pestilence Sage's body.
"He's finally dead!" Tang gasped in relief.
Xiao Nanfeng frowned. "Is he really gone?"
He had intended to ask the Pestilence Sage about how to enter the Crystal Hall, but the Pestilence Sage had died too readily!
He hurriedly began to search for the possessions that the Pestilence Sage had left behind. It took him a considerable amount of time to find Long Ba's token and the Pestilence Sage's storage ring. He immediately checked the ring to see if it contained any information about the array, but the ring only had a few ordinary treasures and various articles that the Pestilence Sage had on him.
"Where are the Pestilence Sage's Immortal relics? Why aren't there any?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned.
Even if he couldn't find any guidance to unlock the Crystal Hall, a few Immortal relics would be enough treasure—but there was nothing!
"I heard that any Immortal relics that the Pestilence Sage obtained would be given to Zhao Tianheng to reinforce the formation around the Crystal Hall," Tang replied.
Xiao Nanfeng sighed.
"Thank you for saving me, Senior Brother Xiao. If you're willing to have me, I would be glad to be your follower." Tang bowed deeply toward Xiao Nanfeng.
"You want to be my follower?" Xiao Nanfeng asked, a strange look on his face.
Who would want an omen of calamity like you around them?
"Don't worry, Senior Brother. I don't intend to remain by your side. I could serve as your spy in the demonic sect," Tang explained.
"A spy? With your reputation? I can't imagine the demonic disciples don't run screaming from you. How would you be an effective spy?"
"As long as you're willing to help me, Senior Brother Xiao, it won't be difficult."
Xiao Nanfeng frowned, then raised his eyebrows. "You intend to pass yourself off as the Pestilence Sage?"
Tang nodded. "I've been trying to imitate the Pestilence Sage's speech and mannerisms, and I believe I can do so well. Furthermore, the nascent spirit he transferred to my body will allow me to reach Spiritsong rapidly. Many of the demonic disciples are aware that he wants to take over my body, so it wouldn't be a surprise."
Xiao Nanfeng knew that Tang had to be eyeing the Pestilence Sage's possessions.
"Senior Brother Xiao, if you help me pass myself off as the Pestilence Sage and secure my standing in the demonic sect, I'll commit to assist you whenever you need my help," Tang pleaded earnestly.
The death of the Pestilence Sage would surely be subject to investigation by the demonic sect. Rather than being apprehended and interrogated, it would be better to pass himself off as the Pestilence Sage. Only Xiao Nanfeng would be able to help him do so, because all his possessions were in his storage ring.
Xiao Nanfeng considered the proposal. There didn't seem to be any downsides to this plan. As long as Tang was willing to cooperate with him, he would be aware of any actions the demonic sect intended to take against him, and he would have insurance against Tang's betrayal.
"Very well. I can pass you the Pestilence Sage's storage ring. Do you know how to use his possessions?"
"I do. Thank you, Senior Brother Xiao!" Tang replied gratefully.
"I'll give you one more thing as assistance," Xiao Nanfeng continued.
Xiao Nanfeng handed over a ghostly blue skin, which the Pestilence Sage's avatar had left behind when he failed to kill Xiao Nanfeng. Xiao Nanfeng had had two of the Pestilence Sage's skins, but he had already used one, and this was the only one left. With all the red rope cursed spiritual avatars in his possession now, however, the Pestilence Sage's skin had vanishingly little utility to him.
"This is... the skin that the Pestilence Sage used for his avatars? If I make an avatar out of it, no one would doubt me!" Tang's eyes lit up in shock.
"The Pestilence Sage's storage ring contains his technique for creating new avatars. You don't need any help with the rest, do you?"
"I don't. Thank you, Senior Brother!"
"You should find a place to break through. Once you leave the draconic palace, contact me again."
"Understood, Senior Brother Xiao!"
Tang was a particularly cautious and attentive individual. He looked through the battlefield again, tidying everything up, wiping away any traces of the Pestilence Sage's actions, and even destroying the soul-claiming banner. Only then did he leave the patch of thick fog.
Xiao Nanfeng watched Tang leave, then prepared to continue searching for the way into the Crystal Hall.
Suddenly, a cloud of black smoke formed before him. A skeleton appeared in the cloud.
"Madam Rouge? You're appearing in reality now?" Xiao Nanfeng tensed up.
"I'm still in your mindscape. I've just used some cursed spiritual power to make a projection of myself," Madam Rouge replied with her black smoke.
"Oh?"
"I can sense that what I want is over there. Claim it for me as quickly as possible." Madam Rouge pointed in a certain direction.
Xiao Nanfeng looked where she was pointing. "Is what you want in the Crystal Hall? I don't know how to get inside..."
"It's just a formation, and a rather shabby one at that. I can provide assistance."
Xiao Nanfeng: ...
He hadn't realized that Madam Rouge would be able to solve this headache-inducing problem.
He rested for a little while, healing up from any injuries he had sustained from the explosion of the two Immortal swords, before heading past the formation and toward the Crystal Hall with Madam Rouge's guidance.
Indeed, Madam Rouge's eyes were as incredible as she claimed. With her guidance, he easily made it through the formation and toward the entrance of the Crystal Hall.
From within the fog, he could see that the Crystal Hall was formed of countless crystals in every shade of color, and it looked particularly extravagant and eye-catching. A rainbow formation sealed the Crystal Hall away, just like the Ancestral Dragon's Hall, preventing anyone from entering.
Right outside the Crystal Hall was an altar which sent beams of white light drifting toward heaven, likely the source of the formation that had formed around the area. For some reason, the skeletal dragons avoided the area. The fog seemed patchy and disorderly outside the Crystal Hall, thick and concentrated in some regions and sparse in others.
Beside the altar were dozens of elders. Xiao Nanfeng recognized several as Taiqing elders.
In the lead was Zhao Tianheng. He threw a soul-claiming banner onto the altar, which extracted strands of ghostly blue light from the banners. Once all the blue light had been absorbed, he tossed the banner to a waiting elder.
"Division Leader Zhao, aren't these souls enough?" The elder frowned.
Zhao Tianheng shook his head. "Far from it. I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you all to collect more."
"Very well." The elder nodded in a resigned fashion.
Just then, as though sensing something, Zhao Tianheng raised an eyebrow. "Who's there?"
He summoned the altar's power to create a howling gale that blew apart the fog.
Everyone glanced over to see Xiao Nanfeng standing there alone.
"Xiao Nanfeng?" Many of the Taiqing elders recognized him on sight.
"Senior Brother Xiao!" Four elders walked out from their midst in excitement.
These four elders had once been ordinary disciples of the Ascended division who had since reached Spiritsong after devouring draconic veins with Xiao Nanfeng. They had left with Elder Ku to help with the rescue effort.
Xiao Nanfeng nodded at the four elders and stepped forward. "I am Xiao Nanfeng. I greet the division leader and the gathered elders.
"You've reached Spiritsong?" Zhao Tianheng's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked toward Xiao Nanfeng in shock.
Everyone was astounded. Many of the elders were aware that Xiao Nanfeng had been an Acquisition-realm cultivator just two years ago. How had he reached Spiritsong so quickly? His rate of cultivation was astounding!
"It was a matter of luck," Xiao Nanfeng averred.
He was inwardly shocked. Zhao Tianheng's sight was formidable, to be able to discern Xiao Nanfeng's cultivation at a glance despite the fact that Xiao Nanfeng had been reining in his aura.
"The formation around here is designed to distract, confuse, and mislead, in order to prevent anyone from approaching. How did you enter?" Zhao Tianheng asked coldly.
"I don't know myself. I didn't encounter any formation along the way. I simply walked in. Perhaps I was just lucky?"
Zhao Tianheng knew that Xiao Nanfeng was lying, but it was difficult for him to press him further given the presence of dozens of elders.
"Since you've come, don't wander around," Zhao Tianheng warned.
"Don't worry, Division Leader. I came here to find my master and senior brother. Honored elders, have any of you seen them?"
The cultivators suddenly glanced at each other nervously.
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