Wayfarer

Chapter 750: Seizing the Black Coffin

The saint's arrival hadn't caused much of a fuss. Few knew of his identity, and they wouldn't have suspected a significant threat if the Heavenly Emperor himself hadn't fished him away.

The cultivators shuddered as they realized what a calamity they had just avoided. Some spies made up their mind to leave Yongding entirely. Was this really the capital of an ordinary empire? The crises that befell it were frightening beyond belief. If they remained, they feared that they would randomly perish one day.

Xiao Nanfeng dismissed his officials and returned to the imperial study alone.

He bowed in a certain direction. "Thank you for your assistance, Heavenly Emperor."

The air shimmered in the void. Fog manifested; within the fog, he could vaguely see Yu Fuli reeling in a catch.

"You were the one who arranged the circumstances so that I could catch him," Yu Fuli replied calmly.

"If not for your assistance, Your Majesty, Yongding would have been in grave danger. I owe the safety of my empire to you," Xiao Nanfeng said modestly.

"There's no need for such flattery. I'm well aware of what you're like. You intentionally smiled so he would realize he had been deceived and rush back toward Yongding. Without my presence, you would have scared him off fully. That said, the Chi Hai I fished up is still merely an avatar."

"What? That was an avatar too?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"Chi Hai is exceedingly cautious. Do you think he would fall for a trick so easily without any insurance? His main body has never appeared to my knowledge. He's turtled up somewhere in the world, unwilling to show himself."

"How troublesome." Xiao Nanfeng frowned.

He couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency. He had dealt the saint a heavy blow; would he be able to survive the saint's retaliation?

"He'll surely attack you again. Be careful," Yu Fuli warned, a smile on his face.

Xiao Nanfeng grimaced. "Your Majesty, you promised me that you would keep an eye out on my bodies. Might I ask why you didn't intercede when my other body fell in danger?"

It was hardly appropriate for him to interrogate Yu Fuli, but his main body had been in serious danger. The saint's two avatars had almost managed to drag him into the black coffin.

"And yet you had a plan to deal with it. Even if I hadn't made a move at Yongding, you would have been able to lure the saint away. You saved your other body with your own effort."

"My other body ended up past the Heaven Division's Gate. It's in grave danger," Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

"Indeed. That was the Taiqing Grandmaster's goal, after all. It's part of the danger of cultivating Body of Yin." Yu Fuli smiled again.

"Your Majesty, you know of my spiritual cultivation technique?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

The Body of Yin was among his greatest secrets, and he had never told anyone about it. How could Yu Fuli know?

"Aren't you aware how the Taiqing Grandmaster created the Taiqing Yin Body technique?"

Xiao Nanfeng narrowed his eyes. His master, Ku Jiang, had mentioned that three grandmasters had reigned over the previous era ten thousand years ago. They had each received a copy of the Body of Yin, from which they derived the Taiqing Yin Body, Yuqing Yin Body, and Shangqing Yin Body. The three grandmasters were therefore known as the Taiqing Grandmaster, Yuqing Grandmaster, and Shangqing Grandmaster.

"But I've never told anyone about my spiritual cultivation technique. How could you tell, Your Majesty?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"I studied Body of Yin before, so it was apparent to me once I saw your spiritual power."

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng responded in surprise.

"That said, I chose not to cultivate the Body of Yin. I merely used it as reference, extracting the best features from it."

"Is there a problem with the technique?"

"The Body of Yin hides a grave horror. Although I don't fear it, I would rather avoid provoking it. You aren't the only one who has a copy of the technique. I don't know who has been distributing it—perhaps many parties, among them the Taiqing Grandmaster. They spread the technique far and wide, though few have ever been able to cultivate it."

"Why not?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

Yu Fuli gave Xiao Nanfeng a curious look. "How strange. You should know best as a practitioner of the technique. Did you not find it difficult to cultivate?"

"Ah, of course I did!" Xiao Nanfeng replied.

It hadn't seemed particularly complicated to him at the time, but it wouldn't do to refute Yu Fuli.

"I may just have been luckier than most, and haven't suffered from many bottlenecks. Might I ask why other cultivators experienced failure?"

"The grave horror inherent in the Body of Yin ate them all," Yu Fuli said.

"Eaten by their own techniques?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"The three grandmasters of the previous era all cultivated Body of Yin. Each modified it in his own way, greatly diminishing the danger inherent in the technique: hence the resultant Taiqing, Yuqing, and Shangqin Yin Body. If their disciples had been forced to study Body of Yin directly, the vast majority would have died.

"Your Majesty, you said that the Taiqing Grandmaster wants to lure me within the Heaven Division's Gate. Could you explain more?"

"Not just you, but all who cultivate Body of Yin. Your souls will be of use to him."

"No wonder I was the only one able to open the Heaven Division's Gate..." Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

"That said, there's not much to worry about. The Taiqing Grandmaster is distracted with Lingjun at the moment. In fact, there's a significant opportunity waiting for you, which is why I refrained from interceding."

"Please enlighten me, Your Majesty."

"The domain that lies behind the Heaven Division's Gate is a special part of the red moon illusory realm in which a great treasure lies hidden: the Loss Diagram. If you can secure that relic, you'll have a means of defending against the saint—even his main body."

Xiao Nanfeng's eyes widened in shock. "Where is the Loss Diagram?"

"Right behind the gate. Look carefully, and you should be able to find it readily. The Taiqing Grandmaster hasn't guarded the area carefully. If you can retrieve the relic, it will serve as invaluable insurance.

Xiao Nanfeng gave the Heavenly Emperor a thoughtful look. Yu Fuli was all but suggesting that he steal from the Taiqing Grandmaster. Wouldn't the Taiqing Grandmaster attack him as a result?

"But even if I do secure the Loss Diagram, how will I leave? The Heaven Division's Gate vanished after I passed through it, and the Heaven division token doesn't function within. My current body can open a portal into the red moon illusory realm, but the realm is far too large for my avatar to find that portal."

"Aren't Chi Hai's two avatars in there with you? Their souls contain imprints of heavenly law. You'll be able to leave by taking advantage of them," Yu Fuli pointed out.

"I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty."

Yu Fuli nodded. The fog faded away along with his image as he cut the connection between the two of them.

Back by the Heaven Division's Gate, the gate had slammed shut right after Xiao Nanfeng's main body and the saint's two avatars had gone through. Then, the gate vanished.

Immediately thereafter, the loss chants struck them. A group of red-furred monsters pounced on the three figures and sent the black coffin flying.

Another red-furred monster caught the black coffin.

"This is—an illusory realm?" one of the saint's avatars exclaimed.

Xiao Nanfeng was taken by surprise himself. He recalled that there weren't so many red-furred monsters in the area when he had arranged for the Heaven division disciples to enter. What had happened since then?

This wasn't entirely bad news, at least. Without any hesitation, Xiao Nanfeng rushed toward the red-furred monster carrying the black coffin.

"Hold it! The black coffin's mine!" cried the saint's two avatars.

Their surroundings were red all over. They seemed to be located within a valley, with a huge, towering palace in their vicinity: the Loss Palace.

The doors to the Loss Palace were tightly shut, though loss chants seeped out from within. The chants filled the air, leaving the saint's two avatars frowning. Although they could defend against the chants, it was particularly troublesome for them to do so.

They began to fight over the black coffin with Xiao Nanfeng.

The three cultivators were hindered by a large number of red-furred monsters, but considering their strength, no ordinary red-furred monster would be able to stop them.

"Die!" the saint's two avatars roared.

The three cultivators sent the red-furred monsters flying.

Xiao Nanfeng took the lead. He reached the red-furred monster hugging the black coffin first.

"Hegemon's Fist!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.

Countless fists struck the red-furred monster, sending it flying. The black coffin sailed through the air. Xiao Nanfeng leapt up and caught it.

"Hold it!" the saint's two avatars roared.

They sent Xiao Nanfeng flying into a mountain, but he had caught the black coffin just in time.

"Return my black coffin to me!" one of the saint's avatars screeched.

"Come for it if you can, then! I'll return it if you can catch me, haha!" Xiao Nanfeng taunted.

He stored the black coffin and fled into the distance.

"Hold it right there!" the saint's two avatars roared.

They chased after Xiao Nanfeng in fury.