Wayfarer

Chapter 132: The Cursed Effigies of the Divine Domain

Xiao Nanfeng blanched, kicking at the hand and scattering earth and rock. He freed himself from the grasping hand, only to have another one take its place.

Xiao Nanfeng immediately leapt aside, frowning as he glanced at the earth. A humanoid figure scrabbled out from within, its face rotten, its eyes vacant, its hands skeletal. No part of its body was healthy, and he gave off a dark aura of rot and decay. He was clearly touched by evil and much like the zombies that Xiao Nanfeng had seen on television in his past life.

"A cursed slave?" Xiao Nanfeng guessed immediately.

The cursed slave roared and pounced toward Xiao Nanfeng, who retaliated with a punch and sent it stumbling back.

"This slave's even stronger than Madam Rouge!" Xiao Nanfeng cried out.

The cursed slave seemed to bear no intelligence whatsoever. It continuously and rapidly attacked Xiao Nanfeng. Unfortunately, it knew no skills, and Xiao Nanfeng quickly sent him flying into the distance.

"This cursed slave was unharmed even from one blow of my fist! It must have been strong in life—but just a single cursed slave won't be able to take me down," Xiao Nanfeng sneered disdainfully.

Just then, the ground all around him began to surge. A dozen or more cursed slaves appeared from underground, twisting their heads before pouncing toward him together.

Xiao Nanfeng: ...

Xiao Nanfeng sent one cursed slave after another flying, but they quickly rushed back, seemingly unhurt. Xiao Nanfeng frowned. He had no intention of wasting time here; fighting against these cursed slaves was meaningless. What could he do even if he were to win?

Just then, a black figure shot toward him from afar, landing by his feet.

"Serpent?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"Damn it, what's with the divine domain? Where are all these monsters coming from?!" the serpent yelled.

Dozens of cursed slaves were chasing after the serpent. Just like the cursed slaves that Xiao Nanfeng had encountered, they were layered with dirt and earth, as though they had just climbed up from underground. They roared as they continued charging toward Xiao Nanfeng and the serpent.

"Serpent, didn't you run away? Why are you back now?" Xiao Nanfeng asked while he held the cursed slaves back.

"Who said I ran away? I was hiding nearby watching you—and I saw you being intimate with that skeleton! You must have rather obscene taste," the serpent remarked.

Xiao Nanfeng's face twitched. "Are you crazy? Who was being intimate with a skeleton?!"

"You even pressed that skeleton against that boulder over there and kissed her! I saw it with my own eyes!" the serpent retorted.

Xiao Nanfeng: ...

He had merely been having a pleasant conversation with Madam Rouge. Was the serpent crazy? Its eyes were clearly dysfunctional, as was its mind!

"What's up with these cursed slaves?" Xiao Nanfeng asked, quashing his anger and changing the topic.

"How should I know? I was hiding right over there when a group of these monstrosities emerged. Ah, isn't that the king of Yan? No, it was the king of Yan from a century ago, who passed away in the divine domain!" The serpent pointed at a certain cursed slave. "But how did he end up becoming one of these monsters?"

"These are cursed slaves, lifeforms that have been controlled by cursed effigies. Aren't you aware of their existence?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"How should I have known that? I thought that this was part of Master Blue Lantern's arrangements! I haven't seen more than a few cursed slaves over the last century, so where did these ones all come from?" The serpent was gobsmacked.

Xiao Nanfeng and the serpent continued to hold back the cursed slaves.

"No wonder the Red Emperor claimed that I'd need to be at least at Lunar Deluge or Spiritsong before entering the divine domain. These cursed slaves are dangerous in such large numbers," Xiao Nanfeng remarked.

The serpent retreated in a certain direction, and Xiao Nanfeng followed suit.

"What are you doing, following me? Scram!" The serpent shooed Xiao Nanfeng away.

"I'm just heading my own way. What's it to you?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned.

"Nonsense! You know I'm familiar with the divine domain, so you're trying to take advantage of my expertise! Well, I'm not standing for it. Stop following me around. I'll be able to get out in no time!" the serpent shouted.

It whipped its tail against Xiao Nanfeng, whose defense stalled him for long enough that he was surrounded by the cursed slaves. The serpent took the opportunity to escape into the forest.

Xiao Nanfeng wasn't too worried. Despite the strength that these slaves possessed, they moved slowly and sluggishly, like zombies.

Xiao Nanfeng was just about to retrieve a treasure to rid himself of these cursed slaves when he was suddenly reminded of the Red Emperor's hint.

He took out a dragon-quelling spike, which glowed with blue light. The cursed slaves all stopped short and began to retreat.

"Oh? These spikes really are talismans!" Xiao Nanfeng approached one of the cursed slaves with the spike in hand, causing it to retreat as if in shock.

Just then, a black figure flew out of the forest with a scream, landing not far away from Xiao Nanfeng. The serpent had returned.

"Weren't you running away? What's the matter now?"

The serpent thundered, "Didn't you see? I was forced back! Mind your own business—don't think I'll help you just because I'm right here!"

From within the forest came dozens more cursed slaves, chasing after the serpent.

"Do you think I'm that easy to bully? I've been in the divine domain longer than you have. Who knows where you even came from? Die!" the serpent roared.

Once again, it was sent flying.

Over forty cursed slaves were attacking the serpent simultaneously, grievously wounding it. Its scales shook, bent, and cracked. Some of the slaves were sent flying, but they didn't fear pain whatsoever, and their bodies were unbelievably sturdy. They continued to ravage the dragon.

"Damn it! It's lucky I'm thick-skinned. I bet I'm faring much better than that lad—he must be dead by now!" The serpent peered at its side, only to see Xiao Nanfeng standing in place, a dragon-quelling spike in hand. He glanced all around himself in a relaxed fashion. No slave was willing to draw close to him. The serpent goggled.

"Why aren't you attacking him? Why are you only attacking me? This is unfair!" the serpent howled.

The slaves ignored the serpent and continued attacking it at maximum strength, as though they intended to kill it on the spot.

The serpent, facing unfair treatment the likes of which it had never felt before, was dealt a physical, as well as a mental, blow.

"Master Blue Lantern! Please, save me!" the serpent shouted.

No matter how it shouted, however, Blue Lantern never appeared.

"Lad? Ah, no, Sir Nanfeng, please save me! I treated you poorly in the past, but I'm repenting for my actions now!"

Xiao Nanfeng walked away as the serpent attempted to draw near. "Didn't you want me to stay away from you?"

"No, I was wrong! Help me, please!" The serpent continued rushing closer.

"Hold on. I'm trying to investigate why these cursed slaves are attacking us," Xiao Nanfeng told the serpent.

"Hold on? I'm already bleeding all over! Won't you help me out?" the serpent cried.

Xiao Nanfeng ignored the serpent's pleas. He wanted to figure out why the slaves were attacking them.

Suddenly, he discovered a figure quietly watching him and the serpent from a mountain peak close by. Under the illumination of the full moon, that figure—no, that humanoid skeleton—stood out in the background.

"Could it be Madam Rouge? No, this serpent looks to be larger. It's not her. That must mean that it's another cursed effigy?"

The cursed effigy was staring at the bottom of the valley. Seeing that Xiao Nanfeng held a dragon-quelling spike, it suddenly leapt into the air and landed before him. The cursed slaves all around retreated instantly, as though deferential to the cursed effigy.

"Hey, you! You cursed effigy over there, we've met in the divine domain before, haven't you? Master Blue Lantern even chided you! Quick, come help me!" the serpent shouted, as though sensing a lifeline.

The cursed effigy turned toward the serpent. Blue light flashed in its eyes. It suddenly spoke. "Blue Lantern? He has no right to command me."

"What?" the serpent gasped.

"Lie down. These slaves won't take your life—rather, they'll hand you a tremendous opportunity," the skeleton stated.

"I don't believe you!" the serpent thundered.

"Ignorant fool. Attack him at full strength," the skeleton commanded.

The cursed slaves roared as they began to attack the serpent even more furiously.

"What? You're the one controlling all these slaves?!" the serpent cried out, before they swarmed all over its body and hid it from sight.

The skeleton then turned to Xiao Nanfeng. "You too bear a great opportunity. Follow me!"

"What opportunity?" Xiao Nanfeng didn't believe the skeleton one bit.

"Just follow me. I don't have time for all this nonsense," the skeleton replied.

"There's no need!" Xiao Nanfeng replied coolly.

He had a dragon-quelling spike in hand, and none of the cursed slaves in the vicinity were willing to get close to him. He didn't fear this skeleton.

"That's not up to you," the skeleton replied.

He leapt toward Xiao Nanfeng, who retaliated with a fist. The resulting clash gave rise to a tremendous explosion, causing both combatants to stumble a few steps back.

"What incredible strength," Xiao Nanfeng remarked, frowning.

The skeleton charged toward him again, but Xiao Nanfeng didn't fear it. With Hegemon's Fist, he would be able to win any confrontation.