Wayfarer

Chapter 134: The Revival of Emperor Wei

After Madam Rouge left, Xiao Nanfeng avoided the cursed effigies and cursed slaves all around, then spent almost half a month searching.

Over the course of those two weeks, the skies never changed. The divine domain remained in perennial night, the moon hanging fixed in the air. Though once it seemed like a realm of fantasy, the unchanging landscape now felt sinister and ghastly.

Even after half a month, Xiao Nanfeng found no trace of Yu'er and the others. Except for the cursed effigies and slaves, there was nothing present.

Xiao Nanfeng's heart sank, but he continued his search unwaveringly.

That day, he found his way into a valley, where he suddenly felt as though he were being watched.

"Who is it?" Xiao Nanfeng jolted and looked all around him.

Black fog was roiling in through the valley, as though a large number of cursed slaves were making themselves known. On a rock not too far away sat a large skeleton who seemed to have been waiting for quite some time. It gave Xiao Nanfeng a cursory inspection.

Xiao Nanfeng retrieved his dragon-quelling spike in self-defense. He was intending to leave the region when the skeleton stepped toward him, a tremendous aura swelling from its body.

Xiao Nanfeng began to retreat more quickly, but the skeleton was even faster. He reached Xiao Nanfeng immediately. As he punched forward, hundreds of fists shot toward Xiao Nanfeng.

"Hegemon's Fist?!"

Xiao Nanfeng retaliated with the exact same technique.

The two combatants' fists all struck each other, but the skeleton's fists were stronger. Xiao Nanfeng was sent flying from the impact.

The skeleton plucked the dragon-quelling spike from Xiao Nanfeng's hands at incredible speed.

Xiao Nanfeng stumbled a few steps back as he landed on the ground. He was shocked. The skeleton's Hegemon's Fist was in no way inferior to his.

The skeleton glanced at the dragon-quelling spike intently.

Just then, a black-robed cursed slave leapt toward Xiao Nafneng, who began fighting against it. Waves of energy billowed out from the valley, and howling gales formed.

By then, black fog had enshrouded the valley, forming what seemed like a barrier. The commotion within the valley was localized to it and wouldn't spread beyond.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. He knew that he had met a strong foe, one whom he could fight only on equal footing even if he used all his strength. What's more, there were dozens of cursed slaves all around, who hadn't yet made their move.

He focused on the cursed slave before him. Your techniques are identical to You Shi's. Are you You Shi?

The cursed slave suddenly jumped away, stepping aside and no longer charging forward.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned, then glanced at all the cursed slaves arrayed around him. Finally, he turned to the cursed effigy, a bold hypothesis having taken root.

"Are you Emperor Wei?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

The skeleton slowly turned to Xiao Nanfeng. As though in praise, it said, "As expected of the lad that Hong'er praised. You're skilled and quick-witted."

Xiao Nanfeng's eyes widened. This response was essentially an affirmative.

"Your Majesty, Emperor Wei, have you been successfully revived?" Xiao Nanfeng gasped.

"You've accepted our inheritance. Shouldn't you address us as Master?" the skeleton replied, staring at Xiao Nanfeng.

Xiao Nanfeng dipped his head and bowed to the skeleton. "Disciple Xiao Nanfeng greets his master."

The skeletal Emperor Wei nodded in satisfaction. "You must be an exceptional talent to have met the criteria for cultivating Sky of Ten Suns, which even we regretted not having encountered earlier. Your spiritual power holds a strange weight—I expect your spiritual cultivation technique is rather extraordinary, as well."

"I was simply a little lucky, Master. I have a few comrades who have gone missing from me in the divine domain, and I haven't been able to find them. Would you be willing to lend me your assistance?"

"Do you mean your two wives and the two toad spirits?" Emperor Wei asked calmly.

My wives? Xiao Nanfeng hesitated awkwardly. Their relationship had hardly reached that stage! But it would be improper to correct his master...

"Have you seen them, Master? I'm worried about their safety."

"Don't worry. Hong'er and Bai'er are looking after them," Emperor Wei replied.

Xiao Nanfeng's eyes widened. "The two empresses? Have they also succeeded in their revival?"

"We are in the form of a cursed effigy; Hong'er and Bai'er have also become the same. There's no need to mince your words," Emperor Wei replied.

"No wonder you had Elder Blue Lantern bring them to the divine domain—this was your plan all along, Master! But why didn't Elder Blue Lantern explain things clearly? Both empresses were extremely upset to hear of the failure of your revival," Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.

"Blue Lantern is a cursed slave belonging to the cursed king. All he sees, hears, and says, the cursed king will know. It's inconvenient for him to do or say too much," Emperor Wei explained.

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned, then continued curiously, "Master, I've never understood what a cursed effigy or a cursed king are. How do they form? Would you please enlighten me?"

"You need not know of such matters at present." Emperor Wei shook his head, clearly unwilling to divulge such information.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. Why would Emperor Wei be reluctant to do so?

"Hand us your Seal of Great Wei," Emperor Wei continued.

Xiao Nanfeng did so. As Emperor Wei held it in his hand, the seal suddenly glowed with golden light, as though recognizing its former master.

"The fortune within—you've used some of it?" Emperor Wei seemed rather displeased.

"I was forced to use some of it up to advance to Lunar Deluge," Xiao Nanfeng admitted.

Emperor Wei was silent for some time. "Very well. Some fortune remains, and it'll do. At the very least, you've brought a dragon-quelling spike here to repay the loss of fortune."

"This is the dragon-quelling spike that created the Plaza Stairway. The Red Emperor made very sure that I would hand the other spike to Elder Blue Lantern, not this one. Is there something special about this one?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.

"This is the only unique dragon-quelling spike. Hong'er called on the fortune of the kingdom within the illusory realm governed by this spike, and it would be easy for the cursed king to see that we hadn't died. This secret must be kept, or all that we've done would go to waste. Luckily, Hong'er guessed our intent by the end and warned you in time."

"The dragon-quelling spikes that Elder Blue Lantern collects will be handed straight to the cursed king, then? And the cursed king can figure out what happens in the illusory realms that each spike governs? Further, Master, your plan needed even both empresses to be kept in the dark?" Xiao Nanfeng asked a series of questions.

"Precisely." Emperor Wei nodded.

"In that case, Master, you were aware of You Shi's actions and planned around them as well?"

Xiao Nanfeng was shocked. He had just confirmed that You Shi had also become a cursed slave. The fact that he still retained memories of his techniques in life meant that he couldn't have been dead for long.

"His actions could hardly have fooled us, and we modified some of his array-breaking relics," Emperor Wei replied.

"You really are amazing, Master!" Xiao Nanfeng was shocked and simultaneously worried. Emperor Wei would be a dangerous opponent indeed. His ability to analyze and control the future was incredible, and he might even have plotted this meeting a thousand years ago.

"How else could we have founded and managed a kingdom?" Emperor Wei replied. He looked at the dragon-quelling spike in his hand, then slowly put it in his mouth and swallowed it.

"Master, is that... edible?" Xiao Nanfeng gaped.

These spikes were so strong as to be able to corrode countless other treasures, as Xiao Nanfeng had seen from the ruins of the three monarchs' tombs. Why was Emperor Wei eating it?

After consuming the relic, Emperor Wei suddenly glowed with blue light. His bleached bones turned the color of copper. He stretched his body; where bones struck each other, they made the clang of metal. He seemed to have transformed into a sinister copper skeleton.

"This cursed king is particularly stingy, refusing to give even the slightest quantity of cursed spiritual power to its subordinates. The cursed effigies that it maintains are therefore only unadorned skeletons. Fortunately, with this dragon-quelling spike, I too can control the basic elemental power that the cursed king possesses."

The next moment, as Emperor Wei's skeleton trembled, the copper color bleached from his bones.

"Are these dragon-quelling spikes made from the cursed king's cursed spiritual power?" Xiao Nanfeng guessed.

"That's right. I was intending to have the serpent know of these spikes' power and take advantage of its greed to bring all these spikes into the divine domain, but your interference made things even easier. Your two wives brought two of the spikes into the divine domain, which would have been sufficient—but with this third spike, the plan can reach perfection," Emperor Wei replied with satisfaction.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. It seemed as though Blue Lantern were in cahoots with Emperor Wei, after all.

"Nanfeng, as our disciple, we have an important task for you. Would you aid us?"

Emperor Wei's tone was incontrovertible, as though he would force Xiao Nanfeng into it if he were to refuse.

"Of course, Master. How may I help?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"Help us seize the cursed king's undead might," Emperor Wei replied.

"Ah?" Xiao Nanfeng didn't quite understand.

"All those who enter the divine domain will be brought to the cursed king to await his favor. The others have all been sent there, and our preparations are complete. We need only wait for the cursed king's weakest moment; then, you will strike alongside us. Relax: you need not do much," Emperor Wei explained.

"As you will, Master!"

Xiao Nanfeng felt as though he would be unable to avoid such a responsibility. Rather than refuse Emperor Wei now, he might as well go along with the plan.

"If you perform satisfactorily, we shall reward you with the inheritance of empire, assisting you with the construction of a divine empire of your own," Emperor Wei promised.