Wayfarer

Chapter 480: A Martial Aspect's Manor

Within the Sieve of Heaven, at the peak of a fog-shrouded mountain, was a pavilion in which the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost was located. He seemed a little weak. He was clutching onto a banister and panting lightly as he stared into the distance. A golden-robed youth stood beside him.

"Martial Aspect of Silverfrost, it was my fault you were punished by my father with three hundred strikes from a venomflame truncheon. How are your injuries?" The golden-clad youth sighed.

"I'm alright. These strikes are only superficial injuries, and I'll be back to normal after some rest. I should apologize. I wanted to help you, but I seem to have made matters worse," the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost said wryly.

"Forget it. If Xiao Nanfeng lives, then so be it. His position as Martial Aspect will pass to me sooner or later. Moreover, there are no troops he can use within his manor, and he'd perish just trying to carry out an ordinary task as a Martial Aspect. I won't have to wait for too long, I'd imagine."

"You could stay within his manor," the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost reflected.

"Father won't permit it."

"Oh? I see. He must be worried that you would be blamed if Xiao Nanfeng were to suddenly die out of nowhere."

The golden-clad youth fumed, "Father doesn't want me to become a Martial Aspect. Why not? Why do I have to avoid suspicion? Why can't I become a Martial Aspect myself? How many years did I spend as an underling to Sunblaze? I did all that so I could replace him in the future! This opportunity was meant to be mine. I had lots of clues about what happened to him. If I had gone to Fengdu and successfully hunted down his killer, I would have become the new Martial Aspect. How dare a lowly Earth Immortal claim the opportunity that should have been mine?!"

"I've already been punished by the Eastern Aspect. He said that the decision was ultimately the Heavenly Emperor's, and I advise you not to do anything untoward. Just wait. He's only an Earth Immortal, and will easily die on the battlefield."

"I won't have to wait for too long. He's about to suffer." The golden-clad youth smirked.

"What? Don't cause trouble for yourself!" The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost blanched.

"Look. Xiao Nanfeng's about to reach Sunblaze's manor. It's going to begin."

The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost turned in the direction the golden-clad youth was pointing. Xiao Nanfeng and Zhang Lingjun had reached the exterior holdings of the manor.

"What have you done?" the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost pressed.

"Just you wait and see." The golden-clad youth's smile widened.

Xiao Nanfeng and Zhang Lingjun flew toward a forest shrouded with fog, which seemed to hide traces of a formation. A banner rose up from the fog on which 'Sunblaze' was written.

"The Martial Aspect's manor... Am I supposed to activate the formation with my manor key?" Xiao Nanfeng retrieved his key.

"Hold on. Something's wrong." Zhang Lingjun suddenly frowned.

"What's the matter?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.

"The Martial Aspect of Sunblaze is supposed to have fifty thousand soldiers and generals garrisoned in the area on a long-term basis. Why haven't any of them shown up?"

"Fifty thousand troops?"

"Indeed. In addition to the garrisoned troops, the Martial Aspects are able to recruit a standing army under their exclusive command for combat. But why aren't any of them around?"

Just then, a white-robed man swiftly flew over. From afar, he greeted, "Princess, you're back!"

"Is this one of your subordinates who accompanied you to Taiqing Island?"

"Indeed. He's one of my bodyguards. Because the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost was guarding us, I didn't bring them along. I had him remain here to keep an eye on the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze's manor," Zhang Lingjun explained. She then turned to the man. "What's going on? Where have the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze's fifty thousand troops gone?"

"We were told that the Heavenly Emperor intended to appoint an Earth Immortal named Xiao Nanfeng as the new Martial Aspect. Many were in disbelief, but a few days ago, the sea of fortune roiled and birthed a new golden dragon. Everyone knew then that the new Martial Aspect had been appointed, and the Hall of Martial Aspects issued a notice stating that the new Martial Aspect was named Xiao Nanfeng. The entire Sieve of Heaven was in an uproar, and the fifty thousand garrisoned troops were implicated in the commotion. They felt that being subordinate to an Earth Immortal would ruin their future, and they chose to resign instead. After all, the old Martial Aspect's troops are given that privilege when a new Martial Aspect is appointed."

"So Xiao Nanfeng's name spread far and wide across the Sieve of Heaven a few days ago and all the troops that should have been his have resigned?" Zhang Lingjun confirmed.

"They have. If I'm not mistaken, there must be lots of curious people eyeing us now."

Xiao Nanfeng blinked. He looked around him. His surroundings were shrouded by fog, but he could sense countless eyes with his spiritual power. There were certainly stares directed his way from public venues in the distance as well.

He thought he had come to his manor alone with Zhang Lingjun, but it turned out that he was being followed all along.

"It looks like they're all waiting to watch you make a fool of yourself. You're not just the weakest among the seventy-two Martial Aspects, but the only one without subordinates the moment you were appointed. What a joke! You're the only one who has received such treatment in the Sieve of Heaven. I fear."

Xiao Nanfeng gave her a smile. "It's not bad. At the very least, I won't have to ferret out the ones who might be spies."

"Aren't you in a rush? You're alone. You'll have to participate in tasks that call on Martial Aspects in half a year at most. How will you do so then?"

"Half a year is more than enough time. I'll recruit my own forces. Come on, then. I don't want to be put on display for everyone to scoff at. Let's go look around my place," Xiao Nanfeng invited.

Zhang Lingjun nodded.

The three of them flew into the fog. Xiao Nanfeng activated his manor key, causing the fog all around the manor to ripple rapidly, as though a crack had been opened up within the barrier.

"Wait a while before you enter. Let me investigate what lies within with spiritual power first," Xiao Nanfeng suggested.

"Aren't you being overly cautious? This is your manor. Who would dare lay an ambush for you within? We're in the Sieve of Heaven!" Zhang Lingjun replied, laughing.

Just then, a howl came from within the formation. An avian rushed out through the cracks in the formation. It looked sinister, with a leopard's head, and was about thirty meters tall. It had an overbearing aura and seemed particularly ferocious. It swooped and attempted to bite at the three cultivators.

"What's this?" Xiao Nanfeng punched at it, his eyes cold.

His fist struck the leopard-headed avian in a wave of energy that sent the three cultivators flying back, as did the avian. Then, however, it rapidly flew over again.

"A leopard finch? It should have been locked up in the spirit prison! How did it get free?" the white-clad man exclaimed.

"What leopard finch, and what spirit prison?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"In the past, the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze conquered many a spiritbeast lair and caught a large number of ferocious spirits that were terrorizing the world at large. They've all been imprisoned in the spirit prison within his manor since. These spirits are always under guard and chained up. How could this one have gotten free?" Zhang Lingjun exclaimed.

Many cultivators secretly eyeing Xiao Nanfeng from afar watched on with interest.

"Come look! There'll be a good show. That must be Xiao Nanfeng."

"Something happened to the spirit prison in the Martial Aspect of Sunblaze's manor. A fierce spirit got free!"

"Xiao Nanfeng's only an Earth Immortal, and his forces have all run off. He's going to make a fool of himself!"

"Those forces must have intentionally released that spirit."

Countless cultivators in the Sieve of Heaven were looking toward Xiao Nanfeng.

"You dare rampage through my territory? Do you know who I am?" Xiao Nanfeng demanded.

The leopard finch's eyes were bright red, as though it had lost all semblance of rationality—all that remained were its instincts to kill. It roared and shot over.

"Die!" Xiao Nanfeng declared.

He stood before Zhang Lingjun and swung down with his blade in a flash of shining blue light. The leopard finch's feathers were as sharp as divine armaments, but they were no match for Xiao Nanfeng's divine undying blade, and neither was its strength. It was cut in half as blood splattered the ground.

"Xiao Nanfeng was able to kill an Earth Immortal spirit in one blow?"

"Xiao Nanfeng might only be an Earth Immortal, but he's rather strong, isn't he?"

The cultivators all around the Sieve of Heaven were murmuring to themselves.

Atop a mountain peak, the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost and golden-clad youth were watching the fiasco unfold.

"Did you release that leopard finch?" the Martial Aspect of Silverfrost asked, frowning.

"I did. I left restrictions in place that would activate the moment Xiao Nanfeng tried to use his manor key to access the manor. All the bindings on the spirits trapped within will be released—and all those spirits have been dosed with rampaging powder, so Xiao Nanfeng won't be able to calm them down or force a surrender." The golden-clad youth smiled.

"Spirits, plural? There's more than just this leopard finch?" The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost blanched.

"Of course!"

"The Eastern Aspect had you leave in order to ensure that there's no relationship between you and Xiao Nanfeng. Wouldn't it have been better to be patient and wait for Xiao Nanfeng to die out in the wilderness? Why waste your time on this?"

The golden-clad youth shook his head. "He won't die. There are far too many strong cultivators in the Sieve of Heaven, and no Martial Aspect would be allowed to die within. I'm simply giving him a warning and ensuring that everyone here can see what a charlatan he is. No one would be willing to be his subordinate then, and he won't have a chance to live when he finally gets assigned Martial Aspect tasks. As for the fiasco, why, I'm not responsible. Those beasts are."

The Martial Aspect of Silverfrost considered this for a moment and ultimately nodded as he stared at Xiao Nanfeng in the distance. "There's something strange about him. Your plan might not come to fruition."

"Oh? You must be overthinking things. No matter how skilled he is, he's only an Earth Immortal. What can he do? Let's see how he deals with what shows up next." The golden-clad youth didn't believe the Martial Aspect's words.

Another ten leopard finches emerged from the formation, their eyes bright red, an aura of carnage surrounding them. They seemed intent on striking down any cultivator they encountered. With a roar, they swooped toward Xiao Nanfeng's trio.