Wayfarer

Chapter 582: Acquired Fortune

Back in the Thunderclap Hall's illusory realm, Yin Shenhua gritted out, "The tithe has been deposited."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "I've been informed. In that case, I'll fulfill my promise and leave Dayin immediately."

"And what of Mo Shanhe and Yin Tianci?"

"We'll discuss that later," Xiao Nanfeng replied. "If your subordinates dare to bother Dazheng again, I'll kill them."

"How dare you! I just handed over 60% of Dayin's fortune. Do you realize what a tremendous sum that is? You had better hand over Mo Shanhe and Yin Tianci immediately.

"Don't forget, Yin Shenhua, that that fortune was owed to the Imperial Court to begin with, not to me. You might have lost that fortune, but you've gained another five years to gather more."

"Hm?" Yin Shenhua narrowed his eyes.

The implicit meaning behind Xiao Nanfeng's words was clear—Yin Tianci could delay his rebellion another five years. That didn't seem too bad.

"What's more, I even brought you Emperor Feng. I think you'll gain almost as much from defeating him, won't you? It's not a loss for you either way," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

Yin Shenhua was silent.

"Very well, then. We'll be leaving," Xiao Nanfeng said. He turned to the black lotus. "Past Buddha, we should leave."

"Amitabha." The black lotus nodded.

Just then, Emperor Feng roared, "Xiao Nanfeng, if you dare work together with Yin Shenhua, I won't forgive you! I'll kill you and Zhao Yuanjiao!"

By then, however, Xiao Nanfeng had written Emperor Feng off as a complete disappointment and was ignoring him.

The black lotus brought itself and Xiao Nanfeng out of the illusory realm.

"Hold it!" Emperor Feng roared.

"Don't worry. I'll deal with you, then take them on afterwards. They won't be able to escape from the Thousand-Lotus Formation," Yin Shenhua replied.

"Who knows? Don't you remember how the black coffin got removed from your lotus barrier? I'm sure he can escape," Emperor Feng fumed.

"If I say that they can't leave, then they won't be able to leave. It's not clear that Xiao Nanfeng will necessarily be able to make it out of the Thousand-Lotus Formation, but even if he does, I have countless guards outside of it. Not even you from the past would have been able to escape," Yin Shenhua replied confidently.

"And what of Mo Shanhe and Yin Tianci? Xiao Nanfeng kidnapped them despite your confidence," Emperor Feng spat out.

"You're simply far too confident, you see. You want to deal with them on my behalf? Don't you think I can do that on my own? Once I master you, I'll take them down!" Emperor Feng declared.

"Oh? Do you think you'll succeed? Let's see, then!" Yin Shenhua retorted.

The two Immortal Emperors began to fight once more as Xiao Nanfeng returned to the Thunderclap Hall in reality.

The black lotus also dispelled its transformation and surrounded itself in black fog. It floated by Xiao Nanfeng's side.

"How do you feel, Senior Brother?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"Thanks to you stalling for time, and the help of the demonic sect master and the gathered generals, the curse only triggered after we had dispelled 99% of its strength. I really was lucky," Zhao Yuanjiao said wryly.

"My thanks, Demonic Sect Master," Xiao Nanfeng said immediately.

"No time to waste," the demonic sect master said. "We can talk more once we've made it out."

"Very well. Please follow my plan, then," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

The demonic sect master nodded. He retrieved the black gourd in which he had hidden, then infused genetic energy into it until it spat out another figure: Mo Shanhe. Mo Shanhe was perfectly still, either unconscious or dead.

"You brought me Mo Shanhe in a very timely fashion," the demonic sect master remarked.

"Not quite, Sect Master. After I got him back from Emperor Feng's hands, I deliberately had Emperor Feng help Ye Dafu and the others raise their cultivation to stall until Mo Shanhe could be delivered to your hands."

"How cautious! Very well. I've sealed Mo Shanhe's spirit, but he's still alive. I'll leave the rest to you."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

"Let's go!" the demonic sect master continued.

He absorbed Zhao Yuanjiao and the five purple-furred monsters into the gourd, then flew in himself.

Xiao Nanfeng capped the gourd.

He, the black lotus, and the unconscious Mo Shanhe were the only figures remaining in the hall. Yin Shenhua's lotus of existence flew atop the black coffin, pulsing with golden light as it helped him against Emperor Feng.

"Senior, Yin Shenhua and Emperor Feng's battle might conclude at any moment. We're short on time, and there may be a trap within this lotus to prevent us from touching it. Shall we leave for now?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"Very well." The black lotus nodded, flying into Mo Shanhe's mindscape and taking over his body. He 'awakened'.

Xiao Nanfeng passed the gourd to 'Mo Shanhe' as the two cultivators walked up to the Thousand-Lotus Formation outside the Thunderclap Hall.

Xiao Nanfeng waved a hand, activating his candleflame powers and summoning a red portal before him.

At the moment, Xiao Nanfeng was in his yin body. He too darted into Mo Shanhe's mindscape as Mo Shanhe stepped through the portal and vanished.

He then reappeared outside the Thousand-Lotus Formation as the red light behind him vanished. Within his mindscape, Xiao Nanfeng said, "Senior, let me take over his body."

"Very well."

Xiao Nanfeng possessed Mo Shanhe and saw what was happening outside the Thunderclap Hall for himself.

The greater half of the sea of fortune above Dayin's capital had vanished, and the golden dragon of fortune that soared within it seemed to have grown gaunt and haggard. It slumped atop the sea of fortune, exhausted. The whole capital was in an uproar, and the golden-armored cultivators on the plaza before him were panicking as well.

As Mo Shanhe stepped out of the Thousand-Lotus Formation, everyone glanced toward him in surprise.

"Prime Minister?" a group of golden-armored cultivators called out, surrounding him.

"Maintain order!" Mo Shanhe shouted. "There is no need to panic."

"We..." The golden-armored cultivators stiffened.

Suddenly, one of them frowned. "Who are you? The prime minister was taken captive by an assailant! How could you have appeared here?"

"It was part of a trap laid out by me and the Immortal Emperor. Need I provide a full accounting to you?" Mo Shanhe demanded.

"Ah, no, of course not, Prime Minister!" The golden-armored cultivator stiffened.

Clearly, the golden-armored cultivators had deduced through some means that the Mo Shanhe who stood before them was the real thing. However, it was strange that the prime minister had appeared before the Immortal Emperor after such a shocking event as the loss of Dayin's fortune.

"His Majesty sent me out of the Thunderclap Hall on urgent business. You there, accompany me, now!" Mo Shanhe shouted.

"But..." The golden-armored cultivators visibly hesitated.

"You won't be able to pay the price of ruining His Majesty's plans. Now!" Mo Shanhe demanded again.

"Understood!" the golden-armored cultivators replied.

Any other official, or even Dayin's princes, wouldn't have been able to commandeer them, but Mo Shanhe was different. He was Yin Shenhua's closest confidante and the one in charge of Dayin when Yin Shenhua was in secluded cultivation. No one dared to doubt his words.

Several golden-armored cultivators immediately shrouded him in fog as they soared into the air toward the outskirts of Dayin's capital.

City guards were out in full force, quelling any disturbance that was about to arise. They inspected just about every group of fliers in the air, but none dared to intercept Mo Shanhe and the golden-armored cultivators, personal guards to Yin Shenhua himself.

Very quickly, they made it out of the capital.

"Prime Minister, it's dangerous outside the capital. You've been taken hostage out there once before, after all," a golden-armored cultivator warned.

"What nonsense are you talking about? That was part of a scheme!" Mo Shanhe retorted.

"But the third prince was taken hostage outside the capital as well..."

"You're unaware of the whole story. Don't bother trying to second-guess me. Simply obey my orders."

"Understood!" the golden-armored cultivators replied.

As they reached a forest in the distance, Mo Shanhe said, "This will do. Someone will be here to receive me. You may return."

"But..." The golden-armored cultivators were clearly hesitant to obey.

Mo Shanhe's face grew more dour. "What's the matter? Do you intend to pry when it comes to the Immortal Emperor's secrets?"

The golden-armored cultivators blanched. One immediately said, "We wouldn't dare, Prime Minister! We'll return immediately."

"Good." Mo Shanhe nodded.

A group of golden-armored cultivators bowed toward Mo Shanhe as they flew off. One was so curious he considered heading back to check out the situation, only to turn and see Mo Shanhe standing on a mountain peak in the distance staring at him. He was so shaken that he shook his head and turned back immediately.

Only when the golden-armored cultivators had all vanished did Mo Shanhe fly into the forest and vanish from sight.

At the same time, in the Thunderclap Hall, a huge explosion rang out, causing even the dragon-head mountain to shake violently. The Thousand-Lotus Formation cracked and exploded in flames.

"Emperor Feng, do you intend to oppose me even in death? How dare you!" Yin Shenhua roared, his words reverberating throughout the palace.

"Immortal Emperor!" A group of golden-armored cultivators rushed over.

What remained of The Thousand-Lotus Formation was nothing more than ruins. The Thunderclap Hall had likewise crumbled away. Yin Shenhua's draconic robes seemed a little tattered where he stood; anger and fury flashed in his eyes as he considered his surroundings.

"Where's Xiao Nanfeng and the others? Could they really have escaped?" Yin Shenhua exclaimed. He looked toward the golden-armored cultivators. "Xiao Nanfeng escaped. Didn't you see him?"

"We didn't. Only the prime minister made it out. He rushed out of the city with a few golden-armored cultivators in tow," one cultivator reported.

Yin Shenhua narrowed his eyes, finally realizing what was going on.

"Mo Shanhe, whom I've been looking for for so long—he was right under my nose the entire time! Damn it. Chase after them, now! Bring the prime minister back!" Yin Shenhua roared.