Wayfarer

Chapter 695: Reforging a Physical Body

With the Demon Child determined to live once more, Xiao Nanfeng was able to relax.

"What now?" he asked the Divine Emperor.

"His physical body was made out of demonic corpse aura. Though it may be strong, his future growth might well be stunted, let alone in its current shattered state. Demonic corpse aura is running rampant throughout his body, and it'll end up being destroyed soon enough if we don't do anything. We'll have to reforge his physical body, but ordinary flesh would hardly be able to withstand the concentrated demonic corpse aura. We need a treasure that possesses incredible vitality, one which will ultimately determine his future strength."

"What about this?" Xiao Nanfeng suggested.

He revealed the Divine Seal of Dazheng and retrieved an item from within.

"This is—a seventh-grade lotus?" the Divine Emperor's eyes lit up.

"Indeed. Wouldn't this suffice?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"It certainly would, but can you afford to give up such a relic yourself?" The Divine Emperor frowned.

"The Demon Child will be with me for a decade or so, so it would hardly be a waste. What's more, precious though the lotus might be, it's not something I can hope to claim for myself."

The Divine Emperor inclined her head. "I do recall hearing that the seventh-grade lotus is one of the supreme treasures of the Yuqing holy land, and it certainly wouldn't give up the lotus easily. Very well, then. Let's use this treasure."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded as well. It was true that he could forcibly consume the seventh-grade lotus himself, and he did have the ability to do so, but it would irreparably damage his relationship to the Yuqing holy land.

This was the best-case scenario. He could save the Demon Child, keep the seventh-grade lotus, and add a fearsome cultivator into his ranks.

The Divine Emperor took the seventh-grade lotus and infused a bout of energy within, causing it to glow with green light.

The Divine Emperor was a Boundless Immortal. Though she had yet to recover her full strength, it was trivial for her to wipe away all the seals binding the lotus, and she quickly attuned it to her needs.

"Demon Child, I'm going to be reforging your body. You may feel significant discomfort, but I promise this is for your own good. If you really can't bear it any longer, think about your mother. She certainly wants you to grow stronger, too," Xiao Nanfeng said.

The Demon Child nodded, tearing up once more. "I haven't fulfilled my promise to Mother yet, either. I'm not going to be afraid. Do it!"

Xiao Nanfeng looked toward the Divine Emperor, who nodded and infused the seventh-grade lotus into the Demon Child's body.

The seventh-grade lotus exploded with green light, as though trying to resist the fusion, but its resistance was futile in the Divine Emperor's presence. Lotus flowers surrounded the Demon Child.

With a hum, the lotus flowers shone with divine light. It was clear that the reforging of the Demon Child's physical body would be a rather time-consuming process.

"Can I help?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"There's no need. It'll likely take several hours," the Divine Emperor replied.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "I'll enter secluded cultivation myself too, then."

"Go treat your wounds," the Divine Emperor agreed.

Xiao Nanfeng moved some distance away, then sat cross-legged in meditation as he began to recuperate. After all, he had been hurt badly by the swords that the seventh-grade lotus had manifested.

After two hours, his injuries had healed to a significant extent. Only then did he change his clothes, take out the gourd strapped to his waist, and inspect the Eye of the Sea.

He wasn't in a particular hurry to advance his cultivation, but the Eye of the Sea was hardly in a usable state.

He sucked the Eye into his dantian.

Just like his mindscape, though his dantian was part of his body, it had a vast internal space within, which could accommodate even the gigantic Eye.

His ten golden crows cawed and struck the Eye of the Sea simultaneously.

The Eye of the Sea was at its core a large ball of water, but specially infused with natural laws that granted the water incredible energy. That energy was still bound by the natural laws governing the ball—until the golden crows smashed into it and finally released all that energy.

Incredible spiritual energy filled Xiao Nanfeng's dantian as he activated all his techniques in quick succession: Sky of Ten Suns, the Imposing Avatar of Rulai, and the Jade Emperor's Frame. The spiritual energy was most potent for the Jade Emperor's Frame; golden rays of light shot out from around Xiao Nanfeng.

Suddenly, clouds of black smoke gushed out into Xiao Nanfeng's dantian, with grasping hands that tried to tear at the internal space within.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. "The Eye of the Sea really does contain the cursed spiritual power of the black coffin."

Just then, beams of golden light filtered into his dantian and purified the black smoke and grasping hands.

"The Jade Emperor's Frame really can cleanse any cursed energy I come into contact with," Xiao Nanfeng murmured, nodding in satisfaction.

Where his dantian had been damaged, paper fragments shot out and filled his wounds. Before long, his dantian was as good as new. Just like the ten golden crows, Xiao Nanfeng's dantian was forged with the Records of Life and Death, which boosted his regeneration to an exceptional degree.

Without the interference of the cursed spiritual power, he continued to break through.

Another four hours passed as his aura suddenly swelled. A wave of energy burst out from him. He opened his eyes and spat out the Cage of the Sea that had been binding the Eye of the Sea.

"The fourth stage of the True Immortal realm? Advancing your cultivation requires an incredible amount of energy, but you don't seem to have any bottlenecks at all," the Divine Emperor exclaimed, astounded.

"You're aware of my strong intuition, after all. If not for how unusual my techniques are, I would already have become a Golden Immortal. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing, I suppose. I'll be able to shore up my foundations to an incredible level." Xiao Nanfeng smiled.

The Divine Emperor nodded as well. "Indeed. The stronger your foundations, the more benefits you'll gain as a Boundless Immortal. Carving out a natural law of your own is no easy task."

"Has the Demon Child's physical body been reforged?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"I've only helped him fuse the seventh-grade lotus into his body. He'll have to work out how to meld the demonic corpse aura with the lotus himself. I expect it'll take a few days of secluded cultivation."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded gratefully. "Thank you."

The Divine Emperor manifested a cloud of black smoke to cover up the giant lotus around the Demon Child's body, akin to a protective barrier.

"It's best to avoid moving his body for the time being. Let's have him stay here for now," the Divine Emperor said.

"Very well. Shall we go talk over there?" Xiao Nanfeng gestured in a certain direction.

The Divine Emperor nodded and brought Xiao Nanfeng toward a pavilion not far away.

"I heard you've proposed to Yu'er," the Divine Emperor said. She was smiling, but there was a tinge of worry in her features.

Xiao Nanfeng smiled wryly as he nodded.

"I witnessed the growth of the relationship between you and Yu'er—and all the other women you've encountered, too. What do you plan on doing in the future? Do you plan to propose to them all, or do you have other thoughts?" the Divine Emperor asked seriously.

Xiao Nanfeng sighed. "My relationships really have been growing more complicated. I'm sorry for troubling you."

"Of these women, do you only intend to pick one, or do you want them all?"

Xiao Nanfeng took a deep breath. "In my life, in just a few short decades, I was blessed to have encountered all of you—and I am indebted to you all as well. I might already be dead if not for everyone's continued support. My relationship with all of you is not merely of affection, but also of debt."

"So you intend to marry us all, then? Just like how Emperor Wei had both the Red Emperor and Empress Bai in the undying realm?" the Divine Emperor gave Xiao Nanfeng a contemplative look.

"I understand your qualms. I am grateful to all the women in my life, and I don't want to harm any of them. This is what I'm planning to do. I haven't accomplished the feats I'm striving toward just yet, so I don't dare make lofty promises. The ten-thousand-year calamity draws ever nearer—if we can't overcome it, our plans will hardly matter. If we can, however, I intend to forge a few new avatars, split up my memories so that each avatar possesses only those memories and feelings associated with a single woman, then sever my relationship with all my avatars. There shall be one of me for each of you," Xiao Nanfeng proposed gently.

"What?" the Divine Emperor exclaimed in shock.

"If we survive the ten-thousand-year calamity, I would be honored to present you with a complete me who only cares about you and none other," Xiao Nanfeng pledged.

The Divine Emperor was taken aback. She had been prepared for Xiao Nanfeng to choose between one of them or all of them, not this third option.

Xiao Nanfeng was planning to mutilate his body to this extent for them all!

In this world where taking multiple wives and even concubines was accepted, Xiao Nanfeng's gesture was particularly touching.

She suddenly held Xiao Nanfeng's hand and said, "Don't. If you do divide up your thoughts, you'll be incomplete. I want you the way you are, healthy and hale."

As Xiao Nanfeng glanced at the Divine Emperor's exquisite features, the care for him brimming in her eyes, he couldn't help himself any longer. He stepped forward and held her in an embrace.

The Divine Emperor tensed, but didn't resist.

Xiao Nanfeng still recalled his memories of that lifelong dream they had shared, as did the Divine Emperor herself. How could she have forgotten those memories when she had lived with Xiao Nanfeng as husband and wife. She recalled every detail. And though in this world that dream had yet to be realized, Xiao Nanfeng's resolute attitude made her believe that what she had awaited all these years was worth it.

Their eyes met each other's. The Divine Emperor began to blush.

Xiao Nanfeng leaned it and gave her a peck on her lips. The Divine Emperor tensed up again, gripping Xiao Nanfeng's shoulders tightly.

The kiss seemed to last forever before the two cultivators finally broke it.

The Divine Emperor's cheeks were bright red. "You bullied me again!"

"Dreams are inferior to reality, after all. Divine Emperor, I really am glad I can interact with you like this in person," Xiao Nanfeng said gently.

The Divine Emperor caressed Xiao Nanfeng, who carried her up and took her toward her residence not far away.

Although this was Xiao Nanfeng's first time in this valley, it was obvious from a quick scan with his spiritual energy where her bedroom was.

Xiao Nanfeng carried the Divine Emperor in before all the doors within suddenly sealed themselves, and a glimmering formation isolated everything inside.