Wayfarer

Chapter 654: Victory in One Slash

As countless cultivators watched on, that Golden Immortal's palm struck Xiao Nanfeng in an explosion of red fog.

"It's fake? How could it be?"

"Spiritual harmony—a domain avatar?!"

"Is he a mid-stage True Yin cultivator? How could his spiritual harmony be so complete that I can't even detect him?"

Cries rang out from all around.

Atop Chiyang Peak, Yu'er sighed in relief. She had been so worried, but Xiao Nanfeng seemed to be alright.

Afar, Xiao Nanfeng's body manifested once again.

He floated in the air as he eyed the Golden Immortal coldly. "And were you intending to kill me outright?"

"I have a name. Call me Long Si. I don't particularly enjoy sparring with others; if I strike, others will bleed." The Golden Immortal smirked.

He made his move once again, leaving a series of afterimages in the air as he flashed before Xiao Nanfeng and struck at him with a palm.

Before the crowd could gasp in amazement, Xiao Nanfeng was cut in twain yet again. The two halves of his body dissipated in clouds of fog.

"Fake, again?" Long Si fumed.

Xiao Nanfeng's figure appeared once more in the distance. "You draw blood whenever you strike, you say? Rather arrogant, but you don't seem to have the skills to back it up."

Xiao Nanfeng seemed to be deliberately provoking Long Si.

Long Si's eyes glinted coldly as he appeared before Xiao Nanfeng again.

This time, before Long Si could make his move, however, Xiao Nanfeng vanished again.

"You can't even touch the hem of my robes. You call yourself a Golden Immortal? You're hardly any better than I am," Xiao Nanfeng mocked.

"Don't run from me, then!" Long Si retorted.

"I've never run. I've been right here all this time, but it seems as if you're too blind to notice my presence," Xiao Nanfeng provoked him once more.

Long Si seethed. "Do you think your deific domain is infallible? Just you watch!"

He soared into the air, toward the red clouds in the sky.

"Be careful. He's going to destroy your spiritual moon!" Yu'er cried out.

"It's too late. You're done for!" Long Si shouted, striking at the red moon hidden behind the clouds.

His fist shattered the moon, revealing a red orb within.

"What? It was fake?" Long Si exclaimed.

The red orb shattered as a kasaya shrouded his body, one teeming with such energy that all his hair stood on end.

He blanched and shouted, "Golden Barrier!"

A wave of golden light surrounded his body, resisting the kasaya's attempts to bind him. Just then, the red rope king burrowed through his golden barrier and coiled taut around his neck.

"Damn it, what's this?!" He instinctively tried to pull the red rope king away from his neck in fear.

The red rope king was particularly sinister. It was suppressing the golden light emanating from his body, as well as his cultivation.

Just then, a blue lotus landed atop his head, sending a burst of death chants deep into his soul.

"Argh!" Long Si cried out.

The death chants left his mind turbid and his thoughts in disarray. The red rope king tightened further; he could feel his thoughts fading away.

Just then, a glimmer of golden light appeared before him. Xiao Nanfeng was charging forward, an Immortal sword in hand.

"No!" Long Si cried out.

His head was flung away from the rest of his body.

All this happened in the blink of an eye. Red fog shrouded the scene from the onlookers, preventing them from clearly seeing what had happened. They heard Long Si scream—and then saw a bloodstained head fly out of the red clouds.

"What's going on?!" they exclaimed.

Just then, a green palm struck at the red clouds.

"Xiao Nanfeng, control yourself!" a voice shouted.

The red clouds dissipated, exposing Xiao Nanfeng. He was flung back by the sudden attack. The red rope king transformed back into a red moon and guarded him, while the blue lotus flew into his mindscape.

Xiao Nanfeng wasn't injured; he had defended himself with Long Si's body in the nick of time and hidden the kasaya from sight.

"Who's there?" Xiao Nanfeng demanded.

The Yuqing disciples all around gaped in shock.

"He took down a Golden Immortal!"

"Xiao Nanfeng won? How?"

"How could it be?"

Countless shouts could be heard from the cultivators all over.

A blue-robed elder had caught Long Si's head with one hand and was reaching out for his body with another.

Xiao Nanfeng had no intention of surrendering the body. He retreated with it in tow.

"Xiao Nanfeng, do not cause a commotion. Hand Long Si's body to Sage Green Lotus. He's the Mountain Lord of Taiyi Peak," Han Bingdie called out from high atop Chiyang Peak.

Xiao Nanfeng instantly relented.

"I apologize, Elder. I was unaware of your identity," Xiao Nanfeng said.

Rather than criticize Xiao Nanfeng, Sage Green Lotus immediately reattached Long Si's head, murmuring a mantra and pointing a finger where Long Si's neck had been severed. The wound healed with a flash of green light, and Long Si regained consciousness once more. However, the brief moment of separation between head and body had disrupted the proper flow of energy in his body. The rampant energy had caused severe internal injuries.

Long Si spat out a mouthful of blood, then turned to Sage Green Lotus. "Thank you for your assistance, Sage."

Sage Green Lotus relaxed upon seeing that Long Si had been revived. He finally turned to Xiao Nanfeng. "Young you might be, but vicious you are."

Xiao Nanfeng frowned and was about to defend himself when Yu'er descended from the heavens. "Old Green Lotus, he was the one who attacked Nanfeng first! And what about the behavior of your disciple, the Demon Child? You can't even teach your disciples how to behave properly—how can you criticize others?"

"Yu'er! Do not speak out of turn," Han Bingdie exclaimed, flying down alongside her and grabbing her hand.

"Nanfeng was competing fairly with that other cultivator. When that cultivator executed a killing blow, why didn't Old Green Lotus step forward? He's clearly biased!" Yu'er continued relentlessly.

Sage Green Lotus flushed in anger.

"Insolence! This isn't your place to speak," Xia Xingchen thundered.

Yu'er hmphed and turned away.

A moment of awkward silence filled the air.

Xia Xingchen had no choice but to step forward. "Senior Brother Green Lotus, I apologize for the lack of discipline."

"Hmph!" Sage Green Lotus whirled around and flew off.

Long Si grimaced. He bowed toward Xia Xingchen. "Mountain Lord Xia, I've embarrassed myself."

"Lord Si, my daughter spoke out of turn. I hope you won't take offense," Xia Xingchen said.

"Of course not. I came to celebrate your upcoming birthday, Mountain Lord, and to seek out your daughter's hand in marriage as a representative of the Southeastern Aquatic Palace," Long Si continued.

"My daughter is yet young, and I'd like to keep her by my side for a few more years. Let's not speak of such affairs at the moment," Xia Xingchen replied bluntly.

Long Si frowned for a moment. "Very well. My apologies for acting rashly, Mountain Lord."

"Are you well, Lord Si? Do you need any assistance with regards to your injuries?" Xia Xingchen asked.

"There's no need. A brief moment to recuperate is all I need. I won't bother you any longer," Long Si said.

"Very well." Xia Xingchen nodded as Long Si flew away, surrounded by his subordinates.

Xiao Nanfeng flew up to Xia Xingchen. "Xiao Nanfeng greets Mountain Lord Xia."

Xia Xingchen eyed Xiao Nanfeng coldly. "Xiao Nanfeng, are you? A match for Golden Immortals despite your cultivation."

"No, Mountain Lord. I simply caught Long Si by surprise, and I took advantage of the relics in my possession. I intended for this to be a gift for your birthday, Mountain Lord Xia. It's nothing but a trifle; I hope you won't disdain it." Xiao Nanfeng drew his Immortal sword and proffered it to Xia Xingchen.

Countless Yuqing disciples glanced at the sword.

"That sword managed to sever a Golden Immortal's neck in one blow!"

"It must be a Golden Immortal relic itself. To think Xiao Nanfeng would be willing to give up such a treasure..."

"A Golden Immortal relic? They're so rare that many Golden Immortals don't even have a single one. How generous Xiao Nanfeng is!"

The Yuqing disciples gaped at the lavish gift.

Xia Xingchen frowned. "A birthday present? Or one to seek my daughter's hand in marriage? Forget it. It's too precious for the likes of me."

"Husband, what are you saying? Nanfeng's here to celebrate your birthday. Don't put on airs!"

"Right, he's clearly sincere. Let's retire to the mountain peak for a private discussion, shall we?"

Two of Xia Xingchen's wives stepped forward to pacify their husband.

One of them said, "Nanfeng, you and Zhao Yuanjiao should join us. Let's talk inside."

"Understood!" Xiao Nanfeng replied immediately.

Yu'er wanted to rush forward, but Han Bingdie held on tightly to her arm. She knew how agitated Yu'er was; if she were to do something inappropriate out here in public, it would reflect badly on Xia Xingchen.

"Go on. I'll have to speak to the Hierarch about what happened today first," Xia Xingchen said.

He turned and flew off.

The three women frowned, but none of them flew off after him.

"Senior, I apologize. I seem to have caused more trouble than anticipated," Xiao Nanfeng said, smiling wryly.

"Hardly! It's not as if Long Si died. Who would cause you any trouble? That was a blade well struck. If you hadn't done so, there might have been even more problems down the line," Han Bingdie whispered.

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng replied curiously.

"Many of the prospective suitors were ones that Long Si himself invited, against whom he intended to distinguish himself. He was hoping to succeed in securing Yu'er's hand in marriage right away, so he made significant preparations in advance. Now, all his plans are dashed."

"That's right. We've all been concerned about who leaked the news that our Yu'er has become a holy maiden. It looks like Green Lotus was responsible—ha! Serves him right that he had to suffer Yu'er's scolding in public!" another of Xia Xingchen's wives said.

The cultivators flew up to Chiyang Peak alongside Xiao Nanfeng. Yu'er watched on in excitement. She couldn't help but want to smile upon seeing Xiao Nanfeng. She tried to fly toward him to have a talk, but Han Bingdie stopped her each time.

Just then, Xia Lan called out to the gathered disciples, "What's there to look at? If you've got so much time to waste, go cultivate some more!"

The Yuqing disciples scattered. All they could talk about was Xiao Nanfeng, who had managed to behead a Golden Immortal as nothing but a True Immortal. That fight today had truly allowed him to make a name for himself.