Chapter 780: Claiming the Kingdom

Both of Xiao Nanfeng's bodies had departed, leaving Ye Sanshui to remain stationed in Hongyue's capital. Simultaneously, a large number of officials were being sent from Shenfeng.

The collapse of Hongyue and the last-minute delegation of the empire to Shenfeng caused tremendous waves throughout the Immortal cities of Hongyue.

Some were willing to be loyal to Shenfeng, but the majority panicked. Some attempted to flee, others fomented rebellion, and yet others entangled themselves with neighboring forces, seeking to sell out their empire for profit.

Even so, Lou Yujing's final proclamation had considerably smoothened the transition of territory and people from Hongyue to Shenfeng.

Back in Yongding, Xiao Nanfeng's avatar had rushed over at great speed with Tu Feng's assistance.

In a certain hall, Xiao Nanfeng found the badly wounded Yang Chuan. He teased him. "As the Southern Aspect, shouldn't you have had an easier time against Yuan Wudi?"

Yang Chuan scowled. "What's there to laugh at? I wouldn't have been injured to this extent if I weren't helping you!"

"Not only that, surely. You wanted to take revenge yourself, too. If you hand me Yuan Wudi's corpse, I'll believe you."

"Dream on! Think about the injuries I suffered. Are you so shameless as to ask for the spoils from my fight, too?" Yang Chuan scoffed even as he laughed.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "I heard Yuan Wudi had two Boundless Immortal relics."

Yang Chuan pursed his lips. "He detonated them in a kamikaze attack. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been harmed to this extent."

"What a pity. Rest well, then."

Yang Chuan looked at him curiously. "I heard Lou Yujing died—and that he even handed Hongyue to the Divine Emperor before his death."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "That's true."

"What? Has he gone crazy?" Yang Chuan exclaimed.

Xiao Nanfeng briefly fell silent. In the end, he didn't attempt to explain Lou Yujing's mentality. "You can think of it that way, I suppose."

Yang Chuan blinked. "The Divine Emperor must have gotten a windfall, then. Right, what's the relationship between the two of you?"

"We're just ordinary friends."

Yang Chuan narrowed his eyes in clear disbelief.

Back in Shenfeng's capital, Xiao Nanfeng's main body returned triumphantly with the Divine Emperor, who was still meditating within her bell as she sought to attune to the charm of heavenly law.

Xiao Nanfeng immediately convened a meeting with the Divine Emperor's confidantes to handle the absorption of Hongyue into Shenfeng.

Wen Zhong had been dispatched all the way from Dazheng. Recently, he had been sending his subordinates all over Hongyue as spies in preparation for a decisive strike—only to have Lou Yujing cede the entire empire to Shenfeng. Wen Zhong was taken aback.

"Your Majesty, what's going on? Why would Lou Yujing cede his empire just like that?" Wen Zhong was astounded.

"Is it good or bad?" Xiao Nanfeng replied, smiling.

"Good, of course! My subordinates can take control just like that."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "Ye Sanshui will stand guard in Hongyue's capital and protect the seat of power there. We'll start by taking control of the various Immortal cities. As for the people causing trouble, kill them outright as much as possible—mobilize the Shenfeng army. Otherwise, send the spectral guards and shadow guards to assassinate them. We'll absorb all the Immortal cities as quickly as we can."

"Understood!" Wen Zhong replied, nodding.

"We'll leave the rebelling Immortal cities be for the time being. Once we subdue all the Immortal cities we can, we'll take them down then."

"Of course, Your Majesty. My subordinates are already heading toward the city lords' manors," Wen Zhong replied.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

Xiao Nanfeng, Wen Zhong, and the Divine Emperor's trusted confidantes focused fully on gaining control of the Immortal cities all over Hongyue.

Those officials and cultivators willing to switch their allegiance to Shenfeng were welcomed with generosity. Whatever they had done during the war would be pardoned, though their future conduct would be subject to Shenfeng law.

Some cultivators, however, weren't afforded such an opportunity: those who had betrayed the Taiqing Immortal Sect two centuries ago alongside Lou Yujing, traitors who had massacred Taiqing disciples. Zhao Yuanjiao himself hunted them down alongside disciples from all four divisions of the Taiqing Immortal Sect.

Days later, the Divine Emperor officially emerged from secluded cultivation.

The Divine Emperor's bell tolled as she stepped out, her long hair flowing in the wind, her waist delicate, her legs long, her expression aloof, her beauty unparalleled. Xiao Nanfeng was momentarily dazed.

"Have you attuned to the charm of heavenly law?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

The Divine Emperor smiled warmly, like a sculpture of ice coming to life. Xiao Nanfeng was beset by passion.

"Who said I was going to attune to it myself? I suppressed it so that you can attune to it instead. Its power over vitality might help you advance your cultivation quickly, too. You should try it."

She passed him a red charm. The word 'vitality' seemed to flash across its surface before continuously morphing and transforming.

"Me?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"Who else? Give it a try," the Divine Emperor urged.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded and reached out for the charm.

It quavered. Ripples of red light emanated from it and repelled Xiao Nanfeng's hand.

The Divine Emperor frowned. "Suppress."

She infused a tremendous quantity of energy into the charm, which shook violently and even began to crack.

"Again!" the Divine Emperor urged.

Xiao Nanfeng infused his spiritual power into the charm, which was repelled again.

"How can this be?" The Divine Emperor frowned.

"The charm's starting to crack—and it's expanding," Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

"Perhaps the heavens have done something to prevent continued transmission of the charm. Its potency is fading," the Divine Emperor said.

"Fading?"

"This is a charm of heavenly law, not an actual manifestation of heavenly law itself. It's used to facilitate control. It must have been designed according to Saint Chi Hai's specifications, and won't be attuned to others so easily. If I'm not mistaken, the reason Lou Yujing wasn't able to gain full control of it because Lou Yujing was incompatible with the charm in the first place. Its potency has been weakening ever since leaving Saint Chi Hai's body."

"In that case, Lou Yujing's claim of stealing the charm and becoming the new saint is all fake, isn't it?"

"It is. There's still some time left before this charm loses all its potency. If you can attune to it for now, you'll be able to advance your cultivation rapidly while it lasts. Try again."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded and continued to try it a few times, but the charm repelled his energy each time.

"I don't know why it seems to be responding unfavorably to you in particular," the Divine Emperor said.

"The number of cracks on the charm is increasing. Is my strength causing its deterioration?"

"I'm not sure myself. It's possible."

"Can you use the charm on yourself to advance your cultivation?"

"Me? I suppose I can. I just tried it."

"Then you should attune to it and take what advantage of it you can."

"No, no. I prepared this for you. Even if it refuses your main body, how about your avatar?"

"My avatar needs fortune, not this. You take it. Advance your cultivation—it'll be like me raising mine. We're a couple, after all. There's no need to differentiate between you and me."

The Divine Emperor smiled gently at Xiao Nanfeng as she ultimately nodded. "Very well."

She sat cross-legged in meditation as she placed the charm in her mouth.

A pillar of red light erupted around her and pierced the heavens. An endless surge of energy filled her as her aura magnified. Her long hair floated in the air; she was the very picture of beauty.

She remained in meditation for a whole day before she slowly opened her eyes. The pillar of red light slowly faded away.

"Have you attuned to it?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

The Divine Emperor nodded. "I infused what energy I could into my body through the void. However, perhaps because of my cursed spiritual avatar, the charm deteriorated more and more quickly. It'll likely break apart before long."

"That's fine. Once that happens, we can get a few more," Xiao Nanfeng replied, smiling.

The Divine Emperor rolled her beautiful eyes. "Do you think they're that easy to acquire?"

Xiao Nanfeng couldn't help but hug the Divine Emperor upon witnessing her enticing gaze.

"What are you doing?" the Divine Emperor exclaimed, her cheeks tinged with red.

"Perhaps I can experience the effects of the charm with you while you're attuning to it…" Xiao Nanfeng murmured, lifting the Divine Emperor up.

The Divine Emperor flushed as she realized what Xiao Nanfeng was getting at. She wrapped her snow-white arms around Xiao Nanfeng's neck. "You dirty-minded man!"

Xiao Nanfeng laughed loudly as he brought them both into a bedroom. The doors creaked shut as a formation activated, sealing them within.