Chapter 802: The Immortal City of Qingyun

Xiao Nanfeng took hold of the fragment of white jade and looked toward Lan Yaoguang. "Have you already consolidated the spiritual power and insight from the Cursebane Sword?"

"I'm fine. You should activate that jade fragment and see what you can do with it. It might help us get out of here," Lan Yaoguang replied.

Xiao Nanfeng shook his head. "Focus on consolidating what you have first. Let me analyze the jade fragment a little while longer.

"Very well." Lan Yaoguang nodded and sat down in meditation.

By then, the vast snowy plains had gone completely silent. The superior yin pearls and blue-furred monsters were all gone. Except for the swirling snowflakes in the sky, there was nothing else around them but themselves.

After some time, Lan Yaoguang opened her eyes with a frown.

"Well?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"I'm almost at late-stage True Yin, but I'm just shy of reaching it," Lan Yaoguang murmured, a frustrated expression on her face.

"That's good enough. We'll find more blue-furred lifeforms once we get out of here." Xiao Nanfeng smiled.

Alright." Lan Yaoguang's mood improved.

"Now, will you guard me while I meditate?"

"Of course." Lan Yaoguang nodded seriously.

Xiao Nanfeng switched back to his physical body.

"Didn't your spiritual moon suggest that you merge the jade fragment with your soul? What're you doing now?" Lan Yaoguang asked, puzzled.

Xiao Nanfeng swallowed the jade piece.

Lan Yaoguang's eyes opened wide. "You… swallowed it?"

Xiao Nanfeng didn't respond. He closed his eyes and began to meditate.

In the end, he still didn't fully trust his spiritual moon. Though it had suggested that he merge the jade fragment with his soul to control the enlightenment grounds, he feared the possibility of a hidden threat. Cautious as ever, he decided to absorb the power via a different means, even if it meant wasting some of its potency.

The fragment of white jade contained the natural law of these enlightenment grounds—and could therefore be used for physical cultivation.

Within his dantian, his ten golden crows shattered the jade fragment, which exploded into a vast surge of energy.

Simultaneously, the snow-covered landscape around him began to shake and crack. The entire realm seemed to be crumbling.

Lan Yaoguang's expression widened as she continued to guard Xiao Nanfeng.

Snowstorms hurtled toward Xiao Nanfeng from every direction. Even the mountains, plains, and sky seemed to surge toward his dantian.

"What…?" Lan Yaoguang watched on in shock.

The condensed energy of the world at large, along with the natural law of the realm, surged toward Xiao Nanfeng's dantian. Roiling strength filled him. His clothes billowed madly as his surroundings blurred into chaos. Only Xiao Nanfeng and Lan Yaoguang remained as well-defined existences in the region amidst the swirling distortions of space and time.

Six hours passed in this manner. Then, a sudden gust of energy blasted out from Xiao Nanfeng's body and scattered the chaotic energy around him.

"Have you broken through?" Lan Yaoguang asked, her eyes lighting up in excitement.

Xiao Nanfeng slowly opened his eyes and smiled. "I have. From the eighth stage of the True Immortal Realm to the ninth."

"Only one small stage? I thought the white jade fragment would contain far more energy," Lan Yaoguang replied, sounding unimpressed.

Xiao Nanfeng was taken aback. He was prepared to explain that the jade fragment had contained as much energy as a Boundless Immortal treasure—but upon seeing her particularly funny expression, he just chuckled and decided not to elaborate. He had already broken down the Enlightenment Grounds, after all.

The two of them took in their surroundings and found themselves in a lush green valley.

They flew toward a nearby mountain peak, standing atop it and looking out at the misty world beyond.

"So this is the green knoll hidden realm?" Lan Yaoguang asked curiously.

"It must be. The green knoll hidden realm is known for its thick fog and roaming Enlightenment Grounds that devour the living," Xiao Nanfeng recounted what Tu Feng had told him.

"I heard it mentioned that the Shangqing hierarch's in the green knoll hidden realm now, too." Lan Yaoguang frowned.

"Really? For what reason?"

"I don't know. Apparently, many Shangqing disciples followed him in."

"Let's not worry about that for now. Come on, let's go. We should see if we can ask about where we are precisely."

Lan Yaoguang nodded.

The two cultivators flew for a while and eventually spotted a massive city in the distance. There was a giant stele by the city gates proclaiming it to be the Immortal City of Qingyun.

"There are Immortal cities within the green knoll hidden realm, too?" Lan Yaoguang exclaimed.

"Let's head inside while we recover. I'd like to let the Immortal Emperor of Dahan's body regenerate, too," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Got it!" Lan Yaoguang nodded firmly.

The two cultivators flew toward the Immortal city. Its city guards behaved in an exceedingly strange manner. They didn't bother to search any of the Immortals who entered. In fact, the stronger the Immortals' aura, the more respectful the guards became, and the more they allowed them in without question.

Xiao Nanfeng and Lan Yaoguang decided not to conceal their strength. They were instantly welcomed into the city by a group of respectful guards.

They found a large inn and rented a small place where they could rest.

Over the next two days, Xiao Nanfeng possessed the Immortal Emperor of Dahan's body and tended to its injuries. Once it had mostly recovered, he took Lan Yaoguang out to explore the streets of Qingyun. They strolled freely, hand in hand, the conflicts of the outside world momentarily ignored for the time being.

Lan Yaoguang's beauty drew constant attention from passersby, so the two were forced to shroud themselves in fog to conceal their appearances "Nanfeng, wouldn't it be wonderful if time could stop right now?" Lan Yaoguang asked dreamily. She gazed at him, her eyes filled with happiness.

"Once the ten-thousand-year tribulation is over, we'll have plenty of moments like this," Xiao Nanfeng replied with a gentle smile.

Lan Yaoguang's eyes sparkled sweetly as she nodded in agreement.

They flew back to their estate having bought countless items.

"Are we just going to stay here over the next few days without doing anything? Shouldn't we try to figure out what's going on in the outside world?"

"There's no need. My subordinates have already entered the green knoll hidden realm. They're gathering information for us as we speak."

"Your subordinates?" Lan Yaoguang exclaimed.

"That's right. My other body's here now, too. I brought you your physical body as well."

"What?" Lan Yaoguang was stunned.

"They're still on their way, though. It'll take another day or two for them to reach us. The fog in the green knoll hidden realm makes navigation difficult, but fortunately enough, Qingyun is easy to find."

"My physical body? But why?" Lan Yaoguang then blushed slightly as he realized what he might be implying.

"Well, there are certain things we can't do without your physical body," Xiao Nanfeng teased.

"What mischief are you planning?" Lan Yaoguang's face flushed red as she shot him a glare.

Just then, a tremendous explosion rocked the air outside Qingyun. The entire city seemed to shake.

"The Enlightenment Grounds are here again! Hurry, activate the defenses!"

"That demon from the Enlightenment Grounds is going to attack the city again!"

"I am the city lord of Qingyun! I ask all cultivators to gather by the south of the city and lend us their assistance!"

The city erupted in panic.

Countless figures took to the skies and headed toward the south.

Xiao Nanfeng and Lan Yaoguang eyed each other and followed suit.

By then, the walls were packed with cultivators. The two of them blended in at the outskirts of the crowd.

As everyone pointed toward the distance, Xiao Nanfeng and Lan Yaoguang spotted a white, spherical domain moving toward the city. The interior of the domain was obscured by a swirling blizzard, but there were two black eye-like vortices by the surface of the domain that seemed to stare menacingly toward Qingyun. Beneath it was a gaping mouth-like storm, opening and closing like a ravenous demon roaring.

The gaping maw of the domain suddenly let out a roar. The entire domain, like a monstrous creature hundreds of meters tall, hurtled toward Qingyun.

The monster struck the city's defensive formation, which shuddered violently as if it would shatter at any moment.

"Is that… one of these Enlightenment Grounds?" Lan Yaoguang exclaimed.

"This is what I ate earlier?" Xiao Nanfeng murmured.

The white jade fragment he had consumed was essentially equivalent to the entity before them. He hadn't realized that this was what such Enlightenment Grounds looked like from the outside.

The defensive formation shuddered again. It wasn't going to be able to hold out for long.

Many cultivators on the southern wall began to panic.

Just then, a man dressed as an official called out, "Fellow cultivators, over the past few years, these Enlightenment Grounds have started to go mad. They're attacking cultivators all over the green knoll hidden realm, and more and more frequently and aggressively at that. Recently, another Immortal city was breached and its entire population devoured. Every day, more Immortal sects are found and wiped out, leaving no survivors behind."

Everyone turned to the official, their faces tense.

"As a representative of the Immortal Emperor of Daliang, I summon cultivators across the hidden realm to attack these Enlightenment Grounds simultaneously. His Majesty has sought out help from cultivators beyond the realm in order to save the common people from our shared foe. These Enlightenment Grounds are demons that devour the innocent—but they are not invincible! By joining forces, we can destroy them. Many Immortal cities have reported victories over these Enlightenment Grounds. I ask all of you here today to stand with me and defend Qingyun. Together, we shall slay this demon and save the world. His Majesty will generously reward those who aid us in victory!" the official proclaimed.

"Don't worry, City Lord of Qingyun. We came to Qingyun today to stand and fight with you. These Enlightenment Grounds can sense where large groups of cultivators gather. If we don't work together with you, we'll be easy prey when they come for our sects. We'll support Daliang!" one cultivator declared.

"Right! We'll fight alongside Daliang!" many cultivators echoed.

Within the crowd, Xiao Nanfeng frowned. Could all these cultivators be paid actors?