Wayfarer

Blue Lantern manipulated a group of stars with the help of the star map.

"Starlit blades!" Blue Lantern commanded.

A series of starlit beams descended from the heavens, straight toward the Dragon Yanluo.

"Do you think another cultivator will do the trick? They won't be able to hurt me. Didn't you see what just happened?" The Dragon Yanluo smirked and threw another punch at the beams.

Just then, the beams began to resonate. They transformed into 361 sharp blades, shooting toward the Dragon Yanluo like a rain of arrows.

"What?" The Dragon Yanluo blanched.

The 361 starlit blades possessed boundless force and were poised to annihilate the world. They struck the Dragon Yanluo head on in a massive explosion that formed a flaming mushroom cloud above the Eastern Sea. Incredible shockwaves spread across the surface of the sea, forcing even Xiao Nanfeng and Mr. Wen to retreat.

"What impressive starlit blades! This is surely the true strength of the formation. Blue Lantern is an incredible expert. Where did you find him, Xiao Nanfeng? He's no inferior to the premier expert from the divine empire of Dafeng!" Mr. Wen exclaimed

Mr. Wen might not be particularly skilled with formations, but his superlative insight was more than sufficient to determine Blue Lantern's skill with his craft.

After the explosion dissipated, the starlit barrier was revealed in its pristine glory. The Dragon Yanluo trapped within, however, was in far worse a state. His robe was in tatters and his body marred with wounds. Fresh blood spilled forth.

"This damned treasure—release me from this barrier and I'll tear you apart!" the Dragon Yanluo demanded.

"You're done for now. Starlit blades, again!" Blue Lantern shouted.

Another series of starlit beams descended from the heavens and transformed into 361 blades that shot straight toward the Dragon Yanluo.

"No!" the Dragon Yanluo yelled.

The huge explosion formed another flaming mushroom cloud.

Blue Lantern easily manipulated the Formation of the Complete Heavens and drew out the full extent of its strength.

Mr. Wen clenched his fists, his body trembling, his eyes red. He shivered in budding excitement and the thought of revenge.

"Mr. Wen, you truly bear the Dragon Yanluo a considerable grudge, don't you?" Xiao Nanfeng said.

Mr. Wen sighed. He calmed himself down and smiled wryly. "This is the culmination of a century of planning. Forgive me for not being able to control myself fully."

"I understand how you feel. Might I ask about the nature of this grudge?"

Mr. Wen responded after a moment of silence. "This was a secret I've long kept. With revenge imminent, however, I have nothing to hide any longer. Have you heard of the divine empire of Dafeng?"

"I have. Its capital was Fengdu. A century ago, you assisted the crown prince of Fengdu in rebelling. You almost succeeded—but failed at the final critical juncture. The divine empire of Dafeng collapsed as a result."

"Impressive sleuthing," Mr. Wen replied, taken aback.

"I suspect the situation wasn't quite so simple, was it?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

Mr. Wen nodded. "Indeed—but the Immortal Emperor of Dafeng deserved to die."

"Oh?"

"That year, the Immortal Emperor of Dafeng was beset by grief over his deceased wife. He had heard of a hidden realm by Fengdu which harbored an incredible treasure that could revive his dead wife."

"Truly? Does such a treasure really exist?"

"It's a legend that has persisted. Many cultivators at the time dissuaded the Immortal Emperor of Dafeng from pursuing it, but he refused to listen. In order to revive his wife, he chose to break the seal and open an entrance into the hidden realm—the abyss that now lies outside Fengdu."

"Just what sort of treasure can revive the dead?"

"The 'Records of Life and Death,'" Mr. Wen replied. [1]

"Oh?"

It was much like the Records of Life and Death that existed back on Earth.

"Once the portal into the abyss was opened, the Immortal emperor launched expeditions to search for the records within. The conclusion was that the abyssal hidden realm could only be entered by Heaven Immortals and those of lower cultivation; any who were stronger would surely die."

"Heaven Immortals at most?" Xiao Nanfeng remarked in surprise.

"Indeed so. Of course, those beyond the realm of Heaven Immortals can enter, but they'll have to cripple themselves and lower their cultivation artificially. Even suppressing their cultivation wouldn't have been enough to hide from the special restrictions within. Only Heaven Immortals and below can make it out of the abyss—and most Heaven Immortals didn't stand a chance, either."

"What happened next?"

"The Immortal Emperor arranged for many Heaven Immortals to search for the Records of Life and Death, but few were interested upon learning how dangerous the abyssal depths were. The emperor forcibly conscripted my family on threat of death—and they all perished." Mr. Wen's eyes brimmed with hatred.

"And in order to seek revenge for your family, you instigated the crown prince to rebel?"

Mr. Wen nodded. "My intention was to avenge my family, but had little direct recourse to doing so. After all, the Immortal Emperor was far stronger than I was. By that time, he had grown somewhat crazy because of his desire. He had forced so many Heaven Immortals into dying in the abyssal depths and fomented enough hatred to spark a wave of rebellion. Coincidentally, I noticed that the crown prince bore such intentions. Under my instigation and scheming, he gathered all the emperor's enemies and began to plot. Just as the rebellion was about to succeed, I discovered the hidden truth."

"Oh?"

"One day, the crown prince introduced me to a close confidante of his: the Dragon Yanluo. The Dragon Yanluo even tried to recruit me, but I was suspicious of him and decided to dig deeper. Gradually, I learned the truth. All of this was part of the crown prince's scheme. He was the one who had initially introduced the rumor of the 'Records of Life and Death' to the Immortal Emperor. He had intended for his own father, blinded by love for his wife, to release the cursed king and doom the empire so that he could take the opportunity to kill his father and ascend to the throne. Unfortunately, although the first seal to the abyss had been broken, the second, Heaven's Hand, yet remained. The crown prince's scheme had failed, and he had no choice but to continue waiting. Meanwhile, the Heaven Immortals that the Immortal Emperor dispatched into the abyss in search of the Records of Life and Death were killed by the Dragon Yanluo, as were my relatives. The Dragon Yanluo managed to escape from imprisonment by chance, and attempted to have the crown prince augment his forces. He brought a large number of his subordinates along with him, and they possessed many of the rebellion's strongest cultivators. He said that he would split control of the world with the crown prince—but in truth, he and the crown prince were solely trying to take advantage of each other. Did they really think I would continue helping them scheme? I think not." Mr. Wen's eyes were frosty.

"So you revealed the truth of the matter to the Immortal Emperor?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"I did. They were all responsible for the death of my relatives. Why should I allow either of them to succeed? The best outcome would be mutual demise. As I expected, the Immortal emperor and crown prince both died, and the ordinary cursed effigies were likewise eradicated. Even the Dragon Yanluo was deeply wounded to the point of death by the Immortal Emperor. In securing this outcome, I too suffered a malady that has plagued me since."

"So that's what happened."

"The problem was that the Dragon Yanluo was a cursed effigy who wouldn't die so easily. I couldn't end things just like that, either. At the very least, I would have to suppress it. Alongside other victims who suffered like me, I buried my name and identity. I wanted to acquire a treasure that would be able to completely suppress the Dragon Yanluo. Later, I learned of the effects of the Star Map of the Complete Heavens, and decided to work with the Xiang clan in an attempt to acquire it."

"Oh?"

"I helped the Xiang clan break into the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm and seize the Immortal pills that lay within, allowing them to augment their cultivation. I had only a single request: the star map. They initially followed my plans obediently and benefited greatly as a result, but were ultimately shortsighted enough to attempt to assassinate me, believing that I would divulge their secrets. How laughable! If your father hadn't passed by and saved me by chance, however, I may really have died."

"No wonder," Xiao Nanfeng replied, frowning.

"I knew then that the Xiang clan had been a bad choice, that they were too limited in what they could perceive and dream. I sought another backer. I was intending to help your father claim everything in the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm, but he fell prey to Nalan Qiankun's scheme and left in advance. I then laid the groundwork for working with Nalan Qiankun, who did seem to be a good choice at the beginning—but you know the rest."

"Mr. Wen, did you once have four disciples named for the four arts, Qin, Qi, Shu, and Hua?"

"The four that you killed, you mean? They were my students, but not by choice. Nalan Qiankun assigned them to me to spy on me. It was good that you killed them, and I don't intend to seek revenge on you for doing so."

"Good!" Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

As the two cultivators talked, the fight in the distance came to an end.

Blue Lantern repeatedly struck at the Dragon Yanluo with the starlit blades, wounding him more and more with every blow. Trapped within the starlit barrier, the Dragon Yanluo was incapable of escaping, and dodging the attacks, and he was at his wit's end.

"Kill him, starlit blades!" Blue Lantern commanded.

Another 361 blades shot down. The Dragon Yanluo roared, "I'll have you pay back the humiliation and pain I suffered a hundredfold, you damned bugs!"

Then, the Dragon Yanluo self-destructed, shattering the starlit barrier in a massive explosion that caused heaven and earth alike to quake.

1. A relic of ancient Chinese legend, a record of all lifeforms in the world and their fated birth, death, and all that lies between. Under the control of the Yanluo Lords of hell. ☜

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