Chapter 122: Conference for Merit Evaluation
N0v3lTr0ve served as the original host for this chapter's release on N0v3l--B1n.
A month later, within the cottage that Xiao Nanfeng had made his home, You Jiu was giving him a report.
"Sir Xiao, I've finished restructuring the Hall of Specters, and I've taken control of You Yi's former forces. The entirety of the Hall of Specters will obey your command, my lord.
"Have you found where the Taiqing disciples are being kept?"
"We've identified those who are in possession of a Taiqing disciple, but it's much harder to gauge whether these disciples are still alive." You Jiu frowned.
"Organize a conference in my name across the humans' domain for the gravekeepers, evaluating their performance and rewarding their efforts for a thousand years of service. Send an invitation to every clan head who is a gravekeeper's descendant," Xiao Nanfeng instructed.
"Are you planning to make your move against all the major clans, Sir Xiao?" You Jiu gaped.
"No. I only wish to rescue the Taiqing disciples," Xiao Nanfeng replied, shaking his head.
"I understand, Sir Xiao!"
In a palace hall of Great Yan, the royal family's retainers were gathered around Crown Prince Yan as they read a notice.
"Crown Prince, this announcement was pasted in secret on all four gates of the city last night, and news of it has spread all over. This Nanfeng intends to organize a conference of merit? What a joke," one cultivator commented disdainfully.
Crown Prince Yan frowned. "Not just the four gates of the capital of Great Yan—all thirty six of its cities as well."
"What? Who could have done all that within a single night? The culprit had to have help. Who could it be?" The man frowned.
Crown Prince Yan let out a long sigh. "I have to assume that the worst may have happened to my older brother."
"What brother? Your Highness, aren't you the eldest son of the king?" another cultivator gasped.
You Yi's existence was a deeply held secret.
As Crown Prince Yan motioned to a confidante and nodded, that confidante quickly revealed information about You Yi to those gathered in the hall.
"The Hall of Specters still hasn't fallen? In that case, could Nanfeng have taken it over?!" the cultivators asked.
"Nanfeng? The culprit who foiled Great Yan's plan of unifying the humans' domain," Crown Prince Yan spat out.
"Your Highness, His Majesty is headed to the divine domain, and you've been left in charge of the kingdom. We have pledged to support you. Will you be attending this conference of merit?" someone asked.
"The spectral guards lie skulking in the dark, a hidden danger to us for as long as they persist. My brother had wielded significant authority within the Hall of Specters, and we were able to rest easily—but these spectral guards are now under the control of Nanfeng. They'll be of tremendous danger. To prevent us from being assassinated in the future, and to clean up this threat once and for all, we have to attend," Crown Prince Yan surmised.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
"Additionally, inform the major clan heads of the existence of the Hall of Specters. I suspect that, if they were to find out that it was the Hall of Specters who had been responsible for killing their heirs and destroying their complete inheritances, they'll surely attend as well," Crown Prince Yan instructed.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Within a palace hall of Great Qi, Crown Prince Qi had likewise summoned his retainers to deal with Nanfeng's meeting.
"A conference of merit? Rewarding and punishing gravekeepers for their actions in the last millennium? Haha, does he really think we still live in the past? What gravekeepers? Does he really think that the seal of Great Wei will allow him to command the world? What a fool, what a fool.."
"I've already dispatched my men to search for his whereabouts. Once I've found him, I'll torture him myself and make him reveal Emperor Wei's inheritance."
"Haven't those Taiqing disciples you tortured claimed that Nanfeng was just an Acquisition-realm cultivator a few months ago? Even if he's received Emperor Wei's inheritance, he certainly won't be too strong as is."
The gathered cultivators laughed and joked, all taking it lightly but Crown Prince Qi and a few farsighted retainers.
"A month ago, the Luo clan was destroyed. Don't you remember?" Crown Prince Qi called out.
The retainers' faces went still. The destruction of the Luo clan was still imprinted in everyone's minds; Clan Head Luo was even granted a talisman to control the Immortal's Destruction, but his entire clan was still destroyed! There hasn't been any word from him, so it's likely that he's perished."
"This is an invitation sent by Crown Prince Yan. Have a look," Crown Prince Qi informed everyone.
The cultivators scanned the text of the letter. Crown Prince Yan naturally hadn't mentioned the fact that You Yi had been planning to attack Qi, but only that Xiao Nanfeng had taken control of the Hall of Specters, which had been responsible for a massive purge while on the Luo estate. Clan Head Luo had gone missing ever since.
"No wonder Clan Head Luo's disappearance was so mysterious. The spectral guards have to be the culprit. The Hall of Specters is filled with people—Clan Head Luo's single Immortal killer talisman must not have been enough!"
"The revival of the Hall of Specters? It's been a millennium. Why are these crazed fools still loyal to the successor of Emperor Wei?"
The foremost cultivators of the humans' domain realized that Xiao Nanfeng was no force to be trifled with.
"Your Highness, will you be attending Nanfeng's conference of merit?" Everyone looked toward Crown Prince Qi.
"Of course. Gather all our manpower. We'll destroy the Hall of Specters once and for all, capture Nanfeng, and interrogate him about Emperor Wei's inheritance. If he's so daring as to invite us all, well, he'll have to suffer the consequences," Crown Prince Qi proclaimed.
"Yes, Your Highness!" all his retainers chorused.
"But Nanfeng's notice states that the conference will be held at Mt. Liangjie in a month's time. Mt. Liangjie is precisely at the border of Yan and Qi. The Immortal's Destruction can't reach that far," one cultivator murmured in worry.
"We have a month to prepare, don't we?" Crown Prince Qi's eyes glinted with frost.
The cultivators nodded. One month was sufficient to move the Immortal's Destruction where they needed it to be.
Within a cottage, Xiao Nanfeng continued reading the Taoist scriptures in his jade tablets, making every second count, as the recovered Ye Sanshui stood before him.
"Young Master, when I headed out today, I heard the common people mention that you would be challenging the royal families of Yan and Qi, along with the major clans of both kingdoms, all by yourself?" Ye Sanshui couldn't help but want to confirm something so ludicrous.
"Even the common people are aware of this?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously, putting down the jade tablet.
"The news must have been leaked by the major clans. Their servants are common people, and it's not difficult to have news spread that way. All the major clans appear to be anxiously preparing for the conference, gathering their strength in preparation to kill you. The two royal families also view you as a great nemesis," Ye Sanshui reported.
"Is that so?" Xiao Nanfeng nodded in understanding.
"Young Master, there are many Ascension-realm cultivators among them. Won't it be dangerous for you to host this conference?" Ye Sanshui asked.
"That's just a facade," Xiao Nanfeng replied. "My main objective is to rescue the scattered Taiqing disciples."
"Oh?" Ye Sanshui was shocked.
"Senior Brother Ye, if you're interested, feel free to accompany me to the conference."
"Ah? Of course!" Ye Sanshui nodded, a complicated look on his face.