Wayfarer

Chapter 626: Dayin's Dissolution

On the third day, outside Dayin's capital, Ao Canghai glanced at Xiao Nanfeng and spoke coldly. "I see you've claimed the Immortal cities that the Martial Aspect of Violetfrost and the others had been handling."

"I'm upset that the Martial Aspects have perished, but Dayin's cultivators were poised to regain control of their cities thereafter. Rather than having them reclaimed by Yin Shenhua, wouldn't we be better off if I seized control of them instead?"

"You even wrested control of the Immortal cities that various external forces initially seized. They convinced various city lords to switch their allegiance, but you worked on those officials whose authority were second only to those city lords! They took down the city lords and seized control of the cities themselves," Ao Canghai continued, frowning.

"I was simply fortunate that they chose to do so," Xiao Nanfeng replied smoothly.

"Fortunate? In addition to the Immortal cities that have suddenly declared for Dazheng over the last two days, you must have gotten almost forty Immortal cities in all! An astounding feat," Ao Canghai said enviously.

He had only claimed a scant few cities himself, but Xiao Nanfeng had acquired forty all at once, an order of magnitude higher. How was he to swallow this discrepancy?

"The people have completely lost their faith in Dayin. I was lucky to have made my move in time," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Was it all luck? I heard that Zhang Lingjun and your other body, along with a large number of your subordinates, have been running back and forth along these Immortal cities and slaughtering all those who resist," Ao Canghai said.

"That's right. There are so many cities that I'm exhausted," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

Ao Canghai: ...

Why did listening to Xiao Nanfeng speak make him so angry?

Forty Immortal cities in a mere two days—it was only natural that he would be exhausted. Plenty of cultivators would have gladly suffered such exhaustion!

Ao Canghai didn't want to speak with Xiao Nanfeng any longer, but had no choice but to ask, "You said that you would make Dayin lose its three hundred cities within three days. You've taken control of almost forty yourself, but what about the remaining two hundred or so? It's already the third day. You weren't playing a joke on us, were you?"

Xiao Nanfeng looked at the position of the sun. He was silent for a moment. "It's about time. The cities should soon be lost in their entirety."

"Oh?" Ao Canghai continued to look toward Xiao Nanfeng, confused.

Just then, one of Ao Canghai's subordinates rushed over and reported, "Eastern Aspect, ten of the northeastern Immortal cities of Dayin have suddenly declared their independence. They have unanimously nominated one city lord as emperor to form the empire of Dali."

"What?" Ao Canghai exclaimed.

The sea of fortune in the skies suddenly cracked. A portion of fortune flew in the northeastern direction as the golden dragon in Dayin's sea of fortune howled mournfully.

"It's true! Dayin is rapidly losing its fortune, just as it did when Xiao Nanfeng seized control of his Immortal cities over the last two days.

Then, the sea of fortune cracked further as another large batch of fortune flew away.

"Could something else have happened?" a Martial Aspect exclaimed.

Another of Ao Canghai's subordinates came to report. "Eastern Aspect, eight of Dayin's Immortal cities in the northwest have suddenly declared their independence. They have unanimously nominated one city lord as emperor to govern them all."

"Another one?" Ao Canghai stared.

The golden dragon of fortune howled once again as even more fortune flowed away. The dragon itself seemed to shrink into its own body.

"Eastern Aspect, nine Immortal cities to the west of Dayin have declared their independence."

"Eastern Aspect, the divine empire of Dachi has claimed ten Immortal cities of Dayin."

"Eastern Aspect, the divine empire of Dazhen has claimed three Immortal cities of Dayin."

"Eastern Aspect, another ten Immortal cities have declared their independence."

"Eastern Aspect..."

The information continued to pour in. It seemed as though the Immortal cities had all been in agreement to revolt at the same time.

Dayin lost more and more of its fortune rapidly. The giant golden dragon that had roamed the sea of fortune above Dayin's capital howled as it was weakened severely.

This shocking sight took all the cultivators in the vicinity by storm.

Ao Canghai and the other Martial Aspects suddenly turned to Xiao Nanfeng. Everyone guessed that he had been responsible for this plan.

Dayin had been among the largest of divine empires! Xiao Nanfeng had given himself a three-day deadline, and he had met it. Just what had he done? This was ridiculous!

"There's no need to stare at me, everyone," Xiao Nanfeng said, smiling. "This may well be a coincidence."

Ao Canghai: ...

The Martial Aspects: ...

No one would believe in such a coincidence. They were all incredibly shocked as they continued to listen to the news and reports pouring in from all over as the sea of fortune in the sky grew smaller and smaller.

Within Dayin's capital, by the entrance to Thunderclap Hall, Yin Shenhua lifted his head to the ever-shrinking pile of fortune overhead. His eyes were filled with vengeance and hatred.

He didn't care about the deaths of the various Buddhas, nor the downfall of Yin Mingwang and Yin Peng. After all, cursed effigies would regenerate in time. As long as he killed the Venerable Buddha and forced him to regurgitate all he had devoured, he was confident that he would be able to revive all his cursed effigy subordinates.

The collapse of Dayin, on the other hand, was a critical blow to his plans. It had taken him countless years to establish such a domain for himself, but its destruction had taken but a scant few months.

"The city of Beiyou declares its independence."

"The city of Beiguang declares its independence."

"The city of Xiye declares its independence."

Behind him, subordinate after subordinate read out the reports they had brought to his intention, causing Yin Shenhua to grow more and more angry.

"Xiao Nanfeng, I'll kill you!" Yin Shenhua shouted, almost as if he were invoking a curse.

The golden dragon in the sky roared as it dissipated, scattering into powder.

Even so, the sea of fortune continued to shrink at an accelerated rate, until a once raging sea was no larger than a lake.

"Your Majesty, in addition to Dayin's capital, about a dozen Immortal cities of Dayin are still under our control. Those Immortal cities are ruled by various Buddhas and bodhisattvas. They've sent word that there are Golden Immortals attacking their cities, and that they might not be able to last for long. They wish to inquire as to what to do," a subordinate reported.

"External forces must be trying to claim as much of Dayin as they can. It's pointless to have those Buddhas and bodhisattvas remain in those cities—they might as well return," Yin Shenhua spat out.

"Understood, Your Majesty!" one subordinate replied.

As those Buddhas and bodhisattvas retreated to Dayin, the cities previously under their control were taken down as well. The lake of fortune above Dayin's capital cracked once more as a critical amount of fortune was depleted.

"Your Majesty, Dayin's capital is the only city we have remaining," one subordinate reported in worry.

Yin Shenhua didn't speak. His eyes were filled with fury and killing intent. As he attempted to rein in his anger, he commanded, "Ask the Immortal Emperor of Dachi when he'll arrive."

One subordinate quickly replied, "The Immortal Emperor of Dachi said that he didn't receive a hundred Immortal cities from us and doesn't intend to show himself at the moment, but he promises that he will do so eventually."

"And the other Immortal Emperors?"

"Their responses are similar, Your Majesty. They don't intend to come over immediately. They claim that..."

"Ha! Cowards and fools all! They intend to take full advantage of me and treat me like a scapegoat. Well—they shall be disappointed," Yin Shenhua cursed.

Beyond Dayin's capital, the Martial Aspects sucked in deep breaths as they heard the reports relayed by their respective subordinates.

"All of them? The three hundred Immortal cities of Dayin, all save Dayin's capital itself, have fallen..." a Martial Aspect murmured.

"It's true," one subordinate confirmed. "The Immortal cities are all under different allegiances now. None have remained with Dayin."

The Martial Aspects gaped at Xiao Nanfeng.

Although they had confirmed this reality, they couldn't help but be perturbed at seeing how calm Xiao Nanfeng was.

His machinations had taken down a divine empire, the largest and most influential territories in the world! Even the Imperial Court would have had to exert great effort to take down a divine empire, but Xiao Nanfeng had done so in what seemed like no time at all. How long had it been since the initial denunciation against Dayin and its destruction?

How could, in fact, an ordinary empire have taken down a divine empire? No one would have thought it possible, but it had happened right before their eyes.

Not long ago, Dazheng had been so weak it could be destroyed by a sweep of their arms. By now, however, it had grown strong enough to destroy a whole divine empire.

The Martial Aspects had played a part in this, but what they had done was minuscule. This was a war between empires, a fight between two interlocking mechanisms of incredible complexity and scale. Countless situations and cultivators were involved—and yet, having paid an insignificant price, Xiao Nanfeng had won an overwhelming victory.

The Martial Aspects were certain that Xiao Nanfeng's reputation would rise rapidly as a result of this war. When was the last time such a feat had been attempted? How could Dazheng, an underdog in every means, have achieved such success?

All the Martial Aspects present felt an intense desire to pry at Xiao Nanfeng's secrets, to understand what he had done to accomplish what he did, to make use of his stratagems for themselves. This war would be one studied and analyzed throughout history—of that they were certain.

Meanwhile, in the distance, the defensive formation around Dayin's capital had finally petered out. Too much of its fortune had been drained to continue sustaining the formation. The loud boom it made as it cracked interrupted everyone's thoughts.

They turned toward Dayin's capital, knowing that this war was almost at an end, but not quite yet.

Dayin had a single cultivator of means remaining: Yin Shenhua. Only by defeating Yin Shenhua would this war truly end.

Everyone waited with bated breath for the denouement of the war. Even the Venerable Buddha, who had been meditating silently by the side, suddenly opened its eyes and took a few steps forward.