Wayfarer

Chapter 649: The Five Martial Aspects

Chapter 649: The Five Martial Aspects

In peak condition, the Golden Immortals wouldn't have been worried about the explosion of Golden Immortal relics beside them, but they had already undergone three whole days' and nights' worth of fighting and were already on their last legs. Dealing with a close-ranged explosion now was an incredibly strenuous affair.

It was obvious they would lose their banners; just protecting their own lives was difficult enough.

The four Golden Immortals, badly injured, weakly turned to flee.

Ye Dafu and his four golden cultivators surrounded the Demon Child in the flash of an eye.

"Go on, attack them!" the Demon Child howled.

A group of True Immortal candidates rushed over, but they had already been defeated by the golden cultivators before. With their Golden Immortal relics in hand, the golden cultivators quickly trounced them once again.

"Listen up!" Ye Dafu shouted. "Any of you who dares to bother us, you'll have to pay with your lives. If you want to take that risk, feel free!"

The True Immortals hung back in hesitation.

Then, Ye Dafu turned to the Demon Child. "Come on. Hand your Martial Aspect banner over."

"Dream on! You liars, pretending to have lost! I'll take you all down!" the Demon Child roared as he shot over.

The gathered golden cultivators activated their Golden Immortal relics, deflecting the demon-subduing golden hoop. Ye Dafu threw a punch at the Demon Child's face, causing it to swell up.

"Wah! You're bullying a child like me? You're horrible! I won't let you go! My Senior Brother will take you all down!" the Demon Child shouted, clutching his swollen face.

"If you don't hand over your banner, we'll keep beating you up!" Ye Dafu shouted, raising a fist.

"Dream on! Never!" the Demon Child refused stubbornly.

"Beat him up, then!" Ye Dafu commanded.

His crew of golden cultivators leapt forward and began to pummel the Demon Child.

The Demon Child cried and screamed in a chilling fashion.

For five hulking cultivators to beat up a young child—countless cultivators on the outside watched with bated breath. What a horrifying scene!

Black Dog anxiously ran toward Ao Zhou. "Martial Aspect Ao Zhou, can you contact the five True Immortals within? The Demon Child is still young and immature. Please spare him!"

"Spare him? The same way he spared Ye Dafu when he gave him a beating?" Ao Zhou retorted.

The Demon Child had shamed him greatly by beating him up, but there was little he could do with Xiao Nanfeng having brokered peace and resolved the matter. Now that the Demon Child was getting beaten up himself, Ao Zhou was feeling particularly exuberant.

Black Dog fretted anxiously, not knowing what to do, when Xiao Nanfeng flew back toward the plaza. "Don't worry, Black Dog. I'll have Ye Dafu and the others go easy on him. The Demon Child ought to pay a price for being bossy and domineering, and I'm happy to teach him a lesson on behalf of the Yuqing holy land."

"But—"

"He won't die," Xiao Nanfeng said.

Black Dog sighed, but had no choice but to nod in exasperation. The Southern Aspect wasn't present, and he hardly had the authority to interfere with the business of Martial Aspects from other quadrants.

Just then, a voice rang out, "Time's up!"

The violet barrier unfolded as the Martial Aspect selection came to an end.

The four weakened Golden Immortals rushed out from hiding and headed straight for the Martial Aspects with whom they were familiar for protection.

"Time's up! No more fighting!" Black Dog shouted, rushing over to the Demon Child.

The golden cultivators in the distance turned around.

"What? It's already over? I just started beating him up!"

"We haven't even warmed up yet!"

"That's it? I demand more!"

The golden cultivators were fuming.

They walked out of the barrier, each with a banner in hand, leaving the Demon Child behind in a pile of ruins, bruises all over his body.

"You're inhumane! How could you beat up a little kid like me? Wah!" The Demon Child's bawling could be heard all over.

After they were led through the paperwork, an official led them away. "The Eastern Aspect wishes to speak with you."

The newly minted Martial Aspects all turned to Xiao Nanfeng.

"Go on. The Eastern Aspect has the keys for all the Martial Aspects' manors, and you'll need to greet him regardless," Xiao Nanfeng said.

The cultivators nodded and followed Xiao Nanfeng to a nearby hall.

Everyone entered to see Ao Canghai standing with his hands behind his back, staring at a map pinned on the wall.

"We greet the Eastern Aspect." The cultivators bowed.

Only then did Ao Canghai turn around. He smiled. "Martial Aspect Xiao, your subordinates are rather skilled, aren't they?"

"You overpraise me, Eastern Aspect. They were simply lucky," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

Ao Canghai's eyes flashed with annoyance and hatred before he plastered a smile across his face. He addressed the five new Martial Aspects. "I'll leave Martial Aspect Xiao to explain the customs of the Hall of Martial Aspects to you. These are the keys to your new manors. I hope none of you will disgrace your new titles."

"Yes, Eastern Aspect!" Ye Dafu and the others chorused, bowing.

"Ao Zhou," Ao Canghai began.

"Yes, Eastern Aspect!" Ao Zhou replied.

"New Martial Aspects are responsible for Martial Aspect missions after a half-year grace period. You've passed that threshold, and it's time you accept a task of your own," Ao Canghai said.

"Didn't I just participate in the destruction of Dayin?" Ao Zhou frowned.

"That was a special order from the Heavenly Emperor himself, and doesn't count as a Martial Aspect mission," Ao Canghai replied.

Ao Zhou frowned. "Understood, Eastern Aspect. What are your orders?"

"An empire that provides a tithe to the Imperial Court is requesting aid by the south of the Eastern Sea. There's a spiritbeast lair known as the Southeastern Aquatic Palace that has been disturbing the peace in its vicinity. They've petitioned the Imperial Court for help, and the Imperial Court is obliged to provide assistance given their tithe of fortune. This mission involves clearing out the Southeastern Aquatic Palace, and the time limit for this mission is a year. Are you willing to accept it?" Ao Canghai asked Ao Zhou.

Ao Zhou turned to Xiao Nanfeng, who nodded.

"I am, Eastern Aspect," Ao Zhou said.

"Very good. Claim this task, then."

"Understood!" Ao Zhou nodded.

"All of you may go."

"Yes, Eastern Aspect!" The Martial Aspects retreated from the hall.

After they all left, Ao Canghai's eyes glinted coldly.

As they walked away from the hall, Ao Zhou asked Xiao Nanfeng, "Ao Canghai's sure to be trying to target me. Why did you have me accept?"

"If he's going to target you regardless, it doesn't matter what task you accept, does it? They'll all be problematic," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Oh?"

"I've heard of this Southeastern Aquatic Palace before."

"You have?"

"That's right, but only in the last few days. The Southeastern Aquatic Palace has been a nuisance for years, and it's never been dealt with to date. The reason is that it's backed by a certain Martial Aspect," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"Which one?"

"Martial Aspect Tu Feng."

"And who's that?" Ao Zhou asked.

"He's the Martial Aspect in the Southern Quadrant responsible for scheming against the Demon Child in an attempt to seize some Martial Aspect positions during the selection."

Ao Zhou frowned. His eyes widened in understanding. "Ao Canghai's planning to take advantage of us to get revenge on him!"

Xiao Nanfeng nodded.