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Su Yi’s gaze swept across their surroundings. “There are two others.”
Hua Xinfeng’s pupils constricted. “Who?”
Su Yi immediately pointed them out.
The first was the golden-robed man seated beside High Elder Gu Qingdu of the Profound Moon Temple.
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He wore topaz-colored robes, his skin was fair and clear, and his features were handsome, but when he smiled, the corners of his eyes rose slightly, giving him a wild and unruly air.
“The sixth prince of the Great Qin, Qin Fu?” Despite herself, Hua Xinfeng was visibly stunned.
Qin Fu was the sixth of the Qin Emperor’s sons. He was born into wealth and privilege, and he’d cultivated in the Profound Moon Temple from a young age. He was an outstanding talent with a top-class spirit root, and the experts of the Profound Moon Temple attached enormous importance to him.
He was now a Xiantian Martial Ancestor and the most prominent of the Great Qin’s Eight Geniuses. They said he was the nation’s strongest Xiantian Martial Ancestor in three hundred years!
Hua Xinfeng would never have guessed that someone with such a lofty status had most likely long since been possessed!
Did the Great Qin’s imperial family know about this?
What about the old fogies of the Profound Moon Temple? Could they tell that there was something fishy about Qin Fu?
Hua Xinfeng couldn’t help but fall into a bit of a daze.
The Ten Directions Pavilion knew all sorts of secrets, and their information network was extremely far-reaching, yet they had never noticed that one of the Possessed lurked within the Great Qin’s imperial family.
After a while, Hua Xinfeng couldn’t help but ask, “What about the other one?”
“She only half counts,” said Su Yi, glancing at the Donghua Sword Sect’s Shang Luoyu.
She was dressed in a black muslin dress, with fair skin and a cold and noble countenance. She had a massive sword strapped to her back, making her a peerless beauty with an intimidating aura.
“How is that
” This time, Hua Xinfeng was completely flabbergasted. According to the secret intelligence at the Ten Directions Pavilion’s disposal, Shang Luoyu was the direct disciple of the leader of the Donghua Sword Sect. She was like Yue Shichan; both were legendary figures of their generation, the type you might only see once in a hundred, or even a thousand, years.
According to their intelligence, Shang Luoyu was shockingly talented, and she had a mysterious bloodline power. Several years ago, she won the Donghua Sword Sect’s Celestial Xiezhi Sword’s approval. Her cultivation was so lofty that many older generation experts of the Donghua Sword Sect could only lower their heads in shame before her.
How could a peerlessly beautiful and talented lady sword cultivator possibly have been possessed?
“Wait, what do you mean, she’s only half possessed?” Hua Xingfeng couldn’t help but ask.
“She hasn’t been possessed, but a mysterious soul power exists within her body,” Su Yi said casually. “Do you remember the demonic spirit that possessed Su Hongli? Shang Luoyu’s situation is similar. If I’m not mistaken, the mysterious entity inside her comes from her sword.”
“The Celestial Xiezhi Sword!” Hua Xinfeng’s heart shook, and she instantly understood. “So that’s it! The Donghua Sword Sect’s Celestial Xiezhi sword is something their leader brought back from the Sea of Chaotic Spirits thirty years ago. They say he found it in the ruins of the ancient Celestial Xiezhi Sect.
“It seems that, when Shang Luoyu won the sword’s approval, a wisp of soul power left the sword and took up residence within her body!”
She couldn’t help but glance at Su Yi once more, feeling rather confused. Isn’t he a bit too discerning? He saw through all those mysteries after a single glance?
Suddenly, throughout the jade platform, all conversation died down as the prominent guests all looked in the same direction.
A graying elder with a youthful face and wide-sleeved, purple robes walked onto the jade platform. This was none other than the host of tonight’s banquet, the second elder of the Great Qin’s Secluded Dragons, Qin Dongxu.
He smiled as he swept his gaze across the guests and clasped his fist in greeting. “I apologize for keeping you waiting. The banquet shall now begin.”
As soon as he said this, a throng of young servant girls appeared, carrying all kinds of delicacies, which they set before their guests.
After a few more pleasantries and three toasts, Qin Dongxu finally laughed and said, “I know you’ve all come here on account of the Immortals’ Sword House. I arranged this banquet precisely to discuss that very matter with all of you, my Fellow Daoists.”
Everyone promptly lowered their forks and chopsticks. All eyes were upon Qin Dongxu, and the entire venue fell deathly silent.
When he saw this, Qin Dongxu no longer beat around the bush. “I am in possession of an ancient secret map, and I highly suspect it’s connected to the ruins of the Immortals Sword House. If we seek out good fortune in accordance with the secret map, we can avert numerous potentially fatal disasters.”
This declaration shook the entire venue, and numerous prominent figures were visibly tempted.
None of them would have guessed that Qin Dongxu had gotten his hands on such a map.
Hua Xinfeng’s eyes lit up, and she transmitted to Su Yi, “We really were right to come here. If we can get a look at that map, we’ll achieve twice the results with half the work during our upcoming expedition.”
“If you were in possession of such a map, would you publicly reveal it?” asked Su Yi calmly.
Hua Xinfeng paused, then mulled it over. “When you put it that way, it seems Qin Dongxu, the old fox, is plotting something.”
“Fellow Daoist Qin, did you mean that?” said the grand elder of the Profound Moon Temple, Gu Qingdu.
“Absolutely, every word,” said Qin Dongxu with a faint smile. “I called for this meeting to invite some of my fellow Daoists to join me in seeking out good fortune.”
The entire venue was instantly in uproar, and numerous guests were tempted.
Gu Qingdu continued, “Brother Qin, let’s say we’re interested in joining forces with your Secluded Dragon Mountain. What are your conditions?”
“My goal isn’t to discuss conditions,” said Qin Dongxu. “However, if you wish to join me in this venture, there’s one thing you must guarantee.”
“What is it?”
The crowd’s interest was visibly piqued. Qing Dongxu swept his gaze across the room, then said just five syllables. “We must kill Su Yi!”
The entire venue fell silent.
Su Yi’s name seemed to possess magic power. All of the prominent guests’ expressions shifted. They finally understood why Qin Dongxu was willing to reveal his secret map. This was the crux of the matter; he wanted to gather a team of experts to take down Su Yi!
Hua Xinfeng’s gaze turned a bit strange.
She’d asked around earlier, and her informants said that Qin Dongxu planned to announce something important. She would never have guessed that “something important” referred to taking down Su Yi!
This
. This was far too great a coincidence.
Su Yi just sat there, contentedly sipping his wine, as if this didn’t affect him in the least.
“Don’t tell me Su Yi is headed to the Sea of Chaotic Spirits as well?” someone asked.
“That’s right.” Qin Dongxu nodded. “I’ve received word that the boy left the Great Zhou’s Heaven’s Origin Academy two days ago. Unless something unexpected happened, he’s already reached the Great Qin’s borders. It’s highly likely that he’s in the Dongfu Prefectural Capital as we speak.”
This declaration threw the venue into uproar once more.
“If you want to take down Su Yi, the Profound Moon Temple won’t just sit back and watch,” said Gu Qingdu gravely, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.
This was tantamount to the entire Profound Moon Temple making its position clear. They were going to work with Qin Dongxu to take down Su Yi!
“Who knows how many members of our Shanglin Temple have fallen at Su Yi’s hands? He even brutally murdered Elder Lonely River. If he dares show his face, our Shanglin Temple won’t remain uninvolved,” said the aged monk Clarifying Truth. This was an expression of his grim determination to kill Su Yi.
When they saw this, the uproar among the other illustrious guests only increased.
“Brother Qin, count me in,” said the scholarly, elegant, well-mannered You Changkong in a calm voice. “I won’t keep it from everyone; I, You Changkong, am not here in search of good fortune. My only purpose is to take Su Yi’s head.”
By now, the Profound Moon Temple, Shanglin Temple, and the You Family, three major factions of the Great Qin, had all expressed willingness to join forces and take Su Yi down!
This was an absolutely terrifying lineup!
Qin Dongxu’s smile intensified. “Right, I forgot something. Fellow Daoist Nie Xingkong of the Great Zhou’s Hidden Dragon Sword Sect shall be joining us as well.”
This provoked widespread commotion, and all eyes turned toward Nie Xingkong. The sect leader sat beside Clarifying Truth, his expression wooden. He had no reaction to this announcement; he and Qin Dongxu had obviously already discussed this.
“Tch, is that Possessed hoping to get revenge for Shi Fengliu?” Hua Xinfeng’s eyebrows shot up.
“He’s seeking death,” said Su Yi, taking another sip of wine.
Numerous cultivators of the Great Qin proceeded to make their positions clear. They were willing to join forces with Qin Dongxu.
Their ranks included the master of Red Lotus Sword Manor, Lin Yubei, as well as others Su Yi had never even heard of.
“Are any other Fellow Daoists interested in an alliance?” As Qin Dongxu said this, his gaze turned toward where the Donghua Sword Sect members were seated.
Two of the Great Qin’s cultivation factions had made their positions clear already. Only the Donghua Sword Sect remained.
Before the Cloudstone Venerate could speak, Lan Suo directly refused. “We’re not interested in joining forces.”
Everyone in attendance was flabbergasted.
Qin Dongxu furrowed his brow.
Gu Qingdu, Clarifying Truth, and You Changkong all looked over.
It was then that something even more surprising happened—
Shang Luoyu furrowed her brow and said in a clear, cold voice, “Martial Aunt Lan Suo, I heard that Su Yi saved your life while you were in the Great Zhou. Don’t tell me that that’s why you’re refusing to participate?”
The atmosphere instantly turned strange.
Lan Suo was the Cloudstone Venerate’s direct disciple, while Shang Luoyu was the direct disciple of the Donghua Sword Sect’s leader. By seniority, they were a generation apart.
That was why Shang Luoyu called Lan Suo “Martial Aunt.”
However, Shang Luoyu’s words weren’t the least bit polite! She was obviously implying something!
When they learned that Su Yi had once saved her life, the way that many of the other guests looked at Lan Suo changed; their gazes carried newfound coldness.
Lan Suo keenly picked up on the banquet’s changed atmosphere, but it seemed she didn’t care. She just said calmly, “Shang Luoyu, you’re overthinking this.”
Shang Luoyu shook her head. “Even if I’m overthinking this, your attitude cannot represent the entire Donghua Sword Sect.”
She then looked at Qin Dongxu and said, “Senior, if you’re willing to let me see your secret map, I can agree to help you fight Su Yi!”
Qin Dongxu laughed. “Of course that’s alright.”
Lan Suo’s brow furrowed with anger. “Shang Luoyu, you’ve targeted me at every turn, but I couldn’t be bothered to take you to task for it, but now you’re monkeying around even at a time like this? Aren’t you afraid of bringing fatal disaster upon yourself?”
Shang Luoyu said icily, “Martial Aunt, don’t tell me that in your eyes, Senior Qin and the rest of those planning to target Su Yi are all ‘monkeying around’? And what’s this ‘fatal disaster’ you’re on about? Don’t you think you’re being ridiculous?”
When he saw the two women staring daggers at each other, the Cloudstone Venerate couldn’t help but frown and chastise them. “Enough! This argument ends here.”
He then turned to Qin Dongxu. “Lan Suo won’t be participating, and neither will I! It’s getting late, so I’ll be on my way.”
With that, he rose and started leading Lan Suo away. He ignored Shang Luoyu completely.
Shang Luoyu’s expression shifted, and she couldn’t help but say, “Martial Grand-Uncle, isn’t your decision tantamount to becoming enemies with everyone here?”
This question was extremely disrespectful!