Yue Shichan fell silent for a while, then said, âBrother Su, can I⊠become your attendant?â
Sheâd wracked her brains for ways to repay Su Yiâs benevolence, but aside from working on his behalf, she couldnât figure out anything sufficient to convey her sincerity.
Mere verbal expressions of gratitude were the weakest of all.
As for external itemsâŠ
It was fair to say that she didnât have a penny to her name. She couldnât possibly offer a treasure grand enough to express her gratitude to him for saving her life.
In the mundane world, they spoke of women with ânothing to offer but their bodiesâ, but Yue Shichan detested and disdained that approach more than anything. That would cheapen her, and it would be disrespectful to Su Yi too.
Thus, Yue Shichan ultimately came up with this method of repayment. By working for Su Yi, she could repay his gift of a new life.
When Su Yi heard this, he sighed. âI said I didnât save you to make you repay me. Besides, do you think I need an attendant like you?â
Yue Shichan was instantly despondent, and her eyes dimmed. This was already the only method she could think of.
But it seemed⊠Su Yi wasnât willing to accept it.
Su Yi smiled faintly, then gazed seriously at Yue Shichanâs beautiful, melon-seed-shaped face. âMy former offer still stands. So long as youâre willing, I can be your guide to the Dao of the Sword. From this day forth, youâre welcome to cultivate by my side, but youâll always be free to leave whenever you please.â
Yue Shichanâs heart shook, and her bright eyes widened. She looked at Su Yi in disbelief, her graceful, extraordinary figure quivering slightly.
Anyone could tell how excited she was!
Su Yi smiled. âOf course, just as I said before, Iâm not taking you on as my apprentice, so donât get too excited too soon. Take your time and think it over carefully.â
With that, he rose and walked over to the distant lotus pond.
Yue Shichanâs voice sounded from behind him, like the music of the heavens. âBrother Su, Iâm beside myself with joy; thereâs no way Iâd refuse like I did last time!â
Su Yi turned to look and saw the young woman in white standing beneath the light of the morning sun, pretty as a painting, with a radiant smile on her face.
All Su Yi could think was that her beauty made even heaven and earth seem dim by comparison.
Su Yi smiled, seemingly gratified, and said, âIâm eager for the day when your attainments in the Dao of the Sword shake the Azure Continent.â
She was a natural talent for the Dao of the Sword. He deeply looked forward to the day that, with his guidance, her brilliance dazzled the world!
Shake the Azure Continent⊠Brother Su sure set his sights high⊠But from this, I can see how much he values meâŠ
Her starry eyes gradually brightened. They were staunch and resolute, and they glinted like the edge of a sword and shone with extraordinary radiance.
She gazed at Su Yiâs distant silhouette and said to herself, One day, I shall surely meet your expectations. I absolutely wonât let you down.
Meanwhile, by the lotus pond. Su Yi had already cast aside all distracting thoughts and begun his daily drills.
When it came to his cultivation, he never slacked off. The path of cultivation was one of daily accumulations; it was a matter of persistent effort!
His blue robes swayed beneath the morning sun. His movements were slow and natural, each gesture perfectly harmonious, as if he were embracing heaven and earth. Each breath and exhalation drew upon the divine rhythm of his surroundings.
The force of his fist was neither Buddhist nor demonic, neither Confucian nor Daoist. It used the void as a guide and origin power as its root. In his past life, Su Yiâs good friend, the Peerless Martial Emperor, saw the technique he now practiced as the greatest foundational technique of the Origin Dao in the Wilds!
The Great Emptiness Origin-Calming Sutra!
As he practiced, the fist force repeatedly tempered and nourished Su Yiâs essence, qi, and spirit.
He had ample cultivation resources and the greatest Origin Dao cultivation technique throughout the ages. Heâd been cultivating assiduously lately too.
He was already nearing the mid-stage Origin Palace Realm!
âMiss Shichan, please, have some tea.â Bai Wenqing offered her a cup of spirit tea.
Yue Shichan thanked her, then said, âBig Sister Bai, you can just call me âShichan.ââ
Bai Wenqing smiled and agreed.
When she first met Wen Xinzhao, she felt startled, as if sheâd encountered some sort of divine building. She wondered if it were even possible to find a celestial beauty on par with the Little Sword Demon in this world.
After meeting Yue Shichan, Bai Wenqing realized she was mistaken.
From her appearance and natural charms to her disposition, Yue Shichan wasnât the least bit inferior to Wen Xinzhao. Furthermore, she had her own unique smile; she was icy and aloof, transcendent and ethereal.
Wen Xinzhao was a city-toppling, nation-toppling stunner.
Each was a first-class, absolute beauty of their generation.
To an ordinary person, encountering either one of them was eight lifetimesâ worth of accumulated fortune.
Yet now, both beautiful young women had formed positive karmic ties with Su Yi. Bai Wenqing couldnât help but sigh. Should I say that Senior Su is lucky? Or that the two of them are lucky?
âBig Sister Bai, might you tell me about Brother Su?â Yue Shichan asked softly.
Bai Wenqing hesitated, then whispered back, âI met him not long ago, so I understand very little. Youâd be better off asking Yuan Heng.â
Yue Shichan nodded. Before long, Yuan Heng showed up, and upon request, he told them about everything that had occurred since he and Su Yi left the Great Zhou together. His tone was awed and reverent.
Of course, there were some things he knew he shouldnât say. Those, he left out.
Even so, Yue Shichan was utterly absorbed.
At Floating Immortal Ridge, he destroyed a ghost cultivator like the Firewood Daoist with a snap of his fingers.
On Billowing Sky River, he cut down a group of the Great Chuâs cultivators.
In Cold Emerald Valley, he slew a group of cultivators from the Southern Skies Province as easily as if they were chickens or monkeys.
At the Spiritbend Assembly, he single-handedly slew the Nirvanic Winds Holy Son and turned the tide.
âŠ.
Just hearing about this series of grand battles made Yue Shichanâs heart swell, and her bright eyes sparkled.
Su Yi had, without the slightest politeness, cut down even the mighty disciples of Cloudsky Divine Palace. Even the most distinguished member of the Fulcrum of Heaven Sword Sectâs younger generation, Jiang Li, conceded and apologized to him. Even the Spiritual Manifestation black flood dragon of Broken Dragon Cliff treated Su Yi as if he were a deity, referring to him as âMaster Su.â
When she learned this, Yue Shichan was dazed.
She was naturally well aware of how powerful peak-level orthodoxies like Cloudsky Divine Palace and the Fulcrum of Heaven Sword Sect were. She knew how terrifying a Spiritual Manifestation Realm flood dragon was.
But this knowledge only further offset just how transcendently mighty Su Yi was!
She thought back to when they parted ways in the Great Zhou. At the time, Su Yi had yet to step into the Origin Dao.
Only a few months had passed since then, but the imperial preceptor whoâd once shaken the Great Zhou was already starting to display unsurpassed sharpness here in the Great Xia!
âHe⊠Just what kind of person is heâŠ?â Yue Shichan looked dazed, and her heart filled with indescribable curiosity.
She felt as if Su Yi were shrouded in riddles. The closer she got, the more inscrutable and unfathomable he seemed.
When she recalled that, from now on, she could cultivate alongside him, she couldnât help but feel eager.
A little before noon.
Su Yi reclined in his wicker chair beside the lotus pond. Just as he was about to take out moon clams to feed the fish, a guest arrived.
The elegant, amiable middle-aged man in simple cloth robes and the gray-robed Weng Jiu had come knocking at his door.
âWe meet again, Fellow Daoist,â said the middle-aged man in simple cloth robes.
Su Yi remained unmoving and seated in his wicker chair. âNo need for pleasantries. Letâs talk business.â
Weng Jiu already knew that Su Yi was proud to his very bones, but he was nonetheless speechless. Master is paying you a visit in person. That really isnât worth getting up to welcome him for, you little punk?
If that were all it was, itâd be one thing. He said he wanted to talk business, so shouldnât he at least arrange for a place to sit and have someone make them tea?
The middle-aged man, however, thought nothing of it. He casually sat on a boulder by the side of the lotus pond, then said seriously, âFellow Daoist, youâre straightforward and to the point, so Iâll be direct with you too. Iâm here to see you today because I hope to receive your guidance as to how to repair the Nine Tripods Suppression Barrier surrounding the city.â
Su Yi nodded. âI expected it was something like that. However, repairing the formation will be extremely difficult. Are you that confident I can accomplish it?â
The middle-aged man said, âYou could discern the barrierâs situation at a glance; I trust that you have ways to resolve its problems. Even if thereâs only a thread of hope, Iâm willing to try.â
Su Yi said thoughtfully, âIs it urgent?â
The middle-aged man sighed. âBefore long, the world shall undergo a dramatic change. I must finish my preparations before the Radiant Epoch is upon us. If I wait until those ancient orthodoxies re-emerge and otherworld cultivators invade en masse, itâll be too lateâŠ.â
A hint of worry appeared on his brow.
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Su Yi nodded. âThatâs true. When the Radiant Epoch begins, the entire Azure Continent will descend into lasting, unprecedented upheaval. The pre-existing order is doomed to fall apart. Unless the imperial family makes ample preparations, Iâm afraid⊠they wonât be able to maintain their control over the world.â
Weng Jiuâs eyelids twitched. âYoung Lord Su, don't you think your words are a bit improper?â
Su Yi said, âImproper? In that case, why come here to ask for my help?â
Weng Jiu was at a loss for words. He felt so stifled that it was hard to bear. The way this kid talks is simply too detestable!
The middle-aged man sighed lightly. âFellow Daoist, youâre describing the very situation Iâm most worried about. According to the intelligence Iâve received, both ancient orthodoxies and otherworld cultivators have yet to display the full extent of their abilities. Theyâre both waiting for the descent of the Radiant Epoch! If the Great Xiaâs world of cultivation hopes to contend with them, it will have to pay a heavy price.â
Su Yi shook his head. âYouâre wrong. The way I see it, the vast majority of the Great Xiaâs factions arenât even qualified to strive for supremacy in the Radiant Epoch. If they want to survive, their only choice is to submit. Either they submit to otherworlders, or they submit to an ancient orthodoxy.â
The middle-aged manâs pupils constricted. A while later, he nodded. âFellow Daoist, youâre right. Thus, I must prepare while I still can. Only then will I have the capital needed to vie for supremacy in the days to come!â
As he said this, the depths of his gaze flashed with divine radiance.
âHeaven and earth shall undergo a stark transformation, and the worldâs spiritual energy shall recover. Countless opportunities and strokes of good fortune shall arise, inevitably leading to factions and experts strong enough to rule. When the time comes, Iâm afraid a single formation wonât be enough to look down upon everything beneath the heavens,â said Su Yi languidly. âHowever, making such preparations isnât a bad thing. After all, opportunities are reserved for those prepared to seize them.â
The middle-aged man looked at Su Yi and said solemnly, âThen⊠Fellow Daoist, are you willing to lend me a hand?â