/
Mi Tianhe took a deep breath and said, “Fellow Daoist, if you think those conditions are insufficient, go ahead and tell me what you desire. So long as it’s within my authority, I’ll agree to anything. What I cannot promise you, I’ll do my best to win approval for.”
Su Yi shook his head. “It’s not a problem with the conditions, it’s that I’m not interested in joining any sect at all.”
Mi Tianhe was stunned.
The jade-robed young man beside him couldn’t help but interject, “Su Yi, don’t tell me you don’t understand your current predicament? Throughout the nation, who but the House of the Skywalking Sword would dare risk provoking the ancient factions’ ire just to help you?”
His words revealed his anger; he obviously thought Su Yi didn’t know what was good for him.
The other two House of the Skywalking Sword disciples looked angry too.
Su Yi, however, laughed. “Help me? That’s a nice way of putting it. In truth, you’re just trying to loot a burning house.”
Loot a burning house!
The phrase didn’t just visibly displease Mi Tianhe and his companions; Pu Surong’s group was uncomfortable too, and they were inwardly furious. This guy obviously doesn’t know what’s good for him!
“I suggest you all leave now, while I’m still in a good mood.” Su Yi rose from his wicker chair. Night was falling, and he didn’t want to waste any more time on something so trivial.
Mi Tianhe said gravely, “Fellow Daoist, please hear me out. According to the House of the Skywalking Sword’s investigations, a group of ancient factions led by the Demonic Huan Family will descend upon Nine Tripod City within ten days. First, to target you. Second, to take down the imperial family!”
Weng Jiu’s expression shifted. Clearly, he hadn’t known about this.
“In other words, there isn’t much time left for the imperial family, or for you, Fellow Daoist.” Mi Tianhe continued, “I have no desire to threaten you. I just think you’re a rare genius of the Dao of the Sword, and it would be a pity if some unforeseen disaster befell you. Please, consider my offer carefully.”
Su Yi smiled. “You’re welcome to wait and see. Someone will indeed face ‘unforeseen disaster,’ but there’s no way it’ll be me.”
Mi Tianhe was stunned.
The jade-robed young man reacted as if he’d just heard an enormous joke. He couldn’t help but burst into laughter and jeer, “Su Yi, surely you don’t really think your power alone is enough to contend with those ancient factions?”
Su Yi said coolly, “One more word, and I’ll kill you.”
His dark eyes were distant and deep as he looked at the young man.
The young man in jade was initially furious, but he shuddered beneath Su Yi’s gaze. His hair stood on end, and he felt as if he’d plunged into an icy abyss.
Mi Tianhe barked a rebuke. “Shi An, don’t be impudent!”
The jade-robed young man’s face alternated white and green.
Mi Tianhe looked at Su Yi, then said, “Fellow Daoist, in my estimation, even if you’re not concerned about yourself, you ought to consider the wellbeing of the imperial family.”
Su Yi’s eyebrows shot up. “What do you mean by that?”
“The House of the Skywalking Sword promised to shelter a portion of the imperial clan to prevent them from facing complete annihilation,” said Mi Tianhe. “However, the Xia Emperor said that everything was up to you. If you’re willing to join us, he’ll agree to cooperate with us. If you refuse, he’ll refuse.”
Su Yi glanced at Weng Jiu. “Is that true?”
Weng Jiu nodded.
Su Yi thought it over, but he quickly understood what the emperor was thinking.
If he agreed to join the House of the Skywalking Sword, it would mean he and the House of the Skywalking Sword were in the same camp.
The Xia Emperor would naturally have no further reasons to refuse to do business with them.
Conversely, if he refused to join the House of the Skywalking Sword, the Xia Emperor would note his attitude and refuse to conduct any business with the sect.
In summary, the Xia Emperor had bet all his chips on Su Yi. He would retreat when Su Yi retreated, and advance when Su Yi advanced!
Su Yi could help but be impressed. The Xia Emperor’s cultivation base wasn’t all that impressive, but his vision and courage far surpassed the vast majority of the population!
When he saw Su Yi sink into a lengthy silence, a faint smile rose unbidden to Mi Tianhe’s lips. “Fellow Daoist, joining us will kill two birds with one stone. Both you and the imperial family will avert disaster. I just don’t know
 if you’ve reached a decision yet?”
All eyes were instantly on Su Yi.
However, Su Yi just said coolly, “You can leave.”
“....”
None of them would have anticipated that Su Yi would refuse them so bluntly!
No matter how good his temperament, Mi Tianhe could no longer suppress his displeasure, and his expression instantly turned unsightly.
He said gravely, “Fellow Daoist, you’ve truly thought this through?”
Su Yi was obviously starting to lose patience. “You still don’t understand? With me here, nothing will happen to the imperial family, or to Nine Tripod City!”
“Insane! This guy’s absolutely insane!” The jade-robed youth could no longer hold back his laughter. “He’s seriously saying he can single-handedly ensure the imperial family’s safety? If word got out, he’d become a national laughingsto—”
Splurt!
His voice came to an abrupt halt.
A streak of sword qi had carved through his throat, leaving a startling, bloody hole behind.
His eyes widened, seemingly in disbelief.
Then, he fell over backward, dead on the spot.
The courtyard instantly fell silent. Even the birds ceased their song.
It had all happened too suddenly, catching them completely off guard.
After all, who could have imagined that Su Yi would kill someone out of nowhere?”
“Loose lips lead to disaster. His death is unworthy of pity,” Su Yi said calmly.
He’d already warned the young man that if he said another word, he’d kill him.
And Su Yi had always been the type to keep his word!
“You
 You actually killed him!?” Mi Tianhe’s face was ashen. He was incomparably furious.
This sudden bloodshed shocked him. He would never have guessed that Su Yi would dare attack under such circumstances.
The corners of Weng Jiu’s lips twitched, but he said nothing. He was well aware of Su Yi’s temperament, and he had to admit it
 that jade-robed young man
 Shi An or whatever his name was
 really had been asking for it.
“What a guy!” Not far away, A’Leng was flabbergasted. “Is he giving in to recklessness because he knows he’s doomed?”
Pu Surong and Ruo Huan looked at each other. Both were astonished.
Disputes were hard to avoid at a discussion like this, but typically, no matter how displeased they were, everyone kept their tempers under control to maintain a superficial peace.
But Su Yi? One wrong word, and he cut someone down!
This completely ruined any chance he’d had of doing business with the House of the Skywalking Sword. Furthermore, he’d even implicated the Xia Family!
“Why shouldn’t I dare kill someone?” Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh dryly. “All you’ve done is put on a facade of sending coal in a blizzard for the sake of looting a burning house. If I were really angry, I’d crush the entire House of the Skywalking Sword beneath my feet. And why shouldn’t I?”
Weng Jiu aside, everyone present found themselves thinking the same thing: he’s deranged!
Mi Tianhe was so furious that he laughed. “Very good, Su Yi! You refused to do this the easy way, so just you wait!”
He looked overcome with anger, but in truth, he hadn’t let his fury get to his head. He was well aware that fighting Su Yi now would be no different from suicide.
After all, every cultivator beneath the heavens knew that this young man in blue possessed the heaven-defying strength to kill Spiritual Incarnation cultivators!
The group of Dongguo Family Spiritual Incarnation experts were the most convincing proof possible.
Su Yi thought for a moment, then said, “When the ancient factions fall flat on their faces before me, remember to come back and say that to me again. Do you hear me? If you don’t come, I’ll visit the House of the Skywalking Sword myself. Should it come to that, I guarantee that there will no longer be a place for the House of the Skywalking Sword here on the Azure Continent.”
He waved. “Bye. Forgive me for not seeing you out.”
“Then I’ll just have to wait with bated breath!” Mi Tianhe snorted coldly, swooshed his sleeves, and left.
The two remaining disciples, one male, one female, left with him, carrying the jade-robed young man’s corpse.
This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.
It was only after they’d disappeared from view that Weng Jiu approached, his expression grave. “Fellow Daoist Su, no matter what you decide, the imperial family will stand with you!”
“Mm,” said Su Yi. He then fixed his gaze on Pu Surong and her cohort. “The show’s over. Isn’t it about time you left too?”
Pu Surong steadied her emotions, then said seriously, “Fellow Daoist Su, what I said earlier still applies. I trust that when you truly encounter danger, you’ll change your tune.”
There was no doubt about it; she was still hung up on getting Su Yi to sever his bond with Xia Qingyuan.
“Oh?” said Su Yi. “Well, you’d best remember what I said too. So long as I’m around, you Purple Moon Foxes cannot possibly take Miss Qingyuan away.”
Pu Surong’s beautiful eyes narrowed.
After a while, she shook her head but said no more. She simply led A’Leng and Ruo Huan away.
Night breezes blew past, and the aroma of springtime—trees, flowers, and loamy soil—spread throughout the courtyard.
Su Yi stretched, then said to Weng Jiu, “Just now, that guy said that the various ancient factions would join forces and attack within ten days. Should that truly happen, all you have to do is inform me.”
Weng Jiu said gravely, “Young lord, can you finish repairing the Nine Tripod Suppression Barrier Formation within ten days?”
Su Yi shook his head. “I can’t.”
Weng Jiu was stunned. Then, his brow knit with worry. “But in that case, we’re truly finished.”
“What’s there to panic about?” Su Yi found this rather funny. “It’s just killing a few members of some ancient factions. Me and my sword will be plenty.”
Weng Jiu gasped. One person, fighting an alliance of ancient factions all on his own!?
No matter how much faith he had in Su Yi’s strength, he found this hard to believe.
Su Yi couldn’t be bothered to concern himself with what Weng Jiu thought. He said, “Go tell the Xia Emperor and say he needn’t concern himself about this. I’ll take full responsibility for everything.”
Weng Jiu nodded, then left, looking dazed.
There was no doubt that Su Yi’s decision had dealt him a heavy mental blow, and he’d need time to recover his senses.
When Weng Jiu returned to Mount Heavenbristle and recounted everything that had transpired to the emperor, he couldn’t help but ask, “My lord, do you think Fellow Daoist Su
 can really pull it off?”
After a moment’s silence, the Xia Emperor nodded. “He can!”
“....”
Weng Jiu said nothing.
Meanwhile, the Xia Emperor had already started giving orders. “Investigate the top ancient factions’ movements. I most certainly won’t be happy if we’re completely unprepared for their arrival.”
Weng Jiu’s heart shook, and he solemnly acknowledged his orders. “Yes, sir!”
Meanwhile——
The gates of Azurecloud Court were shrouded in darkness when someone knocked on them once more.