Chapter 1042 - Attending an Assembly
After Su Yi reincarnated, his eldest disciple, Pi Mo, had a falling out with his youngest disciple, Qing Tang. The two now viewed each other with enmity.
His second disciple, Jing Xing, had attempted to make peace between them. He’d even visited the Grotto of Abstruse Force personally, only for Qing Tang to send him packing.
Jing Xing was grief-stricken over this, and he’d left for somewhere far, far away. No one knew where he’d gone.
This was what Ye Luo had told Su Yi back in the Netherworld.
At the time, Su Yi had sighed that only a muddleheaded scholar like Jing Xing would be stupid enough to try something like that.
But it was this very quality that Su Yi admired most about Jing Xing.
Furthermore, Su Yi vividly recalled that the old glutton had taken note of Jing Xing too. If Jing Xing hadn’t long since taken on a master, the old glutton would likely have done everything in his power to take Jing Xing under his wing.
Thus, Su Yi dared say that if the old glutton was still at Profound Sky Academy, he most likely knew where Jing Xing had gone.
But before he went to Profound Sky Academy, Su Yi had to stop by the Autumn Waters Assembly.
The Profound Sky Realm.
Lonely Glow Spirit Mountain, a first-rate blessed ground for cultivation. This was the ancestral home of the Yue Family.
“Why isn’t Yunshan back yet? Don’t tell me something went wrong?” Yue Shuihan stood in an ancient hall, his brow furrowed.
This thin man in yellow robes was the grand high elder of the Yue Family, and his cultivation was in the peak of the Profound Illumination Realm.
Several of the Yue Family’s higher-ups were currently gathered in this hall, and when they heard his question, all of them seemed a bit frantic.
The curtains would soon open on the Autumn Waters Assembly. If anything went wrong with Yue Yunshan’s mission, it would absolutely influence this entire operation.
Suddenly, someone sighed.
Everyone instinctively glanced at the same person: the old man seated upright in the seat of honor. His long hair was white as snow, and his skin was covered in wrinkles. He was dressed in a long gray robe.
Yue Bailing!
He was an old fossil of the Yue Family, a Profound Serenity cultivator. He’d long since ceased paying attention to worldly affairs.
But the Yue Family’s crisis had startled him out of seclusion. He’d emerged to oversee the situation.
As one of the peak factions of the Profound Sky Realm, the Yue Family’s ranks included three Profound Serenity Emperors.
The first, Yue Changtian, was already grievously injured. He’d gone into seclusion, and he’d reached a critical stage of treatment.
The second was Yue Qingchuan, but he’d gone out wandering thousands of years ago, and he’d yet to return. There was no way they could count on him.
The last was Yue Bailing.
Yue Bailing swept his gaze across the group, a complicated look in his eyes. “You still don’t understand? The Autumn Waters Assembly is a competition between us and the Red Lotus Cult to see whose power and influence is greater!
“And the Red Lotus Cult has come prepared. They’ve invited a group of the Profound Sky Realm’s peak experts to support their cause, all for the sake of putting pressure on us and forcing us to submit!
“But this is only the power they’ve displayed on the surface. If everything goes as I suspect, they’ve made additional secret preparations as well, all for the sake of suppressing us at the Autumn Waters Assembly!”
The crowd’s hearts were instantly even heavier than before, but all of them had experienced their share of wind and waves. They’d naturally guessed this already.
But then, Yue Bailing continued. “Given the circumstances, does it really matter whether or not we retrieve Ancestor Jianhe’s jade record from his cenotaph?”
The crowd sank even deeper into silence. The atmosphere in the hall was as stifled and somber as could be.
“But I’ve already invited some of my dear friends to back us up. No matter the outcome, we have to give it our best. We cannot let the Red Lotus Cult think the Yue Family is a soft persimmon they can squish as they please!”
Yue Bailing spoke with firm conviction. No matter how grave the situation, they couldn’t lose their determination!
Yue Bailing then rose from his chair and said, “Act in accordance with our original plan, and send word to Yue Yunshan. Tell him we’ve already set off, and that he doesn’t need to return to the clan first. He should proceed directly to Autumn Waters Cliff.”
“Got it!” One of the higher-ups went off to carry out Yue Bailing’s orders.
Yue Bailing then led the three high elders toward Autumn Waters Cliff.
The three high elders were Grand High Elder Yue Shuihan, Third High Elder Yue Xueping, and Fourth High Elder Yue Fenglin.
However, they’d only just left Lonely Glow Spirit Mountain when they bumped into Yue Yunshan and Su Yi.
When they saw that Yue Yunshan was alive and unharmed, all of them sighed in relief.
But when they saw Su Yi, all of them were a bit stunned.
“Yunshan, who is your little friend?” Third Elder Yue Xueping couldn’t help but ask.
She was slender, with a tranquil, dignified elegance. She was beautiful, but when her eyes moved, her gaze shone with the vicissitudes of countless years.
Yue Yunshan was instantly solemn, and he introduced Su Yi with respect. “This is Fellow Daoist Su Yi. He’s Shichan’s friend, and it’s thanks to him that I successfully retrieved Ancestor Jianhe’s bronze box!”
The group couldn’t help but find this strange at first. The young man before them looked eighteen or nineteen at most. What was a junior like that doing with Yue Yunshan?
But after hearing Yue Yunshan’s explanation, all of them were stunned, and they couldn’t help but reevaluate Su Yi.
“You’re saying… this Fellow Daoist did you a big favor?” Yue Xueping was baffled.
The others were confused too. I can’t even imagine it. How could a teenager help Yue Yunshan?
Yue Yunshan immediately set aside all other concerns and hurriedly transmitted everything that had happened on the Thousand Whirlpools Star Road.
But hearing the full story only made the old-timers even less calm. Their expressions were bewildered, and it seemed they found this hard to believe.
He’d killed fourteen infamous old devils in a flash!?
This was simply unbelievable!
Even Yue Bailing, the only Profound Serenity Emperor in the group, couldn’t help but feel stunned.
Yue Yunshan had to repeatedly confirm what he’d said before they accepted it, but even then, part of them was skeptical.
“Fellow Daoist Su, many thanks for your assistance! The Yue Family will remember this kindness until the end of our days!” Yue Bailing solemnly clasped his fist and bowed. The others did the same.
Although they were still confused, and although they still found it difficult to imagine how someone in his late teens could be so terrifying, they were certain that Second High Elder Yue Yunshan wouldn’t dare lie about something like this!
“No need for thanks. Seems to me we’d best hurry to Autumn Waters Cliff,” said Su Yi. He’d always been like this; he had no interest in pleasantries.
But his words surprised all of the gathered old-timers. This young man of unknown origins wants to get involved in this storm!?
This was entirely unexpected. After all, in the face of a crisis like this, most people would fear nothing more than failing to escape in time!
“Very well. Let’s hurry along.” Yue Bailing immediately made a decision, and the group set off.
Along the way, Yue Yunshan continuously conversed with his companions. Su Yi didn’t even need to think to know that the old-timers of the Yue Family were trying to get a handle on him.
Su Yi couldn’t help but find this a bit exasperating.
He was already within the bounds of the Wilds. He didn’t want to reveal the identity of his past life prematurely, if only to avoid inviting unnecessary trouble.
Furthermore, he wanted to get to the bottom of what happened after he reincarnated first. It wouldn’t do to reveal himself before he got his answers.
Were the populace to learn that Su Xuanjun had returned, who knew what kind of uproar it would provoke throughout the Wilds?
But what Su Yi found most exhausting was that sometimes, even if he told people who he was, they didn’t believe him. On the contrary, they accused him of lying and treating the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force with disrespect…
But his current identity as Su Yi made it difficult for him to convince others of anything.
He was just too young. It was far too easy to invite unnecessary questions and suspicion.
For instance, despite personally witnessing Su Yi take down a whole group of old devils, Yue Yunshan was still concerned by Su Yi’s desire to get involved in the Autumn Waters Assembly. He was afraid Su Yi would implicate himself and get hurt…
If even Yue Yunshan felt that way, it was easy to imagine how the other Yue Family higher-ups felt. They were far more bewildered, and they were surely curious and suspicious of his origins!
Indeed, just as Su Yi anticipated, Yue Bailing and the others started asking roundabout questions to figure out how and when he and Yue Shichan met, and where he’d come from.
Su Yi paid none of this any heed. He just said he was a passerby and that he’d leave once this was settled. He said his identity and origins weren’t at all important.
What did they mean when they said that actions spoke louder than words? It was simple: words alone were weak. Actions carried far greater weight.
Once he’d resolved this crisis at the Autumn Waters Assembly, they wouldn’t doubt or suspect him any longer.
Of course, Su Yi was well aware that Yue Bailing and the others had no ill intentions. In their shoes, anyone would have reacted in much the same way.
Eventually, Yue Bailing and company stopped asking questions. In truth, their attention lay elsewhere. They appreciated Su Yi’s willingness to help, but they didn’t think he’d be of much use.
Their concerns were much the same as Yue Yunshan’s. The true stars of the Autumn Waters Assembly were all Profound Serenity Powerhouses!
This was a competition to see whose power and influence was greater!
In a clash between factions, a single person’s power was insignificant.
“We’ve reached Autumn Waters Cliff!” Yue Bailing was leading the way, and he suddenly looked up and into the distance.
There, off in the distance, there stood a lake and a steep, towering mountain. Its peak jutted into the clouds.
The rocks were craggy and strange, and nothing grew on them, not even an inch of grass. The peak was flat, and it overlooked the entire lake. The view was exceptional.
Especially in the fall. Viewed from the plateau, the water was the same color as the sky.
This was the source of the name Autumn Waters Cliff.
Night was fast approaching, and the setting sun was like molten gold. The fiery light of dusk illuminated the world.
Before Su Yi and company had even arrived, a figure leaped from Autumn Waters Cliff and rose into the air. His voice emanated from afar,
“Has the Yue Family brought Yue Changtian and Yue Shichan?”
The voice boomed like thunder, dissipating the clouds in all directions and reverberating throughout heaven and earth.
The speaker was dressed in long black robes. His shoulders were broad, and his waist was narrow. He had godlike majesty, and when his eyes opened and closed, they seemed to crackle with electricity. He seemed incomparably imposing.
“Hmph! The Yue Family hasn’t lost yet. Aren’t you getting a little ahead of yourself, Zhangsun Hong?” Yue Bailing snorted coldly, and his voice boomed throughout the heavens.
Meanwhile, Yue Yunshan transmitted to Su Yi, “Fellow Daoist, this is Zhangsun Hong of the Red Lotus Cult, a Profound Serenity Realm old devil. A long time ago, he…”
But before he could finish, Su Yi shook his head and calmly interrupted him. “No need to introduce someone like him.”
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