Chapter 1151 - I’ll Give Him Three Free Attacks, and I’ll Spare His Life!
Nine Tripod City.
This was the imperial capacity of the Great Xia, and it had recently been laid to ruin.
But over the past year, much of the city had been rebuilt, and it was newly prosperous and bustling.
A stone statue now stood at the center of the city.
It was nine hundred and ninety feet tall, and it depicted a tall, upright figure with his hands behind his back, as leisurely as if he were out for a stroll. He towered over the city like a god or immortal surveying the surrounding dust of mortality and all facets of creation.
“This is the statue the imperial family built to honor Banished Immortal Su. They say it took over a thousand skilled artisans under the leadership of dozens of master artificers a month to build. It’s remarkably true to life, with the charm and grace of the real thing!”
“I heard that the entire nine hundred and ninety-foot statue was refined from an extremely rare spirit vein. Furthermore, the Xia Emperor has issued a decree that every year, during mid-autumn, he’ll personally lead the imperial family to pay their respects to Banished Immortal Su’s statue to express their gratitude.”
“Banished Immortal Su is a legend of the Azure Continent. He’s truly worthy of such treatment!”
...Numerous cultivators had gathered around the statue from all over the continent. They gazed upon it from afar, awe rising in their hearts.
Even as they conversed, their voices were soft and solemn.
“Hah? Building a statue to honor someone who’s still alive? How is that any different from erecting a shrine to a demon? Ludicrous!” A burst of cold laughter rang out.
Uproar ensued, and all eyes looked over.
There, they saw a man in white robes, with features like crown jade. An ancient sword was strapped at an angle across his back.
“Who are you? How dare you disrespect Banished Immortal Su?” a gray-robed elder shouted indignantly.
Boom!
The white-robed man’s eyes flashed, and terrifying sword intent spread out around him.
The crowd was astonished, and even the Spirit Dao cultivators were terrified out of their wits.
That gray-robed old man thudded to the ground, the blood draining from his face as he breathed in ragged gasps. Terror was written all over his face.
The entire area fell deathly silent.
The white-robed man shook his head and said with an air of self-deprecation, “Making trouble for ordinary mortals like you is beneath me.”
He was just about to leave when a low voice rang out. “Sir, your cultivation might well be deep and unfathomable, but tell me: if you’re really so capable, would you dare to fight Banished Immortal Su? Or do you only have the courage to brazenly insult and slander his statue?”
The speaker was a tall, stalwart middle-aged man.
Everyone present chimed in their agreement.
The white-robed man paused midstep, his brow furrowing as he swept his gaze across the crowd. He snorted coldly, “Then might you tell me where I can find this so-called ‘Banished Immortal Su?’”
His voice resounded throughout the entire area.
Everyone looked at each other, but no one could answer him.
When the man in white saw this, he jeered. Just as he was about to say something, an elderly servant walked up to him and whispered, “Your Excellency, the Holy Maiden is waiting for us at Mount Heavenbristle. We have to hurry.”
The man in white waved. “Just a moment.”
He walked over to the stone statue, then pointed at it and swept his proud gaze across the crowd. “Listen up! My name is Pu Kong, and I’m from the Bright Sky Realm. If anyone sees this Banished Immortal Su person, tell him that if he has the guts to fight me, I’ll give him three free attacks, and I promise to spare his life!”
With that, the white-robed man shot into the air, like an arc of divine light piercing the skies.
Only his prideful voice remained, still echoing through the vicinity.
The crowd was completely silent. Pu Kong? Who is this guy? How dare he be so brazen?
Su Yi was mixed into the crowd, his hands behind his back as he watched the man in white fly through the air. He then looked at the stone statue.
“Erecting a statue for a living person really is inviting criticism, but I can see the Xia Emperor’s good intentions.”
As he whispered to himself, he silently disappeared from the crowd.
......
Mount Heavenbristle, home of the Great Xia’s imperial family.
Within a grand hall, the atmosphere was stifled.
“Rest assured. I promise that after Qingyuan returns to the clan, I won’t let her suffer the slightest mistreatment,” Pu Surong said softly.
She seemed reserved, but there was an undisguisable hint of glee on her face.
The Xia Emperor had finally relented, saying that so long as their daughter agreed, he’d permit Pu Surong to bring her to the Purple Moon Fox Clan to continue her cultivation.
It hadn’t been at all easy for Pu Surong to get him to agree.
The Xia Emperor sat woodenly nearby, looking haggard and exhausted.
He disregarded Pu Surong, instead looking at his daughter. He said gently, “Lass, as your father, I’ve wronged you.”
The rims of Xia Qingyuan’s eyes reddened, and she said in a voice choked with sobs. “Father, I don’t feel that you’ve wronged me at all. If I leave, you won’t be subject to pressure from the Purple Moon Foxes any longer, and I’ll no longer implicate the imperial family. I... I’m willing to do this!”
The Xia Emperor sighed, then tousled her hair and said gently, “Ultimately, this is happening because of my incompetence.”
As he said this, he seemed melancholy and bleak. The sight made Xia Qingyuan’s heart ache.
Not far away, Pu Surong frowned, then sighed. “Xia Yunjing, you’ve seen your share of wind and waves. You ought to understand that even if you rule over the Great Xia, the gap between your empire and the Purple Moon Foxes is like that between heaven and earth.
“People... have to accept reality. Qingyuan has already grown up. If she stays in a tiny place like the Azure Continent, she’ll waste her talent. Surely... you don’t want to see her spend her whole life in a backwater as you have?”
The Xia Emperor fell silent, but his fists silently clenched. Her words might have sounded sincere, but they were full of lofty superiority!
“You might find my words hurtful, but everything I’m saying is true. I...”
When she saw that her mother was about to continue, Xia Qingyuan couldn’t help but say, “Stop it. I’ve already agreed to leave with you, so why attack and ridicule my father like this?”
She was furious.
Pu Surong said hurriedly, “Okay, okay! I won’t say anymore.”
The Xia Emperor let out a deep sigh, then looked at Pu Surong and said emphatically, “I, Xia Yunjing, might be lacking in ability, but I swear that if the Purple Moon Foxes dare mistreat Qingyuan, I won’t forgive you!”
His voice boomed like thunder, reverberating throughout the hall.
Pu Surong froze, stunned. “Rest assured.”
But it was then that snickering resounded from beyond the hall. It was extraordinarily unpleasant, a clear expression of disdain for Xia Yunjing’s threats.
The speaker was a man in robes embroidered with dragons. He stood there flippantly, not the least bit respectful.
Xia Yunjing’s expression instantly darkened. Xia Qingyuan looked furious too.
Pu Surong inwardly cried out in alarm. Out loud, she shrouded, “Yuque, rein it in a little! This is no place for you to act out!”
She looked fierce, but Pu Yuque merely responded with a flippant laugh. “Mmmhmm, I got it, I got it!”
Pu Surong looked a bit frustrated. She said gently, “Qingyuan, if you’ve prepared, we can leave right now.”
Xia Qingyuan bit down on her lower lip, then looked at her father with obvious reluctance. “Father, you... you have to take care of yourself. I’ll be back to visit you!”
The Xia Emperor forced a smile. “I can rest assured as long as you’re doing well. It doesn’t matter if you come back to visit me or not.”
“Let’s go, Qingyuan.” Pu Surong didn’t want to delay any longer; the longer they waited, the more likely it was that something unexpected would happen.
But it was then that a calm voice rang out. “Miss Qingyuan, if you’re being coerced, go ahead and say it. With me here, not even a god could force you to leave.”
It was just two light, airy sentences, but they echoed clearly throughout the hall.
Xia Yunjing was instantly excited. That voice was far too familiar!
Xia Qingyuan was stunned, and her face filled with disbelief. Is that... him?
Pu Surong’s expression shifted abruptly, and she immediately looked over.
She wasn’t sure when he’d gotten there, but a tall, upright figure in blue was standing there. He looked calm and detached.
This was none other than Su Yi!
Pu Surong had once suffered a major loss at Su Yi’s hands. How could she not realize how powerful this young man was?
Outside the hall, Pu Yuque snickered. “You’ve sure got a mouth on you, kid. A ‘god’ might not do the trick, but let’s see if you can’t act up with me here!”
His gaze was mocking, with a hint of iciness.
Su Yi completely ignored him and walked right into the hall.
“How dare you?” The man’s eyes glinted with sharp light as he shot ahead to intercept Su Yi.
Bang!!
A moment later, Pu Yuque was sent flying. He slammed into the palace walls, already black and blue. Throughout his body, countless bones smacked. When he fell to the ground, he lay there in a heap, unable to crawl back up.
Everyone was astonished, but from beginning to end, Su Yi didn’t so much as glance at him. He just continued into the hall.
“Fellow Daoist Su!” The Xia Emperor immediately went up to greet him, unconcealable delight on his face.
“Brother Su, it really is you!” Xia Qingyuan was excited too, and her beautiful eyes sparkled.
Su Yi subtly inclined his head. “I overheard your conversation earlier, and since I just so happen to be here, I naturally won’t remain uninvolved.”
Pu Surong’s heart sank, but she stepped forth to greet him. “Your words are too heavy, Fellow Daoist Su. We Purple Moon Foxes have no intention of threatening anyone. I’m Qingyuan’s mother, and I naturally won’t do anything disadvantageous to her.”
She paused, looking reserved, her expression rife with meaning. “I’ve come here with a few older members of the clan. This is proof of how important this is to us. Please, do not get involved. After all... the situation is not what it once was.”
She spoke with apparent sincerity, but how could Su Yi miss the implied warning and rebuke?
The Xia Emperor seemed to recall something. His heart clenched, and he transmitted a warning. “Fellow Daoist Su, this time, Pu Surong brought two Emperors with her!”
He’d only just said this when an enraged voice emanated from beyond the hall. “Yuque, who hurt you?”
The speaker, a man in white robes, walked into the grand hall.
He had a face like crown jade, and his ancient sword was strapped at an angle across his back. This was none other than Pu Kong, the man who’d appeared earlier in front of Su Yi’s statue!
Pu Surong visibly relaxed at the sight of him, and she explained at top speeds, “Ancestor, what happened earlier was just a tiny little misunderstanding. Please, don’t be angry.”
“How is this a misunderstanding? He obviously barged in here and injured me!” Pu Yuque, who was sprawled on the floor outside the hall, shouted.
Pu Kong’s knifelike gaze instantly frosted over and locked onto Su Yi.
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