Chapter 1152 - Greetings, Your Excellency Su!
“Did you do this?”
Pu Kong’s voice was calm, but his entire body emanated an imposing force.
But against all expectations, the young man in blue didn’t seem at all affected. It was truly surprising.
“Ancestor, please, calm your fury. This is Fellow Daoist Su Yi. He...” Pu Surong started to explain. She didn’t want to make their relationship any worse. If that happened, her daughter would surely resent her for the rest of her life!
But before she could finish, Pu Kong said with feigned enlightenment, “Oh? So, you’re that Banished Immortal Su person!”
His tone was rife with mockery.
The Xia Emperor couldn’t help but interject. “Pu Surong, you’d best talk some sense into this ancestor of yours. Otherwise, he’ll bring disaster upon the entire Purple Moon Fox Race!”
Pu Surong was flabbergasted. She keenly detected the change in the Xia Emperor’s attitude. It seemed that Su Yi’s arrival had filled him with confidence!
She had no idea that the Xia Emperor had been captured by the Kunwu Mountain Ye Family, or that he’d watched as Su Yi massacred practically the entire clan.
“Bring disaster upon the Purple Moon Foxes?” Pu Kong muttered to himself, his eyes flashing with divine radiance. He was obviously enraged.
But Su Yi disregarded him completely and focused his attention on Xia Qingyuan. “Well? Have you thought it over?”
“I...” Xia Qingyuan was instantly hesitant.
“Never mind. Take some time to calm down, then think it over and give me an answer,” Su Yi said gently.
He could tell that her heart was in turmoil.
But it was then that Pu Kong, who’d been completely ignored, lost his temper. He said icily, “Earlier, I said that if you had the guts to duel me, I’d give you three free attacks and let you leave with your life. Even if I think you deserve death, I won’t break the rules. How about it? Do you dare to fight me?”
His voice clanged like the humming of a sword, full of startling murderous intent.
Pu Surong visibly lost her composure, but just as she was about to interject, Pu Kong glanced coldly at her. “Relax. I won’t do anything improper. I’m simply going to teach him a lesson he’ll never forget.”
Su Yi finally looked at Pu Kong. “You will give me three free attacks? You’re not even worth drawing my sword for.”
Pu Kong was so angry that he laughed.
But it was then that Su Yi raised his right hand and pressed down on the air.
A casual, understated gesture, with no majesty or momentum whatsoever.
But Pu Kong’s smile froze, and without the slightest hesitation, he reached for the ancient sword strapped across his back. However, he’d only just raised his right arm when...
Bang!!
He was forced to kneel on the ground.
The stone floors were covered in the power of a formation, but they nonetheless broke. Spider web-like cracks spread from the point of impact.
Pu Kong’s kneecaps instantly shattered, gushing blood everywhere. His back was bent, and his head hit the ground as his entire body convulsed.
He couldn’t even stop himself from letting out a low, muffled grunt of agony.
The hall fell deathly silent.
Pu Surong was visibly flabbergasted, and she fell into a daze.
What’s going on?
A flip of his hand, and... the ancestor actually... knelt!?
Xia Qingyuan’s lips formed a perfect “O” shape, and her eyes widened.
The Xia Emperor was the calmest by comparison. He’d already predicted this. As domineering and arrogant as Pu Kong was, against Su Yi, he was only fit to kneel!
Pu Yuque, the injured man in embroidered dragon robes, was struck dumb.
“Who... Who are you?” Pu Kong hissed through ragged gasps. I... I lost before I could even draw my sword!?
Pu Kong couldn’t accept this.
“What happened? What’s with all the fuss? Don’t tell me someone dares oppose the Purple Moon Foxes?”
An aged voice suddenly rang out from beyond the hall.
Moments later, an ornately dressed elder charged furiously into the hall, his aura terrifying.
When he saw the kneeling Pu Kong, he was instantly dumbstruck, and he realized that something was amiss.
His gaze shifted, and when he saw Su Yi, he reacted as if he’d been struck by lightning. His fury disappeared without a trace, replaced by utter astonishment. Immediately afterward, his entire body quivered uncontrollably.
Then, beneath the crowd’s disbelieving gazes, he rushed up to Su Yi in a panic, bowed deeply, and stammered, “Pu Shangyun greets you, Your Excellency Su!”
He lowered his head so far it seemed he wanted to bury it in the ground.
His sheer terror and panic left Pu Surong bewildered. “Ancestor, you...”
Pu Shangyun was one of the oldest of the Purple Moon Foxes, and he was in the Profound Serenity Realm! His seniority was greater than even Pu Kong! Yet now, he’d charged into the room in a rage, only to greet a young man in panic and terror! He was obviously terrified and ill at ease!
The still-kneeling Pu Kong’s eyes widened.
Earlier, the Xia Emperor had remained relatively calm, but now, even he was startled. Waves of shock coursed through him. How terrifying must Su Yi’s prestige be to make the ancestral expert of the Purple Moon Foxes react with such panic and reverence?
“You recognize me?” Su Yi couldn’t help but find this surprising.
Pu Shangyun dared not look up. He said with the utmost respect, “Your Excellency Su, not long ago, I witnessed your unparalleled majesty from just beyond Martial Heaven Peak. I’ve respected you for a long time. I would never have thought I’d encounter you here. It’s truly an unexpected delight.”
“So that’s it.” Su Yi nodded.”
“Martial Heaven Peak? ‘Your Excellency Su?’ Don’t tell me...” The kneeling Pu Kong suddenly seemed to realize something, and his eyes widened. “You’re... You’re the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force!?”
Whap!
As soon as the words left Pu Kong’s lips, he took a slap to the face. He coughed up blood as his kneeling figure splayed out on the ground.
But this time, it was Pu Shangyun who’d attacked. His face was ashen as he rebuked. “Who are you to address His Excellency Su directly by his title?! You piece of trash! Well? Hurry up and apologize!”
He then proceeded to kick Pu Kong.
But Pu Kong wasn’t at all upset. Rather, he flung himself to the ground in panic. “I had eyes, but I was blind and foolish to offend you. Please forgive me, Your Excellency!”
He was completely panicked!
As an Emperor of the Purple Moon Foxes, how could he possibly be ignorant of what kind of an existence the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force was?
Never mind him; even the most senior of Purple Moon Foxes had to treat the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force with the utmost respect. They wouldn’t dare be even the slightest bit negligent!
Most of the top experts of the Wilds weren’t even qualified to dine at the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force’s table!
This scene left Xia Qingyuan and the Xia Emperor dumbstruck. The disparity... was far too enormous!
Pu Surong, meanwhile, was rooted to the spot, her pretty face pallid after this series of shocks. Her mind buzzed, and she almost felt as if her soul were leaving her body.
Su Yi looked at Pu Shangyun, not sure whether to laugh or cry. “There’s no deep enmity between me and the Purple Moon Foxes. That said, while he can escape death, he cannot escape punishment. What do you think we should do with him?”
Pu Shangyun stiffened, and without so much as pausing to think, he said, “It’s entirely up to you, Your Excellency! Even if you kill Pu Kong, our clan wouldn’t dare express the slightest resentment!”
Su Yi looked at Pu Kong. “Go kneel in front of the stone statue. You’re not to get up for three days.”
Pu Kong trembled from head to toe, his face ashen as he said in a raspy voice, “Your Excellency Su, please... kill me instead!”
Bang!
Pu Shangyun viciously kicked Pu Kong, sending him rolling backward. He shouted furiously, “Sparing your life was an act of benevolence, yet you dare disobey His Excellency Su’s orders? You really don’t know what’s good for you!”
Pu Kong said bitterly, “If I kneel, my life will be worse than death, and I’ll struggle to make any further attainments in the Dao of the Sword. In that case, wouldn’t it be better... to just die?”
Su Yi couldn’t help but re-evaluate Pu Kong. “Do you hate me?”
Pu Kong lowered his head. “My abilities are inferior to yours; I dare not speak of hatred, nor do I dare bear resentment over my defeat. All I ask is that you don’t hold the entire Purple Moon Fox clan accountable for my indiscretions. I am willing to accept any punishment in exchange!”
Pu Shangyun’s expression shifted, and he let out a deep sigh.
Su Yi disregarded this and looked at Xia Qingyuan. He said gently, “Miss Qingyuan, by now, you should understand that you can make your choice without fear of the consequences.”
Pu Surong’s beautiful face paled. She was instantly despondent.
How could she fail to realize the meaning of Su Yi’s words?
But she dared not say even a word of protest. Even if they rallied the full strength of the Purple Moon Foxes, they would be entirely unworthy of this legendary expert’s notice!”
Xia Qingyuan hesitated for a while before saying, “I... I want to stay with my father.”
When the Xia Emperor heard that, his heart shook, and the rims of his eyes moistened with tears.
Xia Qingyuan took a deep breath. “No matter how great the disparity between the Great Xia and the Purple Moon Foxes, this is my home. There’s no way I’d cast aside my father for something like ‘immeasurably glorious prospects.’”
The more she spoke, the more determined her voice.
Su Yi nodded. “It’s settled, then.”
He’d made up his mind, and Pu Shangyun, Pu Kong, and Pu Surong dared not object.
Pu Shangyun said with deep emotion, “Lass, seeing your filial piety, we truly cannot help but feel ashamed of ourselves. If you ever run into trouble down the line, we Purple Moon Foxes will do everything in our power to help you resolve it!”
The Xia Emperor laughed coldly to himself. The old fox! He’s trying to ‘plan a wedding at a funeral’ and use this chance to get closer to Su Yi!
But it wouldn’t do to point it out.
This was reality.
If Su Yi hadn’t shown up at just the right time, how could the Purple Moon Foxes’ attitude possibly have changed so completely?
But to Su Yi, this incident wasn’t even worth mentioning.
He went on to share a meal with the Xia Emperor and Xia Qingyuan. He left behind some treasures and tomes useful for cultivation, then bade farewell.
“Surong, fortune and disaster go hand in hand. In a way, isn’t this a good thing? Qingyuan is your daughter, while Xia Yunjing is your husband, and they have His Excellency Su standing behind them!”
“I’m sure you know as well as I do how illustrious His Excellency Su’s reputation in the Wilds is. I wouldn’t be so extravagant as to dream of establishing a deep bond with him, but if we can at least maintain our connection to Qingyuan and her father and establish positive karma, the Purple Moon Foxes will surely reap the benefits!”
Later that day, Pu Shangyun said to Pu Surong, “You know what you ought to do, right?”
Pu Surong’s face filled with melancholy and bitterness.
Earlier, she’d thought herself superior, and even after marrying the Xia Emperor, she’d never really cared about him. Her pride was bone deep.
But now...
She finally realized that the Xia Emperor was now someone the Purple Moon Foxes ought to do everything in their power to butter up!
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