Chapter 52

This fierce battle had lasted for nearly two hours. Although it only affected the surrounding mountain range, it was, after all, a life-and-death struggle between practitioners of the upper seven realms, making it inevitable to alarm others.

For more than a hundred years, Huanhua Prefecture had been quite peaceful, with at most some minor skirmishes, and never had there been an occasion to rival today.

Su Zhen looked at the jade slip in her hand. "...Let me down, my uncle is here."

Xiao Yu also saw that she had recovered a fraction of her strength, and upon hearing this, he readily released his hold, watching the person in his arms jump to the side. "I thought you didn't want to see them."

"Mhm, indeed I don't."

Su Zhen unfurled her spiritual pressure. "But I need to say a few words and settle some matters."

Su Xun was, after all, a Heavenly Immortal realm expert, and finding someone on his own territory was very simple. Furthermore, he had long since sensed the commotion here, and soon arrived with a group of people.

The two sides spotted each other from afar. The head of the Su family paused slightly, and then was already right before them. Disregarding everything else, he first looked his niece up and down from head to toe.

The several other companions accompanying him were also members of the Su family, all of them practitioners of the upper seven realms.

Clearly, in hurrying over with people, he had harbored the intention of helping his niece pick a fight.

"Zhenzhen, as long as you're unharmed."

Su Xun let out a breath of relief. "That Soul-Devouring Cult demonic practitioner used a secret technique to lure us elsewhere. By the time I realized something was amiss and found my way back, you had already..."

Su Zhen waved a hand. "Sorry to trouble Uncle with your concern. I originally intended to kill her alone, and I thoroughly enjoyed this fight."

Su Xun was struck mute for a moment. Seeing that although her complexion was pale and her spiritual pressure disordered, her brows were relaxed and her eyes filled with smiles, it was evident she spoke from the heart.

"You are still just like Elder Sister."

Su Xun sighed with emotion. "When she was young, our parents would nag her day in and day out, hoping only that she would spar less with others, terrified something might happen to her. Yet she never listened. It wasn't until after they fell and Elder Sister became the family head that she steadied somewhat..."

"Though she still went to the Demon Realm to brawl from time to time."

Su Zhen softly said, "Mother was like that, and so are her disciples. Several of my senior martial sisters and brothers were all fond of valor and fierce in combat."

That was why they had long since died until not a single one was left.

Su Xun shook his head slightly.

Those with good fortune and high talent were, after all, a minority, and most of those who loved dueling and issuing challenges ended up the same way. That was why his parents had not wanted their eldest daughter to act in such a manner.

Su Zhen sighed. "But my mother ultimately perished because she failed to ascend realms; it had nothing to do with any of this."

Su Xun had words lingering on his lips, unable to speak, and could not help looking at the person behind Su Zhen. "This Immortal Lord..."

He perceived that the other's realm was about the same as his niece's, but it was not the Immortal Lord Jiang who had come to deliver gifts last time. He guessed this was likely an acquaintance or friend of his niece within the Tianyuan Sect.

Su Zhen knew what he might want to say, minding the presence of outsiders. "If Uncle has anything to say, just say it. This person is clear on all my affairs, and probably knows more about me than I know about myself."

Su Xun: "..."

What kind of talk was this?

Puzzled, he watched the man reveal a look of joy, followed by the man restraining his smile and giving a light cough. "Not quite, there are always things I don't know, waiting for you to tell me."

Su Zhen cast a sideways glance at the man. "Who wants to tell you."

Having said that, she looked at her uncle. "Just treat him as if he doesn't exist."

Su Xun's expression grew strange, and in an instant, many thoughts raced through his mind. Yet, hindered by the relatives all around, it was hard to speak, so he could only ask about the matter just now.

"Right, everyone."

Su Zhen swept her gaze across the crowd and said solemnly, "I do not know if you have received the news, or if you received it but do not know whether it is true, but there is a matter I must tell you. Shen Du, the eldest son of the family head of the Northern Domain's premier immortal estate, the Shen family, and the personal disciple of the grand elder and protector of the Wuri Palace—this person is a demonic practitioner of the Soul-Devouring Cult and an emissary of the Blood God. I met him at Yueshan, and his bones now lie buried in the Demon Realm."

The expressions of everyone present shifted drastically.

"This?!"

Su Xun clearly knew who that was, and upon hearing this, his brow immediately furrowed. "Let us leave aside the Blood God believers for the moment; this Shen family is not easily provoked."

Having said this, he suddenly started. "The people just now?"

Su Zhen curved the corners of her lips. "Sent by the Shen family to assassinate me. Oh, right, the family head's second daughter and several nephews and nieces also died by my hand, just moments ago."

An uproar arose among the crowd.

Su Xun had a splitting headache. "Zhenzhen, why did you... Could it be that Shen Du made a move against you first?"

Since that was a demonic practitioner of the Soul-Devouring Cult, it was quite normal for her to have such thoughts.

Upon hearing this, however, Su Zhen shook her head. "I found him unpleasing to the eye, and having heard that he killed Elder Sister A'qi, I was filled with indignation and butchered him."

The expressions of the Su family members turned ugly. Among them, the younger ones were full of bewilderment upon hearing this.

"...Who is A'qi?"

"That would be the lord of Sujiangkou. Shen Du has the reputation he has today precisely because he killed that great demon, right?"

"Is she?"

"Is this one also the daughter of that person at Biyao Mountain?"

"Just a niece, probably. Those tree demons and flower demons are a chaotic mess to begin with, and they don't like to bother with these relations..."

Those young ones instantly wore looks of realization.

Su Xun sighed. "Zhenzhen, you wanted to avenge your sisters, so naturally we have no room to criticize. But the Wuri Palace and the Shen family..."

In the eyes of many young people, as long as the demonic practitioner identity of a righteous sect disciple was exposed, killing them was a matter of course, and their family, teachers, and friends should harbor no resentment.

Yet was that truly how things stood?

At Su Xun's age, he knew very well that not everyone in the righteous path was righteous, and many would not remain indifferent to the life and death of a loved one just because they had become a demonic practitioner.

Not only was the head of the Shen family in the Golden Immortal realm, but there were also several Heavenly Immortal realm experts within the clan. Moreover, the family's influence in the Northern Domain was extremely vast, and they had intricate, interwoven ties with the Wuri Palace.

The Wuri Palace also had two Immortal Venerables—one in the Saint realm and one in the Quasi-Saint realm. Although both were figures who asked nothing of worldly affairs, spent years in seclusion, and poured all their minds into ascending, their strength was nonetheless right there.

If Su Zhen were not the disciple of an Immortal Venerable, then with the Su family's strength, they simply could not afford to provoke a great clan like the Shen family.

"And, I am no longer the disciple of Immortal Venerable Yuchen either."

Su Zhen said flatly, "He broke the sect rules and was expelled from the Tianyuan Sect."

Su Family Members: "..."

Su Family Members: "???"

They all looked as though they could not believe what they had just heard.

"Zhenzhen..."

Someone asked with a trembling voice, "Whom did you say broke the sect rules? Who was expelled from the Tianyuan Sect?"

Su Zhen looked at him with amusement. "Xu Ling, of course. Or did you think it was me? He accepted his punishment and left of his own accord."

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Su Xun was the first to snap back to his senses, countless thoughts spinning in his mind, and he could not help but wonder if Immortal Venerable Chongyun had any intention of taking her as a disciple.

Back then, when he took his niece to the Eastern Domain seeking medicine, he had indeed wondered if she could become a disciple under the Sect Master's seat.

However, Su Zhen had been young at the time, and the Sect Master had many disciples, with many outstanding ones among them, nor did he have much time to teach newcomers—making him inferior to Immortal Venerable Yuchen instead.

Today was different from the past. Given Su Zhen's talent, even that Pei family brother and sister could not compare to her. If she could become a disciple under the Sect Master, provided Immortal Venerable Chongyun ascended a bit later, perhaps the position of the next Sect Master...

"Uncle."

Su Zhen suddenly spoke up. "I can't be bothered to find myself another master either. What you all care about is whether you can attain the position of the head seat, whether you can inherit the divine artifact—none of these things matter in the least to me. Today, saying these things is not to discuss anything with you, but merely to inform you. From this day forward, I have no further relationship with Immortal Venerable Yuchen, and you all need not bring up the title of the Immortal Venerable's disciple anymore..."

The expressions of the Su family members varied. Some wore anxious faces, some showed worry in their eyes, some were at a complete loss, and others wore fearful expressions.

They likely felt that having fallen out with her former master, they worried about being implicated in the disaster.

Of course, besides that, there was also a very important matter.

While the former family head was still alive, the Su family was the undisputed premier great clan of Huanhua Prefecture. After her passing, although this title had never fallen to others, it was ultimately different from the past.

A Heavenly Immortal realm family head could not compare to a Golden Immortal realm one, just as a Golden Immortal realm could not compare to a Quasi-Saint realm one.

Each tier in the upper seven realms was higher than the last, and every single tier was an arduous barrier yet also an absolute watershed. With each tier gained, one's status was vastly different.

Although it was said that a family's strength did not solely rely on its strongest individual, it also depended on how many upper seven realms experts the clan possessed.

In the past, the Su family had over a dozen Immortal Lords, coupled with a Golden Immortal realm family head, which allowed them to securely hold the number one spot in the prefecture.

Now, the number of upper seven realms practitioners had increased by a few, but the family head had dropped a level, and throughout the entire clan not a single Golden Immortal could be found, making them inferior to former days.

Among the many immortal estates of Huanhua Prefecture, quite a few sect leaders and masters were in the Heavenly Immortal realm. Once they united, they could snatch spiritual veins and resources right out from under the Su family's hands.

Yet everyone knew that the former family head's daughter, the current family head's niece, was now an Immortal Venerable's disciple. Therefore, if they wished to do anything, they also had to weigh the consequences.

Hence, the moment her words left her mouth, these people inevitably worried.

"Zhenzhen."

Su Xun called out to her. "You are young after all, and perhaps do not yet understand. Traveling outside is entirely different when you have an Immortal Venerable as a master compared to when you don't. If Immortal Venerable Chongyun regards you..."

"I understand very clearly."

Su Zhen slowly interrupted him. "And I also know that you all place great importance on this matter, because it allows you to reap the benefits. But right now I do not need it, nor will I take a master just to make you happy—even though if I wanted to find another Immortal Venerable as a master, it would be very easy; even if I wanted an Immortal Venerable to be my master, it would be simple."

Su Xun: "???"

He once again suspected that he had misheard.

Su Xun wanted to speak further, but he saw the man beside his niece smile and nod solemnly: "Indeed."

The Su family members were all thrown into utter disarray by these words. However, they no longer had the opportunity to speak.

Su Zhen turned around, tugged on the sleeve of the person beside her, and softly uttered the word "let's go."

That person reached out, hooked his arm around her shoulders, pulled her into his embrace, and casually raised his head to glance at the Immortal Lords of the Su family.

Smiling, he said in a low voice, "Until we meet again, honored Su seniors."

With her back to the crowd, upon hearing the last three words, Su Zhen seemed thoroughly displeased and struck him in the chest with a fist.

The man didn't budge an inch: "...Where did I get it wrong?"

Su Zhen angrily retorted, "Everywhere!"

The two figures vanished in an instant.

High up in the gale-swept skies, the Su family members stood dumbstruck, staring at the spot where the two had departed, at a loss for how to react for a moment.

Su Xun stared blankly. "This void-shifting arcane art—it didn't even have a shred of spiritual pressure fluctuation, and left behind no spiritual defilement whatsoever. Anyone wishing to track them would find not a trace. This person is unquestionably an peerless expert!"

He paused, then added, "If that was his true appearance—black hair and blue eyes..."

Su Xun abruptly closed his mouth.

The surrounding relatives exchanged glances.

Su Xun turned his head to look at a female cousin and a male cousin among them, calling out their names. "You two observe, Zhen'er and that person just now..."

Both of these individuals were veterans of the pleasure quarters, with quite a few lovers and pampered favorites. Hearing this, their expressions became subtle.

"That Immortal Lord doesn't know what kind of background he has. He only looked at us twice, and from beginning to end his eyes were fixed on Elder Sister Zhen."

"Didn't you notice that look in his eyes?"

The two looked at each other.

That was, after all, their niece, and they could not speak too bluntly, but having said this much, it was already enough.

"...It was precisely because I noticed that I asked you."

Su Xun took a soft breath, then suddenly said in a deep voice, "From now on, never speak of her and Immortal Venerable Yuchen's affair again. If anyone else asks, just brush it off by saying it is their sect's internal business, and has nothing to do with us."

Others might not know, but he had always had a vague feeling. Back when his niece used to return home and mention matters inside Weiyun Peak, it didn't seem like she merely viewed Immortal Venerable Yuchen as a master; it felt as though there were several other sentiments mixed in.

Yet all of that was clearly in the past.

If the person just now truly was... if any related rumors were heard again, that person would likely not be pleased.

"What about the Shen family?"

Someone asked in a low voice, "The head of the Shen family has successively lost a son and a daughter, and this time right here on our Huanhua Prefecture's territory. Outsiders will mostly assume we killed them together."

Su Xun glanced at him. "What do you think should be done? Could it be that we expel her from the clan?"

That person choked. "When did I say such a thing?"

Su Xun shook his head. "Them sending people to assassinate Zhen'er alone is far easier than coming to Shuiyun Mountain to exterminate us. After all, they cannot openly seek revenge against us. If we cower before the Shen family out of fear now, we would only become the laughingstock of others."

As he spoke, he fished out a jade slip.

Su Zhen had written a few words for him just a moment ago, among which one sentence was rather puzzling.

He read it carefully a few times, and his expression suddenly shifted, smiles gradually emerging in his eyes.

The people around were clueless, only watching the family head scamper off like a wisp of smoke.

...

North of the Northern Domain.

Amidst endless miles of snow peaks and glaciers, an immortal blessed land was concealed. Because of the extreme cold, the surrounding area was sparsely populated with few villages and towns.

The premier immortal sect of the Northern Domain, the Wuri Palace, was nestled amongst these snowy mountains.

Heaven and earth were filled with swirling wind and snow; amid the white, hazy frost-mist, jade towers and precious pavilions, grand halls and lofty pavilions were faintly discernible. The practitioners coming and going were all clad in thin garments, completely unfazed by the bitter cold.

The inner gates of the Wuri Palace consisted of five main peaks in total. Among them, Qingming Peak possessed a unique spiritual vein, and the peak master had always concurrently held the position of the palace master, thus possessing the greatest number of disciples.

Amidst the mountain's misty rosy clouds, the plaza echoed with the melodious chime of bells and chimes. An elder was examining the magical arts of the registered disciples when someone suddenly entered from the outside.

"Master..."

That person looked toward the elder and anxiously exchanged a meaningful glance.

Everyone recognized him as the elder's personal disciple, and one after another they respectfully saluted, addressing him as Senior Brother Ji.

The elder slightly nodded, leaving behind an illusionary body in place to continue checking the disciples' homework. With a wave of his true body, he said, "Little Ji, come here."

The two turned and entered a room.

"Master! The Tianyuan Sect has already begun releasing news."

Little Ji said in a low voice, "This matter won't be able to be kept under wraps much longer. By then, everyone will know..."

The elder waved a hand. "That fellow surnamed Shen is Senior Brother's disciple, not mine. Senior Brother is probably already preparing, and by then will surely push the matter completely clean."

"Master, I have an elder female cousin who is precisely the partner of the current Su family head."

"The Su family?"

"That would be the Su family of Huanhua Prefecture, Su Zhen's maternal family. The narrative they are putting out to the outside world now is quite similar to the Tianyuan Sect's: in order to avenge the lord of Sujiangkou, Su Zhen secretly searched and investigated, only to discover that Shen Du was a Soul-Devouring Cult demonic practitioner with hands stained with blood and countless slaughtered villages..."

The elder gave a light, mocking chuckle. "That account is certainly not false. However, even if he weren't a demonic practitioner, Su Zhen would likely still have killed him, just dispatching him in secret. But knowing he is a Blood God believer, she no longer holds back."

Little Ji nodded slightly. "There is one more matter. That cousin of mine—who is Su Zhen's own aunt-in-law—wrote a letter to her husband Su Xun and me..."

He used voice transmission to convey a few words.

The elder raised her brows slightly. "Indeed?"

Little Ji continued to nod. "The items can be delivered shortly. Su Xun has infused his memories into a shadow crystal. The Shen family must be colluding with the Soul-Devouring Cult; otherwise, how could they have summoned an expert of that caliber?"

The elder let out a cold snort. "Merely an Earth Immortal realm, but that is already enough. Since the Shen family is like this, that senior brother of mine naturally cannot absolve himself of blame, given how much they interact with one another."

She rose gracefully, a smile hovering on her lips. "That senior brother of mine has put on airs and lorded it over others for how many years? His time has finally come to an end. Perfect, Master is coming out of seclusion today in order to show his face in Xianyuan City..."

Little Ji lowered his head slightly.

Shen Du's master, Elder Xu, was the grand elder and protector of Qingming Peak. He was currently at the peak of the Golden Immortal realm, merely a single step away from stepping into the Quasi-Saint realm.

Among the palace master's many disciples, Elder Xu possessed the greatest strength; however, he was arrogant by nature, and most of his fellow disciples disliked him.

"Master does not care about demonic practitioners, but intensely detests the Soul-Devouring Cult."

The elder spoke in a low voice: "This matter is not widely known. Back when I was grieving bitterly over the loss of a close friend, Master told me that her family had died at the hands of a Blood God priest. Therefore, it would be one thing if the Shen family had no ties with the Blood God believers..."

She fell silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled softly. "You have been in the sect for a hundred years, yet you have never paid respects to the Grand Master. Let's go; today I shall take you to meet him."

Little Ji instantly grew nervous, filled with a mix of excitement, anticipation, and a trace of fear. "Yes!"

An hour later, the two headed toward the peak of the mountain.

Qingming Peak suffered bitter cold year-round, yet the scenery among the mountains varied.

Practitioners of high realms all possessed methods; those who liked snow scenery simply let it be, but if they didn't like it, they would more or less set up barriers to improve it.

The mountain summit was blanketed in silver, with frost coloring the skies. The biting wind whipped up sleet and snow that drifted down, and amidst patches of majestic, multi-eaved palaces and pavilions, all were capped with pristine white snow.

However, in a corner of the back mountain, emerald bamboo and verdant wood flourished, and the courtyard was radiant with sun-drenched architectural splendor. Palaces and embroidered pavilions were stacked layer upon layer.

In the courtyard, parasol trees were a brilliant gold, maples were vivid red, and mountain cherry blossoms were a powdery pink, clustered together in brilliant, eye-catching bunches.

By the side of pavilions and waterside platforms, willows swayed gently. Near the warm pavilions and study rooms, flower beds blossomed with fragrance. Winding flagstone paths meandered through, flanked by various precious spiritual flora along the way.

Following along the entire way, Little Ji almost forgot he was situated amidst snowy mountains.

His master, Elder Liu, remained completely silent, and Little Ji didn't dare to speak either, following meekly behind with lowered eyes and submissive expression.

The two entered a warm pavilion all the way, and Little Ji grew even more nervous. Seeing his master drop to her knees, he hurriedly knelt down alongside her.

Elder Liu executed a profound, respectful bow. "Greetings, Master."

Little Ji's voice trembled. "Greetings, Palace Master."

The reception hall was as warm as spring. Someone was reclining on a soft couch, leisurely turning the pages of a thick roster, and upon hearing this, gave a soft acknowledgment.

Elder Liu rose silently and briefly recounted the matter.

That person listened without uttering a sound.

For a split second, an oppressive, tyrannical spiritual pressure filled the warm pavilion, and that heavy sense of coercion saturated every single inch of space.

Elder Liu's voice trembled slightly, yet she did not stop.

Little Ji prostrated himself on the ground, shivering violently, his entire body practically turning into a puddle of mud, unable to even raise his head.

Elder Liu finished swiftly. "The Su family head is about to send over the shadow crystal..."

"There is no need."

That person suddenly tossed the roster aside. "A mere Shen family—since Su Zhen had these people pass along a message to me, it's merely to cut off any future troubles. Since she managed to make Zhu Rao look favorably upon her and have Xu Ling expelled from the sect on her behalf, I will also grant her this face and go take a look in person."

Having spoken, she directly vanished from the spot.

Little Ji remained kneeling.

Elder Liu pulled him up, and only then did he stand up shakily, his legs still weak, relying entirely on his master for support.

Little Ji raised his head in bewilderment and terror. "What did the Palace Master just say? Who are Zhu Rao and Xu Ling?"

Elder Liu's expression was complex. "...That would be the Tianyuan Sect Master, Immortal Venerable Chongyun, and the Weiyun Peak master, Immortal Venerable Yuchen. No, nowadays one ought to call him the former peak master."

"But the Palace Master only just came out of seclusion? How does she know?"

Elder Liu glanced at him. "Where the divine sense of a Saint realm powerhouse reaches, there is nothing they do not know."

At this very moment.

In the southern part of the Northern Domain, inside the main residence of the Shen family.

The study was enveloped by heavy barriers. The room was deathly quiet; the head of the Shen family sat before his desk, the jade slip by his hand already crushed into powder, his face overcast with dark clouds.

"I told you long ago that that bastard tree demon wasn't easy to deal with, yet she actually sneaked off over there!"

Clearly, he had already received the news of his daughter's death, and having just lost his son, this news was unquestionably adding frost to snow.

Seated across from him was someone who picked up a teacup, his expression cold as he spoke, "Your Excellency was too rash. It would be one thing if Su Zhen had truly been killed, but now..."

The head of the Shen family lifted his head to stare at him.

The other person was none other than Elder Xu of Qingming Peak, Shen Du's master.

Elder Xu took a sip of tea and said flatly, "If you hadn't insisted that Su Zhen must have had outside help to kill your son, you wouldn't have thought that a mere Earth Immortal realm could kill her."

The head of the Shen family closed his eyes slightly. "Yao Wan was there as well."

Elder Xu set down his teacup. "He wasn't invited by you, and furthermore, his temperament is eccentric and he acts entirely on whim. If you were counting on him to silence everyone and erase all traces, you were gravely mistaken."

The head of the Shen family opened his eyes again, his expression growing even uglier. "Su Zhen is barely a hundred years old, and at the time she was on the Demon Realm's territory. If nobody aided her..."

"Enough. You just refuse to admit that she is stronger than your son."

Elder Xu said coldly, "That was still my disciple."

The head of the Shen family let out a cold snort. "What do you have to refuse to admit? You couldn't compare to Xu Ling in the first place."

Elder Xu: "..."

So this fellow was locked in a petty contest with Su Che, feeling that his son had lost to her daughter. But the former head of the Su family had been dead for how many years? Was there any need to dwell on that?

Elder Xu said with a headache, "Further talk is useless. The most pressing matter right now is that you need to completely sever ties with the Soul-Devouring Cult, and claim that your son's affairs were entirely his own doing."

The head of the Shen family slammed a hand down fiercely, shattering the desk beside him into four or five pieces. "It was originally they who seduced my son, we..."

"You were all simply seduced together?"

Elder Xu sneered. "That narrative is likely going to fall flat. If not for the Blood God granting them power, how would your sons and daughters have attained their current cultivation levels? Aren't you the same yourself?"

Yet what was the price paid in exchange for this?

Naturally, it was sacrifices.

Either countless innocent mortals, or a small number of fairly powerful practitioners—quantity and quality, one of the two had to be met.

The expression of the head of the Shen family shifted continuously, and he suddenly stood up. "I will personally go find Su Zhen and kill her alongside that crowd from Huanhua Prefecture."

"Too obvious."

Elder Xu said leisurely, "Master came out of seclusion today, and at this hour is probably busy reviewing ledgers and rosters, having no spare time for these idle matters for the moment. You and I need to settle this before then—"

He abruptly stopped.

No.

At this hour in the past, Immortal Venerable Yinfeng should have already summoned him.

He didn't mind his master knowing he was at the Shen family.

After all, since Shen Du had suffered such a fate, as his "master" who claimed ignorance, it was only proper for him to come and discuss the matter with the Shen family, or rather, question them.

"Why did you stop talking?"

A voice suddenly rang out within the quiet study.

"I still wanted to hear what good ideas you might have."

Elder Xu was struck as if by lightning, slowly turning around to look toward the window.

"Master?!"

The head of the Shen family also turned around blankly to look.

A figure was leaning lazily against the window, draped in a moon-white wide-sleeved outer garment, dark hair half-bunched with a silver hairpin stuck horizontally through it. Silver threads were mixed among the hair strands, yet the face remained that of a youth.

Her posture was leisurely and indolent, jade-carved fingers toying with an emerald *ruyi*, as she looked at the two of them with a half-smile.

"Go on, let me broaden my horizons as well."