Chapter 317: The White-clad Sword Bearer's Late-night Visit

The Su family.

Qingwu Courtyard.

Su Hongli held a jar of chess pieces in one hand and made moves on the chessboard with the other.

The black and white pieces gradually reached a stalemate.

He played against himself, engrossed in the game and enjoying it.

Until nightfall.

Su Hongli suddenly frowned, let out a sigh, swept away all the chess pieces with a wave of his sleeve, and said, "The most difficult thing to overcome in this world is often oneself. It applies to chess and also to cultivation."

Not far away, an old man in Daoist robes had been waiting for a long time. Hearing this, he couldn't help but smile and said, "In chess, we seek a move without regrets; in cultivation, we seek a state without hindrance."

Su Hongli smiled, stood up, and asked, "Everyone knows the grand principles, but it's easier said than done. Brother Dao, have you been waiting for so long because there is something important?"

The Daoist-robed old man nodded and said, "Su Yi has arrived in Jade Capital City."

As the night grew darker, the courtyard flickered with lights, and the night breeze rustled.

Su Hongli burst into laughter and said, "It was within my expectations. It doesn't surprise me."

The Daoist-robed old man whispered, "Today, Su Yi had a confrontation with Shi Fengliu on the Qinglan River. Shi Fengliu's mount was slain, and he fled in a sorry state."

"Furthermore, at the front gate of the Dragon Gate Pass, Huosong True Man watched coldly, allowing Su Yi to leave without making a move."

Su Hongli fell silent.

After a moment, he spoke with a hint of disgust in his tone, saying, "Shi Fengliu is nothing more than an incapable usurper. He arrogantly considers himself on par with the top figures in the world. It's ridiculous that the body he possesses is that of a mediocre scholar with no cultivation, poor foundations, and mediocre aptitude. Even with extraordinary talents, he can hardly become a great figure under the influence of such a body."

Pausing for a moment, he continued, "As for Huosong True Man, he is cautious and narrow-minded, lacking a broad vision. He will be limited on the path of the Yuan Dao in his lifetime. He is not worth a second thought."

"They dare not confront that wretched bastard head-on, which is also within my expectations."

His comments were casual and natural, tinged with a sense of condescension, and filled with undisguised disdain.

The Daoist-robed old man, however, seemed accustomed to it and was not surprised.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "The Emperor has issued a decree for the Shadow Dragon Guards to monitor Su Yi's every move, but there are no plans to suppress him. Instead, he wants to see what kind of commotion Su Yi can stir up after entering Jade Capital City."

Su Hongli smiled and said, "Perhaps our Emperor wants to see who will emerge victorious between me, Su Hongli, and that wretched bastard."

The Daoist-robed old man fell silent.

Su Hongli's gaze deepened, and he said indifferently, "For the past ten years, I have secluded myself here, ignoring worldly affairs. The Emperor has probably been curious about how much progress I, Su Hongli, have made in my cultivation. It's not a bad idea to let him witness it."

The Daoist-robed old man couldn't help but remind, "Friend, before the brilliant era arrives, revealing your strength too early might cause unnecessary trouble. You should know that the cultivation forces within the Great Xia are already mobilizing and operating in various regions of the Cangqing Continent..."

Su Hongli interrupted, saying, "It's fine. I only need to deal with that wretched bastard. It won't require me to use all of my power."

As he spoke, he took a step towards the room and said, "It's getting late. Brother Dao, please make yourself at home."

The Daoist-robed old man hesitated, shaking his head. This was ultimately Su Hongli's family matter and involved a very secretive past event.

He didn't want to get too involved.

...

Late at night, a waning moon hung high in the sky, shining as bright as a blade.

Deep within the Rui'an Alley and Peach Talisman Lane, in the Songfeng Villa.

Su Yi comfortably lay in a wicker chair.

This courtyard was quite nice, elegant and peaceful, with tall and orderly planted pine trees, flower gardens, vegetable plots, small ponds, pavilions, and more.

Before Su Yi's arrival, it was obvious that someone had cleaned and tidied up the courtyard, even replacing the bedding and items in the room with new ones.

Sitting in this courtyard, gazing at the clear moon in the sky, and listening to the rustling sound of the pine trees, Su Yi felt completely relaxed.

He had wandered around the Peach Talisman Lane earlier, found an old and inconspicuous small restaurant, and enjoyed a bowl of piping hot sheep offal noodle soup, two pounds of marinated beef, a portion of smoked fish, and a plate of boiled peanuts. He also drank a pot of homemade turbid wine brewed by the restaurant owner.

Surprisingly, both the food and the wine had a unique flavor.

"If there are no worries, it's a good time in the world."

Su Yi muttered to himself, "It's a pity that this beautiful scenery has been ruined by some flies..."

His figure lying in the wicker chair didn't move, but he raised his hand and made a grabbing motion in the air.

From a tall pine tree thirty feet away, a cluster of pine needles shot out like strands of rain, hovering above the palm of Su Yi's right hand.

The pine needles were slender and green, suspended there, resembling a cluster of tiny green flying swords, manipulated by the power between Su Yi's fingertips, spinning and dancing.

"Go!"

Su Yi waved his sleeve.

Bang!

The cluster of pine needles exploded, shooting out like miniature flying swords, quickly separating in mid-air and flying in different directions.

In front of a mansion gate thirty yards away from the Songfeng Villa.

A man, resembling a beggar, curled up in a corner of the wall, soundly asleep.

Tsk!

Suddenly, a burst of green light flashed and pierced the left cheek of the beggar, leaving a needle-sized blood hole. The beggar immediately stood up in pain, his face contorted.

At the same time...

Outside Peach Talisman Lane, an old man selling sugar-coated haws trembled all over, emitting a muffled groan. A jade-green pine needle had pierced through his neck.

On the eaves, ten yards away from the old man, a woman dressed in military attire let out a sharp scream of pain. She stumbled and almost fell, shattering the tiles beneath her feet.

Similar scenes unfolded within a radius of a hundred zhang centered around the Songfeng Villa.

One after another, hidden figures in the shadows of the night were pierced by the jade-green pine needles. Their faces filled with panic and their spines chilled.

At the moment of their injury, a calm voice sounded in their ears:

"Tell the forces behind you that from now on, anyone who disturbs the cultivators in Peach Talisman Lane will be mercilessly killed. Get lost!"

Every word was like a heavy hammer, brutally striking their souls, causing their vision to darken and their blood and qi to surge, almost on the verge of collapse.

Soon, these spies from the major powers in Yujing City fled and dared not stay any longer.

On the same night, the warning about Su Yi spread throughout the night in Yujing City, causing countless ripples.

Songfeng Villa.

"If I have a Grandmaster's cultivation at the Fifth Stage, using the Five Elements' Spirit Dao light as a guide, supplemented by the power of Divine Sense, I can pick flowers and leaves like sword techniques, killing enemies from a thousand feet away."

"As for now... I can only harm people reluctantly, and my power is somewhat lacking."

Su Yi lightly tapped the armrest of the wicker chair with his fingers, lost in thought.

Undoubtedly, his entry into Yujing City today had already attracted the attention of many major powers.

However, Su Yi wasn't worried at all.

If anyone foolish enough came looking for trouble, he didn't mind wiping them out one by one.

"On the fifteenth day of the fourth month, there are still nineteen days until the fourth day of May. It's enough time for me to reach the Fifth Stage of the Grandmaster's realm."

"I just wonder if Su Hongli is ready."

Su Yi looked up at the sky, where the moon was bright and the stars were sparse. The night in Yujing City was no different from any other place.

After all, it was just a worldly place.

After a long while, Su Yi stood up and turned to go back to his room for cultivation.

But at that moment, he suddenly stopped and turned his gaze towards the courtyard gate.

As if in unison, as Su Yi's gaze swept over, a clear and ethereal voice echoed from outside the courtyard gate, resembling the song of a bird in a secluded valley:

"Friend Su, forgive me for visiting late at night."

Each word was like a pearl, gently falling onto a jade plate, pleasant to the ears like heavenly music.

Su Yi sat back down in the wicker chair and casually said, "Come over the wall."

Silence fell outside the courtyard.

Shortly after, a graceful figure leaped over the wall and landed lightly.

It was a young girl dressed in white, carrying an ancient sword on her back. Her jet-black, silky hair was loosely tied with a red rope into a ponytail, revealing a serene and delicate face that could be described as picturesque.

Her figure was tall and slender, with crystal-clear skin like condensed fat. A yellow leather gourd hung at her waist.

Apart from the red rope tied around her hair, the young girl had no other ornaments, yet she possessed a natural beauty that was unparalleled and ethereal.

Moonlight spilled over as the girl stood amidst the mottled light and shadows of the pine trees, resembling a fairy descending to the mortal realm, exquisitely beautiful and transcendent.

Su Yi's eyes showed a hint of surprise.

The girl stood in the courtyard, the sea hibiscus hanging its head, the moonlight silent. Who could withstand such flawless beauty?

It must be said that this girl who had come to visit in the late night was truly a rare beauty, exuding a unique ethereal aura. If an ordinary person saw her, they would mistake her for a fairy from a painting.

Of course, what interested Su Yi even more was the aura emanating from the girl, which was completely different from ordinary people.

While Su Yi was observing the white-clad girl with a sword, she was also sizing him up as he sat in the reclining chair, her clear and bright eyes carrying a hint of peculiarity.

"Yu Shiyan, I have seen Friend Su."

Immediately, the girl spoke in an open and straightforward manner.

Su Yi suddenly realized, "You are the legendary Feather Flow Princess, Yu Shiyan."

He remembered now.

Among the nine kings of the external clan in the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Feather Flow Princess was undoubtedly the most deserving of the title of the first king!

She was hailed as an unparalleled genius in the Great Zhou for over a thousand years!

She had once single-handedly carried a sword and stepped into the territory of the Great Wei Empire, defeating nine innate grandmasters of the Great Wei in succession, making her name known in both countries and renowned throughout the world.

She had also ventured into the feared "Heavenly Abyss Mountain," known as the most dangerous place in the Great Zhou, and slaughtered the Twelve Demon Kings, displaying unparalleled dominance.

In the Great Zhou, the Feather Flow Princess, Yu Shiyan, was truly a legendary figure!

"I can't claim to be a legend. Compared to you, friend, you are the true legend. After all, being able to slay terrestrial immortals with your mastery-level cultivation, there are very few throughout the entire Cangqing Continent who can match you."

Yu Shiyan's voice was melodious and calm, her graceful figure ethereal in the moonlight.

Su Yi smiled and showed interest. "Enough about that. Why have you come to visit me so late at night?"

Yu Shiyan admitted openly, "I heard about many of your deeds recently and became curious. I wanted to witness your brilliance firsthand, so I came to pay you a visit."

Su Yi was taken aback. Coming to see him at such a late hour, just for the sake of meeting him?