395 Paying Back a Debt of Blood
After half a day Su Yu woke up. The Phoenix Cabinet's Master was nowhere to be found.
He was at a loss as he opened his eyes. He realized that the Evil Ghost Energy that had been in a frenzy in his body had dispersed. The blood-red vapor on his body surface had also disappeared. His cultivation base had stabilized again, and the danger had been successfully resolved.
He got up and subconsciously realized that he was not wearing any clothes. Two female accessories were left below his body. A glittering, brightly colored plum blossom burst forth endlessly.
"What is this—?" Su Yu began. Then a ray of light flashed through his mind, and he immediately understood what had happened.
"Su Yu…" a voice drifted into his ears.
When he looked in the direction of the voice came from, he found that it was a jade pendant used to pass on a message. It was stuck tightly to Su Yu's chest and began automatically passing on a message.
"The Yin element is considered a form of feminine energy," spoke the voice of the Phoenix Cabinet's Master. "Hence, I'm sorry. Without asking for your permission, I knocked you out and treated your injuries."
Su Yu's whole body shook violently. As expected! The Phoenix Cabinet's Master had used her precious first time, which she had kept for decades, to rescue Su Yu.
"No need to blame yourself," said the Phoenix Cabinet's Master. "Palace Master Ling did not hesitate to give his entire life to save you. I merely abandoned a part of mine. Moreover, as we were linked together, a small part of the Evil Ghost Energy within your body entered my body and swallowed the toxins of the Nine Death Elixir. It changed the elixir into a pure energy. Not only did I regain my cultivation base, but my cultivation base actually made some progress. I have hopes of making a breakthrough to the realm of the Human King. I have managed to gain something from the misfortune. Hence, you need not feel guilty. The score between both of us can be counted as settled."
"Lastly," she continued, "please keep this matter from Xianer and forget about me." Her final sentence was choked with sobs. "And… Take care of yourself."
After Su Yu listened to the message, he was stunned. The Phoenix Cabinet's Master, a woman he barely knew, had chosen to give herself to him, just to rescue him.
A warm feeling surged deep in his heart. However, he did not know how to deal with this. What about Xianer? Perhaps they were just destined to never be together. There were also Jiang Xueqing and Princess Yun Yan to think about. How could he ever hope to compensate them? They would certainly become an eternal regret in his heart.
After sighing, Su Yu took Ling Xiaotian and disappeared from his current location.
******
After many days, at the north continent's Sub Palace.
The Yinyu Area was desolate and chilly. Depression filled the air. The news of what had happened at the Phoenix Cabinet had spread.
The legend was that Palace Master Yin Yu had defeated the north continent's galaxy of talents. He had proudly taken his place on the king's throne as a genius who surpassed many generations. Such a brilliant achievement had inspired the hearts of many people.
However, the news after that was that he had been captured and taken away to suffer punishment at the Empire's headquarter.
A small child sighed and looked at Elder Fan. "Elder Fan, the Palace Master is no longer here, and Miss Zi has left as well. Our Yinyu Area is back to the past again."
Elder Fan's old face was filled with regret. "People come and go. Everyone is just passing by…" Suddenly, Elder Fan's gaze turned serious, and he looked toward the horizon.
"Ouyang Long, show yourself quickly!" bellowed a heavenly voice from tens of thousands of miles away.
The ten areas in the Sub Palace could all hear it clearly.
"It's Palace Master Yin Yu! He's not dead!"
Cheers filled the Yinyu Area. The Empire's headquarters had branded Yin Yu a criminal, but this piece of news had yet to spread.
Ouyang Long had remained in the Lingxiao Palace where he was waiting for Ling Xiaotian to return. His expression became dignified, and he flew above the ocean. "Welcome, Palace Master Yin Yu!"
Rustle—
After a few minutes, Su Yu descended. "Ouyang grandmaster," he said. "To make a long story short, could I ask if the divine artifact, the Gray Dragon Coffin, is still with you?" Su Yu had only returned to the Sub Palace for this divine artifact.
After thinking for a while, Ouyang Long descended onto the ground. He retrieved a dragon-shaped coffin and flew back up. Su Yu revealed a delighted expression. When Ouyang Long moved his family, he had also brought the Gray Dragon Coffin along with him.
"Palace Master Yin Yu, if you need it, go ahead and take it," Ouyang Long said, grateful to Su Yu from the bottom of his heart.
"Thank you," Su Yu said. "Could I ask, will the Gray Dragon Coffin function as it did when it treated me while I was heavily injured and on the verge of death?"
Against that question, Ouyang Long said disappointedly, "I'm afraid that this is not the case. Rescuing you that time used up the energy that had been accumulated in the coffin for 100 years. We will need to wait another 100 years for it to do so again."
"Is there no other way to accumulate energy quickly?" Su Yu's expression turned serious.
"There is! Refine it!" Ouyang Long said seriously.
Refine it. Su Yu's eyes shone with determination. In the entire world, only the ancient clan's 10,000 Soldier Spiritual Liquid could refine a divine artifact and return it to its original state as it had been before it had an owner. Among the clansmen of the Tu clan, only one person possessed the 10,000 Soldier Spiritual Liquid! The Anyue City Master!
"Where is the North Continent's Alliance located at?" Su Yu's eyes flashed.
Ouyang Long replied without hesitation. "It's at the Dark Forest! The North Continent's Alliance's Young Master, Yue Yao, who is also known as Wu Yaoyue, has announced that he is about to hold his wedding. Hence, he has invited all the outstanding figures from across the continent."
Wu Yaoyue… Yue Yao? Of the Yue clan! One of the Eight Great Ancient Clans!
Su Yu's eyes glowed coldly. He had suspected that there was a mastermind behind the North Continent's Alliance and its scheme to make an enemy out of the Empire of Darkness. Now, it was clear. The Yue clan had returned! However, Su Yu could never have predicted that Wu Yaoyue, who first appeared in the Hundred Territories Alliance, was actually the Yue clan's Young Master!
Who was he marrying, I wonder? thought Su Yu. That sinister and vicious Feng Xian?
"Thank you very much," he said. "I shall take my leave now!"
Ouyang Long said hurriedly, "Palace Master, what are you going to do?"
Su Yu paused and said seriously: "All of you should leave the north continent's Sub Palace quickly. A great change is about to occur."
It was obvious that the people from the headquarters would wipe out the north continent's Sub Palace to get rid of Ling Xiaotian's trusted subordinates. The Ouyang family was definitely one of those trusted subordinates.
What? Ouyang Long's expression soured. He had led his whole clan to seek the Empire of Darkness for refuge. In the end, a great disaster was about to occur. And now, he had nowhere to live in peace?
"Return to the Hundred Territories Alliance," Su Yu said.
Ouyang Long became silent. Could they still return to the Alliance? There were no longer any places there for them to reside.
"Go ahead and return," Su Yu reiterated. "Han Jianglin will never return again!"
After his speech, Su Yu transformed into a bolt of lightning, passed through the vast sky, and headed straight for the Dark Forest.
******
A month later, in the vast Dark Forest.
The Dark Forest was bustling with people. Countless strong martial artists of the continent's forces had sent their clansmen there for just one reason. A clan so old that it caused the continent to tremble had descended upon the human world again.
Deep inside the forest rested a mysterious, ancient castle which had stood quietly in the vast forest like a jewel since the primitive age of the forest. Two enormous Immortal Level Five Lower Tier Demonic Beast Emperors lingered in the sky with an imposing, magnanimous manner.
Countless outstanding figures of the continent brought presents to congratulate the Yue clan on their happy occasion. There were so many of them that the entrance was about to burst open. A green-robed old man welcomed the honored guests with a smile.
"The Shi clan of the Eight Great Ancient Clans has arrived!"
"The Ming clan of the Eight Great Ancient Clans has arrived!"
"The Wan clan of the Eight Great Ancient Clans has arrived!"
"The Li clan of the Eight Great Ancient Clans has arrived!"
All of the Eight Great Ancient Clans had arrived except for the Qin clan—which was the leader—the mysterious Gui clan, and the Tu clan, which had surrendered. They had all come to witness the return of the Yue clan!
"The Heavenly Law Alliance has arrived!"
Even the Heavenly Law Alliance had received an invitation.
Beside the green-robed old man was Huang Xiaoyan, a crossed-eye female martial artist with a twisted mouth.
"Haha! The Young Master is great indeed," Huang Xiaoyan laughed loudly. "He has so many strong great forces attending and supporting his wedding."
The green-robed old man ceased smiling politely and began to sneer gloomily. "Would they have the guts to not attend? With the Yue clan's Ninth Saint Master to answer to, who would dare not come?"
Huang Xiaoyan said, "What about the Qin clan and the Gui clan?"
"Humph! These two undiscriminating clans will be exterminated by the Ninth Saint Master one day!" The green-robed old man did not approve of them.
At that moment, a group of people arrived. It was Han Jianglin, the Anyue City Master, and Feng Xian.
The old man said casually, "The North Continent's Alliance has arrived!"
Han Jianglin and his people were dissatisfied, but having been discriminated against, they could not do anything. On the surface, they made up the main forces of the North Continent's Alliance. However, in reality, the Yue clan was the mastermind behind them.
The man with the most unpleasant expression was the Anyue City Master. The Yue clan—which had destroyed his clan—now actually wanted him to come and congratulate them.
"Tu clan's Master, have you prepared your congratulatory gift?" the green-robed old man asked arrogantly.
The Anyue City Master was furious. It wasn't enough that he had lost his position and influence. Now he had to be subjected to this indignity! A Master of one of the Eight Great Ancient Clans, reduced to abiding threats from a small, old bastard of Immortal Level Four Peak. Although the green-robed old man was Yue Yao's trusted subordinate who had been by Yue Yao's side throughout the year, this sort of bullying was going too far!
Although the Anyue City Master was furious on the inside, he wore a genial expression on the surface. "Naturally," he said.
"Haha! I trust you do understand what kind of congratulatory gift you should give us, correct?" the green-robed old man said with a hum.
The Anyue City Master flashed a conciliatory grin. "Don't worry. The 10,000 Soldier Spiritual Liquid has been well prepared."
"We only want the original liquid. No need to take out the diluted liquid and embarrass yourself."
After hearing what was said, the Anyue City Master became even more furious. The Yue clan was forcing him to hand over the root of the Tu clan! There were only ten droplets of the original liquid of the 10,000 Soldier Spiritual Liquid. It was beyond precious.
"I have a clear idea of the situation, and I know what has to be done," the Anyue City Master said as he entered the castle.
After waiting for the group of them to enter, the green-robed old man hummed disdainfully. "Even though you are a guest of my Yue clan, you still dare to behave like a savage?"
Huang Xiaoyan opened her mouth furiously. "Who else is not here yet?"
The green-robed old man flipped open the guest list. "Everyone is here. Let's go in, as well. The wedding is about to begin."
Suddenly, Huang Xiaoyan's crossed eyes discovered a figure on the horizon. It was coming toward them, stepping on white clouds.
"There is still someone else!"
The green-robed old man followed her gaze and looked over. He could not help but felt puzzled. The approaching individual appeared thin and very young. However, the young man cut an extremely strange figure; it looked like he was carrying a giant coffin!
Su Yu had come along with the wind. As he looked at the castle, which was decorated with lights, his expression turned cold.
"Are you using this wedding to spread your name across the world?" he said. "Haha… I will grant all of you your wish! Today, I will return the blood debt of the entire Phoenix Cabinet—in one go!"