A long time passed in silence, but Shen Jiusong didn’t so much as open the letter.
After a while, he said calmly, “If something happens to my son, as his father, I will naturally seek justice for him. However, if you think you can use him to threaten me and force me to back down, forget it!”
His voice boomed as he made that final declaration.
Everyone was stunned, and the atmosphere was instantly even heavier.
“Cloudlight Marquis, you aren’t even going to look and see what’s written?” Yue Qing couldn’t help but ask.
Rrrrip!
Shen Jiusong tore the letter directly in half, then said with utter equanimity, “If the Su Family dares kill my boy, I solemnly swear that, so long as I live, I’ll get revenge, no matter the cost!”
Everyone was in a daze. Shen Jiusong’s decisive attitude shocked them deeply.
What frame of mind was he in to stand by Su Yi even if meant disregarding his son’s life?
“You didn’t have to do that,” sighed Su Yi.
“Young Lord Su, I say this without fear of mockery: I’ve spent years fumbling through this world. I might have few other skills, but I’ve always held fast to a certain principle,” said Shen Jiusong softly. “There are times when you can back down, and there are times when it’s better to die than take even half a step back.”
“Hahahaha!” Yue Qing burst into exaggerated laughter. “This is my first time hearing of a marquis who dared fight the Su Family to the death. Your so-called ‘holding fast to your principles’ is ludicrous and ignorant to the extreme!
He then let out a long sigh. “If you do this, you won’t just hurt yourself; you’ll even drag your son down with you. Is that truly necessary?”
Su Yi glanced at the arrogant, brazen Heavenbrave Marquis and said, “If his son dies, I’ll obliterate your entire family.”
Yue Qing was stunned, but before he could respond, Xia Houlin said calmly, “Third Young Master, calm down. The show has only just begun.”
With that, he waved, and a group walked in from the room off to the side of the hall.
Their leader was none other than the city lord of Guangling City, Fu Shan. He was accompanied by Nie Beihu, as well as an elder Su Yi didn’t recognize.
Su Yi’s eyes narrowed slightly, but his expression almost instantly returned to normal.
“Master Su, long time no see.” Fu Shan clasped his fist, his expression conflicted.
Su Yi asked directly, “Did they threaten you too?”
Fu Shan shook his head and sighed. “The Su Family invited us here to persuade you. If at all possible, I hope you’ll set aside your preconceived notions. After all, you’re the son of the head of the Su Family. How… How could you choose to stand against your own family?”
Su Yi frowned and interrupted him. “Out of consideration for our former bond, you’d best shut your mouth.”
Fu Shan was briefly stunned. Then, he grimaced and shook his head.
“If you think the same as Fu Shan, I urge you not to speak.” Su Yi glanced at Nie Beihu.
Nie Beihu was silent for a while before saying, “Master Su, the power of the Jade Capital’s Su Family is vast beyond your imagination. If you don’t lower your head today, you’ll implicate everyone connected to you. We might not fear the consequences, but we’re afraid they’ll extend to our wives, children, relatives, and friends. You… Why can’t you simply take a step back?”
Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh. “How is it that, in your eyes, I’ve become a source of disaster? If you’re worried I’ll implicate you, simply distance yourself from me and be done with it. You’re seriously shameless enough to tell me you’re here to persuade me? Tell me, Nie Beihu: who gave you the courage?”
Nie Beihu was momentarily at a loss for words. He hung his head bitterly and said, “Master Su, I…. I’m doing this out of consideration for your wellbeing too….”
Su Yi couldn’t be bothered to pay him any further heed. Instead, he glanced at the unfamiliar old man. “And who are you?”
The old man clasped his fist and said, “Young Lord Su, this old man is Huang Youcheng of Guangling City’s Huang Family. I’m here today to inform you that Family Head Huang Yunchong was unable to adapt to changing times and that he’s already been stripped of his position.”
He paused, then continued, “Furthermore, from this day forth, the Huang Family is no longer connected to you in any way.”
“Oh?” said Su Yi. “Relax; I only acknowledge Huang Yunchong and Huang Qianjun. The Huang Family’s attitude isn’t even worth a fart.”
After watching this play out, Xia Houlin said calmly, “Quit making these small fries jump about. Let’s serve the third young master something meatier.”
Yue Qing laughed heartily and clapped. “Bring them in!”
Another group emerged from the side room. They were none other than the Wen Family Dowager, Family Head Wen Changjing, as well as Wen Changtai and Qin Qing.
They were all terrified and uncertain, and they stood there quivering, like convicts awaiting sentencing.
The dowager was visibly conflicted as she said in a quavering voice, “Third Young Master, when gods and immortals wage war, it’s the mortals who suffer. We have always been frail and weak, and now, we’re unfortunate enough to have been swept up into this storm. I don’t fear death, but the members of the Wen Family are innocent….”
Su Yi waved her away. “No need to say more. I already understand: they’re doing this for no other reason than to display the Su Family’s power and make me obediently lower my head.”
“Then….?Will?you lower your head?” blurted Qin Qing.
“All I can say is, I guarantee nothing will happen to you,” said Su Yi.
Yue Qing couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s quite a mouth you’ve got on you, Third Young Master. Then take a look. Do you know what this is?”
He then took out a sword.
The blade was simple and unadorned, and it emanated a faint spirituality, but there was nothing else outwardly special about it.
However, when he saw it, Su Yi’s eyes instantly focused. 𝗻𝐨𝐯𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
Mortal Edge!
It was the first sword he forged after reawakening the memories of his past life, and it held an extraordinary significance for him.
When he left the Cloudriver Prefectural Capital, he entrusted it to Feng Xiaoran’s care.
Yet now, here it was, in Yue Qing’s hands!
“Third Young Master, I imagine you recognize this sword, but you needn’t worry. Neither the Yuan Family nor the Feng Siblings are in any danger,” laughed Yue Qing. “After all, the family head ordered that we were to clear your head; there’s no need to resort to violence.”
Su Yi gazed at Mortal Edge, then said calmly, “Do you have anything else?”
Xia Houlin sighed. “Third Young Master, what if I told you that the display of the Su Family’s power you just witnessed was but the tip of the iceberg? Would you believe me?”
“I asked you a question,” said Su Yi. “Do you have anything else?”
A hint of anger surfaced on Xia Houlin’s face, and he said flatly, “Jade Mountain Marquis, you say it.”
Pei Wenshan nodded, then said as if this were all perfectly natural, “Third Young Master, the new provincial governor, Mu Zhongting, has been stripped of his position, and he is currently imprisoned in the provincial government’s dungeons.
“Although his Sixth Highness was fortunate enough to win His Majesty’s recognition, he is currently under house arrest in the imperial palace, and he can no longer intervene in the outside world’s affairs. That means that he cannot possibly assist you any further, Third Young Master.
Pei Wenshan paused for emphasis before continuing, “In addition, the experts of Jixia Academy and Watermoon Academy took up temporary residence in Heaven’s Origin Academy yesterday. Despite Palace Master Ning’s vast and far-reaching abilities, I’m afraid she’ll find it difficult to assist you under the circumstances.”
When he finished, Pei Wenshan sighed. “Third Young Master, we’re not trying to make you submit to us; we want you to lower your head before your own biological father. There’s no shame in that.”
Xia Houlin said, “Take just one step back, and the whole world will open up for you!”
“Third Young Master, so long as you repent and make amends, you’ll have no need to fear failing to win the Su Family’s approval,” said Yue Qing. “When that day comes, who in the Great Zhou would dare look down on you?”
All eyes turned toward Su Yi. The atmosphere was stifled, and the room was deathly silent.
But Su Yi merely fixed his gaze on Yue Qing’s hands, which still held Mortal Edge. “All I want to know is, did Su Hongli order you to do this? Or are you doing this at someone else’s behest?”
“Impudent!” Xia Houlin’s expression darkened. “You’re his son. How could you possibly refer to your father by name?”
Pei Wenshan’s brow furrowed. “Third Young Master, we know you’re displeased, but you’d best calm down and recognize the reality of your situation. Acting ostentatiously might feel good in the moment, but if you carry on like this, don’t blame us for our poor manners.”
“You won’t tell me?” said Su Yi flatly. “In that case, I’ll just have to go to the Jade Capital and ask Su Hongli myself. Then I’ll know just who arranged this. Whoever it was, don’t they know that certain behaviors will inevitably get people killed?”
“You…” Xia Houlin was infuriated. The aura of a Xiantian Martial Ancestor surged around him, terrifying and imposing. “Third Young Master, do you?really?want to do this the hard way?”
“I said it a long time ago: words alone aren’t enough to awaken someone dead-set on pretending they’re asleep,” said Yue Qing, laughing and shaking his head. “Take now, for instance. If we don’t make our third young master suffer a little pain, I’m afraid he’ll never fix his unfortunate tendency to overestimate himself.”
The gazes of the higher-ups watching Su Yi instantly carried a newfound hint of pity.?Even after all this, you still won’t lower your head? Do they really need to beat you first?
Not far away, Fu Shan, Nie Beihu, the Wen Family Dowager, and the others looked conflicted. They couldn’t bear to watch.
It was then that a burst of clear, hearty laughter rang out. “What do you mean, ‘suffer a little pain’? Tell me, Heavenbrave Marquis: how dare an insignificant little marquis like you be so arrogant?”
Immediately afterward, a group strode in from outside. Their leader was elegantly handsome and graceful. This was none other than the Mountain-Subduing King, Mu Xi!
When they saw who had arrived, Xia Houlin, Yue Qing, and Pei Wenshan were all stunned. Their brows instantly knit together.
The other big shots in attendance gasped, and they could no longer remain calm.
Who didn’t recognize the youngest of the Great Zhou’s non-Zhou kings?
Furthermore, Mu Xi had obviously come here to back Su Yi up!
The grand elder of Starcliff Academy, Pu Yi, walked alongside Mu Xi. He said coldly, “This is my first time seeing something so utterly absurd. A whole bunch of old fogies dares shamelessly attempt to force Young Lord Su to lower his head? Ludicrous! What an enormous joke!”
When they realized who he was, those in attendance found it even harder to keep their cool.?Is Starcliff Academy planning to get involved too? Are they really standing with Su Yi?
“If you fought Young Lord Su directly, fair and square, you’d at least be straightforward and upright. Yet now, you’ve used the Su Family’s power to engage in low-class, despicable tricks. Aren’t you afraid of the world’s mockery?”?On the other side, Kongtong Academy’s Grand Elder, Jiang Tanyun, laughed coldly too. He was accompanied by Lu Zhangfeng.
When they saw this, Xia Houlin and the others’ expressions darkened, while the other prominent figures in attendance were wide-eyed and tongue-tied.
Everyone here was well aware that this?was Su Family?business. Who’d have imagined that the Mountain-Subduing King would show up leading experts from Starcliff and Kongtong Academies, much less that they’d stand up in clear support of Su Yi?
Fu Shan, Nie Beihu, and the Wen Family Dowager were rooted to the spot.?What… What exactly is happening here?