Chapter 1080 - The Reason

Elder Yin took a deep breath and admitted it. “That’s right. I’d indeed like to try it!”

He then swept his gaze across the group, making no effort to disguise the chill in his expression. “Although my soul only contains an imprint of our founder’s will, it’s enough to exterminate everyone present!”

He then fixed his gaze on Su Yi once more. “If I have to die no matter what, why not first show me what you’re capable of, Su Xuanjun?”

He was covered in wounds, disheveled, and his cultivation base had been sealed completely.

Yet now, he gazed upon everyone else present with disdain.

Su Yi said softly, “Your founder’s imprints of will really are rare and precious whetstones. Very well. I’ll show you what I’m capable of.”

Here, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Because he recalled his past two encounters with the Painter’s remnant will.

Every time, it was as if they were meeting for the first time, and the Painter always started out majestic and dignified.

But as Su Yi cut him down, he jumped and exclaimed over every little thing. That mixture of rage and astonishment was quite an interesting sight.

There was no doubt about it: this time would surely end the same way.

Will imprints were, after all, a portion of essence, not true clones.

A… Whetstone? Elder Yin’s expression was unsightly, as if he found Su Yi’s words enormously insulting.

“Then I’ll just have to wipe my eyes clean and wait!” Elder Yin gnashed his teeth.

Su Yi disregarded him and looked at the Blue Ox Yao Emperor.

The Blue Ox Yao Emperor shuddered, then thudded to the ground and said in a quavering voice, “Your Excellency Su, this little bull was wrong! I’ll be sure to mend my ways and turn over a new leaf. I’ll never cause trouble again! Furthermore, I’m willing to make it up to you. I refuse to live under the same sky as the Abstruse Force Alliance!”

The old ox had lived for countless years, and he was highly influential and well-known.

Yet now, he wept, snot dribbling from his nostrils, and called himself a “little bull” as he begged for mercy.

Even the Red Pine Yao Emperor couldn’t bear to watch any longer. Shameful! Truly shameful!

But whatever else he might say about the ox, he really had come in handy when they took down the three Wang Family elders. He was the one who’d blocked their path, preventing their escape.

The Red Pine Yao Emperor thought for a moment, then said in a low voice, “Your Excellency Su, the bull did participate in this death trap, but he was just a flunky, and he dared not defy Pi Mo’s orders. If you don’t object, this old man humbly requests that you spare his life.”

The Blue Ox Yao Emperor instantly wept tears of gratitude.

Su Yi subtly inclined his head. “He can escape death, but not punishment. Red Pine, out of respect for you, I’ll give him a chance to mend his ways.”

The Blue Ox Yao Emperor kowtowed with delight. “Thank you so much, Your Excellency Su! Thank you!”

He was well aware that Su Xuanjun was a legendary figure, and furthermore, that he killed decisively. He hadn’t really had much hope that he’d be able to leave here today alive.

When Su Yi agreed not to kill him, the Blue Ox Yao Emperor was so excited that he longed to throw back his head and shout to express his delight.

“First, gather up the spoils,” said Su Yi. “Once I’ve decided on your punishment, come back to receive it.”

“Yes, sir!” The Blue Ox Yao Emperor hurriedly got to work.

Su Yi then clasped his fist at the Red Pine Yao Emperor. “You and Dark Mountain did me a big favor this time. True gratitude isn’t expressed in words; I’ll be sure to pay you back one day.”

The Red Pine Yao Emperor hurriedly said, “This old man is unworthy of such treatment; I simply did what I ought to do. There’s absolutely no need to be so polite!”

A long time ago, when the Red Pine Yao Emperor was at the peak of the Profound Serenity Realm, he encountered the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force seeking out a divine medicine in the Ten Directions Yao Mountains. He served as Su Xuanjun’s guide, helping him obtain the medicine he was after.

That was the start of their bond.

When the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force left the mountains, he left behind a jade slip containing a yao cultivator’s experiences with breaking into the Profound Unity Realm!

It was this very jade slip that let the Red Pine Yao Emperor overcome a perilous Tribulation of Profound Unity and become the only Profound Unity Yao Emperor in the Ten Directions Yao Mountains just three hundred short years later!

How could he possibly forget such an act of benevolence?

“Daoist Brother Red Pine is right. Your Excellency Su, there’s no need to be so polite.” The Dark Mountain Yao Emperor walked over, clasped his fist, and bowed.

Su Yi smiled, but didn’t linger on the topic.

He then went on to ask more questions, and he gradually learned how today’s trap had taken shape.

Half a month ago, Pi Mo declared Su Yi the common enemy of the entire Abstruse Force Alliance. He then ordered Garuda and Elder Yin to proceed to the Ten Directions Yao Mountains to set up a trap.

And the Middle Province Wang Family was the thread holding it all together.

Having the Wang Family spread word that Wang Que was trapped in the mountains made this news much easier for Su Yi to believe.

And Pi Mo had employed numerous strategies as part of this deathtrap.

First, there were the yao pursuing Wang Zhuofu. This lured Su Yi deeper in.

Then, there was the massive Heavenly Yao Refines the Firmament Combat Formation. Under the Blue Ox Yao Emperor’s leadership, they got the three Wang Family elders close to Su Yi.

Wang Zhuofu hadn’t known any of this. They’d tricked him too.

It was because Wang Zhuofu had been kept in the dark that his behavior didn’t provoke Su Yi’s suspicion.

The third step was the grand battle they’d just overcome. The Studio of the Heart’s Starry Combat Diagram was their killer weapon. Garuda and the Nine Great Yao Emperors joined forces to surround Su Yi.

Bai Yi was hiding within the black lock. He and the three “sealed” Wang Family elders were their hidden cards!

Of course, the most crucial part of the whole set-up was the experts holding down the fort: Yao Emperor Red Pine and Elder Yin!

This was an elaborate, multi-layered trap. Even a Profound Unity Emperor would likely have perished.

But Su Yi still won in the end.

Pi Mo could never, ever have guessed that Su Yi’s power completely suppressed his “killer weapons”, Elder Yin and the Star Combat Diagram!

In other words, although this set-up might well have destroyed your “average” Profound Unity Emperor, it wasn’t much of a threat to Su Yi!

Furthermore, the Red Pine and Dark Mountain Yao Emperors had turned on Pi Mo. This unexpected variable helped Su Yi suppress Elder Yin. It solved the problem of the three Wang Family elders, too.

Just like that, this meticulously prepared deathtrap fell apart.

It sounded easy, but the old-timers present all realized how perilous this deathtrap was. Danger had lurked at every corner. Anyone else would have died!

“No wonder Pi Mo had me hide within that bronze lock as an assassin. He was worried that I’d realize the truth as soon as I laid eyes on Master…” Bai Yi murmured, increasingly ashamed, as if he couldn’t forgive himself.

Ye Luo patted him on the shoulder and tried to comfort him. “It’s not your fault. I wholeheartedly trusted Pi Mo too, and I never doubted anything he said or did. Actually, back in the Netherworld, I once mistook Master for prey and tried to steal his treasures.”

Here, he couldn’t help but shake his head in self-deprecation.

Bai Yi was stunned, but then, he said emphatically, “I’m going to go kill Pi Mo right now!”

Learning the truth had utterly enraged him. His entire body brimmed with terrifying killing intent, and he hated Pi Mo to the bone.

Su Yi asked, “Is your fourth apprentice sister Jin Kui still in the Abstruse Force Alliance?”

Bai Yi nodded. “She is, and I suspect… that she too has been kept in the dark.”

He then recounted everything he’d experienced over the years to Su YI.

Only then did Su Yi learn that his combat-loving eighth disciple had spent most of the past five hundred years imprisoned by Pi Mo!

The most ridiculous part was that Pi Mo pretended he was acting out of consideration for Bai Yi’s well-being. He said he’d imprisoned his younger apprentice brother because he was sure he’d try to settle the score with Qing Tang as soon as he got out, and he didn’t want Bai Yi to fall prey to her. Apparently, he had no choice but to lock Bai Yi up…

“You really are stupid, kid.” Su Yi was at a loss for words.

Bai Yi looked ashamed. “Master, in my heart, my apprentice brothers and sisters are like my family. I’ve never once doubted any of them.”

But here, his expression was suddenly bitter and forlorn. “But after you reincarnated, I realized that everything had changed…”

Su Yi was moved. Bai Yi’s heart was as simple and pure as a sheet of white paper. It was precisely because he saw the Grotto of Abstruse Force as his home that he trusted Pi Mo without reservation.

It was then that Wang Zhuofu returned with the three Wang Family elders. His expression was extremely unsightly, and he looked hurt and dispirited.

𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

He bowed at Su Yi, his expression full of shame. “I won’t lie to you, Your Excellency. The Middle Province Wang Family… really was involved in this trap. We were indeed working with Pi Mo to destroy you.”

Here, he took a deep breath and said solemnly, “But this old man swears on his Dao Heart that he had no idea whatsoever.”

Su YI had long since anticipated this, and he nodded. “You’re a high elder of the Wang Family, yet they kept you completely in the dark. From this, it’s clear that major problems have arisen in the Wang Family.”

Wang Zhuofu’s heart was heavy. “Indeed, the problem is dire. Several of our old-timers, including our family head, established a connection with Pi Mo a long time ago. They’re the ones who fabricated news of Wang Que’s death in the wilderness of the Ten Directions Yao Mountains.”

Apparently, several hundred years ago, some of the family’s old-timers placed Wang Que under house arrest and hid him away. They then spread word that he’d died a brutal death in the Ten Directions Yao Mountains, and that even his soul lamp had gone out.

This incident created uproar throughout the Wang Family.

And the old-timers had done this on Pi Mo’s orders. They were keeping Wang Que as a hidden card to play when the time was right!

Simply put, Pi Mo had viewed Wang Que as just another pawn for centuries, all for the purpose of using him as bait for a future trap!

Now, several hundred years later, all of Pi Mo’s plans were realized in this trap targeting Su Yi in the wilderness of the Ten Directions Yao Mountains!