Chapter 1081 - Resting in Peace

Wang Zhuofu let out a deep sigh, and it looked as if he’d instantly aged quite a lot. “Several hundred years ago, our leader sought me out for a private meeting. He said he wanted the Middle Province Wang Family to join the Abstruse Force Alliance. That would both grant us the alliance’s protection and help us expand our power and influence.

“I rejected the idea, but looking back on it now, it seems that the family head and those old-timers had already agreed to collude with Pi Mo in secret.” He sounded utterly bleak.

When he heard that, Su Yi finally understood. “It seems they chose to send you on this expedition precisely because you knew nothing of this trap. That made it easier for you to win my trust, and it gave your three companions an opportunity to get close to me.”

Wang Zhoufu nodded, his expression increasingly glum.

He was a high elder. Being used as a pawn by his own clansmen wasn’t at all pleasant.

“Your Excellency Su, the Wang Family had no choice!” One of the three restrained old-timers, a thin old man, couldn’t help but explain.

He looked up at Su Yi, his expression utterly bitter. “When Pi Mo tried to bring the Wang Family under his banner, he tempted us with the potential benefits, but he threatened us too. He said that if we didn’t join the Abstruse Force Alliance, he’d take us as a hostile faction and suppress us. How… could the Wang Family oppose the entire alliance?”

Another old man said, “And at first, the Wang Family had no idea that this deathtrap was targeting you, Your Excellency. We thought we were targeting a despicable impersonator.”

The third old man hurriedly added, “Your Excellency Su, we know we were aiding and abetting an evildoer, and we deserve punishment. Even so, the primary culprit was your eldest disciple, Pi Mo. We… We were only carrying out orders...”

Before Su Yi could respond, Ye Luo laughed coldly. “You’re telling me you didn't know? Then let me ask you this. Pi Mo set this trap using Senior Apprentice Brother Wang Que as bait. Do you think a mere impersonator would fall for that and rush to Senior Apprentice Brother’s aid? Why would an imposter care whether Wang Que lived or died?”

The thin old man was just about to explain when Ye Luo cut them off. “Perhaps you couldn’t confirm Master’s identity, but don’t insist you had no idea. That’s a blatant lie!”

Su Yi waved. “No need to waste words talking to them. The winner is a king, the loser, a bandit. You lost, so you have to bear the consequences. I can’t be bothered to hash out who’s right and who’s wrong.”

He looked at the three Wang Family elders and said, “All I know is that to help Pi Mo, the Wang Family didn’t just imprison Wang Que. No, you even went so far as to use his life as bait, all to target me, Su Xuanjun.”

Su Yi paused, then continued, “Once everything is fully settled here, I’ll take a trip to the Wang Family. Then, assuming Wang Que is alive and well, I won’t mind giving the Wang Family a chance to explain itself.

“But if your explanation doesn’t satisfy me, the Wang Family will pay for what it’s done!”

The three Wang Family elders’ expressions shifted erratically.

But Su Yi was already issuing orders. “Ye Luo, put them away. When we visit the Wang Family, have them lead the way.”

“As you say, Master.” Ye Luo hurriedly got to work.

“Your Excellency Su, here are the spoils of war!” The Blue Ox Yao Emperor returned and respectfully proffered a storage treasure.

“Bai Yi, you hold onto it for now,” Su Yi said casually.

“Got it.” Bai Yi accepted the spatial treasure, but he felt a bit dazed, as if he’d returned to the past, when he traveled alongside his master.

It had been hundreds of years since he’d last felt this familiar sensation. He felt a twinge in his nose, and the rims of his eyes reddened.

Su Yi noticed the subtle changes in Bai Yi’s expression, and he felt gratified, but it amused him, too. When I’m around, he’s like an eternal child. He doesn’t hide his feelings at all.

Su Yi teased, “You’re already a Profound Serenity Emperor, so why haven’t you grown up? Aren’t you afraid others will make fun of you?”

Bai Yi was suddenly a bit uncomfortable. He suddenly took several deep breaths, then said, “Master, you’re like a father to me. How could I hide my feelings from you? Besides, I’ve never cared what others think!”

When the Blue Ox Yao Emperor saw this, he said solemnly, “Daoist Brother Bai Yi is a valiant man! He takes a clear-cut stance, and he’s straightforward with both his enemies and those who treat him with kindness. This little bull admires him!”

“…”

Everyone could tell that the old bull was seizing the opportunity to lick boots!

Shameless! Even the Dark Mountain Yao Emperor couldn’t help but grumble to himself.

The Red Pine Yao Emperor even went so far as to kick the Blue Ox Yao Emperor in the rear. “Wait to the side. Don’t forget; you’re still guilty!”

The Blue Ox Yao Emperor sheepishly retreated to the sidelines.

Su Yi naturally paid the Blue Ox Yao Emperor no heed.

Instead, he looked at Elder Yin. “Are you ready?”

Elder Yin looked up and met Su Yi’s gaze. “Go right ahead!”

Su Yi promptly picked Elder Yin up and soared into the sky. Then, he undid the seal on Elder Yin’s power. “Have your founder’s power come on out.”

Elder Yin took a deep breath, then muttered an obscure incantation.

A moment later, he lit up. His cultivation base rapidly ran dry, and even his soul origin flew from his skull.

His body and soul spoke in unison: "Founder, please help your disciple kill our enemy!"

His voice shook heaven and earth.

Everyone looked over.

There, they saw Elder Yin’s soul origin tremble violently, his face racked with extreme agony.

Meanwhile, a terrifying, dignified aura shot out of Elder Yin’s soul origin, then spread throughout the nine heavens and ten earths.

Boom!

The landscape changed color, and heaven and earth trembled.

A dazzling rain of light surged through the sky, outlining an ethereal figure in robes whiter than snow. He was as majestic as a god, and his imposing aura blanketed the entire landscape.

On the ground below, Ye Luo, Bai Yi, the Red Pine Yao Emperor, and the others looked stunned. They felt more suffocated than ever before.

All of them could tell that although the man in white was just a portion of remnant will, his aura was terrifying beyond imagination. It was to the point that they couldn’t even begin to guess how terrifyingly mighty the Painter’s true body had to be.

“Don’t tell me this is an expert who transcends the Imperial Realm?” Yao Emperor Red Pine was shaken.

He was in the early-stage Profound Unity Realm, so he was even more keenly aware that the man in white’s power was beyond the Profound Dao.

“This unfilial disciple, Yin Wen, greets you, Founder!” Elder Yin rasped beneath the dome of heaven, his expression awed and reverent.

“So, someone in the Wilds was actually capable of forcing you to sacrifice your cultivation base. Don’t tell me… A peak Profound Unity Realm expert attacked you?” The Painter’s will imprint said plainly as he scanned his surroundings.

Everyone he looked at reacted as if struck by lightning. They felt stifled, and they instinctively lowered their heads.

Except for Su Yi, who didn’t even seem to notice.

“Don’t tell me it was that Profound Illumination Realm kid?” exclaimed the Painter. It seemed he didn’t believe it.

Elder Yin looked deeply ashamed, but just as he was about to warn the Painter, Su Yi attacked.

He’d already fought the Painter’s imprints of will twice, and he’d learned enough already. He naturally wouldn’t waste time chatting.

Clang!

Moonlit Shadow burst with clear light as he attacked the Painter from afar.

“Brazen!” The Painter snorted coldly, swung his sleeves, and attacked.

Just like that, a grand battle began.

But just a few blinks of the eye later, the Painter looked stunned, and he sensed that something was amiss. His expression shifted, and he had no choice but to use his full strength.

When the distant Elder Yin saw this, he couldn’t look away, and his heart shook. Su Yi really does have the power to contend with the founder’s will imprint!

He suddenly recalled how Feng Ji and Fei Yun had died at Profound Sky Academy, and he felt increasingly frantic.

What do I do? If I seize the opportunity to flee, and if the founder notices, he’s sure to lose his temper.

But what if I stay and Su Yi wins? How could I possibly flee then?

Elder Yin didn’t know what to do, and his expression shifted erratically.

“Kid, you actually control a power that can counter the Laws of Spirit Nirvana?” The Painter’s astonished voice suddenly emanated from the battlefield.

Elder Yin shuddered, then hurriedly called out a warning. “Founder, that Su person is the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force. He killed Junior Apprentice Brothers Feng Ji and Fei Yun! Whatever you do, don’t get complacent!”

The Painter’s expression changed as he finally realized that this didn’t bode well.

There’d been imprints of his will in Feng Ji and Fei Yun’s souls, too. Both of them were dead, but Su Yi still lived. That unquestionably implied that this Profound Illumination Realm young man was capable of destroying his imprints of will!

The Painter no longer dared to hesitate. He was just about to use his full power to destroy his opponent in a single attack.

But it seemed that Su Yi saw right through him. He suddenly drew the Tiny Heart of the Cosmos and struck with the intent to kill, just as he had when he faced the last imprint, the one left in Fei Yun’s soul.

Clang!

The boundless hum of a sword reverberated throughout the surrounding area. Everyone present felt a piercing pain in their minds.

Bai Yi and Ye Luo looked at each other. Their hearts swelled with emotion. The Tiny Heart of the Cosmos! That’s Master’s strongest sword, the one he’s the most proud of!

Immediately afterward, a heaven-shaking boom rang out.

The sword light filling the air shot forth, carving a hole through the heavens and shattering everything around it. The Painter’s proud, godlike imprint of will was completely destroyed!

In the moments before he crumbled, the Painter’s remnant will looked utterly flabbergasted, as if he couldn’t even imagine how he’d lost so quickly…

Boom!

Destructive power ran rampant, and all of heaven and earth trembled.

Everyone was wide-eyed, dumbstruck, and dazed.

It had all happened in a flash. The imprint of will they suspected transcended in the Imperial Realm was destroyed in a single slash!

And Elder Yin, who’d hoped to seize this opportunity to flee, cried out in alarm and astonishment. “Founder!”

His hands and feet quivered, and the blood drained from his face. It seemed he couldn’t accept this.

Clang!

Su Yi put away the Tiny Heart of the Cosmos, then approached Elder Yin. “Now, you can rest in peace.”

Elder Yin stiffened, but it seemed he’d sensed that he wouldn’t escape this calamity. He called out, “Su Xuanjun, don’t forget what I told you! You’ll surely one day become the common foe of every peak faction of the stars!!!”

A streak of sword light flashed into being, killing Elder Yin on the spot.

He was destroyed, body and soul.

But his final, hysterical roar still echoed throughout heaven and earth.