Chapter 1296 - Enmities and Reprisal

The Skyfire Spirit Race called themselves descendants of divine flame.

Rumor had it that their progenitor was a chaos flame spirit born of the Laws.

Main-branch descendants of the Xu Family had unique fire elemental talent. They could awaken divine abilities connected to flame.

Their foundations were ancient, not one whit inferior to the Blue Luan Spirit Race.

They too stood at the pinnacle of the Six Ancient Guardian Clans of the Dao.

The two men and one woman who’d just arrived were all Cosmic Enlightenment World Kings of the Skyfire Spirit Race Xu Family!

“Ah, but who’s the mantis, and who’s the oriole? And who, for that matter, is the cicada? All has yet to become clear,” Su Yi said flatly.

Zhuang Bifan was briefly stunned. He couldn’t help but grumble. “Honestly, every time I see you, I realize how overly simplistic my thinking is. My horizons just aren’t broad enough.”

“....” Su Yi didn’t know what to say to that.

Why is he concerned about his horizons at a time like this?

He thought for a moment, then patiently explained, “There’s a problem with that revenant. It’s not something just anyone can catch.

Zhuang Bifan’s gaze focused.

“ What do you mean by that?”

A cold voice resounded in the distance.

A bony old man in gray stood next to the man in the crane cloak, his eyes flashing with sinister light and his gaze unfriendly.

“Who are you to go on about mantises and orioles?” said their remaining companion, a woman in purple. She sneered. “Any more idle chatter out of you, and I’ll burn your tongues to ash!”

Zhuang Bifan rubbed his nose and said nothing. Inwardly, he sighed.

What a rare opportunity to show off!

Alas, it’s not mine to seize...

Zhuang Bifan glanced at Su Yi, his gaze conflicted, as if saying, “I’m eagerly awaiting how you show off this time.”

But against all expectations, Su Yi didn’t budge. He made no attempt to do anything.

What’s going on? Is the Temple Master really holding back after being provoked like that?

But it was then that something unexpected happened.

A fragment of bronze suddenly shot out of the black net entrapping the revenant.

Whoosh!

With a flash of light, the metal easily tore a hole through the net.

The man in the crane cloak, the one controlling it, immediately suffered a backlash. He staggered, and his expression shifted.

“You dare ambush this lofty one? Do you really think I’m afraid of you?” the revenant said icily. That bronze fragment flew around him, instantly making his aura strange and mysterious.

He stretched out and flicked his fingers.

A streak of dark smoke imbued with cursed energy shot forth, flying right toward the bony old man in gray.

The old man’s expression shifted, and he immediately tried to dodge.

Boom!

The air in which he’d stood just moments prior split into pieces.

Practically simultaneously, the man in the crane cloak and the woman in purple charged at the revenant.

The man in the crane cloak controlled his black fishing net with domineering momentum. Divine flames surged around him, like the descent of the god of fire.

The woman in purple flipped her hand and summoned a golden longbow, with which she fired a glittering golden arrow that pierced the dome of heaven.

“Nothing but petty tricks. I can break them with a snap of my fingers!”

The revenant’s red eyes shone with disdain. He brushed his fingers through the air.

Weng!

The fragment of bronze soared into the sky, bursting with divine radiance, like a radiant rain of immortal light. It bore down on the black fishing net, breaking it inch by inch.

It effortlessly frittered the incoming golden arrow down to nothingness.

Both the man in the crane cloak and the woman in purple were stunned. Chills coursed through their hearts. This intelligent revenant was far more terrifying than they’d imagined!

Zhuang Bifan was impressed too. He finally understood what Su Yi meant earlier.

𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

There... really is a problem with this revenant!

But... in that case, why did he attempt to flee just now?

Off in the distance, the bronze fragment lit up when the revenant attacked, filling the sky with divine radiance that swept toward the three Xu Family Cosmic Enlightenment World Kings.

The man in the crane cloak bellowed in a voice like spring thunder, and his eyes flashed. “Hah!”

Boom!

A fiery red flying sword appeared, as radiant as the setting sun.

Practically simultaneously, the gray-robed old man and the woman in purple took out their strongest treasures and attacked with everything they had.

Just like that, a grand battle broke out.

But to their astonishment, even their killer weapons were suppressed within seconds!

“Die!” The revenant’s eyes flashed with murderous intent, and the bronze fragment ruthlessly suppressed his opponents.

Crunch!

The fiery red flying sword exploded into bits.

The man in the crane cloak paled, and his companions’ souls practically left their bodies. Their treasures shattered practically simultaneously.

It happened so suddenly that there was no time to dodge.

It was then that someone suddenly appeared on the battlefield, stretched out his hand, and grabbed that fragment of bronze.

This was none other than Su Yi.

The inscrutable, mysterious aura of reincarnation glowed around his hand, letting him suppress the fragment in a single attempt.

It happened so suddenly that the three Cosmic Enlightenment World Kings were stunned. They found this difficult to believe.

They’d already witnessed the terrifying strength of that metal fragment. Who among them could possibly have imagined that someone would be able to suppress it with such ease?

The revenant was visibly startled too. Deep dread appeared in the depths of its blood-red eyes, and shockingly, it dared not approach.

But then, an infuriated bellow rang out. “Seizing the opportunity to rob us? Scram!”

The man in the crane cloak attacked, throwing a punch at Su Yi with lightning speed. His murderous intent soared into the heavens.

His companions’ expressions darkened. Both attacked Su Yi as well.

Boom!

The joint attack of three Cosmic Enlightenment World Kings made heaven and earth change color. It was extremely troublesome for Su Yi, too.

That fragment of bronze was extremely strong, and it was struggling relentlessly. Su Yi had to go all out to contend with it.

The three Cosmic Enlightenment World Kings’ attack caught Su Yi when he already had his hands full, leaving him no choice but to give up on the bronze fragment.

Whoosh!

As soon as it broke free, the bronze fragment burst with dazzling immortal light and fled into the distance, disappearing in a trace. It took the revenant with it.

All of this happened in a flash.

Just like that, a cooked goose had flown away.

Su Yi couldn’t help but look angry.

“We were locked in bloody combat, yet you just had to jump in to pluck a ripe peach. You’ll pay for this, you little brat!” shouted the elder in gray, his expression terrifyingly overcast and murderous.

“Using our Skyfire Spirit Race as a weapon to your own ends? I’ve never seen such audacity in my life!” said the woman in purple, her gaze icy and imposing.

Zhuang Bifan couldn’t help but laugh. “You dog-fuckers actually want revenge? Had we known, we’d have just let you die!”

It was true that Su Yi had just seized their treasure, but in doing so, he’d also saved their lives.

Otherwise, given those three Cosmic Enlightenment World Kings’ abilities, they couldn’t possibly have escaped disaster.

Not only were they ungrateful, they even saw Su Yi as their competition, and they planned to attack him!

“You’re seeking death!” shouted the enraged old man in gray. His eyes glinted like sabers as he looked at Zhuang Bifan.

“Enough.” The man in the crane cloak waved him back.

He then gazed at Su Yi and said coolly, “You took advantage of our imminent crisis to seize our treasure, and that’s ultimately a contemptible act. How about this? We’ll give you an opportunity to make amends. Assist us in capturing that revenant, and we won’t pursue your misdeeds any further.”

He could tell that Su Yi’s unique power of the Grand Dao seemed capable of suppressing that bronze fragment, and he hoped to put that to use.

“????” Zhuang Bifan was at a loss for words.

Is that any way to speak to someone who saved your life?

Su Yi rubbed his forehead. He couldn’t help but laugh.

“Do you think this is funny?” the old man in gray asked, his entire body brimming over with murderous intent.

The woman in purple said slowly, “I know you’re from the Zhuang Family, and I know that old man is the famous Zhuang Bifan. But compared to us of the Skyfire Spirit Race, you’re truly not worth looking at. I urge you to think thrice before you act. Don’t bring disaster upon yourselves.”

Her calm voice was full of lofty superiority.

“....” Zhuang Bifan didn’t know what to say.

Has my insufficient reputation implicated the Temple Master? Is that why they’re viewing even him with contempt?

What a fucking blow to my pride!

“We’ve said our piece. It’s time for you to make a choice,” said the man in the crane cloak. He was obviously running out of patience.

All eyes converged on Su Yi.

Su Yi took out a jug of wine and sipped. He couldn’t be bothered to say another word.

But just as he was about to attack...

An aged voice suddenly emanated from afar. “Laughable. Truly laughable. Since when were members of the Skyfire Spirit Race such blind, muddle-headed fools?”

Su Yi’s brow furrowed slightly, and he suddenly gazed into the distance.

There, he saw an old man in a round black cap and cloth robes. He’d appeared on the distant seas, seemingly out of nowhere.

His hands were hidden in his sleeves, and his appearance was unassuming. His eyes were turbid.

But after he appeared, it was as if an eternal night had descended upon the entire area. The darkness was stifling and oppressive.

“So, it’s that old-timer,” murmured Su Yi, looking enlightened.

The man in the crane cloak and his three companions were startled too; they recognized the old man.

Wen Bofu.

A living fossil of the ancient Wen Family!

They too were one of the Ancient Guardian Clans of the Dao, and their foundations were terrifying.

Wen Bofu in particular had terrifyingly lofty seniority. Even within the Wen Family, he was considered an ancestral figure!

“Why do you say that, Senior Wen?” The man in the crane cloak furrowed his brow. He could tell that something was amiss.

But he was from the Skyfire Spirit Race, and his status was extraordinary. He naturally wouldn’t be afraid just because Wen Bofu had shown up.

His two companions looked at Wen Bofu as well. Both seemed a bit bewildered.

Wen Bofu subtly shook his head, disregarded the three of them, then walked up to Su Yi and clasped his fists. “Wen Bofu greets you, Your Excellency the Temple Master.”

The Temple Master!!!?

This title left the three of them stunned. A moment later, it was as if they’d been struck by lightning. All of them gasped, completely dumbstruck.

That youngster is actually the Temple Master!?

Chills coursed down their spines, and they broke out in cold sweats.

After seeing Zhuang Bifan, they subconsciously assumed Su Yi was a member of the Zhuang Family too, and they never once considered him important.

Who’d have thought the person they’d just threatened without the slightest politeness would be a legendary existence?

A strange silence fell.

“Do you plan to save them?” Su Yi looked at Wen Bofu, his tone a bit cold.

He did nothing all this time, only to show up now of all times... This old bastard’s quite dishonest!

Wen Bofu shook his head and grimaced. “I wouldn’t call it that. Rather, I have a bit of a connection with some of their elders, and I’d hate to see them die without knowing why. I’d also hate for their mistakes to bring disaster upon the entire Skyfire Spirit Race.”

Su Yi nodded. He roughly understood why Wen Bofu had chosen this moment to intervene.

When Zhuang Bifan took in Wen Bofu’s respectful greeting, his heart churned.

Dammit! The Temple Master’s outshone me again!