Chapter 2075 - Insipid

Lie Xingqu’s pupils constricted. “You plan to get even with the Second Libationer?”

“Why shouldn’t I?” asked Su Yi.

Lie Xingqu grimaced. “The Second Libationer controls the Staff of Divine Punishment. Here in the City of the Beginning, he’s practically invincible. If you disregard the rules and attack, I’m afraid the consequences will be dire.”

He was putting it politely. If fighting really broke out, according to the rules of the City of the Beginning, the Grand Libationer was likely to object!

Moreover, Second Libationer Qin Wenxiao was backed by the ancient Qin Family, one of the mightiest clans in the Path of the Ancient Gods. A falling out with Qin Wenxiao would mean risk of reprisal even after Su Yi left for the path of trials.

“Invincible?” Su Yi’s eyes flashed. “Not necessarily. Seems to me that if the Mirror of Acuity and Drum of Injustice were present, Qin Wenxiao’s behavior would make him first in line to be punished for breaking the rules!”

Lie Xingqu rubbed his forehead. “The crux of the matter is that the Mirror of Acuity has been stolen, and the Drum of Injustice is no longer usable. If you get even with the Second Libationer without a justifiable reason, you’ll be deemed a rulebreaker.”

Luo Xuanji said out of nowhere, “You’re wrong. You said it yourself earlier: right now, in the City of the Beginnings, it’s up to you three libationers to determine what is and isn’t in accordance with the rules. Thus, when we settle things with the Second Libationer, the final results will be in accordance with a certain idiom.”

“Which idiom?” Lie Xingqu asked curiously.

“'History is written by the winners!'” Luo Xuanji said leisurely. “If he loses,

he’ll

become the rule-breaking criminal, don’t you think?”

Lie Xingqu’s expression shifted erratically. In the end, he gnashed his teeth and said, “I’ll go pay the Chief Libationer a visit. I’ll do everything in my power to win his support!”

Lie Leng took all of this in. All he could think was,

Su Yi’s insane! And Uncle... has gone insane too!!! Otherwise, how could he do something as absurd as declaring war against the Second Libationer, the one who controls the Staff of Divine Punishment?

......

Late at night, the radiant full moon rose and hung beneath the chaos-like skies.

Its radiance illuminated the ages.

They said that the moon was actually the manifestation of the Path of the Ancient Gods' source power, and that it had witnessed all bygone epochs in their entirety.

The city lord’s manor.

“I understand what controlling the Epoch Spark means, and I know how unparalleled the power of reincarnation is, but forgive me. I cannot get involved in this!

“That said, I’ll oppose anyone who breaks the city’s rules, no matter who they are. That’s my stance on the matter, and it won't change. You can leave now.”

...When Lie Xingqu left the city lord’s manor, Chief Libationer Fa Tianming’s cold, indifferent voice still echoed through his ears.

The old codger sure is stubborn.

Lie Xingqu sighed.

But he couldn’t say anything. The Chief Libationer had always been like that. Lie Xingqu was just happy he’d agreed not to get involved.

Later that night, Lie Xingqu shared the Chief Libationer’s attitude with Su Yi.

Su Yi took it in with a smile, then said, “Tomorrow, I’ll visit the city lord’s manor to acquire an identity marker. I’ll have to trouble you to inform Second Libationer Qin Wenxiao tonight.”

Lie Xingqu’s pupils constricted. Identity markers could only be issued in the city lord’s manor, yet Su Yi wanted word sent to the Second Libationer. He obviously planned to settle the score with Qin Wenxiao at the city lord’s manor!

“Very well!” In the end, Lie Xingqu nodded his agreement, bade farewell, and left.

“The Chief Libationer’s attitude is a bit hard to read,” said Luo Xuanji. “If he were simply unwilling to get involved, why not say so openly? He says he opposes all who break the rules, but it’s up to him and the other two libationers to decide if something is within the bounds of the rules or not. What exactly is he trying to say?”

“No need to pay him any heed,” Su Yi said calmly. “If he were really a righteous, fair-minded sort, there’s no way he’d stand back and watch the Second Libationer’s shenanigans. Now, he says he’s staying out of it, but he made a point of emphasizing the rules. That most likely means he plans to watch and see what happens, then decide his next steps.”

Su Yi stretched languidly, then said, “Simply put, he’ll side with the victor.”

After a moment’s silence, Luo Xuanji sighed in apparent self-deprecation. “If I weren’t so badly injured, I wouldn’t concern myself with what they were thinking. I’d just charge straight ahead.”

She was the former ruler of a forbidden zone, a terrifying existence who’d clung to life amidst turbulent spacetime to survive until the present day. She really did have every right to say that!

“If violence breaks out tomorrow, you don’t need to get involved,” Su Yi said softly.

Luo Xuanji could tell that Su Yi wasn’t the least bit afraid!

...

Even later at night.

Word spread throughout the City of the Beginning, breaking the silence and causing a huge commotion.

“Su Yi plans to visit the city lord’s manor tomorrow morning to claim his identity marker, and he said he’s going to get even with Second Libationer Qin Wenxiao while he’s at it!”

This development left countless people wide-eyed and tongue-tied.

“Has he gone insane? They say Qin Wenxiao controls some kind of mighty divine weapon. With it, he can kill anyone within city limits, be they gods or demons!”

“Strange. Why is Su Yi doing this? Don’t tell me that the Second Libationer was involved in the conflict today?”

“There’s got to be a story behind it. Don’t forget that back in Ancient God Ridge, gods of the God Domain’s top orthodoxies joined forces to take Su Yi down. I suspect that those same people will seize this opportunity to take action against him!”

......

The sound of countless discussions resounded throughout the night. A storm was brewing.

Meanwhile, in the city lord’s manor, Chief Libationer Fa Tianming couldn’t help but sigh at the news.

“The Second Libationer is really quite capable. He made the first move and seized the initiative. Tomorrow, no matter how Su Yi tries to justify opposing him, he’ll be deemed a rulebreaker!”

“Your Excellency, in any case, this storm will end tomorrow morning,” said an old man in gray standing off to the side. “But I can say with certainty that the Third Libationer plans to help Su Yi. What about us? Who should we side with?”

Fa Tianming said calmly, “I’m the lord of the City of the Beginning. Naturally, I must stand on the side of the rules!”

The old man in gray fell silent. In his heart, he asked,

Okay, but who decides the rules of the City of the Beginning now?

......

Second Libationer Qin Wenxiao sipped tea in a little courtyard with bridges and flowing water.

“I wouldn’t have thought that Su Yi would dare to call me out by name. It seems that after today’s conflict, he’s nursing a grudge against me,” Qin Wenxiao said with a laugh. “But then, that’s for the best. Tomorrow at dawn, I’ll visit the city lord’s manor and grant him death by the staff!”

Ren Beiyou of the Three Purities Daoist Court stood to the side. “You mustn’t get complacent, Second Libationer. The boy controls the Epoch Spark

and

the power of reincarnation. He’s yet to become a god, but even so, he’s an extraordinarily difficult opponent.”

Qin Wenxiao said coldly, “I understand the significance of the Epoch Spark far better than you, but there’s something none of you outsiders understand. The Path of the Ancient Gods changed a long time ago!”

Ren Beiyou couldn’t help but ask, “How is it different?”

“The power of reincarnation has been gone for far too long,” said Qin Wenxiao. “The terrifying existences it once suppressed have started waking back up! Su Yi is like a lamb throwing himself into the mouths of tigers!”

“All of the changes... are connected to the power of reincarnation, huh...?” Ren Beiyou sank into thought.

Qin Wenxiao drained his cup of tea. His eyes shone with anticipation. “Tomorrow morning, bring your people to the city lord’s manor. I’ll publicly execute any criminal who dares violate the rules!”

......

“Qin Wenxiao is planning on a show of strength.” Lie Xingqu stood beneath the same night sky, his brow tightly furrowed.

He was fraught with worry, as he had a strong premonition that Qin Wenxiao had made ample preparations. When tomorrow came, Su Yi would be in for big trouble!

“Uncle, it’s terrible!” Lie Leng suddenly rushed in, an unsightly look on his face. “The Second Libationer’s subordinates have blocked off the routes to all three paths of trials! No one is allowed to leave or enter!”

Lie Xingqu’s heart sank.

Qin Wenxiao sure is going all out!

Earlier, he sent Lie Leng to request reinforcements from beyond the City of the Beginning, but his plans had been foiled!

“Come on, let’s go see Fellow Daoist Su.” Lie Xingqu got up.

He was just about to leave when a mellow voice resounded from outside his residence. “Ol’ Lie, heed my warning and stay out of this storm. Otherwise, it’ll mean the end of the friendship we’ve built up over the years.”

Lie Xingqu’s pupils constricted. That was Qin Wenxiao’s voice!

......

The night was dark and deep.

Su Yi lay sprawled out in his wicker chair, gazing at the radiant moon overhead. He was relaxed and content.

The moon illuminated all ages, past and present. How many homes rejoiced? How many others mourned?

On a night like this, wouldn’t many people struggle to sleep?

Su Yi took a sip of wine. He suddenly felt rather nostalgic for his time in the Great Zhou’s Guangling City.

Back then, he’d been a lowly live-in son-in-law, but there’d been far less conflict and strife, and he’d had Wen Lingxue to accompany him. He spent his days cultivating, without all this wind and rain.

But now...

Su Yi sighed softly. In some ways, the higher his cultivation, the less happy he was. All manner of riddles, perils, and enmities of his past life appeared before him, one after another.

A seemingly endless number of people wanted him dead, but there was also no small number of people eagerly awaiting his return.

Even here on the Path of the Ancient Gods, danger and trouble were his constant companions.

“You look a bit melancholy, Fellow Daoist.” Luo Xuanji walked into the courtyard, then gazed up at the moon. She was clad in plain clothing, and her disguised features were perfectly ordinary, but she still had a unique, transcendent air about her.

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say melancholy. It’s just that this should have been a rare and precious moment of leisure, but petty squabbles have ruined my mood,” said Su Yi between sips of wine. “Would you believe me if I said that I’m not afraid of death or intimidated by any enemy, but that I fear trouble more than anything?”

Luo Xuanji froze, briefly stunned, then grinned. “Seems to me that you aren’t afraid of trouble. You’re just afraid that the trouble won’t be the least bit interesting.”

Su Yi agreed completely. “Well said. Wasting time on these boring, trivial matters will do nothing more than waste my lifespan. It just isn’t worth it.”

He tapped the armrests of his wicker chair, his whole body relaxed as he gazed intently at the moon and whispered, “I’m not the least bit interested in tomorrow’s conflict.”

Luo Xuanji was briefly stunned. A moment later, her heart rippled, as if it were a lake and Su Yi had just tossed a stone into it.

Even settling the score with the Second Libationer bores you?