Chapter 2383 - Predicting Your Opponent’s Moves, the Tables Turn

“Let them go.”

It was just a few short words, with no associated insults or humiliation.

But to Gu Huaxian, they sounded like an order, and an overbearing one at that. This infuriated her, and she said coldly, “You did everything in your power to defeat me. How about... I show you what I’ve got, too?”

Su Yi laughed. “Go right ahead.”

He took out a wicker chair, then had a seat. “Go on. Start your performance.”

Everyone had a complicated look on their face. Both Su Yi’s friends and his enemies had to admit that he was far too calm and composed.

This seemingly inadvertent gesture was a clear display of absolute confidence and contemptuous pride.

It seemed he wasn’t the least bit worried about whatever Gu Huaxian had in store!

Gu Huaxian snorted coldly, then said, “Hey, Jiao so-and-so. If you’re here, come on out. Do you really plan to remain a spectator even after all this?”

Everyone was startled. Lu Qingmei and Li Sanjiu both immediately realized who she was talking to: Jiao Mu! He was one of Gu Huaxian’s allies, and he wasn’t at all weaker than her.

“So, Senior Jiao is here too,” said Yu Xun. His spirits soared, and he felt a massive weight lift from his shoulders.

Earlier, Su Yi’s cards had been far too astonishing. Yu Xun couldn’t help but feel immense pressure bearing down on him.

But now, how could he fail to realize that his master had come prepared, too? Jiao Mu was obviously one of her hidden cards! And a supremely powerful hidden card at that!

Except... time passed, and nothing happened. No one showed up, let alone Jiao Mu.

“He couldn’t make it,” Su Yi said calmly. “Spear Demon Zang Wushu attacked Jiao Mu’s secluded cultivation grounds yesterday. Zang Wushu might not be able to kill Jiao Mu, but keeping him busy won’t be difficult.”

Gu Huaxian’s brow furrowed.

Yu Xun’s eager smile froze.

He can’t make it!?

Everyone’s expressions shifted. There was no doubt about it. Even now, Jiao Mu had yet to show up. That proved that Su Yi wasn’t lying!

“Got anything else?” Su Yi leaned back into his chair and had a leisurely sip of wine. “If so, continue.”

Gu Huaxian snorted coldly, “There’s no way I’d prepare just one countermeasure to deal with you, Yi Daoxuan!”

As she spoke, she took out a talisman and activated it. A bundle of blue light appeared, but then, it vanished into thin air.

Su Yi laughed. “Barbarian Meng gave you that Blue Lotus Talisman, right? I’m afraid he isn’t in any place to divert his attention, either.”

Barbarian Meng was another old-timer in the same camp as Gu Huaxian, Jiao Mo, and the old hunchback.

He was powerfully built and incomparably fierce. He’d worked with Gu Huaxian and the others to intercept Su Yi on his way to the God Domain via the Road of Celestial Guidance.

Gu Huaxian obviously didn’t believe a word Su Yi said.

However, before long, the talisman flashed, and she received a message.

“The Heaven-Swallowing Toad Ancestor brought three old-timers, and they’re working together to intercept me. I’m afraid I won’t be able to get there on short notice. You...”

There, the message came to an abrupt halt.

Gu Huaxian could picture it: Barbarian Meng was surely locked in fierce combat, unable to divert his attention!

Gu Huaxian’s heart sank. She realized that this wasn’t looking good.

Su Yi had prepared an abundance of countermeasures. He’d done more than just target all of her clones. He’d even arranged for people to intercept her allies!

Gu Huaxian wasn’t worried that anything would happen to Jiao Mu or Barbarian Meng. Given their cultivation bases, neither would be defeated so easily.

However, she knew that the two of them wouldn’t be able to come to her aid. She’d effectively lost two of her hidden cards!

The atmosphere was stifled and heavy.

Everyone could sense that the situation had silently shifted. Su Yi had obviously anticipated Gu Huaxian’s hidden cards and prepared countermeasures!

Gu Huaxian took a deep breath, then said, “Did the old hunchback tell you Jiao Mu and Barbarian Meng’s hiding places, too?”

“That’s right,” Su Yi said with a nod. “I really have to thank him. Without his help, finding them

and

all your clones would have been difficult.”

Gu Huaxian gnashed her teeth, her eyes blazing with murderous intent. She’d calculated meticulously, but she’d never even considered the possibility that the old hunchback was still alive.

She

certainly

hadn’t anticipated that he’d sold them all out!

“Got anything else? If so, go ahead and show me,” said Su Yi. “Since we’ve decided to determine a victor this time, we might as well be thorough about it!”

His gaze was calm, and he sat there languidly, but everyone felt formless pressure bearing down on them.

It was as if he had precognition, and everything was under his control. With a cheery laugh and a few airy words, he’d turned the situation on its head!

It was far too unbelievable.

Lu Qingmei had witnessed Yi Daoxuan’s abilities before, but now, she realized that his reincarnation, Su Yi, did things differently.

It wasn’t just that he’d planned before taking action and anticipated his opponent’s moves. He was far more domineering, contemptuous, and tyrannical than Yi Daoxuan! There was no guessing just how much he was still hiding!

Li Sanjiu and Yi Chen felt it, too. It was as if the casually seated man in blue were omnipotent. It seemed that if heaven and earth crumbled around them, he could hoist them back up with a casual gesture!

It was a type of confidence and spirit that arose from deep within Su Yi’s very bones.

But to Yu Xun, each of Su Yi’s methods was like a heavy blow, repeatedly smashing through his mental defenses. He was gradually starting to feel ill at ease!

Gu Huaxian was silent. There was no doubt about it; Su Yi’s methods had repeatedly shocked her, too.

“Oh, Wan Zitian got back to me.” Su Yi took out a talisman and skimmed its contents. He couldn’t help but smile. “Want to have a look?”

Gu Huaxian glowered. “If one of my clones had been destroyed, I’d naturally be able to sense it. Why feign mysteriousness?”

Su Yi activated the talisman anyway, and a curtain of light appeared in midair.

It depicted Wan Zitian covered in blood. He was obviously badly injured, but he held a figure aloft. Upon closer inspection, although her attire was different, she was a woman identical to Gu Huaxian!

When she saw this, Gu Huaxian completely lost her cool. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “How could Wan Zitian possibly have been a match for my clone by himself?”

“He had help, naturally,” said Su Yi. “It’s just that I can’t possibly tell you who now."

It was a startling idea, and everyone’s minds raced.

Gu Huaxian was someone who’d touched the threshold of the River of Destiny. The woman on screen might just have been one of her clones, but she was still too strong for any “ordinary” Nine-Tribulation Master God to capture.

Whoever Wan Zitian’s helpers were, they had the power to suppress Gu Huaxian!

But even if you searched the entire God Domain, you wouldn’t find many people capable of such a feat.

Just who was it?

Alas, no one could find answers.

Su Yi didn’t say anything either.

Only the RIver Child understood, but if Su Yi wasn’t talking, he naturally wouldn’t spill the beans either.

Gu Huaxian sank back into silence.

After a while, she said, “Release my clone, and I’ll agree to an exchange.”

Lu Qingmei inwardly sighed in relief. She was so happy that she almost wept.

She understood better than anyone how difficult it was to force someone as cold and heartless as her master to compromise and make concessions.

Yet now, Su Yi had done it!

But against all expectations, Su Yi shook his head. “I said that I’d destroy your four clones and leave the current you a path to life.”

He’d only just said this when Wan Zitian raised his sword and split Gu Huaxian’s clone in two!

Boom!

The curtain of light dispersed.

No one could see anything, but they could tell that Gu Huaxian had suffered a heavy blow. She staggered backward and coughed up blood, her face considerably paler than before.

How could the others fail to realise that one of her clones had met its end at Wan Zitian’s hands?

Su Yi looked at her thoughtfully. “It seems that every time a clone is destroyed, the remaining clones suffer a backlash.”

Gu Huaxian’s expression shifted erratically. She was obviously enraged.

It was true that she sought the path of heartlessness, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have a temper or other emotions!

“Yi Daoxuan! You really aren’t afraid that I’ll cast aside my reservations and kill your son?” Gu Huaxian wiped the blood from the corner of her lips and said icily.

“If you dared, you’d have done it a long time ago. Why wait all this time?” Su Yi said calmly. “From my perspective, worst case scenario, I lose a son, but

you

would lose your life, as well as the Eternal Dao you long for even in your dreams. Would you... really be willing to accept that?”

He’d given voice to exactly what Gu Huaxian was thinking. Her beautiful face was instantly ashen, and her eyes blazed with fury.

Su Yi slowly rose, put away his wicker chair, and pointed to Yi Chen. “I’ll say it one last time. Let him go, or you’ll surely die here today!”

He was issuing an ultimatum!

The atmosphere was instantly tense to the extreme. All eyes were on Gu Huaxian.

She was a terrifying existence who’d touched upon the threshold of the River of Destiny. She should have been fearless and without reservations.

Yet now, in the face of Su Yi, this old-timer who’d proven her Dao countless years ago had obviously been suppressed!

Even the taciturn Li Sanjiu couldn’t help but sigh to himself.

Your Excellency Su... your abilities are quite impressive!

“A little beast, that’s all. How could his life possibly matter as much as mine?” said Gu Huaxian, suddenly tossing Yi Chen away. “I’ll be a do-gooder just this once and let father and son reunite!”

She made it sound good, but who could possibly have missed the hatred and bitterness in her voice?

“Everything’s okay now, Young Master. You can relax,” said the River Child, going up to greet him with a smile.

Yi Chen lowered his head, a complicated look on his face. His heart churned with emotion, and for a moment, he didn’t quite know what to do with himself.

Su Yi paid his son no heed; things weren't over yet.

“Master, how could you just let him go?” Yu Xun was more nervous than ever before. “What if Su Yi reneges on his end of your agreement?”

“Fool,” Gu Huaxian said coldly. “If he reneged on his promise, he wouldn’t be Yi Daoxuan!”

Some people were capricious and shameful.

Others had reputations so solid that even their enemies acknowledged their trustworthiness.

No matter how much he’d changed, both in this life and in his past lives, Su Yi had always fallen into the latter category.

This was why so many people were willing to gather around him even when he was surrounded by peril and enemies on all sides! Gu Huaxian understood that too. Thus, she wasn’t at all concerned that Su Yi would renege on his end of their agreement.

Su Yi laughed, then said, “I will indeed carry out my end of our bargain, but first, there’s something else I need from you.”

Gu Huaxian’s heart sank.

I gave him an inch. Is he planning to demand a mile!?