Chapter 540: Choose How You Wish to Die

Foolish child.

When that sigh entered the blurred silhouette’s ears, it went off like a crack of lightning.

The illusory figure shook, then stared intently at Su Yi. The emotions long welled up deep within his heart burst forth, like floodwaters breaking through a dam. He couldn’t help but blurt, “Ma-... Master!?”

His voice contained irrepressible excitement, bewilderment, delight, and disbelief; it seemed he dared not believe this was real.

Su Yi silently took a deep breath to repress his overwhelming emotions. On the outside, he snorted coldly. “Little turtle, you’re increasingly disappointing. If I hadn’t shown up tonight, I’m afraid those three little ants would have killed you.”

Despite this rebuke, the blurry figure grinned. He was incoherent with excitement. “Master! It really is you. I just knew you wouldn’t die like… Waah! This is great! This is so great…!”

All that remained of him was his soul, and he was severely injured and on the verge of death. Despite this, he seemed thrilled, as if he’d forgotten everything else in his excitement.

When he saw this, Su Yi’s heart churned with emotion, and despite himself, his gaze softened. “Enough. Wait until I’ve gotten even for you. Then, we’ll find a place to have a good chat.”

The blurry figure lowered his head in shame. “I…I’ll have to trouble you again, Master…”

“Troubling me again…?” Su Yi laughed heartily, looking a bit dazed.

“Su Yi, you’re that guy’s master?” Off in the distance, He Changying furrowed his brow, feeling a bit uncertain.

From the moment Su Yi barged into the Sky Obscuring Shade Formation and blocked the white flying sword, the three Spiritual Manifestation Realm subordinates of the Huan Family felt their hearts sink. They knew they were in for trouble.

The terrifying strength Su Yi had displayed at the Orchid Terrace Dharma Assembly yesterday was still fresh in their minds. Of course they were cautious!

When they learned that Su Yi was the indistinct figure’s master, they were beside themselves with surprise.

When they fought him earlier, they realized that although only a wisp of primordial spirit remained of the blurry figure, and although he was in a highly weakened state, his accumulations were terrifying. At his peak, he had to have been a Spirit Dao cultivator at the very least, but he might even have been stronger!

For someone like that to address an Origin Palace Realm youth like Su Yi as his master—his?teacher—was astonishing!

Su Yi glanced up at He Changying, Li Hanmu, and Cui Heng. His deep, profound gaze turned calm and indifferent.

“Tell me… How do you wish to die?” Su Yi said softly. He sounded as if he were making casual conversation, as if he weren’t angry in the least.

However, a familiar feeling coursed through the blurry figure’s heart for the first time in a long time.?Master is just as he was back then. Lightning could strike him, but on the outside, he’d remain as calm as the surface of a lake!

The heavens could fall and the earth could crumble, and he wouldn’t so much as furrow his brow.

But when he wants to kill someone, the calmer he seems, the more brutally his foe will die!

“Hehe, Su Yi, your combat prowess is indeed heaven-defying, and even we are somewhat afraid of you. However, should this truly come to blows, the three of us combined have nothing to fear from a junior like you!” The short, withered Li Hanmu broke into an insincere smile.

Cui Heng’s eyes flashed with cold light. The white sword hovering over his outstretched palm buzzed and hummed, ready and raring to go.

He Changying, however, looked cautious. He clutched his fly-whisk and readied himself for battle.

“Su Yi,” he said gravely, “It seems to me that we’d best end this here. You might well have the imperial family behind you, but we’re backed by the Huan Family. Making a bigger incident out of this won’t do any of us any good!

“Oh?” said Su Yi. “If you don’t want to choose how you’ll die, then I’ll choose for you.”

Before this light, airy declaration finished echoing through the air, he turned and walked toward Li Hanmu.

He looked as if he were out for a leisurely stroll, but in the blink of an eye, he was only about ten feet from Li Hanmu.

“You’re seeking death!” Li Hanmu had long since prepared for this. By the time Su Yi approached, he’d already silently circulated his early-stage Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivation to its peak.

The blue Daoist seal in his hands suddenly roared like a dragon or tiger and shot through the air, bearing down on Su Yi.

The seal’s surface was carved with the words “Netherworld Mountain” written in demonic glyphs. It filled the air with baleful blue energy, making the skies howl and wail. Its majestic aura was extremely overbearing.

Against a heaven-defying figure like Su Yi, Li Hanmu naturally dared not hold anything back. He displayed all of his strength in this attack.

Su Yi’s expression was as tranquil as the waters of an ancient well. He made no attempt to dodge. Instead, the Abstruse God Sword let out an impassioned hum as it slashed through the air.

Whoosh!

The edge flashed through the air, like a sudden thundercrack.

A low, rumbling boom rang out, and the baleful energy filling the sky split in half. The seal engraved with demonic glyphs trembled.

Bang!!!

Spider web-like cracks appeared on its surface.

Then, it exploded.

Splurt!

When his treasure was destroyed, Li Hanmu suffered a backlash. He coughed up blood, and his face paled.

Su Yi had attacked just once, but he didn’t just break through Li Hanmu’s strongest attack; he even destroyed the Netherworld Mountain Demonic Seal!

This was completely out of Li Hanmu’s expectations, and it startled him so badly that his scalp went numb. His face filled with astonishment.

The distant He Changying and Cui Heng couldn’t help but gasp.

This attack was unquestionably far more terrifying than the power Su Yi displayed at the Orchid Terrace Dharma Assembly yesterday!

“Don’t tell me Su Yi didn’t use his full power at the Orchid Terrace Dharma Assembly yesterday?” Li Changying and Cui Heng realized that something was amiss, but before they could react—

Whoosh!

After cutting through the seal, Su Yi appeared just a few feet away from Li Hanmu in a flash.

The Abstruse God Sword was even faster than Su Yi himself. Its edge shot through the air with incredible speed and efficiency. It brimmed with profound and inscrutable charm, and it left no trace.

“Break!” Li Hanmu bellowed, his eyes practically popping out of their sockets. It seemed he was fighting with his life on the line.

Boom!

Waves of power boomed on his short, withered body as his hands formed seals. A crimson curtain of light manifested around him. It was shaped like the full moon.

The Blood Moon Wall!

This was a demonic secret art with shocking defensive power.

But then, Su Yi’s slash descended with a heaven-shaking boom. The surface of the blood-red, moon-like curtain of light caved in, and a perfectly straight crack appeared on its surface.

Sparks scattered like rain. In the end, the light curtain couldn’t withstand the power contained within this slash, and it burst apart.

“No——!”

Li Hanmu was so scared that his soul almost left his body.

He would never have guessed that even with his Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivation, he’d seem this pathetic against an Origin Realm youth.

He was like a mantis trying to block a chariot or an egg flinging itself against a rock…

Splurt!

Li Hanmu’s body went rigid, and his eyes widened.

A sword had pierced his throat, and its tip jutted out the other end.

Power burst from the edge, like countless sharp swords exploding within his body. His skin, flesh, tendons, bones, organs, and even his soul were instantly minced. Countless fine chunks of flesh flew through the air.

Like death by one thousand cuts!

In the blink of an eye, Li Hanmu, a Spirit Dao cultivator, was sliced into a meaty pulp. Even his soul dispersed!

This forceful, bloody scene made the indistinct figure’s heart well with emotion. He couldn’t control himself, and inwardly, he muttered,?Finding my master is like happening upon a lantern in a dark room, or encountering a boat while lost at sea. Nothing could be more fortunate!

Meanwhile, He Changying and Cui Heng’s hair stood on end. This scene left them stunned.

Neither had anticipated that Su Yi would be?this?terrifying!

Su Yi glanced at Cui Heng, then said calmly, “A sword cultivator? Then I’ll just have to snap your sword, shatter your sword heart, and take your head.”

As his voice echoed through the air, he streaked ahead with the Controlling Currents Evasion Art, so fast it was as if he'd teleported. He was headed right toward Cui Heng.

Whoosh!

He appeared before his opponent in a flash, too quick to follow!

Cui Heng was using his divine sense, but he was nonetheless caught off guard. He couldn’t tell where Su Yi was.

His expression changed dramatically, and he bellowed, “Activate!”

The snow-white flying sword shot into the air and suddenly manifested thirty-six sword shadows, each dazzlingly white. They blanketed the sky, forming an imposing sword formation around Cui Heng.

“Hah!” Cui Heng circulated the formation with his will, and his sleeves billowed around him.

Countless fine, silvery stars flickered on and off within the sword formation, surging like a rising tide. It was a magnificent sight.

The Celestial Combat Sword Formation!

This was Cui Heng’s ultimate killer move. It could both attack and defend, and once it took shape, it presented a lethal threat to even other Spirit Dao cultivators.

But against Su Yi, he was like an amateur showing off to an expert.

Su Yi’s eyes shone with derision, and in an instant, he swung the Abstruse God Sword thirty-six times. Thirty-six streaks of clear sword qi shot forth, striking different parts of the Celestial Combat Sword Formation.

Every slash targeted one of the weakest points of the formation!

He struck with the precision of a chef butchering a cow, the pinnacle of precision.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Amidst the deafening impact, the shockingly majestic and momentous Celestial Combat Sword Formation crumbled and disappeared into thin air before it could reveal any of its power.

Sparks scattered like rain. Cui Heng was almost struck dumb.

In the past, the Celestial Combat Sword Formation had always been his killer move, and it essentially never let him down.

Who’d have thought that the killer move he took the most pride in would amount to little more than paper mache against Su Yi? The formation almost seemed intended for decoration!

When he saw Su Yi coming right for him, Cui Heng dared not pause to think. He activated the snow-white flying sword and met him head-on.

Crunch!

With a flash of sword light, the snow-white sword split down the center. Both halves shot away.

“Dammit!” Cui Heng was deathly pale. How could he possibly continue clashing with Su Yi?

Instead, he turned and ran.

Whoosh!

Practically simultaneously, He Changying attacked. He threw the Spirit-Capturing Rope, which transformed from a single rope into a massive golden net that enveloped Su Yi.

Su Yi’s eyes narrowed; he could sense how powerful this treasure was.

Mmmmmmm!

The Abstruse God Sword’s hums resounded like the tide, reverberating throughout the surrounding area. Unstoppably sharp clear sword light soared into the heavens in waves, like a series of avalanches, spreading throughout the area. The sword qi slammed into the golden net like waves slamming against the shoreline, sending it flying.

Rumble! Rumble! Boom!

Beneath the relentless waves of sword qi, the golden net billowed and writhed.

In the blink of an eye, it dispersed in mid-air, seemingly unable to bear such power. It returned to its original shape—a single golden rope—before it was sent flying.

Splurt!

He Changying, the one controlling the Spirit-Capturing Net, coughed up blood. His face filled with irrepressible astonishment.

He wouldn’t have guessed that Su Yi would break through one of the Huan Family’s strongest demonic treasures in such a way.

He Changying?no longer dared to hesitate. He growled, “Su Yi, if you don’t?stay?your hand, don’t blame me for killing the boy!”

As he spoke, he raised the unconscious Ge Qian into the air, his gaze sinister and brimming with unconcealed killing intent.

Su Yi furrowed his brow, while the indistinct figure’s heart sank.