Chapter 941: A Knock on the Forehead

“What did that young lord look like?” the woman asked suddenly.

The graying elder outside the pavilion hesitated before saying, “He looks seventeen or eighteen, and he’s quite handsome. His cultivation is in the Spiritual Revolution Realm….”

This description left the woman unwittingly stunned, and her enchanting eyes shone with strange light. She’d already guessed who the old man was describing!

After a moment’s thought, she said leisurely, “Go invite him over.”

However, the man seated across from her frowned. “That… It seems to me that wouldn’t be appropriate?”

He was the overseer of the House of the Cicada, and his name was Yun Rong.

“That young lord and I are old acquaintances, and if I’m not mistaken, he’s here to ask about the changes to the Sea of Bitterness too,” the woman said calmly. “What’s ‘inappropriate’ about it?”

It was just a few light, airy sentences, but they put immense pressure on Yun Rong.

He took a deep breath, then said gravely, “Go invite that young lord over.”

“Yes, sir!” The graying old man scurried off to carry out his orders.

The woman, meanwhile, raised a delicate finger and twirled the blue hair by her temples. Inwardly, she was contemplating her next moves.

If it really is that guy, should I seize this opportunity to suppress him?

Su Yi strolled over with his hands behind his back. When he reached the pavilion, his gaze suddenly focused.

The Netherworld King!

He recognized her at a glance. Her beauty was enough to topple the masses, yet her disposition was cold and cruel as a deity’s. The woman in the ink-black skirt was none other than the Netherworld King!

When did she escape confinement in the Great Chaos Ruins?

Although Su Yi remained outwardly calm, he was inwardly solemn.

“Fellow Daoist Su, it seems to me that this was an act of fate. Otherwise, how could we possibly have encountered each other in the House of the Cicada?” A hint of a smile tugged at the Netherworld King’s red lips, and her eyes lit up.

It really is him!

“It seems to me that it’d be more apt to say ‘enemies inevitably cross paths,’” Su Yi said calmly.

The moment he calmed down, he sensed that something wasn’t quite right about the Netherworld King’s energy fluctuations. She was missing a certain domineering, contemptuous quality.

It seems she either paid an enormous price to escape confinement, or that there are secrets hidden within that body of hers,

thought Su Yi.

“‘Enemies inevitably cross paths?’” The Netherworld King couldn’t help but break into a charming smile. “You’re right. You and I are indeed enemies.”

Yun Rong seized this opportunity to stand up and incline his head in greeting. “Young lord, please, join us for a chat.”

He couldn’t help but wonder just who Su Yi was, and how he’d learned the top secret code phrase of their House of the Cicada!

Su Yi nodded, but he didn’t hold back out of politeness. He just walked right in, chose an empty seat, and sat down.

Now that he was right in front of her, the Netherworld King examined him with great interest. “Fellow Daoist Su, let me guess: you’ve come to the House of the Cicada to ask about the changes to the Sea of Bitterness. Is that right?”

“What a waste of breath,” Su Yi said flatly. “This city borders the Sea of Bitterness. Who couldn’t have guessed that?”

“....” The Netherworld King wouldn’t have guessed that Su Yi would be so rude.

For a moment, a faint hint of insane, blood-colored light flashed in the depths of her bewitching eyes.

But in the end, she suppressed it. She held her slender, snowy hands in front of her face and gently rubbed her palms together. Then, seemingly without any premeditated intent, she said, “But I still don’t know if your reasons for coming here are connected to Cui Longxiang or not.”

One sentence, and Soon Yi's brow furrowed. He said calmly, “That has nothing to do with you, so you’d best not get involved.” The Netherworld King smiled faintly. “I have no interest in Cui Longxiang, but I’m very interested in you, Fellow Daoist Su. To tell the truth, I’m here in the Sea of Bitterness on your account.”

Here, she leaned forward slightly, stopping when her stunning face was just a foot away from Su Yi. Her bright eyes stared directly into his, and she said seriously, “Would you believe me if I said I’m worried you’ll die in the Sea of Bitterness?”

The way she sat leaning forward made Yun Rong stiffen, and he felt an indescribable pressure.

However, Su Yi merely stretched out his right hand and flicked the Netherworld King on her smooth forehead. “Keep your distance.”

The Netherworld King was flabbergasted, and a dazed look appeared on her face.

He… he actually dared flick me on the forehead!?

Su Yi hadn’t used his cultivation base at all, but it was for that very reason that the Netherworld King didn’t react in time. She’d figured he was just reaching for his teacup.

Who’d have thought he’d flick her on the forehead!?

Unconcealable vexation flashed across her face, but just as she was about to say something, Su Yi said casually, “Of course you’re afraid something will happen to me. That, I’ve never doubted in the slightest.”

“....” When she saw Su Yi say this as if it were all perfectly obvious, the Netherworld King felt stifled, and she felt the sudden impulse to cast all other concerns aside and kill him where he sat.

The overseer of the House of the Cicada was completely dumbstruck, and his heart shook. He would never have guessed that a young Spiritual Revolution Realm cultivator would dare speak to the Netherworld King like that.

He’d even dared flick her on the forehead!

This was the Netherworld King! Way back in ancient times, she was a terrifying existence akin to a sovereign. She was so powerful that even the Infernal Palace saw her as a major threat. Even they were cautious of her.

Yet now, a mere youth seemed like he disregarded the Netherworld King completely!

Who was he?

Where did he get the confidence to do all that?

Su Yi’s thoughts were nowhere near as complicated. He just looked at Yun Rong and said, “I imagine you already know why I’m here.”

Yun Rong took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and said with a faint hint of awe, “I’ll share news of the changes to the Sea of Bitterness with you shortly, young lord.”

Su Yi nodded. “I’ll have to trouble you, then.”

“Young lord, since you knew the code phrase ‘the handle of the Big Dipper points east as Spring Blossoms beneath the heavens’, you’re a distinguished guest of the House of the Cicada. It’s only right that we alleviate your worries and dispel your difficulties,” said Yun Rong.

Here, he paused and probed tentatively, “Might I ask your honorable name and surname, young lord?”

Before Su Yi could respond, the Netherworld King laughed coldly. “It doesn’t matter who he is, because sooner or later, he’ll lose to me!”

She spoke with incontrovertible assurance, and her beautiful eyes surged with blood-colored light.

Su Yi snickered. “If you’re so confident in taking me down, why not try it now?”

His words were rife with disdain.

The Netherworld King pursed her lips, her expression cold and indifferent.

The atmosphere silently grew tenser. Yun Rong felt as if he were sitting on a bed of needles, and a chill coursed down his spine.

He wanted to say something, only for the Netherworld King to burst into laughter and lean languidly against the back of her chair. “Food tastes best when you eat it one bite at a time. You might be in a rush, but I can’t afford to be hasty.”

As her magnetic voice echoed through the air, the taut atmosphere dissipated.

Su Yi took a deep look at the Netherworld King, but he didn’t provoke her any further.

The Netherworld King’s moods were shifting and erratic, and her insanity was bone deep. Unless it was absolutely necessary, Su Yi didn’t want to cast aside all pretenses of cordiality with a madwoman like her.

Yun Song inwardly sighed in relief, then took two jade slips from his sleeves. One, he passed to the Netherworld King. The other, he passed to the Su Yi. “Netherworld King, young lord, these contain information regarding the changes to the Sea of Bitterness. Please, accept them.”

All he could think was,

the House of the Cicada’s temple is too small to host two gods. I have to send these two packing as soon as I can!

Su Yi accepted the slip, but he didn’t rush to look through it. Instead, he asked, “There’s a few other things I’d like to ask you about too.”

Yun Rong froze, then looked at the Netherworld King.

Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. “Are you asking me to step away?”

Yun Song coughed dryly, then said hurriedly, “No, no, I wouldn’t dare!”

Su Yi, however, was running out of patience. He said directly, “All you have to do is answer my questions. Ignore everyone else.”

The Netherworld King crossed her slender legs and rested her head in her hands. She sat there, perfectly at ease, and said casually, “You two go ahead and chat. I’ll just listen in.”

She seemed quite patient. She didn’t seem the least bit upset that Su Yi was ignoring her.

When Yun Rong saw this, he nodded. “Please tell me what you’d like to know, young lord.”

“A little over ten years ago, Cui Longxiang ventured into the Sea of Bitterness,” said Su Yi. “Does the House of the Cicada have any concrete information about him?”

Yun Rong’s eyelids twitched. “The Adjudicator of the Netherworld’s predicament is common knowledge in the Netherworld. Although our House of the Cicada has conducted further investigations, the involvement of that mysterious Netherworld Vessel has prevented us from learning anything.”

Su Yi pointed to the jade slip in his hand. “Does this contain any information about the Netherworld Vessel?”

Yun Rong said hurriedly, “Naturally.”

“Then did you know that the Peach Haven Mountain Monarch went to the Sea of Bitterness too?” asked Su Yi.

“The House of the Cicada actually has some insider intelligence about that very matter,” said Yun Rong. “This is because the Peach Haven Mountain Monarch stopped here to request information before leaving for the Sea of Bitterness.”

Su Yi’s spirits soared. “What did the old rooster want to know?”

Yun Rong asked cautiously, “Might I ask what your connection to the Peach Haven Mountain Monarch is?”

“We’re friends,” said Su Yi. He then slipped a piece of Peach Haven Divine Wood from his sleeves. “Take this as proof.”

Yun Rong instantly relaxed. “To tell the truth, he was after information about Pi Mo’s disciples.”

Su Yi’s gaze focused, while the Netherworld King looked intrigued.

The Nine Serenities Netherworld Crow had told her about Su Xuanjun’s exploits, and she was naturally aware that Pi Mo was Su Xuanjun’s eldest disciple!

“Why would he ask about that?” Su Yi frowned.

Yun Rong shook his head. “That, I’m afraid I don’t know. However, I do know that about three years ago, four of Pi Mo’s disciples—Gu Ziming, Shangguan Jie, Ni Shuang, and Cheng Tiankun—led a group of cultivators into the far reaches of the Sea of Bitterness. They were apparently investigating the secrets of the Burial Ground of the Dao.”

Su Yi couldn’t help but sink into thought.

Back in Ziluo City, he learned that Pi Mo had sent six of his disciples to the Netherworld several hundred years ago.

Each led the forces of one of the Wilds’ Six Great Daoist factions. Their mission was to seek out word of the Ghost Lantern Sarcophagus Bearers!

He defeated one of them, Tao Qianqiu, back in Ziluo City, while Jiang Yingliu had suffered a crushing defeat back in the Ghost Serpents’ territory.

But now, Pi Mo’s other four disciples had joined forces to enter the Sea of Bitterness in search of the secrets of the Burial Ground of the Dao. Of course this would draw Su Yi’s attention!