In the Imperatorial Provincial Capital, it was no secret that the Su Family intended to deal with Su Yi, and it hadn’t been for quite some time.

From the top-rate factions to the assorted minor clans, sects, and gangs, everyone was of the same opinion—

Su Yi would inevitably get suppressed!

Reality seemed to prove their conclusion accurate. First, Family Head Zheng Tianhe was stripped of his position. Almost immediately afterward, the new provincial governor, Mu Zhongting, was imprisoned.

In just two short days, the powers of the Su Family took even the people and factions connected to Su Yi into custody. All of this only confirmed the people’s initial assumptions: Su Yi would find it hard to escape this calamity.

Or so they thought. It was under these circumstances that news of the battle at the provincial governor’s estate spread, throwing the entire city into an uproar.

Countless people were stunned, shaken, and in disbelief.

A seventeen-year-old boy had, in one fell swoop, single-handedly crushed the Su Family’s forces, obliterating even their subordinates and the local big shots who’d chosen to stand alongside them. 

Who would dare believe such a thing?

Even experts as mighty as the White-Eyebrowed and Firedome Kings perished in battle!

The Jade Mountain Marquis and Heavenbrave Marquis were prominent, well-known figures as well, yet they too had fallen!

It was unquestionably terrifying. 

When news spread, factions both big and small were stunned. They couldn’t even imagine how Su Yi had accomplished such a thing. 

The first to suffer the impact were the Yu, Zhao, Bai, and Xue families, four of the city’s peak-level clans.

It was actually rather funny: not long ago, the heads of these four clans had all fallen beneath Su Yi’s sword atop the Western Mountain. This left their clans like dragons without heads, stirring up severe internal conflict. 

It was only after emerging from the resulting bloodbath that the four peak-level clans chose their new leaders.

Yet, after all that, all four families’ new leaders fell beneath Su Yi’s sword, leaving their seats empty once more.

It was easy to predict that all four clans would descend into yet another round of strife and turmoil. Who knew how much bloodshed would occur as a result?

The battle at the provincial governor’s estate left the other factions shocked too, but more than that, they realized something important.

Information about the Western Mountain’s Tea Party had been sealed off. No one dared confirm that it was Su Yi who’d slain Qin Changshan, Yue Changyuan, and the others. Although quite a few people suspected it was Su Yi, there was, after all, no proof. 

Moreover, Su Yi was just too young—just seventeen—and at the time, he was only in the Qi Accumulation Realm.

Thus, although some people suspected him, far more were convinced that Su Yi couldn’t possibly be responsible for the massacre atop the Western Mountain. 

Yet now, as the curtains fell on the battle at the seat of the provincial government, all reports pointed to Su Yi. As a result, everyone suddenly realized something—

If Su Yi could slay Xiantian Martial Ancestors like the White-Eyebrowed King and Firedome King, why couldn’t he have killed all those people back at the Tea Party?

As the various factions deduced the truth of the matter, the entire province descended into even greater uproar. In the provincial capital, Su Yi’s name filled the air!

Just a few months ago, he’d been nothing but the cast-off disciple of Blueriver Sword Manor, the laughingstock of Guangling City, yet now, his name shook the entire Imperatorial Province! 

Su Yi!

Su Yi!

Su Yi!

In the current Imperatorial Province, that name seemed to possess a magical power. His name was on the lips of countless martial artists, and he was the subject of countless conversations and widespread uproar.

It was clear that, as time passed and word spread throughout the nation, every martial artist in the Great Zhou would know his name. 

After all, two of the nine non-Zhou kings and two of the eighteen non-Zhou marquis had fallen in battle today.

Su Yi had killed all four of them himself!

This alone was enough to shake the entire nation, stirring up towering waves!

…..

The House of Waveswept Rocks.

Su Yi sat in his wicker chair, scrupulously cleaning Mortal Edge. This sword only had a hint of spirituality, but to him, both the sword’s name and the process of forging it bore extraordinary significance. 

What did the name “Mortal Edge” mean?

I enter the mortal world and sharpen my heart like the edge of my blade!

This was a reflection of Su Yi’s mental state upon awakening the memories of his past life. 

Furthermore, Mortal Edge was the first sword he forged after reincarnating. To his current self, its power wasn’t worth mentioning, but its memory had embedded itself deep within his heart.

Clang!

After a while, Su Yi raised the newly-clean Mortal Edge into the air. He stared intently at it for a while before storing it within his black jade pendant. 

“Uncle Su, have some tea.” Zheng Muyao stood obediently to the side, carrying freshly-brewed tea. Her perfectly-formed little face was alight with joy.

Upon his return, Su Yi told her that he’d already dealt with all the Su Family forces stationed in the provincial capital. Unless something unexpected happened, it wouldn’t be long before her father emerged from captivity and regained his former position. 

When she heard this, Zheng Muyao was so excited that she felt as if she were flying. A long time passed before she managed to calm down. 

And her attitude toward Su Yi became incomparably worshipful and affectionate. It was only because she knew it would be inappropriate that she resisted the urge to hug and kiss him. 

This Uncle Su is just too likable~!

“Uncle Su, how about I knead your shoulders?” When she saw Su Yi accept a cup of tea, Zheng Muyao volunteered for further service. She stretched out her long, slender fingers and got to work rubbing his shoulders.

Why would Su Yi refuse?

Although Cha Jin temporarily wasn’t by his side, having a pretty, smiling little fox look after him was enough to warm the heart and delight the eyes. 

This was what they meant by “a feast for the senses.”

Before long, Mu Xi, Shen Jiusong, Chen Zheng, and the others arrived at the House of Wavewept Rocks, carrying three bloody, dripping heads.

They belonged to Xia Houlin, Pei Wenshan, and Yue Qing.

In addition, they’d placed the spoils they’d looted from the corpses into a massive box.

Su Yi thought for a moment, then ordered, “I’ll have to trouble you to burn the heads to ash. You can put all three of them in the same urn.”

Shen Jiusong immediately went off to do as he was told.

Su Yi then glanced at Mu Xi and his companions. “Don’t tell me you came to the Imperatorial Provincial Capital because you anticipated that something of this nature would happen?”

Mu Xi responded with a hearty laugh. “You’re right; we didn’t come here for this. We just happened to be present for it.”

Su Yi nodded. “No matter your reasons, you helped me today. I’ll remember this favor.”

Mu Xi shook his head. “Young Lord Su, you’ve misunderstood. We came here on other business.”

“What business?”

Mu Xi took a deep breath, then said, “I’d like to form an alliance. If you agree, all of us will be of the same breath and branches. We’ll be brothers-in-arms, and we’ll advance and retreat together!”

“Give me a reason,” said Su Yi thoughtfully.

Mu Xi fell briefly silent, then said frankly, “For our cultivation, and to escape a life of chasing petty gains in the mundane world!”

He paused, then sighed with great emotion, “After what we experienced on Bloodthistle Yao Mountain, all of us realized that more and more strange, unknown, and dangerous occurrences are sure to arise on the Azure Continent in the near future. If we seize the opportunity to form an alliance in advance, when danger arrives, at least we won’t be caught off guard and unprepared.”

Su Yi smiled, then swept his gaze across Pu Yi, Jiang Tanyun, and Lu Zhangfeng. In the end, he returned his gaze to Mu Xi and said, “Then tell me, what do you have to offer me? Why do you think you’re worthy of forming an alliance with me?”

Mu Xi didn’t so much as pause to think. “I trust that you’ve already realized that I have extraordinary secrets about me. Others might see me as blessed by fortune, but although no one knows it, all of my secrets originate from Treasure Temple Yao Mountain. They’re the result of a stroke of fortune I obtained by chance while exploring.”

Su Yi hadn’t expected that.

Treasure Temple Yao Mountain was one of the Eight Great Yao Mountains that he and Ning Sihua had once discussed. 

Apparently, there were ruins deep within the mountains, ruins reminiscent of a long-abandoned treasure temple.

Every day, as night fell, strange and unearthly black lotuses swayed in the skies, hundreds and thousands of them. They were accompanied by obscure chanting. It sounded like sutras, but it was as terrifying as the howling of wolves and wailing of ghosts. 

Ning Sihua had once gazed upon this spectacle from afar. She saw yao qi fill the skies above the temple, soaring into the clouds. From time to time, she caught glimpses of a parade of ghosts amidst the darkness. It was strange and eerie to the extreme.

Su Yi wouldn’t have guessed that Mu Xi’s “fortuitous encounter” was connected to Treasure Temple Yao Mountain. 

“Are you saying that your True Spirit divine blood pendant came from Treasure Temple Yao Mountain?” asked Su Yi.

“My True Spirit divine blood pendant?” Mu Xi was momentarily stunned. Then, his eyes lit with a strange light. “I’ve never understood this jade pendant’s origins, but it seems you’ve long since picked up on a few hints?”

He was stunned, and he found it hard to calm down.

“It’s not at all strange that you wouldn’t know,” said Su Yi.

The way Mu Xi looked at Su Yi had changed subtly. “I won’t lie to you. I did indeed discover this jade pendant deep within Treasure Temple Yao Mountain, and I can confirm that as-of-yet unknown mysteries and opportunities remain there even now.”

Su Yi thought for a moment, then said, “I can form an alliance with you, but I will be its leader. If that’s acceptable to you, I naturally won’t just stand back and watch when you encounter trouble in the future.”

Mu Xi was briefly stunned, but then, he smiled. “That’s only natural. I couldn’t possibly be so arrogant as to think of recruiting you to my side or ordering you about.”

Pu Yi, Jiang Tanyun, and the others smiled too. They felt as if a massive weight had lifted from their shoulders. They naturally had no objections either.

The opportunity to stand in the same camp as Su Yi was enough!

When Chen Zheng and Shen Jiusong saw this, they were inwardly beside themselves with delight.

They’d long since won Su Yi’s approval, and they already saw themselves as his allies.

Mu Xi and the others’ alliance meant that they too had boarded the “great ship” that was Su Yi! Since they were on his side, it was only natural that they were happy to see Su Yi’s allies increase!

However, Su Yi was rather curious. “You’re all well aware that I’m already in conflict with the Su Family, but you still want to forge an alliance. Aren’t you at all worried?”

Chen Zheng had long since asked them this very question. When he heard it, he smiled and repeated everything Mu Xi and the others had said earlier.

Su Yi finally understood. 

Zheng Muyao was standing off to the side watching. Despite herself, she felt dazed, and her mind wandered.

When she first met Su Yi, she saw him as just another one of the sixth prince’s retainers, albeit one with unbelievable abilities. 

Yet now, she suddenly realized just how childish and ridiculous her initial perception of him had been.

Mu Xi, the youngest of the Great Zhou’s nine non-Zhou Kings, the Cloudlight and Spiritmartial Marquises, the grand and second elders of Kongtong Academy, and the grand elder of Starcliff Academy…. Every last one of them was a highly influential and prominent figure, yet all of them had chosen to stand in Su Yi’s camp!

If she added Palace Master Ning Sihua of Heaven’s Origin Academy, how many comparable alliances existed in the Great Zhou?