Novel Full Chapter 2801 - When My Identity Comes to Light
Chapter 2801 – When My Identity Comes to Light
Xiao Chi stood there in a daze, expression bleak, his whole body quivering uncontrollably. It was hard to tell whether he’d been scared out of his wits, or whether he’d simply lost control of his emotions.
Yun Qiaojun, Liu Tianchen, and the others stood there in silence.
But Xiao Chi’s Dao Protector, the old man in the feather coat, couldn’t help but beg for mercy. “Fellow Daoist Li, Xiao Chi just shared a few of his feelings. He’s still a decent person, and he has no desire to become your enemy. Might you grant him a chance to turn over a new leaf?”
Mo Lanhe said coldly, “If he dies, it’ll benefit his sect and everyone he cares about. Fellow Daoist Li is doing him a good turn!”
No one knew what to say to that.
Xiao Chi suddenly gnashed his teeth and roared, “I’ve never been afraid to die, but I’m afraid to kill myself like a coward!”
His eyes were bloodshot and full of loathing. “You might be stronger than me, but so what? I still think you’re the one in the wrong! And one day, Limitless Palace is sure to get even with you!”
He pointed at his throat. “Go ahead, kill me! If I so much as furrow my brow, I’ll take on your surname!”
He spoke with the utmost conviction.
Su Yi sloshed the remaining wine in his jug, then sighed. “You know, from the very beginning, I never took you to heart, nor did I plan on holding you accountable for anything. I didn’t care that you tried to distance yourself from me, or that you were afraid of Limitless Palace’s reprisal. None of that mattered to me in the slightest.”
The others exchanged glances.
Xiao Chi obviously didn’t believe it. “You didn’t care at all?”
Su Yi said calmly, “I killed Wu Xun and the others without reservation. If I really wanted to kill you, how could you still draw breath?”
Xiao Chi stiffened as if he’d been struck by lightning.
“But you just had to jump forth and express your anger and indignation and insist on foisting all the responsibility and blame onto me. You make it seem like I’d be an irredeemable villain if I killed you.” Su Yi looked at him with pity. “To tell the truth, it’s rare to see someone throw his life away so actively.”
Xiao Chi’s lips quivered, his face as pale as a sheet. He stared intently at Su Yi, unable to even speak.
“Fortunately, you’ve got guts,” said Su Yi. “You aren’t afraid to die. If you don’t want to kill yourself, that’s fine. I’ll help you die with dignity!”
With that, he took a step forward and was just about to attack, when…
Thud!
Xiao Chi knelt, as despondent as if he’d just lost his parents, and cried out, “I was wrong! I was wrong! Brother Li, give me a chance, okay? I’m willing to make it up to you! Please, spare…”
A streak of sword qi flashed past, and Xiao Chi died on the spot, destroyed in both body and soul.
His pleading came to an abrupt halt.
The crowd was stunned, their hearts churning with emotion.
Su Yi looked at the old man in the feather coat. “Do you want to avenge him?”
The old man shook his head, then said bitterly, “Xiao Chi deserved to die, and his death is unworthy of pity! You gave him multiple opportunities, but he… failed to treasure them! All I can say is, he brought this on himself!”
The crowd looked conflicted. They sighed deeply to themselves.
It was true. Xiao Chi had been too clever for his own good. If he’d just kept his mouth shut, Li Muchen would have left him alone, even after he’d tried to draw a line between them.
Su Yi took a sip of wine and waved the old man away. “Take his belongings and go.”
The old man looked stunned. “Fellow Daoist, aren’t… you worried that I’ll reveal what happened here?”
“I dared to kill Xiao Chi and his companions,” said Su Yi. “Do you think I’m afraid of the consequences?”
The old man’s heart shook, and his gaze was bleak. He sighed. “Being too clever for your own good will only invite ruin. I’m… convinced!”
He walked up, gathered Xiao Chi’s belongings, and turned to leave, looking utterly forlorn.
The others couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.
“Everyone, since we’re traveling companions, we ought to look out for each other,” said Su Yi, clasping his fists. “I don’t make promises lightly, but I can assure you that you needn’t worry about the consequences of what happened here today.”
With that, he turned and led Fu Lingyun and Mo Lanhe away.
Yun Qiaojun opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated.
Liu Tianchen sighed.
Wen Xiuran looked relieved. She’d felt suffocating pressure simply by being in Su Yi’s presence, and her heart was utterly tense. Only now could she relax.
Their Dao Protectors looked calmer, too.
“We cannot divulge anything that happened here,” said Yun Qiaojun. He swept his gaze across his companions. “That includes Xiao Chi’s death. You are not to breathe a word of it!”
Everyone agreed. None of them was stupid; far too much was on the line. Who knew what kind of storm they’d create by revealing what had happened?
Liu Tianchen said, “Senior Apprentice Brother, Fellow Daoist Li said that we needn’t worry about the consequences of what happened here.”
Wen Xiuran grimaced. “Do you believe that?”
Yun Qiaojun said solemnly, “I do!”
This was someone who dared to disregard the threat of Limitless Palace. What need did he have to lie to them?
He’d refused a deal with Lian Yue, too!
“Just… what kind of person is Li Muchen, anyway?” asked Liu Tianchen’s Dao Protector in a daze. “Why is it that none of us heard of him until recently?”
“Do you really need to ask?” Yun Qiaojun sighed. “Li Muchen has got to be a pseudonym. There’s no way he’s really a cultivator of the Literati Continent! As for who he really is…”
Yun Qiaojun paused, his eyes shining with eagerness. “I’m sure we’ll find out sooner or later!”
……
As they continued their journey to the Ancient Nine Luminaries City, Su Yi gently asked Fu Lingyun, “Are you worried?”
She blinked at him in confusion. “You yourself said we needn’t worry about the consequences, so what’s there to worry about?”
Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh. She sure is carefree! People like her are vulnerable in some ways, but when it comes to pursuing the Grand Dao… their hearts are firmer than anyone’s!
This was what Su Yi most admired about her.
“And what about you, Senior?” Su Yi looked at Mo Lanhe.
Mo Lanhe hurriedly waved. “Senior? What senior! Don’t flatter me to death. ‘Fellow Daoist’ is more than good enough.”
He paused, then smiled. “I won’t be leaving the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone alive anyway, and the founder’s there to look after the Blueleaf Sword Sect.”
“And what if I told you I had means of helping you leave this place alive?” said Su Yi.
“How is that possible?” blurted Mo Lanhe.
“Why shouldn’t it be possible?” said Su Yi. “The founder of the Heart-Tempering Sword House, Jiang Wuchen, was the one who refined the Nine Luminaries Medallions. If he managed to create the medallions and escape, it must be possible for Heavenly Monarchs to leave the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone alive.”
He wasn’t just saying that to comfort Mo Lanhe. The Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone was an ancient battlefield full of secrets and unknown variables.
However, when you really got down to it, all of its Laws were connected to the Nine Luminaries Edict. If Su Yi mastered it, he could control the Laws here at will.
The way Su Yi saw it, if his second incarnation could create medallions capable of letting Unfettered Ream cultivators leave safely, there was no reason he shouldn’t be able to help Heavenly Monarchs leave safely.
That aside, if it really weren’t possible, Miss Baa Baa Black Sheep would be the most frantic of all.
But was she worried?
Clearly not!
“If I could really leave…” Mo Lanhe’s eyes silently lit up. “That would be just wonderful…”
But then, he shook his head.
He dared not give the matter any further thought!
The greater his hope, the greater his disappointment if Su Yi failed.
“What about you, Daoist Brother Li? You really aren’t at all worried?” Fu Lingyun asked suddenly.
Mo Lanhe nodded.
In just a few short days, Su Yi had killed Xue Sheng, a legacy disciple of Sevendeaths Court, and his Dao Protector. He’d refused a deal with Lian Yue of the Court of the Southern Heavens, and now, he’d killed Wu Xun—and all of his companions, too.
He’d effectively single-handedly offended three Heavenly Sovereign factions. He was so fearless that it seemed downright unreasonable.
Would anyone else from the Literati Continent have dared?
This was what Fu Lingyun and Mo Lanhe found so bewildering. Isn’t Li Muchen at all afraid?
Su Yi chuckled. “You’ll understand later.”
There was no explaining this.
“When is ‘later’?” Fu Lingyun blinked.
Su Yi paused to mull that over. “Perhaps when we reach the Ancient Nine Luminaries City, or perhaps when we leave the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone.”
When he left for the Literati Continent, both Lu Hongpao and Lian Luo told him that this was a test. And a dangerous one at that. He was at high risk of being exposed! And here in the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone, it was extremely likely that something would go awry.
Su Yi had a strong premonition that Lu Hongpao wouldn’t have called this a test if his enemies weren’t already onto him. He was deeply convinced of that fact.
After all, the Heart-Tempering Sword House and four Heavenly Sovereign factions had all sent their representatives into the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone.
No matter how confident Su Yi was, he wasn’t arrogant enough to think that he could avoid detection forever.
And he knew that the risk of exposure was greatest in the Ancient Nine Luminaries City, and again when he left the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone.
Those would be the two riskiest moments!
When his identity came to light, Fu Lingyun and Mo Lanhe would naturally understand why he wasn’t afraid of the Heavenly Sovereign factions’ reprisal.
“We’ll reach the city tomorrow. Does that mean we’ll get answers soon?” Fu Lingyun’s eyes sparkled.
Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s entirely possible!”
But Mo Lanhe said, “Fellow Daoist, should we prepare before entering the city?”
Su Yi pondered briefly, then shook his head. “We’ll just play it by ear.”
Mo Lanhe nodded.
…
A day later, in the Ancient Nine Luminaries City.
Yang Lingxiao stood atop the towering, ancient walls, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Martial Uncle, given your status, why come here personally? If you get stuck here, it’ll be a big problem.”
The short but fierce-looking Wu Qing crouched beside him and responded with a question of your own. “Don’t you find it strange that the sect gave you a spot in the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone?”
“Didn’t they give me a spot because I performed well?” said Yang Lingxiao.
Wu Qing sneered. “There are tons of Unfettered Realm disciples stronger than you in the Heart-Tempering Sword House. Don’t flatter yourself!”
Yang Lingxiao smiled awkwardly. “Then tell me, why am I here?”
Wu Qing gazed into the distant, overcast, desolate landscape. After a while, he said gravely, “Because… in the Blue Peak Continent, a certain someone took you prisoner.”
Yang Lingxiao was stunned. A name rose unbidden to the forefront of his consciousness.
Su Xuanjun!