Chapter 2982 - An Opportunity and a Decision

The Qiongqi Mountain Lord smiled. “Please, whatever you do, don’t be so polite with me; I cannot bear it. Whatever it is, please go ahead and say it!”

Luo Yan suddenly looked at the distant Ling Wenxuan and Ling Moyun. Father and son’s hearts thudded in their chests, and their expressions shifted. Both of them realized that this didn’t bode well.

“I want to take him with me,” said Luo Yan, pointing at Ling Moyun. She ignored Ling Wenxuan completely.

“You cannot!” Ling Wenxuan said gravely. “A’Yan, what are you doing? Are you going to kill Yun’er? Or destroy his future prospects?”

Ling Moyun’s face was as white as a sheet. He pursed his lips and said nothing. Inwardly, he was recalling the way he’d spoken to Luo Yan. He knew he’d been more than just rude; he’d been heinous and unfilial!

The Qiongqi Mountain Lord just laughed coldly and reached for Ling Moyun from afar; he felt no need to ask questions.

Boom!

Blood-red light condensed into a giant hand, then wrapped its fingers around Ling Moyun. Ling Wenxuan tried to intervene, only for Panwu Qing to hold him back.

“Even if you want to die, this isn’t the way to do it.” She glanced at him. “Don’t bring any further disaster upon the Xuanli Sect!”

Ling Wenxuan stiffened, his expression shifting and uncertain.

Meanwhile, Ling Moyun was sealed in place, then delivered helplessly to Luo Yan. He glowered, expression dark and teeth gnashed, but he said nothing at all.

“Yun’er, A’Yan is your mother. As your mother, she won’t hurt you. You needn’t be afraid. When your grandfather returns, we’ll find a way to save you!” Ling Wenxuan called out.

Ling Moyun said nothing. Luo Yan gazed intently at him, but in the end, she said nothing, either.

The Qiongqi Mountain Lord said warmly, “Is there anything else you want done, Miss? If so, go right ahead and ask. I’ll happily grant any request that’s within my power!”

Everyone in the Xuanli Sect was instantly on edge, as if they were sitting on a bed of needles.

But Luo Yan just shook her head. “This is enough, Senior.”

The Qiongqi Mountain Lord gently inclined his head, then turned his attention to Panwu Qing. He grinned. “Going forward, I urge the Panwu Family not to get involved in things they shouldn’t. Otherwise, you’ll meet with disaster even if you turtle up in the Panwu Yao Domain!”

With that, the Qiongqi Mountain Lord led Luo Yan and Ling Moyun away. The three of them shot off, and no one dared to stand in their way.

Panwu Qing’s beautiful expression darkened. She was frustrated, but at the same time, increasingly bewildered. Just who was that old man, and why isn’t he at all afraid of the threat of the Panwu Family? Everyone on the Far Shore of Destiny knows that we’re a progenitor-level faction!

“Hateful. Truly hateful! The Xuanli Sect has never once suffered so great a humiliation!” an old-timer cried out in grief.

Everyone in the sect felt grief, anger, bitterness, and dejection wash over them.

“Your Excellency Qing, could you tell who that was?” asked Ling Wenxuan.

Panwu Qing didn’t even pause to think. “An old barbarian from the Far Shore of Destiny. His origins aren’t simple.”

Ling Wenxuan took a deep breath. “You... were no match for him either?”

Panwu Qing’s eyes flashed like knives. She glared intently at him. “If not for me, would you even still have a sect?”

Ling Wenxuan instantly realized he’d misspoken, and he hurriedly apologized.

Panwu Qing said coolly, “Think before you speak, and remember: I’m not a member of the Xuanli Sect!”

With that, she turned to leave.

No one knew it, but she too was frustrated and angry. She simply wasn’t revealing it on the surface.

The situation has changed. The reincarnation of the Big Boss of Sword Sovereign City obviously has found himself a mysterious, powerful backer. I’ve got to inform the rest of the family immediately, thought Panwu Qing.

That very day, word spread that a mysterious expert had barged through the Xuanli Sect’s gates and threatened them, only to take what he wanted and leave. This news shook the entire world.

Rumor had it that the culprit was a mysterious expert from the Far Shore, and he wasn’t the least bit afraid of the Laws of Heaven’s Will. He attacked the Xuanli Sect alone, single-handedly suppressing a Heavenly Sovereign-level faction!

Heavenly Sovereign Ling was out wandering, but when he heard the news, he rushed back to the sect.

Even now, no one knew who the mysterious expert was, nor why he’d chosen to target the Xuanli Sect.

This lack of information was easily explained: the Xuanli Sect hid it from the general public. There was no way they’d want to publicize such an enormous humiliation; doing so would only make laughingstocks out of them.

But there was no keeping it entirely under wraps. This incident gave the Eternal Heavens Domain a new understanding of the terrifying power of the experts of the Far Shore.

Heavenly Sovereign factions reigned supreme in the Eternal Heavens Domain. Who could have imagined that a mysterious expert of the Far Shore would attack one all on his own?

“The world... is getting more and more chaotic!”

Everyone was discussing the incident. Even the dumbest members of society realized that the Eternal Heavens Domain had been unprecedentedly tumultuous and unpredictable over the past few years.

A group of Heavenly Sovereigns had fought in the Literati Continent.

The Heart-Tempering Sword House had been destroyed, and the Malevolent Sword Venerate had died. Meanwhile, Jiang Wuchen’s reincarnation, Su Yi, had returned stronger than ever.

Then, the grand battle in the Obscured Heavens Mountains enraged two Heavenly Sovereign factions.

Now, an expert of the Far Shore of Destiny had attacked the Xuanli Sect, single-handedly shaking a Heavenly Sovereign-level orthodoxy!

Nothing like this had ever happened before. That was why it was causing such a widespread commotion.

......

Divine Reverence Pavilion.

“Mistress, your subordinate has already escorted Miss Luo Yan safely to Fellow Daoist Su’s side.”

“Good. Did Fellow Daoist Su say anything?”

“All he said was that he’d remember this favor.”

Ruo Su couldn’t help but glance at the Qiongqi Mountain Lord. “How long has your cultivation stagnated at this level?”

The Qiongqi Mountain Lord paused, then shook his head. “So much time has passed that I’ve long since lost track.”

At his level, never mind breaking through; even just taking a single step forward was incomparably difficult. It wasn’t the sort of thing you could measure in time alone.

What one needed was the right opportunity!

Ruo Su continued, “Was the backlash you suffered after displaying your power severe? Be honest with me.”

The Qiongqi Mountain Lord fell briefly silent, then said, “It’s akin to a tribulation of the Grand Dao.”

Both here in the Eternal Heavens Domain and on the River of Destiny, powers beyond the bounds of Destiny were all subject to a backlash.

The Qiongqi Mountain Lord was no exception.

When he attacked the Xuanli Sect, he seemed as glorious as could be, but in truth, he’d suffered a backlash from Destiny itself. His wounds were utterly severe!

“Did you tell Fellow Daoist Su?” asked Ruo Su.

The Qiongqi Mountain Lord shook his head. “I dared not burden him with this.”

Ruo Su’s gaze was rife with meaning. “When Fellow Daoist Su learns what you did in the Xuanli Sect, he’s sure to understand. There’ll be no hiding it.”

The Qiongqi Mountain Lord hesitated. “How could that be acceptable?”

Ruo Su couldn’t help but laugh. “No need for concern. Today’s positive karma might well prove to be just the precious opportunity you need to realize your next breakthrough.”

The Qiongqi Mountain Lord was briefly stunned, but he quickly understood. His eyes widened in disbelief. “Mistress, are you saying that Su Yi is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for?”

“You’ll have to wait and see,” said Ruo Su.

Nonetheless, the Qiongqi Mountain Lord’s heart filled with excitement. “Thank you for granting me this opportunity, Mistress!”

Ruo Su smiled faintly. “If you hadn’t gone to such lengths, you could never have established such a positive karmic tie. You earned this.”

The Qiongqi Mountain Lord’s heart swelled with emotion. He was only now realizing that there’d been more to his mistress sending him to rescue Luo Yan than met the eye!

A moment later, he said with shame, “Mistress, to tell the truth, I didn’t do as much as I should have. Because of the backlash, I couldn’t really flatten the Xuanli Sect, and...”

He’d only just said this when Ruo Su smiled and interrupted him. “You accomplished as much as you did despite that woman from the Panwu Family. That’s more than enough. As for the Xuanli Sect? You needn’t worry. Fellow Daoist Su will definitely resolve his business with them sooner or later. There’s no need for you to do anything extraneous.”

Only then did the Qiongqi Mountain Lord relax.

......

The Heavenly Aberrant Hidden Realm, Candlelight Peak.

Su Yi sat in a wicker chair halfway up the slopes. His second lifetime’s disciples, Lu Ye, Luo Yan, and Pu Xuan all stood before him.

The rims of Luo Yan’s eyes were still red; when she first reunited with her master and apprentice brothers, she lost control of her emotions and burst into tears. Even now, she struggled to stay calm.

Lu Ye and Pu Xuan were emotional too.

So much time had passed. Apprentice siblings had finally been reunited after countless years of separation, and even their master had returned through the cycle of reincarnation.

This was unquestionably wonderful news.

“A’Yan, what do you plan to do with Ling Moyun?” asked Su Yi.

When she first saw Su Yi, Luo Yan lost control of her emotions, knelt before him, and wept, choked with sobs as she explained everything that had happened between her and Ling Wenxuan.

Su Yi finally understood why Luo Yan had vanished; an ill-fated relationship had led to countless years of captivity.

He couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

There was no doubt about it; Luo Yan had been the disciple that Jiang Wuchen most doted on. When she was little, Jiang Wuchen took her with him when he left the sect, looking after her like a father.

Now, hearing about everything she’d suffered over the years filled Su Yi’s heart with irrepressible anger.

He didn’t even need to think to know that Luo Yan’s relationship with Ling Wenxuan had been a trap right from the start!

“Master, I... I don’t know,” said Luo Yan, looking a bit lost.

No matter what, there was one thing that no one could deny: Ling Moyun was her own flesh and blood!

Su Yi pondered briefly, then made a decision. “I can help you. I’ll give Ling Moyun a chance to realize who he really is. While I’m at it, I’ll teach the little fellow how to behave.”

Luo Yan wiped away her tears, then whispered, “Thank you, Master!”

When she stood before her master, she felt as if she’d returned to her youth.

Back then, every time she was upset, her master would smile, embrace her, and tousle her hair. Every time, he’d comfort her in the same way. “It’s okay, Little Luo Yan. Your master’s here. Even if the skies fall, you’d have nothing to fear.”

“Since we’re all here, I have something important to announce,” said Su Yi, sweeping his gaze across Jiang Wuchen’s three disciples. “In three days’ time, I plan to leave the Heavenly Aberrant Hidden Realm and participate in the Struggle for Heavenly Fate.

“When the time comes, I’ll take Ling Moyun with me.”