The guards from the City Lord's mansion surrounded Wen Changqing, their eyes fixed on him.
Wen Changqing was clearly aware of the dire situation and began to feel anxious.
"Lord Nie, with our relationship, you should know that I, Wen Changqing, am not such a despicable and malicious person!" Wen Changqing took a deep breath and said in a deep voice. "Moreover, upon hearing the tragic news, my emotions were out of control, and I might have said some confused words. I hope Lord Nie can understand."
Nie Beihu remained silent for a moment and then said, "If you want to prove your innocence, it's quite simple. Just do one thing."
"What is it?" Wen Changqing asked.
"Utilize the power of the Wen family and join forces with our City Lord's mansion to track down the clues of Wu Ruochiu. We must not let such an evil person continue to harm the people of the city. I believe that is also what the City Lord wants to see," Nie Beihu said firmly and resolutely.
"That's natural!" Wen Changqing didn't hesitate and a strong resentment appeared on his face. He gritted his teeth and said, "He killed my son. I wish nothing more than to devour his flesh and feast on his blood. Lord Nie, please rest assured, my Wen family will not shirk the responsibility of pursuing Wu Ruochiu, this evil thief!"
Nie Beihu's expression softened, and he waved his hand, retracting the guards. He said, "Brother Changqing, there's something I'm not sure if I should mention."
Wen Changqing said, "Please speak, Lord Nie."
"You were well aware of the danger in that mansion, yet you never warned Su Yi. If this were to spread, it might invite a lot of criticism," Nie Beihu said.
"Those who are unaware might think that your Wen family intended to eliminate Su Yi through such means," Wen Changqing's face changed, and he denied without hesitation. He said, "How is that possible? I, Wen Changqing, would never stoop to such despicable and shameless actions!"
Nie Beihu's expression turned serious as he said, "I will convey your attitude to Lord Fu Shan. Additionally, I must make it clear: if any further accidents occur while Su Yi resides here, your Wen family will be implicated."
Wen Changqing's lips twitched involuntarily, but he managed to force a stiff smile and said, "Lord Nie, please rest assured."
Only then did Nie Beihu nod.
He discreetly glanced at Su Yi and then waved his hand, saying, "We will take our leave for now."
After speaking, he and the guards left.
Wen Changqing stood still in silence for a long time.
Then, he suddenly locked his gaze onto Su Yi, his expression dark and terrifying, as he sternly demanded, "What exactly happened just now?"
Su Yi remained composed and said, "Before I returned, your son had already arrived here one hour earlier. How could I possibly know what happened during that hour?"
He paused and frowned, "I was actually going to ask you why your son appeared here when he should have been at the Xinghuang Medical Hall under my management."
Wen Changqing's expression fluctuated between gloom and brightness.
The explanation seemed reasonable, making it difficult for him to inquire further.
After a moment of silence, he pointed his finger at Su Yi, his expression stern, and said each word distinctly, "I will investigate this matter thoroughly! Don't let me find out that you have any involvement in it!"
With that, he turned around and left with his entourage.
Watching their figures disappear, Huang Qianjun couldn't help but exclaim, "Commander Nie's methods are truly impressive!"
Su Yi glanced at him and said, "Political tricks are ultimately insignificant. If a powerful cultivator were here, they could use unique secret techniques to recreate the scene of the slaughter."
Pausing for a moment, he seemed concerned that Huang Qianjun might not understand, so he added, "If you want to become strong in the future, you cannot focus on playing mind games."
Huang Qianjun was taken aback and said earnestly, "Su Brother's advice is right!"
He was ecstatic in his heart, thinking, Su Brother is guiding me again! This is a great sign!
"Tomorrow morning, meet me at the mulberry grove ten miles north of the Da Cang River outside the city."
Su Yi casually gave the instruction and then headed towards his room.
In his eyes, everything that had just happened was insignificant and not worth paying attention to.
"The mulberry grove by the Da Cang River outside the city? What does Su Brother want to do there?"
Huang Qianjun was puzzled for a moment but shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it and hurriedly left.
He had just killed Wen Jieyuan with his own hands and needed to immediately communicate with his father, Huang Yunchong.
The courtyard returned to its previous tranquility.
Sunlight filtered through the dense branches of the old locust tree, casting scattered and bright patches of light on the ground.
Not long after Huang Qianjun left, Hu Quan, Wu Guangbin, and others from the Xinghuang Medical Hall came to visit. Seeing that Su Yi was unharmed, they were finally reassured and soon left one by one.
Inside the room.
Su Yi casually sat in front of the desk, holding the Dustwind Sword horizontally, quietly observing it.
This sword had just killed eight people. Its translucent black blade, as ethereal as the night, remained untainted by blood. However, a faint aura of ferocity lingered on the edges of the blade.
"This sword is ultimately a mortal-grade weapon with very limited room for growth. Nevertheless, it is sufficient for now."
After a while, Su Yi put away the Dustwind Sword and turned his gaze to the soul-nurturing gourd hanging on the side of the desk.
As if sensing Su Yi's gaze, a timid voice sounded from the gourd, "Immortal Master, do you... do you have any orders?"
The voice was gentle, soft, and as sweet as a spring.
"Come out, I want to talk to you about something," Su Yi lightly tapped the tabletop. He already had an idea about how to deal with Qing Wan.
A wisp of white smoke silently emerged from the soul-nurturing gourd, and the delicate figure of Qing Wan appeared.
She wore a blood-red dress, exuding a mesmerizing and enchanting charm.
Yet her appearance resembled that of a pure young girl, with big eyes floating in a somewhat silly and innocent manner.
Su Yi pondered and said, "I'll give you two choices. The first is to wait until I embark on the path of Yuan Dao cultivation and then free you from your suffering."
Qing Wan fidgeted with her clothes and weakly asked, "Immortal Master, what about the second choice?"
"The second choice is simple. We make a deal," Su Yi touched his chin and gazed at Qing Wan with a profound look. "I will bestow you with secret cultivation techniques, allowing you to truly embark on the path of ghost cultivation. In return, you need to agree to one thing."
"What does Immortal Master want Wan'er to agree to?" Qing Wan raised her head, her slightly chubby and beautiful face filled with anticipation.
Su Yi casually replied, "As a living furnace, when I transition from the path of Yuan Dao to the path of Ling Dao, we will engage in dual cultivation."
In the world of cultivation, there were four major stages: Martial Dao, Yuan Dao, Ling Dao, and Xuan Dao.
Each stage had different cultivation realms.
In Martial Dao, there were four realms: Blood Shifting, Qi Gathering, Furnace Nurturing, and Leaklessness.
In Yuan Dao, there were three realms: Fasting, Yuan Mansion, and Star Gathering.
And then, there were three realms in Ling Dao.
Among them, the first realm of Ling Dao was called the "Spiritualization Realm."
To reach this realm, one needed to transform their entire Yuan Power into the blended Yin and Yang "Spiritual Yuan."
Based on Su Yi's cultivation experience from his previous life, adopting the "dual cultivation method" would be an excellent choice to surpass his previous achievements when entering the "Spiritualization Realm."
Of course, even without this method, Su Yi had other ways to reach this stage, but it would require a great deal of effort and opportunities.
If he cultivated Qing Wan as a "living furnace" from now on, he wouldn't need to go through such trouble when breaking through the "Spiritualization Realm" in the future.
"Dual... dual cultivation?" Qing Wan was clearly shocked and became stuttering. Following that, her fair and transparent face blushed, resembling the burning glow of the setting sun, radiating heat.
Her eyelashes trembled, and she almost buried her head in her chest, displaying an extremely shy appearance.
Su Yi, however, remained composed as if nothing had happened, and calmly said, "That's right. If you agree, I will teach you a unique dual cultivation technique. It won't burden you or damage your essence; instead, it will further enhance your cultivation."
After a pause, he continued nonchalantly, "Of course, if you're not willing, it's fine. I won't take advantage of a small Yin spirit like you in such matters."
If this were in his previous life, if he said he was looking for a dual cultivation partner, countless immortal fairies and goddesses would have flocked to him like moths to a flame.
After all, for women in this world who aspired to break through in the great Dao, being able to cultivate with Su Xuanjun was an unimaginable stroke of luck.
As for whether Qing Wan could understand this point, Su Yi didn't really care.
Anyway, he was still far from breaking through to the "Spiritualization Realm."
"Take your time to think it over. No need to rush with your answer," Su Yi said as he was about to leave.
But then, he saw Qing Wan in a flustered state, saying, "Immortal Master, Wan'er... Wan'er has made up her mind."
"Oh?" Su Yi raised an eyebrow, showing interest. "Which option did you choose?"
"The... the second option..."
Qing Wan's voice was barely audible, like a mosquito, and her fair and beautiful face was red like a blazing fire. She didn't dare to look into Su Yi's eyes.
Su Yi couldn't quite understand why a Yin spirit would be so shy.
After thinking for a moment, he said, "Once you make a choice, you cannot go back on it. Do you understand?"
Qing Wan's chest rose and fell, showing clear signs of nervousness. After taking a few deep breaths in a row, she timidly replied, "Wan'er understands."
Su Yi continued, "Although I will teach you cultivation techniques and guide your practice, you are not my disciple, so you shouldn't see yourself as one. Do you understand?"
"Wan'er understands," Qing Wan obediently nodded.
Su Yi contemplated for a moment and added, "Even if there are dual cultivation matters in the future, you won't be my wife, and I won't be responsible for you. Do you understand?"
Qing Wan was stunned for a moment and stammered, "Immortal Master, there's no need to worry. Wan'er... doesn't dare to have such expectations..."
Only then did Su Yi nod in satisfaction and say, "I'll give you one more day to consider. If you don't change your decision, I will teach you the cultivation method."
With that, he stood up and walked out of the room.
It was already noon, and he was famished. He needed to fill his stomach first.
As for what Qing Wan would think, he simply couldn't be bothered to guess.
It wasn't that he had a heart of stone or was ruthless. It was just that he possessed the experience and mindset of hundreds of thousands of years from his previous life. He had long let go of parental emotions.
If he encountered a woman he admired by fate, he would cherish her and treat her well.
If he didn't encounter one, he wouldn't force it.
As for matters of love and relationships...
As long as there is mutual consent, why not?
In Su Xuanjun's life, he would never worry about such trivial matters of romance and desire.