On the tenth day of the fourth month, the battle in the Moyun Army's camp was destined to be recorded in the annals of Great Zhou's history.
Because in the past, there had never been a precedent of a Grandmaster killing a terrestrial immortal.
This undoubtedly marked the beginning of a historical milestone with extraordinary significance!
That night.
Even in the imperial capital of Yujing City, the whole city was in an uproar due to this battle.
"The Su family's illegitimate son has become unbelievably strong?"
"Nowadays, people suspect that Su Yi may be a body snatcher. If that's the case, the one who took over his body must be an extremely powerful old monster!"
"Not necessarily. It is said that within the Da Xia region, there is a young man named 'Li Handeng' who, as a congenital Grandmaster, killed a terrestrial immortal. He is considered an anomaly and not a body snatcher."
"The world... is becoming more and more strange..."
... Various discussions echoed through the late night in Yujing City, causing great alarm among those major powers. Even some reclusive elder figures were shocked.
Indeed, the power displayed by Su Yi in this battle was too terrifying.
At only seventeen years old, he possessed the cultivation of a Triple Grandmaster and killed a terrestrial immortal from the Xuan Yueguan of Daqin. It completely subverted people's imagination.
In the past, no one could have imagined that an ordinary Grandmaster could slay a terrestrial immortal!
"Su Yi left Gunzhou City on the fourth day of the fourth month and has now arrived within the territory of Baizhou. In just a few days, he will reach Yujing City! How should the Su family handle this situation?"
"What kind of decision should the current emperor make?"
"What kind of storm will Su Yi stir up in Yujing City?"
... Various major powers in Yujing City speculated.
In the past, even though Su Yi had demonstrated great strength within the Gunzhou territory, the major powers in Yujing City didn't pay much attention to it.
After all, Gunzhou was too remote and couldn't be compared to Yujing City.
But now, with the overwhelming might of Su Yi beheading a terrestrial immortal, who would dare to underestimate this seventeen-year-old Grandmaster?
It's not an exaggeration to say that after this battle, among the younger generation of Great Zhou, no one could be compared to Su Yi!
Even the congenital Grandmaster figures had to lower their heads in submission!
Such a person naturally deserved the attention of any major power in Great Zhou.
The Su family was also restless on this night.
"Third Young Master ran away from home at the age of fourteen. At sixteen, he encountered a sudden change, lost his cultivation, and became an abandoned disciple of the Qinghe Sword Mansion, ending up as the unwanted son-in-law of the Wen family in Guangling City... And in just over a year's time, he... he can kill a terrestrial immortal?"
"Our Third Young Master, who was neglected and rejected since childhood, considered a rebellious villain, now that he has gained power, he will surely come back to settle the score!"
"Hush, speak softly!"
Even the servants and maids in the Su family had heard the news and were shocked.
For those prominent figures, such news made it difficult for them to find peace, whether sitting or lying down.
Qingwu Courtyard.
The residence of Su Xuanjun.
Late at night, with scattered cold stars and hazy clouds.
Outside Qingwu Courtyard, stood several important figures of the Su family, all waiting for news.
These figures, any one of them, with a stomp of their foot, could shake a territory three times over. They held immense power and exuded an awe-inspiring aura.
But at this moment, each of them remained silent, afraid to speak.
Inside Qingwu Courtyard.
Su Hongli was casually dressed in wide-sleeved robes, leisurely sitting in a brightly lit hall.
In the hall, there were three other people.
They were Madam You Qingzhi, her son Su Bonang, and an elderly Daoist in a clean and thin Daoist robe.
Madam You Qingzhi stood in the center of the hall, her pretty face pale, lost and desolate.
Su Bonang stood at the side, his brows furrowed, his expression filled with anxiety and gloom.
"You may leave now."
Su Hongli waved his hand.
You Qingzhi hesitated for a moment, a deep sense of unwillingness welling up in her heart. She said, "Husband, this time, it's not just Li Changning who died, but also my nephew You Xinglin. This matter..."
Just as she mentioned this, when she noticed Su Hongli's gaze turning towards her, You Qingzhi shivered all over, feeling a chill run through her body, unable to continue her words.
"I will make the decision myself."
Su Hongli's expression remained indifferent. "Go out and tell the others that the sky hasn't fallen. Let them each mind their own business."
You Qingzhi took a deep breath, suppressing the grief and unwillingness in her heart, and nodded. "Alright."
But Su Bonang couldn't help himself and couldn't hold back anymore. He clasped his fists and respectfully said, "Father, such a big incident has occurred. Countless people in Yujing City are probably laughing at our Su family now. Don't you... feel angry?"
A change came over You Qingzhi's face, and she reprimanded, "Bonang, how dare you speak to your father like that! Your father will make the decision himself, and it's not for you to question. Come with me, quickly."
As she spoke, she forcefully pulled Su Bonang around and left.
From start to finish, Su Hongli remained calm and silent, watching intently.
Until the figures of You Qingzhi and Su Bonang disappeared outside Qingwu Courtyard, a hint of melancholy appeared on Su Hongli's face, and he sighed softly.
"This child, everything is fine about him, except that he is too restless. It's obvious that he has been spoiled by his mother."
The elderly Daoist beside him chuckled and spoke gently, "Young people are inevitably like this. They will mature with more experience in the future."
Su Hongli nodded and looked at the Daoist, asking, "Brother, how do you view this matter?"
The Daoist's smile faded, and after a moment of silence, he said, "On the path of the Yuan Dao, Li Changning, with his Peak Fasting cultivation, can rank among the top three among the people of the Great Qin Xuan Yue Sect. His teachings were inherited from the 'White Jiao True Immortal'."
"In the Great Qin, there are no more than ten people who can kill him."
Pausing for a moment, the Daoist's eyes flickered as he continued, "Su Yi, with his Triple Grandmaster cultivation, indeed achieved something quite extraordinary by killing Li Changning. However, upon closer examination, there are two possible explanations."
Su Hongli waved his hand and said, "We don't need to mention the reason of possession anymore. Talk about the other reason."
There was a hint of rejection and disgust in his tone.
The Daoist nodded, straightening his figure slightly, and said, "The second possibility is that Su Yi has inherited the heritage of a powerful being from another realm!"
"The ancient texts record that some immensely powerful practitioners can pass on their heritage through the infusion of their divine souls. By doing so, the recipient can seemingly comprehend everything overnight, grasping a part of the cultivation experience and knowledge belonging to this powerful being, thus achieving a rapid advancement in cultivation."
"As you are aware, the true path of cultivation starts from the Blood Refining Realm in martial arts. Each step holds profound mysteries. The cultivation techniques and lineages practiced by worldly martial artists are far from comparable to those of true cultivators."
"If Su Yi is such a character, it means that from the very beginning, he embarked on the true path of cultivation. If he also inherited the legacy of a powerful being, his combat prowess would naturally far exceed that of worldly martial artists."
At this point, the Daoist couldn't help but sigh, "Although Li Changning is formidable, he is ultimately just a practitioner born and raised in the Cangqing Continent, with only Peak Fasting cultivation. In the eyes of powerful beings from other realms, he is no different from ants in our eyes."
Su Hongli's gaze narrowed slightly as he said, "I also had a similar conjecture, but I couldn't figure out where this scoundrel obtained such a legacy. The Blood Thistle Mountain and the Precious Monastery Mountain, the two places he visited, I have been to in the past, and besides two spatial barriers, there was nothing else worth noting."
Suddenly, the Daoist smiled faintly and asked, "Do you remember the extremely timid disciple of Wang Ge, the King of Swallowing Seas?"
"That little Taoist named Ge Qian?"
Su Hongli raised an eyebrow.
"Exactly."
The elderly Daoist nodded and said, "This child holds great mysteries within him. It seems that he has obtained the heritage of a powerful being. However, he is extremely cautious and has been concealing the anomalies within him."
"But what he doesn't know is that his master, Ge Changling, has already noticed some clues. He just hasn't exposed him."
Speaking of this, he chuckled and continued, "I went to visit Ge Changling recently, hoping to meet this Ge Qian. But who would have thought that this child seemed to have heard the wind and slipped away ahead of time. It is said that he went to explore the depths of the Hengming Sea in the northern border of the Great Zhou."
Su Hongli asked, "Do you think that scoundrel and Ge Qian both possess the heritage of powerful beings?"
The Daoist hesitated to speak.
Su Hongli seemed to understand and said decisively, "That scoundrel couldn't have been possessed; otherwise, how could he be so determined to seek revenge for his mother?"
Speaking of this, there was a hint of coldness in his voice.
The Daoist remained silent and only spoke after a while, "Friend, unless there are unexpected circumstances, Su Yi will soon arrive in Yujing City. What... do you plan to do?"
Su Hongli maintained a relaxed demeanor and calmly said, "I have already said that before the fifth day of the fifth month, I will give him a chance to repent and atone. However, since he killed Xiahou Lin and others the last time, I have decided that even if he bows his head and admits his mistakes, it won't save him on the fifth day of the fifth month."
His words were calm but carried an unquestionable tone.
It seemed that the killing of Li Changning by Su Yi didn't put much pressure on him.
The Daoist pondered and said, "But if that's the case, Su Yi will most likely come to the Su family on the fourth day of the fifth month. According to what he said earlier, it seems he will cause quite a disturbance."
Su Hongli smiled dismissively and said, "If he becomes so arrogant after killing Li Changning, thinking he can do whatever he wants, then he is completely mistaken."
At that moment, a respectful voice sounded from outside the hall:
"My lord, the National Teacher has come to visit!"
Su Hongli seemed unsurprised and said to the Daoist beside him, "You see, this old man, Hong Canshang, can't contain his impatience."
The Daoist smiled and said, "The National Teacher has always suspected that there is something wrong with Su Yi. Now that he has learned about Su Yi's sword killing of Li Changning, he naturally cannot ignore it."
After a pause, he continued, "Furthermore, the National Teacher's visit most likely represents the will of the current emperor."
A gleam flickered in Su Hongli's eyes as he instructed towards the entrance of the hall, "Please invite the National Teacher in."
Not long after.
A tall figure resembling a towering pine tree approached from a distance. He was dressed in a gray robe, with a unique appearance. His long hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, and his face was gentle and clean.
Especially his pair of eyes, they displayed a faint golden color. Within a single glance, it seemed as if he could penetrate the deepest secrets of a person's heart, which was extremely awe-inspiring.
He was none other than the current National Teacher of the Great Zhou, and the Palace Master of the Fengqi Academy, Hong Canshang!