Seeing that Su Yi no longer pursued the matter, Chang Guoke bowed gratefully and said, "Thank you, Su Gongzi, for your magnanimity."
Compared to before, this bearded man with a sword on his back clearly showed more awe towards Su Yi.
However, hidden beneath that respectful demeanor was a hint of unease. He seemed hesitant to speak, his emotions clearly unsettled.
Su Yi pondered for a moment and said, "I thought that after killing Lü Dongliu and others, as a disciple of the Qianlong Sword Sect, you would consider me an enemy."
Chang Guoke immediately felt embarrassed and awkward. After a long pause, he forced a bitter smile and said, "Su Gongzi, you saved my life. I would never commit such an ungrateful act."
Su Yi replied, "It must be uncomfortable to be caught in the middle. There's no need for you to worry about it. I judge people based on their intentions, not appearances. If you are oppressed by your sect and have no choice but to become my enemy, I won't be angry about it."
Chang Guoke was momentarily stunned.
At that moment, a fire-feathered crane suddenly appeared in the sky, and an old man with a youthful appearance and white hair sat on its back, exuding an immortal aura.
As if an immortal riding a crane, this scene immediately caused a commotion among the crowd.
Chang Guoke, Qing Qin, and Qi Lianjue all solemnly saluted, saying in unison, "Disciples greet Master!"
It was True Immortal Huo Song!
He was the third-ranking elder of the Qianlong Sword Sect, a renowned land deity who had been famous for many years!
Some martial artists in the crowd recognized True Immortal Huo Song's identity and couldn't help but gasp in shock, their faces filled with astonishment.
This divine-like existence had not been seen in the world for many years. But at this moment, he arrived riding a crane, appearing before Longmen Pass!
The atmosphere in the crowd became solemn and suppressed.
True Immortal Huo Song gracefully descended from the fire-feathered crane. His gaze swept around and he asked, "What happened here just now?"
His voice resounded like morning bells and evening drums, spreading out in all directions.
Qing Qin immediately stepped forward and briefly explained the situation in a low voice.
Swish!
After hearing it, True Immortal Huo Song's eyes flashed like menacing lightning as he looked towards Su Yi from a distance. A trace of curiosity appeared between his brows. "Are you... Su Yi?"
Su Yi remained calm and said, "It seems that no one in this world dares to impersonate me."
True Immortal Huo Song fell silent for a moment, then suddenly waved to Chang Guoke and said, "Disciple, come here and make him leave."
His words carried a cold tone that brooked no disobedience.
Chang Guoke felt the pressure and hesitated.
Su Yi said, "Go, but remember my words, judge based on intentions, not appearances."
Chang Guoke's face was filled with shame as he whispered, "Su Gongzi, I will never forget your life-saving grace."
After speaking, he turned and left.
"Disobeying the orders of one's master is disloyalty, breaking ties with me is betrayal. Such a situation is indeed difficult to endure..." Su Yi thought to himself. "Fortunately, he is not an ungrateful person. That should be enough."
As he contemplated, Su Yi turned around and walked into Longmen Pass.
Throughout the whole process, True Immortal Huo Song did not intervene, but watched with a cold gaze.
This puzzled everyone present.
It should be noted that Su Yi's feat of killing Lü Dongliu and others from the Qianlong Sword Sect on the Baocha Yao Mountain had already caused a sensation throughout the Great Zhou Empire.
Originally, everyone thought that with the arrival of True Immortal Huo Song, he would not easily let Su Yi off the hook.
However, to everyone's surprise, none of that happened.
It was only when Su Yi's figure completely disappeared that both Chang Guoke and Qing Qin let out a sigh of relief. They had also been worried that their master would immediately attack without any hesitation.
Only Qi Lianjue seemed to have understood and said, "Master, are you planning to let Su Yi reach the Jade Capital City and have the head of the Su family deal with him personally?"
True Immortal Huo Song shook his head and sighed softly. "I just received news. Just an hour ago, the Vice Sect Master, Shi Fengliu, was forced to retreat by Su Yi after his mount was killed by Su Yi's sword on the Qinglan River."
Everyone was shocked and looked at each other in horror.
Shi Fengliu was a renowned land deity, skilled in sword intent, and possessed various secret arts!
Even he was unable to escape from Su Yi's hands. How could anyone not be amazed?
It was only at this moment that they finally understood why True Immortal Huo Song had not taken action before. It was clear that he didn't have a sure victory.
"Rest assured, as long as this young man reaches the Jade Capital City, he will undoubtedly face a deadly catastrophe. By then, we don't need to take action as members of the Qianlong Sword Sect. He won't have much chance of survival," True Immortal Huo Song said with a cold expression. "Our task is to completely sever any connection with him. We must not have even the slightest association with him!"
As he spoke, he glanced at Chang Guoke and Qing Qin, his warning clear.
Chang Guoke felt bitter in his heart and sighed inwardly.
Qing Qin's emotions were extremely complex.
Speaking of their relationship with Su Yi, it couldn't be called friendship. In the past, Su Yi had even slapped her, leaving her with lingering resentment.
Originally, when she learned that Su Yi would face many deadly dangers in the Jade Capital City, she should have been happy. But for some reason, she couldn't find joy in it.
"Let's go, we should also head to the Jade Capital City," True Immortal Huo Song said, leading Chang Guoke and Qing Qin away.
At the same time, a falcon messenger soared through the sky from Longmen Pass, swiftly flying towards the Jade Capital City.
Upon arriving at Longmen Pass, Su Yi knew that such important news must be reported immediately.
...
...
"So, that's the Jade Capital City. It does have a magnificent and majestic presence."
Half an hour later.
From a distance, Su Yi saw the vast outline of a city stretching as far as the eye could see, towering over the land.
The city walls soared a hundred zhang high, continuous like a giant dragon, radiating a golden luster under the sunlight, grand and expansive.
Above the city, there was rolling red dust and astonishing spiritual fluctuations. Additionally, there was a mist of purple Qi that ordinary people could hardly see.
That was the unique dragon Qi that only existed where the earthly emperor ruled!
With the arrival of the purple Qi, the dragon governed all lands.
This was a pattern of the earth's veins. In any secular kingdom, when establishing a capital, cultivators proficient in geomancy would search for dragon veins to inherit the country's fortune.
Of course, to Su Yi, the so-called dragon Qi was actually an invisible Qi of all living beings.
One who gained the support of the people would be the true dragon emperor, carrying the fortune of a nation.
If the support was lost, this gathering Qi of all beings would also dissipate.
It was like the divine aura emanating from statues in temples, which would manifest an unfathomable divine presence when empowered by the belief of the people.
There were even cultivators who specialized in "mundane incense and fire," using the burning of incense and worshiping of gods to gather the belief of all beings and mold a Golden Body of the Great Dao.
This was known as the "Incense and Fire Dao."
However, these were all side branches of the Great Dao cultivation, even considered as crooked paths and despised by most top ancient lineages.
"The imperial purple Qi of this Jade Capital City is only ordinary. Without any surprises, the current Emperor of Zhou is probably still unable to truly break through to the innate realm."
"Or perhaps, from the moment he ascended the Dragon Throne and inherited the Zhou Dynasty's fortune, it has become difficult for him to embark on the path of the Primordial Dao. Otherwise, he would have been abandoned by the power of all beings."
"After all, what the secular common people need is not a cultivator seeking immortality and enlightenment."
As Su Yi pondered, he leisurely walked forward.
However, Su Yi understood even more clearly that there are exceptions to everything. While it may be unlikely for an emperor in the mortal realm to achieve enlightenment, it is not impossible.
By emulating the method of those cultivators in the "Incense and Fire Dao," building the foundation of the Great Dao with the belief of all beings, one could rise to great heights.
The downside, however, is that success or failure depends on the belief of all beings!
If the dynasty's fortune wanes and the people suffer, the ruler's cultivation will also suffer in turn!
Undoubtedly, the current Emperor of Zhou has not chosen this path; otherwise, the purple Qi emanating from the Jade Capital City would not be so ordinary.
Gradually, the majestic city gates came into view, bustling with crowds entering and exiting both inside and outside the gates.
The lively and noisy sounds could be heard from a distance.
This is just the outskirts of the city, and the flourishing atmosphere of a nation's capital is already starting to emerge.
Seeing these scenes, Su Yi's eyes filled with a tinge of reminiscence.
On a snowy winter day when he was fourteen years old, he left the Su family in Jade Capital City and walked out through the city gates.
Today, three years later, he returned.
However, he was no longer the frail and lonely teenager of the past.
"The memories of this city are truly unforgettable. If I don't sever the entanglements within, my state of mind will be burdened by them in the future..."
Su Yi's gaze was deep and calm, like an ancient well without ripples.
He could clearly sense that at this moment, deep within his heart and mind, long-sealed memories related to the Jade Capital City were being opened, spreading like a bursting flood.
He did not suppress it.
Because it was a part of his life experience.
There was no need to repress it.
In the end, a burning hatred and anger filled his heart and mind.
It was the hatred towards the Su family of Jade Capital City.
It was the pent-up rage accumulated over many years due to the death of his mother, Ye Yufei. It was so intense that it couldn't be dispelled or extinguished.
After a long time, Su Yi exhaled a breath of turbid air, placed his hands behind his back, and blended into the bustling crowd. He walked through the gates of the Jade Capital City, and his tall and upright figure soon disappeared from sight.
On that day, news of Su Yi's entry into the Jade Capital City also spread rapidly, capturing the attention of countless onlookers.
"On the fourth day of the fourth lunar month, this young man set off from Gunzhou and arrived alive in the Jade Capital City. Who would have thought..."
Some elderly people sighed with mixed emotions.
"This young man came with the prestige of slaying the earthly immortals. The long-awaited storm in Jade Capital City is finally about to unfold!"
"I wonder how much commotion Su Yi will cause in the end and what kind of fate awaits him..."
Some people were filled with anticipation.
"Send someone to investigate where this young man has settled. Also, find out how many forces are secretly operating within Jade Capital City. We must act quickly!"
The leaders of some major powers sensed a different kind of atmosphere and immediately issued orders to send out undercover agents.
In the evening, as the fiery sunset painted the sky, deep within the imperial palace.
"Just arrived in Jade Capital City and already causing a stir throughout the city. What a Su Yi!"
Seated high on the Dragon Throne, the Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty, wearing wide-sleeved robes with flowing hair, slammed a recently received confidential letter onto the desk.
He stood up from the throne, his eyes as deep as the sea, gazing towards the outside of the grand hall, and spoke:
"Spread my command. From today onwards, let the Shadow Dragon Guards closely monitor Su Yi's every move. I want to see what kind of storm he can stir up within Jade Capital City in the coming days!"