Su Yi was quite lazy.
However, he was not a heartless person and would not stand idly by when Chen Jin encountered trouble.
On that day, he took Chen Jin with him and left the Tianyuan Academy on Ning Xiu's Azure Scale Falcon.
...
The Great Wei Empire was located in the western part of the Great Zhou Empire, with a vast territory and extremely cold climate. It snowed for more than half of the year.
Therefore, Great Wei was also known as the "Snow Country."
A martial atmosphere prevailed throughout the empire, and it was an honor for both men and women, young and old, to become warriors.
Tianque City.
The imperial capital of Great Wei, prosperous and bustling, was in no way inferior to the imperial capital of Great Zhou, Yujing City, in terms of scale and heritage, and even surpassed it in some aspects.
May 17th.
The sky was gloomy, with big snowflakes falling, and the biting cold wind felt like knives.
Several miles away from Tianque City, Su Yi and Chen Jin landed on the ground riding the Azure Scale Falcon.
The ground was covered in accumulated snow, and their footsteps made crunching sounds.
Looking around, everything was covered in white snow, with the cold wind howling, presenting a vast and desolate scene.
Although Su Yi was dressed in a thin cyan robe, he didn't feel the cold at all. He leisurely said, "In such frigid weather, it's most delightful to set up a red clay stove, sail on the frozen lake, prepare a pot of strong liquor, admire the snowy sky, and enjoy hotpot."
Chen Jin was taken aback for a moment and smiled, "Master, you have such enthusiasm. There is a large lake called 'Qianxue' ten miles northwest of Tianque City. It is surrounded by mountains and accumulates snow all year round. The lake is abundant with a type of fish called 'Qingsuo,' which is considered a treasure of Great Wei. When we have the chance, I'll take you there, and we can sail on the lake, drink liquor, and enjoy hotpot together."
"Let's go with the flow. When the mood strikes, we'll go. If there's no interest, it would be dull to go. Come, let's first visit your home."
Su Yi walked with his hands behind his back and headed towards a distant place.
Chen Jin affectionately patted the wings of the Azure Scale Falcon and said, "Xiaoqing, wait in this area. Once I and Master have finished our business, we'll return to Great Zhou."
The Azure Scale Falcon nodded and spread its wings, soaring into the sky.
Tianque City had an enormous scale, standing tall on the earth. The black city walls resembled winding dragons, contrasting vividly with the vast expanse of white.
There was a constant flow of pedestrians at the city gate, bustling and lively, with many martial practitioners carrying swords.
Although Su Yi and Chen Jin attracted attention with their arrival, it didn't cause much commotion.
In Great Zhou, Su Yi was a renowned young legend, known as the Grand Teacher of the Great Zhou Empire, a title acknowledged by the Crown Prince.
However, in this Tianque City of Great Wei, he was just an unfamiliar young man, and the reason he drew attention was due to the outstanding beauty of Chen Jin by his side.
Upon reaching Tianque City, Chen Jin seemed visibly excited. However, there was also an increasing sense of worry between her eyebrows.
She felt timid near her hometown. This was the place where she had grown up since childhood.
However, this time, her return was due to a family crisis, which made it impossible for her to feel any joy.
After entering the city, Chen Jin hired a carriage and, together with Su Yi, headed straight for her home located in the northeastern area of Tianque City.
The Shen Clan was one of the top aristocratic families in Great Wei, few in number.
The clan leader, Shen Changkong, had been bestowed the title of "Duke" by the emperor of Great Wei several decades ago and possessed immense power.
The Shen Clan's mansion was built in the northeastern area of Tianque City, covering an area of hundreds of acres. It had numerous courtyards and towering buildings. Even the servants numbered in the hundreds, displaying an air of elegance.
When the carriage arrived near the Shen Clan's mansion, Chen Jin hesitated for a moment and whispered, "Sir... I want to go in alone first and see the situation."
Su Yi nodded.
He could tell that Chen Jin was worried that bringing him home would attract unnecessary inquiries and even trouble. After all, Chen Jin was the daughter of the Shen Clan's leader, and suddenly bringing an unfamiliar man home would undoubtedly attract a lot of attention.
Immediately, Chen Jin went alone in haste.
Su Yi pondered for a moment and got off the carriage, intending to find a tavern nearby and have a small drink.
However, he couldn't find a tavern but instead caught sight of a familiar figure from afar.
The person was wearing a red robe, dignified and handsome, accompanied by two old servants, swaggering through the gate of the Shen Clan's mansion.
"So, it's him."
Su Yi furrowed his brow and pondered for a moment. It dawned on him that this young man in the red robe was named Lu Hao, Chen Jin's senior fellow disciple.
Back in Yunhe County, this person had concealed himself and attempted to assassinate Su Yi using a talisman sword treasure.
Later, in Gunzhou City, he came with Moon Wheel Sect's external affairs disciple Liu Hongqi to Shuishi Residence, intending to deal with Su Yi.
As a result, Su Yi killed Liu Hongqi, while Lu Hao managed to escape.
Su Yi remembered that when this guy escaped, he angrily vowed to seek revenge in the future.
Little did he expect that after several months, he would encounter this guy again in the imperial capital of Great Wei.
"Could it be that the troubles the Shen Clan is facing are related to the Moon Wheel Sect?"
Su Yi pondered for a moment, losing his interest in a casual drink. Instead, he approached the wall near the Shen Clan's mansion and stood silently.
Meanwhile, his spiritual sense quietly surged, scanning into the Shen Clan's compound.
...
The Shen Clan.
"Brother, the letter said that you... you were captured?"
Chen Jin widened her eyes, her face filled with disbelief.
She never expected that, led by the servants, she would meet her elder brother, Shen Yanxing!
"Sister, don't ask for now. I'll take you to see Father."
Shen Yanxing let out a long sigh, his expression complicated.
He had a slender and tall figure, a handsome face resembling jade, and some resemblance to Chen Jin in his eyebrows and eyes. He was a remarkable figure among the young generation of Great Wei.
Currently serving in the "Executor's Office" of the Great Wei imperial family, directly under the command of the emperor, he had received praise directly from the emperor himself.
"Brother, what's going on? Why did you deceive me in the letter?"
Chen Jin had been extremely worried about the safety of her father and brother. However, at this moment, she felt that something was amiss, a sense of being deceived.
Shen Yanxing couldn't meet Chen Jin's gaze directly and said, "You'll understand once we see Father."
With that, he turned and walked towards the main hall of the Shen Clan.
Chen Jin was full of doubts but still followed along.
Along the way, she keenly noticed that whether it was the relatives and friends of the Shen Clan or the servants and guards who looked at her, something was off.
"What... could have happened? Could it be that the reason for calling me back this time is not because of a family crisis?"
Doubts filled Chen Jin's mind.
When they arrived at the main hall, she saw the magnificent building, and all the important figures of the Shen Clan had gathered, sitting on the seats on both sides of the hall.
They were all her elders and relatives, some serving as elders, others as officials.
And at the central seat, there sat a middle-aged man in a majestic robe. He had a floating goatee under his chin, and his eyes flickered with a cold, piercing gaze, extremely intimidating.
He was none other than Shen Changkong, the head of the Shen Clan, one of the "Eight Dukes" of Great Wei, a powerhouse who had reached the level of Innate Martial Progenitor many years ago, renowned in Great Wei with a formidable reputation.
Seeing all the high-ranking figures of the Shen Clan gathered, such a lineup had already surprised Chen Jin. But when she caught sight of her father, Shen Changkong, she couldn't help but express her inner confusion, her face full of astonishment.
"Father, are you... are you okay?"
In the letter she received, it said that her father had been stripped of his "Duke" title, fell ill, and the entire clan was facing internal and external troubles, in a precarious situation.
It also said that her brother, Shen Yanxing, had been captured...
But now, she couldn't help but feel lost. Everything mentioned in the letter seemed to be false!
"Little girl, you've finally come back."
Shen Changkong stood up, his gaze complicated.
This didn't seem like the joy of a long-awaited reunion between father and daughter. That peculiar expression made Chen Jin feel that after years of separation, her father seemed distant and unfamiliar.
"Don't blame Father for deceiving you in the letter. I had no choice."
Shen Changkong let out a soft sigh and sat back in his seat, saying, "Fortunately, you've come back. Otherwise, our Shen Clan would have faced an unprecedented disaster."
"An unprecedented disaster?"
Chen Jin grew even more puzzled. "Who would dare to threaten our Shen Clan in the territory of Great Wei like this? Father, what exactly is going on? I'm getting more and more confused."
Shen Changkong fell silent for a moment and said, "My dear daughter, please stop asking. I can only say that now only you can save our Shen Clan."
With that, a touch of bitterness appeared between his eyebrows, and he turned to an elderly man sitting nearby, saying, "Elder Shen, it's up to you to explain."
The old man wore a luxurious robe, had a hooked nose, and his eyes were sharp like a hawk. His name was Shen Shanzhong.
Upon hearing this, he looked at Chen Jin and said in a deep voice, "Little girl, our Shen Clan is now facing an unprecedented disaster. I ask you, as a member of the Shen Clan, if you have the ability to save the entire clan, will you do it?"
Without hesitation, Chen Jin replied, "I will!"
Shen Shanzhong revealed a hint of relief and said, "Then let me ask you again, if saving the lives of all our clan members requires sacrificing your own life, are you... willing?"
As soon as these words were spoken, all eyes in the hall turned to Chen Jin. Only Shen Changkong and Shen Yanxing seemed to have a guilty conscience and dared not look at her.
Chen Jin was taken aback and said in confusion, "Sacrifice myself to save the entire clan?"
Elder Shen Shanzhong nodded and said, "That's right! Otherwise, we wouldn't have sent you the letter to come back, because the life and death of our entire clan now rest solely on your decision."
Chen Jin felt increasingly uneasy, with a heavy heart. She instinctively looked at her father and brother, only to find that both of them avoided her gaze and didn't meet her eyes at all.
This chilled her heart, and her hands and feet turned cold. What could be happening that even her father and brother were determined and willing to sacrifice her life?
How could they be so ruthless and heartless?
Taking a deep breath, Chen Jin's gaze turned back to Elder Shen Shanzhong as she asked, "Elder Shen, what if I refuse?"
Immediately, there was a commotion among the people present.
Elder Shen Shanzhong's face darkened as he said, "Little girl, compared to the lives of the entire clan, why can't you endure a little hardship? Are you really willing to watch your father, brother, relatives... and everyone else in the clan suffer?"
His expression was stern, his eyes sharp, exuding a compelling aura.
Chen Jin found it difficult to even breathe, her delicate face pale. How could she have expected that after traveling all the way back from Da Zhou, returning to her familiar home, she would encounter such a situation?