### Chapter 264: The Tragedy of the Su Family
Wang Gu City, Su Family —
This magnificent residence now seemed shrouded in a cloud of gloom.
Old Master Su sat in the spacious yet slightly empty main hall, leaning against an ornately carved chair, his expression still heavy. It was as if the shadows in his heart had yet to dissipate.
Even though Yun Zhonghe and his party had left long ago, he remained haunted, still unable to shake off the lingering unease.
Let’s just say, the devastation caused by Qin Wushuang to the Su Family back in the day was so severe that he now found himself grappling with post-traumatic stress; he turned pale at the mere thought of her.
“Whew, that was close. Thank goodness they didn’t pursue further, or I really wouldn’t know what to do,” Old Master Su muttered to himself, a hint of relief in his voice.
However, his hand gripping the armrest trembled uncontrollably, as if the scars on his hands had turned a brighter shade of red due to his inner turmoil, looking more menacing than ever.
Just then, two hurried footsteps approached from outside, crashing into the silence of the hall like a wrecking ball.
Old Master Su looked up to see two clan elders, the same ones who had devised grand plans with him before. Their faces were battered and swollen, resembling two piglets, while their eyes were a lovely shade of black and blue — they looked utterly ridiculous.
As they walked past members of their clan, snickers erupted from the crowd behind their backs.
These two clan elders were respectable figures in the clan, usually held in high esteem, but after today’s spectacle, they most certainly lost face and were seething with anger as they stormed into Old Master Su’s room.
“Master, what in the world happened? If you don’t give us an explanation, this is far from over!” they bellowed, mixed with indignation and dissatisfaction. After all, getting beaten up like this was no laughing matter — they were the punchline of the clan now!
Seeing their woeful state and hearing the resentment dripping from their words, Old Master Su felt a wave of helplessness wash over him.
Their blunder not only landed these two elders in hot water, but also derailed their entire plan!
He could only hold his forehead and let out a deep sigh, a tinge of fatigue in his voice, “This is my fault. I will find a way to compensate you. For now, let’s drop the subject.”
The White-Bearded Clan Elder and the Bald-Elder exchanged glances, their expressions more frantic than ever.
The White-Bearded Elder slammed the table and declared with tragic fervor, “Master, our injuries are nothing; we’ll do anything for you! But we can’t allow that girl to mock us like this! When have we ever suffered such humiliation?”
The Bald Elder gritted his teeth in agreement, “Right! They clearly treated us like fools, tricking us with an empty box!”
Recalling that so-called “treasure box,” the two elders felt their bl**d boil.
Qin Wushuang didn’t give them the promised ten million spirit stones, or any magical item worth that amount; that “treasure box” was completely empty!
They had even believed it had some exceptional properties and had shelled out a few hundred spirit stones to hire an expert to appraise it, only to receive scolding for disdainfully showing up with a shabby wooden box.
The two brothers felt like they had been struck by lightning, shocked and furious.
They not only received a thrashing without any benefit, but all hopes of reaping ten million spirit stones by selling Su Xiaoxiao vanished into thin air.
There was no way they would let this slide.
“That Su Xinghe is simply too arrogant; she and her sister must pay the price!”
“Absolutely! I won’t stand for it!”
The two of them exchanged heated words, their emotions flaring up.
“I swear I will cripple their cultivation! I’ll ensure they can never cultivate again, locking them up forever and torturing them until they wish they were dead!” The White-Bearded Elder’s voice dripped with ferocity.
The Bald Elder ground his teeth in agreement, saying, “Yes! They must face the consequences! They need to know what happens when they offend us!”
Their voices were filled with animosity for Su Xiaoxiao and Su Xinghe, vowing to etch their names on the family’s list of disgraceful betrayals.
“Enough!”
Just as they were ramping up to set the room ablaze with their indignation, Old Master Su suddenly shouted, his voice sharp as a kn*fe.
He slapped the tea table with a loud bang, sending fragments flying everywhere.
Both elders fell silent, their mouths shut tight.
They hadn’t seen Old Master Su this furious in a long time.
Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Old Master Su spoke with a hushed tone, “This matter must not be discussed again! The situation with Su Xiaoxiao ends here! As for the marriage proposal that person mentioned before, I will personally explain and annul it.”
Was he not angry?
Of course, he was steaming inside.
He lost both the bride and his soldiers, and what could he do? This frustration had to be swallowed.
“That’s final! If anyone dares to gossip about this, don’t blame me for being rude! Now get out!”
Old Master Su’s tone was one of undeniable authority.
The two elders had no choice but to leave, albeit begrudgingly.
There was no use in arguing further; they had to swallow their pride and simmer with all this pent-up anger.
However, just as they were about to step through the doorway, the sky suddenly darkened, and ominous winds began to whip around.
Old Master Su raised an eyebrow, a sense of foreboding washing over him. Silently, he stood up and walked outside, eyes scanning the horizon intently.
That person was coming…
“Welcome, Master.”
A thick darkness enveloped the courtyard, swallowing the starlight whole.
Old Master Su cupped his hands toward the profound void, his voice echoing in the silent night—neither servile nor overbearing.
In this oppressive darkness, the expressions of the two clan elders shifted slightly; they inhaled deeply and stood alert at Old Master Su’s sides, vigilantly scanning their surroundings.
From within the shadows, a chilling voice rose, “Where is my target?”
Every word seemed imbued with imperial weight, causing the entire space to tremble.
Upon hearing this, Old Master Su’s heart dropped. He steadied himself: “I’m sorry, but my hands are tied; due to the intervention of Xuantian Sect’s Master, I can’t bring the person anymore.”
“Hands tied?” A piercing chill emanated from the shadows, as if countless sharp edges were stabbing toward Old Master Su from every direction.
The overwhelming pressure was akin to that of Qin Wushuang, making Old Master Su’s heart race with anxiety!
A cold chuckle echoed from the darkness: “So, you fear Qin Wushuang but not me?”
“I didn’t mean it that way…” Old Master Su spoke softly, ready to elaborate, when suddenly a bloody hand shot out from the darkness, lunging at him.
Veined with strange patterns and exuding an unsettling aura, the arm moved with an unearthly speed.
“Then d*e!”
With that cruel command, the bloody hand pierced straight through Old Master Su’s chest.
His pupils dilated in shock—he never imagined the attack would be so sudden and merciless. He barely had time to react before his heart was yanked out!
“You…” Old Master Su’s eyes widened, filled with profound terror.
Even in the Human Domain, where the Immortal Alliance existed, this someone blatantly initiated a slaughter.
A shrill cackle came from the darkness: “You thought I wouldn’t dare act just because we’re in the Human Domain? You think I fear the Immortal Alliance? How ridiculous! A bunch of useless fools; if you’re of no use to me, then perish!”
As the words fell, the dark figure seemed to release all his restraints and began a frenzied rampage.
His form flitted through the night like a specter, each strike accompanied by bl**d-curdling screams and gouts of bl**d.
The two clan elders beside Old Master Su turned pale at the sight. They wanted to resist but found themselves utterly powerless against this dark figure’s overwhelming might.
In an instant, their bodies were pierced, bl**d splattering across their garments as the light of life dimmed in the darkness.
In just one night, the Su Family of Wang Gu City had become a sea of bl**d…
…
The once-mighty Su Family had been annihilated overnight!
This news shocked the entire Immortal Alliance. Since the unification of the cultivation realm, such a bloodthirsty and barbaric event had never happened before.
Not leaving a single survivor and slaughtering everyone—this inhuman behavior had thoroughly crossed the line with the Immortal Alliance.
Discussions about the incident spread like wildfire, sparking various conjectures within the Immortal Alliance.
Some suspected it might be the work of the Demon Clan; investigators had found some suspicious traces, suggesting the Su Family had previous dealings with them.
In response, the Immortal Alliance dispatched personnel to Xuantian Sect to conduct a thorough investigation of Su Xinghe.
Fortunately, with Master Qin lending his influence, the investigation went quite smoothly. Neither Yun Zhonghe nor Su Xiaoxiao, who had been to the Su Family, were disturbed.
Su Xinghe was utterly bewildered and shocked; just a few days had passed, and the Su Family was gone?
Though the entire clan hadn’t been wiped out, the direct descendants living in that prosperous estate were all dead. This was, without a doubt, a heavy blow to the Su Family.
They suddenly lost several Yuan Ying powerhouses and a strong contingent of Golden Core experts.
In no time, the Su Family was left rudderless. As the nominal heir, Su Xinghe had to step up and stabilize the situation urgently.
Her mind was in turmoil as she processed that those political rivals with whom she had always been at odds had suddenly vanished without warning.
There wasn’t even a moment to mourn Old Master Su; Su Xinghe had to return to the Su Family immediately to keep control of the situation.
Without even saying goodbye to Su Xiaoxiao or Yun Zhonghe, Su Xinghe hastily boarded a Spirit Boat under the company of personnel from the Immortal Alliance, racing back to the Su Family.
Subsequently, with the support and backing of the collateral branches, Su Xinghe officially became the head of the Su Family!
“This world seems to be growing more chaotic.”
High in the Xuantian Sect, Master Qin quietly observed the Spirit Boat carrying Su Xinghe and the Immortal Alliance personnel depart, murmuring to himself.
The cultivation realm had only enjoyed peace for a hundred years, but now it felt like something was stirring, ready to unleash another wave of bloodshed.
With the world in turmoil, the cultivation realm was on the brink of chaos once again.
As a sect master, he had to think about so much more; Master Qin needed to look out for the safety of all his disciples.
In the upcoming unrest, strength would be the key to everything.
“It seems I need to come up with ideas to motivate my disciples to enhance their cultivation enthusiasm.”
Only by continuously strengthening during peaceful times could they bolster their defenses when danger reared its ugly head.
…
For various reasons, the Immortal Alliance decided to keep the Su Family massacre under wraps for the time being.
Yun Zhonghe and Su Xiaoxiao, stationed at the Outer Gate of Xuantian Sect, were blissfully unaware, fully immersed in their rigorous and fulfilling cultivation lives, grinding their strength day after day.
But just as they were focusing on their training, an earth-shaking announcement rolled out from Xuantian Sect.
The higher-ups declared that in three months’ time, they would host an unprecedented grand gathering of all disciples—a tournament far larger and more important than anything before, even surpassing the Inner Gate election!
Historically, Xuantian Sect had maintained strict separations between Outer and Inner Gates in tournaments, but this time they broke tradition, allowing outer and inner disciples to team up!
While the specifics of the tournament were still under wraps, there were no limits on cultivation levels, potions, magical items, or talismans—completely free battle. However, to maintain order and fairness, every team was capped at four members, with a maximum of two inner disciples allowed per team.
This meant that every disciple could craft the most suitable battle strategies based on their strengths and specialties.
Moreover, the rewards for this tournament were enticing enough to make anyone’s mouth water: not only would there be a chance for direct promotion to inner disciple status, but also a coveted opportunity to enter the Four Beasts Secret Realm!
The Four Beasts Secret Realm!
When the words “Four Beasts Secret Realm” spread throughout the sect, Xuantian Sect erupted in excitement.
This was Xuantian Sect’s pride and joy, famous in the Eastern Continent for its unique powers of the Four Divine Beasts. Not only was the spiritual energy incredibly dense, but there was also a chance for entrants to inherit the powers of ancient Four Divine Beasts!
It was said that a lucky disciple once received the favour of the mythical Vermilion Bird within the Four Beasts Secret Realm, experiencing a dramatic transformation and massive power gains—flying to new heights with the control of Vermilion Fire, strong enough to make even the innate flames of seasoned spellcasters seem laughable!
The power of the Four Divine Beasts was legendary, rivaling the ultimate attributes.
To put that in perspective, ultimate attributes are typically innate gifts for cultivators, while the power of the Four Divine Beasts can be acquired through opportunities, making all disciples intensely eager to enter the realm as a result.
Unfortunately, opportunities to access the Four Beasts Secret Realm were rare; since its inception, no more than a hundred disciples had been fortunate enough to enter.
In a sense, the Four Beasts Secret Realm was at least equal to the Myriad Path Divine Tower of the Immortal Alliance—maybe even more alluring.
When the sect generously announced this chance to enter the Four Beasts Secret Realm, Xuantian Sect was ignited. The disciples had no time to concern themselves with gossip about the outside world anymore.
Yun Zhonghe felt thrilled as well.
The Four Beasts Secret Realm hadn’t even appeared once in past games and only existed in the background lore.
At least the Myriad Path Divine Tower provided a chance for players to attempt a challenge, yet the Four Beasts Secret Realm was absolutely unreachable—maybe the developers hadn’t even made the map for it.
But it was hyped up so much in its background description; it had to be awesome!
Regardless, Yun Zhonghe was determined to participate in this tournament.
Not only would he join, but he wanted to bring along Mu Jixue, Lin Zhongyu, and Su Xiaoxiao too.
Even if they didn’t score the opportunity to enter the Four Beasts Secret Realm, the other rewards from the sect tournament were equally appealing and precious—this was a golden opportunity for everyone to get stronger together!
Thus, Yun Zhonghe sought out Su Xiaoxiao to recruit her.
As for Mu Jixue and Lin Zhongyu, he had already sent a message through a crystal communication gem in their group chat and received their affirmative responses.
Mu Jixue excitedly stated that it would be a perfect opportunity to showcase her cultivation achievements to Yun Zhonghe.
Lin Zhongyu replied with grace, assuring him she would give it her all, having greatly benefited from the insights gained during her time in the Western Continent.
He didn’t need to worry about their growth.
All Yun Zhonghe had to do was secure Su Xiaoxiao.
Yet, unexpectedly, when he invited Su Xiaoxiao, he was met with hesitation and rejection.
Su Xiaoxiao felt that she wasn’t worthy and believed her current strength wasn’t sufficient, worrying she would become a burden to the team.
“Actually…I’ve been trying to learn talisman-making recently, but I just can’t find the knack for it, and progress has been slow…” Su Xiaoxiao explained her concerns, her voice tinged with disappointment.
Ever since their joint battle against the monster beasts in the forest, Su Xiaoxiao had realized the gap between her and Yun Zhonghe’s combat prowess, leading her to understand she needed to seek more breakthroughs and growth.
Though Yun Zhonghe had suggested she could try refining tools to craft Spirit Armor for better defense—which would be far superior to wooden armor—the cost of refining tools was high, and she didn’t have that kind of money at the moment.
Just securing a high-quality refining furnace was a luxury she couldn’t afford.
So she wanted to start with talismans.
Compared to refining, talisman-making had a lower entry threshold, significantly boosting the combat power of low-level cultivators, and was also more suitable for her current financial situation.
By making various talismans, she not only could compensate for her weaknesses in damage output but also earn spirit stones by selling them in the cultivation market, gathering funds for her eventual path of refining.
When Yun Zhonghe heard of Su Xiaoxiao’s plan, he couldn’t help but chuckle, “If you’re short on cash, just tell me!”
Su Xiaoxiao retorted, “N-no way, I already owe Brother Yun way too much! That last ten million spirit stones were all thanks to Brother Yun; how could I take more…?”
Yun Zhonghe waved it off with a grin, interrupting her without a hint of hesitation, “You’re practically part of the Yun family now; it’s only fitting that I support you.”
“That’s why I need to save!” Su Xiaoxiao suddenly adopted a firm stance.
She had already become part of Yun Zhonghe’s family and had to save money for her own household.
Not only did she want to save money, but she also wished to earn some spirit stones through her own efforts to contribute to the household.
Though the Yun family was grand and didn’t require her meager income, thinking about her future parents-in-law, whom she had yet to meet, she felt she ought to show filial piety. When she next visited the Yun family, she must bring thoughtfully selected gifts to express her affection and gratitude.
Awoo! What should I prepare? It must be both respectable and heartfelt; do you think Uncle and Aunt will mind?
Su Xiaoxiao cherished this hard-won family bond deeply.
“Uh…is it like that?”
Yun Zhonghe scratched the back of his head, somewhat puzzled.
If he knew Su Xiaoxiao also wanted to contribute to the Yun family, he would be utterly taken aback.
What a capable future daughter-in-law she was!
She was simply too good-hearted.
“Then, do you have any difficulties with talisman-making? Perhaps I could help.”
Although Yun Zhonghe wasn’t particularly skilled in talismans, he had learned some basic knowledge in school and could craft a few simple ones.
Hearing this, Su Xiaoxiao shrank her neck, looking somewhat embarrassed, “I learned to make Thunderbolt Talismans and Wind Speed Talismans, and I followed the instructions precisely. My instructor found no issues, but the results just haven’t been great… I can’t figure out what’s wrong.”
“Results haven’t been great?”
“Yeah… it’s hard to explain. I’d better just show you, Brother Yun.”
With that, Su Xiaoxiao cautiously pulled out a Thunderbolt Talisman she had crafted from her storage ring.
As a second-grade magical item, the Thunderbolt Talisman had far superior power compared to common Explosion Talismans; its attack could nearly rival that of a low-level spell. However, the production cost was hefty, with a market price of three hundred spirit stones each—quite a hefty sum for many cultivators.
In a prestigious cultivation sanctum like Xuantian Sect, the disciples were generally formidable, especially the inner disciples, most of whom were experts above the Golden Core Stage. Low-level talismans like Explosion Talismans struggled to breach these experts’ defenses.
At the very least, it took a second-grade talisman to deliver meaningful damage, and if several second-grade talismans were stacked together, their collective power could rival mid-level spells.
But boy, it was a costly endeavor.
However, because of its value and significant offensive capabilities, Su Xiaoxiao chose to tackle the challenge of crafting the Thunderbolt Talisman.
With her spells casting a protective layer of Wooden Armor around herself, glowing softly green to provide some security, she slowly took hold of the Thunderbolt Talisman, gripping it tightly.
She wanted to demonstrate the talisman she had crafted to Yun Zhonghe.
“Lightning, come forth!”
After a determined shout, the Thunderbolt Talisman erupted with dazzling electrical light, calling forth the lightning from the heavens.
She locked her intended target onto a stout tree not far ahead—a perfect tester for the power of the Thunderbolt Talisman.
However—
Boom!
The lightning didn’t strike the tree as Su Xiaoxiao had hoped; rather, it inexplicably veered off course and struck her instead!
In that moment, Su Xiaoxiao became entwined in waves of lightning, charred and crispy, hair standing on end; she looked absolutely ridiculous.
“Xiaoxiao?!”
Yun Zhonghe jumped in shock and rushed forward to check on her.
Fortunately, Su Xiaoxiao was fine; her life force was robust, and she would recover quickly despite the shock.
However, her Wooden Armor, which had provided her protection, was now completely charred black, losing its luster and efficacy; she could only helplessly discard it aside.
Feeling embarrassed, Su Xiaoxiao scratched her head, “Well, that’s how it is. I don’t know why this Thunderbolt Talisman keeps hitting me; clearly, my crafting skills are okay…”
Yun Zhonghe fell silent.
Could it be that the problem wasn’t with her technique, but rather with herself?
Maybe due to the influence of bad luck, the lightning only decided to strike her.
So, Yun Zhonghe helped inspect the talisman.
Su Xiaoxiao’s talisman-making skills were most definitely not the issue; he personally verified that.
But the effects of the talisman, on the other hand, had a major snag.
Even if Yun Zhonghe used it, the Thunderbolt would directly hit the user!
