“Boom!”
In the next instant, Su Yueli's clear, moon-like eyes narrowed slightly, and in the depths of her gaze, an ancient beast from the primordial era seemed to suddenly open its eyes, stepping across the river of time!
A boundless, vast wave of blood qi erupted from all around her.
The wind and sand of heaven and earth instantly ground to a halt, and the surrounding space seemed to sink into a thick, viscous mire.
Boom! The Second Prince, Yan Yunlie, who bore the brunt of the impact, did not even have time to react to what was happening before he felt an irresistible weight like Mount Tai crash down upon his head.
With a miserable shriek, he fell straight out of midair, landing pathetically on the cold, frozen earth of the wasteland. He bit into a mouthful of yellow sand as his bones creaked and groaned under the pressure.
Beside him, Elder Ku's pupils dilated violently, and his expression changed drastically!
Only now did he snap back to reality. Cold sweat poured down his temples as he hurriedly took half a step forward to shield Yan Yunlie.
Bowing deeply, he clasped his hands to apologize. “Please appease your anger, Your Excellency! Please appease your anger! My Highness is young and ignorant, and his words have offended you. This old man apologizes on behalf of the prince!”
Seeing the other party bow their head and back down, the sharpness in Su Yueli's eyes quietly faded, and the suffocating, earth-shattering killing intent around her receded like the tide.
She brushed the dust off her sleeves, her expression returning to its usual indifference, as though she wasn't the one who had just cowed a prince and a Twelfth Realm powerhouse with her wrath.
“Is there anything else?” Su Yueli's tone was flat, revealing neither anger nor joy. “If not, don't block the way.”
Elder Ku let out a quiet sigh of relief, his back already drenched in cold sweat. He repeatedly said, “No, nothing else! It was our impudence that delayed Your Excellency's precious journey. Please, go ahead!”
Su Yueli did not spare them another glance. She turned and waved at Han Yu, who was still in shock. “Yu'er, let's go.”
“Ah... Yes! Master!” Han Yu quickly retracted her gaze and hurried after Su Yueli.
The backs of the master and disciple gradually vanished into the end of the desolate desert.
Only after those two terrifying figures had completely disappeared did Elder Ku quickly crouch down to help up Yan Yunlie, who was covered in dirt.
“Damn it! Damn it all!” Yan Yunlie's eyes were bloodshot, his hair disheveled. He gritted his teeth so hard they nearly broke, his fingernails digging deep into his palms until bright red blood seeped out.
As the esteemed Second Prince of Great Yan, he had lived high above others since childhood. When had he ever suffered such a humiliating disgrace?
To think he would be forced to the ground like a dead dog by a single glance from a mundane martial artist with no spiritual energy!
“Elder Ku! Just what is that woman's background?! How can there be such a terrifying martial artist in this world?!” Yan Yunlie's voice was hoarse, a mix of intense hatred and terror.
Elder Ku brushed the dust off him and let out a long sigh.
His eyes were filled with wariness and lingering fear. “Your Highness, it is a blessing that we kept our lives today... This woman's blood qi has likely reached an unspeakable peak. We must never provoke her again!”
...
On the other side, having rid themselves of Yan Yunlie's disturbance, Su Yueli led Han Yu on their return journey to the Great Li Dynasty.
If she had wanted to, she could have killed the two of them just now. However... the cons outweighed the pros.
For one, Elder Ku was a Twelfth Realm cultivator kept in reserve by the imperial family; his hidden cards were still unknown, so killing him would not be that simple.
Secondly, Han Yu would inevitably be dragged into the fallout. Thirdly... other than venting her anger, killing them offered no practical benefits and would only sour relations with Great Yan.
No matter what, the other party was still the Second Prince. Since she had already humiliated and taught him a lesson, Su Yueli did not wish to entangle herself further.
As the sun dipped toward the west, the twilight stretched the shadows of the master and disciple very long.
Han Yu jogged along by her side, occasionally stealing glances at her master, her small face filled with wild enthusiasm and admiration.
“Master... you were really too amazing just now!”
She pumped her fists, her eyes curving into crescents. “That was a Twelfth Realm immortal and a high-and-mighty prince! Yet you scared them off with just a single stomp!”
“If only... if only Yu'er could be as powerful as Master in the future!”
Su Yueli slowed her pace and glanced sideways at her enthusiastic disciple, unable to help but smile.
“As powerful as me?”
Su Yueli teased, “If one day you also possess the ability to casually crush immortals and suppress an entire dynasty, what would you want to do with that power?”
Han Yu froze for a moment, tilting her head as she thought seriously.
The wind blew the stray hairs on her forehead. Her gaze suddenly turned gentle and resolute as she said loudly:
“If I become as strong as Master... then I will protect Master forever! If anyone dares to bully Master, I'll send them flying with my saber! I'll also buy Master endless sweet cakes and accompany Master to every corner of the world!”
Hearing Han Yu's heartfelt words, Su Yueli was slightly stunned.
She looked down into Han Yu's crystal-clear eyes, and a ripple inexplicably stirred in her heart.
“You silly girl...” Su Yueli shook her head, a faint smile gracing her lips. “Why would I ever need your protection?”
Han Yu giggled, then asked curiously, “What about Master? Since you have such incredible power, what do you want to do most?”
Su Yueli's steps paused almost imperceptibly.
What did she want to do most?
The path of longevity was long, and time was endless.
She had traversed the primordial eras and witnessed the vicissitudes of the mortal world, watching her friends and confidants grow old and pass away, and seeing prosperous dynasties crumble to dust.
In this eternal solitude, what was it that she truly sought?
Facing Han Yu's innocent gaze, Su Yueli fell silent.
She did not answer, merely gazing quietly at the distant sun setting beneath the horizon, her eyes reflecting an unspeakable sense of age and depth.
Seeing her master fall silent, Han Yu was sensible enough not to press further. She simply hugged her short saber and quietly stood by her master's side.
...
The master and disciple traveled at a leisurely pace, with Su Yueli guiding her saber techniques and honing her blood qi along the way.
Half a month later, they finally crossed the border pass again, setting foot once more on the soil of the Great Li Dynasty.
Feeling the familiar air of her homeland, Han Yu breathed a long sigh of relief. “We're finally back!”
Su Yueli nodded. “We will head to the Great Li Imperial City first. Once we obtain the Myriad Tribulations Blood-Washing Vine, we will find Yun Tianheng and have him refine the marrow-cleansing elixir for you.”
As long as the elixir was refined, Han Yu's martial foundation would be completely stabilized, making her future path of cultivation much smoother.
However, as they entered the streets of a border town and heard the noisy hawking and the idle chatter of tea house patrons, a figure that had been dormant in Su Yueli's mind for a long time suddenly surfaced.
The Fourth Prince of Great Li—Zhao Yan.
Back when she had dealings with the Great Li imperial family in the imperial city, this Fourth Prince had a steady temperament and was a rare, sensible individual. He had even secretly offered her some conveniences and favors.
The struggle for the throne in Great Li had long concluded.
She had heard that the Fourth Prince, having failed in the struggle for the throne, was stripped of his power and directly exiled to this most bitter and desolate border region to serve in the military garrison.
Since they were passing through this border now, she might as well pay him a visit and return the favor from back then.
With this thought, Su Yueli led Han Yu into the busiest black market tavern in the border town.
After tossing a few spirit stones, the tavern keeper's face lit up with joy, and he became fully cooperative, sharing everything he knew.
In just a brief moment, Su Yueli found out the current whereabouts of the Fourth Prince, Zhao Yan.
He had been demoted to a garrison centurion in a small border town called Heifengkou, residing in a barren fortress three thousand miles to the northwest, living a rather miserable life.
“Heifengkou...”
Su Yueli tucked the information away and turned to Han Yu. “Yu'er, let's make a detour to visit an old friend.”
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