Next day morning.
The Su family and many Foundation Establishment Cultivators stood on the long street of Ping Yang Town, bidding their farewell.
In the middle of the long street, one man and one lady stood facing each other.
The man was dressed in a green robe, clean and plain, with a handsome appearance, while the lady wore a long pale yellow dress that reached the ground. Her black hair cascaded down her back. Her complexion was flawless, there was a touch of melancholy in her sparkling eyes.
“Zimo, are you really not leaving with me? Even if you can’t join Azure Frost Sect, given your capabilities, you will have great achievements at Great Zhou,” Ji Yaoxue said softly.
“No.”
Su Zimo smiled, “I am used to leading an unbridled life. I am unaccustomed to the rules and regulations of the palace.”
“Zimo, are you interested in joining the Ethereal Peak?” Ji Yaoxue was smart, she could vaguely sense that Su Zimo was deliberately keeping a distance from her.
“Mmm?” There was surprise in Su Zimo’s eyes, but he did not respond.
Ji Yaoxue continued. “It is more difficult to join Ethereal Peak than other clans. There are many tests to pass. The testing of the spirit root is only one of them. I heard that many high-level Qi Refinement Warriors could not join the Ethereal Peak, you…”
Su Zimo sighed in his heart at the look of concern in Ji Yaoxue’s eyes.
He knew that Ji Yaoxue was being genuinely good to him. Perhaps it was to return his kindness or for some other reason.
But no matter what, he could not leave with Ji Yaoxue.
Although Dai Xu had concealed his intentions well, he could not hide from Su Zimo’s spirit perception.
The man had murderous intent toward him!
It was alright if it was Dai Xu who wanted to kill him, however, if it was the Emperor of Great Zhou who wanted him dead, this was bad news to Su Zimo as well as the Su family.
The imperial edict might seem like a reward, however, the Emperor was giving them a warning as well.
Since the Emperor of Great Zhou could crown Su Hong as king, he could easily annihilate the Su family as well.
The Emperor’s power was vast and mighty and one could not predict his next movement or intention.
Die Yue might have been ruthless when she sent Su Zimo to the Cang Lang Mountain Range, but she was teaching him at the same time that regardless of whether it was the mortal world or the cultivation world, it was no different from the Cang Lang Mountain Range, where the strong ruled over the weak, and that was the only way to survive!
One had to be able to survive Cang Lang Mountain Range in order to be able to venture into the cultivation world!
If one was not powerful enough, one could only be passive and be powerless when others preyed on them.
“Zimo, what plans do you have?” Ji Yaoxue continued to ask.
Su Zimo replied. “To travel a thousand miles beats reading a thousand books. I might embark upon an adventure.”
Su Zimo paused briefly before he bowed to Ji Yaoxue, cupping his fists. “Miss Ji, let’s bid farewell today, please take care.”
Ji Yaoxue looked dismayed upon hearing that Su Zimo addressed her as “Miss Ji”. After a brief silence, she nodded. “Young Master Su, take care as well.”
Ji Yaoxue boarded the carriage and the bead curtain dropped to cover her from view. The two of them seemed to be thrown into two different worlds, and they might not be able to see each other again.
Su Xiaoning sat on the carriage and looked outside, tears falling down her cheeks. Ji Yaoxue sighed softly as she took Su Xiaoning into her embrace, saying softly, “Let’s go.”
The carriage flew up into the air and more than a thousand Foundation Establishment Cultivators maneuvered their swords and followed behind, surrounding the carriage to protect the Princess. They disappeared from the sky of Ping Yang Town in no time.
At the end of the procession, one of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators came up to Dai Xu and asked softly, “Leader Dai, do we still need to kill Su Zimo?”
“No need. At least he is tactful, he did not reach out for a yard after taking an inch.”
Dai Xu sneered. “He is just a mere mortal. He is but a frog in a well. Just let nature run its own course.”
In the carriage.
Su Xiaoning seemed to be overly upset. She collapsed in Ji Yaoxue’s embrace and fell into a deep sleep. The tears at the corner of her eyes were still evident.
Ji Yaoxue gazed at the bead curtain, looking forlorn. She frowned slightly, sorrow etched in her features, looking pitiful.
“Princess, don’t be sad over that man, it’s not worth it,” Dai Xu said softly outside the carriage.
Ji Yaoxue did not seem to have heard him.
Dai Xu continued. “Princess, you are of noble birth and you are from the royal family. He is just a nobody. He is not worthy of you.”
Ji Yaoxue frowned. She checked on Su Xiaoning who was deep asleep in her embrace before she turned her head and said softly, “If he is a nobody, then what about you? You don’t have to care about my business. You are not qualified!”
Ji Yaoxue was harsh but she kept her volume down so as not to wake Su Xiaoning up.
“Princess, don’t blame me for being meddlesome. You will definitely be a Golden Core in the future and you will have a lifespan of 500 years. While he is just a mortal and his lifespan is only about 100 years. It is not practical to choose him as your Dao partner.” Dai Xu continued.
Ji Yaoxue’s expression darkened, asking all of a sudden. “Did my father say anything to you?”
“No-nothing.” Dai Xu paused momentarily before he quickly denied.
Ji Yaoxue clenched her fists in silence, saying in a cold voice, “Dai Xu, let me warn you, don’t you dare to do anything to Su Zimo or the Su family!”
Dai Xu’s expression hardened, but he remained silent.
After a brief silence, Ji Yaoxue sighed softly, feeling upset. “100 years will pass by in the blink of an eye. I am afraid that I will never have the chance to see him again.”
Upon hearing this, Dai Xu breathed a sigh of relief, finally putting his heart at rest.
Ji Yaoxue had finally realized that if she and Su Zimo were on close terms, it would not be helpful to Su Zimo, instead it would bring disaster to him.
Ji Yaoxue looked forlorn, she did not notice that Su Xiaoning who was in her embrace batted her eyelashes but did not open her eyes.
…
Ping Yang Town.
Su Hong and others were about to return to the capital with the army of the Country of Yan.
“Zimo, why don’t you stay in the capital with me for a period of time?”
Now that Su Hong was going to the capital, he would not be returning to Ping Yang Town anytime soon. He was worried at leaving Su Zimo behind by himself.
“Brother, you should go now. I will stay in Ping Yang Town for a while before I embark upon an adventure. You don’t have to worry about me,” Su Zimo said.
Su Hong frowned. “There is no one at the Su family’s residence and we don’t have any acquaintances in Ping Yang Town. You are by yourself…”
“I am not alone.” Su Zimo smiled.
“Mmm?” Su Hong was surprised.
Su Zimo did not explain. Instead he gave Su Hong a pound on the chest, smiling. “You should hurry to the capital now. There is no need to worry about me. If there’s a chance, I will go to the capital to visit all of you.”
“Alright, we will leave now.”
Su Hong mounted the horse and nodded towards Su Zimo. Under the protection of the Country of Yan’s army. Su Hong and the others of the Su family left for the capital, galloping away.
The cold wind howled. Su Zimo walked on the empty long street amidst the wind and snow, looking lonely and desolate from the back.
Xiaoning had left, so had Su Hong.
Everyone seemed to have left him within a day.
When Su Zimo reached his own mansion and he pushed the door open, the wind and snow seemed to have stopped and he could feel a sense of warmth rushing toward him.
There seemed to be a lady in a bloody red robe standing under the peach blossom tree. It seemed real and yet ethereal, as she turned to smile at him.
Su Zimo was not alone and he did not feel lonely.
When he came back to his mansion, it was as if Die Yue was by his side, watching him cultivate as usual, kicking and beating him occasionally.
Su Zimo smiled and closed the door.
Su Zimo had no intention of leaving Ping Yang Town right away.
He was waiting.
He was waiting for someone.
Just like that night one and a half years ago…