Chapter 43: The Holy Battle
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Xian… Er… Don't cry." With a hoarse voice, Su Yu comforted Xianer.
"Brother Su Yu, father has... Xianer threw herself onto Su Yu and cried loudly as she hugged him.
Su Yu's eyes were wet, and he said while sobbing, "Don't cry… If father knows about this in the netherworld and even sees you crying, he will be unable to rest in peace."
Xianer used her small hands to rub her red and swollen eyes, trying her best not to cry. However, her efforts were useless as tears continued to flow.
"Father is gone, Xianer no longer has a father…" This was the first time in her life that Xianer had ever felt loneliness, fear and helplessness in her heart.
Su Yu embraced her with love and lightly caressed her head. "Xianer, you still have me. I will always be by your side."
She felt great warmth in her heart. Xianer raised her head and used her eyes, which seemed to have matured over night, to carefully measure her fiancée's loyalty.
He had a pair of firm eyes filled with warmth, composed and comforting, and a shocking, scabbed face.
Xianer bit her lip, extended her hands and meticulously removed the scab. Every time she removed a piece of scab, her heart will hurt slightly more, and she would shed another tear. All the blood was shed for her sake.
"Xianer, you…" Su Yu did not understand why, but he felt that Xianer had a new feeling that she never felt towards him before.
In the past, Xianer had been willful and playful. Su Yu was probably a playmate who she was familiar with.
After going through a big change in her life, she seemed to have become more mature.
"Brother Su Yu!" Xianer suddenly hugged Su Yu with all her strength, as though she was afraid that Su Yu would leave her the very next moment.
With the death of her father, even though Su Yu was her fiancé for only one day, he was her only close relative left. Having felt Xianer's petite body trembling, Su Yu patted her back lightly.
At that moment, there was no need for words; Su Yu had already felt Xianer's intentions. Both of them were embracing one another silently. After going through a big ordeal, both their hearts had gradually united with one another.
After a long time, Xianer finally stopped sobbing and her small head moved for a bit on Su Yu's chest. She then raised her head, and with a thread of embarrassment in her red and swollen eyes, she said, "I want to be Brother Su Yu's bride, forever, and ever…"
Su Yu bowed his head, tapped her forehead and with his heart full of love said, "You will forever be my bride."
Xianer's face turned red. Relieved, she leaned against Su Yu's chest. After she lost her father, she had managed to find another person who she could depend on.
When Senior Qin returned with the medicinal materials and witnessed that scene, his expression became complex. He silently prepared a medicine to treat Su Yu's injuries. After which, Xianer rushed ahead of Senior Qin to apply the medicine.
Xianier, who in the past only knew how to play around, was acting like a good wife and loving mother. She meticulously took care of Su Yu, her face full of satisfaction.
After half a day, Su Yu had gotten plenty of rest.
Senior Qin leisurely said, "Young princess and Su Yu, upon the last order of the Duke of Xianyu, I will bring both you out of the Fenglin Empire and we will head towards the Fenghuang Empire where the young princess' mother is. Over there, there will be members of the young princess's mother's clan who can take good care of her. Let's prepare to leave now."
The young princess's mother was actually someone from the Fenghuang Empire?
Su Yu recalled that at the neck of the young princess, there was a nine-tailed seal of Fenghuang. He then understood the connection between the young princess and Fenghuang empire.
The First Prince and his group of people had arrested the Duke of Xianyu for treason, and the arrest was made based on groundless accusations. The Duke of Xianyu's treason offense was just an excuse. The real reason he was arrested was due to his connections with other countries.
Why did Su Yu and Qin Xianer have to leave the Fenglin Empire and escape to another country? Su Yu's eyes were filled with coldness. "Senior Qin, you bring Xianer to the Fenghuang Empire, I will stay!"
"There needs to be someone to take revenge for the Duke of Xianyu!" If Su Yu did not kill the First Prince, he would never be a man!
Senior Qin sighed, "Let me ask you, how are you going to take revenge? The First Prince lives in the deepest part of the imperial palace and has several tens of thousands of strong subordinates! Are you going to be able to fight an endless stream of strong martial artists to reach him?"
"The power of one martial artist alone is unable to compete with the whole of the Fenglin Empire. The First Prince holds a very high position; if you see him as an enemy, it would mean seeing the Fenglin Empire as an enemy. Even if you are a strong martial artist of Level Nine, it would be difficult for you to fight against the whole empire." Senior Qin's words were sincere and meaningful.
Su Yu's conviction remained unchanged. "It will never be too late for me to take revenge, even after 10 years. If I cannot take revenge the next day, what about one year later, 10 years later or even when I am on death's door? There will surely come a day when I will get my revenge!"
Senior Qin was moved. He realized that Su Yu valued relationships and gratitude. Su Yu remembered the gratitude he had towards the Duke of Xianyu and was willing to repay him for his whole life.
Senior Qin could not bear to see such an outstanding person be obsessed with revenge for his whole life, as it would be a waste. After some time, he sighed, "There is actually a way for you to take your revenge. However, the chances are very uncertain."
"Senior Qin, please advice me!" Su Yu was moved.
Senior Qin pointed to the Holy Seal which was in between Su Yu's eyebrows. "This is it!"
Su Yu did not understand. "The Holy Order only gives one the right to participate in the Holy Meet; how will it deal a shock to the Fenglin Empire?"
"The Holy Order cannot do it. However, what about the Holy King?" Senior Qin's eyes were filled with respect.
Holy King? There was a well known legend that the Holy King had decided to use his power to change the Royal Family of the Fenglin Empire. If it were him, it would be more than sufficient to deal a shock to Fenglin empire.
However, how would Su Yu obtain the help of the Holy King?
"There is actually another meaning behind you participating in the Holy Meet. The Holy Meet is a fight to determine who is worthy to become a Sanctuary Disciple! If you are able to fight your way up to the top 10, you will have a great chance of becoming a Sanctuary Disciple!"
What? Holy Disciple? Su Yu was moved.
The master of the Sanctuary was the Holy King. If he became a Holy Disciple, wouldn't he have a chance to meet the Holy King face to face? When the Holy King agreed, Su Yu would have successfully taken his revenge!
"Moreover, if you are able to grab the first position in the Holy Meet, you will have the chance to get the Holy King to fulfill one of your wishes. There are no limitations to the wish." Senior Qin's eyes were shining. The implication behind his words was that Su Yu could wish for the Holy King to eliminate the First Prince!
Su Yu clenched his fists. "That's good! In the Holy Meet, I, Su Yu, will attain the first position and exterminate the First Prince!"
Senior Qin did not have any high hopes for Su Yu. He lightly shook his head. "The Holy Meet will be held in 10 days. With your level of abilities, you might not even get into the top 30."
In the past, Bai Qixiong, who was at Level Six Lower Tier of the Martial Path, could only harbor a grievance when he did not get into the top 10. As for Su Yu, it was still difficult for him to defeat someone of Level Five Peak of the Martial Path. There was absolutely no chance of him getting the first position.
"Moreover…" Senior Qin sighed sincerely. "Moreover, with the talents that you displayed, the First Prince would not allow you to live. If you stayed in the Fenglin Empire, there would be many people looking to kill you. Why don't you follow me to the Fenghuang Empire, where I can keep you safe for your lifetime?"
Su Yu became silent for a short while. However, his burning desire for revenge had not been extinguished.
"The debt of gratitude to my father is as weighty as a mountain, and he treated me as though I was his biological son. Let me ask you then, as his son, how can I not avenge my father?" Su Yu clenched his fists.
Xianer grabbed Su Yu's sleeve. Even though her eyes were filled with tears, she was firm and full of hatred. "Brother Su Yu, let me stay with you. I also want to avenge my father!"
As Su Yu patted her small head, he lightly shook his head. "No! Xianer, I alone am more than enough. Between the both of us, one of us has to stay alive. If not, we will disappoint father, especially since he sacrificed himself to save us."
The trip would be fraught with grim possibilities. Letting Su Yu alone take the risk would be more than enough, and there was no need to drag Xianer down with him.
"No! I am Brother Su Yu's bride and I will stay with you even if I were to die…" Xianer was stubborn. She had already lost her father, she could not afford to lose Su Yu as well.
With Su Yu's palm, he abruptly hit Xianer on her neck, causing her to fall towards his chest.
Su Yu withdrew his palm. He leaned his head against her forehead with love and said with a soft voice, "Xianer, please live on happily."
After saying that, Su Yu left her with Senior Qin and expressed his thanks with a bow. "Senior Qin, thank you for the trouble!"
Senior Qin's expression was complicated. He then sighed, "With a son-in-law like you, the Duke of Xianyu can rest in peace! Please look out for yourself. As for the young princess, I will bring her to the Fenghuang Empire."
"If you want to visit her one day, bring along this token and come to the Fenghuang Valley." Senior Qin threw him a phoenix shaped token. There were still mixed feelings in Senior Qin's eyes. With signs of hesitation, he reminded Su Yu, "However, if your cultivation base is not strong enough, do not come. You would only invite trouble for yourself."
Su Yu was in awe. What kind of land was the Fenghuang Valley that Senior Qin had to go out of his way to warn him?
Senior Qin carried the unconscious young princess and disappeared into the forest. Su Yu carefully kept his token and continued to recuperate from his injuries.
Although his injuries were serious, with his strong body, the effects of the Holy Order and the medicinal herbs made by Senior Qin, he recovered quickly.
After two days, most of Su Yu's injuries were healed. Suddenly, when he opened his eyes, he saw a bright and shiny light.
He felt a very strong inner strength overflowing in all his limbs and bones, many times greater than that of a Level Four Upper Tier. As he practiced his fists, he could hear a crackling and rattling noise coming out from his body.
This is indeed profiting from a misfortune. By suffering a few fatal injuries, the accumulation of the medical power of the Jade Fire Marrow within my body has started to take effect, allowing my cultivation base to make a breakthrough to the next tier. When Su Yu felt the cultivation base of Level Four Peak, he was overjoyed.
As the Holy Meet was nearing, it was very important for his cultivation base to go up a tier. If I were to meet the First Prince again under conditions where I must fight alone, I would have the power to fight! Su Yu's eyes were full of murderous intent.
If Su Yu did not kill the First Prince in his lifetime, he would be unable to die in peace!
Rustle－
Su Yu's ears shivered a little as he heard a soft and peculiar noise.
That noise did not belong to the animals in the forest. Rather, it belonged to humans who were moving very quickly.
With a grave expression, Su Yu started to look around. He then silently left the cave and activated Shadow Cloud. As though he were the shadow of white clouds, Su Yu abruptly leaped to a location about one mile away from the cave and hid himself in a crack behind a rock.
His pupils gradually turned crystalline and with his strong eyesight, he could observe the cave, which was one mile away, clearly. A patch of grass, a tree, an insect and a bird; they all seemed as though they were right in front of Su Yu.
Three middle-aged men dressed like hunters were sneakily getting closer to the cave. They stationed themselves at a location 200 meters away from a thick clump of grass, not moving a slight bit.
The leading middle-aged man had a scar between his eyebrows and he had attained a frightening Level Five Peak. To his sides were two young men who were at Level Five Upper Tier. When combined, they could wipe out anyone who was below Level Six.
Su Yu laughed coldly. How could strong Level Five martial artists be satisfied with being hunters? Without question, they were definitely sent by the First Prince to assassinate Su Yu.
A few days ago, Senior Qin had escaped hurriedly and it was hard to avoid leaving behind any traces. Hence, two days was more than enough for the pursuing troops to locate them.
Since Su Yu had the Holy Seal on his head, even if the First Prince had the guts, he would not kill Su Yu openly. By secretly assassinating Su Yu, the First Prince would be able to resolve the matter once and for all.
"Bodyguard Chen, what should we do now?" The hunters on the sides were very experienced and vicious, using their eyes to transmit the message to the leading middle-aged man.
Bodyguard Chen, who was at Level Five Peak, was indeed the leader of the group. The three of them were actually Duke Qin's escorts when he attended the marriage ceremony of the Duke of Xianyu's daughter. Two days ago, there were secretly ordered to assassinate Su Yu.
Initially, their faces turned pale with fright. However, when Duke Qin promised them something that they could not resist, they decided to take a risk and assassinate Su Yu.
They knew that their lives were at risk. If Su Yu did not die, they would die. Anyone who dared to lay his hands a Holy Seal bearer would be unable to escape death.
Bodyguard Chen's scar between his eyebrows wriggled and his ferocious eyes started to examine the surroundings. "There are no animals near the vicinity of this cave, meaning that someone's aura is inside the cave and the wild beasts dared not to approach it."
"The footprints near the entrance are still fresh, meaning that there was still someone here a short time ago. I deduce that they are either still in the cave, or they just recently left!"
Bodyguard Chen had extensive experience. By examining the surroundings once, he was able to come up with a deduction that was close to the truth.
"The both of you will secretly watch the cave and I will return to inform Lord Bai Qixiong!" Bodyguard Chen passed the message softly. Like a green snake in the grass, he moved meticulously and returned back using the path he came from.
With Senior Qin, who was at Level Seven of the Martial Path, relying on Bodyguard Chen and the two other bodyguards, who were at Level Five Upper Tier, would be insufficient to kill Su Yu.
After ensuring that everything had gone well, the First Prince would secretly order Bai Qixiong to support from the sidelines with a gift he had given Bai Qixiong. The treasure could release an attack from someone of Level Seven Peak of the Martial Path. Bai Qixiong would even kill Senior Qin if he needed to.
As for the two strong martial artists at Level Five Upper Tier, they stayed behind to watch the cave.
Both of them concentrated their attention on the cave and were like a cheetahs, lying dormant. Their eyes were sharp and full of vigor, not moving the slightest bit.
A few minutes passed...
Whiz－
Suddenly, their situation changed!
The air contained a cold current in cylindrical form. Suddenly, a sharp iron arrow pierced through the mist in the forest and headed straight for them!