39: The whole story

[The Jiao King Association and others engage in a fierce battle with the pursuers.]

[However, how could a group of ruffians possibly be a match for well-trained soldiers?]

[In just a few short minutes, the members of the Jiao King Association were completely slaughtered.]

[Only Fat Second Master, seeing that the situation was dire, managed to escape with a few others and Xiao Su.]

[Watching their panicked figures fleeing, you immediately realized something was wrong.]

[These Great Li Dynasty soldiers were almost all Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and the leader had even reached the Purple Mansion realm; it was impossible for them to have escaped.]

[If they were able to escape in the end, then there was only one answer: there were Cultivators from the Zhen Guan Princes Mansion secretly protecting Xiao Su.]

[You decided to stop hiding yourself.]

[You no longer concealed your powerful cultivation base and revealed it.]

[You charged straight into the Great Li Dynasty Cultivators like a tiger entering a flock of sheep.]

["Fellow Daoist, who are you? We are the army of the Great Li Dynasty, currently apprehending criminals wanted by the imperial court!"]

["If you delay our apprehension of these wanted criminals and we are blamed by the Emperor, you will not be able to bear the consequences!"]

[Looking at the blustering leader, a cold sneer appeared on the corner of your mouth.]

[Finally, with a swift strike of your blade, you killed him instantly.]

["Immortal! Immortal, your power is unparalleled! Thank you for saving our lives."]

["Thump, thump, thump!"]

[Fat Second Master knelt and kowtowed.]

[However, you ignored him and instead looked at Xiao Su.]

[You saw suspicion and confusion in her eyes.]

[But you did not offer an explanation.]

[Instead, you waited quietly for the person protecting her to appear.]

["Greetings, Fellow Daoist."]

[Following the sound, you saw a short, elderly man appear beside Xiao Su.]

[His former strength must have been no less than yours, but now his Golden Core was damaged.]

[Not only had his cultivation base fallen to the Purple Mansion realm, but he also had little lifespan remaining.]

[You asked him directly why he had not intervened to protect Xiao Su.]

[The old man was taken aback by your Aura, and only then did he begin to explain.]

[It turned out that not long ago, he had discovered that the leader of the Coiling Dragon Association harbored malicious intentions.]

[Not only did he not sincerely help Xiao Su escape, but he had also secretly contacted a certain army of the Great Li Dynasty.]

[The old man had been loyal to the Zhen Guan Princes Mansion for generations; how could he tolerate this person framing the heir of the Prince Zhen Guan?]

[He immediately slaughtered the Coiling Dragon Association.]

[Unfortunately, he had not expected the Great Li army to arrive so quickly. If you hadn't appeared in time, Xiao Su would likely have been captured by them.]

[The old man expressed his gratitude to you and asked for your identity.]

[You waved your hand.]

[Knowing the progression of events, you certainly knew that even without your appearance, Xiao Su likely had some treasure on her that could have delayed the old man from arriving here.]

[Otherwise, how would you have met her in Tianxing City?]

[However, your own identity... was truly hard to explain.]

[After hesitating for a long time, you decided to drape yourself in the mantle of the Four Saints Heavenly Palace.]

[After all, in the previous simulation, Xiao Su had become the Vermilion Bird Envoy of the Four Saints Heavenly Palace with only a Peak Golden Core cultivation; this was not something that could be achieved by talent alone.]

["I am Su Xuan, a Vermilion Bird Guard under the Vermilion Bird Envoy of the Four Saints Heavenly Palace, specifically here to rescue the daughter of Prince Zhen Guan!"]

["Aunt? Princess?!"]

[Xiao Su and the old man were both shocked.]

[You knew that you had bet correctly this time.]

[There was indeed a relationship between the previous Vermilion Bird Envoy and Xiao Su.]

[Xiao Su asked you to take her to the Four Saints Heavenly Palace, but having absolutely no connection to the Four Saints Heavenly Palace, how could you dare to take her there?]

[Furthermore, you had not come to rescue Xiao Su just to save her.]

[You fabricated another story.]

[In this story, you painted the Four Saints Heavenly Palace as a villainous faction, with an incompetent Palace Master and the other three Envoys harboring ulterior motives, eventually leading to the death of the Vermilion Bird Envoy.]

[And before the Vermilion Bird Envoy died, she had received news of the destruction of the Zhen Guan Princes Mansion.]

[She had specially sent you to rescue her.]

[And you, traveling by starlight and moon, through day and night, had ultimately arrived a step too late.]

[After hearing your story, Xiao Su and the old man did not quite believe it.]

[At the time, the incident happened suddenly; the Princes Mansion had been completely destroyed before it could send out any distress signals.]

[However, what you said also made sense.]

[After all, the Vermilion Bird Envoy and Prince Zhen Guan were siblings born of the same mother, and she was a Soul Transformation expert; perhaps she had a way to learn of the other's death.]

[Furthermore, you were powerful; if you truly had malicious intent, you would have already attacked them, so why would you bother making up a story?]

[They eventually chose to believe you for the time being.]

[You brought them to Tianxing City to rest and recuperate.]

[And while resting, you revealed your astonishing strength and subdued the Jiao King Association.]

[And so, you began to Cultivate in Tianxing City.]

[One month later.]

[The old man found you and said that he was nearing his end, but Xiao Su was still young, and he hoped you could look after her.]

[You refused on the spot.]

[You stated that although you were a subordinate of the Vermilion Bird Envoy, you were dedicated to your own Cultivation, and since the Vermilion Bird Envoy had already been murdered, you had already done more than enough by coming to help them; how could you have the time to take care of others?]

[Seeing your attitude, the old man was not angry, but pleased.]

[He then began to introduce himself.]

[His name was Wei Youde, and three generations of his ancestors had been stewards of the Zhen Guan Princes Mansion.]

[He was highly trusted by Prince Zhen Guan.]

[And this was also the case during this journey of escape.]

[Regarding the sudden attack by the Great Li Dynasty, Prince Zhen Guan had actually anticipated it, but he had never believed that the Emperor of Great Li, who had once been like a brother to him, would actually attack him using such an ethereal and baseless excuse.]

[But although he did not believe it, upon hearing even the slightest rumors, Prince Zhen Guan had still made full preparations.]

[Just a few days before the Emperor of Great Li launched his attack, Prince Zhen Guan had already handed over most of the resources of the Zhen Guan Princes Mansion to Wei Youde, in case of emergency.]

["As long as you, Fellow Daoist, are willing to swear a Heart Demon Oath to look after Princess Fengyi, I am willing to hand over all the resources brought out from the Princes Mansion to you."]

[Looking at Wei Youde's serious expression, a smile finally appeared on the corner of your mouth.]

[You swore the Heart Demon Oath.]

[You received the Storage Pouch filled with the resources of the Zhen Guan Princes Mansion.]

[Two months later, Wei Youde passed away.]

[Xiao Su was heartbroken.]

[You stood to the side and gently patted her shoulder.]

[You also expressed deep regret over the passing of Wei Youde.]

[Although you had many ways to delay his death, having this person by Xiao Su's side would only hinder you; it was better that he was dead.]

[In the fourth year, relying on your formidable strength, you unified the entire underworld of Tianxing City.]

[After obtaining enough Spirit Stones and resources, you set off with Xiao Su, Fat Second Master, and the others.]