158: Chapter 158 Soul Destroyed, Body Vanished, Never to Return!

After verifying Su Rui's identity, Zhang Sanfeng and his group immediately changed direction and headed straight for Snow Moon City.

Given the strength Su Rui had displayed, everyone believed that even if Di Shitian were to attack, it would merely add a ripple to the waves.

His cultivation was unfathomably deep, inspiring awe, and naturally drew the interest of various masters who wished to befriend him.

Only Zhu Yuyan and her companion remained where they were.

As for Shangguan Waner, she was sent back to the Great Zhou Dynasty by Empress Wu — with her away, someone still needed to manage court affairs.

Truly a life of bitter toil.

Those who had specially come to Tianqi, awaiting the outcome of the great battle, also hadn't expected the conflict to conclude in such a manner.

They had originally anticipated a tragic scene of the Mo Cult's forces laying siege to the city, with blood staining the walls.

But now, having received news of Su Rui, this peerless powerhouse, their trip was not in vain.

After the members of the Net of Heaven withdrew, Jing Ni quietly stayed behind, then set off alone for Snow Moon City.

For some reason, an indescribable palpitation stirred in her heart...

...

A skinny, ragged youth clutched a wooden box desperately as he fled for his life through the dense forest.

Suddenly, he collided with someone and fell heavily to the ground.

The wooden box tumbled open, and a crystal vial rolled out. Inside the vial was a mass of crimson liquid that danced like flames.

Su Rui looked down at the youth who had fallen to the ground, his expression indifferent.

The youth looked up and saw him, his face instantly turning ashen, his whole body trembling.

"Spare me, great one!"

His voice trembled, on the verge of tears.

"Where are you going?" Su Rui asked calmly.

"I... I found a tunnel in the mine, it... it leads to the Lower Realm!"

"Lead the way." Su Rui said only two words.

The youth struggled to his feet, stole a glance at Su Rui, and seeing him turn his back, hurriedly stuffed the crystal vial into his chest.

Deep within the mine, countless people dressed similarly to the youth were swinging tools, mining stone.

Armored guards holding whips stood all around, patrolling ceaselessly.

Yet these people seemed to completely ignore Su Rui's presence.

This made the youth even more terrified and uneasy.

With all his might, he pushed aside a large boulder blocking the way, revealing a deep, dark hole.

Inside the hole swirled a blue, vortex-like light.

The youth glanced at Su Rui once more, then abruptly bent down and dove into it.

As he fell, a resentful, venomous roar echoed:

"I, Di Shitian, will return one day!"

Su Rui stood quietly, his gaze clear and cold.

Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, the youth suddenly crashed to the ground.

He looked up, his face filled with shock as he surveyed his surroundings.

Immortal mountains floated in mid-air, pavilions and halls faintly visible amidst clouds and mist, cranes soared, and colorful clouds wreathed the scene.

Several breathtakingly beautiful flying celestial maidens danced gracefully around the two.

The youth's face abruptly twisted and transformed—

Di Shitian!

That decaying, festering visage frightened the celestial maidens, who all scurried to hide behind Su Rui.

"You can recreate the Heavenly Palace Illusion? You've actually achieved such a feat?"

Di Shitian's face was filled with astonishment.

"A mining slave who fled from the Upper Realm? The kind who toils for the God Race? What you stole... is that the blood of the undying phoenix?"

Though Su Rui was asking, the answer was already clear in his mind.

"Who... who exactly are you?" Di Shitian's voice trembled, fear penetrating to the marrow of his bones.

He knew that this time, he had truly reached his end — soul annihilated, form destroyed, doomed for all eternity.

"I said I am the Heav..." Su Rui suddenly began.

Di Shitian's pupils contracted, then his eyes filled with terror.

"Impossible!" He shook his head frantically.

"Of course you wouldn't believe it." Su Rui chuckled lightly, raising his hand to gently touch the delicate face resting on his shoulder.

The celestial maiden nestled against his shoulder was momentarily stunned, her cheeks flushing slightly as she hastily floated away.

At this moment, all of Di Shitian's secrets lay completely exposed within Su Rui's grasp.

When Di Shitian's Primordial Spirit lunged forward, Su Rui could have annihilated it utterly with a single thought.

But after all, he wasn't Xu Fu. His origins were obscure, his identity a mystery.

Coincidentally, borrowing the power of the Heavenly Palace Illusion, Su Rui quietly glimpsed into his past.

Indeed, this person came from the Upper Realm.

And those passages had Restrictions; once one's cultivation surpassed a certain limit, passage became impossible.

This was precisely why White Robe Su and the others were able to guard the passes.

Su Rui slowly walked over to the fallen Di Shitian, looking down at him from above.

"Any last words?"

Di Shitian's breath was faint, but his eyes suddenly lit up, as if remembering something.

"I remember now... back then, I swore that once I became stronger, I would definitely go back and kill them..." he muttered, his gaze shifting to Su Rui. "You... you will go, won't you? You'll tread that path, go and see the Upper Realm for me?"

"The Upper Realm?" Su Rui gave a light laugh. "Perhaps."

Before the words had fully faded, Di Shitian's figure began to dissipate, his soul drifting away like smoke, ultimately returning to nothingness.

Upon Qingyun Terrace, the Thunder Light gradually subsided.

Sikong Qianluo sat on a tilted stone, chin propped on her hand, her eyes fixed intently on the spot where the thunder had just raged, filled with anxiety.

"When will Teacher finally wake up..."

Mu Liangyue stood to the side, arms crossed over her chest, her posture straight. Seeing Qianluo's state, she couldn't help but shake her head slightly. "Soon. Don't be anxious."

As soon as she finished speaking, the thunder pool that had enveloped this place for days suddenly collapsed, and that colossal body of lightning instantly vanished without a trace.

"Ah!" Sikong Qianluo sprang to her feet, a mix of surprise and joy, turning to dash forward—

Only to run headlong into the arms of Su Rui, who was approaching.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed, her feet slipping, nearly falling before Su Rui grabbed her wrist and steadied her.

Once her eyes focused and she saw it was Su Rui, she suddenly hesitated, taking half a step back and eyeing him warily. "You... are you really my Teacher?"

Su Rui was taken aback, then chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her neatly arranged hair bun.

"Hey! What are you doing!" Sikong Qianluo hurriedly dodged, tilting her head, then turned and buried herself in Mu Liangyue's embrace, her movements so practiced it seemed she had rehearsed them a thousand times.

But she wasn't settled for two seconds before she began to struggle and squirm, held fast by Mu Liangyue's encircling arms.

The sight made Su Rui chuckle in amusement.

"Teacher." Mu Liangyue, holding the wriggling Sikong Qianluo, called out softly, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"Hmm." Su Rui acknowledged. In the distance, several figures were already rushing over.

"Teacher, you're finally awake!" Shi Feixuan arrived nearby, relief in her eyes, her tone respectful.

"I've worried everyone." Su Rui smiled gently.

"Not at all! We always believed you would definitely return." Li Hanyi shook her head lightly, her voice cool yet carrying warmth.

The other women also nodded in agreement.

Su Rui looked around, his gaze settling on Zhu Yuyan and Empress Wu standing quietly a little further away.

"You two haven't left either?"

Empress Wu gave a light hum, the corner of her lips curving upward. "Some people, their hearts have long been tethered to someone. How could they possibly leave?" she said, casting a meaningful glance at Zhu Yuyan.

Zhu Yuyan's expression stiffened slightly, her lips pressed together in silence.

Su Rui smiled, then looked toward the distant gathering of military formations. "It seems this matter has been resolved?"

"Indeed." Empress Wu set aside her teasing expression. "The thirty-six foreign kingdoms assembled a heavy force intending to invade again. To avoid widespread suffering, His Majesty decided to seek peace."

Su Rui gave a slight nod.

The twelve-year Locking Mountains and Rivers agreement — in the end, it couldn't be avoided.

But he didn't mind.

Turning to Li Hanyi and the others, his tone gentle, he said, "Let's go, back to the martial hall."

Upon hearing this, the women all responded in agreement, following obediently.

He then turned to Zhu Yuyan and extended his hand. "Coming back with us?"

Zhu Yuyan was startled, her eyes trembling slightly. After a moment, she nodded gently and placed her hand in his palm.

Empress Wu, watching from the side, felt a stir in her gaze.

This man... actually had such a gentle side too...

After a slight hesitation, she spoke up. "Could... could I accompany you as well?"

Su Rui glanced back at her, a faint smile on his lips. "Of course. Let's go together."

He gave a slight nod to Lei Mengsha, Xiao Ruofeng, and the others, then with a sweep of his sleeve, Spiritual Qi surged, transforming into a Giant Roc that soared into the sky. Its wings swept across the firmament, carrying everyone straight into the clouds, vanishing in an instant into the vast horizon.

Within the Mo Cult camp, everyone watched the distant roc shadow fade away and let out a collective sigh of relief.

Mo Qixuan frowned deeply. "With this defeat, Heaven Beyond Heaven is likely to descend into great chaos."

Marquis Ziyi's expression was grave as he continued, "That's only natural.

With the Cult Master dead, the situation he maintained through hisdeterrence will inevitably collapse.

Now, relying solely on the Young Miss to hold things together probably won't last long. We must set out and return as soon as possible."

"The Young Miss is meticulous. She should be able to preserve the Foundation of the cult. But as you say, we must indeed depart and return early."

...

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

Northern Li and the thirty-six foreign kingdoms concluded a twelve-year "Locking Mountains and Rivers" treaty.

Both sides agreed not to attack each other. Northern Li would advance no further west, and the foreign kingdoms would not invade south.

As for how much this paper treaty would truly constrain anyone, each person had their own measure in their hearts.

The Mo Cult elites who had been stranded in Northern Li were finally permitted to return.

In exchange, Ye Dingzhi's own son — Ye Anshi — was sent to Northern Li as a hostage.

Through Consort Xuan'sstep forward request, Ye Anshi was placed under the care of the old monk Wuyou at the Cold Water Temple.

However, this eastern incursion by the Mo Cult had bloodily purged many Schools, leaving deep bloodshed.

Countless Jianghu people who had lost loved ones, unable to take revenge on the Mo Cult, turned their fury toward the solitary, defenseless Ye Anshi.

Fortunately, Cold Water Temple was a famous Northern Li Buddhist monastery, and the old monk Wuyou was highly virtuous and possessed profound cultivation, which barely managed to protect the youth.

Heaven Beyond Heaven, Mo Cult headquarters.

"Young Miss, the matter of the thirty-six kingdoms is settled, but the thirteen sects have formally declared their secession from the Holy Cult and will no longer heed its commands."

Mo Qixuan's brow was tightly furrowed, his tone heavy.

"That was to be expected."

Yue Yao looked weary, dark shadows faintly visible under her eyes.

These past days, she had exhausted herself striving to maintain stability within the cult, nearly at the end of her strength.

Fortunately, the storm had temporarily subsided, and the situation was finally under control.

"Is Yue Qing still by that person's side? How has she been lately?"

Mentioning her sister far away in a foreign land, worry was evident in Yue Yao's eyes.

"She should be fine."

Mo Qixuan pondered for a moment. "That Su Rui, though possessing peerless abilities, his temperament is actually more peaceful than most powerful individuals."