178: Chapter 178 A so-called monarch, so humble?

Wang Yuyan glanced subtly at Su Rui upon hearing this, then nodded lightly.

"That is for the best."

Wuyazi showed a look of relief on his face and handed the iron ring in his hand into Wang Yuyan's palm.

"This is the token of the Sect Head. Lingjiu Palace is part of my Xiaoyao lineage. I will personally make a trip to arrange the follow-up matters."

Just as Su Rui was preparing to lead everyone back to Mantuo Villa, Wuyazi declined to accompany them, claiming he had other important matters to attend to.

Su Xinghe and the others were curious about the feeling of flying on a sword, but upon seeing the six women accompanying Su Rui, they wisely expressed their willingness to walk to Gusu instead.

Not long after they arrived at Mantuo Villa, envoys from the imperial court came knocking.

"You are Huang Shang?"

Su Rui sized up the middle-aged scholar dressed in a Confucian robe before him, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Indeed, it is this humble one. To hear Mr. Su recognize my name is truly the greatest honor."

Huang Shang smiled slightly, his tone modest.

"I have only heard of the Nine Yin Manual."

"So that is how it is." Huang Shang sighed lightly, "That was merely some insight I gained accidentally while transcribing the Daoist canon. Before you, Sir, it is nothing but trivial skill."

Though he spoke so humbly, he knew clearly that the scripture had already stirred up bloody storms in the Jianghu—and this was all part of the plan.

Of course, he would never state this aloud to anyone.

"What is the purpose of this visit?" Su Rui asked directly.

"Your Majesty heard of your arrival within the borders of the Great Song and has long admired you, extremely wishing to meet you. However, due to status limitations, it is inconvenient for him to come in person, so he specifically ordered this subordinate to come and respectfully invite you to the capital."

The Great Song Emperor wants to see me?

Su Rui narrowed his eyes, gazing quietly at Huang Shang.

The latter immediately felt a chill down his spine, and cold sweat broke out.

"If you are willing to enter the court, Your Majesty is prepared to honor you as the State Preceptor and treat you with the respect due to a Master."

"No need. I have no interest in such things."

What State Preceptor or not, Su Rui never deigned to get involved in court disputes.

With his cultivation level, he simply did not care about imperial power.

A trace of regret flashed across Huang Shang's eyes.

"There is one other matter," he said in a low voice, "We received secret intelligence: on the coast of the East Sea, the Great Qin's Net of Heaven is currently encircling and suppressing the remnants of the Tianmen."

This piece of news did catch Su Rui's attention.

"Elaborate," he said flatly.

"The details are classified, and what I know is limited. But if you are willing to travel to the Imperial City, Your Majesty will certainly divulge all the inside story."

Su Rui pondered for a moment, then finally nodded.

"Since that is the case, I shall make the trip."

...

In Dali.

Duan Yu stood frozen in place, his eyes vacant.

On one side was his mother, Dao Baifeng, and on the other was Duan Yanqing, hunched over and leaning on an iron staff.

"So... my birth father, is it you?"

"Yu'er, you are indeed my flesh and blood. This matter is absolutely true. Back then, your mother and I outside the Tianlong Temple..."

"Silence!" Dao Baifeng suddenly shrieked, her voice nearly tearing the air apart.

Duan Yanqing immediately fell silent.

"I won't speak of it again, never again!"

The one who once wholeheartedly sought revenge, the notorious villain, had now become timid and cowardly upon suddenly gaining a biological son.

Duan Yu stood there dumbfounded, his mind a mess, unsure of where to go.

"Yu'er, even so, you are still Duan Zhengchun's nominal son. Uncle has no heir, and the throne will eventually pass to you. I will assist you with all my might."

Seeing his son in a daze, Duan Yanqing quickly added.

This time, Dao Baifeng did not object.

"I don't believe it!"

Before the words could even land, a white shadow flashed past, and Duan Yu was gone, his speed so fast that even Duan Yanqing and Dao Baifeng could not react in time.

"Chase!"

Duan Yanqing tapped the ground with his crutches, leaping out.

Dao Baifeng followed closely behind.

The last one remaining, the South Sea Crocodile God, stood stunned, looking bewildered.

"What in the world is this?"

He was completely dumbfounded.

Just a few days ago, he was following their boss to deal with Duan Yu. Just as they were about to strike, Dao Baifeng uttered a single sentence, and Duan Zhengchun's son instantly became Duan Yanqing's blood relative.

"Tsk, the royal family's petty squabbles really have endless variations," the South Sea Crocodile God muttered softly after being stunned for a long time.

Looking at Dao Baifeng's receding figure, he couldn't help but think: Judging by her figure, she must have been a devastating beauty in her youth?

At that time, their leader was facing a crisis of power seizure and being hunted.

For Dao Baifeng to be able to act this ruthlessly truly showed she was no simple character, the South Sea Crocodile God mused internally.

But looking at the situation now, his newly recognized Master, Duan Yu, seemed unable to handle it easily.

It was understandable. How could anyone remain calm when their status as a noble son suddenly flipped, and the father they called father for over a decade turned out not to be their biological father?

Not collapsing on the spot was already proof of a resilient Heart-Nature!

When Dao Baifeng and Duan Yanqing finally found Duan Yu, he was holding a razor, preparing to shave his head and become a monk.

"Yu'er, stop!"

Dao Baifeng shrieked.

"Yu'er, this isn't entirely a bad thing. You like Mu Wanqing, and you also fancy Zhong Ling, right? Now all of that can come true!"

...

Duan Yu's body trembled, and he slowly raised his head, staring blankly at her.

"A biological sister becomes a cousin, and that's a good thing?" His voice trembled.

"Do you truly not like those two girls?"

The images of Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling flashed in his mind, and Duan Yu's eyes shifted slightly, a glimmer of light appearing.

"See? You are still the Crown Prince of Dali. What difficulty is there in marrying a few women?"

Dao Baifeng's tone was gentle, every word a form of enticement.

She then waved gently toward Duan Yanqing.

Duan Yanqing's expression hardened. He glanced at Duan Yu, tapped the ground with his crutches, and his figure flashed, disappearing into the darkness.

As long as Duan Yu could ascend the throne, sacrificing his life would be worth it.

The most crucial thing now was absolutely not to let the truth be exposed.

Judging by Dao Baifeng's demeanor, there might still be a turning point in this matter.

Meanwhile, Duan Zhengchun was rushing from Leigu Mountain toward Mantuo Villa, completely unaware of the upheaval at home, still plotting how to leverage his connection with Su Rui.

When he finally arrived, he found the estate empty, the people long gone.

After inquiring around, he learned that everyone had evacuated before his arrival, their whereabouts unknown, and no one could say clearly where they went.

Bianjing.

Emperor Renzong of Song stood tall in his luxurious court robes.

Beside him stood a Taoist priest in a purple robe, his expression shifting between gloomy and uncertain—this was Lin Lingsu, the head of the Song Dynasty's Taoist Gate, from the Zixiao Sect.

At this moment, he felt uneasy, sensing that his own position was being challenged.

However, his power ultimately depended on imperial authority.

Unlike the situation in the Northern Li Jianghu where it stood in equal opposition to the court, the Great Song still upheld the supremacy of imperial power.

Even though Lin Lingsu had stepped into the realm of Land Immortal, he still needed the Emperor's official appointment and recognition.

He had always intended to use the court's strength to expand the Taoist Gate.

The news of Shaolin Temple's destruction was originally good news for him, and he had naturally investigated the whole story thoroughly.

He was extremely wary of Su Rui, yet he hadn't expected even the Emperor to hold such high regard for this person.

As he was pondering, the entire city of Bianjing suddenly plunged into darkness.

Emperor Renzong's eyes widened as he looked toward the sky—a giant bird blotted out the sun and the sky, seemingly about to swallow the entire city, its form majestic like a Divine Beast descending.

Lin Lingsu's heart shook violently, filled with horror.

With just this display, he knew the opponent's cultivation was indeed as unfathomably deep as rumored.

The common people of the Great Song had always revered ghosts and gods. At this moment, countless people in the streets and alleys were kneeling on the ground, kowtowing toward the celestial phenomenon.

When the giant bird dissipated, several figures slowly descended from the sky.

"Emperor Renzong of Song, Zhao Heng, pays respects to the Sir."

Upon seeing Su Rui, Zhao Heng's body trembled slightly, and he immediately bowed in greeting.

Su Rui felt a slight surprise—a sovereign ruler, yet so humble?

But he quickly understood; this was the essence of Zhao Heng's wisdom.

To subordinates, an Emperor needed majesty;

To the common people, he needed to show benevolence;

But facing a true powerhouse, only respect could earn their assistance.

"Your Majesty need not be so formal. I am here only to discuss matters concerning Tianmen."

Su Rui spoke calmly after landing.

"I dare not conceal anything regarding this matter, please!"

Zhao Heng smiled faintly and gestured for him to enter.

Among the officials, some knew Su Rui's background, while others were utterly clueless.

But based on this grand entrance, could he be another hidden Master from the Taoist Gate?

They speculated secretly.

However, Zhao Heng did not permit them to follow inside.

After they were seated, Lin Lingsu cupped his hands in salute: "This humble Taoist, Lin Lingsu of the Zixiao Sect, pays respects to the Sir."

"The Zixiao Sect is famous for its lightning techniques, is it not?"

Su Rui naturally had heard of them; they were the leaders of the Great Song's Taoist Gate.

"I did not expect the Sir to have heard of us. However, compared to the might of the thunder you displayed, Sir, our sect's lightning techniques are merely superficial."

Lin Lingsu's tone was respectful.

"Each has its own specialty."

Su Rui lightly shook his head, unwilling to elaborate further.

"Sir, please wait a moment. I have already ordered someone to retrieve the secret report concerning Tianmen."

Seeing Su Rui's gentle attitude, Zhao Heng's mood also relaxed, and he spoke with a smile:

"I heard that Di Shitian truly lived for over a thousand years?"

Lin Lingsu couldn't help but interject as well, his face full of curiosity.

With his current cultivation, living a hundred years might not be difficult, but spanning a thousand years was simply a fantasy.

Therefore, he was particularly concerned about such strange occurrences.

"He consumed the blood of the Phoenix, borrowing its Divine Power to extend his life. Although it allows him to cling to existence, the decline brought by the years cannot be avoided," Su Rui nodded in affirmation.

Zhao Heng's heart shook, and he hurriedly asked: "Sir, does consuming the essence blood of a Divine Beast truly allow one to prolong life?"

Su Rui, however, gently shook his head: "Not all Divine Beasts work, and it also depends on whether the Physique is compatible."

Upon hearing this, a hint of disappointment flashed in Zhao Heng's eyes.

"This location is not far from the East Sea coast. Does Your Majesty have designs on the Qilin in Lingyun Cave?" Su Rui glanced at Zhao Heng, his tone pregnant with meaning.

Zhao Heng looked slightly embarrassed but did not deny it.

"In my humble opinion, it is best to dismiss that thought as soon as possible," Su Rui sighed slightly.

Even the three women behind him couldn't help but look sideways, showing curiosity.

The saying of Divine Beasts had always existed only in legends. Although they heard about it often, very few people had ever seen one in person, naturally sparking their interest.

"Sir seems quite knowledgeable about this Qilin?" Lin Lingsu asked tentatively.

He already knew some of the inside story, and seeing Zhao Heng's intentions, coupled with Su Rui seeming to know everything, he wanted to probe further.

"That Qilin has long gone mad. Its nature is violent and tyrannical, showing no sign of auspiciousness; rather, it is a source of disaster. You must have also heard those rumors, right?" Su Rui stated frankly.

"There is indeed the saying, 'Water floods the Buddha's knee, fire burns Lingyun Cave.' Whenever floods rage, that Qilin rushes out to cause trouble," Lin Lingsu nodded.

"In that case, what the Sir says is not false." Zhao Heng couldn't help but feel disappointed.