Chapter 2891: Celestial Heart Ambrosia |
The radiance scattered in a flash, but when the world came back into view, one of the red-robed figures was missing.
Chunks of corpse had taken its place, all of them emanating dense sin power.
Su Yi stood in the distance, robes billowing around him.
River Ancestor Shen Xiao was still locked in combat with one of the remaining red-robed figures, but there was undisguisable astonishment on his face.
When the world came back into view, Wang Zhiwu, River Empress Lu Ping, and the others saw it, too. It’s over? A heart devil capable of fighting River Ancestors was destroyed just like that?
Off in the distance, Innocence was badly injured, her body on the verge of breaking into pieces.
Nonetheless, when she saw this, she sighed with appreciation. “It couldn’t survive even a single one of your strikes, Master! Impressive! Impressive!”
She’d learned the art of flattery from her Master Bootlicker, Cen Xinghe. Thus, when she sang Su Yi’s praises, every word seemed to come straight from the heart, natural and unaffected. This was the very essence of flattery.
It was just a pity that her words were plain, without the slightest eloquence.
Su Yi, a Divine Wandering Realm sword cultivator, really had just insta-killed a heart devil that not even River Ancestor Shen Xiao could defeat!
“Fellow Daoist Su, you sure are something! If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I could never have guessed that a Divine Wandering Realm cultivator could display such a taboo divine ability of the heart!” said River Ancestor Shen Xiao with a sigh.
His gaze was strange. In truth, he was now on guard. This Su Yi person has hidden himself far too deeply!
His earlier strike had astonished even River Ancestor Shen Xiao. When he mentally replayed Su Yi’s movements, he realized that he’d likely used a taboo divine ability connected to the secret power of the heart!
More importantly, Su Yi was just a Divine Wandering Realm Eternal, but River Ancestor Shen Xiao was certain that he had a heart soul!
This was what astonished him most, to the point that it put him on guard.
After all, even many River Ancestors and Heavenly Sovereigns had yet to condense heart souls!
For a Divine Wandering Realm sword cultivator to possess this power was unquestionably unbelievable.
Everything Su Yi had done previously, from the way he’d used the Writing Brush of Genesis to decipher the stone stele’s mysteries and open the Cave of Obsession, to Innocence’s unbelievable strength against heart devils, was strange and out of the ordinary. Even someone as powerful and ancient as River Ancestor Shen Xiao was astonished.
How could he dare to treat Su Yi like just another junior after seeing this?
“You flatter me,” said Su Yi. But before he could say more, he broke into uncontrollable, hacking coughs. Blood flowed from the corners of his lips, and his face paled.
His companions were startled, but they just about understood. Su Yi must have over-exerted himself to use that divine ability. He won, but he’s obviously suffered a backlash!
“Quick, get some rest!” River Ancestor Shen Xiao said with concern. “Whatever you do, don’t let this damage your heart!”
Su Yi wiped the blood from his lips and said calmly, “It’s fine. A minor wound, that’s all.”
But it was obvious to the others that he was putting on a strong front; he just didn’t want them to see his weakness.
Only Wang Zhiwu was skeptical. He might be putting on an act, but if so, it sure is realistic.
Su Yi flew through the air and casually gathered the pieces of the red-robed figure’s body. They were formed entirely out of dense sin power, and they were supreme nourishment for Innocence. Su Yi naturally couldn’t let them go to waste.
Su Yi had only just finished this when Innocence’s body exploded into pieces. She was terribly wounded, and it hadn’t been easy even just lasting this long.
Everyone who saw this was startled.
However, they soon discovered that the fragments of Innocence’s body wriggled in midair, and soon, she’d come back to life.
It was just that her figure was highly indistinct.
She looked at Su Yi timidly and said, “Master, I brought shame upon you.”
Then, she hung her head in shame, like a bullied child before her elder.
Before her voice had even finished echoing through the air, another red-robed figure turned and lunged at her, billowing with monstrous sin power. It was intent on devouring her whole!
But a streak of sword light flashed at a critical juncture.
Everyone felt a prickling pain in their eyes. A familiar feeling returned, as if a blazing sun had taken to the skies, illuminating everything with its endless radiance.
River Ancestor Shen Xiao’s eyelids twitched. Again?
The figure charging at Innocence broke into pieces, slain on the spot!
This time, River Ancestor Shen Xiao was a bit uncomfortable. He’d assumed that Su Yi had suffered a backlash after using some sort of forbidden technique to kill the first red-robed figure and that he was now badly injured.
Who’d have thought that Su Yi still had strength to spare?
He’d hidden himself far too deeply!
Before long, River Ancestor Shen Xiao saw Su Yi cough up yet another mouthful of blood, staining his lapels red. His face filled with exhaustion, his complexion pale, and his vital energy listless.
River Ancestor Shen Xiao considered asking Su Yi to kill the figure he was currently fighting, but when he saw this, he had to let it go. Su Yi was this badly injured; asking Su Yi for help now would make River Ancestor Shen Xiao look inept.
Everyone was astonished to see Su Yi kill two red-robed figures in rapid succession. He coughed up blood earlier, but was he just faking?
But when they saw the increasing severity of Su Yi’s injuries, their gazes shifted inscrutably.
“Master, are you okay?” Innocence said with concern.
Su Yi covered his mouth, coughed, and forced a smile. “Everything is okay. Hurry up and refine the power our enemies left behind; don’t let it go to waste.”
The rims of Innocence’s eyes reddened as if she were on the verge of breaking into tears, but in the end, she pursed her lips and got to work.
The others saw it all, but Wang Zhiwu was the first to approach. He said with concern, “Are you really alright?”
Su Yi smiled and took out a jug of wine. “I’m fine.”
He silently transmitted, “Lu Shi hasn’t gotten far, and the others have malicious intentions, too. You’d best be careful on the road ahead.”
Wang Zhiwu’s eyes shone with a strange light. It seems his wounds really are fake! But what’s the point of putting on this act? Is he fishing? Is he luring in his enemies with a show of weakness? Or is he after something else entirely?
Wang Zhiwu couldn’t figure it out, but he felt like Su Yi was getting more and more two-faced and scheming!
After a brief but brutal battle, River Ancestor Shen Xiao finally managed to kill the last of the red-robed figures.
Everyone sighed in relief as if a massive weight had lifted from their shoulders. Only Su Yi laughed coldly.
He dared say with certainty that River Ancestor Shen Xiao had been holding back right from the start!
The old-timer had obviously used this battle as an opportunity to probe his companions’ limits and abilities.
In other words, Su Yi could have just done nothing earlier.
But hiding his strength wasn’t necessarily in his best interest. Sometimes, excessive hiding could ruin things, as it would just encourage the other party to resort to underhanded means of forcing you to reveal your abilities.
River Ancestor Shen Xiao had obviously used this battle to probe him. If he’d refused to fight, River Ancestor Shen Xiao would have just found other means of forcing his hand.
Thus, Su Yi revealed some of the power of his heart. This was enough to dispel River Ancestor Shen Xiao’s doubts and give him a false impression of his limits.
That was enough.
“Hahaha! Fellow Daoist Su, you were the greatest contributor in this battle! If not for you, I’m afraid we’d have paid a heavy price for our success!”
River Ancestor Shen Xiao walked over and complimented Su Yi. He wasn’t at all stingy with his praise.
He looked at Innocence next. “You performed extraordinarily well, too! I see you in a new light, lass!”
“Here, this sin power is for you.” He waved his sleeve, and a bundle of black light floated over to her. This was what remained of the third red-robed figure after River Ancestor Shen Xiao killed and refined him.
Innocence glanced timidly at Su Yi, who nodded. “You must not refuse a senior’s gifts. Accept it. Don’t reject Senior Shen Xiao’s good intentions.”
Only then did Innocence accept the gift and lower her head in gratitude. “Thank you, Senior.”
Su Yi couldn’t help but find this amusing. Heavenly Sovereign Zhenyue suppressed her in the Sin-Severing Prison during the Devastation. Who’s to say she isn’t really River Ancestor Shen Xiao’s senior?
River Ancestor Shen Xiao burst into laughter. “What are you thanking me for? I’ve always made it a point to reward those who do well!”
Innocence’s eyes darted about. “But in this junior’s eyes, it was Master who contributed the most. Do you have a reward for him, too, Senior?”
Everyone was stunned, their expressions strange. What an impressive kid. She’s striking while the iron is hot to squeeze more out of River Ancestor Shen Xiao!
River Ancestor Shen Xiao looked briefly stunned, but a moment later, he said with feigned generosity, “Of course I do!”
Innocence looked eager. “I’m sure anything you see fit to give as a gift is extraordinary, and that it’ll broaden my horizons.”
The corners of River Ancestor Shen Xiao’s lips twitched. How could he possibly fail to realize that she was doing this on purpose?
After a moment’s thought, he took out a jade bottle. “This contains three catties of Celestial Heart Ambrosia. It’s wondrously useful for repairing and tempering the heart. It’s a modest gift, but please don’t disdain it, my young friend.”
With that, he passed it to Su Yi from afar.
The others gasped. Celestial Heart Ambrosia!
That was one of the most precious treasures found in the River of Destiny. To River Emperors, there was nothing better for aiding a breakthrough!
River Emperors would fight bitterly over even a drop of the stuff, let alone a full three carries.
If those three catties were put up for auction, they’d fetch an astronomical sum in Destiny Jades.
Under ordinary circumstances, money alone wasn’t enough to buy such a treasure. It was just too rare.
When River Ancestor Shen Xiao saw the envy on their faces, his heart still ached at the loss of this treasure, but he felt better.
Rewarding those who contributed was a matter of principle!
Since Su Yi had contributed so much, he naturally didn’t mind rewarding him accordingly.
This also served to help the others understand that so long as they cooperated and did as they were told, they wouldn’t go unrewarded!
This was a way of establishing trust!
Su Yi was surprised; he hadn’t expected that River Ancestor Shen Xiao would go to such lengths.
He was all too happy to accept the jade bottle, and he said with appreciation, “Thank you.”
River Ancestor Shen Xiao laughed. “What are you thanking me for? There might have been misunderstandings between us, but your performance has made me revise my opinion of you. If you aren’t opposed, I welcome you to call me Daoist Brother going forward!”
He sounded forthright and sincere.
Su Yi promptly clasped his fist and said, “I know better than to refuse out of politeness. Please look out for me going forward, Daoist Brother!”
Wang Zhiwu exclaimed inwardly just seeing this. Not even a dog would believe a word of that crap. How do they make their bullshit sound so natural?