Chapter Sixty-Five: Danger in the Brothel
Nine flying swords transformed into a thousand streams of golden light, converging to pierce the fist. In an instant, the fist was engulfed in dazzling gold, the silver light swallowed completely.
Heaven moves with unceasing vigor; a gentleman strengthens himself without rest.
This was the opening incantation of the "Heavenly Sword Formula," declaring that one's attack must be as relentless as the will of heaven itself.
Su Yizhao chanted under his breath, while the hexagonal pool of profound energy in his dantian slowly drained.
A dense clashing rang out, as wave after wave of golden light shot forth.
At last, the fist could no longer withstand the assault—its momentum halted, and it began to retreat. In midair, the dwarf cultivator's figure hung motionless, his stunted arms slowly bending.
On the long street below, the breath of tens of thousands of cultivators caught in their throats.
Such a splendid sword strike—its brilliance landed not only on the fist of the dwarf cultivator, but also on the hearts of all who watched.
Indeed, the "Heavenly Sword Formula" spoke of attacks that never ceased. But how many in the world could truly cultivate the technique to such a degree?
The dwarf cultivator dared not withdraw, his eyes bulging wide.
Suddenly, countless ripples shot from his forehead toward Su Yizhao.
A soul attack!
Within his Purple Mansion, Su Yizhao's soul avatar braced itself, hands swiftly forming seals, conjuring a spiritual umbrella in an instant.
For several heartbeats, the standoff held. In that span, Su Yizhao had unleashed over ten thousand swords.
Abruptly, Chi Xiangdong made his move.
But his target was not the dwarf cultivator—it was behind Su Yizhao.
Behind Su Yizhao was Gou Haitian, pressed tight against the wall. At that moment, the wall behind Gou Haitian shattered as if struck by a mighty force, crumbling to dust in an instant.
Gou Haitian was exposed before all.
Chi Xiangdong's true target was behind Gou Haitian.
Within Su Yizhao's Purple Mansion, the soul attack pierced in, slamming into the spiritual umbrella.
A dull, rhythmic pounding sounded—Su Yizhao could see his soul avatar's form growing faint.
With a thunderous roar, Chi Xiangdong lunged behind Gou Haitian, punching into empty air. Out of the void, a fist materialized, meeting his own in a deafening clash.
Chi Xiangdong was hurled back at even greater speed, landing upright in his chair, blood gushing from his mouth.
A shadow tumbled out of thin air behind Gou Haitian—a second dwarf cultivator.
The entire building shook, teetering on the verge of collapse.
On the long street, tens of thousands of cultivators activated their messaging talismans.
"Lay a hand on my son, and you die!"
At that moment, a furious roar sounded. Above the two dwarf cultivators, space itself split open, and a giant palm descended from the void, aiming to crush their skulls.
A Void Realm cultivator!
Su Yizhao's eyes widened—once more, he witnessed the methods of a Void Realm master.
Yet the two dwarf cultivators, appearing to have some reliance, showed no fear. They spun and fled.
As expected, the void behind them split open as well, two fists bursting forth to meet the palms.
With a thunderous boom, space tore apart at the point of contact.
A tangible shockwave rippled outward, obliterating everything in its path—walls and houses alike reduced to dust.
In a tremendous crash, the towering building collapsed in an instant, three figures soaring out from the billowing dust.
Su Yizhao, gripping Gou Haitian’s shoulder, stood shoulder to shoulder with Chi Xiangdong. A dozen paces before them stood the back of a middle-aged man.
"Let go of me!" Gou Haitian finally found his voice.
Su Yizhao released his hold, and Gou Haitian darted out from behind him.
The middle-aged man turned, his expression calm and unreadable. He cupped his hands and said, "Fellow Daoists, please come with me."
Gou Haitian was about to protest, but the man grabbed him and vanished with him in an instant.
Su Yizhao and Chi Xiangdong exchanged a glance. Chi Xiangdong's lips moved rapidly.
Su Yizhao caught the words clearly: "We’ve struck gold!"
He was speechless. So this scoundrel had seen there was another player from the start—that surname suited him well.
When Su Yizhao and his companion entered the parlor, Gou Haitian had already recovered and was speaking animatedly with Gou Yuer.
Su Yizhao’s eyes lit up at the sight of Gou Yuer in her simple dress.
At that moment, while recounting his tale, Gou Haitian glanced at him.
The middle-aged man, seated in a chair, rose and cupped his hands. "I am Gou Jiancheng. My thanks to you both, fellow Daoists!"
Gou Yuer, her exquisite features touched by a smile, bowed in thanks as well.
Chi Xiangdong hastily returned the gesture to the middle-aged man, while Su Yizhao saluted Gou Yuer.
Gou Haitian, however, did not thank them. Instead, he exclaimed, "Why did you stop him? Why not let me take his punch?"
Su Yizhao was stunned.
Take his punch?
That brat would have been beaten to a pulp!
Gou Jiancheng sat down and barked, "Tian'er, enough nonsense! Had this fellow Daoist not blocked the attack, you’d be dead by now. Offer your thanks, quickly!"
Gou Haitian, obedient for once, mimicked the adults and bowed. "Thank you, my senior brothers. But really, it’s only right for a senior brother to save his juniors. When we return to the sect, I’ll just help you train more!"
A few days as senior brother, and he was already used to it!
Gou Yuer could not help but let out a tinkling laugh.
In that instant, the whole room seemed to bloom with spring; a sense of ease pervaded.
Gou Haitian stared in a daze, murmuring, "Auntie’s smile is so lovely! But I really want to see just how powerful the ancestor protecting me truly is!"
Su Yizhao heard this clearly, and his heart trembled.
An ancestor protecting him?
Suddenly, he recalled Li Xiumoon.
When Li Xiumoon faced mortal danger, the family ancestor from the painting had appeared and destroyed the threat in an instant.
Did this brat also have an ancestor guarding him?
He glanced at Chi Xiangdong, who looked as though he’d known all along.
"Well then, if you two need anything, just say the word. The Gou family always repays its debts—this is a rule passed down from our ancestors, and it must be upheld!"
Chi Xiangdong was about to speak, but Su Yizhao quickly cupped his hands. "There’s no need! Truly, we didn’t do this for a reward."
Gou Jiancheng’s gaze swept over them, and he smiled. "Fellow Daoist Su, your cultivation system seems to have some issues. It’s understandable that you joined the Mountain-Opening Sect. But what about you, Chi Daoist?"
Chi Xiangdong replied earnestly, "I’m following Daoist Su, starting my cultivation anew—yes, starting anew!"
Gou Haitian’s eyes sparkled with admiration.
This was true friendship!
Children were easily moved by such things, and it was clear he believed the two shared a profound bond.
"Haha, Chi Daoist, your foundation is solid—truly the orthodox method of the Profound School. As it happens, the Gou Family Auction House is short-handed. Would you like—"
"No need, no need! Even a solid foundation can be rebuilt!" Chi Xiangdong thought it through: if he accepted, he’d no longer be Gou Haitian’s senior brother, but just another salaried man—hardly the path to fortune he’d envisioned.
Su Yizhao, meanwhile, lowered his head in thought.
Gou Jiancheng was undoubtedly a Void Realm cultivator. If even he said there was a problem with Su’s cultivation method, it could not be false.
Could Xuan Wuji have truly been wrong?
Long Batian was also a Void Realm cultivator—why hadn’t he pointed it out at the time?
No, wait!
Long Batian had pointed it out!
Xuan Wuji had planned to take him to Xuantian Sect in Vast City, but Long Batian had stopped him.
Why did he stop them?
Xuan Wuji was his junior brother, and his joy at seeing him was genuine. Why would he not agree when his junior brought only one person?
It must have been because there was a problem with his cultivation system—a serious one, so much so that it might be too late to correct.