C1 Return

In the northern reaches of the Firmament Continent lies Suuton City.

Approaching midday, the relentless sun scorched the earth, with waves of heat sweeping relentlessly through the city.

In times past, the Su Family, once a declining lineage in Suuton, would have seen their gates deserted.

However, since Su Li became a disciple of Ling Xu three years ago, the Su Family has leapt to prominence as the fourth most powerful family in Suuton!

Today, a bustling crowd gathers at the Su Family's gates.

"The Su Family is on the brink of prosperity."

"Indeed. Su Hai must be proud to have such an outstanding son."

"Speaking of which, Su Li is Suuton City's pride—a prodigy who at thirteen was taken under the wing of Ling Xu of the Trembleglades, becoming his sole direct disciple."

"It's truly enviable! The Trembleglades rank among the top sects for cultivation in the entire Northern Spirit Realm. Even the ruler of the Mollukya Empire is but an outer disciple there."

"Three years have gone by. Do you think Su Li has reached the Oceanic Wheel level?"

"Isn't it obvious? Have you not noticed? Today, not only the three major families of Suuton are present, but even the crown prince, Yang Qian, has personally come to court favor with the Su Family!"

"The royal family seeks a marriage alliance with the Su Family, and they've announced a grand invitation for a month from now! The bride-to-be is none other than Yang Qian's dearly cherished sister, Yang Lan!"

At that revelation, a collective gasp rose from the crowd at the Su Family's gate.

Could the royal family truly be seeking an alliance with the Su Family through marriage?

They had assumed that Su Li's achievements alone would elevate the Su Family above the three great families of Suuton, crowning them the new rulers of the city.

But now it appeared...

They had underestimated the situation, their imaginations stifled by naivety.

Consider this: the king of the Mollukya Empire has recently hinted at abdication.

As the empire's crown prince, Yang Qian's ascension to the throne could be imminent.

With the new ruler's ascension, a multitude of chaotic affairs ensued.

At this pivotal juncture, Yang Qian, accompanied by Yang Lan, took the initiative to visit the Su family. This bold move signified that the Su family was poised to leap to the forefront as a premier power within the Mollukya Empire!

Rustle!

As the onlookers waited with eager anticipation.

A black-haired youth gradually came into view.

His arrival set the entire area abuzz with excitement!

"This is..."

"Suuton City!"

"Who am I..."

"Su Li! No, I am the Sovereign of the Nirvana Pill!"

At that moment.

A look of incredulity crossed Su Li's eyes.

He was once the preeminent alchemist of the Kunlun Realm, known as the Sovereign of the Heaven Battling Pill!

Furthermore.

His martial prowess was nothing short of extraordinary.

In a mere few centuries, he had ascended to the Sky King Realm, positioning him as the most likely candidate to achieve the exalted status of Immortal King in the entire Kunlun Realm.

By a stroke of fate.

He had discovered the Immortal King Pill Scripture in the Netherworld Cave. After years of dedicated study and experimentation, he succeeded in crafting an Immortal King Pill.

However, his triumph was short-lived as news of his achievement leaked. At his most vulnerable, he was besieged by the other nine Sky Kings of the Kunlun Realm. Left with no alternative, he ingested the Immortal King Pill.

Ultimately.

Unable to endure the potent effects of the pill, he was compelled to self-destruct.

Against all odds.

He did not perish but was instead transported back to his youthful days!

"Trembleglades Sect!"

Su Li's fists tightened, his features taking on a chilling resolve.

The warriors around him were oblivious to his true circumstances.

To put it precisely.

He had not returned from the Trembleglades Sect having completed his training; rather, he was their discarded disciple!

The title of discarded disciple was one his master, Ling Xu, had secured for him at great personal cost.

If not for that.

The sect master of the Trembleglades would have undoubtedly had him secretly executed!

Nevertheless.

Despite Ling Xu's valiant efforts to save him, Shen Qiang, the sect master, had still infused his body with a substantial amount of poison as a precautionary measure.

As the saying goes, an innocent man can be guilty if he possesses a gem.

His martial arts talent was exceptional, and his cultivation speed was frighteningly fast.

But before long, he plummeted from heaven to hell.

His cultivation not only stagnated but also began to regress.

Eventually.

When his cultivation dropped to the Body Tempering Realm, he was falsely accused of violating Shen Ning, the Sect Master's daughter.

Enraged.

The sect master, in a fury, ordered his execution by dismemberment.

Had it not been for Ling Xu sacrificing a wealth of resources to defend him, he would never have made it back alive to the Su family in Suuton.

"Most High bones, heh, utterly ridiculous."

Su Li scoffed.

In his past life.

He was clueless as to why he had suffered so, but now, Su Li understood clearly.

The stagnation and rapid decline of his cultivation were solely because his Most High bone had been forcibly removed from his body.

Stripped of the Most High bone, he was left severely weakened.

In such a state, how could he have possibly assaulted Shen Ning?

It was all a setup.

In fact.

The trap had been laid since he was seven or eight years old, just waiting for him to walk into the abyss step by step.

"Why the daze? Come and pay your respects to the prince."

Lost in thought.

Su Li felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Father."

Turning to see the familiar face, Su Li's eyes moistened slightly.

Though he had found a way back to Suuton in his previous life, that was millennia ago, and everything had changed.

His former adversaries had long since vanished.

Yet.

Seeing Yang Qian next to Su Hai, a chill flickered in Su Li's eyes.

He remembered all too well.

Yang Qian had played a significant role in his rise to become a revered pill master.

Without a doubt.

At the forthcoming banquet, Yang Qian would learn of his squandered talent.

And then, Yang Qian's reaction was grossly over the top!

Treason!

In a fit of rage and humiliation, Yang Qian falsely branded the Su family as traitors.

This was the reason.

The Su family had become the object of scorn and hatred throughout the entire Mollukya Empire.

Su Li would never forget that day.

The entire Su family, all one hundred and thirty of them, were hanged on the city walls.

He was somewhat fortunate.

Instead of being hanged, his limbs were severed, and he was thrown into a bottomless abyss not far from Suuton City.

Unexpectedly, he survived.

He was rescued by the wandering Gray Cloud Immortal.

Thanks to the meticulous care of the Gray Cloud Immortal, not only did his limbs regenerate, but his cultivation also advanced rapidly. In a short time, he had exceeded the cultivation of his master, the Gray Cloud Immortal, becoming the preeminent cultivator in the entire Kunlun Realm!

It's fair to say that without Yang Qian, he wouldn't be where he is today.

"I should pay a visit to the Crown Prince."

A smile played at the corners of Su Li's mouth.

Having returned to his youth, he understood what mattered most.

Cultivation improvement!

At present, the priority wasn't to engage in conflict but to do everything possible to enhance his cultivation in preparation for the looming disaster.

In his previous life, he had been disheartened and had lost the supreme bone, so he dared not use the medicinal materials people had offered him.

This time around, he wouldn't be so cautious.

"The Crown Prince has been waiting too long."

Su Li turned to face Yang Qian with a changed expression and apologized, "Please forgive my tardiness."

Yang Qian, who appeared to be in his late twenties, smiled slightly and gestured toward the golden boxes held by two attendants. "Inside these is a Spirit Fortifying Pill and a demon core from an early-stage Celestial River Demon Beast."

Boom!

At Yang Qian's announcement, the surrounding warriors all showed looks of utter astonishment.

The demon core of a Celestial River Beast was one thing, but the Spirit Fortifying Pill was invaluable!

The Spirit Fortifying Pill, a peak third-grade medicinal pill, could unconditionally elevate an Oceanic Wheel cultivator by one level.

"Thank you."

Su Li accepted the golden box with a smile and said, "The Crown Prince truly understands me. Today, I am just about to attempt a breakthrough to the Celestial River Realm. These two treasures from the Crown Prince have come at a critical time for me."

Upon hearing Su Li's declaration of reaching the Celestial River Realm, not only did the onlookers' eyes widen in surprise, but even Crown Prince Yang Qian's gaze flickered with astonishment. It's common knowledge that the power structure of the continent ascends from the Body Tempering Realm to the Oceanic Wheel Realm, followed by the Celestial River Realm, the Mystic Insight Realm, and finally the Divine Sea Realm. The reigning sovereign of the Mollukya Empire has only achieved the late stages of the Celestial River Realm. Su Li, at the mere age of sixteen, is on the cusp of entering the Celestial River Realm. Clearly, befriending him today was a wise decision.

"Little Lan, come over here," Yang Qian called out, managing to keep his excitement in check. He gestured to the girl in the purple dress standing nearby and continued, "Since it's your first meeting, take some time to get to know each other."