C12 Encounter

With a swift motion, Su He left the Su Family and made arrangements for his companions within the three major families. He then set out on his own.

Before long, Su He arrived at a grand courtyard.

The door creaked open as if someone had been expecting him. Without hesitation, Su He stepped inside.

He followed the servant through a series of turns and courtyards, finally coming face to face with the individual he sought—an audience with the Crown Prince, Yang Qian, and Mo Wentian.

"Greetings, Your Highness!" Su He immediately knelt in respect.

"Rise," Yang Qian commanded, his voice detached. "Have you gathered the information I requested?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Su He replied urgently. "Before my return to the Su Family, Su Hai took many of our elders to where Su Li was located. He then strictly ordered that the news be kept under wraps, forbidding anyone from disclosing it."

Yang Qian's face darkened, and with a snap, he crushed the cup in his grasp, his tone icy. "What I need to know is whether Su Li is dead or not!"

Anger seethed within Yang Qian.

For some reason, despite the Death Monarch's mid-stage Oceanic Wheel prowess, Yang Qian couldn't shake a sense of unease.

It had been two hours since the Death Monarch's visit to the Su Family. By all accounts, even if Su Li was merely at the early stage of the Oceanic Wheel, the Death Monarch should have easily dispatched him.

The Death Monarch's absence suggested complications, and Yang Qian was not one to overlook potential issues.

Thus, he had risked sending a letter to Su He, demanding confirmation of Su Li's fate.

Su He was chosen for this task because the royal family had been his benefactor, aiding his advancement to the early stage of the Oceanic Wheel.

Yet now, Su He had failed to ascertain Su Li's status, fueling Yang Qian's ire.

At the sight of Yang Qian's displeasure, Su He's knees buckled, and he knelt once more, pleading, "Please forgive me, Your Highness. Su Hai, that old man, is also at the early stage of the Oceanic Wheel. He was personally standing guard outside Su Li's room, making it impossible for me to approach."

"Useless!"

Yang Qian barked, "Get out of my sight! If we hear from the Trembleglades tomorrow that Su Li truly is a renegade disciple, you'll be the first I send to launch an attack!"

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, Su He's face paled.

News coming in?

Hadn't it been confirmed already?

Su He was filled with regret now.

If Su Li wasn't a renegade disciple, he'd be the first to face the consequences!

"What are you standing around for? Beat it!"

Yang Qian delivered a kick to Su He's rear, sending him flying.

"Hehe, why the rush, Your Highness?"

Mo Wentian took a leisurely sip of his tea and chuckled, "The Death Monarch is merely at the mid-stage of the Oceanic Wheel realm. The Su Family, united, might stand a chance to repel him. If I'm not mistaken, the Death Monarch is likely hiding out somewhere, biding his time for a second attempt on Su Li's life. That's probably why Su Hai is so vigilantly guarding Su Li's door."

Yang Qian's mood improved slightly after hearing this.

"By the way, I've heard that the Master of the Coldhammers has relocated their headquarters to Suuton City?"

Yang Qian steered the conversation in a new direction, inquiring of Mo Wentian.

"That's merely a ruse. The true headquarters of the Coldhammers is in Ouismouth City."

Mo Wentian explained, "Rest assured, Your Highness. The Mo Family has mobilized their strongest for the sole purpose of seizing the Coldhammers. With the support of the Imperial Earth Dragon Guard, the Coldhammers will surely be crushed!"

"That's reassuring."

Yang Qian nodded in agreement.

To Yang Qian, securing the Coldhammers was the top priority.

Regarding Su Li, as soon as word arrived from the Trembleglades, he could easily capture him with a handful of Oceanic Wheel realm powerhouses.

Time marched on.

The following morning, just outside Suuton City, two steeds charged forward.

One was ridden by a young woman in her twenties, and the other by a middle-aged man.

Upon entering Suuton City, they didn't slow down but made a beeline for the City Lord's Mansion.

Ignoring the mansion's guards, they rode straight through the gates.

"Where is the Crown Prince?"

The young girl remained silent, but the middle-aged man beside her dismounted and demanded icily, "Come out at once!"

Swish!

In fact, Yang Qian had been informed as soon as the young girl and the middle-aged man had set foot in Suuton City.

He quickly left the room and approached the middle-aged man with a respectful bow, asking, "Senior, may I know the reason for summoning me?"

Yang Qian was astute.

He sensed that the middle-aged man's cultivation level was of the Celestial River Realm.

Even the girl on horseback was in the early stages of the Oceanic Wheel Realm.

Addressing the middle-aged man as 'senior' was only appropriate.

Moreover,

Yang Qian noticed a blue jade pendant at the girl's waist.

Through Mo Wentian, Yang Qian had learned that Shen Ning, the prodigy of the Trembleglades, had two maids: Lan'er and Cai'er.

The girl with the blue jade pendant was clearly Lan'er, Shen Ning's maid.

Whoosh!

The middle-aged man flicked his wrist, tossing a letter to Yang Qian with a curt, "Read this."

Pow!

Yang Qian caught the letter and tore it open, his eyes scanning the contents.

With each line, his excitement grew, and by the end, he could barely suppress a smile.

His gamble had paid off!

Indeed, Mo Wentian hadn't deceived him—Su Li was truly the forsaken disciple of the Trembleglades!

Lan'er, Shen Ning's maid, and the middle-aged man had come with a definitive purpose: to enlist their help in eliminating Su Li!

Within the Trembleglades, Ling Xu and the Sect Master Shen Qiang were equally matched.

Ling Xu had once fought desperately to protect Su Li, leaving Shen Qiang no choice but to expel him.

Now, with Shen Qiang's power having surged past Ling Xu, Shen Ning had dispatched her maid and the middle-aged man to finish off Su Li!

"Su He!"

Yang Qian gripped the letter firmly and called out, "Gather your men, we're heading to the Su residence!"

"Yes!"

At this juncture,

Su He had also begun to piece together the unfolding events.

He was ecstatic and wasted no time in leading the multitude of warriors who had defected from the Su Family towards their former home.

"Please wait here for a moment; I'm going to behead Su Li right now!" Yang Qian said, bowing his fists to the middle-aged man and Lan'er.

"There's no need. I'll come with you."

Lan'er dismounted and explained, "My sister insisted that I witness that man's death with my own eyes. Only then will she be at peace."

"Everyone, stick to the original plan!" Yang Qian quickly rallied his forces.

The royal family and the Mo family members in Suuton were already fully prepared.

At Yang Qian's command, they departed from the City Lord's Mansion and advanced on the Su Family compound.

The City Lord's Mansion wasn't far from the Su Family's residence.

So it didn't take long for Su He and the defectors to arrive at the main entrance of the Su Family estate.

"Su Hai, you old cur!" Su He stomped on the ground, propelling himself into the air. His fist crackled with Genuine Qi as he bellowed, "Come out and face your death!"

With a thunderous boom, as his voice echoed away, Su He unleashed a punch filled with ferocious Genuine Qi.

The massive bronze gates stood no chance against Su He's assault and were blasted apart, splitting in two with a resounding crash.