C3 Su Xuerou

At that moment, a stir broke out at Su Mansion, accompanied by excited cries barely piercing the air, "The Eldest Miss and Second Miss have returned, and Young Master Lin is with them!"

Jee Yun rose to his feet and stepped out into the yard, casting his gaze toward the trio following Uncle Liu through the main gate.

Among them was a man of elegant demeanor, currently speaking with a warm smile. At his side was a lady in a white dress, her features so finely crafted they seemed the work of an artisan's hand—arched brows, a delicate nose, her aura as ethereal as a snow lotus in full bloom on a distant peak.

She was Su Xuerou, acclaimed as Dirtcliff's foremost beauty.

And the man beside her...

Lin Haotian, known as the Heaven-Shaking Fist.

Together, they stood as Dirtcliff's finest warriors, revered as the Twin Stars of the realm.

"Uncle Liu, is all well within the mansion?" called out a girl of sixteen or seventeen, her youthful figure accentuated by her vibrant red attire, which lent her an air of vivacious energy.

Uncle Liu, upon hearing the inquiry from his Second Miss, nodded with a smile, "All is well, indeed!"

But then, as if recalling something, he added, "However, about half an hour ago, students from Spincog Academy arrived!"

"People from Spincog Academy?" Su Xuerou's brows knit together in mild confusion.

"Hehe, Sis, I bet Spincog Academy has come to extend you an invitation to join them!" the girl in red laughed lightly. She was no stranger to such occurrences; after all, her sister was celebrated as a martial arts prodigy in Dirtcliff, much like Brother Haotian standing there...

Admiration filled the young girl's eyes as she glanced at the man beside her.

"Hehe, it's probably just as Xiaomei suggests—they're likely here to extend an invitation. Though Spincog Academy isn't too shabby, it pales in comparison to the likes of us geniuses," Lin Haotian chimed in with a chuckle, echoing Su Xiaomei's sentiment.

"Exactly, Sis. You and Brother Haotian are once-in-a-century talents, dubbed the Twin Stars of Dirtcliff. We certainly don't need to bother with Spincog Academy!"

Xiaomei, you must be kidding. Xuerou is renowned as the foremost beauty of Dirtcliff. I wouldn't presume to hold a candle to her!" Lin Haotian said with a chuckle, shaking his head in feigned humility, though the smugness in his eyes only seemed to grow.

Su Xuerou gave them a glance and shook her head, asking in a detached tone, "And where are they now?"

Uncle Liu, looking rather embarrassed, glanced at the trio before quietly saying, "They weren't here for Miss, but for Jee Yun. They've already departed."

"Jee Yun? That good-for-nothing? How can that be? What would Spincog Academy want with him?" Su Xiaomei's face showed a flicker of surprise before she scoffed dismissively.

Su Xuerou's brow creased slightly. She wasn't upset by Su Xiaomei's public ridicule of her husband; she was merely curious about Spincog Academy's interest in Jee Yun.

Had it not been for her father's dying wish for her to marry Jee Yun, she would never have consented to it.

In her view, there was only one man who could match her, but sadly, she had never met him before his untimely demise.

"Have him come see me," Su Xuerou commanded, her voice tinged with frost. Though they had been wed for five years, their conversations could be counted on two hands, and they had never consummated the marriage. In name only, they were husband and wife.

"Something the matter?" Jee Yun glanced at his nominal wife, paying no mind to the scornful looks from the others.

Yet, Jee Yun's demeanor only deepened the disdain and contempt in Lin Haotian and Su Xiaomei's eyes. Su Xiaomei spoke up irritably, "Hey! Ji, are you blind? There are two other people here. Aren't you going to come over and say hello?"

At her words, Jee Yun turned and gave the pair a brief nod, his nod serving as a perfunctory greeting.

"You!" Su Xiaomei was incensed, ready to lash out at Jee Yun, but Lin Haotian intervened, "Xiaomei, let it be. You know how Brother Ji is."

Over the years, he had visited Su Mansion no less than a dozen times. His reaction to Jee Yun's attitude wasn't anger, but contempt. Why should he concern himself with someone he deemed worthless? It wasn't worth compromising his poise over someone as insignificant as an ant.

Su Xiaomei was irked by Lin Haotian's remarks, but she decided to drop the matter. Casting a spiteful glare at Jee Yun, she said coolly, "If Brother Haotian feels that way, I won't stoop to arguing with trash like you."

Su Xuerou's brows knit slightly. "Did someone from Spincog Academy come looking for you?"

"Yes," Jee Yun replied, his expression serene.

"What for?" Su Xuerou didn't comment on Jee Yun's composure, simply asking in a subdued tone.

"Nothing much, just fulfilling a request from someone I know. Anything else? If not, I should be on my way," Jee Yun said, shaking his head and speaking indifferently, clearly not inclined to share more.

"Someone you know?" Su Xuerou's frown deepened. She wasn't familiar with Jee Yun's history, but she was aware that he hardly had any friends. His explanation hardly seemed credible, yet she refrained from probing further. "No, nothing else."

Their status as husband and wife belied the distance between them; their exchange was as impersonal as that of two strangers.

Jee Yun nodded, then turned to leave. But after a few steps, he paused as if struck by a thought and said, "The decennial chaos is about to start. Take care of yourself."

With those words, he left without a backward glance.

Su Xuerou was startled by his comment, a look of astonishment flashing in her eyes. "How does he know about the ten-year chaos? Could those students have told him?" she wondered, recalling the recent visit from Spincog Academy students.

...

On the Xigish Continent, beyond the expanse of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, the eastern region was the only other area fit for human settlement.

The landscape carved the land into four major territories: Irongate, Dirtcliff, East Sun, and Green Cloud.

In Irongate at this moment...

The leader of the Red Rebel, Xue Tiandao, whose face was usually a mask of cold indifference, now seethed with a surge of murderous intent. A decade ago, rumors had surfaced that the Venom God hadn't perished on the Star Platform but had been rescued by Mo Shan of Dirtcliff's Spincog Academy. Since then, he had his people watch Mo Shan's every move relentlessly.

Moments ago, a message from my subordinate confirmed that Mo Shan has finally made a move!

After ten years, news at last!

A decade ago, the Venom God took the life of my only son. The agony of such a loss has fueled my desire for vengeance against the Venom God every waking moment. Now, the time for retribution has come!

"The Star Platform is active, and the Starry Decree has emerged. I always knew you wouldn't accept defeat, that you'd return to this world. But you stand no chance now. Even if Yun Xiuchen's palm strike didn't end you, I suspect your martial prowess has diminished to nothing! Hmph! Venom God, your death is imminent!"

With these words, Xue Tiandao addressed the desolate hall, his voice icy, "Shura, proceed. A year ago, you entered the realm of the masters. Venom God—or should I say, Jee Yun—your fate is now in your hands!"

"Yes, Sect Master!" A deep voice echoed through the vacant hall before fading away.

"Venom God, what does it matter if you were once a divine martial artist? Your strength has waned over the last ten years, while I have mastered the essence of martial arts, ascending to sainthood. Your end is inevitable! To think you could become a Star Refiner? Don't make me laugh."

Gazing upon the empty hall, Xue Tiandao let out a scornful chuckle, his eyes ablaze with a maniacal intent to kill.