C9 Departing from the Mansion

"Snap!"

The sharp crack of a slap echoed, causing everyone in the room to flinch. Su Xiaomei's face was a mask of disbelief and hurt.

"How was I supposed to know Jee Yun is the Venom God?"

"He's always been so meek, like a total loser!" Su Xiaomei protested, cradling her reddening cheek. She couldn't believe that her uncle, who had always doted on her, would strike her.

And to do so publicly.

The humiliation and bitterness swelled within her.

Naturally, Su Xiaomei harbored all her resentment towards Jee Yun.

She didn't take a moment to introspect.

Even now, Su Xiaomei was convinced that Jee Yun's concealment of his true identity was utterly contemptible.

"That's enough!"

"Brother Su, blaming Su Xiaomei now won't change what's happened. We need to find Jee Yun, and quickly!"

"Xuerou, can you tell us where Jee Yun has gone?"

Lin Muran's commanding voice cut through the exchange between Su Nanyan and Su Xiaomei.

Lin Haotian was the Lin family's brightest hope for a martial arts grandmaster.

And he was Lin Muran's only child.

Learning that Su Xiaomei had sent Lin Haotian after the Venom God, Lin Muran was frantic with worry.

He didn't know Jee Yun personally.

But the Venom God of legend was a fearsome killer, whose sword had claimed innumerable souls.

His blade was merciless.

"Yes, Xuerou, where has Jee Yun gone? Lead the way quickly. If we can find him now, there's still time to stop Lin Haotian!" Su Nanyan, chastised by Lin Muran, didn't take offense.

He knew he was at fault and turned his attention to Su Xuerou.

"Where has Jee Yun gone?" Su Xuerou's face was etched with complex emotions.

She felt lost.

Jee Yun had told her she would know where to find him.

But now, Su Xuerou realized that after five years of marriage, her understanding of Jee Yun was painfully superficial.

To her, he was almost a stranger.

"If I'm not mistaken!"

"If he truly is the Venom God, then his departure must mean he's headed to Bayliers Peaks!"

Under the watchful eyes of those around her, Su Xuerou closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before confidently asserting her belief.

She didn't fully understand Jee Yun.

Yet, Su Xuerou had long harbored an admiration for the Venom God.

He was the one she had deemed the only worthy match for herself.

And yet, he had been by her side for nearly a decade, unbeknownst to her.

"Bayliers Peaks? Of course, the chaos has erupted once more!"

"The Venom God met his misfortune there, back in the day!"

"We must hurry out of the city!"

"Haotian better not do anything foolish!"

"Brother Wang, Brother Su, to prevent any mishaps, I'll make a move ahead of you!"

Lin Muran's mind was a whirlwind of chaos, leaving no room to consider Su Xuerou's feelings. His thoughts were consumed by the name "Bayliers Peaks."

"We should go as well!"

"We cannot let anything happen to Haotian!"

"Su Xiaomei, if Haotian comes to harm, how will you live with yourself?" Su Nanyan's face turned beet red as he watched her look of distress, his anger bubbling up.

He shot Su Xiaomei a fierce glare, though ultimately, all he could muster was a sharp reprimand.

Then, the group set off in haste toward the outskirts of the Central Mansion.

Their swift departure sent the entire Su Mansion into an uproar.

Outside the Central Mansion.

Jee Yun, however, remained oblivious to the turmoil within the Su Mansion.

Even if he were aware, it wouldn't concern him.

He packed his bags and set out with his sword, not out of spite towards Su Xiaomei, but because he sensed the timing was right.

A decade spent honing a sword.

For ten years, he had lain low in the Dirtcliff Su Family, never once stepping beyond its bounds, yet his old nemesis seemed to be omnipresent.

Xue Tiandao hadn't come in person but had dispatched the Blood Asura.

This signaled that Jee Yun's cover was blown.

Rather than endure Xue Tiandao's relentless pursuit, Jee Yun resolved to confront the threat head-on and bring matters to a close.

The old grudges were still crystal clear in Jee Yun's memory.

Xue Tiandao's sole heir had ambushed Jee Yun multiple times amidst the Bayliers Peaks. Enraged, Jee Yun ultimately struck him down. Yet, it was this very act that agitated Yun Xiuchen's spiritual pet.

Ultimately, on the Star Platform, Jee Yun had a brush with death but survived.

"I haven't even come looking for you yet!"

"To think you, Xue Tiandao, would court death!" Jee Yun gazed at the streaks of dawn on the horizon and shook his head gently. His eyes swept over the mountains and lakes beyond the city walls.

He felt an unstoppable force within him, ready to burst forth and shatter the skies.

Ten years ago.

Had it not been for a series of mishaps, Jee Yun would have already ascended to the Star Domain and become a Star Refiner.

"With the Starry Decree reemerging, I must seize the opportunity to enter the Star Domain, no matter what."

Jee Yun's eyes held a complex mix of emotions as he glanced back at the Central Prefecture looming behind him. With determined strides, he walked away, leaving no room for sentiment.

He had resolved to repay Su Nantian's kindness with the Starry Decree.

Su Xuerou hadn't chosen to divorce, but her intentions were clear.

Yet, as Jee Yun, with his sword in hand, was about to set off on his journey, the sound of a galloping horse echoed from behind.

"Hyah! Hyah!"

"Jee Yun, halt!" The thunder of hooves was still distant, but a green silhouette was swiftly closing in.

Jee Yun paused, surprised to hear his name called out.

Turning, he recognized the pursuer as someone he knew.

It was Lin Haotian, the Lin Family's prodigy, who had grown close to Su Xuerou over the years.

"I told you to stop! Didn't you hear?" Lin Haotian's eyebrows furrowed in frustration, his irritation mounting as Jee Yun continued to disregard him.

The Dragon Horse he rode leapt forward, cutting off Jee Yun's path—a magnificent spiritual beast of extraordinary value.

In all of Dirtcliff, he alone had the luxury of using a spiritual beast for travel.

"What do you want?" Jee Yun's eyebrows arched ever so slightly. He couldn't be bothered to give Lin Haotian a second glance, but he did take a few moments to eye the Dragon Horse upon which Lin Haotian was seated.

This was a green Dragon Horse, a mount of rare spirit and distinction in the mortal realm, one that would fetch a fortune at auction.

Yet, in Jee Yun's opinion, it was a shame that such a fine steed was in the hands of Lin Haotian.

To Jee Yun, the so-called prodigies of Dirtcliff were nothing more than subpar upstarts.

Hence, over the years, Lin Haotian's repeated attempts to flaunt his status before Su Xuerou and sideline Jee Yun were met with nothing but Jee Yun's dismissive chuckles.

The gap in their realms was simply too vast.

Engaging seriously with Lin Haotian, Jee Yun felt, would only demean himself.

Unexpectedly, as Jee Yun was about to embark on a journey, Lin Haotian had hastened out of the city to confront him.

"Hmph, Jee Yun, what have you done? Are you truly unaware?"

"Little Sister Xiaomei wrote to me, claiming you insulted her and Xuerou, and now you're trying to flee!"

"Have you lost your senses? Xuerou is the unrivaled beauty of Dirtcliff. You, a worthless nobody, how could you match her, let alone dare to be so faithless?"