The Divine Nine-Dragon Cauldron
chapter-65

"Father, you should go rest in the manor of the Third Prince. Allow me to go deal with the Duke of Qin before coming back to discuss things with you," Su Yu bade goodbye to the Duke of Xianyu.

The Duke of Xianyu and Xia Linxuan's family went over to the manor of the Third Prince. They were not disturbed, as the manor was heavily guarded.

Su Yu and the Third Prince were hot in pursuit of the Duke of Qin. At the outskirts of the capital, an envoy reported, "Reporting to the Third Prince, the carriage of the Duke of Qin is escaping in the direction of the Fenghuang Empire!"

The Third Prince immediately ordered the soldiers to ready themselves for pursuit.

"Wait a moment!" Su Yu stood on his horse as he gazed far away. His crystalline pupils were worked to their limits.

After his cleansing, his eyes could see everything up to five miles—three more miles than he had previously been able to see.

Within a radius of five miles, small moments such as waving grass were all within his view.

"The envoy going towards the Fenghuang Empire is just a decoy—those carriages are steered by many juniors from the Qin family. The Duke of Qin and his dependents are escaping towards the Northwest, three miles away. They are steering a bull cart, disguised as farmers." Su Yu's gaze was harsh.

The Third prince showed no hesitation. "Northwest! Pursue them quickly!"

The envoy was shocked, deep in disbelief. How could the eyes of a mortal observe a situation as far as three miles away? Furthermore, Su Yu was even able to identify what the other party was wearing.

They were in disbelief. Nonetheless, the soldiers were fully convinced not an hour later.

The guards in pursuit did indeed stop a bull cart—but there were only elderly and sick people left in the cart.

The Duke of Qin, Qin Feng, and other important members of the family had boarded a large boat in the river.

The boat was traveling downstream and could travel a thousand miles in a day. Without ample preparation, it would be difficult for the guards to continue their pursuit.

"That old thief Qin is crafty, indeed. He prepared an escape route for himself ages ago." The Third Prince punched his own thigh, visibly frustrated.

The large boat had already left the shore and was a good three-hundred meters away from the shore. The water in the river was rapid and deep beyond imagination, making it hard for them to wade through it.

From three-hundred meters away, even the Third Prince could see the Duke of Qin and Qin Feng as they stood at the helm of the boat. While they looked haggard, they wore a relaxed look on their faces as they laughed at the Third Prince who could nothing about their escape.

Su Yu wore a cold glare. He would never forget the smiles of the father and son.

"Spread my orders—block the river flowing past the prefecture. We will continue our pursuit through the night." The Third Prince was furious. He could not establish his dominance without killing the Duke of Qin. It would prove detrimental to his ascent to the throne.

Su Yu shook his head. "It's useless. They will definitely get to shore before we're able to catch up—they probably have a carriage waiting for them already, ready to escort them to safety."

Why hadn't the Third Prince thought of this? The Duke of Qin was a shrewd man; his escape plan must have been planned very thoroughly.

But the Third Prince was really not satisfied with just letting them escape so easily.

"Their thinking that their troubles are solved just by boarding a boat is very laughable indeed!" Su Yu slowly stood up atop his horse.

The Third Prince did not understand Su Yu, "Brother Su, what do you mean?"

"We capture them on the boat, of course!" Su Yu shot a cold stare towards the boat.

The Third Prince was shocked, "Unless, Brother Su—do you have a plan for us to cross the river? The waves of the river are rapid and the water is deep. Using a small boat will be impossible. Only by using a large boat can we continue chasing the Duke of Qin."

"Heh, there is no need for a plan. I alone will be enough!" Su Yu let out a long whistle before he gently stepped on the horse's head, flying towards the river.

"Brother Su, return quickly!" The Third Prince was shocked. The waters were treacherous; if Su Yu fell into the river and was not adept at swimming, he would lose his life.

But, what the Third Prince witnessed caused his pupils to contract.

At the moment Su Yu was about to plunge into the river, he tapped with his toes and stepped across the surface of the water. He was walking on the water by tapping his toes on the raging river!

Thud, thud, thud ——

The river was rapid—its waves were furious.

Su Yu's figure was agile, like an autumn swallow.

Everyone could see a purple figure as it floated above the river like a ball of light.

"This is the rumored walking on water skill?"

"Can… Can this be done by a mortal?"

The thousands of guards were all shocked.

A glow flashed in within the Third Prince's eyes. "Walking on water… Could this… be the secret manual from the royal palace, the Floating Light Shadow technique?"

Thinking back to the technique that Bai Qixiong had secretly passed to Su Yu, as well as how Su Yu had immediately tried to learn it, the shock on the Third Prince's face grew deeper. He let out a bitter smile. "This royal treasure has not been understood by anyone in a hundred years, but you managed to do it in just an hour. It looks like the technique has always been waiting for you."

The purple light was walking on water. It was magical and beautiful as if a figure of a purple robed deity.

Everyone on the large boat was shocked!

Both the expressions of the Duke of Qin and Qin Feng changed from ease to terror. "Protect us! Bowmen!"

But Su Yu's body was weightless. He dodged the attacks with ease and, once he was within thirty feet, he tapped the tips of his toes together, which conjured a small wave. Su Yu turned into a purple shadow, spiraling as he landed on the deck.

Clink, clank——

The surrounding guards pulled out their swords.

Su Yu stood with his hands behind his back. His purple robe flowed behind him. He conjured multiple small swords with his deep black eyes.

Ah, ah——

In the blink of an eye, two rows of guards dropped dead. The only people left were Qin Feng and the Duke of Qin.

Su Yu looked back at the captain in the cabin, "Go back! Or die."

Creak——

The large boat turned, making its way back to the shore.

The expression on the Duke of Qin's face turned bitter. He knew that he was cornered and had no chance of survival. He stared hard at Su Yu, his eyeballs bulging and making him look ferocious.

The Duke of Qin furiously clenched his jaw. "Su Yu! My Qin family has perished by your hand. We were supposed to help the First Prince ascend to the throne. We were supposed to be prosperous and have many offspring. Why must you eradicate us?"

As he listened to the sounds of the raging river, Su Yu wore a leisurely expression. "Don't blame me for driving you to the edge. If you need to blame something, blame the fact that you attempted to corner me in the past.

"I could tolerate your stealing my girlfriend, for I was incompetent, and I could tolerate your attempts to ambush me—as I had no status, not influence. But, sending someone to assassinate me? You pushed me to the brink, I couldn't overlook that."

Every sentence was like a strike to a gong—Su Yu's words caused the Duke of Qin's heart to tremble.

Who would have thought that the First Prince's massive influence would be destroyed in an instant, due to this small fry who had been so insignificant in the past?

Who would have thought that the Duke of Qin would have his entire family exterminated due to his son's insults towards a commoner's lust for a woman?

If he could turn back time, the Duke of Qin would definitely reprimand his sons.

But, it was too late!

Qin Feng's heart was filled with sadness and great grievances.

Su Yu now held the fate of his family within his hands.

"Su! Yu!" Qin Feng's eyes turned red, "You think you have won?" He bellowed. With a clap of his hand, two guards supporting a lady at the front of the boat stood at attention.

The lady's arms were tied to her back and a large rock was tied to her ankles. If she was pushed off the boat, she would definitely sink to the bottom of the river and drown.

The lady was about fourteen years of age and her appearance shockingly beautiful, like a fox deity from the ancient scrolls. Her beauty was unforgettable.

Beneath her beauty, the lady was haggard. Her bright eyes were filled with sadness.

Gazing at the raging river, she laughed in self-mockery, hinting that death would be a release from her misery.

Ever since she had come to the capital she had been imprisoned, unable to step out of her room. From that moment she had realized that, in the face of power and status, she was but a bargaining chip, a tool, a pawn. She had once naively thought that, by marrying into a noble family, she would be showered with luxury and privilege.

But today, she had received a rude awakening.

Hearing the commotion, she glanced to the side and Su Yu's purple figure entered her field of vision.

Her maiden heart skipped a beat. Jiang Xueqing showed a pained expression, her lips forming a smile of self-mockery. She lightly retracted her gaze as a bitter tear fell on her cheek.

As she recalled the past she shared with Su Yu, Jiang Xueqing let out a pathetic laugh.

For luxury and status, she had broken the feelings between Su Yu and herself. She had thought that breaking up had been the mature, adult thing to do.

Now, she finally understood that it had been a childish and naive thing to do.

She had given up on true love and chosen riches. How ignorant and wilful must one be to make such a decision?

She could not face Su Yu. In fact, in the last moments of her life, he was the last person she wished to see amid her guilt and regret.

"Su Yu! You will never have what I, Qin Feng, cannot have! Push her down!" Qin Feng laughed maniacally, as he felt high from the feeling of revenge. He let out a huge laugh.

Plosh——

Jiang Xueqing was pushed into the raging river.

Su Yu was calm. His purple figure flew. It floated on light and clutched onto shadows, gracefully cutting across the surface of the water.

He pulled Jiang Xueqing, who had already sunken deep into the water, up.

Whoosh——

They both returned to the boat. Su Yu was still dry, but Jiang Xueqing was drenched in the icy cold water of the river. It was the beginning of winter and the water of the river was cold. Jiang Xueqing's petite frame was shivering.

Whoosh——

He removed his purple robe and covered Jiang Xueqin before he released her from her restraints.

No longer looking at her, Su Yu flew towards the cabin and took care of the remaining guards.

In the end, the only ones left were Qin Feng and the Duke of Qin.

"Su Yu, do whatever you want with me! Kill me or disfigure me, do as you please!" The Duke of Qin knew that he was a dead man, and had accepted his fate.

Su Yu shook his head and glanced at the Third Prince on the shore, and he smiled. "There's no need! There will naturally be someone ready to deal with you."

The Third Prince had helped Su Yu on many occasions, and Su Yu had promised that, if he had obtained the crown, he would help the Third Prince ascend to the throne.

Today, handing the Duke of Qin over to the Third Prince would greatly help his ascent to the throne.

Suddenly, Su Yu felt a tightness at his waist.

A pair of jade-like hands hugged Su Yu from behind. A trembling, petite, ice-cold and drenched body was pressed fully against his back.

A silent cry came from behind him, as if a helpless person was clutching at her life's final straw. She was hugging Su Yu tightly, refusing to let go.

"What is the meaning of this?" Lightly raising his brow, Su Yu resisted the temptation to use force to separate himself from Jiang Xueqing.

"I'm cold," Jiang Xueqing's tone was pitiful as she stubbornly hugged Su Yu.

After some consideration, Su Yu sighed silently. He gathered his energy and released a stream of vital energy into Jiang Xueqing's body, forcing the cold away.

Until they reached the shore, Jiang Xueqing hugged onto Su Yu's arm, refusing to let go.

The Third Prince carefully observed Jiang Xueqing. If he remembered correctly, she was the lady who had abandoned Su Yu in the past for Qin Feng. The rumors said that she was once the person who held Su Yu's heart. Now she wanted to return to his side?

The Third Prince shook his head. Besides the fact that Su Yu, a righteous man, would never turn his back on Qin Xianer, the fact of the matter was that Jiang Xueqing no longer deserved a man such as Su Yu.

As a martial artist, Jiang Xueqing could not catch up to him in terms of cultivation level; they were not destined to be together.

"Fetch a horse for her." The Third Prince ordered.

Jiang Xueqing buried her head deep in Su Yu's chest and hugged his arm tightly. She vehemently shook her head. "There's no need. I am sticking with Su Yu."

Su Yu creased his brows. He was disgusted. After all this time, you think that simply clinging to me would make me accept you again?

As he began to push her away, Jiang Xueqing's voice spread to his ear, "I know I cannot face you—I am not seeking your forgiveness, and will definitely not cling onto you. But, can you allow me to be by your side for a little while longer? As young, former lovers?"

Young, former lovers?

Deep in Su Yu's soul came a slight throb. After the complete fusion of Su Yu's souls, minute feelings hidden deep in Su Yu's souls were gradually accepted by Su Yu.

Softening his heart, Su Yu sighed as he got on his horse. He pulled Jiang Xueqing up into his embrace.