165: Chapter 165 The Dark River is already in turmoil!

Upon hearing this, Yue Yao fell silent.

Xie Seven Blades was famous throughout Northern Li, and his cultivation had very likely reached the Great Carefree Realm.

The two of them were absolutely no match for him.

"No! I must take her away!" Yue Qing stared fixedly at the other party, her eyes showing no hint of retreat.

"You cannot stop me." Xie Seven Blades sighed lightly, "I do not wish to harm you, I only worry about implicating that person... Retreat now."

He paused, then stepped forward, his Aura suddenly erupting.

That oppressive might rushed toward them, causing the sisters to involuntarily step back several paces, their faces turning pale.

Their apprehension toward Xie Seven Blades had reached its peak.

Just then, Yue Yao suddenly trembled all over and abruptly knelt down.

"Greetings, Pavilion Master!"

Xie Seven Blades snorted coldly, "Do you think I would believe that? That person is stationed in Snow Moon City year-round and rarely leaves the city gates. How could he..."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly sensed something amiss—his subordinates surrounding him were all retreating one after another, their expressions panicked.

His heart sank, and he stiffly turned his head.

He saw a man and a woman standing quietly behind him.

Upon clearly seeing the faces of those who arrived, Xie Seven Blades' expression changed drastically, a trace of alarm flashing in his eyes.

Yue Qing immediately pulled Yue Yao, bypassing Xie Seven Blades, and hid behind Su Rui.

Yue Yao looked at that tall, unyielding back, and her heart suddenly settled down.

"The Xie Family, Xie Seven Blades." Su Rui spoke, his voice not loud.

"Is the Dark River in civil war?"

Although the Void Thought Skill was powerful, for the Clan Chief to come in person meant there must be hidden circumstances.

Otherwise, it would not have warranted such a large mobilization.

Xie Seven Blades' throat bobbed, and he barely managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Mr. Su, this matter concerns the internal affairs of the Dark River..."

"You won't speak?" Su Rui chuckled lightly.

"Very well.

Since you touched Yue Qing today, I will not hold it against you—as long as you can leave alive under Hanyi's sword, all past grievances will be wiped clean."

His tone was gentle, yet it carried an irresistible pressure.

Xie Seven Blades' face turned ashen, rage surging, but he was suppressed by Su Rui's Aura and could not move.

Li Hanyi was slightly taken aback but did not decline. The hanguang sword was already in her hand, her gaze locked onto Xie Seven Blades.

Xie Seven Blades took several deep breaths and finally forced out a smile, making a gesture of invitation.

Although Li Hanyi had recently made a name for herself and stepped into the Carefree Heaven Realm, she was ultimately young and should be manageable.

Moreover, since Su Rui had spoken, he likely would not go back on his word.

Yue Qing, hearing the phrase "touched Yue Qing" just now, suddenly felt a wave of sweetness in her heart.

She quietly erased the words "Pavilion Master" and heard it as "dared to touch my person."

But in the next instant, she caught sight of Yue Yao staring intently at Su Rui's back, her gaze focused, and her heart tightened.

Not only did she steal the Pavilion Master's concern, but she also harbored such thoughts?

As the thought arose, she raised her hand and fiercely pinched Yue Yao's waist.

Yue Yao, caught off guard by the surprise attack, especially having such a private spot touched, cried out and trembled all over, helplessly throwing herself onto Su Rui's back.

...Su Rui naturally perceived everything happening behind him.

Yue Qing's hostility toward her own Senior Sister was almost completely undisguised.

Yue Yao's cheeks burned, and she hastily straightened up, her fingertips trembling slightly.

Yue Qing's eyes were almost bloodshot, consumed by fury.

Truly a shameless woman, daring to use the opportunity to cling to the Pavilion Master!

"Behave yourself!"

Su Rui's tone was helpless, but carried an irrefutable authority.

Yue Qing immediately fell silent, daring not to move again.

Meanwhile, the sensation of being pressed tightly against his back still lingered in Yue Yao's mind—

Warm, solid, like finally reaching shore after a long drift.

That unprecedented stability made her heart tremble; she felt a strange sense of longing.

Sensing her abnormality, Li Hanyi's expression darkened.

Her gaze swept coldly toward Xie Seven Blades—

It was all because of these scoundrels! If they hadn't been entangled, Yue Yao would have left long ago, and this entanglement wouldn't have happened!

With this thought, she drew her sword.

She suddenly unleashed her self-created ultimate skill, "Upper Crescent Moon."

A crescent moon seemed to quietly rise in the woods; in reality, a sharp sword light tore through the night.

Unwilling to waste more words, her every move was continuous, aiming directly for the kill.

As soon as they engaged, Xie Seven Blades knew things were bad.

Under the pressure of sword strikes dense as rain, he could only retreat repeatedly, barely avoiding vital points, thus avoiding immediate defeat.

"Piercing Cloud!"

Li Hanyi called out lightly, her figure transforming into a stream of light as she charged forward rapidly.

Internal Energy poured into the hanguang sword, and a sapphire glow flowed out from the blade. As she sped forward, it looked like several flowing silk ribbons, beautiful yet fatal.

"I, Xie Seven Blades, never use the Eighth Blade when killing! Do not underestimate me!"

Feeling the terrifying pressure of this strike, Xie Seven Blades roared and swung his blade to meet it. The killing intent of the Seven Slashes of the Killing God erupted, and the air seemed to freeze, the surrounding temperature plummeting.

The observing Dark River assassins all showed looks of terror.

Regardless of victory or defeat, their outcome would likely not be optimistic.

Who knew that just as Li Hanyi was about to strike, her figure suddenly vanished into thin air.

In the next instant, she appeared behind Xie Seven Blades, and a sword pierced through his body.

The sword light receded, and she stood safely beside Su Rui.

"Not bad. To integrate the Movement Character Secret with a killing move to this extent."

Su Rui praised in a low voice.

Combining powerful sword techniques with an illusionary movement art achieved the marvelous effect of instantaneous displacement, making it impossible to defend against.

Xie Seven Blades stood frozen on the spot, the great saber in his hand clattering to the ground.

Looking down at the thin sword mark on his chest, blood was gushing out.

He did not die immediately. He slowly raised his head and looked at Li Hanyi.

"That you could reach this Realm means you deserve to be called a Sword Immortal... To die by your hand is not a disgrace to my lifetime's reputation."

The surrounding assassins were completely stunned, looking at the scene in disbelief.

The Xie Family Patriarch... was dead?

"The Patriarch has been assassinated! The person behind this is highly likely to be Su Changhe of the Su Family! The Dark River is already in civil war!"

Xie Seven Blades suddenly turned toward Su Rui and shouted this out with his last breath.

Su Rui's eyes flickered, and he instantly understood.

"So you wanted to seize the Void Thought Skill because you intended to covet the position of the Dark River Master?"

Xie Seven Blades nodded laboriously.

"Now the various factions are contending, and a bloody war has begun... I only hope the Pavilion Master will step in to settle the situation..."

Before his words ended, blood poured from his mouth, and his body heavily collapsed, utterly lifeless.

Su Rui watched in silence for a moment, shook his head gently, and then looked toward Yue Qing.

"You must immediately return to the Martial Arts Hall and inform Liangyue, Hongxi, and Ziyi of the news of the turmoil in the Dark River."

"Yes!"

Yue Qing was stunned for a moment, then accepted the order.

She naturally knew the identities of those three women.

"Pavilion Master, should we let them return to the Dark River?" she couldn't help but press.

"Let them decide for themselves."

Su Rui replied lightly.

Then his gaze fell upon Yue Yao. After a brief thought, he turned to look at Li Hanyi.

"Why don't we send her to Heaven Beyond Heaven?"

Li Hanyi was slightly startled.

"That is a bitter and desolate land. Why send her there?" She asked knowingly.

"Send her home."

Su Rui raised his hand and pointed at Yue Yao.

"Thank you..."

Yue Yao's heart warmed, and a glimmer appeared in her eyes.

"Heaven Beyond Heaven is not entirely frozen wastelands; there are also Sacred Lakes in the snow mountains, strange peaks in the sea of clouds, and magnificent scenery."

She said softly, but her gaze fell upon Li Hanyi's face.

"I will listen to Teacher's arrangements."

Li Hanyi sighed softly and finally agreed.

Su Rui nodded, then swept his gaze over the cowering assassins huddled together. He rolled up his sleeve, took the two women with him, and soared into the sky.

Yue Qing also turned and sped away, returning to Snow Moon City.

Leaving a group of assassins standing dumbfounded on the spot, looking at each other, utterly lost.

"What should we do now?"

"What else can we do? The Patriarch is dead. The urgent matter is to bring his body back first.

Besides, you all heard it—Mu Liangyue and the Su Family sisters are likely going to interfere in this struggle for the Patriarch position, and the one standing behind these three cannot be underestimated!"

The leading assassin spoke in a deep voice.

Everyone's heart tightened upon hearing this, and they immediately understood his meaning.

...

Inside the Snow Moon City Martial Arts Hall.

Zhu Yuyan, accompanied by Shan Meixian and Wanwan, finished washing up and walked out of the side room. As soon as they emerged, they heard that Li Hanyi had already taken Su Rui out to travel.

In just this short while, the Madam had disappeared without a trace.

Not knowing when Su Rui would return, Zhu Yuyan couldn't help but feel a trace of disappointment.

"Senior Sister, this matter shouldn't have been hidden in the first place. Did you really think what happened between you and the Pavilion Master last night could go unnoticed?"

Empress Wu spoke with a subtle tone, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for others to hear.

Xu Weixiong and Xu Zhihu, who happened to be passing by, heard it clearly. They exchanged a glance, their expressions complicated.

Xu Weixiong finally understood why the atmosphere had felt strange before.

Zhu Yuyan's face grew slightly warm, but she could not refute it.

What could she do?

Desire was like a tide, and moreover, she was in her prime, finding it hard to control herself when emotions stirred.

Coupled with years of martial arts practice, her Qi and blood were abundant, making her physique more vigorous than that of ordinary women.

Now, living in the same hall with Su Rui day and night, who could avoid developing feelings?

Yin Luoxia listened from not far away, her face also a little stiff—after all, she might have been involved in that incident too.

At that moment, Yue Qing walked in quickly from the doorway. Her gaze swept over Mu Liangyue and the other two, and she immediately said:

"Something happened! The Dark River has exploded, and the Patriarch was very likely assassinated in secret!"

Her first sentence struck like a thunderclap, causing the faces of Mu Liangyue and the other two to change drastically.

They had grown up in the Dark River. Although they had long left the organization and taken charge of the Martial Arts Hall, they still had an attachment to that place.

Upon hearing the sudden tragic news, they found it hard to accept.

"How do you know all this?" Su Hongxi frowned deeply.

Mu Liangyue and Su Ziyi also looked at her simultaneously, their eyes full of solemnity.

The other women also turned their heads curiously.

"There are people from the Dark River in the city. Xie Seven Blades said it himself.

As for him... because he angered Teacher, he was killed on the spot by Hanyi Senior Sister."

Yue Qing omitted the matter concerning Yue Yao and explained all the other details.

"Teacher..." Mu Liangyue frowned slightly.

Xie Seven Blades was the Patriarch of the Xie Clan, a master of the older generation; they were not familiar with him.

While shocked by his death, it was not unexpected given that he had offended Teacher.

What truly puzzled her was the deep meaning behind Teacher specifically ordering Yue Qing to deliver the message?

The three exchanged glances, all seeing the confusion in each other's eyes.

"According to Xie Seven Blades, Su Changhe launched a sneak attack and succeeded, leading to the Patriarch's demise!"

Su Hongxi and Su Ziyi were stunned on the spot.