The previous Zhenwu killed the late emperor

"Ah."

Su Nan sighed and gave Lin Tian a somewhat complicated look.

He wanted to say something, but ultimately left it unsaid.

[Ziwei: Boss Zhenwu, once we enter the forbidden land, we should split up, haha.]

She gave a harmless smile and unconsciously shuffled a little farther away from Lin Tian.

Just then.

Aboard the immortal vessel carrying the Su Clan's eldest young lady, Su Zheshan.

A figure appeared.

His arrival instantly drew everyone's attention.

He was a man dressed in white, carrying a sword.

But what drew the most attention was the mask he wore.

At the sight of that mask, even Lin Tian almost failed to react.

"Zhenwu of Extreme Realm!"

"The Su Clan's eldest young lady actually managed to invite someone from Extreme Realm!"

"Zhenwu of Extreme Realm apparently appeared when Sword Capital City fell. I heard his methods were utterly ruthless."

"He's the second Zhenwu. All his fame rests on the reputation the previous Zhenwu built. I'm not afraid of him."

Everyone kept talking, their gazes drifting toward the man wearing the blood-red mask.

"Zhenwu of Extreme Realm!"

Yu Xiu murmured, fighting spirit igniting in his eyes as he watched the masked man.

"I never expected this."

Su Nan murmured with a frown, casually glancing at Lin Tian beside him.

[Ziwei: Boss, someone's actually impersonating you. How about we take him out as soon as we get inside?]

Ziwei sent Lin Tian a message through the Extreme Realm Mask.

[Zhenwu: Didn't you say we should split up as soon as we get inside?]

Ziwei looked toward the horizon as though nothing had happened.

[Ziwei: Haha, you're right to remind me, Boss Zhenwu. I almost forgot, haha.]

Opposite them, the false Zhenwu and Su Zheshan spoke in low voices.

They drew everyone's attention.

"She certainly got lucky."

Han Xianshu spoke with her slender brows knitted, somewhat impatient.

"We aren't doing badly ourselves."

Su Nan offered a word of consolation.

"Don't worry, junior sister. Everyone's paying so much attention to Zhenwu because the previous Zhenwu's reputation was simply too great."

Yu Xiu spoke with a faint smile, unconcerned.

Lin Tian's eyes flickered as he asked:

"What did the previous Zhenwu do?"

"You don't even know that?"

Yu Xiu frowned, looking at Lin Tian in disbelief.

Su Nan was even more surprised.

"The previous Zhenwu killed the late emperor."

Su Nan spoke evenly.

Lin Tian's pupils contracted slightly, and his heart gave a sudden jolt.

His predecessor had been that powerful?

The emperor of an immortal kingdom cultivated using an entire nation's resources and fortune.

The previous Zhenwu had actually killed the late emperor.

What level of cultivation would that have taken?

Lin Tian lowered his gaze and sank into thought.

Although he was now the second Zhenwu.

It was only a mask. Surely he wouldn't have to share the previous Zhenwu's karma?

Boom!

Just then.

Boundless radiance blossomed above the clouds.

The clouds split apart, and ten thousand rays of divine light streamed down from deep within the vault of heaven.

Like a great sun, they swept down toward the ground.

A purple-robed man abruptly appeared in midair.

He stood in the void, his eyes deep and weathered.

Golden light flickered within his eyes, his presence vast and mighty as he cast a terrifying pressure over everyone.

He was like a holy sovereign who had come from the primordial past.

"Father."

Seated in his wheelchair, Su Nan spoke respectfully.

Aboard the other immortal vessels, the other members of the Su Clan hurriedly spoke with respect as well.

"Father."

This man was the head of the Su Clan of Willow Capital.

Su Wushi, the Great Qin Immortal Kingdom's Mountain-Guarding King of a different surname.

Su Wushi's gaze was deep as he swept his eyes over his children and slowly spoke:

"Our Su Clan's legacy has endured for a thousand years. We have weathered two immortal kingdoms and remain standing to this day. The contest for clan head has been the most important factor."

"Cruel though it is, it also ensures that every head of our Su Clan can shoulder great responsibilities."

"Su Nan."

Su Wushi spoke, now looking toward Su Nan in his wheelchair.

Su Nan froze and looked toward Su Wushi.

"Can you understand now?"

Su Nan clenched his fists, his robes fluttering. His expression was somewhat pained, but he still spoke:

"I understand, Father."

A trace of a smile appeared on Su Wushi's face. Then he extended one hand and pressed down through the air.

Hum, hum, hum, hum!

A dark streak of light seemed to shoot straight down from the highest heavens toward the immortal island on the sea.

A moment later, the streak struck the light barrier enveloping the immortal island.

Countless flashes of golden light instantly erupted.

"Now, for this contest for clan head, you have all come from afar. Our Su Clan will not be stingy."

Su Rushi spoke evenly, and a red orb of light containing a fierce storm appeared before him.

The moment that orb of light appeared.

Everyone was stunned.

"Th-this, this!"

Yu Xiu had already frozen, his gaze involuntarily turning toward Lin Tian beside him.

"This is Blood Spirit Wind, ranked one hundred and first on the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects Ranking."

Su Nan explained, then glanced at Lin Tian, whether intentionally or not.

Only yesterday, he had said that the mid-grade earth-tier martial technique Lin Tian had obtained, "Swift Wind, Ten Thousand Shadows," would be a high-grade heaven-tier technique if paired with a wind spirit.

He had never expected his father to personally produce a wind spirit today.

Just then.

Boom!

A terrifying storm instantly burst from the red orb of light, sweeping out in a murderous frenzy.

"Vile beast."

Su Rushi spoke evenly and pressed his palm down slightly.

Blood Spirit Wind instantly quieted.

Crack!

An earth-shaking crash instantly spread from above to below.

Everyone looked over. An opening had instantly broken through the golden-script light barrier that originally enveloped the entire immortal mountain.

Almost in an instant.

Boundless rosy light, carrying a rich ancient presence, surged from the fissure and filled the entire world around them.

"The Fire Nether Forbidden Land is open!"

Su Wushi's voice rang out again, and he waved one hand.

The red orb of light containing Blood Spirit Wind became a streak of light that shot into the immortal island, instantly disappearing from everyone's sight.

"Wenren Zhen, I've cultivated Swift Wind, Ten Thousand Shadows too."

Yu Xiu spoke evenly, his meaning clear.

Even though they belonged to the same camp, this wind spirit was also on his list of things to capture.

Lin Tian said nothing.

"Time flows differently in the Fire Nether Forbidden Land than in the outside world. A month inside is only a day outside."

"After one day, your time in the forbidden land will end."

Su Wushi spoke evenly:

"Young prodigies, you may enter."

Su Rushi finished speaking.

Just then.

Su Rushi suddenly paused and looked toward the horizon.

"Li Baiyi has left his mountain? He seems to be holding people from the Joyous Immortal Sect hostage."

"How overbearing."

As he spoke, he flew in that direction.

At the same time.

The Su Clan's eldest daughter and the false Zhenwu also looked in that direction.

They did not possess Su Rushi's cultivation or perception. By rights, they should not have been able to notice anything.

Although everyone was surprised, no one spoke.

The Su Clan's second daughter instantly flew into the forbidden land with the people behind her.

Of those remaining, neither Su Nan's nor Su Ming's side moved.

Lin Tian looked over. Su Ming was staring at him like an enraged beast.

Su Nan sighed softly and said to Lin Tian:

"Brother Wenren, it seems my second younger brother can't wait to kill you."

Lin Tian remained indifferent. He glanced toward the sky, where Su Rushi's figure had already vanished.

"Once we're inside, capture him. I'll refine him into a soul bead and make him wish he were dead."

Su Ming spoke coldly, his eyes filled with a savage gleam.

"Hahaha."

"A trivial matter."

Then Su Ming shot Lin Tian a vicious look and rushed into the forbidden land.