The Wind Rises

Embracing Rosy Clouds Hall, Yang Xiu sat upright in the upper left seat, with Daoist Zheng and Liu Yunhe sitting beside him.

After Liu Yunhe finished recounting Su Yao's experiences over the past few days, Yang Xiu remained silent for a long while before letting out a soft sigh and reminiscing:

"Su Yao has really suffered these days..."

After he finished speaking, his heart was churning even more violently.

Su Yao, having just emerged from seclusion at the Purple Mansion level, faced the suppression from the Confucian School head-on, fearlessly forcing the supervisor to retreat; subsequently, he killed three Human Dao Purple Mansion and a county magistrate from Nanzhao. Later, he even used his trump card to brutally kill a Great True Person of the Common People Dao.

That trump card wasn't his own power, but the fact that Su Yao had withstood five days and five nights against a Great True Person whose Divine Ability were three levels higher was already quite remarkable.

That's not all.

Su Yao, dragging his heavily injured body, returned to the outside of Jin'ao Mountain. He set up a Daoist altar again and, with the help of the Thunder Department's Exorcism Academy, killed a Heavenly Chaos True Man with three supernatural powers and captured a Fushui Lake God with three supernatural powers.

If Yang Xiu were to handle these matters on his own, he might be able to manage with the help of others, except perhaps when dealing with several individuals at the first level of the Divine Ability Purple Mansion. Otherwise, he would be unable to accomplish any of them.

Whether it was escaping from the clutches of the Great True Person of Human Dao or setting up that Daoist Gate altar, he didn't possess this level of skill.

After all, Daoist Gate altar cannot be erected simply by having one. Without the corresponding Daoxing cultivation and comprehension, even if an altar is placed before one, it is merely an ordinary altar.

Moreover, even if he were to kill those few cultivators at the first Divine Ability of the Purple Mansion, Yang Xiu wouldn't dare say he could definitely do it.

He is not Su Yao.

Su Yao possessed a clear Sword Intent, the Sword Intent of which was no less than that of a true Divine Ability, and its killing Sword Intent was even greater!

While Yang Xiu's Profound Qi Dao can attract calamities, it is simply more comprehensive in comparison, as it can attract numerous calamities. However, in terms of sheer killing power, he is inferior to Su Yao.

As for Spirit Treasure...

Leaving aside the fact that the Purple Mansion First Divine Ability can unleash a fraction of the power of Spirit Treasure, especially those Spirit Treasure that are not compatible with one's own Dao Path, they simply cannot unleash their full wonder.

Although Su Yao Upper Spirit Treasure, the only ones he can truly utilize to their full potential are the Zhengji Sword, which was left behind by the Dao Ancestor when he conquered the demons of the Ji River. The rest are merely used to supplement his abilities and prevent being countered.

The golden bell at his waist was a genuine spiritual treasure of the profound Qi, naturally compatible with his divine path. This one item alone was no less valuable than three of others'.

But Yang Xiu also knew that Su Yao's true trump card was never those Spirit Treasure.

It is the people, the power, and everything he has accumulated to get to where he is today.

Although Yang Xiu may not be as good as him today, he may catch up in the future.

He was confident. As someone favored by the Profound Qi Fruition, his cultivation speed would only increase by leaps and bounds as this great calamity approached. Moreover, he himself was involved in the Proclaiming Earth affair. Since this grand scheme could not bypass him, his Dao Path could not remain behind others forever.

Then, Yang Xiu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly suppressed his surging thoughts.

He turned to look at Liu Yunhe and said gently:

"Fellow Daoist Liu, I'd like to trouble you to make the trip. My three protectors are waiting at the foot of the mountain; we can't keep them waiting there indefinitely."

Liu Yunhe had been staying on the mountain with Daoist Zheng after Su Yao went into seclusion. Although Su Yao had said he would not see any outsiders before his seclusion, firstly, Yang Xiu had a deep friendship with Su Yao; secondly, he was under pressure because of his identity as "obeying the decree of Jade Void"; and thirdly, Yang Xiu had previously stayed on Golden Ao Mountain for more than ten years and was already familiar with Liu Yunhe. In addition, Lu Daoyuan Liu Yunhe at the Longchuan River, and he could not forget this old friendship.

He stood up, bowed to Yang Xiu, and said:

"Please wait a moment, Daoist. I will go and invite those three fellow Daoists up the mountain."

After saying this, he exchanged another glance with Daoist Zheng, Daoist Zheng nodded almost imperceptibly. Only then did Liu Yunhe turn and walk out of the hall.

Yang Xiu watched Liu Yunhe's departing figure, the golden bell at his waist jingling softly. A mountain breeze swept through the hall, carrying the damp moisture from the Cibi Lake.

He suddenly became lost in thought.

Su Yao has five Dharma protectors under his command.

Liu Yunhe is quick-witted and eloquent, and cultivates the He Wood element, representing destiny, making him best suited for dealing with the outside world; Li Siyi is steady and taciturn, cultivating the Wu Earth element, adept at securing the rear; Han Ziyi Zhu Xuejie and Zhu Xuejie are both skilled in battle, capable of standing alone, and their Kan Water and Radiant Fire are both known for their combat Dao Path; Zhang Ziyan grew up with Su Yao, and to put it bluntly, Su Yao is the young master of a wealthy family, while Zhang Ziyan is his companion. He Granary Metal element, and will likely be the one managing Su Yao's "little treasury" in the future.

Each of the five had their own strengths and responsibilities, and before Su Yao had even achieved the Purple Mansion, they had already managed everything around him in an orderly manner.

Yang Xiu himself only had Lu Daoyuan, Gong Shouzhuo, and Jing Xuanpu.

These three were disciples he had chosen from the outer sect back when he was in Golden Court. They were chosen because he was young and had no connections, and they were sent to keep him company.

Lu Daoyuan was the oldest, steady and polite; Gong Shouzhuo and loyal; Jing Xuanpu, though the least experienced, was quick-witted and not stupid. The three of them had followed him for many years, and rather than being his protectors, they were the only peers he could talk to in Golden Court.

However, compared to Su Yao's five Dharma Form, they were far inferior in terms of cultivation, background, and vision.

Although they are all Dharma Protectors, in the end, if Su Yao and Yang Xiu do not achieve the Golden Core and establish their own Dharma Realms, these people will just be a few Purple Mansion henchmen. But once one of them achieves the Golden Core and establishes a Dharma Realm, these Dharma Protectors, as long as they do not perish halfway, can at least hope to obtain the position of Human Immortal Supreme True Person.

By then, the gap we have today will no longer be a gap.

Yang Xiu sighed softly.

The Golden Court Dao Lineage has, after all, been closed for far too long.

Golden Court was also one of the Twelve Golden Immortals, a lineage that shook the heavens and earth. However, by the end of the year, Golden Court Dao Lineage was gradually declining, unable to make ends meet. By his generation, apart from his sect still struggling to maintain it, it had lost its former glory.

And what about Qixia?

Since the departure of the Heavenly Venerable Yunzhong, Qixia has not declined; on the contrary, it has produced Heavenly Venerable, Immortals, and Dao Lord in succession, with the lineage continuing unbroken. Even today, Qixia still has True Lord.

One can glean some insight simply by looking at the people around Su Yao.

Su Yao has five protectors. Yang Xiu only has three.

The quantity is different, but the quality is vastly different as well.

Yang Xiu suddenly gave a self-deprecating laugh.

That's enough.

Overthinking is pointless. Everyone has their own path to take.

The tea in the cup gradually cooled, and the mountain wind outside the hall grew stronger.

Yang Xiu put down his teacup, straightened his golden robe, and waited quietly for the three men to come up the mountain.

In a short while, the three of them, led by Liu Yunhe, arrived in the Embracing Rosy Clouds Hall. Suddenly, all four of them involuntarily looked north.

In the northern sky, the three-colored light of Proclaiming Earth was surging wildly, covering the entire sky.

The next moment, Yang Xiu appeared in front of the four of them, looking towards the northern horizon with an inscrutable expression.