First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 24 - Youthful Ignorance and Conceit

Su Yi glanced at it. Despite himself, he was surprised. “An Origin Talisman?”

“Origin Talismans” were something cultivators could craft only after stepping into the realm of the Origin Dao. They were full to the brim with origin power, and those who possessed them wielded unbelievable might.

Within the Great Zhou’s borders, those experts of the Origin Dao were known as Earthly Immortals.

The treasures experts of that level produced were absolutely priceless, difficult to purchase even with a mountain of gold!

“That’s right. This talisman is called ‘Star Cleaver’. Your father gave it to me the day you married into the Wen Family. Once shattered, it can obliterate a Martial Dao Grandmaster in a single attack!” The matriarch cautiously put it away, then straightened her back, obvious pride written on her face. “This treasure is our Wen Family’s greatest assurance.”

Su Yi inwardly shook his head. A single Origin Talisman, that’s all. Is it really worth all that pride?

“Matriarch, might I ask what you’re telling me this for?” he asked.

“Third Young Master, in the year following your marriage into the Wen Family, aside from a few cold glances and barbed words, has anyone ever really hurt or bullied you?” asked the matriarch.

Su Yi shook his head. “Actually, no.”

The matriarch continued sternly, her words carried a hint of a threat, “Third Young Master, listen up. I don’t care whether you hate the Wen Family or not, but if you dare do anything detrimental to our bottom line, I won’t spare you!”

Su Yi finally understood. Ah. She took that Origin Talisman out earlier to threaten me, that’s all.

He smiled. There was no need to linger here any longer, so he simply turned and left.

“Why does it seem like that kid’s an entirely different person now….?” Only after he disappeared from the Floral Tea House did the elderly matriarch look away. Her brow was furrowed, and she looked uncertain. “Should I write a letter to the Su Family and inform them of what happened today?”

A while later, she let out a lengthy sigh. She’d made up her mind. “Forget it. As an outsider, it’s not my place to get involved in the Su Family’s business, and it hasn’t been for a long time. So long as that brat doesn’t do anything to hurt the Wen Family, I can look the other way!”

…..

The birthday feast was still ongoing, and the atmosphere was lively.

When Su Yi returned, he saw Wen Shaobei and the other Wen Family youths all clustering around the same person. 

Even Wen Lingxue was there.

The one they’d gathered around was Wen Jueyuan, Family Head Wen Changjing’s son and an elite at the peak of the Blood Circulation Realm. He was the leading figure of the Wen Family’s younger generation. 

Of course, his reputation was still somewhat inferior to the Li Family’s Li Moyun. 

“Brother Su, you’re back!” When he saw Su Yi, Huang Qianjun shot to his feet, a welcoming smile on his face. He’d been sitting there all on his own.

Su Yi nodded. “The banquet’s more than half over. What are you still doing here?

Huang Qianjun said sheepishly, “How could I leave while you’re still here? No matter what, I’ll keep you company to the very end!”

“Oh,” said Su Yi. He naturally saw right through Huang Qianjun and Huang Yunchong. They were unquestionably trying to turn a bad situation to their advantage, turning yesterday’s disaster into an opportunity to mend their relationship, and ideally, to get closer to him!

“Su Yi, Cousin Jueyuan has something to say to you. Come with me.” Suddenly, Wen Shaobei walked over. His gaze carried a sense of superiority, and his wording was crude and harsh.

Su Yi glanced over at the crowd gathered around Wen Jueyuan. He was looking right back at him, his expression reserved and aloof.

Then, Su Yi looked back at Wen Shaobei and said indifferently, “Go tell him that he’s welcome to talk to me, but that he should come here himself.”

This Wen Shaobei had treated him with disdain from the moment he first arrived at the banquet. He’d rebuked him, saying that a mere live-in son-in-law like him was unqualified to sit among them. 

Afterward, he’d seized the opportunity to slander Wen Changtai, infuriating Wen Lingxue. 

But now, he was acting as Wen Jueyuan’s lackey! 

Su Yi naturally felt no need to be polite to him, so he spoke as if Wen Shaobei were just an errand boy.

“You… What did you just say?” Wen Shaobei was stunned. A mere live-in son-in-law dares put on airs in front of me?

Huang Qianjun immediately approached, then glared with imposing viciousness. “Are you blind, or deaf? Don’t you understand human language?”

Wen Shaobei froze. He was suddenly apprehensive.

Huang Qianjun was infamous throughout Guangling City as a spoiled, domineering, proud hoodlum prone to violence. Just about every member of the younger generation was afraid of him.

Wen Shaobei was naturally no exception.

He gulped, then muttered, “Young Master Huang, this has nothing to do with you…..”

Before he could continue, Huang Qianjun spat contemptuously, “Would you believe me if I said that, if this weren’t the Wen Family matriarch’s birthday banquet, I’d beat you to a pulp here and now?”

Wen Shaobei’s face went ashen, and his forehead broke into cold sweats as he slumped over.

“Look at yourself! Pathetic!” sneered Huang Qianjun. “If you want to remain in Guangling City going forward, you’d best hurry up and scram!”

Wen Shaobei reacted as if he’d been granted an imperial pardon; he was gone in a flash.

Su Yi had witnessed this entire exchange, and he couldn’t help but laugh. Indeed, the wicked are vulnerable to even greater villains. Few of the Wen Family’s younger generation are any use at all.

“Brother Su, please don’t blame me for meddling. I just couldn’t stand watching him act like that! A trivial branch member of the Wen Family dares treat you with such disrespect? He’s simply sick of breathing!” Facing Su Yi, Huang Qianjun’s domineering bossiness disappeared. He was suddenly meek as could be, with a toadyish smile on his face. 

Su Yi clucked his tongue. “You sure are adaptable.” 

It was unclear whether Huang Qianjun picked up on the insult. He just laughed.

“What? Su Yi dares tell Cousin Jueyuan to pay him a visit?”

“Who does he think he is?”

……Not far away, and shortly after Wen Shaobei left, the youths clustered around Wen Jueyuan were in uproar. They were both shocked and furious.

Wen Lingxue was there too, but she immediately rushed back to Su Yi’s side. This is bad!

She reached him in a flash. Her fair features were wrought with concern. “Brother-in-law, you should leave right away! Wen Shaobei is trying to stir up trouble between you and Cousin Jueyuan!”

“You’ve misunderstood Wen Shaobei. He was telling the truth. Wen Jueyuan is the one who wants to talk to me; it’s not like I went looking for him, so shouldn’t he take the initiative to approach me?” Su Yi laughed.

Huang Qianjun nodded along. “That’s exactly right, Brother Su!”

Despite herself, Wen Lingxue was dazed. What’s going on?

Meanwhile—

Wen Jueyuan was already striding towards them, a pack of Wen Family youths trailing after him. They’d already drawn the attention of several of the nearby guests. 

“I’m surprised. Su Yi, you’re getting haughtier and haughtier.” Wen Jueyuan stood before Su Yi and stuck out his jaw, an intimidating glint in his eyes. 

He was the leading figure of the Wen Family’s younger generation; they’d always been at his beck and call.

Yet Su Yi, a mere live-in son-in-law, had refused to come see him. Worse, he’d done it in front of everyone. This left Wen Jueyuan deeply displeased.

“Wen Jueyuan, you put on airs first, got it?” Huang Qianjun snicked. “You’re less than a hundred feet away, yet you sent your lackey Wen Shaobei over to deliver a message on your behalf. You want to talk about haughtiness? You’re quite haughty yourself, you know.”

Huang Qianjun was here as their guest, and he was Huang Yunchong’s son. Although his cultivation was far inferior to Wen Jueyuan’s, he wasn’t the least bit afraid.

Wen Shaobei’s expression flitted between shame and rage. He’d just been called a “lackey” in front of everyone. He even felt the urge to find a hole and hide himself inside.

Wen Jueyuan furrowed his brow, and his cold gaze swept toward Huang Qianjun. “This is the Wen Family’s private business. You’d best not get involved!”

Then, he turned toward Su Yi and said flatly. “You have nothing to be afraid of. I won’t lower myself by bullying a cripple like you. If word of that got out, it would only hurt my reputation.”

Many of those nearby couldn’t help but laugh.

“Is that all you wished to discuss with me?” Su Yi just stood there, his hands clasped behind his back, and he spoke without the slightest ripple of emotion.

Wen Jueyuan pondered briefly, then said, “I just wanted to tell you that tonight, the city lord and the others approached you out of respect for Lingzhao. You might be her husband, but you’re still just a live-in son-in-law, unworthy of the public eye!”

His words were deeply demeaning, and many of the nearby Wen Family youths laughed with even less restraint.

Throughout the Great Zhou, live-in son-in-laws remained behind closed doors!

Wen Jueyuan’s words represented what practically every last one of them was thinking. 

However, Su Yi didn’t seem angry in the least. On the contrary, he shook his head, a hint of pity in his gaze. 

“Ha ha ha…!” Huang Qianjun couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

This was unquestionably the funniest thing he’d heard all day!

Others might not know it, but he was well aware that Fu Shan and Nie Beihu, as well as his father, Huang Yunchong, had all come here on Su Yi’s account!

The youths of the Wen Family had eyes, but they might as well have been blind! They were just begging for Su Yi to teach them a lesson!

At first, Wen Lingxue was worried and angry. She’d planned to argue on Su Yi’s behalf, but when she heard Huang Qianjun’s burst of exaggerated laughter, she was caught entirely off guard, unsure of how to respond. 

She wasn’t the only one. Wen Jueyuan and the others were bewildered too. What the f*ck is so goddamn funny!?

Is Huang Qianjun an idiot or what?

Wen Jueyuan glanced at him irritably. Then, his gaze returned to Su Yi, and he said coldly, “Going forward, if you dare borrow Lingzhao’s name to run amok or intimidate others, I’ll be the first to teach you a lesson! You’d best bear my words in mind!”

With that, he turned to leave. Judging from the look on his face, he disdained wasting any more words on someone like Su Yi. 

The other Wen Family youths hurried after him.

“I can’t believe Cousin Jueyuan would act like that. I’m so disappointed in him….” Wen Lingxue bit her glossy lips, and her bright, beautiful eyes carried hints of dejection and melancholy. 

In the past, she’d admired Wen Jueyuan immensely. She saw him almost as an older brother.

But after what she’d just witnessed, her impression of him soured. She no longer saw him in the same light.

“It’s ultimately just youthful ignorance and conceit. It’s a common affliction among the young,” said Su Yi casually.

Huang Qianjun froze. Deep anguish rose within his heart.

Two days ago, during their first meeting at the Immortal Gathering House, hadn’t he been the very picture of “youthful ignorance and conceit”? That was why Su Yi taught him a lesson, and that was what led to an even greater incident.

He’d even dragged his father, Huang Yunchong, down with him. He really should have known better!

“Lingxue, come with me.” Su Yi had no desire to linger at the banquet, so he turned to leave. 

“Oh!” Wen Lingxue immediately rushed out of him. She thought that tonight’s banquet was rather dull, too.

Brother Su, how can you leave just like that? What… What about me? Huang Qianjun inwardly cried out, suddenly anxious. 

Although he didn’t know it, although Huang Yunchong and Nie Beihu looked as if they were casually chatting and laughing, they’d been keeping an eye on Su Yi’s every movement this entire time. 

When they saw Su Yi leave, they glanced at each other and, without any prior discussion, they both rose and bade the Wen Family farewell.

Neither of these important figures could be bothered to waste any more time here…..