Chapter 1559 - Coercion
Chapter 1559 - Coercion
Within Su Yi’s sea of consciousness, the long-dormant Sword of the Nine Hells was ready and raring to go.
At the same time, Su Yi sensed a hint of the aura of a god emanating from Libationer Yun Qiong.
That old timer either controls a power granted to him by a god, or that power is connected to the ‘divine decree’ he’s about to issue, thought Su Yi.
Earlier, in the Black Dragon Market, Qing Wei told him that a god stood behind the Church of All Spirits. Thus, he wasn’t particularly surprised.
When Libationer Yun Qiong arrived, he sat in a chair atop a jade platform.
The assembly everyone was paying attention to then started under the direction of Church of All Spirits Elder Xiao Qu.
“Everyone, we’ve convened this assembly to discuss three important matters.”
Xiao Gu stood before the jade platform, beaming with joy. “Then, Libationer Yun Qiong will announce a divine decree!”
The crowd was shaken, and a clamor of voices arose on all sides.
The Immortal Lords were comparatively calm. This was because they’d already heard about the Church of All Spirits’ plans to announce a divine decree.
“A divine decree? Do gods really exist in this world?” exclaimed Fang Han.
Su Yi said flatly, “The so-called ‘gods’ are really just powerful cultivators. No need to think overly highly of them.”
Fang Han snorted coldly. “You sure can boast!”
Su Yi disregarded this.
Before long, Xiao Ju raised his hand to quell the commotion. “Now, allow me to announce the first item on the agenda.”
All eyes were instantly upon him.
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Xiao Qu said with a smile, “Six Immortal Lords and forty-nine Void Realm True Immortals have agreed to join our Church of All Spirits at today’s assembly!”
He paused, then said, “My soon-to-be sectmates, please rise so our fellow Daoists can see you!”
Immortal Lord Nine Cranes, Immortal Lord Talisman Flame, and the other Immortal Lords and Void Realm True Immortals rose. They were a spectacular sight.
Those who’d come simply to witness the assembly were stunned. They couldn’t have thought that these Immortal Lords and Void Realm True Immortals of different provinces and factions would all agree to join the Church of All Spirits!
Were word to spread, it would surely take the Immortal Realm by storm!
But some people noticed that Qing Wei of the House of Little Joys didn’t get up. The contrast was jarringly stark.
Xiao Ju chuckled. “Everyone, please have a seat. Next, Holy Son Zhong Qi will bequeath each of you rewards and rank on behalf of our leader.”
Zhong Qi rose, took out a decree, and announced, “Immortal Lord Nine Cranes shall become an elder, and receive a Saint-level immortal treasure, an immortal cave, and...”
The list of rewards went on for quite some time.
Immortal Lord Nine Cranes rose with a smile and clasped his fist in gratitude.
Zhong Qi went on to make similar announcements for Immortal Lord Talisman Flame, the other Immortal Lords, and the Void Realm True Immortals. Each was rewarded generously.
The entire venue was in uproar. Envy, greed, temptation... Everyone reacted differently, but all of them felt strongly.
“In their shoes, I’d long for a chance to lay down my life for the church!” sighed Fang Han.
Su Yi said flatly, “That’s the church’s goal. They promised generous treatment and ample rewards. Who wouldn’t be tempted after seeing this? Alas, their methods of winning people over are ultimately second rate.”
When you used force to make allies, your allies would leave you the second your power waned. If you used benefits to make friends, your friends would desert you the second you had nothing to offer them!
Fang Han glanced disdainfully at Su Yi. “Seems to me you’re just jealous.”
Su Yi stretched out his finger and flicked Fang Yan’s forehead. “You don’t understand.”
The youth felt a stinging pain, and he bared his teeth and glowered at Su Yi.
Before long, Xiao Ju made his second announcement.
“The second item on the agenda involves Immortal Lady Qing Wei.”
All eyes were instantly upon her, but in truth, Qing Wei had been the most eye-catching figure here this entire time. For one thing, she was an Immortal Lady of extraordinary status.
For another, she was almost excessively enchanting and beautiful. Her charm was far beyond the other Immortal Lords and Ladies.
However, Qing Wei just said flatly, “My business isn’t important. You’d best move directly onto the third item on the agenda.”
The crowd was stunned, and the atmosphere was instantly stifled.
Many of the onlookers sensed that something wasn’t quite right here.
Xiao Ju frowned, and was just about to say something when Holy Son Zhong Qi interjected. “Qing Wei, calm down and listen to what we have to say first. You’ll naturally understand then.”
The crowd’s expressions were strange.
Zhong Qi was a holy son of the Church of All Spirits, and he occupied a lofty position, but he was still ultimately a Void Realm True Immortal. Yet now, here he was, intimately addressing Immortal Lady Qing Wei by name!
Qing Wei’s beautiful face frosted over. “You have no respect for your elders and betters. Is this how a holy son of the Church of All Spirits behaves?”
Zhong Qi’s expression froze, and his eyes filled with humiliation.
Xiao Ju coughed dryly. “Fellow Daoist Qing Wei, soon, you and Zhong Qi will be a family. Why concern yourself with such trivial details?”
Sometimes, a single stone could stir up a thousand waves. The crowd was instantly in uproar.
“Holy Son Zhong Qi wants to become Dao Partners with Immortal Lady Qing Wei?”
Many of the onlookers found this hard to believe. Shock was written all over their faces.
Qing Wei slammed the table, her eyes flashing like lightning. “What does the Church of All Spirits mean by spreading such falsehoods? Do you really think I’m so easily bullied?”
The atmosphere was stifled and oppressive. Everyone was solemn, and everyone realized that something wasn’t right here.
Here, Libationer Yun Qiong said calmly from his elevated seat on the jade platform, “Immortal Queen Liu Yun has already agreed to this marriage.”
Su Yi had been watching from the sidelines this entire time, but when he heard that, he frowned.
The current House of Little Joys was under Immortal Queen Liu Yun’s management. A long time ago, she’d served at Xiao Ruyi’s side as her third general, and she was also Qing Wei’s master.
According to Qing Wei, Immortal Queen Liu Yun went into seclusion three thousand years ago due to encountering an inexorable problem in her cultivation. She hadn’t emerged since. Now, Su Yi finally realized why the Church of All Spirits dared try to force an Immortal Lady like Qing Wei into a marriage with their holy son. Something had gone wrong with Immortal Queen Liu Yun!
Qing Wei’s beautiful eyes widened, and she said coldly, “If something of such importance happened, why didn’t I hear about it?”
“You’ll understand once you’ve read this decree.” Xiao Ju took out a golden talisman and passed it to Qing Wei.
Qing Wei frowned, accepted it, and inserted her divine sense. The talisman read:
Immortal Queen Liu Yun has met with divine misfortune. It’ll break out in full within the year, leading to the inevitable destruction of her body and soul. Since this involves the power of the gods, only the Church of All Spirits can resolve her difficulties. She’s your master. You ought to know what to do next!
This wasn’t Immortal Queen Liu Yun’s decree, and despite their insistence that she'd agreed to this marriage, it said nothing of her view on the matter.
Even so, its contents left Qing Wei stunned, and her beautiful face filled with uncertainty as she fell into a lengthy silence.
Xiao Ju smiled. “Fellow Daoist Qing Wei, you and our holy son are a perfect match. They say a master is like a father—or mother, in this case. I trust Immortal Queen Liu Yun would love to see the two of you wed.”
He paused, then swept his gaze across the crowd. “And when you and Holy Son Zhong Qi become Dao Partners, I trust all of our fellow Daoists would be delighted to bear witness to the ceremony!”
The crowd exchanged glances, but no one argued.
Qing Wei’s expression was as dark as could be, and her eyes blazed with fury.
But before she could speak, Xiao Ju smiled and said, “Fellow Daoist Qing Wei, have you made up your mind?”
At the same time, he transmitted in secret, “Even if you disregard your master’s will and cast aside all pretenses of cordiality, you’ll be the one humiliated in the end!”
Qing Wei fell silent.
Immortal Queen Liu Yun had brought her up. She wasn’t just Qing Wei’s master; she was like a mother to her!
She naturally understood how terrifying the catastrophe that had befallen Immortal Queen Liu Yun was.
However, she would never have guessed that the Church of All Spirits would uncover this secret, and use their ability to resolve her master’s difficulties as leverage against her!
Meanwhile, Immortal Lord Nine Crane, Immortal Lord Talisman Flame, and the other prominent members of the Church of All Spirits smiled and extended their congratulations.
“Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Qing Wei. Given Holy Son Zhong Qi’s position and foundations, he’s sure to one day rise to the Saint Realm, and his name will shake the Immortal Realm.
“Haha, this is indeed a perfect match.”
...As the crowd offered their congratulations, Zhong Qi’s face lit up. He smiled and inclined his head in acknowledgement, feeling absolutely delighted with himself.
But then, a calm voice rang out.
“I object.”
This light, airy sentence brought the clamor of voices to an abrupt silence. Everyone was stunned, and they instinctively looked over to see who’d spoken.
There, they saw Su Yi seated in the corner.
Qing Wei jolted to her senses as if awakening from a dream. Her beautiful eyes shone with extraordinary light, and the haze and frustration vanished from her heart.
With the sovereign present, why concern herself with any of this?
Xiao Ju furrowed his brow in displeasure.
Holy Son Zhong Qi’s eyes glinted with murderous intent.
Over on the jade platform, Libationer Yun Qiong snorted coldly and sighed as if speaking to himself. “In this day and age, even random nobodies dare jump around and make fools of themselves.”
“Who is that young man? How dare he be so impudent?” shouted Immortal Lord Nine Cranes.
“He came here with Immortal Lady Qing Wei. I imagine he’s one of her juniors,” said Immortal Lord Talisman Flame. “He’s young, and the ignorant are without fear. It’s understandable.”
A temperamental immortal of the Church of All Spirits charged over to Su Yi, pointed at him, and shouted, “Our holy son and Immortal Lady Qing Wei are perfectly suited for each other, a match made in heaven. You’re just a junior. Who are you to oppose their union?”
This question provoked a burst of uproar.
Su Yi had been seated in the corner, so the crowd subconsciously took him for a junior of little importance. On the other hand, he didn’t even seem to notice the crowd’s laughter. He just drained his cup of wine and rose to his feet.
“What’s this? Do you plan to resist? Be a good boy and sit back down!” The Church of All Spirits immortal pressed down on Su Yi’s shoulders and tried to force him back into his chair. He wanted to humiliate him before the crowd!
But then, Su Yi drew his hand through the air, and a still-bleeding head fell to the ground.
The immortal’s headless corpse disintegrated into ash.
A deathly silence descended upon the crowd. Their hearts filled with horror and disbelief.
This was Auspicious Cloud Palace. Immortal Lords were as numerous as clouds in the sky, and True Immortals were as numerous as trees in the forest. Even Libationer Yun Qiong was here to oversee things.
Who could have imagined that a junior would suddenly attack and kill one of the church’s Universe Realm Immortals, much less that he’d do it with such ease?
Fang Han was completely dazed.
He and Su Yi had been seated together, so he was closest to the action. He’d assumed that Su Yi was about to face severe punishment. How could he ever have guessed that Su Yi would be this domineering? A single gesture, and he’d destroyed an immortal!
The youth’s stubborn, prideful gaze silently shifted.