C550 No One Knew about the Enemy

After the empire changed rulers, Yu Yuan's fame spread rapidly. Every scion of the major families must have heard of him by now.

Before his departure from the empire, the disturbance he stirred up in Asvetaesi was nothing short of monumental.

Both Su Kui and Su Kang, elders of the Su family, were witnesses to his deeds.

Su Yin was even personally dispatched by Yu Yuan.

So, it was baffling that after Su Xiangtian revealed his and Yuan Lianyao's names, a Su family member would still dare to provoke him, accusing him of being impolite.

Yu Yuan shook his head gently and narrowed his eyes as he observed the impetuous Su family member standing behind Su Xiangtian.

The young man was in his twenties, a cultivator in the middle period of the Golden Sanctum, tall and strikingly handsome with a black and green triangular mark on his forehead – a brand, not a birthmark.

"Su Che! Do not be disrespectful!"

Su Xiangtian's voice rang out sharply, silencing the younger member of the Su family.

"Explain yourself, who is being rude?" Yuan Lianyao asked with a smirk, her gaze turning to the young man named Su Che, her eyes swirling with a lethal glint. "Even your grandfather, Su Kui, would not dare such boldness in my presence. A lamb who has yet to weather a storm dares to challenge a liger? Where do you find such audacity?"

Chastened by her rebuke, Su Che's face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger, and he hung his head, unable to meet her gaze.

For some reason, Su Che appeared exceptionally meek in the face of Yuan Lianyao, a stark contrast to his demeanor towards Yu Yuan.

Yu Yuan observed this with amusement and chuckled softly. In a swift motion, he drew Yuan Lianyao close, wrapping his arm around her slender waist and pulling the empire's most captivating woman towards him.

With a wide grin, he fixed his gaze on Su Che.

Su Che, head bowed, suddenly erupted with rage, his face turning beet red as he pointed at Yu Yuan and bellowed, "Release her! How dare you treat Ms. Yuan with such disrespect!"

In that instant, Su Che resembled a combative porcupine, bristling with quills.

The dark green mark on his forehead began to emit wisps of greenish-black smoke, lending a fierce and menacing look to his countenance.

"I'm being rude, what are you going to do about it?" Yu Yuan laughed heartily.

He had it all figured out now.

This young man from the Su family was clearly smitten with Yuan Lianyao. He had probably been admiring the "blazing red lotus" for more than just a couple of days.

Despite knowing who he was and that he was out of his league, the young man still dared to be insolent. It must be jealousy making him lose his senses.

Yu Yuan was well aware of the lady's fame throughout the empire.

Yet, he hadn't anticipated such a lack of tact from this Su family member.

In the current state of the empire, the Su family was on the decline. Su Che was the least of his concerns, let alone Su Xiangtian.

"Yu Yuan, don't get too cocky. You think that..." Su Che began to rant.

Su Xiangtian's face turned icy as he commanded, "Silence!"

Su Che, about to continue his tirade, shuddered and fell silent.

"My apologies for my poor discipline," Su Xiangtian said, bowing slightly in apology to Yu Yuan and Yuan Lianyao. "Su Che, stop making a scene. Come with me, now!"

With that, he strode off.

Su Che cast a longing glance at Yuan Lianyao, his heart aching.

Three years earlier, as a teenager, he had seen Yuan Lianyao from a distance in the City of Silvermoon. Just hearing her speak to someone had sparked his affection, an infatuation that filled his every thought.

Yuan Lianyao's reputation in the empire was less than stellar, but after questioning his grandfather Su Kui, he understood that the slander was born of envy—not truth.

That's why he had visited Asvetaesi repeatedly, watching Yuan Lianyao from the places she frequented.

Sadly, she had never truly noticed him.

Now, the woman of his dreams was in the embrace of the Su family's nemesis, the young master of the Yu family.

His goddess, far from being upset, appeared bashful and radiantly happy in a way he had never seen before.

How could he not be in agony?

He cursed his own lack of power, wishing he were the head of the Su family. Otherwise, he might not have been able to resist taking action against Yu Yuan.

"Yu Yuan!"

"Ruby Hand! Yuan Lianyao!"

As Su Xiangtian led Su Che away from the scene, the cultivators scattered throughout the city began to converge their gazes upon them, their expressions filled with surprise.

Initially, when Su Xiangtian had whispered their names, his voice was barely audible.

Yu Yuan and Yuan Lianyao had approached because they recognized him and had taken notice.

The others hadn't paid any attention.

However, Su Che's outburst, shouting "Yu Yuan" in a fit of rage, resonated loudly, drawing the curious eyes of onlookers.

Beside Yu Yuan stood a woman in a striking red dress, her beauty and allure unmistakable, and her identity became clear to all.

"Aren't you going to let go?"

As more and more stares focused on them, Yuan Lianyao gave him a reproachful look and chided, "Is this just to irritate that young man? How childish can you be?"

"I don't care for anyone from the Su family except for Su Yan," Yu Yuan said with a hearty laugh, finally releasing his hand.

"Su Yan admires you greatly. Do you really think it's appropriate to embrace me so warmly in front of her father?" Yuan Lianyao asked, her smile tinged with mischief.

"It doesn't bother me. As long as it feels right," Yu Yuan replied nonchalantly.

"Aren't you concerned about the gossip with so many onlookers?" Yuan Lianyao pressed.

"What is there to fear? Haven't we been the subject of gossip on Rosy Cloud Island and the Sundering Isles before?" Yu Yuan surveyed the crowd, locking eyes with several onlookers, and confidently stated, "It only matters if you're not afraid."

"I have nothing to fear. My reputation in the empire is already tarnished, and I'm well aware of the slanders against me. What more could people say?" Yuan Lianyao spoke these words while looking intently into Yu Yuan's eyes, her heart racing with anticipation of his response.

"Pay no mind to the slander," Yu Yuan reassured her, his gaze sincere. "I've never once entertained those thoughts, nor have I ever believed the rumors."

Hearing this, Yuan Lianyao's smile blossomed, and she looped her arm through his. "Let's take a stroll and enjoy ourselves!"

Even from a deliberate distance, Tong Laoqian could tell that the "blazing red lotus" was brimming with joy.

Tong Laoqian understood that she was indifferent to the opinions and judgments of others; her concern was solely for Yu Yuan's perspective, and she longed for his trust.

Her satisfaction with Yu Yuan's response filled her with immense happiness.

"The mark on that young man's forehead seems familiar to me. It's likely the work of a formidable independent cultivator," Tong Laoqian murmured, adding, "This cultivator was once a prominent figure in the Forgotten Ruins, equal in power to me, and we even had our conflicts."

"He left the Lost Lands much earlier than I did. After nearly a century, his whereabouts remained unknown, and he hasn't shown himself. But the appearance of that mark on the young man's forehead suggests he must have returned."

Yuan Lianyao was taken aback, "Su Che was brought here by Su Xiangtian. Could there be a connection?"

Following the imperial succession, the Yan family rose to royal status with the Devil Palace backing them.

The Zhao family in Asvetaesi and the Zhan family, to which Zhan Tianxiang belongs, are inextricably linked to Shadow's Keep.

As a result, the current Shadowlight Empire has a tendency to align with the Land of Quiescence.

Su Yan, having been taken into the Abyssal Dawn by Su Xiangtian, became a disciple there, tying the Su family to the sect.

But the empire's landscape shifted dramatically after the downfall of the Lee family, altering the power dynamics completely.

Families with close ties to the seven lower sects of Euwrea were inevitably marginalized by the Yan family.

Su Xiangtian might now need to seek alternative strategies to ensure his family's resurgence.

Su Che, now the sole disciple of a rogue cultivator who once matched Tong Laoqian in stature, could prove to be a significant asset to the Su family's future.

His bringing Su Che to the Forgotten Ruins and this city likely indicates an intention to meet with the enigmatic cultivator who has secretly returned.

"He's merely an independent cultivator," Yu Yuan chuckled heartily. "No matter how powerful, as long as he hails from the Forgotten Ruins and wishes to return, he poses no threat."

Tong Laoqian nodded in agreement. "Exactly."

For a lone cultivator like himself to gain a foothold in the Forgotten Ruins, securing Yu Zhu's consent was essential. With the support of Shadow's Keep, Yu Zhu had not only solidified her position in the Forgotten Ruins but had also earned recognition from the three great upper sects of Euwrea as the undisputed authority in the region.

Who would dare challenge Yu Zhu with such a formidable presence overseeing the Forgotten Ruins? Surely, any rogue cultivator aware of the connection between Yu Yuan and Yu Zhu wouldn't foolishly provoke Yu Yuan over a mere disciple.

"Yu Yuan..."

On a balcony of a building some distance away, a chillingly cold old man extended his hand and made a pulling gesture. A gaunt, sinister man, frozen solid within a block of ice, was hauled out alongside it.

This icy captive was none other than Lin Hanyu, Yu Yuan's father-in-law by name. The patriarch of the Lin family, who had visited Asvetaesi on several occasions with ill intentions towards Yu Yuan and the Yu family, now found himself encased in ice and held captive.

Lin Hanyu's expression was vacant, his eyes hollow as if resigned to his fate. The elder, exuding an icy presence, seemed eager to ensure that Yu Yuan took notice. He flicked shards of ice from his fingertips, striking the block of ice imprisoning Lin Hanyu, causing it to resonate with a clanging sound.

At last, Yu Yuan took heed.

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