Chapter Twenty-Two: Black Wind Mountain

“I am not your son!” Su Ye gave a cold laugh, and a glimmer of spiritual light flashed at his fingertip, striking Su Ren’s brow and ending his life in an instant. Though he now inhabited Su Ye’s body, he felt not the slightest affection for Su Ren, and thus harbored no qualms about the bond of father and son.

“It’s time to deal with Hua and Su Jiao now!”

Unmoved by the terrified stares of the Su household’s maids and servants, Su Ye calmly carried the cat demon out of the Antran Hall and made his way toward the quarters of Hua and Su Jiao. They were, after all, the root of the original Su Ye’s years of torment. Having already killed Su Ren and Su Ming, he had no intention of sparing either of them.

Upon meeting those two, Su Ye wasted no words and killed them both without hesitation.

After dispatching the four—Su Ren and his accomplices—Su Ye further dealt with a group of servants who had previously tormented the original Su Ye, as well as those like Lin Sheng who had abetted Su Ren in harming Su Ye’s mother.

“At last, it’s done. The entire Su family is now within my grasp. With the family’s wealth, I should be able to restore my cultivation to the Ninth Rank!”

A relaxed smile appeared on Su Ye’s face. Ever since he had crossed into this world, he had been struggling merely to survive. Only now was the crisis that had loomed over him truly resolved.

“There is little of Zhao Huaisheng’s possessions in the Su family. His lair is in Blackwind Mountain; that’s where his treasures must be hidden.”

Over the past few days, Su Ye had learned the precise location of Blackwind Mountain. It lay a great distance from Jinhua County, in a remote and perilous wilderness seldom visited by man.

“I must make a trip to Blackwind Mountain!” Su Ye had previously obtained five spirit stones from that evil cultivator, but Zhao Huaisheng’s power far surpassed that of the former. The treasures he had amassed would only be greater.

“Xiao Li, I’ll be going to Blackwind Mountain. Guard the Su household for me while I’m away—don’t let outsiders cause trouble,” Su Ye said gravely.

Xiao Li was the name of the civet cat demon. Over the past days, Su Ye had helped her purge the fierce and violent energy within her body several times, and now it was nearly all gone.

With Li Ping and her daughter dead, Xiao Li had not yet decided where to go next. As Su Ye was lacking in capable hands at the moment, he asked her to remain by his side.

“Go to Blackwind Mountain without worry—I’ll look after the Su family for you,” Xiao Li replied.

Su Ye was quite at ease entrusting matters to Xiao Li. As a First Realm demon beast, she surpassed even him in cultivation. The only troubles the Su family might face in the near future would be business-related. Su Ye had made no effort to conceal news of Su Ren and the others’ deaths. By now, all the wealthy families in Jinhua County knew that the new master of the Su household was the second son, Su Ye, who had never before shown his face.

It was only natural that they doubted Su Ye could hold on to such a vast estate. All were eager to take advantage of the situation and snatch a piece for themselves.

Su Ye did not fear these people. After Su Ren’s death, he summoned all the Su family’s stewards from various branches and gave them each a stern warning to quash any thoughts of betrayal.

He also rewarded them handsomely, both to win their loyalty and to stabilize the household.

Those outside the family might be unaware of Su Ye’s methods, but the stewards understood well that he was formidable—after all, it was no small thing to slay one’s own father.

Should anyone dare stir up trouble at the Su family, Su Ye was well prepared. The family employed a large number of guards, and if they proved insufficient, there was still Xiao Li—his secret weapon.

As a First Realm demon beast, few in Jinhua County—whether cultivators or monsters—could surpass Xiao Li in strength.

With the household’s affairs in order, Su Ye wasted no more time. He mounted a swift steed and departed Jinhua County, making haste for Blackwind Mountain.

“Once outside Jinhua, life for the common folk is truly harsh,” Su Ye mused, for along the way he saw many villagers dressed in rags, gaunt and emaciated.

Beyond poor harvests due to harsh conditions, there were two graver causes: the rampant depredations of demons and monsters, which prevented the people from devoting themselves wholly to farming; and the heavy taxes and the oppression of the county magistrate.

Though Su Ye pitied these people deeply, his own strength was yet too meager to change their plight.

Still, on his way to Blackwind Mountain, he slew several evil monsters—each weak, mostly of the Third Realm. They were no match for him and fell quickly.

The corpses of these monsters were of great use to Su Ye. Their blood was ideal for making talisman ink, and their pelts could be fashioned into talisman paper.

However, these corpses would not keep for long, so Su Ye processed them into talisman paper and ink on the spot, which delayed him considerably. By the time he reached Blackwind Mountain, nearly a month had passed.

“This is Blackwind Mountain,” Su Ye said, gazing at the looming peak ahead, a smile appearing on his lips.

The mountain was not particularly tall, but its dense, verdant trees formed canopies like vast green umbrellas. Even at midday, sunlight could scarcely penetrate the thick foliage to reach the mountain’s heart.

Su Ye did not linger at the foot of Blackwind Mountain. After a brief survey of the area, he began his ascent.

Once, this mountain had been Zhao Huaisheng’s stronghold. Now that Zhao Huaisheng was dead by Su Ye’s hand, there was nothing left here that could threaten his life.

“Who are you?”

“This is no place for you! Leave at once!”

Su Ye had only just caught sight of a temple when a pair of cold, harsh voices rang out from ahead. Two men in black robes stepped into view.

These two daoists were about thirty years old, both cultivators of the Second Realm—far from formidable.

“How are you connected to Zhao Huaisheng?” Su Ye asked, frowning.

He could sense a heavy aura of corpse and ghost energy from them. Clearly, like Zhao Huaisheng, they were evil cultivators who practiced ghostly arts.

“Does the young master know our master?” On hearing Zhao Huaisheng’s name, the two daoists’ expressions changed at once. Their cold eyes were replaced with smiles.

They assumed Su Ye was a friend of their master, never suspecting he was Zhao Huaisheng’s enemy.

“Of course I know your master,” Su Ye replied with a chuckle, watching the two daoists, keenly aware of the evil emanating from them.