Chapter 1579
What exactly is going on?
Chapter 1579 What exactly is going on?
As dusk settled, the last rays of the setting sun cast a warm, hazy glow on the blue bricks and gray tiles of the Su family's old house, yet they could not dispel the subtle, heavy atmosphere outside.
Su Fan stood on the bluestone path outside the mansion, gazing at the familiar floating figure in mid-air, and his eyes instantly welled up with tears.
Warm, damp tears trickled down the corners of my eyes, blurring my vision.
My senior sister's figure was still graceful, her plain dress fluttering slightly in the evening breeze, and the contours of her eyebrows and eyes were almost exactly the same as when we first met.
However, his brows now bear the marks of time and resilience, like a solitary orchid stubbornly growing amidst wind and rain.
"boom……"
A muffled buzzing sound suddenly exploded, like thunder rolling past one's ears.
The pale blue spiritual energy shield surrounding the Su family's old residence trembled violently, its radiance rapidly dimming before shattering with a loud crash.
The spiritual energy shield transformed into countless points of light, dissipating in the evening breeze, and even the tense, oppressive feeling in the air eased somewhat.
The moment the defensive array dissipated, a figure shot towards Su Fan like an arrow.
Tears streamed down her face, glistening droplets rolling down her cheeks.
Her eyes were churning with a myriad of emotions: the excitement of regaining what was lost, the grievance of waiting for so many years, the thrill of reunion, and the resentment of being abandoned for so long.
A mix of emotions swirled together, like a tangled mess, making Su Fan's heart tighten.
"Senior sister... I'm back..."
Su Fan's voice was slightly hoarse. As soon as he finished speaking, his senior sister pounced on him and pounded his chest hard with her small fist.
The force wasn't heavy, but it contained endless grievances and longing.
"You bastard... So you finally decided to come back..."
The senior sister's voice was choked with sobs, and she seemed still not satisfied after speaking, so she punched him a few more times.
The force of her fist gradually lessened, and finally she simply withdrew her hand, threw herself into his arms, and hugged his waist tightly, as if she had grasped a lost treasure and was afraid that he would disappear again if she let go.
Su Fan's heart clenched painfully. He turned around and pulled her tightly into his arms, with such force that it felt as if he wanted to completely integrate this woman who had waited for him for so many years into his very bones.
He could still smell her familiar scent, and his heart was filled with guilt and heartache.
He's been causing so much trouble these past few years.
His three Daoist companions have had an incredibly difficult time these past years.
They lived in anonymity, wandering from place to place, and finally managed to establish their family foundation here, only to be bullied to this extent.
Su Fan took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness in his heart, and gently patted her back, his voice gentle yet firm.
"I'm not leaving... I'll never leave again..."
The senior sister was holding him tightly around the waist. Upon hearing these words, her shoulders trembled slightly, and she gently punched him again.
This time, the force was as light as a feather brushing against me, full of reliance and reassurance.
"father……"
A clear yet somewhat timid shout rang out from behind, followed by a figure rushing out of the courtyard and crashing into Su Fan's arms.
Gu Man was his most beloved daughter. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and clung to him.
Centuries later, the little girl from back then has grown up quite a bit, and you can still vaguely see the shadow of Gu Qinghuan in her eyes and brows.
Su Fan's heart melted instantly, and he gently stroked her hair.
Then, Gu Qinghuan and Li Miaoxue also came out of the courtyard.
Upon seeing Su Fan standing at the door, both of them froze, tears instantly blurring their vision. They stood there, rooted to the spot, their steps seemingly frozen, even their breathing becoming rapid.
The one with a cool and aloof personality was the first to come to her senses, quickly stepped forward, and grabbed Su Fan's arm.
She gently rested her head on his shoulder, her cool cheek pressed against his sleeve, her tears silently soaking his clothes.
Gu Qinghuan didn't speak, but her actions conveyed endless longing and grievances.
Li Miaoxue was gentle and shy by nature.
Seeing that Su Fan was surrounded by people, she hesitated for a moment, moved her feet, and finally stopped.
She simply couldn't bring herself to throw herself into Su Fan's arms in front of everyone, just like her senior sister had done.
By this time, a number of people had poured out of the courtyard; they were all younger members of the Su family, his children and grandchildren.
Most of these children grew up listening to his heroic deeds, and whenever their elders mention him, their faces are filled with respect and excitement.
Moreover, his infamous reputation from back then still resonates far and wide even after hundreds of years.
At this moment, they all gathered around, their eyes filled with curiosity and awe, whispering among themselves.
Su Fan cuddled with his senior sister and Gu Man for a while before gently pushing them away. His gaze swept over the crowd and soon spotted Li Miaoxue standing at the edge of the group.
He knew in his heart that this woman was gentle and never fought or competed. If it weren't for his senior sister and Gu Qinghuan being nice people, she would probably be bullied to death in this family.
Su Fan gently waved to her, and Li Miaoxue's eyes lit up. After hesitating for a moment, she slowly stepped forward.
Before she could even stand up straight, Su Fan stepped forward and gently pulled her into his arms.
As the familiar masculine scent enveloped her, Li Miaoxue's body trembled slightly before relaxing, and she gently grasped his collar with both hands.
"Alright... come inside and catch up..."
Luo Guyin's voice rang out at the right moment. She looked at the crowd gathered in front of the mansion, her brows furrowing slightly, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.
Such a commotion might easily attract the attention of hostile forces, so she quickly invited everyone inside.
It was only then that Su Fan noticed Luo Guyin standing in front of the courtyard gate.
She wore a plain Taoist robe, her figure still upright, only with a few strands of silver hair at her temples.
Su Fan quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said with deep gratitude, "Thank you so much for your great help to the Su family, fellow Daoist. I am deeply grateful..."
To be honest, if it weren't for Luo Guyin's support over the years, the Su family would have suffered countless hardships, and his Daoist partners would probably not have been able to hold on until now.
Su Fan followed the others into the main hall of the old house.
The main hall of the family home was simply but neatly furnished, with several pear wood tables and chairs placed in the center.
Apart from Luo Guyin and his three Daoist partners, only Li Chao, Su Chang'an, and Gu Man remained inside the hall. The other juniors stood quietly outside the main hall, waiting patiently.
After everyone was seated, Luo Guyin picked up the teacup on the table and took a small sip.
He then put down his teacup, smiled, and looked at Su Fan with a hint of inquiry and concern in his eyes: "Where have you been all these years...?"
Upon hearing this, Su Fan gave a bitter smile and gently shook his head.
The experiences of these past years have been so complex and multifaceted that I don't even know where to begin.
"It's a long story..."
Luo Guyin's smile gradually faded, her brows furrowed, and she fell into deep thought.
After a moment, she took a deep breath, as if she had made a major decision, and her eyes became incredibly firm.
She gave Su Fan a deep look, then looked at the three senior sisters beside her, and spoke in a heavy tone.
"While the situation outside is chaotic, Su Fan, you take these few along with the most talented members of the clan and leave here immediately. I'll stay here and oversee things until this matter is completely settled, then you can all come back..."
"Master...I'm not leaving, we'll go together..."
Upon hearing this, the senior sister panicked and stood up abruptly, her voice trembling with tears. How could she possibly leave her master here alone to face those dangers alone?
"I'm not leaving either..." Gu Qinghuan's voice was clear and firm. She looked up at Su Fan with a resolute look in her eyes.
"At worst, we'll all perish together. I would never abandon my master and flee for my life alone..."
She paused here, her tone softening slightly.
"Su Fan, take Gu Man and the others and go somewhere else to avoid trouble..."
Li Miaoxue gave a bitter smile, her voice low and hoarse.
“Those powerful people will definitely not let this go if they find out we're gone. Su Fan, please take good care of Li Chao for me. If... if anything happens to me…”
She took a deep breath, as if using all her strength, and said, word by word, "Remember to avenge me later..."
The three of them knew that although Su Fan was currently only at the Refinement of Void Realm, he possessed a Demon Seed, and his future achievements would be limitless.
As long as he lives, the Su family still has hope.
Moreover, given Su Fan's unruly nature, anyone who had offended him in the past had suffered the loss of their family and home.
Upon hearing their words, Su Fan was initially taken aback, a look of bewilderment on his face, but he quickly came to his senses.
Before going home, he deliberately suppressed his cultivation level to the Refinement of Emptiness realm.
After all, he had only been gone for a few hundred years, yet he had already broken through to the late stage of the Integration Realm.
If my family knew about this astonishing progress, they would probably be terrified.
In this world of cultivation, it is impossible for a cultivator at the Refining Void Realm to break through to the Integration Realm without thousands of years of arduous cultivation and accumulation.
Even if one's cultivation reaches the late-stage Great Perfection of the Void Refining Realm, only one in a thousand can successfully break through to the Body Integration Realm.
Therefore, seeing his three Daoist partners so solemnly arranging a way out for him, Su Fan felt both bittersweet and warm-hearted, and almost couldn't help but laugh out loud.
He suppressed a laugh and said firmly, "Stop talking. Now that I'm back, I'll take charge of things at home..."
Luo Guyin sighed softly and looked at him with a solemn expression.
"Su Fan, let me be frank with you. Those hostile forces outside are all backed by vassal families of the 'Demon Sun Divine Palace,' whose power is immense. You alone cannot possibly contend with them..."
At this point, she gave a bitter smile, a hint of despair flashing in her eyes.
"My time is almost up, and it will be extremely difficult for me to advance any further. You are different; you will all have the opportunity to break through to higher realms in the future."
Those outstanding younger members of the clan are the hope for the Su family's resurgence; we cannot let them sacrifice themselves here in vain..."
Hearing Luo Guyin's words, Su Fan was filled with emotion.
Luo Guyin's talent was exceptional. If she had stayed in a major sect back then and relied on its resources and traditions, her cultivation level would certainly be more than just the Nascent Soul Realm.
Ultimately, it was the Su family that held her back.
In this world of cultivation, the best place for a cultivator is to cultivate peacefully within a sect.
The worst thing is to wander around aimlessly, which will exhaust your mind and energy.
Of course, he, the cheater, is an exception.
Thinking of this, Su Fan smiled calmly and looked at Luo Guyin with a firm tone.
“Fellow Daoist Guyin, with me here, no one from the Su family needs to leave…”
Just as Luo Guyin was about to retort, her eyes suddenly narrowed, and she abruptly turned her head to look at the distant sky outside the main hall, her expression instantly becoming extremely solemn.
Almost simultaneously, a devastating aura, like a tidal wave, carrying boundless pressure, surged toward the Su family's old residence.
The air seemed to freeze, so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
"Oh no... It's an old monster at the Integration Realm..." Luo Guyin's voice trembled slightly, her eyes filled with horror.
At least in the Jiaochen Realm, cultivators at the Integration Realm are like gods, able to turn the world upside down with a flick of their wrist, enough to determine the rise and fall of a small or medium-sized family.
Luo Guyin's heart sank even further. She naturally remembered that Su Fan had a number of amazing achievements in killing cultivators at the Integration Realm, but things were different now.
He was no longer alone; he had a family to support and was bound to the entire Su family.
What's more, this time the opponent is a vassal force of the "Demon Sun Divine Palace".
That was a super demonic sect renowned throughout the entire realm, with deeply entrenched power and unfathomable depths.
Even if Su Fan truly possessed the ability to defeat enemies of higher ranks, facing such a colossal creature would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.
Before Luo Guyin's heart could sink to the bottom, that earth-shattering pressure had already enveloped the entire Su family's old mansion.
Looking up, a figure dressed in a black brocade robe was already hovering above the old house. The spiritual energy around him surged, forming a visible air wave that made the people below feel a little breathless.
"I am Jiang Haoran. Members of the Su family, come out and speak..."
A loud voice boomed like thunder, carrying an undeniable authority, piercing straight into the eardrums and causing the bluestone slabs in the courtyard to tremble slightly.
"Jiang Haoran..."
Upon hearing this name, Luo Guyin's face instantly turned ashen, and her body trembled uncontrollably.
How could she forget this name? Among the forces that besieged the Su family and pressed them step by step, there was a rumor that it was a black glove supported by the Jiang family of the "Demon Sun Divine Palace".
Now, the Jiang family has actually come knocking on our door.
She was still unclear about Jiang Haoran's specific purpose for this trip, but her intuition told her that he had no good intentions.
Regardless, with the Nascent Soul Realm expert already at the city gates, she, as the supporter of the Su family, had no reason to avoid them.
Luo Guyin took a deep breath, suppressing the fear in her heart, and was about to step forward to pay her respects when Su Fan spoke first.
"roll……"
A single word, spoken softly and even somewhat indifferently, without any deliberate attempt to exert pressure, yet it struck the hearts of everyone present like an invisible hammer.
Especially to Jiang Haoran, this word was like a thunderclap in a clear sky, causing his mind to go blank for a moment.
The next second, Jiang Haoran felt an irresistible and terrifying force suddenly strike him. His vision went black, and his body flew backward uncontrollably.
The dark brocade robe fluttered in the gale, smashing through several invisible spatial barriers along the way, leaving behind a series of muffled explosions.
His body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, flying dozens of miles away before crashing heavily to the ground with a loud "boom," creating a crater several meters deep and raising clouds of dust.
"puff……"
Jiang Haoran instinctively tried to struggle to get up, but a sweet taste came from his throat, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. The blood mist spread in the air, staining the ground beneath him red.
His entire body felt as if his bones had been shattered, and he was in excruciating pain. The body he had just managed to prop himself up collapsed heavily to the ground again, his eyes filled with disbelief, horror, and bewilderment.
At this moment, the Su family's old residence was completely silent; you could hear a pin drop.
Whether it was Luo Guyin and his three Daoist partners standing in the main hall, or the younger generation of the Su family guarding the door, they were all frozen in place.
Their eyes were fixed blankly on the direction Jiang Haoran had flown backward, their minds a complete blank, unable to process what had just happened for a long time.
That person just now was a Nascent Soul Realm expert who could wipe out the Su family with a wave of his hand.
Who would have thought that a mere "Get lost" from his own ancestor would send him flying dozens of miles away, leaving him severely injured and coughing up blood.
What the hell is going on here?
(End of this chapter)