Chapter 150: Twist And Turn Of Events
The tokens were black in color, with different names engraved on them.
"These are the tokens which they carry around with them?" A disciple finally asked in uncertainty.
Firstly, the real identities of the killers had yet to be revealed by Song Qingshan. As such, the tokens were of dubious background. Secondly, was it even possible for Su Yu to single-handed kill three people?
Swoosh—
However, with a flicker of his body, Third Elder rolled up his sleeves and put the three tokens inside.
His face turned serious, a sliver of fright and fear could be seen in the depths of his eyes.
"The three people that you have killed, how were their looks and strengths?" The third Elder had naturally heard Song Qingshan’s illustration of the situation and therefore wanted to verify it.
"There was a delicate lady who was Fourth Level Lower Tier Holy King, a prodigy of souls who was Fourth Level Upper Tier Holy King, and a black-clothed Wang Li, who was Fourth Level Peak Tier Holy King," Su Yu said indifferently.
The shock in Third Elder’s eyes slightly subsided as he nodded his head slightly. "It is indeed these three killers. Su Yu single-handed killed three people, his contribution is indeed noble. The reward of having the right to enter the depository of scriptures rightfully belongs to him."
Those words incited an outbreak of commotion.
"How is this possible? Looking at his aura, he should have only achieved a breakthrough into Fourth Level Holy King not long ago. How was it possible for him to single-handed kill three people?" Someone questioned on the spot!
"Third Elder, this is definitely impossible! Just based on his own words and three random tokens, the credits are awarded to him?" A Fifth Level Holy King was unconvinced.
If Su Yu had really killed off all of the killers, how could they have the opportunity to snatch the merits?
The third Elder touched the three tokens in his sleeves again and was extremely shaken. The killers were actually from the Empire of Darkness!
Hearing that, his aged eyes narrowed into slits. "Are you all doubting my judgment?"
As a result, the masses all turned silent. However, they were all secretly unconvinced.
"In that case, what about the two remaining Fifth Level Lower Tier Holy Kings?" the Third Elder asked. Should the two of them remain at large, the mission would have to carry on as planned.
"Li Xiaowei managed to run away," Su Yu answered truthfully.
Ran away? "Who would have known that you are so strong, to be able to scare off a Fifth Level Holy King!"
Su Yu shot an indifferent glance at those who protested, not bothering to explain further.
The third Elder, on the other hand, understood the hidden meaning in those words. "Li Xiaowei had run away, but what about that Fifth Level Holy King demonic beast? Where is it hiding?"
Even if there was only a Fifth Level Holy King left, it was mandatory to capture and kill it, as a form of justification to the Faction.
Hearing that, various Fifth Level Holy Kings’ eyes suddenly lit up. Even if there was only a Fifth Level Holy King Demonic Beast left, it was worth it for them to move out. It was worth a grand total of one hundred credits, and could be exchanged for a legendary high-grade marrow cleansing elixir! That elixir was rare, even among the big factions. As such, even the core disciples were unable to consume it as and when they liked and had to earn credits to exchange for it.
However, Su Yu said something calmly which made the masses froze.
"It is right outside."
The spacious and wide hall instantly turned dead silent.
Even Third Elder was stunned at his words. What did he mean by it being outside?
Filled with suspicions, the masses walked to the doorsteps. What greeted their eyes was the sight of a giant head the size of a small house, lying bloodily outside the hall!
Song Qingshan gasped in astonishment. "That Snow Lion which could spit out icy cold breath!"
It... it had actually been slain!
At that moment, the gaze of the masses towards Su Yu changed drastically!
Not only was Su Yu able to scare away a Fifth Level Holy King, he was able to... slay a Fifth Level Holy King?
Not mentioning the normal disciples, even Third Elder was shocked.
Perhaps three tokens were unable to prove anything, but the bloody head of the demonic beast was an irrefutable piece of evidence!
"This time round’s right to enter the depository of scriptures indisputably belongs to Su Yu! In addition, according to the rules, he would receive one hundred and thirty-five credits, and could be used to exchange for elixirs!"
The masses’ faces were either paled, envious, or filled secretly with hatred!
Nobody would have expected that the team of six which was originally thought to be doing reconnaissance, would have Su Yu, someone whom they did not even take to heart participate in the team.
As a result, the killers had been more or less obliterated by him.
All of the credits had been claimed by Su Yu!
The opportunity to enter the depository of scriptures to read Legacy Level Cultivation techniques was immensely rare!
Moreover, there was the rumored high-grade marrow cleansing elixir, which was said to have an exceedingly unimaginable effect on achieving a breakthrough in cultivation base!
Song Qingshan’s face was extremely black. He managed to escape death by the skin of his teeth, yet the right to enter the depository of scriptures, which was supposed to belong to him, had been easily snatched away by Su Yu!
"Elder! I’m not convinced!" Song Qingshan clenched his fists in discontent.
The third Elder looked over indifferently. "What is there to be not convinced?"
"It is obvious that Su Yu had the secret help of an expert. That is unfair!" Song Qingshan replied loud and clear.
Many Fifth Level Holy Kings silently nodded their heads in agreement.
Song Qingshan was not the only one who had such a doubt.
For Su Yu to kill three Fourth Level Holy King, it was still something which they could grudgingly believe. After all, Su Yu had once won Cao Xuan before.
However, it was too preposterous for him to have slain a Fifth Level Holy King!
Not only did Su Yu escape from the Fifth Level Holy King, he even managed to slay it, and force the other Fifth Level Holy King to flee. That was simply unbelievable!
The only plausible explanation would be that there was someone helping Su Yu in secret.
As for who it was, the people present all knew that it was clear as day. Other than the Second Elder who always shielded Su Yu, who else could it be?
"Something as groundless as this. Just due to your conjecture, you want me to retract my promise?" Third Elder’s facial expression gradually turned cold, as he replied sternly.
However, he also guessed that Su Yu had the help of the Second Elder behind the scenes. As this matter concerned the Second Elder, he naturally had to smooth things over.
The people’s hearts shuddered, as they turned silent.
Yet, similar to Song Qingshan many people looked at Su Yu with animosity, envy, and disdain.
Only after Third Elder had left, did the masses finally erupt into a commotion.
Song Qingshan’s heart was burning with flames of jealousy and therefore took the opportunity to reprimand. "Su Yu! Since you had the secret help of an expert, why did you let your seniors die in vain?"
Su Yu frowned and replied, "I was alone all along, and did not receive help from anyone."
With a sharp voice, Song Qingshan reprimanded him. "Su Yu! I know that the seniors in the team indeed looked down on you before. As such, there were some verbal disputes between you all. However, you definitely could have saved them, so why did you sit back and watch them die?"
"So such a thing happened. He is really so petty!" A Fifth Level Holy King was filled with disgust.
"I really pity those seniors and juniors who died!"
"Let’s go! If I associate myself with such a person who holds no regard for those in the same faction, I’m afraid someday I will be the one to die instead!"’ Another Fifth Level Holy King snorted.
"Go! There’s no need to care about him. Let him revel in the reward that he exchanged using the blood of his fallen seniors!"
"That’s true, I just returned to the Faction, and have to immediately register for the Xianyun contest. Or else I would not be able to participate in it two months later.
Rustle—
A group of people walked past Su Yu with a look of coldness and disdain.
Su Yu was clearly the hero who avenged his seniors’ deaths, and yet at that moment, he had been ostracized and given the cold shoulder by the masses.
Standing in the middle of the crowd, Su Yu did not make any attempts to explain.
He had monopolized all the benefits, therefore incurring the envy of many. That was the source of him being framed and ostracized.
Such was human nature. Therefore, Su Yu could not be bothered to argue with them.
Upon handing over the mission, Su Yu was left with the most important thing— registration!
That day was the last day, and he could still make it for the registration.
On his way to the External Affairs Division, Su Yu would occasionally catch a glimpse of disciples who were hurriedly rushing back from outside the Faction.
They were mostly the same as Su Yu, who were busy executing missions outside, and rushed back for the registration.
When Su Yu arrived, there were already quite a few disciples present.
For instance, Song Qingshan and the various Fifth Level Holy Kings who chided him previously were all present.
It was currently morning, and the doors of the External Affairs Division had just been opened.
As Xi Ruolan and Qin Gang stepped out, they swept a look across the crowd which had assembled and frowned.
"What matters do you all have?" Xi Ruolan’s eyes were calm, and her eyes slightly contracted when her eyes swept past Su Yu, but returned to normal soon after.
"Clan Master Xi, we are the disciples who have come to register for the Xianyun contest, and we hope that Clan Master Xi can let us through," Song Qingshan said respectfully and politely.
That day, the emergency mission came hurriedly, and therefore Song Qingshan did not have the chance to register for it.
The remaining disciples were mostly away from the Faction for the past month and had missed their opportunities to do so earlier.
"Register? Don’t tell me you all have not received the notification from the Faction?" Qin Gang raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Hm? The masses’ facial expression changed. What notification?
An ominous feeling engulfed their hearts.
"Deputy Clan Master Qin, We have all been away from the Sanctum and have just returned today. As such, we are unaware of any notification from the Faction." Song Qingshan answered with a serious look on his face.
Qin Gang’s facial expression changed. Turning his head to exchange looks with Xi Ruolan, he announced regretfully. "You all are too late... Three days ago, the number of registered people had reached three hundred. As such, there are no more slots left for the contest, and the registration had thus ended three days ago."
Looking at the several Fifth Level Holy Kings present in the crowd, Qin Gang secretly felt pity for them.
Those words stirred up a big commotion, as the crowd became seethed with agitation!
There were thirty of them there, and their strengths were al beyond Fourth Level Holy King. It was not easy for them to finally return from executing their missions, yet what greeted them was the news that the registration slots had been completely filled up?
"Is this some type of joke? In order to take part in the Xianyun contest which takes place every five years, I have waited for a whole three years. And the result is that the registration slots are already filled completely?" A youth slightly over the age of twenty found the reality before him difficult to accept.
Another Fifth Level Holy King tried to suppress his raging fury and attempted to keep himself calm. "That’s right! What basis do you have? The last round of registration followed the registration deadline, so why was it that the current one suddenly changed, and filled based on the registration slots, bringing forward the deadline?"
Song Qingshan was lost in a daze. "How... how is this possible? I lost the right to register for the contest?"
Thud thud—
Su Yu took two steps backward staggeringly, as the sudden announcement severed the last sliver of hope that he held on to!
That, that was the only way to save Xianer!
If he had lost the chance to even register for the contest, how could he even enter the Xianyun contest, or even talk about finding the Phoenix Blood elixir to save Xianer?
The only reason why he had accepted a sure-death mission knowingly, was so that he could achieve a breakthrough into Fourth Level Holy King, and satisfy the requirements for registering for the contest!
The laughable thing was that he had painstakingly trained and raised his cultivation base to Fourth Level Holy King, and had rushed back tirelessly, only to discover that the cruel truth that the name slots for the competition have been filled!
Could it be that he must really give Xianer to Cao Xuan?
Seeing that the commotion was getting out of control, Qin Gang was increasingly unable to control the situation.
Disciples who could carry out long-term missions for the Faction outside where all Fourth Level Holy King and above, and there were a considerable number of them who were much stronger than Qin Gang.
In fact, there was even no insufficient Fifth Level Holy Kings among them!
Should such a big group of people start causing a commotion, how was it possible for him contain the situation?
Unable to voice out his concerns, Qin Gang shot a glance at Xi Ruolan, in a bid to seek help from her.
While Xi Ruolan was pondering, the masses concentrated their look of anticipation on her with their hearts in their mouths.
Should the Xianyun contest which took place once every five years be missed, there would no longer be a chance.
However, Xi Ruolan was quick to give a reply. Unfeeling and indifferent, she announced. "No! Something that the Faction had decided upon, cannot be changed. The registration has already closed, please leave."
Seeing that the masses still wanted to cause a commotion, Xi Ruolan’s eyes turned cold, as she raised her palm and chopped down in mid-air.
Rustle—
Following the sound, a big tree in the courtyard was instantly chopped into two!
The cold residual spiritual energy was akin to a sharp knife that shaved across the masses’ faces, pain and icy-cold at the same time.
"He who goes against the orders of the Faction will be slain!" Xi Ruolan said calmly, but it was difficult to hide her icy-cold killing intent.
As expected, the people present all became stern, and no longer dared to cause a commotion.
The only thing was, it was ultimately still difficult for them to hide the tightness and indignation in their chests.
This was too unfair for them, as they just happened to be outside carrying out missions. Yet, as a result, they missed the registration deadline for the Xianyun contest!
"Step down immediately. If anyone dares to cause trouble, he will be slain without any mercy!" Xi Ruolan coldly announced!
Right as the crowd was about to leave, from within the doors, someone flew forth. That was no random passerby, but it was Wu Qingzhou!
The only lucky survivor from the Abyss of Wutong’s escort team!
After recuperating for one month, his injuries had mostly recovered.
"Clan Master Xi, may I ask if the junior who slew the Snow Lion has been here?" Wu Qingzhou’s face was filled with urgency, as he chased all the way from the Golden Bell Hall to here.
Xi Ruolan was momentarily stunned and did not understand what he was saying. However, Song Qingshan and the rest of the people all glanced at Su Yu, who was right behind the crowd.
Wu Qingzhou flew toward the direction they were looking at. With his face filled with gratitude, he cupped his fists and smiled. "You are Junior Su Yu?"
Nodding his head in low spirits, Su Yu replied, "Yes."
"Thank you Junior Su Yu, for avenging my brother’s death! He died in the mouth of that cruel Snow Lion!" Wu Qingzhou said as he bowed to express his gratitude.
Su Yu helped him up and gave him a listless smile. "I didn’t need to go out of my way to do it, there is no need to thank me."
Hm? Like noticing that something was amiss, Wu Qingzhou surveyed his surroundings and found out that the thirty people present were all in low spirits, and could not help but be curious.
After asking around, Wu Qingzhou understood the reason for their gloominess. Hesitantly, Wu Qingzhou proposed. "Junior Su Yu, if you wish to participate in the Xianyun contest, it is not entirely impossible. Even though the registration has already been closed, there is still another method to participate in the Xianyun contest!"