Chapter 264: Ta Su Mountain, Ta Su Gate

Along the way, Yun Che and Su Hengshan chatted, and from Su Hengshan's words, Yun Che further confirmed that this was indeed the Azure Cloud Continent, and the year was the Azure Cloud Profound Year 1999. When Su Hengshan asked about his origins, Yun Che casually replied that he and Xia Qingyue had left their sect for training, and not long ago, they were attacked by a fierce profound beast, which caused Xia Qingyue to be severely injured and fall unconscious.

In his previous life, Yun Che was already certain that Su Ling'er's family background was extraordinary. She usually wore the simplest clothes, doing laundry, bathing, mending, cooking, gathering herbs, preparing medicines, and healing his wounds—everything she did was more skilled than any girl from an ordinary family, yet the nobility and elegance in her very being could never be cultivated by common folk. It was only during his conversation with Su Hengshan that he learned Su Hengshan was the current Sect Master of the Tai Su Sect, and Su Ling'er was the princess of this Tai Su Sect. In the Jiangdong region of Fusu Nation, the Tai Su Sect was the largest sect and undoubtedly the foremost power, akin in status to the Xiao Sect branch in New Moon City. Supported by Mount Tai Su, it possessed immense resources and heritage.

Judging by Su Hengshan's profound energy aura and the strength of the three black-clad assailants encountered earlier, the Tai Su Sect's power level should be one or two tiers higher than the Xiao Sect branch in New Moon City, but definitely not on par with the Four Major Sects.

However, in Fusu's Jiangdong region, the Tai Su Sect was not without rivals; their main opponent was Blackwood Fortress.

As the sect master, Su Hengshan possessed more of a gentle and refined demeanor than the usual sect master's sternness and dominance. Even when facing a junior like Yun Che, there was no trace of the arrogance expected from the leader of Jiangdong's largest sect. His appreciation and gratitude towards Yun Che were openly and genuinely displayed on his face. If Su Hengshan hadn't said it himself, Yun Che would never have guessed he was the sect master.

With such a father, it was no wonder he raised a daughter as intelligent and virtuous as Su Ling'er.

He wanted to know as much as possible about Su Ling'er. When Yun Che asked why the father and daughter were attacked, Su Hengshan sighed deeply, a profound look of anger on his face. "It's all sect grievances; telling you would only make Young Brother Yun laugh... But I never imagined they would lay hands on Ling'er! Such beastly behavior is unforgivable!"

Yun Che pondered for a moment before saying, "Senior Su, forgive my presumptuousness, but you and Ling'er were simply out for a leisurely stroll, yet you encountered such a clearly well-planned ambush. It's evident that someone leaked your whereabouts." "Alas!" Su Hengshan sighed. "How could I not know that? It's just that I truly don't want to suspect anyone close to me."

The Tai Su Sect was far larger than Yun Che had imagined; at least in terms of scale, it far surpassed the Xiao Sect branch he had visited previously. With such a scale, the sect must have at least ten thousand disciples.

"Brother Yun Che, look! This is my home! It's huge, isn't it? That big mountain behind it is ours too!" As they approached the main gate of the Tai Su Sect, Su Ling'er happily and proudly introduced it to Yun Che. Throughout the journey, Su Hengshan's brows remained tightly furrowed, his mind heavy with worry. Yet, Su Ling'er, who had almost met with disaster, was overly cheerful, her face constantly bearing an innocent and adorable smile, as if she had completely forgotten about the previous incident... As he looked at her pixie-like smile, Yun Che's gaze remained misty... Ling'er, how wonderful it would be if you could remain so carefree your entire life...

"Father! Ling'er, you're back!" A young man in his early twenties rushed forward from a distance, excitedly shouting, "I heard you were ambushed by Blackwood Fortress. It's so good to see you're unharmed... Father, Ling'er, are you injured?" "No, we're fine. It was just a scare, and thankfully, this young brother rescued us." Su Hengshan nodded, introducing Yun Che. "Young Brother Yun, this is my son, Su Haoran. I'm forty-six this year, and I only have these two children, which I'm somewhat ashamed to admit, haha... Haoran, this is Young Brother Yun Che. If not for his intervention, Ling'er would have been abducted by those beasts from Blackwood Fortress. Young Brother Yun's wife is a bit injured and will be staying with us for a few days. You must properly thank and entertain them on my behalf." "What! Blackwood Fortress dared to lay hands on Ling'er? They're worse than pigs and dogs! Utterly depraved!" Su Haoran's face was filled with fury. He then bowed to Yun Che, "Brother Yun, thank you for saving Ling'er..." As he spoke, his gaze drifted to Xia Qingyue, whom Yun Che held in his arms. Immediately, his eyes became fixated and could no longer move, his face turning vacant and dazed, as if he had suddenly lost his soul.

Yun Che subtly pulled Xia Qingyue closer into his embrace, moving her face out of Su Haoran's line of sight. He then smiled faintly and said, "It was nothing. Brother Haoran, you're too polite." "Brother." Su Ling'er stood beside Yun Che and called out to Su Haoran crisply, but there was no joy on her face, nor much emotion in her voice. This slightly surprised Yun Che. He could clearly sense that Su Ling'er was not close to her brother; in fact, there seemed to be a slight aversion. And the way Su Haoran looked at Xia Qingyue made him very uncomfortable.

Su Haoran finally recovered his senses, lowering his head slightly. His expression was unnatural as he said, "Father, everyone in the sect already knows about your ambush. Second Uncle and Sixth Uncle are waiting for you in the discussion hall." Su Hengshan nodded. "I'll go there now. Haoran, go arrange accommodation for Young Brother Yun and his wife... Oh, put them in the Dragon's Rest Pavilion." He turned to Yun Che and said, "Young Brother Yun, I must excuse myself for a moment. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask my son. And Ling'er, come with me." Su Hengshan left quickly with Su Ling'er. Su Ling'er kept looking back, clearly reluctant to be separated from Yun Che. Led by Su Haoran, Yun Che carried Xia Qingyue to the Dragon's Rest Pavilion, as Su Hengshan had mentioned, and gently laid Xia Qingyue on the large bed, the only one in the room.

Mount Tai Su was magnificent. As one of the Twelve Immortal Mountains of the Azure Cloud Continent, it contained countless spirit herbs and profound stones. Its abundant resources had also made the Tai Su Sect a dominant force in the region. The guest room Su Hengshan had designated for Yun Che was also incredibly luxurious. The name "Dragon's Rest Pavilion" was certainly not an exaggeration; various red sandalwood decorations were intricately carved with formidable five-clawed flying dragons in diverse poses. This place was likely used by the Tai Su Sect to entertain esteemed guests, showing Su Hengshan's immense gratitude for Yun Che saving Su Ling'er.

"Brother Yun, are you and this young lady... husband and wife?"

"Yes." Yun Che nodded, and as he did, he caught a fleeting glimpse of jealousy in Su Haoran's eyes.

"Heh heh," Su Haoran let out a dry laugh and said, "Brother Yun, you truly are blessed to have married such a fairy-like wife. Oh, and Brother Yun's talent is quite remarkable; to have already reached the Spirit Profound Realm is indeed impressive." Su Haoran spoke with a condescending tone, like a stronger person praising a weaker one. While verbally complimenting Yun Che's talent, his demeanor clearly conveyed a sense of arrogant superiority. He was twenty years old this year, and his profound energy was at Spirit Profound Realm Level Four, making him a top-tier existence among the younger generation in Jiangdong. In terms of profound energy, he was significantly stronger than Yun Che, who was at Spirit Profound Realm Level One... but that was merely a matter of profound energy level.

"Brother Haoran, you flatter me," Yun Che replied casually.

"However, Brother Yun, if you don't mind me saying, while your talent is decent, venturing out for training with this level of strength, and bringing your wife along, is truly a bit reckless. There are far more talented people in this world than you. Arrogance and self-satisfaction, living with a limited perspective, are not good things. Before you have the ability to properly protect your family, it's better not to casually wander around. Otherwise, if you encounter danger and lack the strength to protect your family, leading to your fairy-like wife losing her life, that would be truly regrettable." As Su Haoran spoke, his eyes continually flickered towards Xia Qingyue, and each time his gaze shifted, his fingers trembled slightly... He had never in his life seen a woman as stunning as Xia Qingyue, nor could he have imagined that a woman could be so beautiful. He even felt an uncontrollable urge several times to knock out Yun Che directly and then freely enjoy the sleeping beauty.

Yun Che smiled faintly and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Brother Haoran. I've learned much."

Su Haoran extended his right hand, scratching it somewhat impatiently, and said, "This young lady is unconscious; it seems she's severely injured. I happen to know a bit about medicine. Let me examine her, and then I'll get some spirit herbs; that should help her wake up quickly." After speaking, Su Haoran unhurriedly stepped forward, making to approach Xia Qingyue's bedside.

Yun Che took a step forward, unceremoniously blocking Su Haoran. He said indifferently, "There's no need. I'm perfectly clear about my wife's injuries, so please don't trouble yourself, Brother Haoran. Thank you for your hospitality. I won't take up any more of your time; please leave."

Su Haoran's expression changed. Having no reason to stay, he glared at Yun Che and said, "Alright then, I won't disturb you two. If you need anything, feel free to instruct the servants outside."

Yun Che watched Su Haoran leave, then closed the door tightly. He sneered coldly, murmuring, "To dare covet my wife... Humph! You can have thoughts, but if you dare to act on them, even if you're Ling'er's brother, you won't get off easy!"

Xia Qingyue slept very peacefully, completely unaware that she had arrived in another world. Yun Che stayed by her side, not budging an inch. Every fifteen minutes, he checked her internal energy, and feeling it gradually stabilize, his heart finally settled.

"Jasmine, do you have any way to help her recover faster?" Yun Che asked. Although Xia Qingyue's condition was temporarily stable, her meridians were too severely damaged. Even for him, it would take a very long time for Xia Qingyue to fully recover. Here, he and Xia Qingyue could only stay for twelve hours. After returning, they could only remain in the Heavenly Lake Secret Realm for at most half a day. Once they left the Heavenly Lake Secret Realm, the people from the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace would certainly not allow Yun Che to touch her again. If she were taken back to the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace, Yun Che didn't believe they could ensure Xia Qingyue's full recovery.

"Of course there is!" Yun Che had only asked casually, but unexpectedly, Jasmine gave a decisive affirmative answer: "It's the Bodhi Imperial Lotus you found with him! The efficacy of this lotus is far greater than you imagine! If you perfectly refine all the essence of the Bodhi Imperial Lotus using the Sky Poison Pearl and then administer it to her, her body will fully recover in a short time, and her profound energy will directly advance to the Sky Profound Realm... In your Azure Wind Empire, she would become the first person in history to reach the Sky Profound Realm before the age of twenty... However, the prerequisite for all of this is whether you are willing to part with it!"