Chapter 114: Departure

The words were simple and resolute—Su Yi spoke with conviction. No matter what, Maya had done him a great favor. Since she had encountered trouble, it was only right that he do his utmost to help. Deep down, there was also a faint reluctance within him to see Maya marry someone else. He had no objection to disrupting the wedding—indeed, he welcomed it—but...

Su Yi glanced up at Maya with a hint of hesitation and asked, “But I heard you might... um, will it really take as long as three years?”

“That’s not a big problem.” Upon hearing Su Yi’s answer, Maya’s smile grew even more enchanting and gentle, clearly pleased. She didn’t seem worried at all. “Even if it’s my own family’s wishes, I wouldn’t easily disregard them. Besides, the Imperial Capital Tournament three years from now is far more important than you imagine. It will involve the interests and relationships of many parties, and a group of formidable young talents will emerge... Since Jiang Zhe wants to marry me, he must win first place at the Imperial Capital Tournament to prove he’s the strongest!”

So that was the plan. Su Yi nodded quietly to himself. If Maya used a bit of provocation like that, Jiang Zhe would surely agree to prove he was the number one young powerhouse in the empire by winning the tournament, thus earning the right to marry her. If the situation were reversed, Su Yi thought he would agree as well. In this world, strength was supreme; no amount of words or excuses could compare to the display of true power.

Jiang Zhe was from the Jiang family, a background that naturally carried considerable weight. His strength and talent must be impressive, and he would be confident in himself. But Su Yi wondered about his temperament. With that in mind, he asked cautiously, “Maya, if Jiang Zhe is so determined to marry you... can he really wait three years?”

Maya smiled and replied, “Though he appears to be a refined gentleman, he’s actually extremely proud and ambitious. If I say so, he will definitely prove himself with his strength to convince me... Just so you know, Su Yi, his cultivation talent is about on par with mine.”

“Really?!” Su Yi was taken aback. Although he had suspected Jiang Zhe wouldn’t be unworthy of Maya, hearing that his talent was not inferior surprised him slightly. That meant Jiang Zhe would almost certainly become at least a Dou King-level cultivator in three years! Thinking of such power and the backing of the Jiang family, Su Yi smiled bitterly. It seemed that disrupting the wedding three years from now wouldn’t be so simple after all...

“But if they can become strong, why can’t I?!” Su Yi muttered fiercely to himself. His mind suddenly sparked with a bold idea as he recalled the dark spirit hidden within him—a powerful force that, if controlled, might become a great asset.

“By the way, I almost forgot to ask.” A strange gleam flickered in Maya’s beautiful eyes as she looked at Su Yi. “What was that eerie murderous intent you just showed?”

“Ah? That—” Su Yi was momentarily stunned, then lowered his head to think. He didn’t quite know how to explain it to Maya. The details were unclear even to himself, but he was certain it had something to do with the evil spirit inside him. This time, their emotions seemed to have blended, not as distinctly separated as before, which was definitely not a good sign.

Shaking his head slowly, Su Yi said, “Honestly, I don’t really understand it myself. I just felt a strong hatred toward Captain Lou, and then, somehow, that murderous intent appeared. It didn’t seem entirely like mine...”

Hearing Su Yi’s answer, a flicker of worry crossed Maya’s lovely face, but she sighed and said, “If that’s the case, then there’s nothing much you can do for now. But in this world, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. Perhaps this strange matter will bring you considerable benefit in the future... Rare adventures often come from such things, after all.”

Maya’s words comforted Su Yi somewhat. As things stood, he was not doomed. The evil spirit known as the Blood Emperor had yet to seize control of his body again. As long as he held on to that, he refused to believe there was no way to deal with such a great demon.

“Then...” After a moment of silence, Su Yi exhaled and asked, “Maya, are you leaving now?”

Maya sighed softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Given the situation, there’s no point in staying a few days longer. Better to return as soon as possible. I worry that if I’m late, that little princess will start running around everywhere again...”

“Little princess?” Su Yi exclaimed, surprised. Who was this little princess?

Maya said nothing more, only smiled gently at Su Yi—a smile so radiant it could outshine a hundred blossoms. “Goodbye, Su Yi. I’ll be waiting for you in the Imperial Capital.”

With that, Maya turned gracefully and began to depart. Watching her retreating figure, Su Yi felt a sudden urge to chase after her. Just then, her soft voice drifted back, almost imperceptibly: “After I leave, the situation in the city will definitely change. If nothing unexpected happens, you should also leave Changling City as soon as possible...”

Su Yi’s steps faltered. For some reason, a wave of sadness and bitterness welled up inside him. Standing there for an unknown length of time, he suddenly tensed and whipped his head around, only to see Lou Jun standing not far beside him.

His pupils contracted sharply; Su Yi immediately went on high alert. He could sense the killing intent from Lou Jun. Had he come to strike again?

“If I wanted to kill you, you’d be dead already!” Lou Jun sneered disdainfully at Su Yi’s wary posture. “You’re lucky this time, protected by Miss Maya. But I don’t care what she said to you earlier—I’m warning you, stay away from her! Otherwise, next time will be your death, you worthless coward who only hides behind women for protection!”

With that, Lou Jun didn’t even glance at Su Yi’s pale face. He moved swiftly, heading toward Maya’s direction.

Watching Lou Jun disappear, Su Yi clenched his teeth tightly, pressing his palms together. Despite the lingering pain in his body and those harsh words, he etched them deeply into his memory—

He would repay them all, sooner or later.

...

Before long, news of Maya’s departure from the auction house spread throughout Changling City. Many saw her board a luxurious carriage, guarded by soldiers from the Jiang family, passing through the northern city gate and heading far north.

The news startled many. First, because it was sudden and abrupt, with no prior intelligence. But considering Maya’s abilities, this was understandable. Second, and more importantly, it was the Jiang family who had come!

To most in Changling City, the Jiang family was like a legend—a colossal imperial family that no one dared to imagine would send people to this slightly remote western city. Though it was because of Maya, this alone shook the city. Many families quickly shut their doors, fearing that any careless action might offend the Jiang family.

Suddenly, the usual idlers, hooligans, and troublemakers vanished without a trace. Even the street vendors along the route where the Jiang family convoy passed had packed up their stalls. At the same time, curiosity about why the Jiang family had come for Maya grew. After all, in everyone’s eyes, Maya belonged to the Yousiman family, so it should have been them to send people, not the Jiang.

Amid various speculations, as time passed, some clans with strong intelligence networks gradually uncovered some insider information. They already had spies, which became more active after Maya’s departure. Bit by bit, fragments of news pieced together. Some loose tongues at the auction house also leaked tidbits.

In the end, rumors that Maya was to marry into the Jiang family quickly spread throughout the city. Many men who regarded Maya as a dream lover were heartbroken, as if their bride had been stolen. Some even vowed to pursue her, though whether they meant it was unclear. The more rational pondered that this was clearly a family alliance, and the Jiang family would henceforth be the undisputed first family of the empire.

Of course, unlike the gossip, more accurate and reliable intelligence unsurprisingly reached the hands of the three major clans in Changling City—the city lord’s mansion, the Lie family, and the Auban family.

At the city lord’s mansion, Lord Chet sighed softly after reading the reports. Nearby, Geli asked, “Father, is it true that Maya has returned to the Imperial Capital and is going to marry into the Jiang family?”

“Though the news is a bit vague, it’s probably true. Otherwise, the Jiang family’s visit would be baseless. Besides...” Lord Chet placed the intelligence on the table and continued, “When Maya first came to Changling City, I received a message from the Jiang family instructing me not to restrict Maya’s actions in any way. Whatever she wants to do, let her do it.”

“What? The Jiang family contacted you long ago?” Geli exclaimed in surprise.

“But they asked me to keep it secret, so I’ve been acting discreetly,” Lord Chet nodded, then sighed. “Right now, I’m more worried that after Maya leaves, something big might happen.”

“Father, do you mean the Auban family and that Liu family might target Su Yi?!” Geli’s eyes widened, recalling her encounter with Su Yi, Lie Feifei, and Qin San earlier that day.

“Sigh, that Auban man...”

...

(Chapter 114 of “Peak of Martial Arts” complete! Please support with flowers and bookmarks!)