Chapter 55: Confrontation

Chapter 55: Confrontation

Seeing Su Hang's guarded demeanor, Su Yun couldn't help but pause for a moment. He suddenly recalled that timid youth from childhood—the one who only dared to stay in the darkest corner of the Su family, the one who once wouldn't dare disobey a single word he said. After becoming Immortal Venerable Lingqing's cauldron, he had somehow found ways to delight the Immortal Venerable so thoroughly that he'd even secured himself a formal position!

Now Su Hang was enjoying unprecedented glory.

Su Yun stared at Su Hang's strikingly handsome face, his heart in turmoil.

He knew full well that Su Hang had been pushed forward as the family's scapegoat—one person's gain lifting up the entire household, and if the Immortal Venerable grew disgusted with him, the family could easily distance themselves from him. Yet still, he couldn't help but feel jealous.

Why should someone who hadn't even had a spiritual root since childhood reach such a position? Why did he himself have to rely on Su Hang's goodwill to gain a foothold in the Outer Heavens?

As Su Yun's gaze gradually turned dark and menacing, a chill ran down Su Hang's spine. He furrowed his finely arched brows, swallowed nervously, and a flicker of wariness appeared in his eyes: "Su Yun?"

Su Yun snapped out of it, and a smile spread across his face again, his brows curving gently, though his eyes remained unreadable.

"What I mean is—Immortal Venerable Lingqing spoils you so, how could he bear to let you go down the mountain to train alone? Surely he wouldn't be tagging along?"

His voice was light and teasing, like an elder brother chatting casually with his younger sibling about trivial matters, yet Su Hang felt a chill of disgust wash over him.

In the past, he wouldn't have picked up on the malice behind those words. But now, no longer bound by family ties, Su Hang could sense a chill hidden within Su Yun's calm tone.

"What are you trying to say? You know full well that elders cannot violate sect rules to personally accompany disciples on training trips, yet you still bring it up. Are you insisting that the honorable Immortal Venerable would abandon sect affairs out of personal feelings just to accompany me down the mountain? If you insist on baselessly slandering the Immortal Venerable's reputation, then d-don't blame me if I get rough!"

At these words, Su Yun's body stiffened, and the smile on his face froze. He walked around the table, stepping closer, his gaze on Su Hang growing more probing.

Su Hang retreated step after step, his jaw clenched tight, breathing unsteady. Even now, at Guanwei Academy, under the protection of Immortal Venerable Lingqing, he still bore a deep-seated fear of those talented disciples from the Su family.

Su Yun looked Su Hang up and down, his eyes darkening. Looking at that face full of wariness and guileless innocence, he couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.

Slandering the Immortal Venerable for no reason?

Did Su Hang really think Immortal Venerable Lingqing was a good person?

Did he know that his own father had died by the Immortal Venerable's hand?

"Su Hang, have you been in contact with your father recently?"

Su Yun's tone was calm, but he kept advancing step by step, backing Su Hang into a corner until his back hit the wall. Only then did he stop.

By now, the sky had darkened, and only a dim oil lamp flickered weakly. The dining hall was nearly empty, and Su Hang could even clearly hear Su Yun's breathing.

A gust of wind passed, and the bell at Su Hang's waist swayed gently. He instinctively grasped it for reassurance—a small gesture he wasn't even conscious of.

The cool bell pressed against his warm palm, and Su Hang relaxed slightly.

Su Yun, noticing the shift in Su Hang's demeanor, shot him a wary glance, then took a few steps back. He said nothing more, just watching in silence.

"Bang!"

A loud bang sounded at the entrance of the dining hall. Both instinctively turned toward it, only to see Immortal Venerable Lingqing standing in the doorway. His face betrayed no emotion, yet the oppressive aura radiating from him instantly turned the air cold.

His cold gaze swept over Su Hang before finally settling on Su Yun.

Su Yun's body stiffened, and the composure he'd maintained moments ago gave way to visible panic.

How could he have forgotten? At the Ascension Ceremony, Immortal Venerable Lingqing's gaze had followed Su Hang like a serpent's. With the Immortal Venerable's vicious temperament, how could he ever allow Su Hang to wander even an inch from his sight?

He must have secretly placed some kind of talisman on Su Hang to spy on him!

At this realization, panic seized Su Yun, and he stumbled backward two unsteady steps.

Immortal Venerable Lingqing noticed Su Yun's slight retreat. His beautiful peach-blossom eyes narrowed slightly, yet they couldn't conceal the ruthlessness beneath. He stepped forward, gently taking Su Hang's wrist and drawing him behind himself, while his dark, unreadable eyes remained fixed on Su Yun.

"What were you just talking about with my disciple?"

A smile tugged at the corner of Immortal Venerable Lingqing's lips, but his eyes held no warmth. Of course, he knew Su Yun was hinting to Su Hang that Patriarch Su was dead, hoping to drive a wedge between him and the little one.

After all, when he had killed Patriarch Su, another disciple of the Su family had been watching the whole scene from the sidelines.

But Immortal Venerable Lingqing didn't want the little one to know about Patriarch Su's death, and he believed no one else would dare to gossip about it.

He just hadn't expected...

This Su Yun had this much audacity.

Su Yun, facing the oppressive gaze of Immortal Venerable Lingqing, felt like his throat was being crushed, unable to breathe. He instinctively tried to look away but found that his body and eyes wouldn't obey him.

"Immortal Venerable..."

Just as the two were locked in a standoff, a small, faint voice broke the silence of the dining hall.

Immortal Venerable Lingqing's eyes shifted, and the cold aura around him melted away. He was about to turn around when the person behind him pressed his warm form against Lingqing's back.

It was early summer, and the night air still carried a slight chill for Su Hang, whose health was delicate. Yet he felt a surge of warmth radiating from the body in front of him.

Immortal Venerable Lingqing's body was warm at this moment, though a faint, crisp scent of snow-capped mountains still lingered in Su Hang's nostrils.

"Immortal Venerable, is my father doing well?"

The air froze instantly.

Immortal Venerable Lingqing cast a glance at Su Yun, who trembled, his legs going weak—he could barely stand straight.

This day would not end well.

Su Yun swallowed instinctively, his eyes darting around as he searched for an escape route.

Fortunately, Immortal Venerable Lingqing had no time for Su Yun at the moment. If he wanted Su Yun dead, he had a hundred ways to do it—right now, calming the little one came first.

Under Su Yun's gaze, Su Hang and Immortal Venerable Lingqing vanished on the spot.

The wind from their departure blew out the last flickering candle. Only the pale moonlight outside cast a cold glow on Su Yun's face, making him look especially pale and terrified.

No, this can't be!

Given how vindictive the Immortal Venerable was, if he didn't think of a way out soon, he wouldn't survive!

He truly regretted speaking those careless words in a moment of anger!

"You're scared, aren't you?"

Just then, a voice interrupted Su Yun's thoughts. He spun around to see a figure clad in black robes standing in the moonlight.

"Who are you?!"

Su Yun instantly went on high alert, his slender hand gripping the sword at his waist tightly, his gaze fixed intently on this uninvited guest who had appeared without a sound.

"Heh." The newcomer chuckled lightly, walking up to Su Yun. He pulled back his hood, revealing a shockingly familiar face: "You look quite shaken—that expression of yours reminds me of Su Hang."

"You—you're Lu Cheng!"

Lu Chengyan sneered inwardly at the sight of Su Yun like this. He stepped forward and grabbed Su Yun by the chin, gazing with satisfaction at the face that still bore some resemblance to Su Hang. "Do you want to live?"

==========Author's Note:==========

Thank you to all my lovely readers who've followed along this far! I truly love you all!

Sorry for the delay—I've been busy lately. My sincere apologies again (bows).

From now on, I'll resume daily updates, around 11:30 at night. Thanks for your support!