Chapter 1410: The Tailor’s True Scheme |
The copper coin was round outside and square in the middle. It was perfectly ordinary looking.
When the Tailor visited Universal Emptiness Temple, he brought the coin with him, and passed it to Su Yi himself. He said the Antique Dealer was trapped inside.
Afterward, Su Yi examined the coin with his divine sense and discovered a mysterious sealing force inside. Breaking it would likely destroy the copper coin and hurt the person trapped inside.
Thus, Su Yi had held onto it all this time.
When the monk Illuminating Emptiness heard that the Antique Dealer was trapped inside, he laughed and said, “I’ve heard of falling in love with money, but the Antique Dealer’s gone and fallen into his money!”
But Su Yi had been suspicious of this right from the start.
The Antique Dealer had once ruthlessly tricked the Tailor. How could someone of the Tailor’s disposition simply let the Antique Dealer go?
But although Su Yi was suspicious, he had no proof. He couldn’t see through the copper coin’s mysteries either.
He’d taken the coin out purely to see how the Tailor would react.
“Got anything to say?” asked Su Yi, gently caressing the coin.
After a long silence, the Tailor sighed. “I don’t understand. How did you see through the coin’s secrets?”
“A lucky guess,” said Su Yi.
The Tailor froze in apparent disbelief. “When I first gave you the coin, you anticipated that I’d left a clone sealed inside?”
Su Yi laughed. “Nope. I only learned that particular detail just now.”
“....” The Tailor’s expression was unsightly. “You tricked me?”
“I just knew right from the start that you didn’t give me the coin out of the goodness of your heart,” said Su Yi. “When I tested it, I discovered that that was indeed the case.”
The Tailor’s chest heaved, and he glared at Su Yi, gnashing his teeth with obvious fury.
Su Yi stroked his jaw thoughtfully. “Now, I dare say with certainty that you only have two clones left: the one standing before me, and the one hidden in the copper coin.”
He couldn’t help but sigh. “So, you prepared a way out even before the battle of the Violet Heavens Platform. You delivered your final clone to me personally. Your courage and planning are impressive indeed.”
Sometimes, the most dangerous places were actually the safest of all! Who could have imagined that the Tailor, who hated him more than anyone, would entrust him with his last hope?
It was a masterstroke!
Had Su Yi failed to uncover the coin’s secrets today, it wouldn’t have mattered even if he killed the clone in front of him. The clone hidden within the coin would remain with him at all times, ready to break free and ambush him whenever he pleased!
“I said it earlier. Even if you destroy all of my clones, it won’t hurt me,” the Tailor said woodenly.
Su Yi laughed and shook his head. “It’s true that destroying your clones won’t have too great an effect on your true body, but once they’re gone, your true body will be blind even if he somehow manages to enter this world. Without your clones, you cannot possibly know the situation anywhere near as well as you do now.
“They say that if you know yourself and know your enemy, you’re sure to win every time. Alas, your true body will soon know nothing about me. That’ll put him in a completely passive position.”
“But I’m different. I’ve long since grasped your character, and I’ll be certain to kill you as soon as you appear in the flesh!”
Here, Su Yi stopped to think for a moment. Finally, he said with apparent enlightenment, “Ah, I see. The clone you left in the copper coin is both an escape route and means of preparing for your true body’s arrival. If I’m carrying your clone, you’ll be able to locate me right away.”
It made sense. If he carried the Tailor’s clone with him wherever he went, how could the Tailor’s true body possibly have any trouble finding him?
Su Yi finally understood the Tailor’s trap, and he couldn’t help but sigh. The old schemer sure is crafty and insidious. No matter how cautious you are, there’s no end to it!
The Tailor said nothing all this time.
Su Yi suddenly asked, “Is the Antique Dealer alive or dead?”
The Tailor said expressionlessly, “He’s trapped in the Starjade Forbidden Grounds. If he’s lucky, he might well still be alive.”
Su Yi’s eyebrows rose. “The Starjade Forbidden Grounds?”
The Tailor looked at Su Yi. “Back then, I sent my forces to pursue the old scoundrel. They chased him all the way into the Starjade Forbidden Grounds. My subordinates pursued him, only for all of them to perish inside. The old man hasn’t been seen since.
“Before one of my subordinates died, he sent back word that the Antique Dealer entered a divine temple shrouded in fog. If you want to find him, you’re welcome to try your luck. Of course, I’d just love to see you try it. It’d be best if you died there.”
The Tailor then retracted his gaze, his expression wooden, as if he’d given up all thoughts of resistance.
Su Yi smiled faintly. “This isn’t just another trick, is it?”
The Tailor chortled. “Guess.”
Su Yi thought for a moment, then said, “I’ll believe you this time.”
The Tailor froze, his smile suddenly conflicted. “And here I thought you’d say you didn’t believe a single word coming out of my mouth.”
“I believe that you’d love to see me go to the Starjade Forbidden Zone, and that you think it’d be best if I died there.”
The Tailor fell briefly silent before bursting into laughter. “Having an enemy like you in my life is truly gratifying. Throughout the stars, there’s no one else I take seriously, not even the ancient orthodoxies. You’re the only one.”
“It’s a pity,” said Su Yi.
“What’s a pity?”
Su Yi hesitated. “Want to hear the truth?”
The Tailor nodded. “Yes.”
“I’ve never once considered you a worthy opponent,” said Su Yi. “Not now, and not in my past life, either.”
The Tailor was unwittingly stunned. His chest heaved violently before finally, he forced a smile. “We walk different paths. You pursue the Dao of the Sword, and you kill decisively, while I strive for seamless stratagems. It’s understandable that you’d think poorly of me.”
Su Yi shook his head. “It has nothing to do with our different paths. Rather, your methods, mentality, and character are unseemly and detestable.”
The Tailor completely lost all interest he had in any further conversation. He pointed at his head and said, “Go ahead and do it.”
Su Yi gestured at Qing Tang. “Tell me how to undo what you’ve done and prevent any future troubles. If you do, I’ll grant you a quick death.”
“Surely you can resolve those paltry tricks yourself,” said the Tailor.
“I hate trouble,” said Su Yi.
The Tailor sighed, then took a jade slip from his sleeves and passed it over. “Don’t use your sword to kill me. If possible, I’d like to experience the power of reincarnation for myself.”
“Very well.” Su Yi accepted the jade slip, then snapped his fingers.
The illusory Six Paths of Reincarnation enveloped the Tailor completely.
The Tailor caught an indistinct glimpse of the mysterious Reincarnation Pool, as well as the blazing Path of the Far Shore and the boundless Sea of Bitterness….
Before long, nothing remained of his clone. It had dissipated completely beneath the power of reincarnation.
In the last moment before he disappeared, the Tailor murmured, “I’ve never understood. Do you know why the Contract of the Gods prohibits the power of reincarnation?”
But before his voice had even finished echoing through the air, his clone disappeared completely. Not even ash remained.
“I’ve been searching for that answer all this time,” Su Yi said softly.
He stood there in silence for a while before leaving, taking Qing Tang with him.
Today, atop Mount Luowu, he defeated Hong Feiguan, slew over a hundred Cloud Soaring revenants, and destroyed sixteen immortal avatars of will.
But it was defeating the Tailor that made Su Yi feel that this trip had been worthwhile after all.
……
Outside the Flying Immortal Forbidden Zone.
Su Yi stretched out his fingers and flicked the copper coin into the air. It spun and arced through the air before falling back into his palm.
“I’ll look after this clone for you. When your true body arrives, it’ll serve as bait,” said Su Yi.
With that, he put the coin away and drifted away.
……
That very day, word of the battle and Mount Luowu spread from the Flying Immortal Forbidden Zone, taking the world by storm and causing widespread uproar.
“His Excellency the Temple Master really is cutting down immortals here in the Human Realm!”
“Fierce!”
“Who else has slain immortals in the Human Realm? He’s got to be the first in history!”
“Don’t exaggerate! Those were just immortals’ avatars of will!”
…The news had the world practically boiling over. Everyone still remembered the Temple Master’s famous words: “Even if gods and immortals really exist, they too must avert their gazes before me! Otherwise, I’ll cut down immortals here in the Human Realm!”
Back then, the people took these words as an expression of his valiant spirit. No one really thought he could slay immortals in the Human Realm.
After all, at the time, there were no immortals to be found!
But now, as word spread of the battle of Mount Luowu, the populace learned that the Temple Master had shockingly slain sixteen immortal avatars of will!
Although they weren’t true immortals, they weren’t that far off.
And the Temple Master was still just a World King!
Given what he’d accomplished as a World King, who’d dare say that he wouldn’t one day cut down immortals here in the Human Realm?
“What Transcendents? What ancient orthodoxies? They seriously thought they could lead the world into the future and command the wind and clouds. Shouldn’t they have asked His Excellency the Temple Master for permission first?”
“This battle is sure to go down in the annals of the Eastern Profound Star Domain’s history. It’s enough to alter the balance of power. Going forward, so long as His Excellency the Temple Master is here, there’s no way those ancient orthodoxies will dare act as lofty and superior as they did before!”
“Recently, everyone’s been saying that the Temple Master made enemies of the entire world, and that he’d get what was coming to him before long. Who’d dare make such proclamations now?”
…The stars were in uproar as everyone discussed this news. Su Yi’s prestige had now reached unprecedented heights!
There were also people trying to guess what would happen next.
“His Excellency the Temple Master isn’t out of the woods yet!”
“After what happened on Mount Luowu, his enmity with the ancient sects and immortal factions is completely irreconcilable. They won’t rest until he’s dead. When immortal revenants re-enter the world, he’s sure to face grave peril!”
“Just wait! The world’s changes are picking up speed. It won’t be long until that day arrives!”
……
The far reaches of the Impermeable Demon Ocean.
“A terrifying, tyrannical power possessed Fellow Daoist Su’s body?”
When Daoist Master Red Cloud learned the details of the duel at Mount Luowu from the yellow dog, she was unwittingly stunned. Her eyes shone with uncharacteristic bewilderment.
She then asked, “Just how tyrannical are we talking?”
The dog said solemnly, “Tyrannical enough to suppress heaven and earth on all sides. I suspect that, were that terrifying existence willing, he could have slain true immortals effortlessly, let alone their avatars of will!”
The dog’s voice contained irrepressible, lingering dread. “To tell the truth, Mistress, when I saw him… even I…. was scared…”
The dog’s head drooped with shame.