Chapter Twenty-One: Reckoning

“No need, I’ll go find Su Ming right now!” Su Ye cradled the cat demon in his arms, his palm gliding over its soft fur, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

Now that Zhao Huaisheng had been thoroughly dealt with, and the entire Su Ming family of four was within the Su residence, it was time to settle matters with them as well.

“Master, you must be careful. The young master’s teacher is very powerful!” The servant, seeing that Su Ye had no intention of leaving, reminded him once more.

To the many maids and servants of the Su family, who was in charge didn’t matter all that much. But if they had to choose, they would rather Su Ye be the master of the house. Su Ye’s demands were fewer, he was gentler toward the servants, and their lives had improved under his hand.

Su Ye smiled and nodded, not wasting any time, heading straight to Danfeng Courtyard where Su Ming was.

“Master, you’re back! Did you kill Su Ye already?” As Su Ye’s footsteps sounded outside Danfeng Courtyard, Su Ming, full of excitement, personally opened the courtyard gate, ready to welcome Zhao Huaisheng.

“Su Ye? Why is it you!”

He had just opened the gate, expecting to see his teacher, but instead, he was faced with Su Ye, who had no business being there.

“Su Ye, you’re dead today for sure! My teacher will be back any moment!” Su Ming’s face twisted ferociously, but his body involuntarily retreated. Clearly, what Su Ye had done last time had left an indelible shadow in Su Ming’s heart.

Su Ye, still holding the cat demon, stepped slowly into Danfeng Courtyard. Su Ming was forced to retreat again and again, and soon the two stood at the very center of the courtyard.

“You mean Zhao Huaisheng? He won’t be coming back.”

Su Ye smiled faintly and continued, “Did Zhao Huaisheng tell you he was going outside the city to kill me? I’m back and he’s not—surely you’ve guessed what happened. Zhao Huaisheng is dead. He can never help you again.”

“Impossible! My teacher is so powerful. There’s no way you could have killed him!” Su Ming’s face twisted in terror as he glared furiously at Su Ye, yet dared not make a move.

Su Ye let out a cold laugh. Gathering a ball of ghostly energy in his palm, he waved his hand, and a dark cloud of yin energy billowed forth, instantly enveloping Su Ming.

At that moment, the ghosts Su Ming had raised, attracted by the yin energy, shot out from the ghost banner in the house and plunged into the dark cloud.

A shrill, terrible scream erupted from within the cloud as, under its influence, the ghosts Su Ming had kept turned on their master and devoured all the vital yang energy from his body.

With a sweep of his sleeve, Su Ye sent a fierce wind howling forth, dispersing the dark cloud in an instant.

Su Ming was dead; as the cloud faded, his corpse was revealed, along with several of the ghosts he had kept.

Su Ye gathered thunder and fire in his palm, and with a downward motion, unleashed a torrent of lightning and flame upon the ghosts.

Su Ming’s ghosts were as weak as their master. The power of thunder and fire was especially deadly to such beings, and as it crashed upon them, they let out one last, miserable screech before being utterly destroyed.

The servants of Danfeng Courtyard watched in terror, not daring to utter a sound.

Only now did they fully grasp Su Ye’s power—he truly was a figure of the immortal world, far beyond the reach of ordinary mortals.

“Clean this place up,” Su Ye said, glancing toward the hiding servants before turning to walk toward Rong’an Hall.

Ever since Su Ming had returned to the Su household with Zhao Huaisheng, Su Ren’s heart had been at ease. He was well aware of Zhao Huaisheng’s abilities and was certain that the rebellious Su Ye was no match for him.

So, since his release, Su Ren had been in excellent spirits, waiting for the chance to properly punish his wayward son.

“Su Ye! You traitor, how dare you return!”

When Su Ren saw Su Ye suddenly appear before him, he jumped up from his soft armchair in fright, his corpulent body trembling as he quickly tried to put distance between them.

“Someone, go to Danfeng Courtyard and bring Immortal Zhao at once!” Su Ren shouted angrily. He had no idea of the conspiracy between Su Ming and Zhao Huaisheng, believing Zhao was still in Danfeng Courtyard.

Su Ye’s gaze swept over each of the servants in the hall, finally coming to rest on an old servant—Lin Sheng.

The moment Lin Sheng felt Su Ye’s gaze, he shuddered in terror. But remembering Zhao Huaisheng in the courtyard, he quickly steadied himself and prepared to fetch him.

But a cold light flashed across Su Ye’s face. He showed no mercy to Lin Sheng—a streak of crimson light shot from his fingertips, piercing straight through Lin Sheng’s brow.

Lin Sheng’s raised foot thudded heavily to the ground as his slightly stooped body collapsed, utterly silent.

“Su Ye, how dare you! You actually dared kill someone in Rong’an Hall!” Su Ren’s bloated body quaked violently, the shock of Lin Sheng’s death overwhelming him—once again, he felt death closing in.

“You have a stubborn tongue, but today I’ll not only kill Lin Sheng—I’ll kill you as well.”

A chilling gleam flashed in Su Ye’s eyes. Suddenly, he let out a clear, bright laugh. “I forgot to mention, I just came from Danfeng Courtyard. Su Ming is dead. Now, let me send you to join him!”

“Impossible! Immortal Zhao is watching over Danfeng Courtyard—how could you have killed Ming’er?” Su Ren stammered, staring at Su Ye in terror.

“Because Zhao Huaisheng is dead as well.”

Su Ye’s smile grew even brighter, his eyes dark and fathomless as he softly intoned, “When you seized the Lin family fortune and plotted against my mother, you should have known this day would come.”

Compared to Zhao Huaisheng, Su Ye thought, Su Ren was even less deserving. Zhao Huaisheng was a true villain, but Su Ren was nothing more than a filthy rat crawling through the sewers, foul and despicable.

Silently, Su Ye summoned his magic. A chain formed of pure spiritual energy shot forth from his hand, coiling around Su Ren and slowly lifting him off the ground.

The chain tightened like a python, squeezing Su Ren’s flesh until it burst through the skin, leaving countless gaping, bloody wounds.

Su Ren screamed in agony, terror plain on his face—he knew now that Su Ye truly meant to kill him.

“Su Ye, I was wrong! I’m your father—are you really going to commit such an unfilial act?” Su Ren cried out desperately.