Chapter 114: Discarded Pawns

When Su Yun returned to Qinghe City, it was almost dawn.

He landed in the courtyard, and Shen Ying immediately came to greet him.

"Young Master, have you achieved a Breakthrough?"

Shen Ying's eyes lit up; she could feel that the aura on Su Yun was much stronger than before.

Su Yun nodded and sat down by the stone table.

"Are Zhao Han and the others around?"

Shen Ying said, "They are all in the backyard. Should I call them over?"

Su Yun gave a hum of acknowledgement.

A moment later, Zhao Han, Wang Chuan, Li Yuan, and Zhang Tie walked into the courtyard.

They stood before Su Yun, their expressions respectful.

Su Yun looked at them.

These four Golden Core Cultivators were the ones who had come with Hu Meiniang initially. Two were at the Golden Core Late Stage, and two were at the Mid Golden Core Stage. After accepting them, they had helped him keep an eye on the movements in the city, and they had been dutiful enough.

It was a pity they were men.

Su Yun had never intended to keep them from the start.

What was the use of Enslavement of men? They couldn't feedback their cultivation, couldn't Cultivate to feedback, and keeping them would only waste resources.

He had kept them before because he needed manpower to watch Yuxu Palace. Now that Lin Qingyin and Zhou Yuanying had been planted there, and Zhou Ruoyun had also seized control of the Zhou Family, these few people were useless.

But it would be a pity to just kill them directly.

Su Yun thought for a moment and looked at Zhao Han.

"There is something I need you to do."

Zhao Han lowered his head. "Please give your orders, Master."

Su Yun said, "Yuxu Palace will continue to send people. The next ones to come will likely be at the Mid Nascent Soul Stage, or even more."

The expressions of Zhao Han and the other three changed.

Su Yun continued, "I need someone to lure them away."

Zhao Han was stunned. Lure away a Mid Nascent Soul Stage? Wasn't that just sending them to their deaths?

He looked at Su Yun and opened his mouth.

Su Yun also looked at him, his gaze calm.

Zhao Han suddenly understood. From the very beginning, Master had never intended to keep them. They were men, useless. It was time to discard them.

He lowered his head. "This subordinate understands."

Wang Chuan and the other two also realized what was happening; their faces turned pale, but no one dared to say anything.

Su Yun nodded. "You will set off tomorrow. Head north, as far as you can. If the people from Yuxu Palace catch up, just say you were sent out by me to gather intelligence. They will believe it."

Zhao Han looked up. "And then?"

Su Yun looked at him. "Then, do whatever you need to do."

Zhao Han understood. Then, they would be dead.

He took a deep breath. "Master, this subordinate has a request."

Su Yun raised an eyebrow.

Zhao Han said, "This subordinate wishes to use my death to do something for you, Master."

Su Yun looked at him.

Zhao Han continued, "If the people from Yuxu Palace catch up to us, I can pretend to betray you, Master, and defect to them. Once they believe it, this subordinate will…"

He paused. "I will self-destruct."

Wang Chuan and the others' expressions changed drastically. "Senior Brother Zhao!"

Zhao Han waved his hand and looked at Su Yun. "This subordinate is a man and cannot stay by Master's side like those female Cultivators. But this life was given by you, Master. Before I die, I want to do something useful for you."

Su Yun was silent for a moment. Then he smiled. "Interesting."

He stood up and walked to Zhao Han. "Are you sure?"

Zhao Han nodded. "I am sure."

Su Yun looked into his eyes. In those eyes, there was fear, unwillingness, but more than that, a certain obsession.

He knew he couldn't survive and wanted to die in a way that had value.

Su Yun patted his shoulder. "Go. As for your Junior Sister Hu Meiniang, I will take care of her."

Zhao Han's eyes reddened, and he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master."

The next morning, Zhao Han and the four left Qinghe City and headed north.

Su Yun stood on the city wall, watching their figures disappear into the horizon.

Shen Ying stood behind him. "Young Master, will they die?"

Su Yun nodded. "Yes."

Shen Ying was silent.

Su Yun turned and walked back. "Just wait and see. The good show is yet to come."

Three days later, eight hundred miles to the north, on a desolate plain.

Zhao Han and the four were surrounded by a dozen Yuxu Palace Disciples.

Leading them was a middle-aged female Cultivator at the Early Nascent Soul Stage with a cold and stern expression.

Her name was Zhou Yuanshuang, the younger sister of Zhou Yuanzhen. She had volunteered to come and investigate the cause of her brother's death.

She stared at Zhao Han, her gaze like a knife. "Are you one of Su Yun's people?"

Zhao Han's face turned pale, and he waved his hands repeatedly. "Senior, you have misunderstood! We are not his people! We are Disciples of the Xuanyang Sect, previously captured by him and forced to work for him. We finally managed to escape and were just on our way back to report!"

Zhou Yuanshuang narrowed her eyes. "Escaped?"

Zhao Han nodded desperately. "Yes, yes, yes! That brat must have gone mad and suddenly let us leave. We took the opportunity to run!"

Zhou Yuanshuang looked at the other three.

Wang Chuan and the other two quickly nodded along; the fear on their faces did not look faked.

Zhou Yuanshuang was silent for a moment. "Where is that brat now?"

Zhao Han shook his head. "I don't know. When we left, he was still in Qinghe City. He should still be there now."

Zhou Yuanshuang sneered. "Lead the way."

Zhao Han was stunned. "Senior, we finally managed to escape…"

Zhou Yuanshuang raised her hand, and a sword light grazed his cheek, leaving a bloody scratch. "Lead the way."

Zhao Han's face turned pale, and he finally nodded.

The group flew toward Qinghe City. They hadn't flown even a hundred miles when Zhao Han suddenly stopped.

Zhou Yuanshuang frowned. "What is it?"

Zhao Han looked at her, and the fear on his face gradually disappeared. In its place was a strange smile.

"Senior, are you people from Yuxu Palace all so gullible?"

Zhou Yuanshuang's expression changed. "You…"

Before she could finish, the spiritual power around Zhao Han began to surge wildly! He threw himself at Zhou Yuanshuang like a burning sun! Self-destruct!

Zhou Yuanshuang was shocked; she retreated rapidly while simultaneously raising a defensive shield!

Boom!!!

The self-destruction of a Golden Core Late Stage was comparable to the full-force strike of an Early Nascent Soul Stage.

The shockwave of the explosion swept out, and several Yuxu Palace Disciples were unable to dodge in time and were severely injured by the blast.

Zhou Yuanshuang was pushed back dozens of feet, her shield shattered, and blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

Her face turned livid. "You are courting death!"

Wang Chuan and the other two also moved. They did not run, but instead charged toward the other Yuxu Palace Disciples.

Li Yuan grabbed a female Cultivator at the Mid Golden Core Stage, his spiritual power surging crazily.

The female Cultivator's expression changed drastically, and she struggled desperately. "Let go of me!"

Li Yuan smiled. "Junior Sister, see you in the next life."

Boom!!! Another ball of fire exploded. The female Cultivator screamed and turned to ashes along with Li Yuan.

Wang Chuan and Zhang Tie also rushed toward two other Yuxu Palace Disciples respectively. Two loud bangs rang out in succession.

On the desolate plain, flames soared into the sky. When the smoke and dust cleared, there were several huge craters on the ground.

More than half of the Yuxu Palace people were dead or injured.

Zhou Yuanshuang stood on the spot, covered in blood, her face terrifyingly gloomy. She looked at those Golden Core Cultivators who had self-destructed and suddenly understood something.

Those people were death squads from the very beginning. That Su Yun had never intended to let them live.

She looked up toward the direction of Qinghe City. Her gaze was cold. "What a ruthless method."

At the same time, in the courtyard of Qinghe City, Su Yun sat by the stone table, his eyes closed.

Inside his Dantian, several streams of feedback spiritual power poured in. Although faint, they were indeed there.

He opened his eyes. Zhao Han and the others were dead. Before dying, they should have dragged a few along with them.

Shen Ying stood by, asking cautiously, "Young Master, they…"

Su Yun nodded. "Dead."

Shen Ying was silent. Su Yun stood up and walked to the window. The sunlight outside was just right.

"Before he died, Zhao Han asked me to take care of Hu Meiniang."

Shen Ying looked up at him. Su Yun continued, "Tell Hu Meiniang that her Senior Brother died quite worthily."

Shen Ying lowered her head. "Yes, Young Master."

Su Yun looked out the window, his gaze calm. Those men had finally been disposed of cleanly. Next, it was time to continue closing the net.

The Yuxu Palace side should be coming soon. By then, there will be new nourishment delivered to his door.

He smiled. It was quite good.