NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3
Chapter 3: Su Jing’s Hatred and Love.
Su Jin flew on his sword toward the Great Hall, his thoughts wandering. How long had it been since he arrived at the Supreme Purity Sect? Four years?
On this mountain, he was known as Su Jin, a true disciple and the chief of Little Lotus Flower Peak. But he had another name, one tied to a darker past: Su Jing, the last surviving bloodline of the once-powerful Su family from the Imperial Capital.
After fleeing the capital, Su Jing had been relentlessly pursued by the assassins of the Song clan. Although he was talented, he was too young at the time. Surrounded by several powerful Qi Sea Realm cultivators, he had fought fiercely but was eventually outmatched and left on the brink of death.
At that desperate moment, Tu Zhenren of the Supreme Purity Sect happened to pass by. He saved Su Jing and took him in as a disciple. Since then, Su Jing had spent years cultivating, studying Daoist manuals, and practicing techniques, as though trying to forget the horrors of his past.
But how could he ever forget?
His family’s destruction wasn’t something he could easily erase from his heart.
“Song clan… Song Yu…” Su Jing muttered softly. Flames of hatred flickered in his eyes. Over 130 members of the Su family had been slaughtered, and he was the only one left, hiding his true identity within the walls of the Supreme Purity Sect. The agony of it never left him.
Back then, the witchcraft case shook the entire empire, implicating countless noble families and leading to widespread deaths and injuries.
Su Jing’s grandfather, Su Muyang, had been the sacrificial wine of Guo Zijian, a revered scholar. In a moment of moral courage, he wrote a letter pleading with the Empress to spare the innocent. But that one act sealed the Su family’s fate. They were dragged into the witchcraft case and subjected to merciless interrogations. Su Muyang died in prison, and the rest of the family was systematically eliminated.
But it wasn’t just the government’s witch hunt that destroyed them—it was Song Yu.
Seizing the opportunity, Song Yu, the son of the Prime minister Song, had ordered his personal assassins to raid the Su estate.
His target?
The Su family’s priceless heirloom—half of the Sage’s manuscript, Spring and Autumn: Volume I.
The Su family, renowned for their scholarly achievements, had protected that manual for generations. To obtain it, Song Yu nearly wiped out the entire clan. How could Su Jing not loathe him with every fiber of his being?
Yet, the fire in his eyes soon dimmed, replaced by calm.
Su Jing knew he wasn’t strong enough to challenge the Song clan yet.
What good would it do to seek revenge now?
He needed to bide his time, cultivate his strength, and wait for the right moment.
He would have his vengeance—he was sure of it. And in fact, he had already found a way to make it happen. He just needed a little more time. A faint Qilin-like image flickered between his eyebrows as he flew onward…
Soon, Su Jing arrived at the Great Hall, the grandest structure in the Supreme Purity Sect. Its glazed blue tiles shimmered under the sunlight, radiating a colorful glow that made it seem like a heavenly palace.
Inside, the hall was already full.
All the peak masters, true disciples, and even several retired elders had gathered. Supreme Purity Sect’s Master, Xiao Jiuqian, was currently visiting Martial God City in Long You, so almost every important figure in the sect had come to welcome the guest.
Su Jing marveled at the scene.
Whoever was visiting must be someone of immense importance.
Even when the Supreme Purity Sect Provincial Envoy, a high-ranking official from the prestigious Cui family, had visited last year, only a few elders had come to greet him.
As Su Jing made his way to his master, he exchanged greetings with his fellow disciples. Although he had only been at the Supreme Purity Sect for four years, his exceptional talent, combined with his gentle and upright nature, had earned him a good reputation among his peers.
Reaching his master, Su Jing bowed deeply. “Master,” he said respectfully.
His master, Tu Zhenren, was the first elder of Little Lotus Flower Peak and a powerful Great Profound Realm cultivator.
Four years ago, Tu Zhenren had found Su Jing while traveling and rescued him from death. He had brought him to Taiqing Mountain and accepted him as a disciple.
Although Su Jing had claimed to be a wandering cultivator fleeing a personal vendetta, Tu Zhenren had his doubts.
The men who had pursued Su Jing were highly skilled, and their precision suggested they were more than ordinary enemies. They were likely trained assassins, the kind only wealthy and influential families would employ. But Tu Zhenren didn’t press the matter. He simply told everyone that Su Jing was the son of an old friend.
At the Supreme Purity Sect, once one joined the Taoist sect, worldly grievances were supposed to be left behind. Tu Zhenren wasn’t worried about the trouble it might bring.
Just then, another figure entered the hall—a young woman. She wore a simple green robe, and her black hair was tied in a neat bun. Her beauty was ethereal, like an ice lotus that could only be admired from afar, too pure to be touched.
This was Yu Xuanji. Though she had grown up on the Supreme Purity Sect and learned many of its magical techniques, she wasn’t officially a disciple. Instead, she was regarded as an immigrant. Yet, everyone still called her “Senior Sister Xuanji.”
Yu Xuanji was known for her gentle and kind nature, but her cold temperament kept most people at a distance. Her beauty and aloofness made her a mysterious figure, admired by many.
Su Jing’s gaze lingered on Yu Xuanji, his eyes filled with admiration. He remembered how, four years ago, when he had first arrived at the Supreme Purity Sect gravely injured, it was Yu Xuanji who had saved him. She had given him the rare Phoenix Tree fruit, a priceless treasure, which had not only healed his injuries but also restored his cultivation foundation.
When he had tried to thank her, she had merely smiled and said it was just a material possession, no need for gratitude. From that moment, Su Jing had fallen in love with her. He believed she must have felt something special for him as well, or why else would she have given him such a valuable gift?
But with the heavy burden of his family’s blood feud, Su Jing could only bury his feelings deep inside, never daring to express them.
As if sensing his gaze, Yu Xuanji turned to look at Su Jing. She nodded slightly in greeting. Even that small gesture was enough to make Su Jing’s heart race.