Eternal Sacred King Chapter 2 - Mysterious Lady

This event struck Su Zimo with the force of a physical blow, completely shattering his worldview. It was now clear that true immortals walked this earth. Possessing such immense power, any one of them could lord over an entire nation, to say nothing of their influence through the Iridescent Clouds Palace.

Losing his academic prestige meant little to Su Zimo. However, Zhui Feng had been his faithful companion since childhood. To him, the horse was more than just an animal; it was his dearest family.

Shortly after the encounter, Su Zimo arrived at his residence.

The estate was modest and isolated, consisting of only a few rooms. His elder brother, Su Hong, had gifted him this place as a reward for passing the college exams at the age of twelve.

Carrying the remains of Zhui Feng, Su Zimo laid them to rest beneath the peach blossom tree that stood in the center of the courtyard.

“Zhui Feng, I planted this tree with my own hands. It will stay by your side from now on. One day, I swear I will drench your grave with the blood of Perfected Cang Lang!”

His eyes reddened with grief. For a long time, he stood silently by the tree before turning away.

As he turned, Su Zimo noticed a figure watching him.

A woman stood there, draped in a robe the color of fresh blood. Her beauty was striking yet natural, lacking any hint of flirtatiousness or heavy makeup. She looked as though she had stepped directly out of a classical painting.

Su Zimo let out a soft sigh. As the ancients described, she possessed a natural grace, like a hibiscus emerging from clear water.

Despite her ethereal beauty that seemed detached from the mortal world, she wore a long, scarlet robe. While the colors seemed at odds with her temperament, the contrast gave her a singular, captivating aura.

Two years prior, Su Zimo had discovered this woman unconscious near the Cang Lang mountains. Fearing she would fall prey to wild beasts, he had brought her back to his home.

The lady in red woke up shortly after arriving at the mansion. Though she appeared healthy, she remained stubbornly silent, refusing to reveal her name or where she came from despite Su Zimo’s inquiries.

She had lived there for two years, and Su Zimo never once attempted to make her leave.

The mansion lacked servants, as Su Zimo preferred his independence. He handled his own cooking and daily needs.

Having another person in the house was no burden to him; it simply meant preparing an extra portion of food during mealtimes.

Throughout these two years, Su Zimo would consistently bring a meal to the lady in red. He would place the tray outside her door, knock, and then depart.

She rarely showed herself, and Su Zimo never saw her leave the mansion grounds. They had never even shared a proper conversation.

Neither the rest of the Su family nor the people of Ping Yang Town were aware of her presence.

The only things Su Zimo knew about her were her name, Die Yue, and her preference for solitude and silence.

He wasn't sure how long Die Yue had been standing behind him. However, there was something unidentifiable and strange about the way she looked at him today.

Su Zimo gave her a brief nod and headed toward his quarters.

Over the last two years, they had grown accustomed to this silent acknowledgment. Moreover, Su Zimo was well aware that Die Yue would simply ignore him even if he tried to speak.

Once inside, Su Zimo closed his door and retrieved a sharp knife with a foot-long handle from a corner. The blade was covered in rust, looking as though it had been abandoned for years.

After searching the room, he found a whetstone. With a solemn expression, he splashed water onto the stone. A cold light flickered in his eyes as he began to sharpen the blade.

After a while, a thought occurred to him. He opened his door and spoke to Die Yue, who remained in the courtyard. “Miss Die Yue, please retire early tonight. If you hear any disturbances, do not leave your room.”

Die Yue offered no reply, maintaining her cold and distant demeanor.

A peculiar thought suddenly crossed Su Zimo’s mind.

The way Die Yue carried herself and her general temperament reminded him of an immortal. She was elegant and detached, seemingly indifferent to the world. A true immortal, he thought, would never lash out at a mortal just because they refused to bow.

Of course, this was merely a passing thought, and he didn't dwell on it.

Su Zimo fetched a jar of wine from the courtyard cellar. After brushing off the dirt, he intentionally spilled some of the potent liquid on the path back to his room.

As he reached his threshold, he dropped the jar, letting it shatter. The wine pooled across the floor, filling the air with a pungent aroma.

Die Yue watched the entire performance, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching the corners of her mouth.

Su Zimo entered his room but left the door slightly ajar, unlatched.

Returning to his corner, he resumed sharpening his knife.

Tonight was destined to be a violent one.

Su Zimo waited.

He was waiting for someone specific...

...

Night fell, cloaking the world in darkness.

A stealthy figure scaled the wall and dropped into Su Zimo’s courtyard.

The landing was somewhat loud, and the dark silhouette quickly ducked into a corner.

After waiting for a moment to ensure no one had heard, the figure noted the silence of the courtyard. Seeing no movement, the intruder stood and drew a dagger from his belt. The blade gave off a cold glint in the moonlight.

In that faint light, the intruder was revealed to be Zhou Dingyun, the youth who had been accepted into the immortal sect alongside Shen Mengqi!

Zhou Dingyun was a man who held onto the smallest grudges. Previously, he had been intimidated by the Su family’s influence and Su Zimo’s status as a scholar.

But now that Su Zimo was a disgraced commoner and he himself had ascended to the status of an immortal disciple, he had no intention of letting the past go.

His plan was to murder Su Zimo in secret tonight and depart Ping Yang Town with Perfected Cang Lang the following morning.

Even if the Su family suspected foul play, they wouldn't dare retaliate for fear of provoking Perfected Cang Lang’s wrath upon their entire clan.

Zhou Dingyun lacked refined skills, but he possessed significant physical strength. He was confident he could easily overpower a weak scholar.

As he crept forward, the scent of strong wine reached him. Scanning the area, he saw the broken wine jar outside one of the rooms.

“Haha,” Zhou Dingyun smirked, his confidence growing. “It seems you couldn't handle the failure and turned to the bottle. You must be passed out drunk. Perfect. I’ll sever your tendons and take my time making you suffer!”

Zhou Dingyun marched toward the room. Finding the door unlatched, he peered inside and saw what looked like a body lying on the bed. The dim light made it hard to be certain.

Without a second thought, a cruel grin on his face, Zhou Dingyun burst into the room.

The stench of wine was even stronger inside. Frowning, he moved quietly toward the bed.

Just as he reached his target, a shadow lunged from behind the door like a phantom.

Suddenly!

A flash of steel cut through the dark. Before Zhou Dingyun could react, he felt the bite of cold metal against his throat. It was sharp and terrifying, accompanied by a freezing voice in his ear.

“One move and you’re dead!”

A shiver ran down Zhou Dingyun’s spine, and his skin broke out in goosebumps.

Despite his strength, he found himself unable to move a muscle.

He knew the weapon at his neck was razor-sharp and could easily slice through his windpipe.

“W-who is that?”

Panic seized him as he felt a warm liquid trickling down his neck and onto his chest. He thought his throat had already been cut.

The sensation was horrifying!

It felt as though his life was slowly leaking away while he stood helpless.

Suddenly, the person behind him grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked his head back with brutal force!

The pain in his scalp was agonizing, as if his skin was about to be ripped away.

“Ah!”

Zhou Dingyun cried out in agony.

His knees buckled under the combination of pain and the threat of the blade, forcing him to the floor. He had never felt so close to his end.

“Look at me. See who I am,” the voice commanded again. It sounded eerie and cold, like a vengeful spirit from the underworld.

Zhou Dingyun strained his neck at an awkward angle, widening his eyes to look up.

One look at the man holding him, and Zhou Dingyun was paralyzed with fear.

In the shadows, Su Zimo no longer looked like a refined scholar. His face was twisted into a menacing mask, and his eyes were terrifyingly sharp. The look in his eyes was even colder than the metal at Zhou Dingyun’s throat!

At that moment, Zhou Dingyun felt Su Zimo’s absolute resolve to kill.

“This is bad! Now that Su Zimo has lost everything, he really intends to kill me!”

“No, I’m supposed to join an immortal sect. I can’t die here!”

A flurry of desperate thoughts raced through Zhou Dingyun’s mind, coalescing into a frantic urge to survive.

Zhou Dingyun trembled. “Y-you can’t do this. If you kill me, y-you won’t survive the consequences...”

“Hehe.”

Su Zimo let out a dark chuckle. “My life is worth nothing now. I’m happy to take someone down with me. You were foolish to come here tonight. Don't blame me for your luck.”

To Zhou Dingyun, that smile in the darkness was the most terrifying thing he had ever seen.

The calm, indifferent tone of Su Zimo’s voice only heightened his terror.

“He’s insane! Su Zimo has gone mad!”

He had barely finished the thought when he felt the knife shift slightly against his skin.

The stinging pain caused Zhou Dingyun to completely break down.

“S-Second Young Master Su, I beg of you, spare my worthless life! I promise I’ll never do anything bad again!”

“Second Young Master Su, I swear on my life! Even if I join the sect, I will never seek revenge. If I break this oath, let me die a thousand deaths by a thousand arrows!”

Su Zimo remained silent, his eyes narrowed as he stared down at the trembling man.

The heavy silence only increased Zhou Dingyun’s panic.

He had no way of knowing what Su Zimo was thinking.

Time seemed to stretch on. Just as Zhou Dingyun reached the brink of total despair, the grip on his hair vanished and the cold steel was slowly pulled away from his throat.

“Get out.”

Su Zimo’s command was ice-cold.

To Zhou Dingyun, those words were like a divine pardon. He scrambled to his feet and practically rolled out of the room in his haste to escape.

Clutching the wound on his neck, he ran into the courtyard, gasping for air.

Having narrowly escaped death, a spark of malice flickered back into Zhou Dingyun’s mind.

“Su Zimo is just a scholar. He only won because he set a trap. If I turn back now...”

A murderous glint returned to his eyes as he looked back toward the room.

But Su Zimo was already standing in the doorway. Dressed in his green robes, he held the long-handled knife firmly in his right hand. His eyes were like those of a man-eating tiger, radiating a terrifying killing intent!

There was a look of pure mockery on his face, as if he had read Zhou Dingyun’s thoughts perfectly.

The malice in Zhou Dingyun’s heart evaporated instantly.

He didn't know how badly he was cut or what other traps Su Zimo might have prepared. He wasn't willing to gamble his life a second time.

“Just wait, revenge will be mine eventually.”

With that final thought, Zhou Dingyun turned and fled the mansion as fast as he could.