Sovereign of Stars-Chapter 18 – He will surely die

In the courtyard.
Boom!
The air suddenly roared, and countless sword shadows, carrying an endless fury, erupted like a long-dormant volcano.
Each sword strike was incredibly violent, wielding earth-shattering power.
After a long while, the fierce and domineering sword shadows gradually subsided.
"Phew!"
Su Xin stood in the center of the courtyard, sword in hand, and exhaled lightly.
"No wonder the Heavenflame Dynasty's Northern Azure Sword Art is hailed as the number one sword technique. I've been comprehending the Thunderfire Volume for several days and have only just barely entered the beginner's level," Su Xin murmured.
The Northern Azure Sword Art consists of three volumes: Phantom, Thunderfire, and Mountain-Sea.
The Phantom Volume focuses on speed.
The Thunderfire Volume focuses on power.
The Mountain-Sea Volume focuses on defense.
Together, they form the number one sword technique of the Heavenflame Dynasty.
Among these, the Phantom Volume has the lowest threshold. After Su Xin comprehended a trace of sword intent, he quickly mastered the first form of the Phantom Volume.
In recent days, Su Xin began to comprehend the Thunderfire Volume. Although he had only just entered the beginner's level after several days, Su Xin was not very satisfied. However, for ordinary people, it was simply unbelievable!
In fact, in terms of threshold, the Mountain-Sea Volume is lower than the Thunderfire Volume, and Su Xin found it easier to comprehend. But since the Mountain-Sea Volume is a defensive sword technique, and he needed to use a forbidden technique to kill Zhao Tianlei within thirty breaths, he naturally had to attack fiercely and exhaust all his strength to annihilate him.
Even at the beginner's level, the Thunderfire Volume's offensive power is absolutely terrifying.
At night, Su Xin stayed in his room, holding two Supreme-Grade Spirit Gathering Pills.
Last time, he obtained twenty Supreme-Grade Spirit Gathering Pills at once from the Crimson Dragon Tower. He had already consumed eighteen, leaving these last two.
Without any hesitation, Su Xin swallowed the two Supreme-Grade Spirit Gathering Pills in one gulp, and simultaneously activated his Bloodline Inheritance Cultivation Art, frantically absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
Time passed quickly, and soon it was the night before Zhao Tianlei's return.
Buzzing~~~
With the operation of the Bloodline Inheritance Cultivation Art, the surging spiritual power within Su Xin finally reached its most saturated state.
"Tenth level of the True Martial Realm, peak!!"
Su Xin opened his eyes, a hint of uncontrollable joy flashing within them.
In recent days, he had been doing his utmost to enhance his cultivation and strength, consuming all the Supreme-Grade Spirit Gathering Pills. Finally, on the last night, he elevated his cultivation to this level.
"At the peak of the tenth level of the True Martial Realm, once I use the Divine Annihilation Forbidden Technique, my cultivation can instantly rise to the peak of the Sea Transformation level. Relying on the Bloodline Inheritance Cultivation Art and the power of my bloodline, in terms of sheer power, I am definitely not weaker than Zhao Tianlei, perhaps even stronger!"
"In terms of skill, Zhao Tianlei's talent is rather mediocre. When he broke through to the Void Shattering Realm, it was largely due to luck. His skills are only at the mid-level of the Void Shattering Realm, probably only capable of passing the fourteenth level of the True Martial Pavilion. But I have already comprehended a trace of concept. If I unleash my full power, I can completely pass the fifteenth level!"
"I've also practiced the Northern Azure Sword Art... both the Phantom Volume and the Thunderfire Volume have been mastered at the beginner's level!"
"With these two ultimate moves in hand, I have a ninety percent certainty of killing him!"
Su Xin stood up, clenching his fists, his eyes gleaming with determination.
The members of the Su Family, whether it was his father Su Baichen, his second uncle Su Baihu, or the younger generation like Su Yuning and Su Qinghong, all worried that Zhao Tianlei would cause trouble for him upon returning from Tianshui City.
But who would have known...
He never intended to let Zhao Tianlei return to the Su Family alive!
"Tomorrow... Zhao Tianlei will die!"
Under the night sky, Su Xin left the Su Manor alone.
...
The next day, at noon, the sky was overcast.
Returning from Tianshui City to the prefecture city, there was a main road that had to be taken. At this moment, a convoy was slowly moving along this road.
The convoy consisted of only two carriages. One of the carriages carried a pitch-black coffin, surrounded by more than ten riders on warhorses, all dressed in burial garments. They were Zhao Tianlei and his entourage, returning to the Su Family from Tianshui City.
In the other carriage sat Zhao Tianlei and his surviving son, Zhao Qing.
"Father, in two more hours we'll be back at the Su Family. Once we're back, you must grind Su Xin's bones to dust, chop off his head, and place it in my brother's spirit hall for forty-nine days as a tribute!" Zhao Qing said viciously.
"Shut up!"
Zhao Tianlei, also dressed in burial garments, had a lean face with a pair of sharp, hawk-like eyes, cold and piercing. Despite the pain of losing a son, Zhao Tianlei was much calmer than Zhao Qing.
"I've told you, once we return to the Su Family, you can cry and make a scene. The bigger the scene, the better, but you must not show any disrespect to Su Xin, nor say anything about killing him to avenge your brother!"
"Let everyone in Yongning Prefecture know that it was the young master of the Su Family who killed my son, that it was the Su Family who acted unjustly first!"
Zhao Tianlei, like a venomous snake, stared at Zhao Qing, "As for Su Xin... daring to kill my son, I will naturally ensure he has no place to be buried, but we must wait for the perfect opportunity to act, do you understand?"
"Yes," Zhao Qing gritted his teeth and nodded.
At this moment...
"Master, someone requests an audience," came a voice from outside the carriage.
Zhao Tianlei pulled aside the curtain and glanced outside, "Let him in."
Soon, a figure cloaked in black robes boarded the carriage. Once the curtain was drawn, he removed his hood, revealing his face.
This was an elderly man, appearing to be in his sixties, with graying temples.
"Tianlei, it's been months since we last met. I hope you've been well," the old man greeted Zhao Tianlei with a slight bow, then sighed, "I heard about your son's death. Please accept my condolences."
"Condolences? What good are condolences! My son is dead, but the Su Family won't have it easy either. I will make sure every man, woman, and child in the Su Family pays with their lives for my son!"
Zhao Tianlei's voice was icy, "Pang Shan, there's no need for pleasantries. You should already know why I invited you here today, so let's not beat around the bush."
"Your Pang Family has been secretly contacting me, wanting to join forces to destroy the Su Family. But I felt your terms lacked sincerity, so I didn't agree."
"But now, I agree. As you proposed, I'll take only thirty percent of the Su Family's resources afterward, but I have one condition..."
"What condition?" the gray-templed elder, Pang Shan, asked.
"After the Su Family is destroyed, I want a copy of the most top-tier manuals they have," Zhao Tianlei said.
"Manuals?" Pang Shan chuckled and readily agreed, "No problem."
The two quickly reached an agreement.
Meanwhile, Zhao Qing, sitting inside the carriage, was utterly shocked.
From their conversation, he understood.
Pang Shan was an elder of the Pang Family.
Long ago, the Pang Family had secretly contacted his father, seeking to collaborate and attack the Su Family. However, his father felt their terms were insufficient and didn't agree immediately. But now, clearly due to his brother Zhao Ling's death, his father had made concessions...
"Tianlei, with you and my Pang Family joining forces, the destruction of the Su Family is imminent. However, the Su Family was once a top-tier family in the Heavenflame Dynasty. As the saying goes, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse..." Pang Shan began, but Zhao Tianlei interrupted.
"I know what you're worried about," Zhao Tianlei waved his hand, speaking seriously, "Your Pang Family is merely concerned that the Su Family's Nirvana Realm ancestor might have left them some formidable trump card. But I can tell you now..."
"There isn't any!"
"The Su Family's ancestor left nothing behind."
"Oh? Tianlei, why are you so sure?" Pang Shan asked.
"First, if the Su Family's Nirvana Realm ancestor had left them something, they wouldn't have declined to this extent in just three years."
"Second, when the Su Family first faced a crisis, I know that the strong within the family, including many guests who hadn't left yet, secretly asked Su Baichen, and the answer was always no. Because of this, many of those guests, including some Void Shattering Realm experts, knowing the Su Family was doomed, chose to leave."
"Third, and most importantly, during the Su Family's crisis, a powerful figure broke into the Su Family, seized most of their resources with overwhelming strength, and killed many of their experts. Even the patriarch, Su Baichen, almost died at this person's hands. Despite this, no trump card was ever revealed," Zhao Tianlei explained.
"A powerful figure broke into the Su Family, seized most of their resources, and even Su Baichen almost died?" Pang Shan's interest was piqued.
The first and second points Zhao Tianlei mentioned were known to the Pang Family.
But the third... this was the first time Pang Shan had heard of it.
"Hmph, that incident happened at night, and the intruder was so powerful that it was a one-sided massacre, so it didn't cause much commotion. Most who knew about it were killed by that figure, with only a few surviving, and I am one of them," Zhao Tianlei said.
"Is that so?" Pang Shan's eyes lit up, "Many experts died, most resources were seized, and even the patriarch almost died without revealing a trump card. It seems there really isn't one."
"Tianlei, if that's the case, we can now plan and set a date to act against the Su Family," Pang Shan suggested.
"Set a date?" Zhao Tianlei frowned.
"Tianlei, you should know that my Pang Family is secretly supported by the Situ Family. Now that we're planning to act against the Su Family, we must consult the Situ Family. They might even send experts to assist, ensuring greater success," Pang Shan explained.
"Very well," Zhao Tianlei nodded slightly.
In the carriage, Zhao Tianlei and Pang Shan discussed the details of their plan against the Su Family.
Meanwhile, not far ahead on this main road, atop an unnamed hill adjacent to the road, Su Xin stood in tight black clothing, holding a long sword, with a hat that concealed his face.
"Finally, they've arrived?"
Under the hat, Su Xin's eyes were cold as he watched the convoy appear at the edge of his vision.
Being his first time ambushing someone on the road, Su Xin couldn't help but feel a bit nervous, so he slightly relaxed his grip on the sword.
"Hmm?"
Su Xin suddenly looked up. The already overcast sky had turned completely dark.
Boom!
A deafening thunderclap suddenly resounded, lightning flashing as if right before him, followed by a torrential downpour.
Raindrops pounded the ground, instantly soaking the earth.
"It's raining..." Su Xin extended his hand, feeling the rain beating against the back of his hand.
"Since the heavens favor me, I'll indulge in a massacre amidst this storm."
With that, Su Xin leaped down from the hill!