Super Invincible Immortal Doctor
Chapter 1656 - 1657: The Peril of the Ancient Clan

Chapter 1656: Chapter 1657: The Peril of the Ancient Clan

As Su Chengyu finished speaking, the figure of Wan Qiu Daoist before him began to dissipate, transforming into countless wisps of dust in just moments.

Yu Yanshu, quick to react, swiftly produced a small bottle, raising her hand to gather all the dust inside.

After taking one last look, she then turned and handed the bottle to Su Chengyu.

Su Chengyu smiled and patted Yu Yanshu’s head gently, saying, "You keep it. Take it to Master Chang Chun when we return. Though it may not be much of a closure, it is, at its heart, a gesture of gratitude."

Yu Yanshu, realizing Su Chengyu’s intent, was about to speak when Bai Qiu tugged lightly at her sleeve, prompting her to stay silent.

This act by Su Chengyu was his way of separating himself from Yu Yanshu. What he owed Quanzhen was his own debt—it had nothing to do with Yu Yanshu.

After all, Yu Yanshu had been chosen by Wan Qiu as the inheritor of his Sword Intent. Although she wouldn’t be considered a disciple of Quanzhen, Master Chang Chun, as Wan Qiu’s senior brother, would surely show Yu Yanshu a measure of elder-like care.

Su Chengyu didn’t want this matter to interfere with Yu Yanshu’s future.

Understanding this, Yu Yanshu was initially reluctant, but she ultimately respected Su Chengyu’s wishes and stowed the jade bottle away.

"While the Sword Qi dissipates, this place remains absolutely safe. Do you need some time to recover?"

Bai Qiu turned to Su Chengyu and inquired. He was unaware of the external situation, so whether they needed to leave urgently or not was entirely left to Su Chengyu’s judgment.

The others also turned their gaze towards Su Chengyu simultaneously, clearly awaiting his decision.

This seldom-seen feeling of familiarity finally allowed Su Chengyu’s taut nerves to relax for a brief moment. Scenes from what had transpired within the Luo Clan’s Blessed Realm began to replay in his mind. The anxiety that had plagued him ever since stepping into Luoshui was quietly dissipating; many things that he hadn’t clearly understood before seemed to come into focus now.

"The Luo Clan is at the end of its rope; their situation is far worse than I initially anticipated. Looking back, whether it was my hurried arrival here or the alterations to your travel routes—all of these actions likely stem from deliberate efforts by someone pulling the strings."

"For what purpose?"

Bai Qiu asked directly.

Without immediately providing an answer, Su Chengyu reflected deeply, reviewing all recent events and the unexpected individuals and circumstances they had crossed paths with. Ultimately, everything led back to a single origin point.

Suddenly lifting his gaze, Su Chengyu looked around the ruined cavern and slowly spoke, "It’s for the Ancient Clan."

Bai Qiu and Ao Tian exchanged a glance but said nothing. In the end, Bai Qiu was the first to break the silence, asking, "You mean, the Luo Clan being pushed to this extent—along with you being coerced into coming here—is all meant to ensure the Luo Clan’s demise."

"That much is certain. If we exclude a handful of individuals with personal agendas, anyone involved in this seems intent on erasing the Luo Clan completely. But that’s not what worries me most. If this were merely infighting between the Ancient Clans or some Demonic Path players seeking to devour the weakened Luo Clan, I wouldn’t consider it the gravest concern. What I fear is..."

"The mastermind’s true goal is to eliminate all the Ancient Clans?"

Long Ao Tian seemed to grasp Su Chengyu’s deeper implications and asked.

Su Chengyu nodded, then continued slowly, "My grandfather established Xia Country to build a peaceful and orderly world, and the Ancient Clans played a pivotal role in maintaining that peace—not only for their ancient bloodlines but also for the vast troves of texts preserved by the Nine Ancient Tribes, which remain the foundation for Xia Country’s cultivators. Even now, although Xia Country has established the Imperial Academy, I am certain its library cannot compare to the collections of the Nine Ancient Tribes."

It’s akin to the relationship between the Supreme Daoist Scripture and Quanzhen. Today, the sects of Xia Country, the various recognized Martial Arts traditions, cultivation techniques, and Martial Way masterpieces—it’s hard to say which of them lacks any connection to the Ancient Clans.

Should the Nine Ancient Tribes face calamity, for humanity, whose nature’s spiritual energy has already declined, the path of cultivation would regress far beyond mere centuries—it could be millennia.

"Are you suggesting someone intends to uproot humanity’s foundational path of cultivation?"

Su Chengyu nodded, "Of course, this is merely a conjecture based on the information at hand. Whether the truth aligns with this, I cannot say. Furthermore..."

"It doesn’t really concern you, does it?"

The question came from the Heaven-Mending Stone. Since everyone present was trusted, the Heaven-Mending Stone made no effort to hide its blunt remark aimed at Su Chengyu.

Su Chengyu chuckled, "You’re not wrong. Personally, I don’t hold much fondness for the Ancient Clans. However, if circumstances truly unfold as I suspect, there may still be opportunities for me to exploit."

Bai Qiu and Ao Tian exchanged another glance before Bai Qiu spoke, "If your speculations are accurate, then once the Nine Ancient Tribes fall, humanity’s cultivators will grow feeble, and the Demonic Path—or rather, the growing power of the Demon Clan—will ensure you eventually suffer the consequences."

Su Chengyu was well aware of this concern, but he still replied with ease, "Those who can handle heaven-defying matters will rise to the occasion. I have no intention of becoming the kind of person I hold deepest respect for. For me, it’s enough to act with a clear conscience and avoid disappointing those who place their faith in me."

Hearing this, Long Ao Tian and Bai Qiu found themselves without anything more to say. They exchanged helpless glances and buried their lingering doubts deep within themselves.

Su Chengyu, noticing the subtle shifts in their demeanor since their return, interpreted their reactions as further confirmation of his own reasoning and continued.

"One should take on only as much as one’s abilities allow. If my assumptions are correct, then the fall of the Luo Clan is merely the beginning. To be blunt, at this point I lack the power to oppose the Luo Clan, let alone save it. Protecting the Luo Clan isn’t a noble act achievable with mere goodwill—it’s a foolhardy sacrifice, even if I were to expend everything."

"I’ve come to understand my limits. I’m no saint, nor will I ever be someone like my grandfather, revered for his saintly deeds. Thus, even if my suspicions turn out to be true, I will not risk reckless action."

Su Chengyu’s stance was unequivocal. Bai Qiu, recognizing his perspective, found no grounds for rebuttal, simply murmuring an acknowledgment and falling silent.

Long Ao Tian, on the other hand, seemed restless, scratching his head in frustration but unsure of how to voice his thoughts.

Realizing that the two still harbored unresolved concerns, Su Chengyu chose not to dwell on the matter and shifted topics.

"Right now, the fate of the Ancient Clans being targeted is irrelevant to me, as is whether the Luo Clan perishes. What matters is how I can leverage the Luo Clan’s current crisis to rescue Nan Zhi."

Fully understanding Su Chengyu’s intent, Bai Qiu blinked and said, "You plan to add more chaos to this already messy situation."

"Not necessarily chaos. If the Luo Clan were to willingly hand over Nan Zhi, why wouldn’t I change sides and help them out of this predicament? Yet..."

Su Chengyu left his sentence unfinished, and everyone knew that the Luo Clan, viewing Xu Nanzhi as their lifeline, would never compromise.

In what seemed to be a grand conspiracy targeting every Ancient Clan, Su Chengyu had no intention of playing the savior’s role; instead, he might very well become one of the players aligning against them.