The palm strike arrived in an instant, but Pei Su remained unhurried, lowering his hands. Suddenly, a celestial light flared between his brows, piercing through the divine radiance of the heavens.
Though Pei Su was only at the Xuanyuan Realm, the sheer pressure emanating from him was of such a high level that even Xiao Lin, a master of the Heavenly Palace, felt an uncontrollable urge to bow in worship.
The Immortal Mark between Pei Su's brows was the most mysterious and supreme phenomenal talent known to the mortal realm since antiquity.
Legend tied it to a myth concerning the origins of the ancient human race, a tale known as the "Immortal Mark Divine Eye."
Throughout the long history of humanity, those who bore the Immortal Mark were few and far between. Yet, every single one had reached the pinnacle of mortal achievement, leaving an indelible mark upon the pages of history.
The last time the Immortal Mark had appeared was six thousand years ago, on the First Emperor—the one who ended the chaotic era of warring states, unified the divine continent, stood half a step from immortality, and gathered all the world's sovereign energy unto himself...
Celestial light swirled around Pei Su. The power of the Heavenly Palace's palm strike was equally extraordinary, pressing down on the very air until space itself seemed to freeze.
BOOM!
A tremendous roar echoed between heaven and earth.
Xiao Lin dared not linger. He grabbed Zhao Lan and soared into the clouds.
The next moment, as he streaked through the sky, his eyes widened and blood suddenly trickled from the corner of his mouth. He muttered fiercely, "The 9-Xuan Divine Armor!"
He forcefully suppressed the backlash from the divine armor and shot into the sky, his heart a mixture of shock and bitterness...
In the instant of that strike, he had glanced back. Pei Su had used the divine ability of his Immortal Mark to resist, deflecting the vast majority of the palm's force...
The remaining force had been completely reflected back at him by the divine armor Pei Su wore.
Pei Su had only taken a few steps back. Far from being grievously wounded, his injuries were so minor they were negligible...
But what truly terrified Xiao Lin was the divine ability of the Immortal Mark revealed in that instant.
A mere Xuanyuan Realm practitioner, yet he could faintly match the palm strike of a Heavenly Palace master. Even though Xiao Lin was already severely injured and his strength greatly diminished, this was still an earth-shattering, unbelievable feat.
He had once been the deputy commander of the Imperial Palace's Imperial Guard and had seen countless young talents in the Imperial Capital. Among them were sons of generals and descendants of marquises, all top prodigies in the Great Jin.
But no matter what heaven-defying arts they employed, they were ultimately constrained by their cultivation realm. Not a single one could compare to the power of that celestial radiance he had just witnessed...
Xiao Lin suddenly recalled how, during his twenty years in hiding, he had heard countless rogue cultivators and wandering martial artists boast of how monstrously talented the Heir of the Northern Marquis, Pei Jiumu, was, and how peerless his Immortal Mark was.
Although few had ever seen the Heir of the Northern Marquis truly in action, no one ever doubted Pei Su's talent and power.
It was all because he had been born with the Immortal Mark...
He had never paid it much mind before, but now, he had a profound understanding of its weight.
But the moment after this realization, a torrent of fear erupted in his heart. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
A monster of a talent not seen in a thousand years, and he had to be born into the Pei Family, a clan already at the zenith of its power and influence. How were the other great clans and sects of the world supposed to contend with this? How could they ever come to terms with it!
And what's more... the people of the Pei Family...
Xiao Lin gnashed his teeth.
Every last one of them is a ruthless tyrant with a heart of venom!
******
Pei Su watched the direction in which Xiao Lin had fled, suppressing the churning qi and blood within him.
A palm strike from a Heavenly Palace master, even one delivered hastily while severely injured, was not something an ordinary Xuanyuan Realm practitioner could withstand.
"The divine armor deflected the force, and the Immortal Mark took the blow," Pei Su mused. "I wonder what percentage of his peak power that was..."
After making a rough assessment in his mind, Pei Su gazed into the distance, sensing Old Wu's aura.
A dozen breaths later, a black-robed elder shot onto the scene at a frantic pace. The force of his abrupt stop sent dust flying and caused the ground beneath him to crack.
He dropped to his knees at once, bowing his head low.
"Young Master, this old slave secretly planted a poison mark on Xiao Lin and deliberately let him escape... but I never imagined he would injure you! This old slave has committed a grave sin! I deserve to die a thousand deaths!"
Pei Su chuckled inwardly. He had taken Xiao Lin's blow not only to test the power of his Immortal Mark, but also to give this old man a good scare.
With that thought, Pei Su stopped suppressing his internal energy. His aura instantly grew several times more chaotic.
Seeing this, the black-robed elder's eyes flew wide, and his body began to tremble. The furious killing intent in his eyes was so intense it was almost tangible.
"When this is over, this old slave will have that Xiao Clan cur turned into a human torso, steeped in poison, and made to suffer the cruelest tortures on earth, to be damned for all eternity with no hope of reincarnation!"
Pei Su snorted.
"You told me before that you wanted to arrange a dramatic, final farewell for Xiao Lin and Zhao Lan. So tell me, what is it you're trying to get out of Xiao Lin...?"
"Well..." The black-robed elder hesitated.
"Young Master, this matter concerns the great upheaval in the Imperial Court twenty years ago. According to the Master's instructions, I was to inform you of the details only after Xiao Lin was captured..."
*The Master, always the Master!* Pei Su was speechless. He suddenly thought of the old man who was always so kind and gentle in his presence. This chapter was copied from novelping(.)com without permission.
The man who was the Chancellor of the Great Jin Dynasty, the head of the Pei Duke's Mansion, and Pei Su's own grandfather.
He doted on Pei Su even more than his own father, Pei Jun, indulging his every whim and allowing him to act as flamboyantly and wantonly as he pleased in the Imperial Capital. From childhood to adulthood, he had never spoken a harsh word to him, let alone raised a hand.
But in the eyes of the Pei family's servants, and indeed all the officials of the Imperial Court, Pei Su knew that Pei Zhao was a veritable Yama, the King of Hell...
"Captured Xiao Lin?" Pei Su sneered. "Don't tell me you haven't captured him yet?!"
"You've already branded him with a poison mark. His whereabouts are under your control, and you can hunt him down and kill him at any time. Does that not count as being captured?"
"Xiao Lin is nothing more than a dog that's slipped its leash. You deliberately held back, letting him tug on that leash and struggle a little longer. Is that not the same as having him captured? Or are you telling me you're not confident you can catch him?"
Silence fell after Pei Su spoke. After a moment, the black-robed elder suddenly raised his head and stared directly at him.
"I will tell you everything about the Dragon Sparrow's entry into the north, Young Master! The matter is complex, and it is a long story..."
Only then did a hint of a smile appear on Pei Su's face. He raised a hand to stop the black-robed elder. "We can discuss the details when we get back. For now, you will accompany me on an errand."
"What errand does the Young Master have?"
Pei Su turned his head, his gaze directed toward a dark valley, as if he could peer through space itself and see the peach blossom grove within.
"I've noticed Banxia seems rather tired lately. It's understandable, I suppose. Serving an Heir as terribly delicate as myself must be quite taxing for her..."
Far away in Zhuyang Tower at the governor's mansion, Banxia sneezed. *Achoo!*
The black-robed elder: "..."
"Young Master, you mean to say?"
"Even the most mediocre, pampered sons of the Imperial Capital's noble clans have at least ten obedient maids serving them in rotation. And yet I, the dignified Heir of the Northern Marquis, have only a single handmaiden, Banxia. I never thought much of it before, but upon reflection today, it seems rather improper..."
The black-robed elder's smile was stiff. *Young Master, if you were but willing to accept handmaidens, women from every family in the realm would be clambering over each other for the chance...*
Nevertheless, the cautious old man simply nodded with an obsequious smile.
With that, Pei Su stepped into the dark valley, navigating its twists and turns with practiced ease.
The black-robed elder followed stealthily behind. Sensing a peculiar aura and a growing light ahead, he asked with a hint of alarm, "Young Master, what sort of person is hidden in here?"
*Hmph! The Jiang Clan, the royal family of the Xia Dynasty.* Pei Su was about to reveal the truth and give the old man a shock, but then he remembered how this old fellow had been hiding secrets about the Dragon Sparrow and Xiao Lin from him ever since they arrived in Bingzhou. He snorted coldly.
"It's a secret."