The City of Iniquity was a peculiar existence.
Much like how even great wars in the ordinary world saw tacitly acknowledged neutral nations, it was the chaotic-neutral sanctuary within this shadow world of source energy, the sole place that harbored filth and villainy.
The major organizations, including Azure, isolated it, stationing personnel along its perimeter, besieging and hunting down the exiled, and holding supreme dominance over it... yet in truth, no one dared lightly claim they would shatter it completely.
Because the price for doing so would inevitably be immense; whichever faction struck would surely suffer catastrophic damage.
At the same time, with Azure at the lead, reason told most people that they could not leave all the outlaws in this world of extreme martial power completely without hope, nor could they completely cut off the outlet for filth and hatred.
If that happened, there was no telling what they might destroy.
This was one of the core logics and foundations for the existence of the City of Iniquity.
Aside from this, the internal ecology of the city itself—or rather, its operating rules—was another logic that allowed it to endure for so long.
To give a simple example of how this ecology functioned at the level of high-end combat power:
During the era of the four super factions, for instance, if Shu You had suddenly moved ruthlessly to wipe out one faction, the other three would have swiftly united to seek self-preservation.
And now, if Han Qingyu were truly to deploy Azure's power in an attempt to rule this city, a vast number of factions led by the old three factions would immediately fall into line and unite against the outside threat.
This would very likely include a portion of the people within the Azure Dragon Gang.
That they could accept a Major Qing exiled by Azure did not mean they could all accept Azure—those were two entirely different matters.
Some of them might hail from Snow Lotus, some from Earth's Core; some might have once been hunted, their family dead and friends gone, harboring deep hatred for Azure...
Meanwhile, to prevent the City of Iniquity from falling completely under Azure's rule, major outside organizations like Snow Lotus, Pure Purgatory, Deep Sea, and Earth's Core were also very likely to intervene swiftly.
It was precisely under such an ecology that many seemingly nonexistent rules in this city were, in reality, quietly at work.
This was something Han Qingyu had only recently come to understand, whereas Shu You had always known... Having laid the groundwork, he turned his gaze toward Han Qingyu. "Leave the division of territory to them to negotiate. Hand over your Eter—"
After standing at the highest peak of this city for over a decade, Shu You had little desire left for territory or wealth... This time, what he wanted was the Bones of Eternal Life. Because only then would he have a chance of breaking through his combat power bottleneck...
Han Qingyu knew Shu You had already set his mind on doing this.
He had guessed as much after their last conversation.
That was why, over the past ten-odd days, he had continually avoided meeting, making preparations through the Azure Dragon Gang instead. His true purpose was precisely to deal with this matter.
Now, the man had come knocking in person. This, too, was entirely within expectations.
"We have a common enemy," Han Qingyu cut in, interrupting before Shu You could finish speaking.
Shu You looked at him. "So what?"
"I'm curious: why has Boss Shu You, in all these years, aside from trying on your own, never thought of using the forces here to assist in your revenge?" Han Qingyu said. "Don't tell me you want to kill him fair and square in a one-on-one duel. You're weaker than him... Besides, that old dog Alphonse would never fight you fair and square. If he did, you wouldn't have come back empty-handed time and time again."
This was precisely the crux of the matter. Whenever he was outside the boundaries of the City of Iniquity, Shu You was always alone, while Alphonse was an entire organization. Shu You couldn't even find a chance to drag him down with him.
When Han Qingyu finished speaking, the look in Shu You's eyes flared with sudden fury. Gritting his teeth, he said, "You should be asking that question to your Azure..."
"Not mine. I've been exiled," Han Qingyu said.
Shu You knew his story. After a moment's thought, he turned to the side, his voice suppressed. "In any case, if I go out alone, Azure will hunt me down the moment I'm exposed... If I tried to mobilize larger forces, Azure's troops would surely swarm in like mad dogs to annihilate us."
"Yes... you can't." Han Qingyu's eyes were as sincere as his tone as he said slowly, "But I can."
"What?!" Shu You whipped back around.
"I said, I can lead ten thousand men to kill Alphonse! There's no shortage of ten thousand warriors here who want to leave. I have Chen Buer and the Huaxia Front backing me, and I have the loyalty of at least half the Azure Coalition. When it really comes down to that, Alphonse won't have an organizational advantage."
Han Qingyu paused, slowing his cadence for emphasis. "So, what you can't do, I can. I can take ten thousand men to hack Alphonse to death."
Shu You froze, entirely stunned, before realization dawned on him:
*Right! He really could.*
*So that was his objective all along!*
"When that day comes and the truth is laid bare, Azure will owe you, and it will owe me! It will owe our comrades-in-arms and brothers!" Han Qingyu added.
These words slammed heavily against Shu You's heart.
"So..." he asked hesitantly.
"So, why don't you give me your six Bones of Eternal Life?"
Han Qingyu spoke earnestly, making it sound entirely reasonable.
Shu You almost believed him.
*Wait, why does that sound kind of familiar?*
He froze for a second.
*Fuck! Wasn't that what I came here to say?!*
*I was clearly thinking that if I took the Bones of Eternal Life from this kid, I could become stronger and have a better chance at revenge. Besides, if I have a chance myself, why should I do it through his hands?!*
"Why shouldn't you give yours to me?" Having sorted out his thoughts, Shu You asked in a heavy voice.
"Because my chances are better," Han Qingyu said candidly.
"I'm clearly the stronger one."
"If you give them to me, I might be the stronger one."
"..." Feeling as though he was being talked in circles again, Shu You thought hard and finally spotted the logical flaw. Changing to a cold tone, he said:
"I have no reason to fully trust you, let alone discuss any of this with you. Because at least right now, right here, I am stronger. I'm the one who decides who goes."
"But do you have certainty?" Han Qingyu asked.
Shu You's gaze darted aside for a moment. "And how can you guarantee you have certainty?"
Han Qingyu fell silent.
*Should I tell him? Tell him that I can devour the Bones of Eternal Life? Especially after reaching the Super level, where aside from the horn bone, I can devour them whenever I want. If you dare let me see the Bones of Eternal Life, I dare make them vanish...*
He hesitated, because he didn't really understand Shu You that well yet, nor did he understand what his own unique condition signified, or what revealing it directly might bring about.
"Your personal strength is too lacking," Shu You said. "If you want to talk terms, at least wait until you can fight me to a near draw..."
Having said this much, Shu You froze.
Han Qingyu looked at him in silence as well.
"Fine, I've decided. You won't be leaving within this year even if you want to," Shu You said, turning away. "In one year, you and I will duel outside the city—with the Bones of Eternal Life as the stakes."
With that, Shu You turned and walked away.
Chapter 512