Suddenly, sensing something, Su Yeqing looked back along the path he had come, only to see the Eastern King limping into the bodhimanda formed by the Golden Immortal Dao chains.
"Your divine foresight and marvelous calculations command my deepest admiration. I had believed myself to be the world's foremost divine calculator, never imagining that beyond the heavens lie other heavens, and beyond men lie other men—that someone like you existed, possessing computational prowess that exceeds even my own."
The Eastern King's eyes flickered, settling on Su Yeqing. "Yet in all the world, divine calculation is divided into only two schools. One is the lineage of the Divine Calculator Tian Chouchou. I have long since experienced Tian Chouchou's divine calculation, and he was thoroughly defeated by my hand. I hear he has a senior martial sister; though I have never met her, I expect her achievements are no greater."
He paused before continuing, "The other school is the lineage of the Supreme. The divine calculation of our Immortal Emperor's house can be called peerless under heaven. Those who have attained any true achievement in it are none other than my father and myself. And your computational power is truly astonishing—you even calculated Emperor Changsheng's avatar down to the last detail. You guided Xu Ying, leading him to slay Emperor Changsheng's avatar and seize his Supreme treasure, the Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler. This sequence of divine calculations fills me with admiration. Father!"
Su Yeqing's expression turned odd. "Father? Does the Eastern King truly believe that I am the Immortal Emperor Supreme?"
The Eastern King sneered. "Just now, you said Xu Ying was already a Little Supreme, and that at the same realm, you could at best manage the same. That single sentence has already exposed your true identity!"
Everyone knew that in the present world, there was only one Supreme: the Immortal Emperor!
Su Yeqing had called Xu Ying a Little Supreme, and had claimed that at the same realm, his own strength was roughly equal to Xu Ying's—which undoubtedly pointed to him being the reigning Supreme of the Immortal Realm!
Su Yeqing chuckled. "Since I am proficient in divine calculation, couldn't it be that I already calculated you were nearby, and spoke those words deliberately to lure you out so I could kill you?"
The Eastern King gave a self-mocking laugh. "Among all the divine calculators under heaven, the only one whose computational power can surpass mine is you. In vain did I believe all these years that I was the world's number one divine calculator, never imagining that I was not. Father, you hide yourself deeply indeed!"
Staring at the white-robed youth, Su Yeqing, he felt considerably disgruntled. Shifting his tone, he said loudly, "I am your son! Why do your elbows bend outward? In battle, nothing beats brothers; in war, nothing surpasses father and son side by side! You and I, father and son, both master divine calculation. If you help me seize the Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler and harvest the Ginseng Dao fruits, I will help you sweep away the Imperial Monarch and Heavenly Venerable, and suppress ruthless overlords like Emperor Changsheng. Together, our father-son empire would endure forever! Why must you foster an outsider?"
The white-robed youth, Su Yeqing, wore a faint smile and looked at him quietly throughout, allowing him to vent his fury before remarking leisurely, "Menglong, you have disappointed me."
The Eastern King stared blankly, baffled. "How have I disappointed you?"
Su Yeqing said, "Even when a lion hunts a hare, it exerts its full strength. Yet you cherish your feathers and cling to your life, not daring to descend in your true body, coming instead as an avatar just like the Imperial Monarch and the Heavenly Venerable."
The Eastern King burst into laughter. "Without the strength to crush the crowd of champions, who would dare dispatch their true body? Father, you are being somewhat unwise!"
Su Yeqing shook his head. "Menglong, having received my true teachings, you should have stood on high and looked down from a grander vantage point, setting your sights far higher! Yet you debased yourself to contend with the likes of the Imperial Monarch and the Heavenly Venerable. You have disappointed me. You are Zhen's Crown Prince! If you descended to the mortal realm in your true body, who would dare lay a hand on you? If you openly contended for the Ginseng Fruit Tree, who would dare move against you?"
In his speech, he had unconsciously switched from "I" to "Zhen".
The Eastern King's eyes widened. He desperately wanted to retort and tell him how terrifying figures like the Imperial Monarch and the Heavenly Venerable were. But when he remembered that the man before him was the Supreme who held dominion over the world, the words rushing to his lips could not be spoken.
To a Supreme, figures like the Imperial Monarch and Heavenly Venerable were mere minor ailments, scarcely worth worrying about.
Su Yeqing said, "Because you dared not, an eagle could only dive into the brush to fight sparrows for scraps. A magnificent situation was ruined completely by your hands. You have disappointed me."
The Eastern King said, "Your son and minister has disappointed Father, while Xu Ying satisfies Father—is that it? Who is your biological son?"
Su Yeqing replied mildly, "You, of course."
He abruptly flicked his sleeve. A ray of chilling light shot forth, and before the horrified eyes of the Eastern King's avatar, it pierced through its skull and burst out the back of the head!
Disbelief washed across the Eastern King's face as the back of his head blew open with a bang. The cold azure light flew back, circling around Su Yeqing.
The Eastern King's body swayed. "Even a vicious tiger does not devour its cubs... How ruthless of you..." he stammered.
Su Yeqing looked desolate and shook his head. "Menglong, though your avatar is dead, this is Wuzhuang Temple, a realm unto itself. Your true body cannot sense that it was your father who killed you. The bond of father and son between us will remain unchanged."
With a heavy thud, the Eastern King collapsed to the ground, dead.
Su Yeqing's gaze flickered. Only when the avatar's Primordial Spirit and vital energy completely dissipated and its divine sense dissolved did he let out a sigh of relief, turning to walk toward the Ginseng Fruit Tree bodhimanda.
"Besides, you are not my son. Menglong, you are my elder brother. You didn't know, but in our Immortal Emperor's house, those proficient in divine calculation aren't just the Supreme and you."
Gazing toward the Ginseng Fruit Tree bodhimanda, Su Yeqing's form gradually faded away as he whispered, "If I'm going to help someone, I certainly can't help you—I'll naturally help my own biological son!"
Xu Ying arrived at the Ginseng Fruit Tree bodhimanda. For reasons unknown, the Ginseng Fruit Tree erupted with Dao might from time to time, dazzling Dao light bursting forth to obliterate everything in its path!
The wound on Mingyue's face had been caused by this very Dao light. Its power was terrifying; even a Heavenly Monarch's avatar could not withstand it.
Faced with such an onslaught, the only option was to dodge.
Likely because this Dao tree was drawing closer and closer to the mortal realm, the Ginseng Fruit Tree erupted with increasing frequency, rendering the area ever more perilous.
Xu Ying looked at the Ginseng Fruit Tree bodhimanda, marveling inwardly.
The fruit tree was majestic and magnificent, resembling an undying spirit light rooted between heaven and earth taking the shape of a Dao tree, hung with Dao fruits that resembled Primordial Spirits!
Each Dao fruit shone with brilliant radiance!
"Consuming such a Dao fruit allows one to become half a Daluo Golden Immortal."
Su Yeqing's voice drifted from behind him. Xu Ying whipped around, and sure enough, the white-robed youth stood not far behind.
Su Yeqing smiled faintly and stepped forward. "Celestial Venerable Xu truly lives up to his reputation. Luring Emperor Changsheng's avatar into unleashing its final strike, you seized the opportunity to claim his life and take his Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler."
Xu Ying raised an eyebrow, wearing a half-smile. "Had it not been for Sixth Young Master Su's guidance, I wouldn't have been able to obtain this treasure. Most of the credit for the Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler belongs to you; I wouldn't dare claim it for myself."
He brought out the Supreme treasure, held it up with both hands, and bowed. "Allow me to present this treasure to Sixth Young Master Su as a modest token of respect."
Su Yeqing said with a beaming smile, "If I reached out to take it, and you took the opportunity to activate the Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler and strike me dead, wouldn't I die a rather aggrieved death?"
Xu Ying said in astonishment, "Sixth Young Master Su actually doubts Xu Ying's character? My Dao heart is as clear and luminous as the sun and moon, as Heaven itself can witness."
Su Yeqing sighed with emotion. "I am somewhat perplexed as well. Your heart was not so black in the past. Why has it turned so black now?"
He shook his head.
Xu Ying calculated inwardly what his chances would be of striking Old Six Su dead if he activated the Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler right now.
Yet Su Yeqing gave him an unfathomable impression, such that even while wielding the Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler, he dared not make a move.
Su Yeqing walked up before him, clasped his hands behind his back, and looked up at the Dao fruits on the Ginseng Fruit Tree. "Wuzhuang Temple is a realm unto itself, completely sealed off. Although the Imperial Monarch, Heavenly Venerable, Primordial Monarch, Eastern King, and the others cannot perceive what befell their Dao bodies, avatars, and incarnations here, they can perceive their deaths."
Seeing him standing within arm's reach, Xu Ying wanted to strike, yet did not dare.
Su Yeqing stood before him brimming with confidence, seemingly tempting him to strike. Yet the more Su Yeqing acted this way, the less Xu Ying could fathom his depth, and the less he dared to act.
"The formidable thing about the Imperial Monarch, the Heavenly Venerable, and the rest is that they are already on their way."
Su Yeqing smiled faintly. "They have already descended from the Immortal Realm, coming in towering rage. If Celestial Venerable Xu were to step out of Wuzhuang Temple right now, you would run right into them."
In the Yingzhou Cave Abyss, the Divine Mother's voice was hoarse as she transmitted to Xu Ying, "Impossible! This Old Six Su's divine calculation could never reach such a level!"
Her face pale with fright, she cried, "It's impossible for him to calculate the every move of people outside while remaining inside Wuzhuang Temple!"
What terrified her even more was that the Imperial Monarch, the Heavenly Venerable, and the Eastern King—three beings at the Heavenly Monarch Perfection realm—already possessed Dao attainments that partly reached the Supreme realm. Calculating them with divine calculation was fundamentally inaccurate!
The higher one's Dao attainment, the harder it was to calculate accurately!
Yet this Su Yeqing knew the movements of the Imperial Monarch, the Heavenly Venerable, and the others like the back of his hand. Such divine calculation was miraculous, transcendental, entirely beyond the bounds of her understanding!
Xu Ying's face darkened and brightened by turns, his eyes darting rapidly. *If I hit him with the ruler, and fail to kill him with one blow, then immediately leap under the canopy to flee for my life, could he kill me?*
Su Yeqing turned his head and glanced at him. Seeing Xu Ying's eyes rolling so fast they looked ready to take flight, he chuckled. "And how could Emperor Changsheng be willing to let his Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler be stolen? Following behind them, Emperor Changsheng is coming as well. His strength is unfathomable, standing as one of the beings with the highest achievements in the Immortal Realm."
Suddenly, Xu Ying's expression ceased shifting, his eyes stopped rolling, and he bowed deeply to the ground, saying in all earnestness, "Many thanks to Sixth Young Master Su for your guidance!"
Emperor Changsheng coming in person had spooked him quite a bit.
Sixth Young Master Su chuckled. "Did I guide you on anything? I merely told you that danger approaches, that many people are coming to kill you."
"The greatest danger is not that danger approaches, but not knowing danger approaches. Sixth Young Master Su has given me so much guidance, which undoubtedly saved my life!"
Xu Ying straightened up, looking solemn. "Sixth Young Master Su's life-saving grace is something Xu cannot repay, except by laying down my life! I feel an instant rapport with you, Young Master. As you are ranked sixth, there must surely be five older brothers and sisters ahead of you. Might I have the honor of swearing brotherhood with you?"
Su Yeqing was left flabbergasted.
The Divine Mother was currently calculating Su Yeqing's origins when she suddenly felt the barrier concealing his background loosen slightly. She was startled inwardly. *He is not a being of the Supreme realm? He is an expert proficient in divine calculation!*
Even if a being of the Supreme realm had their state of mind shaken, it would be almost impossible for her to calculate anything.
Yet the moment Su Yeqing's mental state wavered, she immediately noticed that he was relying on a peculiar barrier to obscure her divine calculations!
Xu Ying struck while the iron was hot. "I wonder how many brothers and sisters we would be? Regardless of the number, I wish to swear with you all: we ask not to have been born on the same year, month, and day, but seek only to die on the same year, month, and day!"
Su Yeqing offered a strained smile. "It is not that I am unwilling to swear brotherhood with Celestial Venerable Xu, but rather that I have five elder brothers and sisters. I would need to consult them before deciding whether to swear brotherhood with you."
Xu Ying smiled. "Then our swearing of brotherhood has nothing to do with them. If in the future they are willing to accept me as their younger brother, I shall swear brotherhood with them as well."
Su Yeqing shook his head. "As for our swearing brotherhood, I fear it is somewhat inappropriate..."
Xu Ying said displeasedly, "You make excuses at every turn—could it be that you look down on me? Are you unwilling to die on the same year, month, and day as me?"
Su Yeqing hemmed and hawed, "That is not it."
Xu Ying breathed a sigh of relief and beamed. "Since you don't look down on me, you must hold me in high regard and care for me, which is why you gave me so much guidance. Having received so much direction from you, if I don't kowtow a few times to you, my conscience will feel uneasy. Once we swear brotherhood, I will even introduce you to a few of my dear brothers!"
Su Yeqing could not help but grow incensed. *How did Xu Jing raise his child? Without even knowing whether someone is good or bad, he forces them to swear brotherhood! When someone doesn't want to swear brotherhood with him, he still insists on compelling them!*
Xu Ying laughed. "Come, let us kowtow right now! I'll do one first—fuck!"
Bending low, his feet suddenly dashed forward as he lunged toward the Ginseng Fruit Tree bodhimanda, shouting, "Qingfeng, Mingyue, open the way already!"
Within Yingzhou, Mingyue was still dazed, but the Dao child Qingfeng snapped to attention at once, hurriedly circulating his Dao arts to help open the Ginseng Fruit Tree bodhimanda for him.
The little Dao child's injuries were far from healed, making opening the bodhimanda quite strenuous.
Ahead, the Ginseng Fruit Tree's Dao light erupted, sweeping forward. Xu Ying tumbled and rolled, dodging the beams, and yelled, "Hurry up!"
Qingfeng stood up, floating outside the Yingzhou Cave Abyss, channeling what remained of his magic power to forge a path. Xu Ying leaped and ducked, dodging left and right, avoiding the onslaught of the Ginseng Fruit Tree's Dao light as he penetrated deep into the bodhimanda!
He erected a golden bridge and sprinted across it while terrifyingly potent Dao light surged beneath.
If struck, even his Undying Primordial Spirit would likely struggle to endure it!
Xu Ying leaped from the bridge, evading the crisscrossing beams of Dao light, rolled across the ground, and bounded nimbly like a civet cat, finally reaching beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree by the skin of his teeth.
Within Yingzhou, the Divine Mother, Yuan Tiangang, and the others broke into a cold sweat for him, exhaling in relief only when they saw him arrive beneath the fruit tree.
Xu Ying sprang to his feet, turned, and looked outside the bodhimanda. Su Yeqing stood outside, having not followed.
Xu Ying burst into laughter. "With such a natural chasm, even if you are a Supreme, what reason have I to fear—fear... fear..."
Su Yeqing strolled into the bodhimanda, leisurely pacing through it. Beams of the fruit tree's Dao light crisscrossed around him, yet not a single one touched him.
Su Yeqing ambled calmly all the way beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree, looking at Xu Ying with a half-smile.
Xu Ying's face shifted between light and shade. After a moment, he let out a hearty laugh and said, "Does Sixth Young Master Su have room for another son?"
Fury blazed in Su Yeqing's chest. *That old bastard Xu Jing really corrupted his son!*
At that moment, the Divine Mother finally deduced a portion of Su Yeqing's origins. Inexpressibly excited, she hurriedly sent a voice transmission: "Immortal Master! Su Yeqing is an alias! I've calculated his true name—it's Lan Suying!"
Hearing this name, Xu Ying had no recollection of it whatsoever. He thought to himself, *To think the Immortal Emperor Supreme would take such a delicate name?*
Chapter 522